Dune: What Is Baron Harkonnen’s Creepy Pet? Every Theory

Dune’s Baron Harkonnen is a man of many means, but what is his creepy pet supposed to be? Denis Villeneuve’s Dune is a transhumanist social sci-fi space opera that’s based on the cult 1965 Frank Herbert novel of the same name. And while the Dune reboot’s depiction of the Baron Harkonnen is faithful to the novel, Herbert’s book doesn’t mention a creepy spider-like creature with human hands, which appears on Geidi Prime in the scene where the Baron, Piter de Vries, and Reverend Mother Mohiam discuss the Harkonnen plot.

As the true nature of this creature is unclear, it could be a number of things. Before the Emperor commanded the Atreides to become the new stewards of Arrakis, the Harkonnens were in charge of the desert planet for 80 years. And this has made the Baron a very wealthy and powerful man, able to purchase practically anything in the Known Universe.

In fact, Dune’s Harkonnens are not only known for being brutal, but also for being decadent and depraved. The Baron’s pet is clearly a representation of Harkonnen depravity and overindulgence. And although there’s no mention of such a creature in the first book, the source material could still shine a light on this creepy mystery.

A Creation Of The Bene Tleilax

The Baron’s pet looks very much like a creation of the Bene Tleilax, a major Dune faction from the books that wasn’t mentioned in the movie. The Bene Tleilax, also known as the Tleilaxu, are an order of isolationist, technologically advanced, and xenophobic genetically-enchanced humans. In the book, the Tleilaxu programmed Piter de Vries into a cold and calculating Mentat to serve the Baron. The Tleilaxu also traffic in artificial eyes and other organs, and even gholas or clones, all sold to the highest bidders. It wouldn’t be unusual for the Bene Tleilax to supply the Baron with such an unusual creature for a pet. Moreover, the Tleilaxu are only mentioned in the first Dune book, and their actual first appearance happens in Herbert’s second book Dune: Messiah. This means that the Baron’s creepy, unnamed pet could foreshadow the involvement of the Tleilaxu in Villeneuve’s planned third movie, which will be based on Dune: Messiah.

A Tarantuwolf From The Comic Book The Metabarons by Alejandro Jodorowsky

Another possibility is that, much like some of Paul’s dreams and visions throughout Dune, the Baron’s pet could be Villeneuve’s way of paying tribute to Alejandro Jodorowsky, a renowned film director who famously failed to adapt the novel back in the ‘70s. This is because the creepy creature very closely resembles the Tarantuwolf from The Metabarons, a comic book that was written by Jodorowsky and illustrated by Argentine artist Juan Gimenez. Like many filmmakers, Villeneuve holds Jodorowsky in high regard, which can also be seen in Dune 2021’s depiction of the Sardaukar bloodletting sacrifices on Salusa Secundus.

The Bene Gesserit Adept Wanna Marcus, Also Known As Dr. Yueh’s Wife

The most gruesome possibility is that the Baron’s pet is actually Dr. Yueh’s wife. The Baron forced Yueh to betray the Atreides by using his wife Wanna Marcus as a hostage. While the movie infers that the Baron has already killed Wanna, unlike the other significant deaths in Dune, this is never shown onscreen. And this could be because the Baron has somehow turned Wanna into his strange pet. As the Reverend Mother shows, the creature can be commanded with the Voice, which means that it understands human language. Moreover, it wouldn’t be unusual for the Baron to twist the biology of a Bene Gesserit sister, lie to the Reverend Mother, and keep certain mysteries to himself.

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