re: Dune

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My favorite "minor" character is Alia

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If Alia is your favorite, you're going to love/hate the next two books.

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the only thing I didn't fully understand is did Paul, Usul, Muad Dib, Lisan Al Gaib, Kwitsatz Haderach, Duke Atreides flip at the end and decide that the jihad he was trying to avoid is now his purpose?

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I think Paul was trying to avoid the jihad, but saw it as inevitable at the end. Remember, his prescient vision wasn't total; he could only see a large swath of possible futures, but even then most was hidden from him.

There are things Paul could have done, that he didn't, and this really ties into the 3rd and mainly the 4th book.