Someone: your blorbo is an awful person and your ship is toxic

Me and my fandom friends:

Paul x Chani Relationship Analysis/Thoughts

If you all thought I was done posting about Dune, I'm not, obsession is still going strong. But this time I want to talk more in depth about Paul and Chani's relationship, and by talk I mean gush and maybe cry a little about it. Their romance is so well written that it really does make you feel a whole spectrum of feelings from fluffy adorableness to heartbreaking devastation.

Right from their very first meeting this relationship is interesting and compelling because of the dreams Paul has of her beforehand, even before he ever sets foot on Arrakis he has visions of her. Because these visions are so intriguing, sometimes being very dreamy and kind of romantic, and sometimes being really disturbing where she is stabbing him and taking his life, just like Paul we ourselves are interested in Chani, in who she is, what these visions are and so it creates an anticipation within the audience for their first meeting long before it happens.

When that first meeting does happen you can see that look of recognition in his eyes. For him this meeting is very different than it is for her. This is the girl he has been dreaming about for a long time now, he tells Mother Mohiam that he has dreamt of her many times, so he's had even more visions than even we have seen. So this moment is one that for him has been long awaited, he already feels a deep connection with her because of those dreams, I would even argue that he already has some romantic feelings for her too, considering the way they look at each other in those dreams and visions. For Chani though, he's a stranger, an outsider and even a threat. I do think that she feels some connection, some intrigue towards him though. She says 'they say you are the Mahdi' so she has heard of him before their meeting and so I think that has piqued her interest, I also suspect, as she isn't a believer herself she felt some negative feelings towards this unknown outsider that people are calling Lisan al gaib. Then she meets Paul and he isn't at all what she was expecting, which I think only makes her more curious about him.

Another really interesting scene between them is right before his duel with Jamis when Chani gives him her crysknife. Despite clearly having no confidence in him, which to be fair to her it did look like a strong desert wind could blow him right over, he was tired and traumatised when they met, she still gave him that blade and I think that is really significant. That blade isn't only sacred to her people but she says that her great-aunt gave it to her, which means it is of personal sentiment to her as well. It's really interesting to me that she chose to give him the blade considering the fact that she doesn't believe in the prophecy and when he is an outsider who she clearly thinks is about to die. I think maybe the reason why is because she has some respect for him because of the way he is protecting his mother and because he stood up as her champion. It's clear that Chani has a lot of respect for fighters, she puts a lot of value in a person based on their skills as a warrior, which makes sense considering her fedaykin background. I think she recognised his bravery in standing up as champion and so she has enough respect for him to want him to die with honour. The best way she can aide him in this is by giving him her own crysknife.

After she gives him the crysknife there is a moment when she turns to leave and he calls her back. You can see that he really wants to say something to her but is struggling to find the words. I love this moment because again it shows how Paul wants to make a connection with her, because of the dreams he had and because he already feels linked to her, but he just doesn't know where to begin to explain it, how do you tell someone that you were dreaming about them before you ever even met them? I also think Paul was maybe looking for a way to ground himself, in most of his visions Chani was acting as a guide for him, she's leading him and showing him the way, so to me it would make sense in this moment when he is confronted with this duel that could end in his death, that he would search for some comfort in her.

OMG OP YOU WROTE AN WHOLE DAMN ESSAY HERE!🤩! that was looong but really interesting to read! 😉

ok prefacing by saying I *don't* plan on writing this as of now but I have to say something. this is chewing my brain and I have to get it out of me.

It sounds insane but hear me out: uhhh Paul/Chani Hunger Games au??

Hear me out!!! So Paul is from District 4 (fishing/water related stuff etc. it FITS), he's the mayor's son and therefore not likely to be picked as a tribute but by sheer bad luck he is. Despite not being pro-games and very much not wanting him to be selected, his parents have provided him with combat training in the event that he is, because he is technically a "career tribute" and that's what you do.

Chani comes from District 6 (transportation - reference obviously to the worm riding from canon, spice used in transportation even if those aren't involved in this universe) and is secretly part of a resistance that's growing there. Maybe she volunteers bc she's got some plan to dismantle the games from within? idk

Of course, the arena is a desert. There's gotta be some kind of Capitol mutt-sandworm, probably not *as* fuckoff huge as they are in canon but Big Enough. Cursed sand that makes you hallucinate? Definitely could be another fucked up thing thrown into the arena.

