Aslan is the creator and one true king of the World of Narnia, and is generally a representation of all that is good. Aslan is the son of the Emperor-Beyond-The-Sea, and comes from the land, or world, known as Aslan's Country.
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Biography
Creation of Narnia (The Magician's Nephew)
- "Narnia, Narnia, Narnia, awake. Love. Think. Speak. Be walking trees. Be talking beasts. Be divine waters."
- ―Aslan at the creation of Narnia (Chapter 9)[src]
Aslan created the world of Narnia in 1900 (Earth time). He brought everything – from the creatures to the landscapes to the sky and the stars – into being from an empty dark void by singing and roaring. Narnia was made in the image of Aslan's Country, the "real" Narnia. However, it was nothing more than a shadow compared to the latter's glory.
At the creation of Narnia, Aslan also witnessed his father, the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea, writing the Deep Magic. Aslan chose one male and one female of each animal species to endow the powers of thought and speech. These intelligent animals formed the first council of Narnia, eventually spawning all the talking animals that populated Narnia for centuries afterwards.
Aslan also crowned Frank and his wife Helen, two humans from Earth, the first King and Queen of Narnia. He then banished Jadis - a half-Jinn, half-giant woman originally from Charn, who had accidentally been brought into Narnia - to the northern land of Ettinsmoor. Lastly, Aslan ordered Digory Kirke to fetch an apple from the Tree of Youth, whose seeds grew into the Tree of Protection. In turn, he allowed Digory to take an apple to Earth to heal his sick mother. This apple's seeds eventually grew into the tree whose wood would become the wardrobe.
Winter Revolution (The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe)
- "When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death, and when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again."
- ―Golden Age Prophecy[src]
When the four Pevensies first came to Narnia - heralding the fulfilment of the Golden Age Prophecy - Aslan returned to Narnia to aid them in their fight against the wrongful queen, Jadis. His presence ended the Long Winter, and he gathered all those still faithful to him near the Stone Table.
Aslan greeted Peter, Susan, and Lucy Pevensie upon their arrival at his campsite. He asked where Edmund was, yet appeared emotionless when told of Edmund's betrayal, though he did say, "All shall be done" to save their brother. After that, he briefly spoke to Peter, telling him how he would be the High King and showing him the site of Cair Paravel.
Shortly after, Maugrim arrives and attempts to kill Susan and Lucy, only to be slain by Peter. Aslan knighted him to The Most Noble Order of the Lion for this heroism as Sir Peter Wolfsbane. He then sent the best of his army to rescue Edmund from Jadis' camp. Alas, though, according to the laws of the Deep Magic, it was the White Witch's right to sacrifice Edmund, as he was a traitor, and all traitors belonged to her.
To save him, Aslan agreed to sacrifice himself in Edmund's stead. However, according to the laws of the Deeper Magic, Aslan was resurrected as an innocent victim. He revived the petrified Narnians in the White Witch's Courtyard upon his resurrection. He led them into the First Battle of Beruna, which he quickly resolved by killing the Witch.
After the war was won, Aslan revived those petrified in the battle and crowned the Pevensies as the new monarchs of Narnia before disappearing. Mr. Beaver told the Pevensies that Aslan often left to attend to other countries and didn't like being tied down. However, Mr. Beaver assured them that Aslan would continue to visit Narnia but that they should not press him, as he wasn't a tame lion.
Cor and Aravis (The Horse and His Boy)
During the Golden Age, Aslan appeared in Narnia and Archenland to help Shasta, Aravis, and the talking horses, Bree and Hwin, escape Calormen for Narnia's freedom. He had previously helped save Cor as a baby by ensuring that the boat Cor was on floated to the shoreline, where his adoptive guardian, Arsheesh, found him.
He, therefore, helped Shasta discover his true identity as Cor, Prince of Archenland. Aslan also taught Aravis to abandon her pride and faith in the Calormene god Tash and, ultimately, helped stop Rabadash from conquering Narnia. When Aravis fled to the Archenland border, he slashed her back to inflict on her the punishment she had caused to be inflicted on the enslaved person she had drugged to escape her prideful stepmother.
When he approached Aravis later, he explained his actions, and she agreed she had deserved the shock of corporal punishment. Thus reconciled, Aslan led the Calormene refugees to the council, where Rabadash met his punishment with less grace and dignity than Aravis had displayed.
War of Deliverance (Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia)
Aslan was absent from Narnia during the Telmarine Conquest, and therefore most of the hunted and oppressed Narnians lost faith in him. However, when the Pevensies were transported to Narnia by Susan's horn, Aslan returned, and slowly tried to get them to believe in him once more.
The Pevensies, Caspian X, and their army set up camp in hiding in Aslan's Camp, the hilly mound of earth that covered what had once been the Stone Table, which Aslan was sacrificed on.
Although they did not follow him at first, they eventually trusted him again, and, accordingly, Aslan awoke the hibernating Narnians, and called forth a river-god to end the Second Battle of Beruna.
Aslan blessed Caspian as the next king of Narnia, and returned many of the conquered Telmarines to Earth, to start a new life.
Search for Aslan's Country and the Seven Lost Lords (The Voyage of the Dawn Treader)
Several years after ascending his throne, Caspian X lead a voyage aboard the Dawn Treader, to find Aslan’s Country at the end of the world, and to find the Seven Lost Lords.
