The Manifest World Lewis

[bookwyrm]

I just finished SOA for the first time. Normally I move directly into another book, but I haven't been able to start another one yet. This series is staying with me too much and I don't want to let it go just yet. I keep thinking about all of the different elements and nuances within the stories. These forums have been really enjoyable to read and have fleshed out a lot of great insights. It is rare that I ever re-read a book and even more rare for me to re-read a series. Yet I can say with confidence that I will be re-reading this series for years to come.

Here is one question that I had...

At the end of TPW, Llew comes out of the cairn and finds Nettles. At first, Nettles doesn't recognize Lewis because he looks like Llew. This is the first time the Lewis realizes just how much he has changed physically.

Llew Silver Hand dies at the end of TEK. Even his silver hand is replaced by a hand of flesh. Because Llew died in the Otherworld, who came back to the manifest world? Did Lewis return as Lewis (flabby, gawky, not very attractive) or did he return as Lewis in the body of Llew? Susannah seemed to recognize him, although with hesitation, but no mention was ever made of his appearance again. Any thoughts on this?

[Dred]

I will have to reread the series to make an informed reply. I've read it a couple times but never thought about this that much. Silly me I guess. You do bring up a very interesting point though.

[bookwyrm]

Ok, so I went back to TEK and re-read the last few chapters. From the time of LLew's death to the end of the book, not one single mention is made of Lewis's/Llew’s appearance.

These are just my thoughts, for what they're worth...

I know that the refining fire remade the entire world of Albion including everyone in Llew's party. After the fire, Llew still looked like Llew, only without the silver hand.

While in Albion, Lewis 'earned' the body that was Llew. It was just as much a physical change (from years of training and rugged living) as it was an emotional change (as Lewis grew up throughout the trilogy). Therefore let us assume that Lewis gets to 'keep' Llew's body in the Manifest world, especially since it now represents who he is much more than his old body does.

If that is the case, it's a good thing that the refining fire replaced the silver hand with a hand of flesh. If Llew's body was directly transported to the Manifest world, I think that a fully functioning, articulated silver hand would have been difficult to account for. Replacing the silver hand with a hand of flesh would allow Lewis to return to the manifest world in Llew's body without such an obvious Otherworld connection. Also, Llew’s body showed no signs of decay between his death and burial. If it was intended for Lewis to take that Llew’s body back to the Manifest world, perhaps that was one of the reasons why the body remained unchanged in death.

And yet everything is better in Albion: more beautiful, more crisp, more real. A finely honed Celtic warrior body in Albion might not translate well if directly transplanted into the Manifest world. So did Lewis perhaps end up with something in the middle? Not entirely flabby and weak and gawky as he was before, and yet not as chiseled, strong, and Celtic as he was in death?

There is also the comparison of Llew being a Christ-like figure in Albion. He sacrificed himself to save the Otherworld. Christ was an outsider who came to our world, took on human flesh, died, was buried, was resurrected IN A NEW BODY that was still recognizable as his own, and then returned to his original home. Llew was an outsider who came to Albion, took on Celtic flesh, died, was buried, and was resurrected in A BODY (also new, perhaps?) that was still recognizable as his own when he returned to his original home.

I don't think that there really is a hard and fast answer on this, and the fact that it is so open-ended makes thinking about it that much more interesting. I'm not really convinced of any particular viewpoint, but I think I'm leaning towards some sort of in-between. I don't think he returned in the body of the old Lewis because he had changed too much for that. Returning in that old body fails to acknowledge all that Lewis has accomplished and all that he has become. Even if most of the change is emotional, the old body does not represent who he is now.

And yet I can't see him returning in the redeemed body of Llew, either. To me, that Llew was a product of Albion, the embodiment of Albion itself. Therefore it needs to remain in Albion. It seems wrong to directly transplant that body into the Manifest world when it carries such symbolic meaning and reverence in the Otherworld. It doesn’t seem right to let the embodiment of Llew’s sacrifice walk free in the Manifest world.

Also, during Llew’s death, the spirit or consciousness of Lewis/Llew existed for days outside of any body. The essence of Lewis/Llew was still there, still in tact, even without a body at all. During those days, there was no Lewis in the Manifest world and there was no Llew in Albion yet Lewis/Llew lived on. The Swift Sure Hand maintained what was the true composition of Lewis/Llew in spirit form independent of any physical container. Therefore, the person that Lewis/Llew has become is not tied directly to any particular body. He will be who he has become on the inside and I think that, to some extent, it will be reflected with changes on the outside. He is no longer Lewis. He is no longer Llew. Therefore I think he ended up with something in the middle.

[Dred]

Very good insights. Again, I'll have to reread the books to get a better appreciation for this. There are some very good people here who could shed their own thoughts if they happen to poke their heads in.

[Treskillard]

Very fascinating, Bookwyrm!

Since Christ will return to the earth one day, will Llew return to Albion?

Maybe there is hope for a new series based on SOA in the future!!!