Why Baron Vladimir Harkonnen Can Fly In Dune

The technology of the “Dune” universe is one of its most curious and distinct components when compared to other prominent sci-fi worlds. Because of the Butlerian Jihad, which takes place thousands of years before the events of Frank Herbert’s first “Dune” novel, no “thinking machines” are allowed within the empire. That means no robots and no computers, even when used for steering starship across the dark void of space.

That said, there are still many examples of advanced futuristic technology in “Dune,” just ones that exist outside the computer realm. These include the spaceships themselves, tech for cloning and advanced genetic manipulation, and the various vehicles used on Arrakis. Another common piece of technology in the “Dune” universe is the suspensor, a device that allows for equipped objects to float in defiance of gravity. Suspensors are referenced frequently in the “Dune” books and seen often in Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” movies, with everything from lamps to furniture being augmented with the devices. These suspensors are also what allow Baron Vladimir Harkonnen to fly in “Dune.”

The baron wears an item called a suspensor belt, which attaches to levitating suspensor devices that allow him to float around without needing to use his legs. It gives him a looming, almost ghastly effect, which contributes to his aura as one of the primary villains of the “Dune” universe. The suspensors tie into other areas over the franchise as well, all of which have to do with a sci-fi concept called the Holtzman Effect.

Within the “Dune” universe, there is a fictional scientific concept called the Holtzman Effect. That principle is Frank Herbert’s explanation behind much of the franchise’s advanced technology, from the suspensors that allow Baron Harkonnen to fly to the engines that power starships and allow them to fold space. Because it’s a sci-fi notion, there is no way to concretely explain how it works, but the basic idea is that it relates the tension between subatomic particles. Something called a Holtzman Field, created by a Holtzman Field Generator, powers both the suspensors and the personal shields that characters wear in “Dune.”

Holtzman Engines also allow Guild Navigators and their ships to fold space or subvert the normal dimensions of space time to travel across immense distances incredibly quickly. In other words, a majority of the major sci-fi tech in “Dune” is all explained via the Holtzman Effect.

Narratively, of course, this was primarily a way for Herbert to justify a no-computers future. Feudalist aesthetics, sword-fighting in “Dune,” and other cornerstones of his universe are possible alongside galactic space travel largely because of this core conceit.