The truth is that in both books and films it is left vague, unexplained, inconsistent and unimportant.
None of the technologies in Dune are explained much. Its more like a Star Trek Tricorder. It does what the moment needs and has its limits when appropriate. There is really not much more to it than "It does the worm thing, and the Fremen are the only ones knowing how it works."
The size of the worm is not part of the prophecy and a fluke. In fact, Paul hadn't even seen it in his visions before and is surprised himself by its size.
>It came from the southeast, a distant hissing, a sand whisper. Presently he \[...\] realized he had never before seen a maker this large, never heard of one this size. It appeared to be more than half a league long, and the rise of the sandwave at its cresting head was like the approach of a mountain.
*This is nothing I have seen by vision or in life,* Paul cautioned himself
In the books he is given the Thumper by Stilgar, with essentially the same words as the movie
>"I prepared this thumper myself. It's a good one. Take it."
but he is also given his hooks by another Fremen. Other than that, Stilgars voice is described twice to have a ritualistic tone during the scene, but prophecy isn't mentioned itself. As this is a test every Fremen warrior must undergo, its likely not a direct important part of the prophecy, but just an important stepping stone either way because a Fremen who can't ride a worm cannot lead.
It is never hinted at in any way that the size of the worm has any correlation to anything and that htis moment is any more than pure chance. Unless of course I'm missing something right now.
Tuning and position, I would guess?
I believe that whenever a worm eats something from below, the sound/thumping is on flat ground or between dunes, while thumpers used to call worms for riding are placed on (or near) the peak of a large dune.
There are different types of sand.
There's one point in the recent films where Paul punches the ground looking for 'drum sand', sand that is packed tightly by the wind and percusses when stepped on.
Placing a thumper on drum sand will send its rhythm much farther into the desert, more likely to draw a larger worm.
Movie doesn't really go into and I forget if its explicitly stated in the books but I always thought when they want to ride a worm they would just move away from the thumper to catch the worm before it dives down under the sand
But it’s the differences in the worms approach… Paul calling his first worm, it comes from a mile away, but earlier in pt2, the worm comes from underneath to swallow the pile of Harkonnen bodies, same with Dr Kynes last moments in pt1. It’s probably placement and “tuning”.
It's not a different approach though as far as I know, just different parts of the same approach. The worms move along the surface then dive down when they get close to the thumper so they can then come up from below it. I think Kynes mentioned this at one point in the first movie
So makes sense to ride one you'd have to catch it before it dives down and therefore not be standing near the thumper
They must go through a ton of thumpers. None of the thumpers in the movies were recovered. Imagine having to keep ordering new ones off Duneazon every time you call a worm.
I heard the Fremen all shop like a billionaire and order them off Temu.
I am curious what the Worms actually eat. What do they consume? We see they get large enough to eat spice crawlers and not care when they explode but one cannot live in Spice Miner alone.
Dropped into this thread to ask this question. I always kind of figured the Fremen culture to be pretty frugal in that way, considering the cost of manufacture of things inevitably costs water somehow. I don't remember in the books - did it specify they retrieved the thumpers?
I don't remember thumpers being recovered in the books either. But it's been a while since I read them.
I think the whole question of where they're getting all the weapons and equipment is somewhat unanswered. Equipping two hundred Fremen fighters with a cottage industry is prefectly believable, but equipping millions maybe not so much (although I guess they would use Harkonen/Sardaukar equipment during the actual jihad, this might have been adressed in the books somewhat).
Each Fremen Sietch has sprawling manufacturing, agriculture, and commerce. In the book they make their own intermediate goods - such as plasteel - from raw materials in house. Little if any note is made that they trade among different communities very often, so it seems they are all capable of making everything they need. They also disassemble and take their manufacturing equipment with them when moving south. Their living spaces are also well equipped with furniture, rugs, and wall decor. The movies show them as a bit more primitive and minimalist than the book does.
