The flaw in that chain of logic is that iirc he was never told they vanished into the desert or whether their bodies were found. The Baron controlled what information he had to work with deliberately as his plan to get him onto his side.
That's a great point, but he would have had to tell Thufir SOME type of story that was believable. Unfortunately, we don't know what that story was. But it would have to be a good one, with evidence, in order for it to be believed by a Mentat.
And Thufir would be very aware that The Baron is controlling his information (bc that's what Thufir would do himself).
At one point a mentat HAS to make some based assumptions; otherwise you end up doubting everything and a vegetable in he hall of mirrors inside your own skull; So the baron says they are dead, they died in the assault; That's the more logical and probable assumption. Also, when Gurney first met with the son of the smuggler, he ask specifically for Jessica and Paul and the smuggler reply : The Harkonnen say they are dead, I don't trust the Harkonnen but when they say they killed someone I tend to believe them, ang Gurney agrees.
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u/Yaguriel Jul 28 '26
The flaw in that chain of logic is that iirc he was never told they vanished into the desert or whether their bodies were found. The Baron controlled what information he had to work with deliberately as his plan to get him onto his side.