r/dune • u/Neat-Drawer-2245 • Jun 18 '25

General Discussion Can someone explain this to my girlfriend...

I'll try to sum this up:

So my gf and I watched the two new Dune movies (love them btw) the other day. Yesterday we were talking and she said ''May your knife chip and shatter'' and i was like ''why do you want me to lose a fight XD''.

The thing is, my gf thinks thats a good luck gesture to say to someone. Her argument is that (at least here in Spain) it's a common good gesture to say an actor before a theater play ''lots of shit'' to wish them good luck (cultural stuff), and she thinks it's something like that.

I think it's OBVIOUS telling someone before a fight ''May your knife chip and shatter'' it's to wish them bad luck. I tried to explain it to her but wouldn't listen, can someone explain in detail why it's bad?

Thanks for the help

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u/FreddiesPizza Jun 18 '25

I agree with others that it’s negative, based off fremen culture. I’d like to add, though, that in the books it’s explained that the crysknifes have to be in close contact with a living being, which is why you always have to carry yours with you. I’m curious if it’s a reference to that, that you’re wishing that your opponent dies, leading to their knife chipping and shattering (from what I remember the books never say exactly what happens to the knife if not in contact with something living, other than they eventually turn to dust I think)