The Bene Gesserit Explained | Dune Lore

[Music] there's a force imperceptible that permeates all star systems in the known universe its subtle presence belies a strength exerted upon humankind older than house Corino Resolute beyond the god Emperor's oppressive tyranny influential to events in the end times or the far distant future this Force operates from the Shadows poles Marionette strings to fulfill hidden minations mask by a facade of Defence of subservience it's shrouded in mysticism a force inscrutable to the uninitiated an entity so dizzyingly complex even its members struggle to comprehend its intricacies it's Relentless in pursuit of its mission for humankind its name evokes such strong emotions as awe fear hatred resentment it manipulates without reservation knowledges its preserve power its currency witchcraft its medium it's the ancient enigmatic Benny jeser Sisterhood this Sisterhood claims significance across Frank Herbert's Dune epic but what exactly is this all female order what powers do they possess and how have they maintained control for Millennia while propagating their designs to understand the Benny jate we must Plum their ancient history and inner workings for hidden knowledge but before we begin a spoiler warning for events that unfold in the Dune series including topics that discuss Sequel and prequel novels all right let's dive in founded eons ago in the century surrounding the tumultuous war against thinking machines in valarian Jihad the Benny jeser Sisterhood is a clandestine female order of acolytes advisers and ambassadors whose purpose is humankind's Preservation and continued survival in the harsh unrelenting Wilds of space witness to atrocity wrought by technological dependence but aware of the dangers of ignorance the benzer order was established on principles of enlightened guidance this Mission a Shepherd for mankind is simple to state yet the subtle nuances persuasion and merciless action required to effectuate are terribly complex difficult to realize the benzer are known for meticulous preparation and profound forite their plans span centuries and rely on generations to materialize as is heard in the statement of purpose taken from rosac archives one cannot understand Humanity without taking a sufficiently Long View we are in an excellent position to achieve this such is the delicate influence necessary to steer Humanity on a path of safety thin as a knife's edge with Oblivion waiting on either side to enact their purpose the Ben jert have developed several tools over the Millennia and refined skills in manipulation suggestion mental and physical conditioning to the point of complete bodily Mastery Mythos of the benzer holds that their ancestors Rose to dominance on the planet rosac in the ancient time of thinking machines the toxic mutating environment of rosac transformed the genomes of human settlers and a subset of females develop Supernatural telekinetic abilities their powers marked them as sorceresses and brought them control the sorceress's primary goal was to document their genetic stock and expand their influence through careful breeding programs ensuring that mutant traits would continue this sentiment acts as a foundational belief for the benzer's own genetic manipulation in the coming Millennia when an epidemic released by thinking machines spread virulently across rosac the sorceresses developed a peculiar innate immune response they learned that they could voluntarily control their body's internal body chemistry and render the virus inert such control is again an echo that will reverberate throughout the future of the benzer under the leadership of Rael Berto anaru and in the aftermath of Humanity's victory over thinking machines the sorceresses transferred their base of power to the planet Wallock 9 here the founding mother school was established rosac genetic breeding program was reformed and the sorceresses adopted the new title of Sisterhood of the Benes order to safeguard humanity and execute their purpose the Benes manipulate the Empire on two fronts genealogy and sociology the order works with great industry to control humankind's genetic stock preserving only the heartiest and necessary traits through their carefully crafted breeding program they believe through artificial selection the human species will Ascend to new heights culminating in the birth of their supposed chosen one the quizat hatak the one who can be all places at once a male gifted with the powers of a reverend mother and granted access to all of humankind's past memory for thousands of years they pursued the creation of such a being with singular Focus The Sisterhood sifts like sand the human genome discarding weaker unwanted traits and seeking only that which is vital to their Current Designs they look for strength of character character attractiveness loyalty birth unwitting pawns and knowing Servants of their cause the breeding program is whispered in hush tones from rival factions within the Imperium but hardly is it common knowledge most individuals are in fact oblivious participants seduced by a duplicitous sister and manipulated with ease to propagate their bloodline indeed many benzer are deployed as breeding sisters under false pretences of advisers to houses major and minor where they then infiltrate and fulfill their intended purpose Beyond mere genetics the Ben jeser order Works to further its own power through political economic and most significantly religious means no aspect of humanity is safe from their devious predations no idea is beyond their twisting sisters are sent to integrate with political factions of great import to spy and report and to slowly mold house actions to their will this we hear from an early Mother Superior Valia hekinan we must Place more truthsayers and sister mentats in the noble houses of the landrat league make ourselves indispensable to the Imperium not only will this generate revenue for us