georgiedenbro wrote:There is zero textual evidence for this. Your theory might be a nifty idea for some fan fiction but it has nothing to do with Frank's books.
"'What do you wish done with it [Harkonnen contraband spice on Gammu] when it's found, Lord'
'Use a bit of it to pay the Tleilaxu for the new Ghola...'
...
'I will go to my tower,' he said. 'I must have more time to mourn my Duncan'
'The new one is already on the way here,' Moneo said"(God Emperor of Dune, pg 35-40)
My argument was in response to you saying, "there is absolutely no evidence of multiple Duncans existing simultaneously anywhere in the book" . This passage in God Emperor proves that multiple Duncan gholas (at least unawakened) could exist at the same time. If Duncan's body was still on the crypt floor, and Moneo was called in to discuss it, how could a Ghola be on its way over if the two existences didn't over lap. I'm not saying it is a strong argument. But there is something.
"Idaho, seated alone at his console, encountered an entry he had stored in Shipsystems during his first days of confinement, and found himself dumped (he applied the word later) into attitudes and sensory awareness of that earlier time. It no longer was afternoon of a frustrating day in the no-ship. He was back there,
stretched between then and now the way serial ghola lives linked this incarnation to his original birth.
Immediately, he saw what he had come to call “the net” and the elderly couple defined by criss-crossed lines, bodies visible through a shimmering of jeweled ropes—green, blue, gold, and a silver so brilliant it made his eyes ache.
He sensed godlike stability in these people, but something common about them. The word ordinary came to mind. The by-now-familiar garden landscape stretched out behind them: floral bushes (roses, he thought), rolling lawns, tall trees.
The couple stared back at him with an intensity that made Idaho feel naked.
New power in the vision! It no longer was confined to the Great Hold, an increasingly compulsive magnet drawing him down there so frequently he knew the watchdogs were alerted.
Is he another
Kwisatz Haderach?" (Chapterhouse: Dune, pg. 178)
As for my argument that Duncan is the true Kwisatz Haderach because he "literally" exists in many places at once is supported by this passage and the following. Notice how Duncan Idaho describes himself as being stretched thin when going over his ghola memories. This is important when compared to how Daniel and Marty view him. Notice how Duncan asks himself if he is another Kwisatz Haderach and how he saw Daniel and Marty in his vision.
"All of those serial lives continued within him in defiance of Mentat relevancies. A Mentat came at his universe fresh in each instant. Nothing old, nothing new, nothing set in ancient adhesives, nothing truly known.
You were the net and you existed only to examine the catch.
What did not go through? How fine a mesh did I use on this lot?
That was the Mentat view. But there was no way the Tleilaxu could have included all of those ghola-Idaho cells to recreate him. There had to be gaps in their serial collection of his cells. He had identified many of those gaps.
But
no gaps in my memory. I remember them all.
He was a network linked outside of Time. That is how I can see the people of that vision … the net. It was the only explanation Mentat awareness could provide and if the Sisterhood guessed, they would be terrified. No matter how many times he denied it, they would say: “Another Kwisatz Haderach! Kill him!”(CH:D, pg. 208)
This passage reveals how Duncan is able to be "linked outside of Time" and how there are no gaps in his ghola memories.
"'Of what use would even a no-planet be if someone could penetrate the shielding?'
She glanced at the boy. Idaho knew their suspicion that the Bashar had seen the no-ships? Naturally! A Mentat of his abilities … bits and pieces assembled into a masterful projection.
'It would require the entire output of a G-3 sun to shield any halfway livable planet.' Dry and very cool the way she looked down at him.
'Nothing is out of the question in the Scattering.'
'But not within our present capabilities. Do you have something less ambitious?'
'Review the genetic markers in the cells of your people. Look for common patterns in Atreides inheritance. There may be talents you have not even guessed.'
'Your inventive imagination bounces around.'
...'Ixians havent penetrated Holzmann's unification concept', he said."(CH:D, pg. 231-232)
This passage reveals that Daniel and Marty have constructed a giant no-shield or some alternative ,by either solving the energy problem or by penetrating Holzmann's unification concept, around their planet/planets and that they can see into the no-ships of the old empire and people with the siona gene.
"'And I had such a nice planet picked out for them,” Marty said. “One of the best. A real test of their abilities.'
'No use moaning about it,” Daniel said. “They’re where we can’t touch them now.
He was spread so thin, though, I expected to catch him easy.'
'They had a Tleilaxu Master, too,” Marty said. “I saw him when they went under the net. I would have so liked to study another Master.'
...
I don’t see why. It’s a natural consequence. They gave us the power to absorb the memories and experiences of other people. Gather enough of those and…”
'It’s personas we take, Marty.'
'Whatever. The Masters should’ve known we would gather enough of them one day to make our own decisions about our own future.'
'And theirs?'
'Oh, I’d have apologized to him after putting him in his place. You can do just so much managing of others, isn’t that right, Daniel?'
'When you get that look on your face, Marty, I go prune my roses.' He went back to a line of bushes with verdant leaves and black blooms as large as his head.
Marty called after him: 'Gather up enough people and you get a big ball of knowledge, Daniel! That’s what I’d have told him. And those Bene Gesserit in that ship! I’d have told them how many of them I have. Ever notice how alienated they feel when we peek at them?'"(CH:D, pg. 432-433)
The final chapter gives interesting descriptions. The way Daniel and Marty describe what they saw and what they know is similar to the way Duncan Idaho describes his visions and himself. See how Marty focuses on gathering up memories and experiences while Daniel says they gather personas. Marty's hypothetical advice to Duncan hints about him gathering enough people and him getting a big ball of knowledge.
In conclusion, the idea that Duncan is the true Kwisatz Haderach because he is literally in multiple places at once [albeit not from a non-duncan perspective] is not far-fetched or unsupported. Sincerely, suck my balls.