Atomics are banned in the Dune universe primarily due to the Great Convention, an overarching intergalactic law that prohibits their offensive use, making such an act punishable by the complete annihilation of the offending planetary system.
The prohibition of atomics in the Imperium is a fundamental aspect of its delicate political and social balance, ensuring a fragile peace among the Great Houses. This ban is not merely a suggestion but a rigidly enforced decree, the violation of which carries the most severe consequences imaginable.
The Great Convention: The Ultimate Deterrent
The primary reason for the strict ban on atomics stems directly from the Great Convention. This powerful universal law dictates a clear and uncompromising penalty for any offensive deployment of atomic weapons:
- Planetary Annihilation: Any House or entity that uses atomics offensively against another risks the complete destruction of their own homeworld. This severe deterrent effectively prevents any Great House from unleashing these devastating weapons in inter-House conflicts, thus maintaining a semblance of order and preventing widespread cosmic warfare.
This extreme consequence highlights the immense destructive power of atomics, so potent that their unregulated use would undoubtedly lead to the collapse of the Imperium and potentially humanity itself. The Great Convention, therefore, serves as the ultimate safeguard against mutually assured destruction within human-settled space.
Strategic Stockpiling and Exceptions
Despite their ban for internal conflicts, atomics are not entirely eliminated from existence. The Great Houses are known to continue stockpiling these weapons. This practice is not a direct defiance of the Great Convention but rather a strategic contingency:
- Defense Against Alien Threats: The primary exception to the ban, and the reason for continued stockpiling, is the potential threat posed by non-human intelligences. In the event that humanity encounters an alien force hostile enough to warrant such extreme measures, atomics are reserved as a last-resort defense mechanism. This suggests that the Great Convention's ban primarily applies to human-on-human warfare, preserving the species from self-inflicted extinction.
This duality—strict prohibition for internal use paired with strategic retention for external threats—underscores the pragmatism of the Imperium's leadership. While acknowledging the existential danger atomics pose to human civilization, they also recognize their unparalleled power as a final defense against an unforeseen, overwhelming alien adversary. The threat of planetary annihilation ensures adherence to the ban, making atomics a forbidden fruit in daily galactic politics, yet a hidden, potent reserve for humanity's ultimate survival.
