# Earth and Mars explained — Last and First Men > Chapter companion for Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon. ## What happens The chapter explores the spiritual and psychological decline of the Second Men after centuries of Martian raids, leading to a loss of faith in cosmic significance and a descent into madness and nationalism. Meanwhile, the Martian colony undergoes a spiritual renaissance, distinguishing mentality from radiation, but is ultimately destroyed by the home planet. Humanity, in a final desperate act, unleashes a deadly virus that annihilates both the Martian colony and most of humanity, plunging the Earth into a third dark age. ## Themes in this chapter ### Suffering and Redemption The Second Men's attempt to find cosmic beauty in their tragedy fails, leading to despair and self-destruction. ### Cosmic Indifference and Meaning The chapter questions whether cosmic events are significant or a 'meaningless rigmarole', reflecting the theme of cosmic indifference. ### Technology and Its Dangers The human bacteriologist's creation of a deadly virus leads to the annihilation of both species, highlighting the dangers of technology. ### Humanity and the Other The Martians are portrayed as a rival intelligence, and the chapter explores the conflict and lack of sympathy between the two species. ## Character check-ins ### The Second Men The Second Men are the central focus, experiencing a spiritual crisis and eventual self-destruction. ### The Martians The Martians are the antagonists, whose colony undergoes a renaissance but is ultimately destroyed by the home planet. ### The Narrator The narrator provides a detailed account of the events and the psychological states of both species. ### The First Men The First Men are referenced as a contrast to the Second Men's more refined but fragile nature. ## Key lines > they had overreached themselves, broken every muscle (so to speak) and incapacitated themselves for any further effort. They had pushed themselves too far and were now unable to continue. _Describes the Second Men's exhaustion after centuries of conflict._ > It was the obscure sense of this defeat that had poisoned them. The vague feeling of failure had corrupted them. _Explains the psychological impact of their failed spiritual quest._ > The whole population had accepted this advice. Everyone had followed this guidance. _Refers to the spiritual leaders' advice to embrace the disaster as a religious experience._ > But as the centuries passed and the disasters were repeated, men began to fear that their forefathers had deceived themselves. Over time, people started to suspect that their ancestors had been fooling themselves. _Highlights the growing doubt about the validity of their spiritual experience._ > It is remarkable that a purely religious disaster should have warped even the delight of lovers in one another’s bodies, actually taken the flavour out of food, and drawn a veil between the sunbather and the sun. It's strange that a spiritual crisis could affect even physical pleasures and simple joys. _Illustrates the pervasive effect of the spiritual crisis on all aspects of life._ > The colonial super-individual inspired only the diamond crusade, and the attempt to extirpate the terrestrial intelligence, or radiation. The colonial collective mind only motivated the diamond crusade and the effort to destroy Earth's intelligence. _Describes the limited and destructive goals of the Martian colonial mind._ > A rapid and bewildering spiritual renaissance now came over the whole Martian colony. A sudden and confusing spiritual rebirth swept through the Martian colony. _Introduces the Martian renaissance that distinguishes mentality from radiation._ > The changeless and terribly efficient super-individual of Mars extirpated its own offspring on the earth, before it could emerge from the chrysalis. The unchanging and highly effective Martian collective mind destroyed its own colonies on Earth before they could develop. _Describes the repeated destruction of Martian colonies by the home planet._ > It is significant of the insane condition of the human population at this time that, when these facts were announced and broadcast, there was no discussion of the desirability of using this weapon. The fact that no one debated using the virus shows how insane humanity had become. _Highlights the irrational state of humanity in their final act._ > Like a beehive that has no queen, the whole population of the earth sank into apathy. The entire human population became listless and indifferent, like a queenless beehive. _Describes the apathy that followed the mutual destruction._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/ix-earth-and-mars - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/last_and_first_men_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters