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This ending also fits neatly into the grander scheme of the novels. The survival of humanity has been a question since the beginning of the series; by ''Chapter House: Dune'', the Honoured Matres threaten to destroy the known universe, and they in turn appear to be fleeing from some unknown (and greater) power. But Herbert leaves the series with at least two locuses of hope for humanity. First, the warring Bene Gesserit and Honoured Matres appear united under Murbella, who has been converted to Bene Gesserit ideals. Second, a small but significant group has set out on their own into the Scattering to develop a new society. Given the scope of Herbert's vision, this ending seems quite appropriate.
There have also been some hints in the Prelude, written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Andersson, that the enemy that drove the Honoured Matres back to the Old Empire was the remenants of the Thinking Machines. The Prelude book are accordingly to Brian based on notes by Frank Herbert and disussions Brian had with his father. In "Butlerian Jihad" an evermind overseeing Geidi Prime sends 5000 deep-space probes, equiped with copies of the evermind, as seeds for new Syncronized Worlds. Shortly thereafter, human forces arrive and retake the planet, destroying the evermind copy before it was backed-up, thus removing any and all knowledge of the probe/seeds. One of the probes lands on Arrakis and is promptly swallowed by a sandworm attracted by the vibrations caused by its internal factories. The fate of the other 4999 are unknown. It can be postulated that, due to the hazardous nature of deep space and the travel times projected by the evermind, i.e. hundreds to thousands of years, the probes may have suffered a significant failure and atrrition rate. In "Battle of Corrin" The last evermind send a copy of himself into deep space where it hope to be able to rebuild the machine empire, and wait for the humans to arrive. It is unknown if the nascent Syncronized Worlds seeded by the probes intercept this broadcasted update. If they did, however, then the second machine empire is thus fully up to date on the course of the Butlerian Jihad. It is also stated by a Guildsman in "House Corrino", when they are tossed into deep space, due to activation of shields while folding space, that they must get away fast because there is an "ancient and future enemy" approaching. This could be interpreted as the Thinking machines, the evermind copy sent to establish the "new" empire. They fit in as humanity's ancient enemy, since the Butlerian Jihad, and humanity's future enemy, possibly the one that drove the Honoured Matres back.
However, Brian Herbert states that Frank Herbert left notes for Dune 7, and when Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson have completed the prequels to Dune, they intend to work on Dune 7. For now, the only officially announced information about Dune 7 is that it will be published in two volumes named ''Hunters of Dune'' and ''Sandworms of Dune''. It is not known whether Frank Herbert would have wished this.
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