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The Heritage of Shannara: Difference between revisions
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The sequel to Terry Brooks' best-selling ''[[Sword of Shannara Trilogy]]'', ''Heritage of Shannara'' is a quartet of novels that follows the Scions of the Elven House of Shannara as they attempt to save a world that's done its best to outlaw what they are.
The series opens with ''Scions of Shannara''. It's been three hundred years since the death of the Druid Allanon, and the Four Lands are barely recogniseable. The Southland-based [[The Empire|Federation]] has expanded to include most of the known world. The Elves have vanished, the Dwarves are enslaved, driven to the edge of extermination, and magic is outlawed. Worse yet, dark magical creatures known as [[The Heartless|The Shadowen]] have appeared, their very presence sickening the lands.
Realising that something has to be done, Allanon's shade sends Cogline, a former Druid, to summon the Heirs of Shannara: [[The Hero|Par]], [[The Team Normal|Coll]], [[Refusal of the Call|Walker]], and [[Action Girl|Wren]]. He then hands each of them a charge: Par must recover the Sword of Shannara, Wren must find the Elves and convince them to return to the Four Lands, and Walker must bring back Paranor and the Druids. Most of the remainder of the book is spent with Par and Coll, and their friend Morgan Leah, who, with aid from Padishar Creel and the [[La Résistance|Free-Born]], attempt to find the Sword.
As the book closes, things are looking grim: a traitor enables the Federation to destroy the Free-Born, Coll is captured by [[Secret Police|First Seeker]] [[The Big Bad|Rimmer Dall]], who convinces Par that he has accidentally slain his brother, and Morgan's magic sword is shattered. Worst of all, Dall allows Par to escape with the Sword, which he cannot seem to activate, after revealing that the Federation is in fact under Shadowen control.
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* [[Aesop Amnesia]]: The {{spoiler|Elves}} in the backstory. They forgot about the results of their original abuse of magic namely {{spoiler|the creation of the Shadowen}}, and went on to repeat said abuses, resulting in {{spoiler|the "demons" of Morrowindl}}.
* [[Alliterative Name]]: Tiger Ty. Doubles as an [[Awesome McCoolname]].
* [[Bad Future]]: What the Shannara heirs are racing to prevent: a future where nothing grows, everything is dead, and people are just prey for the Shadowen.▼
* [[Body Snatcher]]: The Shadowen.▼
* [[Badass]]: Padishar Creel, Walker Boh, Garth, Morgan Leah.
** [[Badass Grandpa]]: Cogline
** [[Handicapped Badass]]: Walker's down an arm by the second book, and Garth, the man who made Wren into the [[Action Girl]] she is today? He's deaf, and always has been.
▲* [[Bad Future]]: What the Shannara heirs are racing to prevent: a future where nothing grows, everything is dead, and people are just prey for the Shadowen.
* [[Becoming the Costume]]: Arguably what happens to Coll when he puts on the Mirrorshroud, with some overlap with [[The Mind Is a Plaything of the Body]]. Rimmer Dall, [[Manipulative Bastard]] that he is, could even say that [[Truth and Lies|he told Coll this outright]], since he claimed the cloak would "make him appear as a Shadowen". Problem is, he didn't mention it would do its job [[Nightmare Fuel|all too well]].
* [[Big Applesauce]]: It's hinted that Stone King Uhl Belk's lair, revealed to be the petrified remains of an Old World city, ''might'' be New York.
* [[Big Bad]]: The Shadowen, led by Rimmer Dall. Uhl Belk, the Stone King, is a rival [[Big Bad]] who appears in ''Druid''. The King of the Silver River sends Quickening and her companions to head him off before he can achieve the same threat level as Dall and his cohorts.
* [[Big Badass Bird of Prey]]: The Rocs (with special mention going to Tiger Ty's mount, Spirit) and the War Shrike, Gloon.
* [[Big Badass Wolf]]: Two evil versions appear: the Gnawl, which tracked Par, Coll, Steff, Teel, and Morgan through the Wolfsktaag, and the werewolf creature that followed Wren and Garth throughout the Westland. Both are Shadowen spawn.
* [[Big Creepy-Crawlies]]: Shadowen Creepers, which combine this with [[Hollywood Cyborg]] are essentially a gigantic cross between a worm, a cockroach and a crab, with [[Combat Tentacles]], and metal plating. The Stone King keeps one (The Rake) as his watchdog. The Wisteron, the most dangerous of the "demons" on Morrowindl is also a good example, described as "half-spider, half-monkey, all monster".
* [[Blessed with Suck]]: All of the Ohmsford heirs, [[And Zoidberg|and Morgan]] as well. They have powerful magic that can help them slay Shadowen, sure. It also means that they're targets for every Shadowen out there, constantly have to be on the lookout in case they become addicted to it, and are in constant danger of passing out or mutating due to its overuse.
* [[Blind Seer]]: The Addershag, in a particularly disturbing (and [[Mad Oracle|not exactly]] [[Chaotic Neutral|good]]) version.
