Pardot Kynes

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Pardot Kynes is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He was the Imperial Planetologist (Planetary Ecologist) of Arrakis prior to the start of the novel Dune, and was featured in the Prelude to Dune series by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Pardot Kynes was first introduced in Dune: House Atreides as "an expert and well-respected ecologist, geologist, and meteorologist, with added specialties in botany and microbiology. Driven, he enjoyed absorbing the mysteries of entire worlds. But the people themselves often remained a complete mystery to him."

On his visit to Kaitain for an audience with Padishah Emperor Elrood Corrino IX, Kynes noted:

Official Imperial reports claimed it was always warm, the climate forever temperate. Storms were unknown. No clouds marred the skies ... when the ornate Guild escort craft descended, [Kynes] had noted the flotilla of weather satellites, climate-bending technology that — through brute force — kept Kaitain a peaceful and serene place ... Climate engineers could certainly strong-arm the weather to what someone had foolishly decided was optimal — though they did it at their own peril, creating an environment that led, ultimately, to malaise of the mind, body, and spirit. The Imperial family would never understand that. They continued to relax under their sunny skies and stroll through their well-watered arboretums, oblivious to an environmental catastrophe just waiting to unfold before their covered eyes.

Kynes was named the Imperial Planetologist of Arrakis by Elrood IX. Originally from Salusa Secundus, a planet that since ancient times had been the Imperial prison planet of the Corrino dynasty, Kynes was ordered by the Emperor to go to Arrakis to find out exactly how the spice melange was produced. Arrakis was, of course, the only known source of melange, the precious spice without which the Imperium would collapse.

The planetologist arrived to Arrakis in 10,154 A.G. After being on the planet a few months, Glossu Rabban took him out for hunting sandworms. Rabban blew up a sandworm with explosives to find that the worm disintegrated. This prompted Kynes to begin to investigate the ecology of the planet, soon realizing that it was possible to change Arrakis to a green and lush paradise.

Kynes found his way into Fremen society after saving the lives of three young fremen, one of them named Stilgar. They took him to their sietch, but the naib and the elders council found him to risky and decided that he was to be assassinated. The Fremen Uliet was given the mission, but when he heard of the wonderful dreams the offworlder had, he killed himself with the poisoned crysknife. The fremen took this as an omen, and Kynes was declared a prophet, Umma, and "went native." He married the fremen woman named Frieth, and together they had a son, who was named after the man who was supposed to kill Kynes, and gave the boy the name Liet Kynes. With his dream as a goal, the Fremen started uniting, helping Kynes to unravel the mysteries of the planet and achieving his dream of a green Dune. Kynes estimated that this would take 400 to 500 Standard years.

Kynes finally died trying to get fruit to give to his wife, when one of his cave-biostations crashed in. The Fremen decided not to try to find him and take his water, and left their old prophet to rest in peace among his beloved plants. Much later, under the rule of his great-grandchild, the God Emperor Leto II, his dream came true, and the ocean of Dune, Kynes Sea was named in honour of him and his son.