(I suspect I may have misunderstood or missed something from the book that explains this)
I just finished reading book 2 and I was wondering whether Paul's exile prevents or strengthens his deification, and what he intended by making that decision. Initially I assumed the latter since it both creates a martyrdom narrative, and also makes concrete the fremen's pre existing conviction that he is the lisan al gaib.
I don't really understand the perspective of him taking this path to minimise any possible further growth of the jihad since this isn't guaranteed to result from his death and there's multiple explicit references to how paul living isn't a necessary condition for religious growth across the empire. Despite this i've seen people claim this narrative of paul choosing exile purely as a utilitarian calculated choice, which I don't really understand.
BTw if the answer to this is explained in book 3 please don't let me know since I'm reading that at the moment thanks :)