▲* [[Body Snatcher]]: The Shadowen.
* [[Break the Cutie]]: Rimmer Dall attempts this on Par, and to a lesser degree, Coll. Wren, Walker, and Morgan endure what might be seen as a lighter version of this.
* {{spoiler|[[Cloning Blues]]: The Elves on Morrowindl tried to clone an army via magic. The clones eventually degenerated into the "demons" that are the main threat in ''Elf Queen''.}}
* [[Cloudcuckoolander]]: Carisman.
* [[Combat Tentacles]]: Each Creeper has several.
* [[Cooldown Hug]]: Performed by Damson Rhee on Par during the finale.
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* [[Darker and Edgier]]: As compared to the original trilogy.
* [[Deadpan Snarker]]: While most characters can get the occasional snark in, Stresa is made of this.
* [[Desperately Looking for a Purpose In Life]]: Morgan and to a lesser degree, Par and Coll were in this situation before the series began. Par [[Jumped At the Call]] and Coll follows him; Morgan and (following the loss of his arm and his friends) Walker remain this way for quite some time, throwing themselves into the quest for the Black Elfstone in a desperate attempt to find some meaning in what they've endured. Walker eventually finds it by the end of ''Druid''; Morgan has to wait until ''Talismans'' before he finds his place.
* [[Disc One Final Boss]]: Uhl Belk, a rival [[Big Bad]], in ''Druid'', and [[Super-Persistent Predator|The Wisteron]] in ''Elf Queen''.
* [[The Dragon]]: Pe Ell, Federation assassin and [[Psycho for Hire]], who appears in ''Druid'', is probably the closest thing Rimmer Dall has to a Dragon. The Stone King has several candidates, including [[Big Creepy-Crawlies|The Rake]], [[Sand Worm|The Maw Grint]], and even [[Everything's Worse with Bears|The Koden]].
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* [[Evil Tower of Ominousness]]: Southwatch, the massive black granite monument built by the Federation to commemorate its victories. It's also the homebase for the Seekers and the centre of Shadowen activity in the Federation.
* [[Face Heel Turn]]: {{spoiler|Gavilan Elessedil}}, who turns on Wren and steals the Ruhk Staff because he believes he better knows how to control and use the magic of the Loden. [[Laser-Guided Karma|He pays for it]], but thanks to his initial likability and how clearly desperate, young, and panicked he is, you can't help but feel sorry for him.
* [[Fainting Seer]]: Eowen Cerise has shades of this, since she always seems weak and near collapse after having a vision/dream.
* [[Fantastic Racism]]: The Federation is Man-run and oriented, and hates Elves, Dwarves, Trolls, and anything else that isn't purely Man-blooded. While it's a recurring theme whenever the Federation appears, it's strongest expression is in this series.
* [[Feathered Fiend]]: {{spoiler|Gloon}}, {{spoiler|Tib Arne's}} Shadowen possessed {{spoiler|War Shrike}}. Capable of [[Sizeshifter|altering his size]] at will.
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* [[Foreshadowing]]: "You're dead, {{spoiler|Garth}}."
* [[The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse]]: Rimmer Dall sends four Shadowen named Famine, Pestilence, War, and Death to keep Walker Boh trapped inside Paranor in ''Talismans''. Famine and Pestilence can spread their respective namesakes with a touch, War is a [[Spikes of Villainy]] weapons user, and Death is about what you'd expect: a [[Grim Reaper]] figure with a [[Sinister Scythe]]. All four are nearly indestructible, forcing Walker to {{spoiler|use their own magic}} to destroy them.
* [[
* [[Garden of Evil]]: Morrowindl, crossed with [[Hungry Jungle]].
* [[Genius Loci]]: {{spoiler|Southwatch}}, a living organism designed to leech off the planet's magic for Shadowen use.
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* [[High Altitude Battle]]: Between Tiger Ty and Spirit on the one hand, and {{spoiler|[[Feathered Fiend|Gloon]]}} on the other.
* [[Hollywood Cyborg]]: The Creepers, which are all at least half mechanical.
* [[I Cannot Self-Terminate]]: {{spoiler|Garth}}, after being poisoned by the Wisteron, requiring [[Mercy Kill|Wren to do the deed]] before he can [[The Corruption|become a Shadowen]] too. Considering how fond Brooks is of [[Expy|Expies]], [[Generation Xerox]], and [[His Story Repeats Itself]], this may be intended as an echo of Helt's fate in ''Wishsong''.
* [[Is That What He Told You?|Is That What They Told You]]: Wren gets hit by this ''hard'' in ''Elf Queen''--not only does she find out both her own grandmother and Eowen Cerise are keeping the truth from her about the origin of the demons and [[And Man Grew Proud|the full extent of the Elves' sins]], something which first has to be revealed to her by Stresa of all people, but even Garth {{spoiler|knew all along she was Ellenroh's granddaughter, and that the Elfstones were real, since her parents brought her to the Rovers and made him promise to care for her}}. It's no wonder she spends most of that book shifting from [[Rage Against the Mentor]] to [[Heroic BSOD]] to [[Roaring Rampage of Revenge]].
