Editing Bene Gesserit (section)

== Plotlines ==

===Original ''Dune'' series===
In Frank Herbert's 1965 novel ''Dune'', the Bene Gesserit are a secretive matriarchal order who have achieved superhuman abilities through physical and mental conditioning and the use of the drug [[melange (fictional drug)|melange]]. Under the guise of humbly "serving" the Empire, the Sisterhood is in fact a major power in the universe, using its many areas of influence to subtly guide humanity along the path of its own plan for humanity's future. Herbert notes that over 10,000 years before the events of ''Dune'', in the chaotic time after the [[Butlerian Jihad]] and before the unveiling of the [[Orange Catholic Bible]], the Bene Gesserit "consolidated their hold upon the sorceresses, explored the subtle narcotics, developed [[#Prana-bindu training and the weirding way|''prana-bindu'']] training and conceived the [[#Missionaria Protectiva|Missionaria Protectiva]], that black arm of superstition. But it is also the period that saw the composing of the [[litany against fear]] and the assembly of the [[Azhar Book]], that bibliographic marvel that preserves the great secrets of the most ancient faiths."<ref>{{cite book |last=Herbert |first=Frank |title=Dune |url=https://archive.org/details/dune0000herb |url-access=registration |chapter=Appendix II: The Religion of Dune |year=1965 }}</ref>

Millennia later in ''Dune'', the Bene Gesserit base of power is the Mother School on the planet Wallach IX, whose graduates are fit mates for Emperors, and whose specially trained [[#Acute observation and Truthsay|Truthsayers]] can detect falsehood. But beyond the outer virtues of poise, self-control, and diplomacy, Bene Gesserit training includes superior combat skills and precise physiological control that grants them total control over their bodies, including direct control over conception and [[Sex-determination system|embryotic sex determination]], ageing, and even the ability to render poisons harmless within their bodies. The Bene Gesserit power of [[#The Voice|Voice]] allows them to control others by merely modulating their vocal tones. Sisters who survive a ritualized poisoning known as the [[spice agony]] achieve increased awareness and abilities through access to [[#Other Memory|Other Memory]], and are subsequently known as Reverend Mothers. Every member of the Bene Gesserit is conditioned into singular loyalty to the order and its goals with allegiances to even family being secondary, and no goal is more paramount than the Sisterhood's large-scale [[#Breeding program|breeding program]]. It aims to create a superbeing that can tap into abilities even the Bene Gesserit cannot, a being whom they can use in order to gain more direct control over the universe. To this end, the Bene Gesserit have subtly manipulated bloodlines for generations, using breeding sisters to "collect" the genes they require.

[[File:Mohiam+BeneGesserit-2000.jpg|thumb|[[Gaius Helen Mohiam|Reverend Mother Mohiam]] ([[Zuzana Geislerová]]) and other Bene Gesserit, from the [[Frank Herbert's Dune|''Dune'' miniseries]] (2000)]]

The Bene Gesserit super-being – whom they call the '''Kwisatz Haderach'''  – arrives a generation earlier than expected in the form of [[Paul Atreides]], who is free from their direct control though his mother is the Bene Gesserit [[Lady Jessica]]. In ''Dune'', Paul seizes control of the harsh [[desert planet]] [[Arrakis]], the only source of the all-important spice melange; by threatening to destroy all spice production, he maneuvers himself onto the Imperial throne. With Paul holding a tight monopoly on melange, a decade later the Bene Gesserit participate in a conspiracy to topple his rule in ''[[Dune Messiah]]'' (1969). Even after a blinded Paul walks into the desert to die, his sister [[Alia Atreides|Alia]] rules his empire and keeps the Bene Gesserit at bay until Paul's young son [[Leto II Atreides|Leto II]] takes control himself in ''[[Children of Dune]]'' (1976). Over 3,500 years later, Leto – now a [[hybrid (biology)|hybrid]] of human and [[sandworm (Dune)|sandworm]] – still dominates the universe as the tyrant God Emperor in ''[[God Emperor of Dune]]'' (1981). Through [[prescience (Dune)|prescience]], he foresees humanity's possible destruction, and has forced humanity into what he calls the [[Golden Path (Dune)|Golden Path]], a plan which he believes will assure their survival. Having halted all spice production and thus making his own stockpile the only source of melange left in the universe, Leto is able to maintain firm control over the various factions and effects a "forced tranquility". He takes the Bene Gesserit breeding program from them and uses it for his own mysterious purposes, and their limited spice supply is conditional on their obedience to him and his prescient vision. Recognizing that his work is finally done, Leto allows himself to be assassinated.

Fifteen hundred years later in ''[[Heretics of Dune]]'' (1984), the Bene Gesserit have regained their power and relocated to a hidden homeworld they call Chapterhouse, and the spice cycle has been renewed on Arrakis, now called Rakis. New opposition arrives in the form of a violent matriarchal order calling themselves the [[Honored Matres]], a ruthless and brutal force who seek domination over the [[Old Empire (Dune)|Old Empire]] and who do not use or rely on melange for their powers. As the Matres all but exterminate the [[Tleilaxu]] race and next target the Sisterhood, Bene Gesserit Mother Superior [[Taraza (Dune)|Taraza]] implements a bold plan to release humanity from the oracular hold of Leto II by goading the Honored Matres into destroying Rakis. Meanwhile, the Bene Gesserit have [[Terraforming|terraform]]ed Chapterhouse into a desert planet like Rakis and bring a single sandworm there to begin a new spice cycle. In ''[[Chapterhouse: Dune]]'' (1985), the Honored Matres begin to destroy all of the Bene Gesserit-controlled planets and enslave the populace of the other planets they conquer. The Matres themselves are hunted by a far more powerful force from out in [[The Scattering (Dune)|the Scattering]]. The new Mother Superior [[Darwi Odrade]] recognizes that the threat of this unknown enemy is greater than that of the Honored Matres, and forms another bold plan. The captive Honored Matre [[Murbella]], who has been assimilated into the Bene Gesserit and gained the full powers of a Reverend Mother, defeats the leader of the Honored Matres in combat and thus becomes Great Honored Matre. She immediately succeeds Odrade as Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit, joining the two forces under a single leader in an uneasy truce that, it is hoped, will be able to defeat the unknown enemy.

