King Tirian first becomes aware of trouble in Narnia when he is resting
at his hunting lodge with his friend Jewel
the Unicorn discussing
reports that Aslan has been seen in Narnia. A dryad comes racing
to him for help, crying that the talking trees are being cut down in
Lantern Waste, and then dies before their eyes. As they hasten to
Lantern Waste to stop the slaughter, Tirian and Jewel discover that
Narnian creatures are being enslaved by Carlormens. Both the
slaughter of the trees and the enslavement, they are told by the
Narnian creatures, is being carried out on the orders of Aslan.
Tirian and the other Narnians are confused, which at first makes them
vulnerable to exploitation and attack. Aslan is known as
powerful, but just and kind. How could he be commanding murder
and enslavement? Still, their first instinct is to obey Aslan no
matter what and to accept whatever fate Aslan sends them.
When Tirian meets Aslan’s putative spokesman, Shift the Ape, he finally
understands that Aslan has not returned, that Shift is lying to profit
by a treacherous partnership with Calormen, Narnia’s southern
neighbours and worshippers of Tash, a cruel monster they call
god. When Shift asserts that Aslan is the same as Tash and Tash
the same as Aslan, Tirian is absolutely certain of it.
Tirian is alone; though the talking beasts are loyal, they are still
somewhat deceived by Shift’s
lies and there are many Calormene soldiers
about. He has sent to his capital, Cair Paravel, for his army,
but it has not arrived. Jewel has also been captured. Aslan
responds to Trinian’s cries for help by sending Jill Pole and Eustace
Scrubb, who rescued Prince Rilian from an evil enchantress in an
earlier adventure.
Hopelessly outnumbered, Tirian, Jewel, Jill, and Eustace determine to
reject Shift’s lies and fight what seems a hopeless battle in defence
of the real Aslan, come what may. This is the story of that last
battle.
In this, the last of the Narnia chronicles, the author concerns himself
with the notion that all religions are the same, making the point that,
while appearances can deceive, knowledge of the real God provides
protection against the lies of monsters posing as gods.
The end of Narnia provides some interesting parallels with Christian
expectations of the end of this world. It is an action-packed
adventure tale which can be enjoyed on different levels by grownups and
children alike.