Dune 3 is the upcoming third movie in Denis Villeneuve’s cinematic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi saga, and Jason Momoa’s Duncan Idaho will return. After splitting the first book into two parts, Villeneuve is now expected to cover Dune Messiah in Dune 3. This controversial sequel takes place many years after Paul Atreides’ ascension to Emperor of the Known Universe, exploring his conquest of the other Great Houses and the cloak-and-dagger conspiracy to bring him down. Dune: Part 2 perfectly sets up Dune Messiah with its bleak ending, in which Paul Atreides launches his holy war.

It has recently been confirmed that Jason Momoa will return as Duncan Idaho in Villeneuve’s upcoming adaptation of Dune Messiah, something which will come as a major surprise to those who haven’t read Herbert’s book. The character was seemingly killed by Harkonnen forces in the first movie after helping Paul and Lady Jessica escape from Arrakeen and delivering them to the Fremen. His death is a major turning point in the story, and while his return may seem strange at first, there’s a very clear purpose to his character coming back.

Duncan Idaho Returns As A Ghola Named Hayt In Dune: Messiah

Momoa Isn’t Strictly Returning As Duncan

Although not mentioned until Dune Messiah, the concept of “gholas” is a crucial aspect of the Dune universe that appears several times throughout the franchise. Once Idaho makes his return, it becomes clear that these creatures are artificially created humans whose physical appearance is exactly the same as the body from which they’re made. They can be created using just a single cell of a person’s corpse, which is exactly how Paul’s enemies manage to craft a perfect lookalike of Idaho. This ghola is known as Hayt, and he’s one of the main characters in Dune Messiah.

It’s important to note that Hayt isn’t actually Duncan from a biological perspective. The creature was made in a tank using the original Duncan’s biological matter following his death at the hands of the Harkonnens. He’s implanted with fragments of Duncan’s original memories, though much of Dune Messiah focuses on his inner conflict about believing himself to be something that he’s not. Therefore, Momoa won’t be playing Duncan Idaho but rather a completely different version of the character who merely possesses Duncan’s appearance and some of his memories.

Hayt Is Programmed To Destroy Emperor Paul Atreides

The Ghola Is An ᴀssᴀssination Weapon

Hayt plays a crucial role in Dune: Messiah, as he’s created with the sole purpose of destroying Paul Atreides. Unsurprisingly, the young protagonist made plenty of enemies when he launched his conquest against the Great Houses – not only did he exile the previous Emperor and take his daughter for a wife, but he also sent his Fremen armies to kill anybody who opposed his rule. It’s estimated by Paul himself in Dune Messiah that billions of people have died as a direct result of his actions; much of the book focuses on Paul’s enemies trying to get revenge.

Although he’s not actually Duncan in spirit, Hayt displays much of the same military prowess and physical forтιтude that made him such a strong fighter in the original book – so he’s the perfect candidate to kill Paul. His creators also expect that Paul will be vulnerable to such a familiar face, as the pair grew up together and were notoriously very close. This conflict will be a major part of Dune Messiah’s story, as Hayt forces Paul to come face-to-face with the consequences of his own actions.

Hayt Is Connected To Dune 3’s Bene Tleilax

The Bene Tleilax Are Masters Of Genetic Manipulation

Villeneuve’s Dune has already established the Bene Gesserit, but it’s the lesser-known Bene Tleilax who take center stage in Dune Messiah. This mysterious sect are known for their skills in genetic manipulation, feared by all species throughout the Known Universe for their abilities to bend the rules of life and death. They’re the ones who create the ghola of Duncan Idaho in an attempt to bring Paul Atreides down, but their actions secretly have ulterior motives.

While the Bene Tleilax (led by a shape-shifting man named Scylale) certainly support the attempts to overthrow Emperor Paul and wish to bring an end to his conquest, their motives for creating Hayt are actually more scientific. It’s revealed towards the end of the book that Scytale brought Idaho back because he thought that his closeness with Paul would help the Bene Tleilax better understand how to fully restore a ghola’s memories. This is something they’ve failed to accurately do before this point, which is clear from Hayt’s altered personality, but he certainly comes close in this story.

Hayt Eventually Recovers His Memories As Duncan Idaho & Becomes Loyal To House Atreides Again

The Ghola Slowly Becomes More Like Duncan As The Story Progresses

When Hayt’s memories are fully restored at the end of Dune Messiah, the ghola remembers his past as a soldier of House Atreides and becomes loyal to Paul once more. He manages to overcome the genetic trigger of the Bene Tleilax that almost causes him to kill his old friend, turning against Scytale and ultimately killing several other members of the conspiracy against House Atreides. It’s not until this moment that the Duncan Idaho from Dune truly returns, but once he’s back, he’s there to stay.

Dune: Messiah Hints At A Romance Between Duncan Idaho & Alia Atreides

The Romantic Subplot Is Some Of Dune Messiah’s Best Material

Although Paul’s sister Alia Atreides has only appeared in a vision so far, it’s almost certain that she’ll play a much larger role in the upcoming Dune Messiah. The character has unique abilities that stem from Lady Jessica’s decision to drink the Water of Life while pregnant, instilling her unborn daughter with the collective consciousness of all the Reverend Mothers who came before her. This makes her an invaluable ᴀsset for Paul during the war, and arguably the strongest member of the Atreides family.

However, even Alia Atreides isn’t immune to love. Throughout Dune Messiah, she develops a complex and even dangerous romance with Hayt after the Bene Tleilax bring him into Paul’s court. Both characters are troubled by their actions and idenтιтies, with Alia struggling to accept her fate as the heir of an empire built on blood while Hayt knows that he’ll never be accepted as a “real” person, and both characters find some comfort in each other. Alia’s story is briefly teased in Dune: Part Two, but it’s unclear whether Villeneuve will include this specific subplot in Dune 3.