Which fictional characters (or books) do you think are idolised by people who missed the entire point of the story?

but isn't there the hope that he can avoid the jihad and the attendant massacre?

No, he understands through prescience that there is no way to avoid the Jihad nor the Golden Path that humanity requires to survive the impending apocalypse. He goes off to die in the desert to try and avoid the outcome. He shoves the cruel fate that should have been his to his son, Leto II. Paul and Leto reflect on/lament this a couple of times throughout the series.<

The Atreides are no heroes, they are meant to frame the dangers of charismatic leaders. That nuance is lost because they're the closest to resembling morally right people compared to the other houses and characters. They ultimately were in over their heads and their jihad got away from them and took a life of its own, which happens to all charismatic leaders.

There is no hope, there are no heroes. Dune is like the original Grimdark setting.

/r/books Thread Parent