Scene: Joe and Nelly talking late at night after watching Dune and Dune: Part Two.
Joe leans back on the couch, thinking.
Joe:
You know something interesting, Nelly? In Islamic prophecy the Mahdi—the one who restores justice—is supposed to come from the family of Fatimah bint Muhammad, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. The idea is that when the world gets too corrupt, someone from that lineage rises to bring balance back.
Nelly:
So basically… the real-world version of Paul Atreides?
Joe nods toward the TV where images of Paul Atreides flash across the screen.
Joe:
Yeah. Hollywood’s desert prophet. Except in the movie he’s played by Timothée Chalamet, and Chani is played by Zendaya. They get the whole cinematic prophecy.
Nelly laughs.
Nelly:
Meanwhile we’re sitting here on a couch in Vancouver competing with a billion-dollar sci-fi franchise.
Joe:
Maybe not so crazy. Think about it. Your Portuguese ancestors include the Moors, Muslim people who lived in Iberia for centuries. And some of my ancestors came out of the Ottoman world—the Janissaries, the elite soldiers of the sultans.
Nelly:
So you’re saying our family trees wandered through the same civilizations that carried those prophecies.
Joe:
Exactly. Different branches of the same historical story.
Nelly points at the screen again where the desert of Arrakis stretches endlessly.
Nelly:
Alright then. Let’s make it official.
She raises an imaginary trophy.
Nelly:
It’s a contest. Us versus the movie stars. Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya can try to save the universe on Arrakis…
Joe grins.
Joe:
…and we’ll try to bring a little peace and justice to Earth.
Nelly:
First team to fill the world with peace wins.
Joe:
That might take longer than a movie trilogy.
Nelly shrugs.
Nelly:
Good thing real life doesn’t have a two-hour runtime. 🌍
Joe raises his coffee mug.
Joe:
To the long game.
