The Last Battle

C. S. Lewis

45 pages 1-hour read

C. S. Lewis

The Last Battle

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1956

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

King Tirian is the last Narnian king, a strong young man who rules during a sudden crisis. When he hears that Aslan has returned and is issuing harsh orders, he becomes confused but remains determined to protect his kingdom. He is brave and principled, though his quick temper occasionally leads him to act rashly before thinking things through.

Key Relationships

Dearest Friend of Jewel The Unicorn

Loyal Advisor of Roonwit The Centaur

Summoned Ally of Jill Pole

Summoned Ally of Eustace Scrubb

Opponent of Shift The Ape

Historical Predecessor of Peter The High King

Shift is an incredibly old, wrinkled, and clever ape living near the Western Wild. Driven by greed and a desire for control, he devises a plan to manipulate the Narnians by staging a false return of the Great Lion. He presents himself as Aslan's exclusive mouthpiece to consolidate power, hoarding resources for his own comfort.

Key Relationships

Manipulated Servant of Puzzle The Donkey

Co-conspirator of Rishda Tarkaan

Co-conspirator of Ginger The Cat

Enemy of King Tirian

Foolish Summoner of Tash

Puzzle is a naive talking donkey with a gentle and honest disposition. He lacks confidence in his own intelligence, which allows Shift to easily manipulate him. Despite having strong moral qualms, he reluctantly agrees to wear a lion skin and impersonate Aslan, setting off a chain of disastrous events.

Key Relationships

Manipulative Neighbor of Shift The Ape

Protector of Jill Pole

Jewel is a noble talking unicorn with a white body and a blue horn. He is King Tirian's closest companion, and the two share an unbreakable bond forged through shared battles. He possesses a gentle demeanor but serves as a fierce fighter when protecting his king.

Key Relationships

Dearest Friend of King Tirian

Traveling Companion of Jill Pole

Jill is a brave English girl, counted among the "Friends of Narnia." Having visited the magical world previously, she has developed valuable skills such as archery and navigating by the Narnian stars. She eagerly joins King Tirian's campaign to uncover the truth behind the false Aslan.

Key Relationships

Friend and Fellow Adventurer of Eustace Scrubb

Summoned Ally of King Tirian

Rescuer and Protector of Puzzle The Donkey

Traveling Companion of Jewel The Unicorn

Eustace is an English schoolboy and cousin to the Pevensie children, returning to Narnia to aid King Tirian. Though he occasionally harbors anxieties about their dangerous mission, he acts with courage and relies on the swordsmanship he learned during his previous adventures.

Key Relationships

Friend and Fellow Adventurer of Jill Pole

Summoned Ally of King Tirian

Cousin of Peter The High King

Cousin of Queen Lucy

Cousin of King Edmund

Cousin of Queen Susan

Mentored by Lord Digory

Rishda Tarkaan is the captain of the Calormene forces stationed at Stable Hill. He is a pragmatic and ruthless military leader who colludes with Shift to subjugate Narnia for his own country's gain. He openly uses the name of his god to invoke fear, despite privately viewing religion merely as a tool for control.

Key Relationships

Co-conspirator of Shift The Ape

Co-conspirator of Ginger The Cat

Enemy of King Tirian

Commanding Officer of Emeth

False Worshipper of Tash

Aslan is the great, powerful, and mysterious Lion who created Narnia. While he has been absent for generations, his name and legacy hold immense power over the animal population. Shift exploits this reverence to control the citizens, while true believers hold onto the hope that the real Aslan will intervene.

Key Relationships

Revered Creator of King Tirian

Divine Opposite of Tash

True Object of Worship for Emeth

Tash is the fearsome, destructive god worshipped by the Calormenes. Described as a ghastly figure with the body of a man and the head of a cruel bird of prey, his presence brings a foul smell and withers the grass beneath him. He is summoned to Narnia by conspirators who ironically doubt his actual existence.

Key Relationships

Summoned by Shift The Ape

Summoned by Rishda Tarkaan

Worshipped by Emeth

Divine Opposite of Aslan

Supporting Characters

Ginger is a ginger-colored talking cat with big green eyes and a smooth, persuasive voice. He is highly intelligent, entirely self-interested, and cynical, believing in neither Aslan nor Tash. He quickly deduces Shift's deception and inserts himself into the conspiracy to ensure his own profit.

