Thuvia, Maid of Mars · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
Chapter 1
Carthoris and Thuvia
In the royal gardens of Thuvan Dihn, Jeddak of Ptarth, Astok of Dusar affronts Thuvia by grasping her arm and declaring his love. She calls the guard, but Carthoris of Helium intervenes, striking Astok and defending her honor. Thuvia later reveals she is promised to Kulan Tith of Kaol. Carthoris, though in love with her, accepts this and demonstrates his loyalty. He departs after showing Thuvan Dihn his new automatic compass and obstruction evader on his flier.
Chapter 2
II: Slavery
A spy infiltrates the palace of Ptarth by posing as a servant, then visits the Dusarian embassy to deliver a message. That night, Thuvia of Ptarth is abducted from her garden by Dusarian warriors. Meanwhile, Vas Kor, a Dusarian noble, disguises himself as a slave and is sold into the household of Carthoris, Prince of Helium.
Chapter 3
III: Treachery
Carthoris is dispatched by John Carter to the court of Ptarth to clear his name of suspicion in Thuvia's abduction. As he prepares his flier, a scarred slave sabotages the destination compass, setting it to a false location. Carthoris departs, but upon awakening finds himself above a dead city, not Ptarth. Discovering the sabotage, he then hears a scream and sees Thuvia being dragged by a green warrior, and dives to her rescue.
Chapter 4
IV: A Green Man’s Captive
Thuvia of Ptarth is abducted by men initially disguised as Dusarians but later wearing the insignia of Helium. They take her to a dead city, where she is left alone in a plaza. A green warrior, Thar Ban, captures her and flees on a thoat. Carthoris of Helium pursues in his flier, but after a skirmish with the red abductors and damage to his craft, he follows on foot into the mountains of Torquas, eventually tracking a banth in hopes of finding Thuvia.
Chapter 5
The Fair Race
Carthoris and Thuvia find themselves in a strange valley after the battle, encountering a fair-skinned, auburn-haired race. Carthoris defends Thuvia from the green Torquasians and their jeddak Hortan Gur, while the bowmen of the mysterious city join the fray. After the battle, Carthoris and Thuvia discuss the circumstances of her abduction, with Carthoris protesting his innocence and declaring his love, though Thuvia remains skeptical.
Chapter 6
VI: The Jeddak of Lothar
Carthoris and Thuvia, after witnessing the mysterious disappearance of the dead bowmen and the lack of wounds on the Torquasian corpses, approach the walled city of Lothar. Thuvia demonstrates her uncanny power over the banths, commanding them to obey her. They enter the city and are brought before Tario, the Jeddak of Lothar, where Carthoris refuses to prostrate himself, asserting his dignity. The chapter explores the ancient, isolated city and its inhabitants' limited worldview.
Chapter 7
VII: The Phantom Bowmen
Carthoris and Thuvia are brought before Tario, the jeddak of Lothar, who questions their reality. When Carthoris draws his sword against phantom bowmen, they vanish, revealing the power of suggestion. Tario orders Carthoris taken away, leaving Thuvia behind. Jav explains to Carthoris that Lothar's defenses are mental projections—imaginary archers and banths that kill by suggestion. Jav, a realist, contrasts his beliefs with Tario's etherealist philosophy that all is mind. Carthoris resolves to rescue Thuvia when he hears her cry for help.
Chapter 8
The Hall of Doom
Thuvia is left alone with Tario, who attempts to use hypnotic suggestion to make her love him. She resists and stabs him when he tries to force himself on her. Bowmen appear but vanish when Tario loses consciousness. Carthoris arrives, and they are confronted by Jav, who reveals his ambition to become jeddak. Tario revives and accuses Jav of treason.
Chapter 9
The Battle in the Plain
Carthoris, Thuvia, and Jav survive being thrown into Komal's pit, but Thuvia tames the banth-god. They escape to the plain before Lothar, where Jav and Tario engage in a psychic battle of materialized bowmen. During the conflict, Carthoris attempts to find a passage through the cliffs, leaving Thuvia with Jav, who reveals his desire for her and tries to force himself upon her, only to be interrupted by a growl from the woods.
Chapter 10
Kar Komak, the Bowman
Carthoris discovers that Jav has deceived him, causing him to believe Thuvia was with him when she was actually detained. He returns to Lothar, finds Jav mauled by Komal, and learns Thuvia has gone with the banth toward the cliffs. Carthoris pursues through the tunnel and emerges near Torquas, heading toward Aaanthor. He meets Kar Komak, a Lotharian bowman who has become permanently materialized. They encounter Thuvia and Komal, and together face a combined attack from green Torquasian warriors and Dusarian fliers.
Chapter 11
XI: Green Men and White Apes
Carthoris is knocked unconscious during a battle. Upon waking, he finds Thuvia and Kar Komak gone. He makes his way to Aaanthor for water but is captured by Torquasian green warriors and chained in the palace pits. There, he is attacked by white apes, who drag him to a courtyard where he reunites with Kar Komak. Kar Komak, inspired by Carthoris, uses his mental power to materialize a company of bowmen, allowing them to escape. Carthoris then retrieves weapons and thoats to continue their flight.
Chapter 12
XII: To Save Dusar
Astok of Dusar, under pressure from his father Nutus, is forced to consider the murder of Thuvia of Ptarth to conceal Dusar's guilt in her abduction and the ensuing war. He visits her in her tower prison, pleads for her love, and when she refuses, he leaves her to await execution. He then seeks out Vas Kor to carry out the deed.
Chapter 13
XIII: Turjun, the Panthan
Carthoris, under the alias Turjun, is recruited into the service of Dusar and encounters Vas Kor, whom he recognizes from earlier encounters. He learns of the war between Helium and Dusar and overhears a plot by Astok and Vas Kor to kill Thuvia of Ptarth. Carthoris manages to join the crew of the Thuria, replacing a Dusarian warrior, in hopes of rescuing Thuvia.
Chapter 14
XIV: Kulan Tith's Sacrifice
Thuvia of Ptarth, imprisoned in the east tower of Astok's palace, awaits her execution. Astok and Vas Kor enter to carry out the deed, but are interrupted by the panthan (Carthoris in disguise), who fights them off. Carthoris and Thuvia escape, and later, Kulan Tith arrives with his Kaolian warriors. In a climactic battle, Kar Komak's bowmen emerge from the Thuria to defeat the green horde. Kulan Tith overhears Thuvia declare her love for Carthoris and selflessly releases her from their betrothal, blessing their union.
Chapter 15
Endnotes
This chapter provides a detailed explanation of Barsoomian linear measurement, converting units such as the ad, haad, and karad into Earth equivalents for the reader's convenience.