it will also make us vital to very influential people but that's only a stepping stone we have much greater plans in store Sisters spread throughout great Avenues of trade and space lines to gather influence to strike deals with other factions like the menad order and the Benny tillac that through subterfuge blackmail or other means tip the scales in the benage jerat favor through such they maintain a hidden Authority with unrestricted access to even the Imperial Court where they whisper sweet lies in the ears of Emperors perhaps the most Insidious tool available is used as both sword and shield by the order religion sisters disseminate propaganda establish Cults of worship and proze the masses into a seething Army of zealous violence Unleashed upon enemies at their discretion Faith also provides protection behind a Bastion of infallible Holiness Ben jzer allow allow misconceptions to circulate that feed their religious Authority as Sublime spiritual leaders that none dare move against though the order itself has no internally stated religion it exploits all and sees in them deeply ingrained cultural Concepts malleable through the missionary protectiva the protectiva is a propaganda machine developed eons ago and seated within the Bedrock of colonized or conquered worlds to guide belief systems the protectiva cultivates an aura of awe and mysticism around the Ben jarit creates intentionally vague prophetic Notions that can at any time be utilized by a traveling sister to twist the planet's devoted subservience to the order's whim no place was this better Illustrated than on arus where the lady Jessica realized subtle signs of the protectiva woven it into fman society and stoked them into a fury to Vault her son polres to messic Heights Central to the protectiva is a collection of mystic ideas known as the panopia prophetic this excerpt from the open-eyed proof highlights the devious ways to bend Hearts if you believe certain words you believe their hidden arguments when you believe something is right or wrong true or false you believe the assumptions in The Words which express the arguments such assumptions are often full of holes but remain most precious to the convinced the panopia prophetic ingrains thought of Salvation through a Chosen One a religious prophet from Beyond who brings with them Paradise though most quickly absorbed by destitute Backwater planets even wellestablished civilizations have over thousands of years been influenced to view the sister's work as deeply religious with their manipulation of religion The Sisterhood indirectly commands entire star systems of subjects indoctrinated to Blind obedience the art of twisting faith and opening footh holes for jeser dominants elicits great consternation amongst factions to whom they are opposed groups and guilds view The Sisterhood as an overreaching clandestine coven of witches intent on utter subjugation they whisper curses through gritted teeth see insist their abilities the signs of oul magic and attempt to unveil the ord's deceit but are unable to pierce heavy shrouds of secrecy but what fills the faithful with righteousness and the reprehensible with fear what are the true powers of The Sisterhood once mystery is [Music] banished the benzer are called witches for reason they command superb mental and physical control they have ascended Beyond Humanity have become something else entirely though experience natural inclinations and station bestow abilities unique to each sister there are skills shared by all initiated learned through Decades of rigorous conditioning or passed down through breeding first is the inimitable talent in observation trained eyes of a sister can read micro Expressions draw meaning from body language and trained ears listen to the changes in vocal tone that cul at in sharp insight to such a degree that lay people believe them thought readers invaluable in diplomacy and Espionage this skill is also used during famed Benny Jes truthsayer transes to judge falsehoods next comes the sister's immense physical prowess control and discipline ingrained through the pranab Bindu Arts the ancient way of pranab Bindu is a way of body awareness that allows sisters to consciously manage heart rate blood flow and pressure body temperature and internal organ function they have precise command of every muscle fiber and nerve ending in their entire body a benzer can analyze the molecular composition of compounds through smell or taste as well as alter their own internal chemical balance remnants of that survival trait carried from the ancient sorceresses of rosac toxins are rendered inert through will alone hormone levels and genetic markers change even to produce the desired sex in their offspring chemical balance is integral in the Reverend mother ride of passage in which a sister must mitigate an ingested toxin or succumb to its effects and die such physical Mastery transforms every benzer into a lethal calculated killer with reflexes that confound strikes aimed at vulnerable nerve and body segments and Li muscles whose Force crushes bone sisters are deadly with and without weapons their martial arts known colloquially to the fman of arus as weirding ways have been distilled over centuries into the most Superior hand-to-hand abilities rivaled only by the aforementioned desert Warriors and house corino's Imperial Sardar de physicality is married to superh human mental Acumen solidifying Benny jeser as Superior beings extreme cognitive discipline affords full control of mental perception sisters can relax at a whim to call forth states of hyper awareness their minds hypothesize at levels comparable to those of the human supercomputers within the Menat schools greatest of all is a Ben jeser Reverend mother's access to other memories and past lives they possess the combined wisdom of all their female ancestry memory that's unlocked during the agonizing trauma of their right of passage as well as