Key Relationships

Manipulator and Ally of Shift The Ape

Co-conspirator of Rishda Tarkaan

Emeth is a young, handsome, and highly principled officer in the Calormene army. Unlike his cynical commanders, Emeth is a sincere and devout worshipper of the god Tash. He possesses a strong sense of honor, making him increasingly uncomfortable with the deceitful tactics used by his own side.

Key Relationships

Subordinate to Rishda Tarkaan

Devout Worshipper of Tash

Honest Seeker of Aslan

Roonwit is a large, golden-bearded centaur and a loyal subject of King Tirian. As an expert in reading the stars, he possesses great wisdom and foresight. He serves as an early voice of reason, warning the king that celestial bodies contradict the rumors of Aslan's peaceful return.

Key Relationships

Loyal Advisor of King Tirian

Farsight is an eagle with exceptionally sharp vision, enabling him to spot distant events and read the true emotions on people's faces. He acts as a scout and messenger for the loyal Narnians, bringing them critical information about the invading forces.

Key Relationships

Loyal Scout for King Tirian

Poggin is a practical and steadfast Narnian dwarf. While his peers become entirely disillusioned and self-serving after discovering Shift's deception, Poggin maintains his faith. He uses his skills in foraging and his knowledge of enemy movements to aid the king's small resistance force.

Key Relationships

Loyal Follower of King Tirian

Former Companion of Griffle The Chief Dwarf

Griffle is the skeptical and bitter leader of a group of Narnian dwarfs. After realizing that Shift tricked them with a false Aslan, Griffle adopts a cynical and entirely self-centered mentality. He refuses to trust anyone, actively hindering the loyalist resistance.

Key Relationships

Former Companion of Poggin The Dwarf

Skeptic of King Tirian

Peter Pevensie, known in Narnian history as the High King, is the eldest of the Pevensie siblings. He is a legendary figure who once ruled Narnia during its Golden Age. He remains deeply connected to Narnia's fate from his home in England and acts as a leader among the human allies gathering to aid the kingdom.

Key Relationships

Brother of King Edmund

Brother of Queen Lucy

Brother of Queen Susan

Cousin of Eustace Scrubb

Historical Predecessor of King Tirian

Edmund Pevensie is one of the historic kings of Narnia's Golden Age. As a seasoned veteran of past campaigns, he joins the other Friends of Narnia in England to investigate a magical disturbance and find a way to send help to the besieged kingdom.

Key Relationships

Brother of Peter The High King

Brother of Queen Lucy

Brother of Queen Susan

Cousin of Eustace Scrubb

Lucy Pevensie is the youngest of the original Pevensie siblings and the first to discover Narnia. Known for her tender heart and unwavering faith, she retains the deepest emotional connection to the magical world and eagerly seeks a way to assist King Tirian from afar.

Key Relationships

Sister of Peter The High King

Sister of King Edmund

Sister of Queen Susan

Cousin of Eustace Scrubb

Oldest Narnian Friend of Mr. Tumnus The Faun

Susan Pevensie is the second eldest of the Pevensie siblings and a former Queen of Narnia. Unlike her family, she has distanced herself from her memories of the magical world. She becomes absorbed in adult society and treats her past adventures as mere childhood games.

Key Relationships

Sister of Peter The High King

Sister of King Edmund

Sister of Queen Lucy

Cousin of Eustace Scrubb

Professor Digory Kirke is an elder statesman among the Friends of Narnia, having witnessed the world's creation as a young boy. Wise and perceptive, he organizes a gathering in England because he senses that Narnia is in grave danger.

Key Relationships

Lifelong Friend of Lady Polly

Mentor of Eustace Scrubb

Polly Plummer is a lifelong friend of Lord Digory and one of the original humans to witness the dawn of Narnia. Despite her advanced age in the human world, she remains fiercely loyal to the magical land and participates in the effort to send aid to King Tirian.

Key Relationships

Lifelong Friend of Lord Digory

Mr. Tumnus is a faun with a man's upper body and a goat's legs. As Queen Lucy's very first acquaintance in Narnia during its earliest days, he holds a special place in the history of the kingdom. His enduring friendship with Lucy represents the deep bonds formed between humans and Narnians.

Key Relationships

Oldest Narnian Friend of Queen Lucy