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Telmarines vs Calormenes

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Courtenay
(@courtenay)
NarniaWeb Fanatic Hospitality Committee
Posted by: @col-klink

Wait. Isn't that how it was in the book?

...out of the shadow of the trees, racing up the hill for dear life, came thousands and by millions, came all kinds of creatures-Talking Beasts, Dwarfs, Satyrs, Fauns, Giants, Calormenes, men from Archenland, Monopods...

Well, in that section of the book those are the peoples and creatures racing towards the stable door as the world around them is literally coming to an end. They all go through the final judgment of looking into Aslan's face as they reach the door, and, depending on whether they respond to him with hatred or love, pass either into his shadow or through the door into Aslan's country. Among the latter, we're told there are "some queer specimens", including at least one of the Dwarfs who killed the Talking Horses during the battle. So there are definitely some there who had committed downright evil and malicious acts, but who (it's implied) must have repented and been forgiven when they came before Aslan. But we're not told specifically of any Calormenes who came through the door, and apart from Emeth and Aravis, we also don't hear of any other Calormenes among the people who were already there in Aslan's country.

However, none of that means they're not there! I can't imagine that Lewis would have conceived of the Calormenes — or any race of people — as so innately wicked that none of them, other than two exceptionally "good" ones, ever got into heaven. It seems far more likely and logical that many other Calormenes — even if they either never heard of Aslan during their earthly lives or else rejected him because they were taught he was a "terrible Narnian demon" — would have recognised him as the One "who is worthy of all honour" when they met him face to face, just as Emeth did, and would also have been accepted into Aslan's country.

Hopefully some future adaptation of The Last Battle (if there ever is one!) will bring that point out clearly and show a good number of other Calormenes among those who either pass through the door at the last judgment or who are already there in Aslan's country when our heroes arrive. It's unfortunate that the book doesn't show them there explicitly, but thankfully, it also never tells us they're not...

"Now you are a lioness," said Aslan. "And now all Narnia will be renewed."
(Prince Caspian)

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Posted : April 15, 2023 5:33 am
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Col Klink
(@col-klink)
NarniaWeb Junkie

@courtenay That's a good point, even an important point, that not all of the inhabitants of Narnia went to the Real Narnia at the end of The Last Battle. That being said, since one of the dwarfs who shot the horses and Emeth, who actually longed to conquer Narnia and was devoted to a human sacrificing demonic monster, made it, I think it's reasonable to assume that there were other Calormenes. For that matter, I think it's reasonable to assume there were some Narnians and Archenlanders who disappeared into Aslan's shadow.

For better or worse-for who knows what may unfold from a chrysalis?-hope was left behind.
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Posted : April 15, 2023 8:44 am
Jasmine
(@jasmine_tarkheena)
NarniaWeb Guru

A LB movie might surprise us.

Perhaps Calormen didn't start out as a proud and cruel country or race. According to the Timeline, some outlaws from Archenland journey south and establish Calormen. It may have started out decent, but as time went on, they turned to cruelty.

"And this is the marvel of marvels, that he called me beloved."
(Emeth, The Last Battle)
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Posted : April 15, 2023 8:58 am
Eustace
(@eustace)
NarniaWeb Junkie

And Lucy looked this way and that and soon found that a new and beautiful thing had happened to her. Whatever she looked at, however far away it might be, once she had fixed her eyes steadily on it, became quite clear and close as if she were looking through a telescope. She could see the whole southern desert and beyond it the great city of Tashbaan.

Tashbaan was mentioned inside of ''New Narnia'' so, I would assume there are many Calormen that made it to the other side, although, they probably were slaves rather than the nobility when they were in ''old Tashbaan''.  But, some nobility could have made it as well. 

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Posted : May 29, 2023 4:00 am
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