# La explained — The Return of Tarzan > Chapter companion for The Return of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs. ## What happens Tarzan is captured by the descendants of an ancient sun-worshipping civilization in the lost city of Opar. He is about to be sacrificed by the high priestess La, but when a mad priest attacks her, Tarzan breaks free and saves her. La then explains the history of her people, who are the degenerate remnants of a once-great civilization that sank into the sea. She is fascinated by Tarzan's nobility and strength. ## Themes in this chapter ### Civilization vs. Wilderness Opar represents a once-great civilization that has degenerated into a savage, ape-like state, contrasting with Tarzan's own blend of civilized and wild traits. ### Survival and Physical Prowess Tarzan uses his ape-like strength and fighting skills to break free from bonds and defeat the mad priest Tha in a brutal hand-to-hand battle. ### Identity and Heritage La explains the ancient heritage of her people and their decline, while Tarzan's identity as both ape-man and civilized being is highlighted. ## Character check-ins ### Tarzan Tarzan is captured and about to be sacrificed in the Temple of the Sun, but he breaks free and rescues the high priestess La from a mad priest. ### La La is the high priestess of the Temple of the Sun in Opar. She initially sentences Tarzan to death but is saved by him, and later explains the history and decline of her people. ### Tha Tha is a mad priest who attacks La during the sacrifice; Tarzan kills him in the ensuing struggle. ## Key lines > I am La, high priestess of the Temple of the Sun, in the city of Opar. We are descendants of a people who came to this savage world more than ten thousand years ago in search of gold. La introduces herself as the high priestess of the Sun Temple in Opar, explaining that her people are ancient gold-seeking colonists from a lost civilization. _La reveals the origin of the Oparian civilization to Tarzan._ > I could not see a woman murdered? Tarzan explains that he saved La simply because he could not stand by and watch a woman be killed. _Tarzan's chivalrous instinct drives him to rescue La despite her earlier intent to sacrifice him._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_return_of_tarzan_se/chapters/xx-la - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_return_of_tarzan_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_return_of_tarzan_se/chapters