Aslan

"He's not a tame lion" -- a common Narnian expression meaning that despite Aslan's kind and loving nature, he was also powerful and could be dangerous.

Aslan (pronounced "ASS-lan" or, from Turkish, Arabic, and Persian, "AH-slahn"), the Great Lion, was the creator and ruler of the world of Narnia. He was the almighty saviour of the Narnian citizens, but also the physical symbol of their hope and their leonine guardian and protector. Aslan was also the son of the Emperor-Over-The-Sea, and therefore, it is believed, the more emotional and personal Narnian embodiment of God himself.

Aslan's Divinity
Aslan was the first known living organism in Narnia and he arose immediately to God-like status amongst all of the new Narnians he summoned or created, having brought all of the original Narnians to life by using some higher, inexplicable power.

Aslan's creation of this world "Narnia" was, in fact, merely a copy of his own heavenly land, Aslan's Country, which he duplicated in this way in order to use as a sort of testing ground to be able to select those who would be awarded salvation to only allow those he could trust and respect into his own world. It can be argued then that Aslan is an imperfect god, a perfect god, the Narnian talking-beast incarnation of God, or, as further discussed below, the son of God.

Aslan was called the son of the Emperor-Over-the-Sea. Although the Emperor-Over-the-Sea is never seen in Narnia, it is suspected that the Emperor is what humans would call "God" and that Aslan himself is only the Narnian extension or Narnian body of this creator being. Presumably, Aslan was not the biological son of God as much as he was his metaphorical son: Narnia's perspective of the Almighty brought to their understanding through a physical, leonine body. Although Aslan did not always seem to be involved in Narnia's every event, even the ones he seemed to have no influence over, it can be argued, he had in fact secretly manipulated in order to reveal which Narnians were truly worthy of salvation. For example, although it can be said that no benevolent God would allow such a terrible event to occur such as the Telmarine Conquest, it was by Aslan's will that the pirates from Earth first arrived in Telmar, thereby precipitating not only tragic events like the Telmarine Conquest, but also gloriously heroic events, like the consequential Narnian Revolution (which would prove to Aslan who exactly were worthy of being saved).

The extent of Aslan's divinity (specifically, for example, his omnipotence or omnipresence) may be debated, though he is certainly a divine being, if or if not a perfect one. Just as the mystery of God himself is never revealed to humans, so the mystery of Aslan's true nature also remains unknown, and perhaps, unknowable.

Regarding Aslan's abilities, he indisputably wielded some very supernatural powers and was known to be able to change his physical appearance at will, taking other animal forms such as those of a lamb and an albatross.

Narnia's Creation
"Narnia, Narnia, Narnia, awake. Love. Think. Speak. Be walking trees. Be talking beasts. Be divine waters."

―Aslan at the creation of Narnia

When human children Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer, a cab-driver named Frank, and his horse Strawberry emerged from our Earth into the unborn World of Narnia along with Jadis, a sinister witch from the World of Charn,, they altogether witnessed the Creation of Narnia. Aslan was the only living thing on the dark landscape, singing and thereby causing the world around him to grow and begin the birth of life on the world. Beasts emerged from the ground along with plants, and other animals, both Earth-like and mythical.

Aslan gave power to certain dumb beasts in order to form the council of highly intelligent, talking beasts of Narnia (including Strawberry, who was renamed Fledge and grew wings). Frank became the first ruler of the Kingdom of Narnia. His second son became the first ruler of the neighboring country of Archenland, and the evil Jadis was ultimately banished to the north by Aslan.

White Witch's Usurpation


900 Narnian-years after Narnia's "birth", Jadis returned to Narnia, seized power, and ruled for one hundred years, punishing her disloyal Narnian subjects by magically placing a seemingless endless Age of Winter upon them for a complete century.

However, the Narnian creatures and people barely lost faith in their lord Aslan, always hoping he would return and defeat the "White Witch", which had become Jadis' new name.

However, Aslan summoned the Pevensie's, a family of four British children from Earth to save Narnia. They learned of Narnia's predicament and soon were leading Aslan's Army in the skirmish at the Stone Table, with Aslan's thankful return.

Aslan dealt with the Witch so that he be killed so that Edmund Pevensie could be spared. However, when the Witch executed him, he was resurrected, proving he was the Narnian king, and led the Narnians to victory in the Battle of Beruna where he personally killed the Witch.

Aslan's Missions
During all of the following stories of Narnia's history, from King Caspian X struggle for power to the rescue of Prince Rilian, Aslan guided Narnian heroes and adventurers from Earth to protect the Narnian world and defend it from evil.

When Narnia was destroyed in Narnian-year 2555, Aslan judged every creature who has died. It turned out Aslan's Country is the real Narnia and the one that was destroyed was merely a copy.

Portrayals in film and television
In the 1988 BBC television adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Aslan was voiced by Ronald Pickup.

In the 2005 film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and the 2008 film Prince Caspian, he is voiced by Liam Neeson.

Trivia


Aslan
 * Lewis originally did not intend for Aslan to appear in any of the books, until the form of a lion appeared to him in a dream one night.
 * Lewis attempts to convey something of the ineffable mystery of the divine by frequently reminding his readers that "Aslan is not a tame lion."
 * The books also make reference to an Emperor-over-the-Sea, whose son Aslan is said to be; this further highlights his Christ-like status. The Emperor-over-the-Sea is similar to Eru Ilúvatar of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, in His separation from His creation, or considerable equivlent to God.
 * The words "aslan" and "arslan" are Turkish for "lion", with the word later being adopted in Turkish; it was used as a title by a number of rulers, including the notorious Ali Pasha.
 * Aslan appears in all seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia
 * Aslan represents Jesus Christ, according to the author, C. S. Lewis C.S. Lewis uses the analogy in the books that Aslan is the Lion and the Lamb, also said in the Bible about God.
 * Aslan is said to have nine names but not all of them are given in the series.