When it comes to science fiction, Frank Herbert‘s Dune is heralded as a landmark in the genre. Star Wars has obviously eclipsed it in volume, but it is debatable that Star Wars wouldn’t be what it is today without much of the framework Dune laid for it as a work of space fantasy. This can be seen in many different ways: the political structures, supernatural powers, and key desert planets, for example. But there is one aspect of Dune in particular that Star Wars has recently borrowed in a very specific way…
It is no secret that the Spice Melange is the greatest resource in the Dune universe. It’s central to everything because it grants members of the Spacing Quild limited precognitive abilities. Precognition, meanwhile, is required in order for the powerful people within the Dune universe to travel from planet to planet. It’s also no secret that this precognitive aspect of Dune influenced elements of using the Force in Star Wars. But what may not be known is that the Force can be used for this specific purpose the same way it is in Dune.
It is uncommon, though, as most in Star Wars use droids and other computer technology to navigate the stars. But in the novel Thrawn: Alliances, it was revealed that Thrawn’s people use children who are connected to the Force to pilot their ships. Thrawn is a part of the Chiss Ascendancy, a species that lives outside of Imperial control. Within the Chiss Ascendancy, their rules and way of life is far different than what fans of Star Wars are used to. So the fact that they used Force-sensitive children to navigate their ships might come as a shock. The children actually play a key role in the novel because they are a valuable resource just like the spice in Dune. It’s a relatively unknown connection between the two properties that more fans should be aware of.
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