How does Paul Atreides die in ‘Dune?’

As there are four more books in the Dune saga by Frank Herbert, watching the new Denis Villeneuve film (which only adapts the first one) isn’t necessarily going to answer your burning questions about the fate of certain characters.

Dune: Part Two continues to chronicle the life of Paul Atreides, the surviving heir of House Atreides, after the Harkonnen treachery of the first film brought his family to ruin. Paul now roams the desert world of Arrakis alongside his new Fremen allies, learning about their ways and plotting vengeance against those who wronged his father.

The film ends on a somber note, and the promise of a threequel if this one performs well at the box office. And given how things are playing out in theaters, it’s safe to say that a third movie is almost guaranteed, but a lot of fans may not feel patient enough to wait the long haul to learn the ultimate fate of some characters, namely Paul Atreides himself.

So, if you absolutely have to know and cannot possibly wait for the potential sequels, then read ahead and find out what happens to the bespoke Lisan al Gaib, the Kwisatz Haderach, and the man who brought a galactic empire to its knees.

The following paragraphs contain spoilers for the rest of the Dune saga by Frank Herbert.

How does Paul Atreides die in the Dune books?

After defeating House Harkonnen using unsanctioned atomic warheads and his Fremen army, Paul Atreides forces Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV to give up his throne. He succeeds him as emperor and marries his daughter Princess Irulan to strengthen his rule. This instigates a holy war, with some elements within the former government challenging Paul’s rule and him sending forth his Fedaykin warriors to crush the resistance.

Years and the deaths of billions of people across the galaxy later, Paul finds himself cornered by enemies who are plotting against his rule in Dune Messiah. Meanwhile, his concubine Chani is pregnant with his children, but Princess Irulan is scheming to have her killed. At the end of the book, Chani succumbs to illness after giving birth to twins, and Paul, having been blinded by the attempt on his life, decides to abdicate and leave for the desert like his Fremen brothers. Paul designates his sister Alia as a regent until his children, Leto and Ghanima, come of age.

Children of Dune picks up the story nine years after Dune Messiah. Alia has succumbed to Abomination and is being possessed by Baron Vladimir Harkonnen’s ego spirit. At the same time, a new religious figure called The Preacher emerges from Arrakis and speaks out against the Atreides empire. It is ultimately revealed that The Preacher is none other than Paul Atreides himself, who somehow survived his self-imposed sacrifice and continues to protect the interests of the Fremen and advocates for peace. Paul and Leto meet up, with the latter accessing the ancestral memories and choosing the Golden Path to ensure humanity’s ultimate survival — something his father refused to do years ago.

Paul and Leto go to the capital to confront Alia. The Preacher gives one final speech against his possessed sister, which causes a riot to break out. In the chaos that ensues, Alia’s loyalist priests repeatedly stab Paul to death, thus bringing a final end to the Lisan al Gaib.

Leto declares himself emperor and doubles down on the Golden Path, noting to another character Farad’n Corrino (grandson of Shaddam IV) that he is going to live for thousands of years.