As with many Reverend Mothers, Odrade was plucked from obscurity at a young age by the Sisterhood, who recognized her genetic traits as holding great promise for their ranks. Odrade's ancestry was predominantly ancient Atreides, Harkonnen and Corrino genes, and other memory later revealed to her that she bore a strong resemblance to the Lady Jessica. Indeed, her name Odrade was derived from Atreides, according to Hedley Tuek, head of the Rakian Priesthood.