those transferred to them from other Reverend mothers such knowledge projects an aura of infallible genius a type of mental depth akin to cognitive immortality they rely on past mistakes to avoid the future's pitfalls the other memories are limited by genealogy and no Reverend mother can experience past lives of their male ancestry a shortcoming rectified by their quats hatak who can peer into both sides of human history the most disarming of Benny jzer abilities is the use of voice to compel all within earshot voice is a type of audio neuronal control technique developed and refined by The Sisterhood over several centuries it's well-guarded secret and few outside the order understand its workings completely after observing an individual's response to audition and own inflection a sister can utilize precise intonations and vocalizations to achieve complete control over them with use of voice simple commands are dutifully executed even against the victim's wishes Beyond mere command voice is often utilized to extract information from the unwilling to the uninitiated the skill indeed seems like sorcery all sisters are skilled but there exists a strict hierarchy within the order to promote discipline and maintain the trajectory of their overall purpose a purpose that could easily be mismanaged over Millennia as stated in Heretics of Dune there was an organizational rubric laid down by the original Ben jeser Chapter House divisions were cut by hard vertical and horizontal barriers divided into isolated groups that converge to a single command only at the top at the Pinnacle of power sits the Reverend Mother Superior to whom all of the order must answer though she listens to advice of Select councel once deliberation finishes her decisions are ultimate her will final orders are carried with unquestioned loyalty or at least not open opposition The Sisterhood adamantly upholds a facade of Union but internal rebellions emerge over great issues on occasion the position of Mother Superior is passed to a chosen successor and at the time of death she imparts her Persona her other memories and past lives to her chosen existing eternally in their mind beneath Mother Superior stand the sisterhood's re mothers sharp tactful wrapped in mystique and cloaked in the customary black Oba dress these women assume vital positions as advisers to Great houses geneticists responsible for the breeding program diplomats intermediaries historians faculty and archists for the Benes chapter houses a reverend mother is the ultimate authority to those both within and without The Sisterhood Supreme Bashar miles tag describes Reverend mothers as such it it often was said with truth that Reverend mothers no longer were completely members of the human race they moved somehow outside the main flow perhaps parallel to it perhaps diving into it occasionally for their own purposes but always removed from humankind manipulation that was their Mark they manipulated everyone and everything to join the ranks a sister must undergo the terrible spice Agony trial and survive this deadly ritual involves em bibing the dis spice Essence an Illuminating poison known as The Water of Life then using their skill in body chemistry render it inert before it consumes them if successful this reaction unlocks the genetic memories of her past lives and endows an immense accumulation of wisdom that is characteristic of a reverend mother only those deemed prepared by a Chapter House Proctor can undergo the trial and even then many die in the process those who emerge intact are granted the title of Reverend mother armed with our Ain knowledge possessed of Otherworldly calm and Poise they are feared and obeyed by all noteworthy positions include the true Sayers renowned across the Imperium for Harsh scrutiny and arbitration of disputes all lies wither under their watchful gaze Proctors that guide the grueling education within the order's chapter houses and breeding mothers trained in sensual Arts beneath the Reverend mother's opes scur sisters acolytes initiates and servants who perform most of the order's Civic duties prospective sisters are brought in as initiates carefully bred in advance for their role where they are then subjected to Decades of rigorous mental and physical training like the great pressure that renders lead stronger than steel the order is ruthless in their distinction most prospects fail and are denied by The Sisterhood a famous trial is that of The Poisoned gam Jabar in which an individual is subjected to excruciating pain and forced into a profoundly human decision awareness is tested Ted against Instinct and in such trials the true making of a sister is displayed the Reverend mother gas helun moim elaborates the polres on the use of the test ever sift sand through a screen we benzer sift people to find the humans I observed you in pain our test is Crisis and observation a test to determine if the human mind can override animal Instinct initiates progress to acolytes and in time fully vested sisters men are used by the benzer in labor security survial and Military capacities but never can they understand the sisterhood's designs the Ben jizer Project an image of complete control of understanding that reaches the very recesses of human knowledge their Legend and their skill carve out an unassailable Bastion that protects the order from most threats but there are two weaknesses they possess two enemies with whom war is constantly waged the first is dependency on the spice mange of arachis great Creator great Destroyer without the spice the benages wouldn't exist but it's a substance to which they are hopelessly enslaved spice is vital in inducing true s truth trance to visiting the other memories of past lives and most critical is spice Essence in the ritual christening of Reverend mothers through their spice Agony trial without it no new mothers would be born and the culmination of human an ancestral knowledge