Eragon (character)

This article is about the character from the novel. For the novel, see Eragon. For other media, see Eragon (film) and Eragon (video game). For the other character in the series, see Eragon I.

Eragon is the main protagonist of the Inheritance trilogy, written by Christopher Paolini. While the second book of the trilogy, "Eldest", specifically states that Eragon has brown hair and brown eyes, in the movie version of Eragon he is portrayed by an actor with blond hair and blue eyes.

Description

Eragon is initially human in appearance, with brown hair, intense brown eyes, and thick eyebrows. On his palm he has the gedwëy ignasia, "Shining Palm", marking him a Dragon Rider. Eragon is a slightly intelligent boy (he proves this with the speed with which he learns new things) but has done some pretty stupid things. He is considered lacking in maturity and humility but this changes throughout the story.

Change in Personality, Abilities and Features

The Agaeti Blodhren, or "Blood-Oath Celebration," is held every century in the Elven capital of Ellesméra to honor the bond created between the Elves and the Dragons. As with all celebrations held by the Alfakyn, Agaeti Blodhren is described as being "wondrously, gloriously mad". Participants relinquish control over their emotions; they throw caution and reserve to the winds, dancing and singing exuberantly. They leap and whirl, climb and bound, embrace and kiss freely. Gifts flow like drink from one person to the next. Lanterns are hung all over the trees. Several elves who have modified their bodies in various ways using magic appear at the ceremony. The highlight of the long festival is the ceremony of gift-giving, in which each attendant presents the fruition of some project or the other, such as a sculpture or a poem.

Nearing the end of the Blood-oath Celebration that Eragon observs, he watches a ritual that involves two female elves undressing to complete nudity to reveal a full body tattoo that goes from one body to the next. They dance to create the illusion that the dragon tattoo is dancing and alive, and the tattoo becomes a dragon spirit that heals every scar Eragon had ever received in his life (including the scar given to him by Durza), in a gift that also gave him some elf qualities: anguled features, speed, etc.

His face was now smooth and angled as an elf's, with ears tapered like theirs and eyes slanted like theirs, and his skin was as pale as alabaster and seemed to emit a faint glow, as if with the sheen of magic...Yet he was not entirely an elf. His jaw was stronger, his brow thicker, his face broader. He was fairer than any human and more rugged than any elf... Eragon floated in a state of heightened awareness, his senses thrumming with the multitude of new sights, sounds, smells, and feelings that assailed him. He could see in darkness that would have blinded him before. He could touch a leaf and, by touch alone, count the individual hairs that grew upon it. He could identify the odors wafting about him as well as a wolf or a dragon... the beating of his heart was a drum to him.

Role in the Novels

Eragon

At the beginning of the novel, Eragon is a 15-year-old farm boy. He lives with his uncle Garrow and cousin Roran. His mother, Selena, was Garrow’s sister, but disappeared after delivering Eragon to the care of Garrow soon after he was born. Throughout the first book and possibly nearly all of the second, Eragon does not know the identity of his father and knows very little about his mother's identity as well. Eragon's family name is never revealed, when formally introducing himself he says "Son of none". It is likely he will continue to introduce himself like this as he would not want to reveal the name of his father.

File:Eragonfindsegg.jpg

Eragon comes across the blue "stone" (in reality, a dragon egg) in the forest.

Early on in the novel, Eragon finds a mysterious blue stone in the Spine, a scary untamed range of mountains that the people of Carvahall find terrifying. The Spine is located near Carvahall, a small village which he calls home. After being unable to sell the stone, Eragon soon discovers that it is actually an egg, when it begins to hatch into an infant dragon, a species thought to be extinct in Alagaësia, and manages to keep her hidden for a time. He names her Saphira and their bond begins to develop (see Dragon Riders). As Saphira continues to grow, however, it becomes apparent to Eragon that he will not be able to keep her hidden much longer. When the king's servants, the bird-like Ra'zac, invade Carvahall in search of the blue stone, Saphira forces Eragon to flee with her. The Ra'zac proceed to Eragon's house in their search and burn the place down, with Garrow, Eragon's uncle, still inside. Eragon, arriving at the farm too late to save Garrow's life, swears vengeance. Through all the chaos, Eragon has a secret love interest in the 100-year-old warrior princess, Arya. Throughout the novel his love becomes more noticeable. And actually asks her to marry him after the blood oath celebration and she turns him down.

