Whatever faults the Spacing Guild may have had,
when the day of the Steersman ended, a real beauty passed from the universe. The experience
of the Steersmen, breathing and drinking melange, rocking to the beat of space and time,
swaying with the music of the spheres, led in their dance by the
pulse of life around them, alive to every note in the pavane both
composed and played by their quartet, is beyond the power of words to describe or the
imagination to conceive. ~ Dune Encyclopedia The bizarre post-AI future presented in Frank
Herbert’s Dune series features an interstellar empire largely built on a foundation of several
strange and fantastic elements. Many of these elements involve mankind’s evolution to fill
the void left in the wake of the banishment of thinking machines. Perhaps the most peculiar of
these evolutions came from within the powerful Spacing Guild with their Navigators who
enabled safe and fast FTL travel. However, the long process required to become a Guild
Navigator would see a human’s mutation and total transformation into a being which was
confined to a chamber filled with spice gas, and thereafter would be entirely
reliant on others for their survival. Because of this, a common question that
many readers of the Dune series have is just what would motivate an individual to
undertake such an extreme and life altering transformation. In this video, I’d like to
answer the question of why someone would become a Guild Navigator and how this reasoning
fits into the overall structure of the Duniverse. Spoiler warning if you are unfamiliar
with Frank Herbert’s Dune series. In order to fulfill their function
as an interstellar steersman, Guild Navigators rely on the mind altering
abilities unlocked through the consumption of large quantities of the substance known as
Spice Melange, found only on the desert planet Dune. Along with the clairvoyance made possible
by means of the spice, several health benefits are said to come along with its consumption
including a greatly increased life expectancy. To ensure that the required levels of spice
saturation are achieved and maintained, Navigators are continuously immersed in containers
filled with highly-concentrated spice gas. Over time, this high level of exposure to the addictive
melange causes a human body to mutate and atrophy until the point where they would become vaguely
aquatic in appearance. A fish in a strange sea. Through their monopoly on interstellar travel, the
Spacing Guild amassed almost unfathomable wealth and as a result, it stands to reason that
they were easily able to secure the resources to provide for and protect their members, granting
them access to all the comforts and benefits that such riches could afford. No doubt, this eased
the transition of Guild members into Navigators as they would become entirely reliant
on others in the transportation and maintenance of their enclosures
and regular supply of spice. However, considering the established societal
systems in place in the Imperium, it’s highly likely that not many are presented
with the opportunity of becoming a navigator. In Frank Herbert’s Dune, a rigid class system
called the Faufreluches (Fa-fre-loooshez) exists with its motto being "A place for every man and
every man in his place." This caste system stands to maintain order, civility and control through
the enforcement of a strict social hierarchy with most of the population having their
career trajectories predetermined from birth with little chance for upward mobility.
Therefore, it would make sense that to many, the prospect of rising to the top of the
power structure of the undisputedly most powerful organization in the universe
would prove to be enticing. After all, there are not many who get to travel the universe
with the supreme level of reverence and respect afforded to those who hold this illustrious
position at the core of human civilization. Once they begin their journey of transformation
and develop an addiction to spice, it’s probable that any Guild member’s interests would come
further into alignment with the Guild itself, as they would realize their dependence
on the organization as the best reliable source to constantly feed and fulfill that
addiction without the prospect of withdrawal. While the confines and limitations of a Guild
Navigator are significant, these restraints are purely physical in nature. The freedom
granted to a Steersman through the spice melange places their mind on an entirely different plane
of perception. Although it pales in comparison to the Bene Gesserit’s Kwisatz Haderach, the
knowledge and understanding available through a navigator’s prescience serves to completely alter
their comprehension of reality. As a result, their consideration and concerns over corporeal matters
are entirely transfigured and greatly diminished. While an individual's initial motives
may in fact be driven by curiosity and the prospect of attaining such a
venerated and even deified position, the enlightenment experienced through
prescience no doubt serves as a powerful addiction in of itself. Although limited, their
vision likely also results in the revelation of many well guarded secrets, long held by both
visible and clandestine powers of the imperium. In performing their function as Steersman these
beings must look forward in time to see many futures, relying on their mathematical training
to select a thread of time resulting in the safe transport of the Guild’s Heighliner vessel.
In performing just one single journey through foldspace, the wonders of the universe are
revealed to a Navigator. The ability to discover these wonders through their unique view
of space and time doubtlessly grants a sense of fulfillment and unquestionably serves to maintain
their continued devotion to the Spacing Guild. As individuals become acquainted with the power
structure of the Imperium, they are quickly made aware of mankind's reliance on the Spacing
Guild. This reliance serves to guarantee the Guild’s survival as their services are viewed by
many as being too critical to be allowed to fail. While the various Houses of the
Landsraad may rise and fall, while the Emperor may be overthrown and
replaced, Space Travel must continue and thus, the Spacing Guild must survive. As a result,
those who ascend to the rank of Steersman effectively achieve ultimate job security as their
services are critical to the continual function and operation of all economic affairs across the
cosmos. The Guild’s monopoly also ensured that it would never be threatened or negatively impacted
by the various conflicts between the houses of the Landsraad save those few events which might
hinder the flow of spice. Consequently as long as the spice continued to flow a Steersman’s life
was largely free of fear or immediate danger. As mentioned at the outset of this video, the
post-AI universe of Dune features many evolutions with various factions having developed formidable
physical and mental capabilities. At the apex of these evolutions were the Guild Navigators
who came to be viewed as gods of mathematics, space and time. It is for these reasons
that the Steersmen are so highly venerated and until the arrival of the
Kwisatz Haderach, Paul Atreides, it could be said that these largely unseen
bizarre and fascinating beings stood firmly in their place as the true masters
of humanity’s interstellar empire. But I’m curious to know what you think of the
evolution of the Guild Navigator. Do you think it seems logical for someone to sacrifice their
human form in order to attain this distinguished and illustrious rank? Let me know your thoughts
in the comments section below. I hope you enjoyed this video, leave a like if you did and be sure
to subscribe for more Dune and other sci-fi and fantasy news and lore. Thank you all so much for
your support and as always, have a very nerdy day.