Aslan called Edmund, Lucy Pevensie and Eustace Scrubb from Earth to join Caspian on his voyage, in order to teach them important personal lessons.
On Deathwater Island, Aslan helped Caspian and Edmund learn to resist greed, helped Lucy come to terms with her insecurities and need to be beautiful on Coriakin's Island, and turned Eustace into a dragon in order to help him realise his own flaws and self-righteousness on Dragon Island.
- "The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off."
- ―Eustace describing Aslan removing his dragon skin (Chapter 7).[src]
Once the Dawn Treader reached the sweet waters, Aslan ordered Caspian through a dream to send Edmund, Lucy, Eustace and the talking mouse, Reepicheep, to the shore at the end of the world.
Here, Aslan allowed Reepicheep to pass on from Narnia to Aslan's Country, as was his greatest dream, and sent the others home.
Search for Prince Rilian (The Silver Chair)
When Caspian's wife was killed by the Lady of the Green Kirtle, and his only son, Prince Rilian, was kidnapped by the same witch; she planned to use him to slowly conquer Narnia. As an old man, Caspian chose to search for Aslan, to ask him who should ascend the throne of Narnia after he died, believing that Rilian was lost.
Aslan, knowing that Rilian was alive, but hypnotized by the Lady of the Green Kirtle’s enchantments, brought Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole to Narnia, and ordered them to find him. They eventually succeeded, but Caspian had by that time died; Aslan took him to his Country, a young man once more.
Destruction of Narnia (The Last Battle)
- "Peter, High King of Narnia. Shut the Door."
- ―Aslan at the destruction of Narnia (Chapter 14)[src]
During the rule of King Tirian, most of the inhabitants of Narnia fell prey to a lie, stating that the donkey Puzzle was Aslan, and that Aslan and the demon Tash, whom the Calormenes worshipped, were one of the same being. A great war between the Calormenes and the Narnians ravaged all the lands.
Aslan came to Narnia for the last time, and destroyed the entire world. He passed judgment of every one of its inhabitants, allowing those who were faithful, good and innocent to pass into Aslan's Country, where they would exist in eternal peace, while the unvirtuous and honorless vanish into his shadow, their fate is unknown even to the author. It is presumed that they are sent to Tash's country for eternal damnation. At the same time, a train crash, which killed the Seven Friends of Narnia, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Pevensie, occurred, but Aslan had them all brought to Narnia.
He ordered Peter Pevensie to "Shut the Door", on Narnia forever, and admitted them all to his Country.
Personality and Physical appearance
- "He'll be coming and going. One day you'll see him and another you won't. He doesn't like being tied down - and of course he has other countries to attend to. It's quite all right. He'll often drop in. Only you mustn't press him. He's wild, you know. Not like a tame lion."
- ―Mr. Beaver (Chapter 17)[src]
Aslan appears as an enormous, terrifying, but equally magnificent, wise lion with kind eyes. He appears in different sizes to different people, although he never changes; as people grow in wisdom and character, they can perceive more of his greatness. Aslan is wise and a force for good, but as Narnians often say, "He's not a tame lion." He is dangerous and an unconquerable enemy, but he is unquestionably good. Generally, he comes to Narnia to aid its leaders and heroes on missions for external and personal peace and to protect it from various evils. He watches over Narnia constantly, although he only chooses to solve some of its problems for its inhabitants.[citation needed]
Aslan also periodically brings humans from Earth to help Narnia and teach those people essential lessons. Aslan is a divine being and is, therefore, extremely powerful, with the only being known to surpass his authority and power being his father, the Emperor-Beyond-The-Sea. He possesses a certain omnipresence and can manipulate, transport, heal, and manifest himself in different shapes. His breath can heal those who have been petrified in stone, boost the morale of the faithless, and cause sleep for others. The only limits to Aslan's abilities and autonomy in Narnia is the Deep Magic.[citation needed]
Appearance in other worlds
- "But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason you were brought into Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you might know me better there."
- ―Aslan as he's about to send Edmund, Lucy and Eustace home (Chapter 16)[src]
As seen in The Magician's Nephew, there are other worlds besides Narnia. There are a vast number of worlds with their own lands, inhabitants and laws, all of which are accessible from the Wood Between the Worlds.
It is indicated that Aslan exists in all worlds as some sort of divine figure of good. His avatars are different in each world, as are his specific attributes and abilities. It is clear that on Earth, Aslan is Jesus Christ.[citation needed]
C. S. Lewis writes in The Last Battle that in Aslan's Country, Aslan no longer looks like a lion. It is unknown what shape he takes in his own country and it is also unknown what form (or forms) he takes in the various other worlds.[citation needed]
Relationships
The Seven Friends
Behind the scenes
- 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.[citation needed]
- Aslan is said to have been inspired by the lion-shaped door handle on the Rectory at St. Mark's Church, Dundela, Belfast, Northern Ireland, where C. S. Lewis' grandfather, Thomas Hamilton, was vicar.[citation needed]
- The words "aslan" and "arslan" are Turkish for "lion".[citation needed]
- Aslan represents Jesus Christ, according to Lewis, who uses the allegory in the books that Aslan is the Lion and the Lamb, which also says in the Bible about God.[citation needed]
Gallery
Appearances
- Aslan is the only character to appear in all seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia.