Duncan Idaho’s return in Dune: Part Three is one of the most exciting parts about the film, but it also creates some unexpected problems.

Jason Momoa’s Duncan Idaho was a major part of Dune, and while he didn’t appear in Dune: Part Two, his role in Dune: Part Three will be much different to what you’re expecting. Dune: Part Two expanded the world of Dune significantly by wrapping up the story of Frank Herbert’s original sci-fi world, but the recent second film is far from the end of the Dune universe. In fact, Denis Villeneuve has already expressed intereest in adapting Dune: Messiah in live action, with this potential Dune: Part Three making a splash by bringing Duncan Idaho back.

Dune: Part Two is out now, with the film being the exciting conclusion to the franchise’s original book. Dune: Part Two picks up right where the first Dune movie ended, with Paul and Jessica having found the Fremen after House Harkonnen wiped out the majority of House Atreides on Arrakis. The film sees Paul rise up to fulfill the purported prophecy of a messianic figure, leading to some disastrous results. Although many Dune characters return in Dune: Part Two, Jason Momoa’s Duncan Idaho doesn’t get this treatment — but he won’t be gone forever.

How Duncan Idaho Is Brought Back In The Dune Books After His Death

Duncan Idaho famously died in the first Dune movie, but the Jason Momoa character is brought back after his death. In the book, Duncan Idaho dies while fighting Sardaukar soldiers, with him taking down several but their never-ending numbers overwhelming him. Although Duncan is gone for the remainder of the first Dune book, he is brought back in Dune: Messiah in an even bigger way.

This reborn version of Duncan Idaho, known as Hayt, was secretly meant to kill Paul, although he instead developed a relationship with Alia, Paul’s sister.

In Dune: Messiah, Duncan Idaho is reborn as a ghola, which are artificial beings that are created from remaining DNA of dead individuals. The Bene Tleilax recreated Duncan and gave him to Paul Atreides as a gift after he becomes emperor. This reborn version of Duncan Idaho, known as Hayt, was secretly meant to kill Paul, although he instead developed a relationship with Paul’s sister Alia Atreides. Hayt is a major character throughout Dune: Messiah, with this odd way of bringing Duncan Idaho back being a major plot point in the book.

Jason Momoa’s Duncan Will Be Different In Dune 3 (At First)

Although many fans will be excited to see Jason Momoa’s Duncan Idaho back in Dune: Part Three, he will be incredibly different when compared to his original Dune counterpart (at first). Upon being reborn as a ghola, Duncan took on the name Hayt and was trained as a Mentat and Zensunni philosopher. This meant that Duncan Idaho’s personality and role in the story was completely different when compared to his appearances in the original Dune. Hayt’s marriage to Alia is a major part of his character arc, although he eventually leaves her to stay loyal to House Atreides.

Although Duncan Idaho’s Hayt incarnation is a good chunk of Dune: Messiah, he doesn’t stay around forever. Hayt is eventually killed by Stilgar, ending his story once again. Soon after, Leto II had Duncan Idaho reborn as a ghola once more, with him being by the sandworm emperor’s side for thousands of years. As the Dune books go on, Leto II has Duncan continuously reborn each time the previous ghola dies, with these versions of Duncan Idaho being much more similar to the character’s original Dune incarnation. So, while it might be a while, Duncan Idaho will return.

Jason Momoa’s Return Is A Major Challenge For Dune 3

Jason Momoa’s returns as a ghola and his assistance to Leto II is one of the weirdest parts of the franchise.

Jason Momoa’s return as Duncan Idaho is one of the most exciting parts of Dune: Part 3, but it is also one of the film’s biggest challenges. Although the original Dune story is already weird, future Dune books only get weirder, meaning that it will be a lot harder to balance each of the franchise’s different aspects. Jason Momoa’s returns as a ghola and his assistance to Leto II is one of the weirdest parts of the franchise, and Denis Villeneuve’s more grounded take on Dune may struggle to pull these elements off if they are adapted.

On top of that, reintroducing Duncan Idaho risks undercutting the emotions of the character’s death in the original Dune, and undoing the magic of the first film is something that Dune: Part Three simply cannot do. Even if Dune: Part 3 manages to do this once, it will have to do this multiple more times with Duncan Idaho’s future deaths, and this balance will be incredibly hard to find. Dune: Part Three has a lot of problems to overcome, but dealing with Duncan’s return is one of the biggest.