Thuvia, Maid of Mars · Chapter
IV: A Green Man’s Captive explained
Thuvia of Ptarth is abducted by men initially disguised as Dusarians but later wearing the insignia of Helium.
What happens
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.
Themes in this chapter
Adventure and Quest
Carthoris' relentless pursuit of Thuvia across the dead sea-bottom and into the mountains of Torquas embodies the adventure and quest theme.
Courage and Sacrifice
Carthoris fights multiple opponents and continues his pursuit despite injury and damage to his flier, showing courage and determination.
Characters to notice
- Thuvia of Ptarth
Abducted by men disguised as Heliumites, taken to a dead city, then captured by the green warrior Thar Ban.
- Carthoris of Helium
Pursues Thuvia after her abduction, fights the red abductors, and follows the green warrior into the mountains.
- Thar Ban
Green warrior who captures Thuvia from the dead city plaza and flees on a thoat.
- Astok of Dusar
Implied as the master of the red abductors who lost Thuvia.
Key passages
“When the light of day broke upon the little craft to whose deck the Princess of Ptarth had been snatched from her father’s garden, Thuvia saw that the night had wrought a change in her abductors. No longer did their trappings gleam with the metal of Dusar, but instead there was emblazoned there the insignia of the Prince of Helium.”
At dawn, Thuvia noticed her captors had changed their uniforms from Dusar to Helium, confusing her about their true allegiance.
Highlights the deception and Thuvia's hope that Carthoris is not behind her abduction.
“The projectile grazed the flier’s side, the opaque coating breaking sufficiently to permit daylight to strike in upon the powder phial within the bullet’s nose. There was a sharp explosion. Carthoris felt his craft reel drunkenly beneath him, and the engine stopped.”
A bullet damaged Carthoris' flier, causing an explosion that stalled the engine and forced him to descend.
Key event that hampers Carthoris' pursuit and leads to his overland chase.