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Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Thuvia of Ptarth[edit]

Art by James Allen St. John from Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, McClurg, 1920.

Thuvia of Ptarth is a fictional character in Edgar Rice Burrough's series of Martian novels. She first appears in The Gods of Mars when she aids the book's protagonist, John Carter, in escaping the evil Therns[1]. Though a slave when John Carter meets her, she was born a Princess of Ptarth[2]. In a moment of gratitude for freeing her from the Therns, Thuvia offers herself to John Carter. He refuses her, and she eventually falls in love with his son, Carthoris[3][4]. Like most women of Barsoom, Thuvia is beautiful, proud, headstrong, and extremely conscious of the Martian social system. She is described by John as "the perfect type of that remarkably beautiful race [of Martians]" who are identical to humans except that their skin is "a light reddish copper colour."[5]

Biography[edit]

Pre-The Gods of Mars[edit]

Thuvia is the daughter of Thuvan Dihn, the Jeddak of Ptarth. Her father's close friend and ally, Kulan Tith, Jeddak of Kaol, was impressed by Thuvia,[6] and so Thuvan Dihn promised him her hand in marriage[7]. Before the wedding could take place, Thuvia took the traditional voluntary pilgrimage down the River Iss that is a hallmark of the Martian religion. Instead of finding the valley of perfection and bliss that Barsoomians were promised, she fell into the trap of the Therns. Because of her extraordinary beauty, she caught the eye of one of the Thern leaders and was spared from death at the hands of the plant men and white apes, instead she was kept as a slave for fifteen years[1].

When she was first taken captive, she angered the Holy Thern who coveted her because she repulsed him. He threw her into a pit of Martian lions, called banths. Instead of being mauled, Thuvia was able to command the creatures. The Therns then put her in charge of training the banths, and she remains the only known Barsoomian who can communicate with them.[1]

The Gods of Mars[edit]

Cover art by Frank E. Schoonover from The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, McClurg, 1918.

John Carter first encounters Thuvia in the domain of the Therns. He sets her free, and together with his friend Tars Tarkas and some of her fellow slaves, they attempt to escape. Only John, Thuvia, and Tars Tarkas survive. They make it out of the tunnels and to the gardens, but their flight is interrupted by the Black Pirates of Barsoom. The Black Pirates, also known as the First Born, terrorize the Therns by carrying out regular attacks to steal riches and women. In the chaos of the battle between the First Born and the Therns, John manages to secure a two-man flier for Thuvia and Tars Tarkas to escape on. John is taken captive by the First Born[1].

Tars Tarkas and Thuvia are unable to pilot the flier that John procured for them, so they float aimlessly for two days before deciding to travel on foot. They reach one of the many abandoned Martian cities, where green men take Tars Tarkas captive. Thuvia remains unseen, and escapes. She happens upon John; his son Carthoris, her future husband; and their companion Xodar, one of the First Born. In her excitement to see John again, Thuvia offers herself up to him as his slave. John is uncomfortable with the idea, and refuses. She seems upset by his refusal, but later comes into her own as a free woman. John sneaks into the city to rescue Tars Tarkas, leaving Thuvia with Carthoris and Xodar.[3]

When John returns with Tars Tarkas, the group heads north on stolen thoats. They are pursued by the green men. It becomes evident that their thoats will not be able to go any faster, so Thuvia attempts to sacrifice herself for John by jumping off the thoat they are sharing to lighten its load. John and Carthoris turn back to protect her, followed by Tars Tarkas and Xodar. Carthoris reaches her first and, lifting her onto his own thoat, switches places with her. Carthoris' thoat carries Thuvia far away from the battle.[8]

The thoat takes Thuvia far into the mountains, where John and the Heliumite navy are unable to locate her. Thuvia is found by a fleet of First Born that was searching for John. She is taken captive and held hostage with Dejah Thoris, John's wife. Thuvia recognizes Dejah Thoris and confesses her love for John to the other woman. Dejah Thoris initially disbelieves that Thuvia has met John, but eventually she is convinced by Thuvia's clear knowledge of John's character. Dejah Thoris "do[es] not blame [Thuvia] for loving him" and believes that her "affection for him is pure and sincere."[9]

Thuvia and Dejah Thoris are taken to Issus, the leader of the First Born, and forced to serve her for one year's time[9]. When John and the Heliumite soldiers attack the First Born to rescue them, Issus locks Thuvia, Dejah Thoris, and Phaidor, a Thern who also loves John, in the Temple of the Sun. The Temple of the Sun is a unique prison that is linked to the rotation of the planet and its orbit around the sun. Each cell remains open for only one day, and cannot be opened again until a full year has passed. Phaidor, in a jealous rage, attempts to murder Dejah Thoris, but Thuvia jumps in front of her dagger. The books ends with John uncertain of the three women's fates.[10] Thuvia wards off the attack, however, before Phaidor injured anyone.[11]

The Warlord of Mars[edit]

Cover art by J. Allen St. John from The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, McClurg, 1919.

