What Is "The Last Battle" About?

The Last Battle is the final instalment in CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series. It was published in 1955.

The Last Battle takes place during the reign of King Tirian. King Tirian is the great-grandson of a great-grandson of Rilian, who is King Caspian X's son. Tirian is warned of evil things by Roonwit, who is a centaur.

The story moves on to Shift, who is an ape. Shift attempts to persuade a donkey named Puzzle to pretend to be the lion, Aslan. Shift makes Puzzle believe that it is actually Aslan making the request and not himself. The ape then tricks other Narnians into believing that Aslan has returned and asks them to work for the Calormenes. The Narnians believe that the money they make from cutting down talking trees for lumber is being placed in Aslan's treasury, which Shift is in charge of.

King Tirian is fooled by Shift's claims at first, but then all becomes clear when Shift likens Aslan to the Calormine God, Tash. Tirian ends up tied to a tree when he confronts Shift. He asks Aslan for help and is presented with a vision of the Pevensie children, who were once kings and queens of Narnia. Also with the Pevensie children are their cousin Eustace Scrubb, his friend Jill Pole, Digory Kirke, who created the magical wardrobe where the children first discovered Narnia, and Digory's friend Polly Plummer. They realise that Tirian needs their help. Eustace and Jill help the King and rescue some dwarfs, though only one of the dwarfs is faithful to Tirian, as the rest have lost their faith in Aslan. Together, they prepare to fight the Calormenes.

The battle begins, resulting in the deaths of many animals. Shift the ape is already dead, having been eaten by Tash, who haunts the stable where Puzzle was kept when dressed as Aslan. Eustace, Jill and the faithful dwarf Poggin end up in the stable and are later joined by Tirian and the leader of the Calormenes. Tash appears and takes the Calormen leader. Digory, Polly and three of the Pevensie children, Peter, Edmund and Lucy, appear. Susan, who had visited Narnia on many occasions previously and was once a queen there, does not appear, has she has stopped believing in Narnia as a result of growing up. Peter tells the god, Tash, to leave. Aslan turns up and many other animals and people appear. Aslan begins to decide who has not remained loyal to him. Those who have remained loyal will go to Aslan's country. Those who have not will become ordinary animals instead of talking animals and fade into the shadow, their fate unknown. Narnia is then covered by the sea when Father time calls the stars down and the door is closed by Peter. Together, the group walk away to Aslan's country.