Who Are The Fremen? | Dune Lore

The Fremen play a significant role in Frank Herbert's Dune saga and in this video I delve into their society, culture and some of their defining customs. With Denis Villeneuve's upcoming adaptation of Dune, I hope that these videos will help those who are unfamiliar to become acquainted with some of the more interesting elements of this intricate universe.

Thumbnail art - Labirinthe-3 by Clement Martinet

Twitter: @Nerd_Cookies

Music Credits -
Background Music: Marion - Nostalgia

License for commercial use: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported "Share Alike" (CC BY-SA 3.0) License.

Art Credits
Arrakis by 2wenty (Logan Feliciano)
Arrival of the Fremen Mark Molnar
Sandworm by Mark Kent
Dune - Fremen 1 by Simon Goinard
Dune Art Project by John Struan
FREMEN - DUNE by Clément Martinet
Dune - Sietch by Simon Goinard
Arrival of the Fremen Mark Molnar

Sand Rituals by Devon Cady-Lee @Gorrem
Sandworm, Arrakis by Marc Simonetti
Shai-Hulud Enraged by Ruben Devela
Shai Hulud by Marcin
Jessica’s Ceremony by Mark Molnar
Dune - Adult Alia by Simon Goinard
Muad'Dib by d1sarmon1a
Dune by Frank Herbert By Marc Simonetti
Dune Chani by Nikolay Asparuhov
Labirinthe-3 by Clement Martinet
Fremen Sietch Water Cache by MattW
The Field Dune Tribute by Gary Jamroz-palma

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[DrunkPO]

I just got my coffee, I’m sitting down, and now I’m ready

[albertoacosta]

I'm willing to bet Herbert was inspired a lot by Lawrence of Arabia, and the illusive and mysterious desert tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. In fact many tropes like the emphasis on "artillery", the disregard of the desert tribes as inconsequential by the massive powers and the outsider "going native" with the desert ppl reminded me of the 1962 epic.

[macdeus]

I can't believe it took me this long to figure out that the Sand People in Star Wars are probably based directly on the Fremen.

[lab]

You raise a very interesting point in that shield training actually disadvantaged imperial forces on Arrakis and helps explain the Fremen's rapid victory. Thanks it's always good to get your perspective.

[anydaynow]

The Fremen art you used is just amazing! Frank's influences by his early ecological nonfiction writing dealing with desertification on Oregon's coast really shows in his use of the Fremen's mastery of survival on Arrakis. I also enjoy the Zensunni backstory, it really gives the Fremen a layered depth like many of the other societies in the Dune saga.

[Emanon...]

From arabic
Muad'Dib: He who educates.
Usul: Tradition/Custom
Yahya al Shuhada: Long live the fighters/martyrs

[briancaldwell]

The Freman are Frank's greatest creation. A culture totally devoted to survival on a hostile planet. Noble but savage. Loyal to strength but ready to turn at the first sign of weakness. A mature society with a juvenile ignorance. Devoted to a dream but unprepared when it comes to fruition. I always find another nuance about them every time I read Dune.

[jaspr]

Of all the science fiction warriors I think the Fremen are probably the most terrifying. The fact that they managed to create and maintain a global focus as to the what and how of what they want to accomplish and the absolute rigidity and inflexibility to do so makes them especially dangerous. The fact that they played into the 'dumb indigenous folks' until Muad'dib shows just how creative and strategically forward-thinking they were. The Emperor dun got played!

[genmaicha.lapsang]

Their technology was very interesting. They also used some kind of personal firearms like the maula pistol. Given that shields are not used on Arrakis it makes sense that the Fremin would have more interest in using them.

[sorokahdeen]

Another wonderfully thorough video with a thoroughgoing, mellifluously-read script.

The Fremen really are a fascinating people/culture and the fact that they are is yet another testament to the breadth and depth of Herbert's research and understanding. In this respect, to read Dune is like reading a text on history and anthropology as you see parallels between Herbert's Fremen and many of the cultures that colonializing Europeans, especially the British, encountered finding themselves either fighting against indiginous peoples who knew the terrain better than they did and often achieved victories against technologically superior forces whose leaders were trained in fighting set-piece battles between large armies and weren't prepared for the hit-and-run tactics of guerilla warfare and raiding that the locals had practiced on one another for centuries.

