"Prince Caspian" (2008): Living by Faith

Many reviewers of "Prince Caspian" [PC] note the film's religious elements but, except for commenting on the believing vs. seeing theme, do little more. PC's biblical themes may be less obvious than in "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" [LWW], but they're just as deep spiritually. The movie is almost a parable of the Christian life. What happens to our faith in, and walk with, Christ after we trust Him for salvation?

In PC, each character's relationship with and belief [or unbelief] in Aslan is a fair prediction of what they do when trouble arises. As in LWW, Lucy still believes in Aslan. But this time she sees him when no one else does. She must prod her siblings and the Narnians to put faith in him. She also befriends Trumpkin, who doesn't believe in Aslan at all. But Lucy refuses to listen to him when he, like the atheists and agnostics of this world, calls the stories about Aslan fairy tales. He prefers to trust in the Narnian army and his own ability to fight. Trumpkin is one of those who must see in order to believe. At the end, Aslan rebukes Trumpkin by showing him that he is both powerful and real.

Early in the movie, as the Pevensies seek a path across a chasm, Lucy wants her siblings to follow Aslan but listens to them instead of Aslan because they're older. However, being older doesn't make them wiser. When it comes to faith, age doesn't matter. Lucy looks up to Peter because he is the oldest, the family leader. When she is rebuffed, however, she becomes bolder. Lucy tells Peter to wait for Aslan's instructions instead of trying to fight the Telmarines on his own. During Peter's battle with Miraz, she waits for Aslan alone in the forest. Aslan is right to chastise Lucy, lightly, for not following him the first time. But he also strengthens her and tells her to be brave. At the bridge, she is willing to fight the Telmarine army alone, with her small dagger. Through her faith in Aslan, Lucy becomes valiant.

Like his older siblings, Edmund doesn't see Aslan the first time in the forest, but like Lucy he believes. He stands up for her, knowing her character and Aslan's. He's loyal even when he doesn't see. Edmund isn't tempted by the White Witch either because he knows the witch's character just as well as Aslan's, and what it is to be captive to her. Because of this, he has the courage to destroy the witch's image. He also encourages Peter in his fight with Miraz. Through his faith in Aslan, Edmund becomes just.

Prince Caspian has been hearing stories about Aslan, the four kings and queens, and the death of the White Witch since he was a child. He trusts in those stories enough to blow Susan's horn when he's in trouble. His faith in the stories is a prerequisite to his faith in Aslan. They also shape his character. Prince Caspian respects the Narnians, whom he thought had been annihilated, and is willing to return Narnia to them after Miraz's army is destroyed. Even though he's the future king, he also tries to defer to Peter. Even though a Telmarine, through his faith in Aslan Prince Caspian becomes the king Narnia needs.

Faith is more than believing someone exists. It's trusting someone's character enough to follow [listen and obey] that person no matter what. Both Lucy and Edmund know Aslan's character and trust him because of it. They know Aslan hasn't abandoned them. They know he'll show up eventually and help them when they need it. They know who really rules Narnia. Lucy and Edmund have had a real encounter with Aslan that's changed them. This isn't true for Peter and Susan, who've conformed to the ways of the world. They've been in London too long. Peter, acting like the old Edmund, sees himself as high king and believes he should be treated as such, while Susan lies to avoid a classmate. Although most of the early scenes at the railroad station are not in the book, they're crucial to showing us the Pevensies' characters, how they've changed while away from Narnia and how their faith in Aslan has grown or dwindled. Their attitudes also foreshadow their actions in Narnia.

Peter refuses to follow Aslan in the forest. He refuses to listen to Lucy, whom he should know never lies. But when his plan to find a path across the chasm fails and they end up near Miraz's bridge, Peter must retrace his steps and listen to Lucy. They don't see Aslan, but they successfully cross the ford. One would think Peter would learn his lesson and trust Lucy's faith and Aslan's judgment. But his attitude toward Prince Caspian shows us that Peter hasn't changed, for he struggles to acknowledge Prince Caspian's leadership in the changed Narnia. Peter also believes he doesn't need Aslan to fight the Telmarines. But after his plan to storm Miraz's castle fails miserably, temporarily Peter is willing to listen to the White Witch. His refusal to follow what is right makes him open to temptation. If it weren't for Edmund, he might have succumbed. Peter tries to be the high king he was told he would become in LWW. But this won't happen without Aslan. It's only after the witch's image is destroyed that Peter realizes his mistakes, focuses on Aslan's image instead, and is willing to look for him. Even then, in order to buy time he duels Miraz. It's a last-ditch effort to overcome the enemy on his own, just in case Lucy doesn't come back from the forest in time or Aslan doesn't appear. It's still hard for Peter to trust Aslan's judgment.

Susan is the only one who doesn't seem to change in this movie. The early scenes show her budding interest in romance at the same time that she rebuffs someone who has a crush on her. The romantic storyline and kiss scene between her and Prince Caspian just highlights this. I thought the scene negated any changes on her part that should have taken place through her experiences in Narnia. Of course, in the final scene Susan "answers" to Phyllis and steps on the train. But she still changes the least. Even though she appears to develop some faith in Aslan, more than Peter shows initially, and is willing to take Lucy to the forest to meet him, Susan never really transforms into the person she was foretold she would be, gentle. This may foreshadow her final rejection of Aslan and her siblings in The Last Battle.

What seems impossible to us is easy to God, whether redemption from sin and the devil's temptations or rescue from a mortal enemy. This is the lesson Peter and Susan must relearn, and what Prince Caspian and the Narnians must see for themselves. Through the preservation of the stone table and the wall paintings surrounding it, Peter and his siblings discover that the Narnians have recorded the story of their first journey to Narnia: Mr. Tumnus, the rescue of Edmund, and the crowning of the four kings and queens. Most importantly, it's the story of what Aslan did for Narnia in destroying the power of the White Witch. It's their faith in the story that keeps the Narnians' faith in Aslan alive. It prepares them to receive the Pevensies when they return. Unfortunately, it also makes them trust Peter, the high king, more than Prince Caspian, the Telmarine newcomer. But through Peter's failed assault on the castle, in which hundreds of Narnians die, everyone begins to realize that victory can come only through Aslan. Only he can conquer the enemy. He did it before through his death on the stone table, and he'll do it again if they'll just believe in him. How does Aslan do it? By waking up the trees and the sea that, in a scene reminiscent of Pharaoh's army at the Red Sea, destroys the Telmarines' bridge.

God doesn't change. He's always faithful, always trustworthy, and always ready to help if we'll just trust Him and call upon Him in times of trouble.