Dune: People: Stilgar

Stilgar is one of the greatest Fremen to ever live. He’s was one of Paul’s champions in the fight against the Harkonnen for Arrakis, and an early general in Muad’Dib’s jihad. Later he became Paul’s majordomo and godfather to children.

Stilgar is the strong and silent type. If you were to meet him in a pub, you;d be so impressed with him that you’d feel compelled to buy him a drink. Compelled both by his strong charisma and his tough entourage. Watch what you get him though. Any weak drink would be an insult to him. That would include anything under 150 proof.

He may have been one of the toughest Fremen warriors to ever exist, but he almost didn’t live long enough to gain that reputation. As a child he was rescued by the nerdy Dr. Perdot Kynes from Harkonnen troops. After almost dying that day, Stilgar swore to become a better warrior. Something he accomplished. After winning many battles and challenges he became naib (leader) to Seitch Tabr.

When Paul and Jessica escaped to the desert after the Atreides-Harkonnen war, he shielded and protected them under orders from Dr Leit Kynes. He also fought for the Atreides in this battle along side champion Duncan Idaho, whom he made an honorary fremen, since he was a good fighter. Stilgar raised Paul (later renamed Muad’Dib) as a father teaching him in the ways of being a Fremen.

After Paul and the Fremen purged Arrakis of the Harkonnen, Stilgar became the majordomo of his empire. Stilgar shunned his seitch life to help out his protégé Muad’Dib. A decision he later regretted, since he realized that the changes he fought so hard to make, ultimately destroyed his preferred way of life, and simpler desert life. When Muad’Dib walked out into the desert, Stilgar alternated his time between Tabr and Arrakeen, helping to raise the imperial twins Leto and Ghanima. When Leto II took power 9 years, later Stilgar “retired” to Tabr and spent the rest of his days trying to preserve fremen culture.

Stilgar was first masterfully played by  Uwe Ochsenknecht in Dune and later by  Steven Berkoff in Children of Dune.

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