===Sequels===
In ''[[Hunters of Dune]]'', the 2006 continuation of the series by [[Brian Herbert]] and [[Kevin J. Anderson]], Murbella adopts the new title of Mother Commander and struggles to bring the opposing factions of her New Sisterhood together. Among the Bene Gesserit, some are willing to accept the merger with the Honored Matres, while others oppose allying with their enemies; a group of dissenters led by Reverend Mother [[Sheeana]] having fled Chapterhouse aboard a [[no-ship]] upon Murbella's ascension to leadership. Within the Honored Matres, many admire Murbella's strength and abilities and desire Bene Gesserit training, but resist assimilation. Additionally, a number of Honored Matres refuse to acknowledge Murbella as their leader; the largest such rebel group is led by Matre Superior [[Hellica]] on [[Tleilax]]. As Murbella amasses weapons for the coming battle with the [[Daniel and Marty|unknown enemy]], she trains an elite force of commando troops with the combined battle talents of Bene Gesserit, Honored Matres, and even the [[Swordmasters of Ginaz]]. These "Valkyries" are able to effect Hellica's defeat, galvanizing many dissenters into finally joining Murbella's cause against the unknown enemy, now revealed to be the resurrected [[thinking machines (Dune)|thinking machines]] thought destroyed 15,000 years before. In the 2007 sequel, ''[[Sandworms of Dune]]'', the thinking machines have unleashed decimating viruses on planet after planet, while [[Face Dancers]] infiltrate human civilization in their own insidious plot to take over the universe. The New Sisterhood's fleet of warships succumbs to Face Dancer sabotage, but is saved from thinking machine attack by a host of [[Guild Navigator]]s in [[heighliner]]s, brought together by the [[Oracle of Time]], Norma Cenva. Thinking machine leader [[Omnius]] is wiped out of existence by the Oracle, and the Face Dancer threat eliminated. As Murbella joins [[Duncan Idaho]] in his plan to rule a universe in which humanity and thinking machines co-exist, Sheeana introduces sandworms to the former thinking machine planet [[Synchrony (Dune)|Synchrony]], where she will found an orthodox Sisterhood.

===''Legends of Dune''===
In the ''[[Legends of Dune]]'' prequel trilogy (2002–2004) by Brian Herbert and Anderson it is revealed that the '''Sorceresses of Rossak''', who possess destructive telekinetic powers existing only in women and have a breeding plan to create more powerful telepaths, had been the predecessors of the Bene Gesserit. As a Sorceress is always killed when she unleashes her full power, they sacrifice themselves to destroy some of the [[Titan (Dune)|Titans]] and [[Cymek|Neo-Cymeks]] during the [[Butlerian Jihad]], over 10,000 years before the events in ''Dune''. Later, they expand their genetic program to preserve human bloodlines when humanity is endangered by a widespread plague called the "Demon Scourge", genetically engineered and unleashed by the thinking machines. [[Raquella Berto-Anirul]] becomes their leader after surviving a poisoning attempt by being the first to internally render the toxin harmless. The ordeal also makes Raquella the first to access Other Memory and use the power of Voice; she later establishes the Bene Gesserit, instituting a similar ritualized poisoning to unlock the same abilities in others.

===''Great Schools of Dune''===
In ''[[Sisterhood of Dune]]'' (2012), 80 years have passed since the end of the Butlerian Jihad, and an aging Raquella remains the only Sister to have survived the Agony. Ambitious young Valya Harkonnen has hopes of using her Bene Gesserit training to complete her family's vendetta against Vorian Atreides and his entire bloodline. Valya is one of the Sisters trusted with the records of Raquella's breeding program, which are maintained by a secret cache of forbidden computers, concealed in a cave outside the Sisterhood School on Rossak. Raquella's granddaughter Dorotea undergoes the Agony and becomes a Reverend Mother, discovering the truth about her parentage and the existence of computers. As a devout anti-technology Butlerian, she assists Emperor Salvador Corrino in his raid on the Rossak school. Salvador has several dozen Sisters executed and disbands the Sisterhood, except for Dorotea's Orthodox followers, who return to the Imperial capital on [[Salusa Secundus]] to serve as court Truthsayers.

Raquella has reestablished her school on [[Wallach IX]] in ''[[Mentats of Dune]]'' (2014), thanks to the help of industrialist Josef Venport. Valya, now a Reverend Mother, retrieves the hidden computers from Rossak and hopes to succeed the declining Raquella as Mother Superior. Raquella believes that the only hope for the Sisterhood to survive is for the Wallach IX sisters to reconcile with Dorotea's faction on Salusa Secundus; her health failing, she summons Dorotea to the School and forces Dorotea and Valya to put their differences aside and agree to work together for the good of the Sisterhood. Naming them co-leaders, Raquella dies; Valya however, still bitter about Dorotea's betrayal, uses her newly discovered power of Voice to force Dorotea to commit suicide. Valya declares herself to be the sole Mother Superior, and ingratiates herself to the new Emperor, Roderick Corrino.