Warning: The below story contains some plot details and potential spoilers for Dune: Part 2.
Dune: Part Two has only been out for a weekend, and the memes are already flowing. From Lady Margot Fenring's shockingly easy manipulation of Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen to uncle smooches, there is plenty in Denis Villeneuve's sequel that is rife for jokes.
But none have taken off quite like Stilgar's boundless (sometimes comically so) faith in Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet).
To summarize: Javier Bardem plays Stilgar, one of the Fremen leaders who passionately believes in the prophecy being pushed by Paul Atreides' mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), that Paul is the messiah, or Lisan al Gaib as the Fremen call it. Author Frank Herbert's focus on religious fanaticism comes into focus in Stilgar, with his faith in Paul pretty much unshakeable.
It's so unshakeable that it finds Stilgar looking past several, well, red flags across Dune: Part Two - basically, at a certain point, there is nothing that can convince Stilgar that Paul isn't the messiah. Hence, Dune: Part Two's most popular meme: even something as simple as Paul opening a pickle jar could be seen as an act of Lisan al Gaib, at least to Stilgar.
Stilgar: *struggling to open the pickle jar**
— Buddy (@BuddysBigScreen) March 3, 2024
Paul: *opens with ease**
Stilgar: LISAN AL GAIB IS HERE#DunePart2 pic.twitter.com/DAyvCUJ6HN
Predicting the weather (with the help of an app)? Lisan al Gaib.
Stilgar when I tell him it’s gonna rain tomorrow after checking my weather app pic.twitter.com/yWV0SFDg24
— joe bro’dib (@jbromovies) March 2, 2024
A magic trick? Sneezing? Farting? Changing the HDMI on your parents' TV? The prophecy as it was written, according to Stilgar (or at least, the internet's version of Stilgar). Scroll through the gallery below to see a whole lot more of these examples.
With the way that Dune: Part Two has performed at the box office, it's little wonder that it's the talk of social media today. It took in a massive $178.5 million globally over its debut this past weekend, and will likely continue to ride the (sand) wave of positive reviews over the next few weeks.
We gave Dune: Part Two an 8/10 in our review, with Tom Jorgensen writing, "Featuring absolutely staggering visuals, Dune: Part Two is an arresting, transportive middle entry in Denis Villeneuve’s tricky sci-fi saga."
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
