Dune 2 Cutting 1 Key Gurney Scene Completely Changes Paul's Book Story

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Dune: Part Two!

Summary Cutting Gurney's key scene changes Paul's storyline in a big way, impacting his journey and motivations.

Gurney's attempted assassination of Lady Jessica leads to Paul's important decision to drink the Water of Life.

Keeping Gurney's book motivation in the movie would have complicated the plot, so it was streamlined for a better narrative flow.

Dune: Part Two cut one key Gurney scene from the books, and while many fans may not have noticed it, this alteration changes Paul's book story in a major way. Despite Denis Villeneuve's Dune movie adaptations being fairly faithful to the books, they do make some changes, with characters like Chani getting greatly expanded on in the film versions. While most of Villeneuve's alterations comes down to adding content or making minor tweaks to some details, he did cut a major Gurney scene from the books, with this having a massive effect on the world of Dune: Part Two.

Played by actor Josh Brolin, Gurney Halleck made his surprise return in Dune: Part Two, with him running into Paul during a raid on a spice harvester. Learning that Paul wants to use the Fremen to fight back against House Harkonnen, Gurney tells Paul of a stock of atomic warheads that House Atreides left behind on Arrakis, with them deciding that this is a great way to take the new rulers of Arrakis down. Gurney then lives among the Fremen, and while he is around for the rest of Dune: Part Two, one of his biggest book storylines was cut.

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Dune 2 Cut Gurney Trying To Kill Jessica

It Wasn't Featured At All

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Gurney makes a surprising choice in the Dune book that Villeneuve cut from Dune: Part Two, as the movie doesn't feature Gurney's attempted assassination of Lady Jessica. Shortly after finding Paul and Lady Jessica, Gurney makes a shocking choice, with him pressing a knife up against Jessica's back as he prepares to kill her. As it turns out, Gurney still believes that Lady Jessica was the traitor who betrayed Duke Leto, with Gurney attempting to get her to confess before he kills her for her purported treason. Luckily, Gurney doesn't go through with it.

Paul is able to talk Gurney out of killing Lady Jessica, with him explaining that Dr. Yueh was the one who betrayed House Atreides. Gurney then realizes that this is true and, out of shame for attempting to kill Lady Jessica, tells Paul to kill him. Paul forgives Gurney, understanding that his actions stemmed from an honest attempt to avenge Duke Leto. However, Gurney's attempted assassination of Jessica does set off a chain of events that leads to one of Dune's biggest moments, something that is missing from the movie.

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Dune: Part Two features no reference to Gurney's attempted assassination of Lady Jessica, with this being cut from the movie entirely. Although there has been no official explanation as to why this assassination storyline was cut, it does get rid of a major motivation for Gurney, with him playing less of a role in Dune: Part Two overall due to its absence.

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Why Gurney's Assassination Attempt Is So Important In The Book

It Leads To Paul Drinking The Water Of Life

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Gurney's attempted assassination of Lady Jessica is a big deal in the original Dune, as it pushes Paul to make an important decision that changes everything. Although Paul does forgive Gurney for his attempt on Lady Jessica's life, Paul is fearful afterwards, not understanding why none of the possible futures that he saw included Gurney becoming violent and betraying him. Paul knows that missing major choices like this could have a huge impact on his plan, and thanks to Gurney's assassination attempt, Paul decides to take a drastic measure in order to not miss any more potential dangers.

Paul's lack of foresight as to Gurney's betrayal is what finally pushes him over the edge, with this being key in his decision to drink the Water of Life. Paul knows that drinking the Water of Life will increase his prescience, meaning that he can forsee and prevent future threats like that of Gurney's attempted assassination of Lady Jessica. Although Paul knows that drinking the Water of Life could lead to some problems down the road, he thinks that it is necessary in order to protect his people, with Gurney being the catalyst of everything that comes after.

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Dune: Part Two Keeping The Gurney/Jessica Scene Would've Changed Paul's Character

It Makes Him Seem Like A Better Person

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Although cutting the Gurney and Lady Jessica scene is one of Dune: Part Two's biggest book changes, it would have completely changed Paul's character. In the Dune book, Paul's decision to drink the Water of Life is made out of desperation. Paul still doesn't particularly want to, but he feels as if he has to in order to prevent future dangers like that of Gurney's attempted assassination. Even when drinking the Water of Life, Paul believes that he is doing it in order to accomplish something good, which is completely different in Dune: Part Two.

In VIlleneuve's movie, Paul's decision to drink the Water of Life isn't made out of desperation. Instead, Paul is doing in in order to fulfill the prophecies about the Lisan al Gaib, as he knows that it is the best way to win over the Fremen. Paul is aware that drinking the Water of Life will lead to the Holy War that he has forseen, but he believes that this is the best strategic move regardless. So, in the books Paul drinks the Water of Life to save lives, while in the movies Paul drinks the Water of Life to fulfill a prophecy and increase his influence.

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Dune 2 Couldn't Keep Gurney's Book Motivation

It Is Way Too Complicated

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Although Gurney's motivation works in the book, Dune: Part Two simply couldn't keep it in the film. Dune: Part Two is already an incredibly packed movie that is filled with tons of storylines and character motivations, and Gurney's subplot just wasn't necessary. Dune: Part Two would've felt bogged down if it had to include an entire storyline about Gurney secretly trying to avenge Duke Leto in the background, and the approach that the movie went with instead allows the Water of Life arc to be far more streamlined.

On top of that, Paul's sudden decision to drink the Water of Life may have been a better approach to Denis Villeneuve's thematic point. Villeneuve wanted to explore how Paul was willing to play into the messianic prophecy regardless of the dangers that it caused, with him risking a Holy War in order to fulfill the prophecy. Drinking the Water of Life in an attempt to save his mother could have made Paul seem too sympathetic, and the approach that Dune: Part Two took is far more streamlined.