* [[It's Going Down]]: Southwatch which is incinerated when {{spoiler|the heroes release the magic it was keeping captive}}.
* [[Killed Off for Real]]: {{spoiler|Hirehone, Steff, Teel, Carisman, Quickening, Pe Ell, Aurin Striate (The Owl), Ellenroh Elessedil, Eowen Cerise, Cort, Dal, Gavilan Elessedil, The Wisteron, Garth, Cogline, Tib Arne, Faun, Rimmer Dall}}.
* [[Life or Limb Decision]]: Walker Boh's arm is petrified, by the bite of the Asphinx and he has to smash it off to prevent the rest of his body from becoming petrified as well.
* [[Manipulative Bastard]]: Dear God, Rimmer Dall. He messes with Coll and Par's heads so thoroughly that it's almost frightening, and seems to specialise in [[Break the Cutie]]. He drives them both towards the edge of fullblown insanity, leaving the brothers unsure of the difference between reality and fiction, and his default means of attack, in any situation, seems to be screwing with his opponents' mind. By the time he's done, neither the Ohmsfords nor the reader may be sure what to believe any more.
* [[Mercy Kill]]: Wren is forced to {{spoiler|[[Mercy Kill]] [[Big Brother Mentor|Garth]] after he is infected by The Wisteron's venom}}.
* [[The Messiah]]: Quickening.
* [[Mistaken Identity]]: A [[Running Gag]] of the dramatic sort in ''Talismans'', where characters continually rescue someone, thinking/hoping it is Par. First Morgan rescues {{spoiler|Wren}}, then Damson and Matty rescue {{spoiler|Coll}}. Although {{spoiler|Wren}} wryly apologized for not being Par, neither rescuee is anything but grateful for the save.
* [[Mix-and-Match Critters]]: Many of the creatures created by the Elves on Morrowindl, notably the Splinterscats, a cross between cat, porcupine, dog, and (mentally) human.
* [[The Mole]]: Many, many examples, if only because of the nature of the Shadowen. {{spoiler|Teel, Tib Arne and Gloon}}, and Pe Ell are among the nastiest.
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* [[Our Vampires Are Different]]: The Drakuls of Morrowindl: Disembodied wraiths that make themselves sound like people you trust, convince you to lower your defenses and then drain the life from you, transforming you into one of them. Fortunately they're only found on one area of the island.
* [[Panthera Awesome]]: Rumour, Walker Boh and Cogline's moor cat, and a descendant of Whisper, from ''Wishsong''. He's more than a match for most Shadowen.
▲* [[Power Trio]]: [[The Smart Guy|Morgan]], [[The Heart|Damson]], and [[Kuudere|Matty Roh]] form one in ''Talismans''. [[Warrior Prince|Morgan]] is [[The Kirk]], Damson [[The McCoy]], and [[Broken Bird|Matty]] comes very close to being [[The Spock]].
* [[Prophecies Are Always Right]]: Each of the visions the Grimpond gives Walker comes true.
** [[Prophetic Fallacy]]: ...but always with a twist. If Walker hadn't figured this out before the end, and looked beyond the obvious interpretation, the third vision would have come true with his death, [[Revenge|just as the Grimpond wanted]].
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* [[The Reveal]]: The Shadowen are {{spoiler|Elves who rediscovered the old magic and found a way to transform into wraiths}}. On a lesser note the "demons" on Morrowindl are {{spoiler|degenerated [[Cloning Blues|Elven clones]], created from the failure of the same magic}}. To say the Elves royally screwed up, would be an understatement.
* [[Schmuck Bait]]: "Here, do you see this magical cloak? If you put it on it will [[Glamour|let you appear as a Shadowen]], thus fooling everyone in Southwatch. Why am I telling you this? Oh, just because I'm a [[Manipulative Bastard]] [[For the Evulz|who likes taunting you]] with something you can't have--[[Suspiciously Specific Denial|it's not because I'm trying to get you to steal it]]. Go ahead, try it on, [[Blatant Lies|it's perfectly harmless and I'll never know]]."
* [[Second Love]]: Matty Roh to Morgan, after {{spoiler|Quickening's death}}.
* [[Secret Police]]: The Seekers, who are employed by the Federation to hunt down criminals, and magic users. Ironically, all of them are Shadowen. Might actually be [[State Sec]] given the ridiculous amount of influence and power they have, as well as their control of the Creepers.
* [[The Smart Guy]]: Morgan is the automatic go-to for plans and plots as the series progresses. Walker could also be said to fulfill this role, though as Druid, [[Mentor]], and all around [[Badass]] this should be expected. In ''Druid'', retired Tracker Horner Dees manages to be [[The Smart Guy]] to Morgan and Walker, serving as their guide to Eldwist and the mountains.
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