The wise elder teaching (or cleverly hinting at) history is a common trope for introducing information because it works. We become students who, like the initially young protagonist, learn the highlights of history but know it will take time to even come close to the elder's understanding. In fact, gaining that understanding can be a subplot. I'm willing to bet money that the original version(s) of the script were written like that, but a Big Suit said "Game of Thrones is hot, rewrite to make more like Game of Thrones." and demanded more & more such "improvements" until the script written by someone who love Dune became the movie you saw.
The wise elder teaching (or cleverly hinting at) history is a common trope for introducing information because it works. We become students who, like the initially young protagonist, learn the highlights of history but know it will take time to even come close to the elder's understanding. In fact, gaining that understanding can be a subplot. I'm willing to bet money that the original version(s) of the script were written like that, but a Big Suit said "Game of Thrones is hot, rewrite to make more like Game of Thrones." and demanded more & more such "improvements" until the script written by someone who love Dune became the movie you saw.
That sounds very likely. The script reeks of studio interference.
Like studios almost ruined Star Trek before it even started.