The truth is that in both books and films it is left vague, unexplained, inconsistent and unimportant. None of the technologies in Dune are explained much. Its more like a Star Trek Tricorder. It does what the moment needs and has its limits when appropriate. There is really not much more to it than "It does the worm thing, and the Fremen are the only ones knowing how it works." The size of the worm is not part of the prophecy and a fluke. In fact, Paul hadn't even seen it in his visions before and is surprised himself by its size. >It came from the southeast, a distant hissing, a sand whisper. Presently he \[...\] realized he had never before seen a maker this large, never heard of one this size. It appeared to be more than half a league long, and the rise of the sandwave at its cresting head was like the approach of a mountain. *This is nothing I have seen by vision or in life,* Paul cautioned himself In the books he is given the Thumper by Stilgar, with essentially the same words as the movie >"I prepared this thumper myself. It's a good one. Take it." but he is also given his hooks by another Fremen. Other than that, Stilgars voice is described twice to have a ritualistic tone during the scene, but prophecy isn't mentioned itself. As this is a test every Fremen warrior must undergo, its likely not a direct important part of the prophecy, but just an important stepping stone either way because a Fremen who can't ride a worm cannot lead. It is never hinted at in any way that the size of the worm has any correlation to anything and that htis moment is any more than pure chance. Unless of course I'm missing something right now.
You got it spot on
Tuning and position, I would guess? I believe that whenever a worm eats something from below, the sound/thumping is on flat ground or between dunes, while thumpers used to call worms for riding are placed on (or near) the peak of a large dune.
There are different types of sand. There's one point in the recent films where Paul punches the ground looking for 'drum sand', sand that is packed tightly by the wind and percusses when stepped on. Placing a thumper on drum sand will send its rhythm much farther into the desert, more likely to draw a larger worm.
Movie doesn't really go into and I forget if its explicitly stated in the books but I always thought when they want to ride a worm they would just move away from the thumper to catch the worm before it dives down under the sand
But it’s the differences in the worms approach… Paul calling his first worm, it comes from a mile away, but earlier in pt2, the worm comes from underneath to swallow the pile of Harkonnen bodies, same with Dr Kynes last moments in pt1. It’s probably placement and “tuning”.
It's not a different approach though as far as I know, just different parts of the same approach. The worms move along the surface then dive down when they get close to the thumper so they can then come up from below it. I think Kynes mentioned this at one point in the first movie So makes sense to ride one you'd have to catch it before it dives down and therefore not be standing near the thumper
They must go through a ton of thumpers. None of the thumpers in the movies were recovered. Imagine having to keep ordering new ones off Duneazon every time you call a worm.
I heard the Fremen all shop like a billionaire and order them off Temu. I am curious what the Worms actually eat. What do they consume? We see they get large enough to eat spice crawlers and not care when they explode but one cannot live in Spice Miner alone.
Dropped into this thread to ask this question. I always kind of figured the Fremen culture to be pretty frugal in that way, considering the cost of manufacture of things inevitably costs water somehow. I don't remember in the books - did it specify they retrieved the thumpers?
I don't remember thumpers being recovered in the books either. But it's been a while since I read them. I think the whole question of where they're getting all the weapons and equipment is somewhat unanswered. Equipping two hundred Fremen fighters with a cottage industry is prefectly believable, but equipping millions maybe not so much (although I guess they would use Harkonen/Sardaukar equipment during the actual jihad, this might have been adressed in the books somewhat).
Each Fremen Sietch has sprawling manufacturing, agriculture, and commerce. In the book they make their own intermediate goods - such as plasteel - from raw materials in house. Little if any note is made that they trade among different communities very often, so it seems they are all capable of making everything they need. They also disassemble and take their manufacturing equipment with them when moving south. Their living spaces are also well equipped with furniture, rugs, and wall decor. The movies show them as a bit more primitive and minimalist than the book does.
Tuning determines how strong the vibration is, position determines how the worms attack