Piter and the Baron

[TMA_1]

above all, one of my favorite parts in Dune the novel is the relationship between piter and baron vladimir. It seems and reads like the baron respects Piter, and rarely respects anybody. It seems to me because piter was so brash with him, and treated the baron like equals. Piter knew he could do this because he was needed, and the baron knew this and hated it in a sense, but couldnt help but almost like piter in a certain way. I dont mean as friends, he dispised him. It is a grudging respect I guess you could say. I just love how they constantly attack eachother and say things that normally the baron would take offensively and kill the person who said it. It is a communication of intellectual and evil equals.  It is just cool in my eyes for some reason.

what do you guys think?

[Vanguard3000]

I agree.  it's interesting how Piter had enough leverage on the Baron to say some of the things he said.  Piter was a neccessary commodity, in the eyes of the Baron.  He was worth the attitude.  At least, until the Baron no longer needed him...

[TMA_1]

and the thing I loved about piter is he knew that, and milked it for all it's worth. Hey vanguard, think it was possible that piter's plan against the baron could have succeeded?

[Emperor Harkonnen]

what plan of Piter?

I think eventually the baron would have killed piter. he could always get a new mentat. but why would he want a twisted mentat, and not a normal one?

[Vanguard3000]

Yes, he would have killed Piter.  Eventually.  But he was still of use to the Baron when he died.

Baron Harkonnen preferred the Twisted Mentats because they suited his needs.  Why have someone who can coordinate your attacks, when you can have someone who can coordinate your attacks, AND have fun while he's doing it?  ;)

Seriously though, Twisted Mentats were "custom-made" for their owners.  Piter's love for killing and torture could match - even surpass - that of the Baron himself.  Plus, he was addicted to Melange, so the Baron had that leverage over him.

[Necroticon]

Baron Harkonnen would have killed Piter eventually. At the time of Piter's death, he was still of some use to the Baron. Good point about the "having fun", too.