The Warlord of Mars picks up six Martian months after The Gods of Mars ends. Thuvia, Dejah Thoris, and Phaidor are still locked in the Temple of the Sun. John Carter discovers that Thurid, one of the First Born, and Matai Shang, Phaidor's father and the Holy Hekkador of the Therns, know how to release the women before a full year has passed. Thurid and Matai Shang free Phaidor and take Thuvia and Dejah Thoris hostage as revenge against John. John chases them through the Mountains of Otz, always remaining at least one step behind them. Once, Thuvia saves John from a pack of banths that Matai Shang sets on him[12].

Matai Shang, Thurid, and Phaidor, with Thuvia and Dejah Thoris in tow, evade John on a flier[12]. They take their captives to the forest city of Kaol. Kulan Tith, the Jeddak of Kaol, is still devoutly religious and loyal to the Holy Therns. Matai Shang tells Kulan Tith that Thuvia and Dejah Thoris are Phaidor's servants and prevents anyone on Kaol from getting a good look at the women. Thuvia's father, Thuvan Dihn, is visiting Kulan Tith, and once he hears John's story, demands to see his daughter. Kulan Tith orders Matai Shang to produce the women the next day. The Holy Hekkador agrees, but sneaks away Thurid, Phaidor, Dejah Thoris, and Thuvia in the middle of the night[13].

John Carter and Thuvan Dihn track Matai Shang and his followers all the way to the north pole, the domain of the yellow men of Mars. In order to blend in, they disguise themselves as yellow men. Thuvia and Dejah Thoris see John and Thuvan Dihn through a window, but are unable to recognize them through their disguise, even when John uses his characteristic strength to protect Dejah Thoris from the vile affections of Thurid. John Carter manages to defeat Matai Shang, Thurid, and their allies. Thuvia is reunited with her father. [14]

Upon being freed, Thuvia rushed to embrace Dejah Thoris, proving the strength of their friendship.[14]

Thuvia, Maid of Mars[edit]

see Thuvia, Maid of Mars

Other Appearances[edit]

The Chessmen of Mars[edit]

Thuvia sends a letter to John Carter, Dejah Thoris, and their daughter Tara. She is staying in Ptarth with her father while Carthoris, her husband, is away hunting.[15]

The Mastermind of Mars[edit]

Thuvia is stated to be an associate of Ulysses Paxton.[16]

Synthetic Men of Mars[edit]

Thuvia, along with Carthoris and Tara, plead with John not to search for Vad Varo alone.[17]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Gods of Mars. New YorK: Ballantine Books. pp. 39–60. ISBN 0345278356.
  2. ^ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Gods of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 152. ISBN 0345278356.
  3. ^ a b Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Gods of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 122–124. ISBN 0345278356.
  4. ^ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1980). Thuvia, Maid of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 152. ISBN 0345278372.
  5. ^ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Gods of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 40. ISBN 0345278356.
  6. ^ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Warlord of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 71. ISBN 0345278364.
  7. ^ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1980). Thuvia, Maid of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 12. ISBN 0345278372.
  8. ^ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Gods of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 134–136. ISBN 0345278356.
  9. ^ a b Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Gods of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 150–153. ISBN 0345278356.
  10. ^ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Gods of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 186–190. ISBN 0345278356.
  11. ^ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Warlord of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 150. ISBN 0345278364.
  12. ^ a b Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Warlord of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 1–46. ISBN 0345278364.
  13. ^ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Warlord of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 47–77. ISBN 0345278364.
  14. ^ a b Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Warlord of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 77–153. ISBN 0345278364.
  15. ^ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Chessmen of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 23. ISBN 0345278380.
  16. ^ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). The Master Mind of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 160. ISBN 0345278399.
  17. ^ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1981). Synthetic Men of Mars. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 8. ISBN 0345278429.
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