Who does Paul choose between Chani and Princess Irulan in Dune: Part Two? Ending scene, explained

Dune: Part Two was released last Friday, March 1, and took the world by storm. The film is being hailed as a modern sci-fi masterpiece, and fans have been booking out theatres just to see how director Denis Villeneuve has fully realized Frank Herbert's iconic world. Many believe it has truly ushered in a new era of sci-fi space operas.

The story of Paul Atreides finally comes full circle in Dune: Part Two. The film sees him join the Fremen and start a romance with Chani, one of the clan's warriors, while seeking revenge on the Harkonnens for destroying his family. At the same time, the story is also about him fulfilling his destiny of becoming the messiah, which leads him to Princess Irulan and causes a drift in his relationship with Chani.

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Paul chooses Irulan over Chani in Dune: Part Two

In the first film, we see Paul dreaming about Chani, which eventually leads him to meet her, as he believes that she is his destiny. In Dune: Part Two, he finally strikes up a relationship with her, despite Chani not buying into the business of him being the messiah or the Lisan Al Gaib as her people call him, and seeing him for who he is.

Unfortunately, when Paul drinks the Water of Life and fulfills his destiny of becoming the leader of the Fremen, it causes a rift between him and Chani. It all comes to a head in the final act of Dune: Part Two, when Paul finally launches an attack on the Emperor's forces and kills Baron Harkonnen.

A while later, Paul challenges the Emperor for the throne and asks for his daughter, Princess Irulan's hand in marriage, much to Chani's dismay. While Paul still loves Chani, he knows it's a political move that he needs to make in order to make his ascension to the throne seem smooth. The Emperor then chooses Feyd-Rautha as his champion for the duel.

Paul and Feyd engage in a fight with the young Atreides coming out as the victor. When he goes to kill the Emperor, Irula locks herself in a loveless bond by declaring that if Paul spares her father's life, she will willingly become his wife, a proposition that Paul accepts. This causes a heartbroken Chani to leave Paul and go into the desert as she calls upon a sandworm with the credits for the film appearing.

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How is the development different from the books?

In the original book, Chani still remained at Paul's side despite him choosing to marry Irulan. She knew it was a political strategy that he had to take, and this set up a major role for her in Dune: Messiah. However, Dune: Part Two plays out quite differently, with Chani deciding to completely defect from Paul, which might have heavy implications in an eventual Dune: Part Three.

Dune: Part Two already sets Paul down on a dark path, as his Holy War is about to begin, which will cost the lives of billions. With Chani not by his side anymore, his descent into becoming a villain will be even more damning. This will help convey the themes of Dune: Messiah in an eventual Part Three fluently, which Frank Herbert originally wrote in response to people believing that Paul is the hero of Dune's story.

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When Part Three will be released still remains to be seen, but Dune: Part Two is playing in theatres right now.