Metaphysical Turning Points & Philosophical Undertones (#3)

 

Thematic Elements, Symbols, and Themes in Issue #3: “The Twilight of the Grim Grey God”

Themes

1. The Passing of Ages and the End of Glory

   • The issue centers around the fading grandeur of Hyperborea, once a mighty kingdom but now descending into barbarism. This theme mirrors Conan's personal struggle against forces larger than himself, symbolizing the inevitability of change and decay.
   • Borri's ominous declaration, “Even the gods must die,” underscores the transient nature of all things, even divine entities. This theme ties into the broader Hyborian cycle, where civilizations rise and fall in endless succession.

2. The Role of Fate and Prophecy

   • Prophecies and visions play a significant role, with Borri foreshadowing doom and Eevin warning Dunlang of his imminent death. These elements suggest an inescapable destiny, a concept deeply rooted in both Hyborian mythos and broader sword-and-sorcery traditions.
   • Borri’s proclamation to Conan that he will witness the “passing of kings—and more than kings” positions Conan as a witness to historical and metaphysical turning points, adding weight to his role in the narrative.
     
     
     

3. Conflict Between Honor and Treachery

   • The juxtaposition of loyal warriors like Dunlang with schemers such as Malachi and Kormlada illustrates the spectrum of human morality in war. Dunlang represents steadfast honor, even in the face of certain doom, while Malachi and Kormlada exemplify greed, betrayal, and ambition.

4. Barbarism vs. Civilization

   • Conan's disdain for “civilized” kings who send others to die while they revel in safety contrasts with the barbarian ideal of personal valor and leadership. This theme highlights the superiority of barbarian values in Conan’s worldview, where honor and strength outweigh cunning and subterfuge.

5. Mortality and the Price of War

   • The bloody battle scenes and Dunlang’s inevitable demise reflect the brutal reality of war. Borri's association with war, sacrifice, and death reinforces the idea that war is a primal force, consuming both individuals and civilizations.

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Symbols

1. Borri (The Grim Grey God)

   • Borri symbolizes the inevitability of death and the primal chaos of war. His grey appearance suggests a connection to age, decay, and the erasure of distinctions between gods and mortals. As a war deity, he personifies the relentless cycle of violence that shapes the Hyborian world.
   • Borri’s flaming sword and his command of supernatural forces, such as the Choosers of the Slain, reinforce his power and his role as an arbiter of fate.

2. Chains

   • Conan’s chains are a multifaceted symbol:
     • Oppression: Representing his captivity under Hyperborean slavers.
     • Determination: Even chained, Conan remains defiant, ultimately repurposing the broken chain as a weapon.
     • Freedom: Breaking the chains symbolizes Conan’s reclaiming of autonomy and agency, a recurring theme in his adventures.
       
       
       

3. Eevin’s Golden Mail

   • The enchanted armor represents love’s power to protect, even in hopeless circumstances. Despite its magical properties, it cannot alter Dunlang’s fate, symbolizing the limitations of even the strongest bonds against destiny.

4. The Choosers of the Slain

   • A clear nod to Norse Valkyries, they symbolize the divine judgment and the reaping of souls during times of great upheaval. Their presence signals the magnitude of the coming conflict and elevates the battle to a cosmic scale.

5. Kormlada’s Daggers

   • The daggers she plans to use on King Tomar symbolize betrayal and the destructive consequences of unchecked ambition. Her duplicity with Malachi reveals the moral decay within both warring factions.

6. The Broken Hyperborea

   • Hyperborea’s fall from greatness into barbarism serves as an allegory for the cyclical nature of civilizations. It mirrors Conan's perspective on the impermanence of human constructs.

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Character Arcs and Symbolic Evolution

1. Conan as the Reluctant Witness

   • Conan's evolving role as a reluctant observer of supernatural and historical events reflects his growing awareness of forces beyond his immediate comprehension. His interaction with Borri sets the stage for future encounters where Conan will grapple with his place in a world shaped by gods and destiny.

2. Dunlang as the Tragic Hero

   • Dunlang embodies the doomed hero archetype. His honor, bravery, and unwavering commitment to his people contrast sharply with the treachery of characters like Malachi. His death, foreshadowed by Eevin, underscores the cost of nobility in a world rife with betrayal.

3. Kormlada and Malachi as Corrupt Antitheses

   • These two characters symbolize the corrupting influence of ambition and greed. Their scheming reflects the moral decay that plagues both sides of the conflict, emphasizing the futility and destructiveness of human machinations.

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Key Motifs

1. Grey Imagery

   • The pervasive use of grey (Borri’s appearance, the overcast skies, the tone of the night) sets a somber and foreboding mood. It symbolizes uncertainty, the blending of life and death, and the twilight of an era.

2. The Harvest

   • Borri’s reference to a “harvest of kings” ties into the recurring motif of death as a natural, cyclical process. The battlefield becomes a metaphorical field where the “crop” of warriors is reaped by war.

3. Love and Sacrifice

   • Eevin’s unselfish love for Dunlang contrasts with Kormlada’s manipulative use of love to achieve her ends. These relationships highlight different dimensions of human connection amidst the chaos of war.

4. Cosmic Indifference

   • The gods' involvement, particularly Borri’s enigmatic warnings, underscores the cosmic indifference to mortal struggles. While mortals fight and die, the gods view them as pawns in a greater game, indifferent to individual fates.

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Philosophical Undertones

• Existential Reflection: Conan’s musings on kings who send the young to die reflect existential themes about the meaning of life and the human cost of power struggles.
• The Role of the Outsider: As a barbarian, Conan is both part of and separate from the events he witnesses. This duality allows him to critique civilization while carving his own path through its ruins.
• The Duality of Strength and Vulnerability: Dunlang’s bravery and inevitable fall juxtapose strength and vulnerability, highlighting the fragility of human life in a violent world.

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Conclusion

This issue deepens Conan's mythos by placing him at the intersection of mortal and divine conflicts. The narrative blends visceral battle scenes with cosmic undertones, emphasizing the transient nature of power, the inevitability of death, and the complex interplay between honor and treachery. The supernatural presence of Borri and the Choosers of the Slain elevates the story beyond mere swordplay, making it a meditation on the cycles of history, the morality of war, and the fleeting glory of heroes and gods alike.