Whatever faults the Spacing Guild may have had, when the day of the Steersman ended, a real
beauty passed from the universe. The experience of the Steersmen, breathing and drinking melange,
rocking to the beat of space and time, swaying with the music of the spheres,
led in their dance by the pulse of life around them,
alive to every note in the pavane both composed and played by their quartet,
is beyond the power of words to describe or the imagination to conceive. ~ Dune Encyclopedia
The bizarre post-AI future presented in Frank Herbert’s Dune series features an interstellar
empire largely built on a foundation of several strange and fantastic elements. Many of these
elements involve mankind’s evolution to fill the void left in the wake of the banishment of
thinking machines. Perhaps the most peculiar of these evolutions came from within the powerful
Spacing Guild with their Navigators who enabled safe and fast FTL travel. However,
the long process required to become a Guild Navigator would see a human’s mutation and
total transformation into a being which was confined to a chamber filled with spice gas,
and thereafter would be entirely reliant on others for their survival.
Because of this, a common question that many readers of the Dune series have
is just what would motivate an individual to undertake such an extreme and life altering
transformation. In this video, I’d like to answer the question of why someone would
become a Guild Navigator and how this reasoning fits into the overall structure of the Duniverse.
Spoiler warning if you are unfamiliar with Frank Herbert’s Dune series.
In order to fulfill their function as an interstellar steersman,
Guild Navigators rely on the mind altering abilities unlocked through the consumption
of large quantities of the substance known as Spice Melange, found only on the desert planet
Dune. Along with the clairvoyance made possible by means of the spice, several health benefits
are said to come along with its consumption including a greatly increased life expectancy.
To ensure that the required levels of spice saturation are achieved and maintained,
Navigators are continuously immersed in containers filled with highly-concentrated spice gas. Over
time, this high level of exposure to the addictive melange causes a human body to mutate and atrophy
until the point where they would become vaguely aquatic in appearance. A fish in a strange sea.
Through their monopoly on interstellar travel, the Spacing Guild amassed almost unfathomable wealth
and as a result, it stands to reason that they were easily able to secure the resources
to provide for and protect their members, granting them access to all the comforts and benefits that
such riches could afford. No doubt, this eased the transition of Guild members into Navigators
as they would become entirely reliant on others in the transportation
and maintenance of their enclosures and regular supply of spice. However,
considering the established societal systems in place in the Imperium,
it’s highly likely that not many are presented with the opportunity of becoming a navigator.
In Frank Herbert’s Dune, a rigid class system called the Faufreluches (Fa-fre-loooshez) exists
with its motto being "A place for every man and every man in his place." This caste system stands
to maintain order, civility and control through the enforcement of a strict social hierarchy
with most of the population having their career trajectories predetermined from birth
with little chance for upward mobility. Therefore, it would make sense that to many,
the prospect of rising to the top of the power structure of the undisputedly most
powerful organization in the universe would prove to be enticing. After all,
there are not many who get to travel the universe with the supreme level of reverence and respect
afforded to those who hold this illustrious position at the core of human civilization.
Once they begin their journey of transformation and develop an addiction to spice, it’s probable
that any Guild member’s interests would come further into alignment with the Guild itself,
as they would realize their dependence on the organization as the best reliable
source to constantly feed and fulfill that addiction without the prospect of withdrawal.
While the confines and limitations of a Guild Navigator are significant, these restraints
are purely physical in nature. The freedom granted to a Steersman through the spice melange
places their mind on an entirely different plane of perception. Although it pales in comparison
to the Bene Gesserit’s Kwisatz Haderach, the knowledge and understanding available through a
navigator’s prescience serves to completely alter their comprehension of reality. As a result, their
consideration and concerns over corporeal matters are entirely transfigured and greatly diminished.
While an individual's initial motives may in fact be driven by curiosity
and the prospect of attaining such a venerated and even deified position,
the enlightenment experienced through prescience no doubt serves as a powerful
addiction in of itself. Although limited, their vision likely also results in the revelation
of many well guarded secrets, long held by both visible and clandestine powers of the imperium.
In performing their function as Steersman these beings must look forward in time to see many
futures, relying on their mathematical training to select a thread of time resulting in the safe
transport of the Guild’s Heighliner vessel. In performing just one single journey through
foldspace, the wonders of the universe are revealed to a Navigator. The ability to
discover these wonders through their unique view of space and time doubtlessly grants a sense of
fulfillment and unquestionably serves to maintain their continued devotion to the Spacing Guild.
As individuals become acquainted with the power structure of the Imperium, they are quickly made
aware of mankind's reliance on the Spacing Guild. This reliance serves to guarantee the
Guild’s survival as their services are viewed by many as being too critical to be allowed to fail.
While the various Houses of the Landsraad may rise and fall,
while the Emperor may be overthrown and replaced, Space Travel must continue and thus,
the Spacing Guild must survive. As a result, those who ascend to the rank of Steersman
effectively achieve ultimate job security as their services are critical to the continual function
and operation of all economic affairs across the cosmos. The Guild’s monopoly also ensured that it
would never be threatened or negatively impacted by the various conflicts between the houses of
the Landsraad save those few events which might hinder the flow of spice. Consequently as long as
the spice continued to flow a Steersman’s life was largely free of fear or immediate danger.
As mentioned at the outset of this video, the post-AI universe of Dune features many evolutions
with various factions having developed formidable physical and mental capabilities. At the apex
of these evolutions were the Guild Navigators who came to be viewed as gods of mathematics,
space and time. It is for these reasons that the Steersmen are so highly venerated
and until the arrival of the Kwisatz Haderach, Paul Atreides,
it could be said that these largely unseen bizarre and fascinating beings stood firmly
in their place as the true masters of humanity’s interstellar empire.
But I’m curious to know what you think of the evolution of the Guild Navigator. Do you think
it seems logical for someone to sacrifice their human form in order to attain this distinguished
and illustrious rank? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. I hope you enjoyed
this video, leave a like if you did and be sure to subscribe for more Dune and other sci-fi and
fantasy news and lore. Thank you all so much for your support and as always, have a very nerdy day.