Of particular interest in this respect is how often European armies would, after initially fighting against native forces would make peace with them and hire them as mercenaries forming relationships that, in cases like that of the British Empire's relationship with the fierce Gurkhas of Nepal (famous for their use of the uniquely-shaped Khukri dagger—another Dune parallel) has gone on for more than two centuries and, in the case of the Gurkhas, persists to this day.

In this respect, the Fremen parallel real historical tropes by being so well-adapted to fighting one another as is proven by Stilgar's initial reaction to finding Paul and Lady Jessica (basically, "kill the strangers and take their water."), that all they really needed to match or overmatch the Sardaukar was a playing field leveled by the Imperial force's inability to use shields and air-power. The Fremen's providing the Atreides familiy with a ready-made army of soldiers even tougher than the ruthless Sardaukar really is a testament to Herbert's understanding of history and culture.

Observations/questions:

I love the line, "where they found freedom but at great cost."

It is interesting to note how easy it is to think of the Fremen as "primative" people but they do have a lot of technology—much of it based on spice chemistry. Something which you address when you mention the stillsuit.

You note that a Krysnife (sp) is "Twenty centimeters long." Twenty centimeters is only eight inches which is about the length of my hand from the base of my palm to the tip of my longest finger. I can only assume you mean the length of the blade itself and not the total length of the weapon including the handle.

It is often amazing to see how little "magical" technology Herbert uses in Dune to produce distinct plot elements like ornithopters that could only work where antigravity technology was cheap and commonplace, and "shigawire" which, under other names (e.g., Sinclair molecule chain, etc.) have been a part of science fiction for decades. Of the really "out there" magical technologies, none is more pivotal to the story than the Holtzmann field effect which Herbert uses to make anything but speciailzed firearms technoogies (both projectile *and* energy) impossible to use, even as it recreated and transformed the use of melee weapons, necessitating a technique of knife fighting that was fast on attack and defense but with a final slowed motion to penetrate the Holtzmann shield's inertia-dampening effect to strike at an opponent.

Like so many other of Herbert's ideas, this one survives him and has even been used in the Television Series, "Stargate SG-1."

Great video as always.

Thanks for that.

[thatotherguy]

I like the Fremen, but I always got the impression that they were a subtle warning to the audience - be careful what you wish for. The Fremen got their wish - Arrakis was turned into a lush Paradise, where none were wanting for food or water or safety.

And it destroyed them.

[YllibD]

Cup of tea, and Elaine the oricle from House Cookies, audio book reading with chill out music, heaven😂😂

[marknovak]

The Fremen and the Sandworms gave a mythic center to the series. The effectiveness of the Fremenas warriors has rung true and proven to be more than a myth as we have seen parallels in our world.

[jw-hynq]

The Bene-geserit also planted the Maud-dib prophecy into the Fremen as a way to control them.

[tarkajedi]

Such a breakthrough video!
Rewatching this I can see how you are heading for a Subscription breakthrough....
The study of the Beduin is very insightful when thinking about the Fremen.

[danc]

Hawat: They are _Sardaukar_

Fremen: _Good_



Always thought that the canyon fight was one of the coolest introductions to fremen guerilla warfare.

[albertoacosta]

This girl narrates me to stillness, I love this channel.

[theheartlessknight]

Thank you, again for the video!
Would a closer look at the Fedaykin, be something you might consider. I don't think they're even directly referenced in 84's Dune, but it has many years and I am old. The memory is sometime playful to amuse others and keep us on our toes ;)
Thank you, again. I have greatly enjoyed this series and eagerly await the coming of the whirlwind. Long live the fighters!

[JobKiriaku]

The amount of world-building in the Dune series is incredible. Really makes it so immersive.

[solospirit]

Excellent vid again, TY 😎
As the most independent force in the Dune Universe, the Fremen, (which I always mentally read as Freelance Men) I always found it ironic that they are also the LEAST independent too..their tribal culture, Atrrakis climate and the BG subversion of their religion binds their fate even harder than that of the Atreides. And there is always more to discover in this extreme and contradictory ( also incredibly fascinating) people 🙂