Maybe Feyd is another career tribute who expects Paul to join up with him but he never does so he's got it out for him the whole time? Either way he's the final boss.

There has to be an "actually two can win" thing (as a rule change from the beginning maybe, not a surprise like in the original thg) because we're not killing either of them nope we are not. But since they're from different districts they'd part ways -- only Chani has told him in secret about the revolution that's underway so the implication is that he'll maybe find a way to join her in her efforts somehow. Or maybe he won't, it's ambiguous.

I don't know if this is cursed or brilliant

OP OP THIS SOUNDS AMAZING!! (I ALSO HAVE A HUNGER GAMES AU PLANNED FOR THEM SO I AM EXCITED TO SEE OTHER PEOPLE TAKE ON THAT!!! (MINE IS QUITE DIFFERENT 😅)

if you write this fic, consider me interested.

Two phone sketches

@brucelinas OH MY GOSH YOU'RE THAT ARTIST FROM TWITTER THAT MADE THAT BEAUTIFUL PAULCHANI SKETCH INSPIRED BY A PAINTING???!! I LOVE YOU!!! (I'm the user who asked abt why this choice of painting lol) anyway I love your art!!! . And welcome to the PaulChani side of tumblr lmao, very dry apart from shit post/meme post and the few unhinged shipper as myself🥰!!! (also I see you're a mara jade lover 🤭🥰ty for your service!)

Lead them to paradise

Dune🏜🌠

I've seen a lot of people (mostly men if that's a factor) focus on how Chani was heart broken by Paul choosing Irulan. Am I the only one that thinks she's mostly upset that he's lost himself, is embracing/using the prophecy and waging war? She definitely cries as she summons the worm and is quiet and alone but in the room she's angry and staunch and doesn't bow to him. Their conversation about him not wanting to lose himself or lose her before they left for the South felt very important. Maybe I'm misinterpreting but I definitely felt like it was more nuanced and deeper than her just being his love interest. I think Zendaya and Denis made some really cool and powerful changes to her character.

both i'd say. (seeinghow villeneuve kinda re-wrote her character arc, making her more nuanced, but also wanting to put the love's story forward, yeah i'd like to think its both)

we spent all the movie witnessing their growing bond over fighting Harkonnen, Chani full trust into her people power to save themselves, alone (the you are a stranger and not by blood comment) and their love slowly coming to life.

just before Paul asks for Irulan hand, he says 'i will love you and blablabla ...' - maybe as a reassurance he will always be hers?? but also, that no matter who or what he may become in a very near future and how his actions will gradually become more and more monstruous, his love wont change- and what follows his declaration of taking the emperor's daughter hand is a big shot of Chani reaction;

which ngl, can (and should) be interpreted in many ways, ( though denis did say their love story was the epicenter of the movie so yeah)

the fact he literally says he will marry another woman, in front of her - in front of everyone -, just after swearing his eternal love to her would be pretty much a blow for everyone (which is, like..understandable yeah??).

but it also confirms that hes readying himself to fully take power, there's no turning back now and proof is, he is totally ready to 'betray' (no matter how many sincere and honest declarations of love he gave her few seconds prior ) her trust, her people etc...

so both.

Your tears can save him...//...will you be the death of me?

Paul swallowed. The figure in front of him turned into the moon's path and he saw an elfin face, black pits of eyes. The familiarity of that face, the features out of numberless visions in his earliest prescience, shocked Paul to stillness. He remembered the angry bravado with which he had once described this face-from-a-dream, telling the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam: "I will meet her." And here was the face, but in no meeting he had ever dreamed.

Lover boy didn't know how to talk to his crush...that was cute hehe🤭🤭

dune: part two + i'm your man by mitski

I mean it's rather the contrary no??? She loved and believed the man, and was betrayed by the 'god' aaand in a way, the man too, if you count his 'marriage to Irulan.. ..in any case, tragic.aaaah I love them.