would forever be locked within genes Beyond recollection or understanding dependence on spice forces benzer to enter treaties and agreements with those in control it nearly destroyed the order entirely under the tyranny of God Emperor Leto the second at trates as he hoarded and largely withheld the substance from all for over 3,000 years the second danger invisible and intangible runs deep in the very nature of the human species emotion especially those strong emotions of fear love and hate emotion represents loss of control higher thinking and Consciousness to the benzar all emotions are a weakness to be excoriated within and exploited without to them emotion represents primitive drives no longer valuable for Humanity sisters are bred and trained to remain detached cold and unfeeling thus destroying in them any Notions of empathy the Primitive fear response so deeply enmeshed in humanity is emotion not even the Benz can escape it's their ancient Nemesis enemy of order logic and reason they arm themselves against the Insidious foe with pneumonics concentration and breath tricks to qu bursts of anxiety greatest of these is the litany against fear memorized early in an novice's training uttered silently to calm nerves and Clear Vision I must not fear fear is the mind killer fear is The Little Death that brings total obliteration but other emotions greater than fear are not so easily repressed hatred and love they're the strongest emotions hold the deepest reservoirs in firmest grip on the mind they are to be silenced at all cost they can betray centuries of planning in a moment destroy billions and unleash Devastation the Reverend mother darw odrade recalls that problems arose from the fact that the Foster mother gave oade that thing which most mothers give their children that thing which the Sisterhood so distrusted love a notable example occurs when lady Jessica falls in love with Duke Leto atres and produces for him the son he desires rather than the daughter demanded by the sisterhood's breeding program this led to an early birth of the quat's hatak and plunged the empire into chaos during the lifetimes of Paul muad and his son Leto less abstract enemies also strike at benezit attempting to find chinks in their unassailable armor rival factions such as the bioengineers of the Benny TX covet the sisterhood's breeding program they tried to expose genetic records held by jeser chapter house and integrate them with a txu's own significant evolutionary programs to further Ambitions the tinkerers and artificers of distant I hold in contempt the jeser as sisters often move to thwart technological advancements seeing in ixian devices the lingering threat of ancient thinking machines but the deadliest faction ever faced by the order arrives in the far distant future and under the guise of their own descendants during the Great scattering that followed the death of God Emperor Leto II Humanity exploded in an era of exploration and opportunity benzer sisters numbered among the expeditionary settlers that ventured Beyond known space hundreds of years later these socalled lost Ones returned to Imperial space but centuries of divergent evolution turned them into something else entirely the sisters that returned were no longer Benny jeser they had developed their own sect their own ways they called themselves the honored matri and new ideologies put them at odds with their ancestral order the matri Embraced emotion pleasure pain debauchery they enslaved through sexual exploits and shows of dominance many worlds during their return from the scattering this licentious behavior and open degradation earns the matri's only derision from their Sisterhood who resorts to describing them merely as the honored matri and Benz Sisterhood declared war against one another that lasted several years the conflict proved the might of the honored matri and the benzer realized that long-term survival of their order could only be achieved by uniting the two factions The Sisterhood was finally relieved when jeser leadership and matri's Leadership merged into a single commanding position a new beniz order was established and though its purpose is little changed the methods in which achievement is claimed have altered significantly the New Order Works in a fervor to regain loss strength and reestablish itself within a rapidly changing Imperium the Benny jeser Sisterhood in Ancient Order obscured by religious myth by ritual sorcery and Witchcraft has for Millennia manipulated human events and evolution with a self-proclaimed intention of creating a greater more resilient species adaptable to the threat of a hostile Galaxy their enemies contend that the order wishes only to grab more power assume greater control The Sisterhood is Devious and merciless in its minations armed with great resources to realize their goal they are a significant Force across the Imperium and one with whom few can compete their Mysteries are their own vast troves of Arcana secured behind impenetrable vaults in the darkest abyss of the black ABA robe thanks so much for watching and listening to this video on the Benny jesed order now I want to hear from you let me know your thoughts on the missionary protectiva the breeding program as well as suggestions for future videos in the comments below and if you're a fan of Laur and storytelling be sure to subscribe to the channel and check out the podcast our content is uploaded frequently I want to thank my amazing supporters over on patreon who make all of this possible and I couldn't do it without their fantastic support if youd like to become a lore luminary for access to me a great Community written scripts and early video drops head to patreon.com /the larians to learn more until next time go forth and explore the Lord

Channel: The Lorebrarians

Views: 110,226

Keywords: Bene Gesserit, Dune, Lorebrarians

Id: 5k3zjWxR6hM

Length: 24min 50sec (1490 seconds)

Published: Tue Oct 24 2023