Elder Magic

Lore & Background

According to the source, Lord Cob is a powerful warlock who causes the world's balance to collapse by opening the door between life and death to gain eternal life. He uses magic to manipulate Arren after learning his true name. The source also mentions that due to the world's Balance collapsing and failing belief in magic, a Cloth Seller lost her magic powers. Additionally, a Hazia Dealer attempted to make Prince Arren try a recreational drug named 'hazia' which has addictive and euphoric qualities leading to death.

In Their Own Story

As a war galley sails through a storm, two dragons fight above the clouds. Royal wizard Root proclaims the dragons are a sign of a loss of balance. Archmage Sparrowhawk rescues Arren from wolves, later buying his sword back and evading capture. In Cob's castle, Hare captures Tenar as bait, but Therru frees herself and finds Arren. She brings hope to him by calling him by his true name. Arren confronts Cob, unsheathing a sword sealed with magic throughout the story, which cuts off Cob's staff-holding hand. Unable to use his magic, Cob ages rapidly.

Reader's Guide

The source indicates that knowing a character's 'true name' is central to control and identity, as demonstrated when Therru reveals her true form as a dragon after confiding her true name, Tehanu, to Arren. Magic in this film involves wizards like Sparrowhawk solving mysteries of the collapsing Balance. Characters like Cob attempt to gain eternal life by opening the door between life and death. The source also notes that some characters, like the Cloth Seller, lose their magic due to failing belief as the world's balance collapses.

Did You Know?

• Lord Cob opens the door between life and death to gain eternal life, causing the world's balance to collapse.
• Therru reveals her true name is Tehanu, which allows her to transform into a dragon with everlasting life.
• A Cloth Seller lost her magic powers because people's belief in magic failed as the world's Balance collapsed.
• Prince Arren's sword was sealed with magic throughout the story until he finally unsheathed it against Cob.
• The film is based on a combination of plot elements from the first four books of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea series and Hayao Miyazaki's graphic novel Shuna's Journey.