Dune: Part Three may not have been confirmed when Denis Villeneuve was writing and filming the previous installments, but the director clearly left some important doors open in his screenplay that will hopefully be resolved in the upcoming sequel. Dune 3 will see many fan-favorite characters return while weaving a new narrative of secrecy and deception to push the franchise into the future.

It will loosely follow the story of Dune Messiah, which takes place twelve years after the conclusion of the first novel and follows a group of political opponents who conspire to have Paul Atreides removed from the Imperial throne. It’s widely regarded as Frank Herbert’s most controversial book, but several lines in Dune: Part Two hint that Villeneuve isn’t shying away from the story.

“He Will Bring Back The Trees. He Will Bring Back A Green Paradise.”

One of the most important aspects of the Dune novels that’s only briefly touched upon in Villeneuve’s movies is the Fremen’s desire for a complete ecological reform of Arrakis. The planet’s lack of water and brutal sandstorms make life very difficult for the native people, and one of the key tenets of Lisan al-Gaib’s prophecy is that he will revert the planet to its “green paradise.”

Stilgar is among the first Fremen leaders to vouch for Paul as the Voice from the Outer World, and it’s his desire to see Arrakis brought back to life that motivates him. This particular subplot doesn’t really come into play until Children of Dune, but there have already been several theories that Villeneuve is planning to fold certain Children of Dune storylines into Part Three.

This means audiences may see the ecological terraforming of Arrakis much earlier than expected, allowing Stilgar’s line in Dune 2 to finally pay off. This was even teased during Paul’s vision after drinking the Water of Life, where he saw waves crashing against the dunes. This scene could even appear in Dune 3, proving that the planet’s transformation is already underway, and Paul’s vision was accurate.

“You Should Have Believed. You Chose The Wrong Side.”

Although Jessica is initially introduced as a willing and capable member of the Bene Gesserit, allowing her only child to go through the potentially fatal Gom Jabbar test to prove her loyalty, she doesn’t remain such a devoted member of the sisterhood for long. Paul’s ascension to the throne essentially puts her at odds with the Bene Gesserit, and she chooses House Atreides.

Jessica’s interaction with Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam at the end of Dune: Part 2 sets up this conflict very well, using just one line to decisively prove that Jessica has strayed from the Bene Gesserit’s path. By disobeying the sisterhood’s wishes and allowing Paul to ascend to the Lion Throne, she has placed her entire family into the Bene Gesserit’s line of fire.

“My Dearest Brother; You’re Not Prepared For What Is To Come.”

Although Alia is absent from most of Dune 2, the character makes a brief appearance during Paul’s vision after drinking the Water of Life. She’s one of the most important figures in Herbert’s novels, not just because of her status as a member of House Atreides, but because she’s a pre-born Reverend Mother. This means she shares Jessica’s collective consciousness of all the Reverend Mothers to precede her.

Her omniscience is clearly at play here, as she manages to warn her brother about “what is to come.” This probably refers to his decision to accept the тιтle of Lisan-al-Gaib, and in doing so, launch a Holy War against the Great Houses. Dune Messiah reckons heavily with how justified Paul was in this decision, so it’s interesting to see Villeneuve sow the seeds of that subplot.

“Abomination.”

Spoken by Gaius Helen Mohiam during Paul’s face-off with the Emperor, the use of the word “abomination” clearly references the Bene Gesserit’s growing distaste for Paul – and later, his sister and children. This is a leading subplot in Dune Messiah, as the Bene Gesserit conspires with other parties to dethrone Paul on the grounds of his prescience turning him into the prophesied “Abomination” of Bene Gesserit mythology.

Paul’s visions and foresight evolve throughout Dune 2, with the Water of Life granting him abilities that other spice-sensitive people couldn’t even dream of. Despite seemingly being in favor of the arrival of the Kwisatz Haderach, the Bene Gesserit soon realize that Jessica’s son has become more powerful than even they can control, leading them to denounce him in Messiah.

“I’m No Messiah. I’m A Fedaykin Of Sietch Tabr.”

Paul’s internal tug-of-war between accepting his тιтle of Lisan al-Gaib and remaining an equal, loyal member of the Fremen is the driving force of Dune 2, and it has countless unintended consequences for the protagonist throughout the rest of the franchise. By leaning heavily into Paul’s desire to reject his messianic тιтle through this line, Villeneuve highlights just how tragic his character arc is.

Dune 2 already hints at the atrocities that will ultimately be committed in Paul’s name, but it’s not until Part Three that audiences will see exactly how much evil is carried out as a direct consequence of going south and accepting the Lisan al-Gaib тιтle. This line emphasizes that Paul didn’t want this, but ultimately chose it anyway.

“The Holy War Begins.”

There’s a lot going on in Dune Messiah, from backstage politics to complex love triangles, but everything that happens is ultimately triggered by Paul’s decision to launch a Holy War against the Great Houses and ascend to the throne. Although Dune Messiah features a sizable time jump that essentially skips over the conflict itself, the direct aftermath of the Holy War is very tangible in the book.

By proclaiming that the “Holy War begins” in Dune 2’s ending, the Reverend Mother is essentially confirming that Paul’s dark vision for the future has come true, and his conquest of the galaxy has become a reality. This is a very dark path for the Dune franchise to take, and a notoriously controversial one, but it proves that Villeneuve is sticking true to the spirit of Herbert’s acclaimed books.

“I Will Love You As Long As I Breathe.”

The relationship between Paul and Chani is one of the biggest changes that Villeneuve made to Dune 2. At the end of the film, Chani ultimately rejects Paul’s status as leader of the Fremen and leaves Arrakeen following his betrothal to Princess Irulan. In the books, Chani sticks by his side and remains his loyal concubine throughout his time as Emperor.

It’s hard to imagine how Villeneuve can resolve the plot of Dune Messiah without bringing Paul and Chani back together, since so much of the narrative revolves around Chani and Irulan fighting to conceive Paul’s heir. Their love triangle is the driving emotional force of the book, and if Chani really doesn’t come back to Paul during the twelve years that he’s Emperor, Dune 3 could be very different.

Importantly, Paul’s confession that he will love Chani “as long as [he] breathes” is a very powerful one that seemingly confirms Paul will try and win Chani back to his cause in Dune 3. It certainly doesn’t feel like their romance is over, but rather, Villeneuve is merely giving Chani more agency in her decision to stand by Paul.

“Lead Them To Paradise.”

One of the final lines spoken in Dune 2, Paul’s command to “lead [the Fremen] to paradise” perfectly sums up his character arc throughout the first two movies. He’s become a fully disillusioned leader, essentially using the Fremen people to achieve his own goals and leaning on the false promise of paradise to capitalize on their blind faith.

There’s been an everlasting debate about whether Paul is truly the hero or villain of Dune, and while it’s probably not as black-and-white as the question supposes, this line really paints the new Duke of Arrakis in an immortal light. It will be fascinating to see how Dune 3 leans into this subtext, using his false promise to explore how much of an oppressor he is to the Fremen.