Shared Interests: 3/5
Duke Leto Atreides I is a busy man. As the ruling duke over the planet Caladan and later the desert planet of Arrakis he has a lot of work on his plate. Probably much too busy to have time to grab a laser mitt and ball and play a good ol' game of space catch or whatever equivalent game they play in the Dune universe. But that doesn’t mean that he isn’t willing to spend time with you. Just know that his version of quality time will probably involve the touring of spice fields, negotiations with the Fremen, and/or some other political activity that will help you take his place one day.
Dad Jokes: 2/5
Sadly, Leto does not seem like the joking kind of dad. He is generally good-natured but not much of a jokester. This is a shame because he lives in a universe ripe for dad joke-making. For example, “what did Paul say when he first met Chani? How you dune?” or “What do Harkonens fear the most? An Atreides with a toothache.” Sure, these things happened after his death but you get my point.
Protection: 4/5
Loyalty runs deep in house Atreides. Leto is surrounded by loyal men that would fight to the death to protect him and his family. Under normal circumstances, there would perhaps be no safer in the Duniverse than the son or daughter of Duke Leto. You might argue that he endangered his family by going to Arrakis but he didn’t really have a choice in that decision. And we can’t really blame the man too much for the dangers of the world he lives in. I mean despite everything Paul still survived. So maybe you would too?
Hug: 4/5
Despite his busy nature Leto is still a loving father. In the few moments he gets to spend with Paul he is loving and affectionate. We don’t see a lot of hugging going on in the movie but as far as affection goes in the weird cold Duniverse he is like a 10 out of 10. But let’s step into the real world for a second. Oscar Isaac just seems like a good hugger. I don’t if it is his gorgeous salt and pepper beard, his soul-warming smile, or something else but I just want to hug him you know? Maybe I’ve spent too much time thinking about this movie or I’m falling in love with Oscar Isaac. Who knows?
Wisdom: 5/5
Yes! This is where our Duke really shines. There is a reason that he is so beloved by all of his men. He rules with love and respect because he knows that is what will drive true loyalty. We can see this when he first meets Stilgar, the leader of the Fremen people. Rather than trying to crush them like the Harkonens, Leto offers an alliance. He even goes as far as to hock a loogie to honor the Fremen's customs.
Bonus: +5
+5 for this scene alone. Wow, this almost made me cry. What a good dad.