Eragon is sought out by Brom, the village storyteller. Brom had previously learned of Saphira's existence, and now wished to accompany them on their quest for vengeance. Together, Eragon, Saphira, and Brom set out from Carvahall. Eragon and Saphira also strove to learn more from Brom about the Dragon 'Riders'. Later, when Eragon discovered that he could use magic, Brom began to teach him how to use it. Eragon wondered how an old 'storyteller' knew all this, but was not told. Brom also warned Eragon that he would soon have to choose between allying himself with the king, Galbatorix, or the king's enemies, the Varden. Eragon chooses to accompany the Varden in their epic battle against the empire.

The trio then went to Teirm in order to trace the shipments of a special oil the Ra'zac use, hoping that it would lead them to the Ra'zac's hide out. In Teirm, they stayed with a Varden ally who had helped Brom rescue Saphira's egg, Jeod. There, Angela, an herbalist of some power, predicted Eragon's future. She revealed that he will have a long lifespan; the great powers of the land will struggle to control him; he will fall in love with a women of noble birth; he will leave Alagaesia forever; and he will face betrayal from within his own family. Eragon also met Angela's werecat, Solembum, who spoke to him, telling him that when he is in need of a weapon, he should look under the roots of the Menoa Tree, and that he should speak his name at the Rock of Kuthian to open the Vault of Souls when all seems lost his power is insignificant. In Teirm he learned to scry - to view the status quo of things he has already seen, through the use of magic. This led to him later having dreams of a beautiful maiden who is imprisoned and who needs his help. Eragon decided then to check every prison they pass along the way in search of this maiden.

As the trio reached Helgrind, the Ra'zac's lair, Eragon learned that Brom was part of the Varden, and that the king was once a Dragon Rider until he betrayed the Riders and destroyed their order. Soon after, the Ra'zac attempt to capture Eragon, but he escapes, along with Brom and Saphira. The next night, however, the Ra'zac ambush and successfully capture Eragon, Brom, and Saphira. Fortunately, they were rescued by a mysterious young man named Murtagh, who was also tracking the Ra'zac. Murtagh freed them, but not before Brom was mortally wounded by the thrust of a dagger meant for Eragon. Brom died shortly thereafter, but not before telling Eragon that he was once a Rider, that his dragon was named Saphira, and that she was murdered in front of him on Galbatorix's orders.He also told him seven words in the ancient language to help him only in a great time of need. After creating a tomb for Brom, Eragon and Saphira agreed to travel with Murtagh, and travel in search of the hidden Varden.

File:Eragoncleans.jpg

Eragon readies at Varden for the upcoming battle against Durza.

Eragon decides to travel to Gil'ead, a place in which he can contact the Varden, with whom he has now decided to ally himself. While in Gil'ead, Eragon is captured and imprisoned in the prison where the maiden is held. There, Eragon learned that she is an elf. Murtagh and Saphira stage a daring rescue, and Eragon escapes with the elf. This does not occur without incident, however. Eragon and Murtagh, who are both by this time skilled swordsmen, easily overcome the Empire's soldiers -- but they are confronted by Durza the Shade, one of the most powerful beings in Alagaësía. Eragon himself duels with Durza, but he quickly realizes that he is hopelessly outmatched. Murtagh, however, shoots Durza between the eyes with an arrow, destroying his body, but not his spirit. The three companions and the unconscious elf flee Gil'ead.

The elf remains in a self-induced coma as the trio flee across the Hadarac Desert and out of the borders of Galbatorix's empire. When they reach free land, Eragon tries to speak with her mentally. After discerning that he is not an enemy, the elf, Arya, reveals to him the location of the Varden, and also the cause of her ailment. She had been poisoned, and it is such that if she does not receive the antidote soon, she will die. They must reach the Varden if they have any hope of saving her life. The travelers are then pursued by the Empire and a small army of Kull that are heading in the same direction. In the ensuing chase, Eragon and Murtagh race on horseback to Farthen Dûr, the dwarf-inhabited mountain that houses the Varden (Farthen Dur is the Dwarfs capital, and also the Varden's headquarters at the time and is located in the Beor Mountains). Eragon and Murtagh outstrip their pursuers. Before they enter the fortress, Murtagh, who has been reluctant to go to the Varden all along, reveals that he is the son of Morzan, first and last of the Forsworn, a now-dead group of treacherous Riders who served Galbatorix and aided him in destroying the Dragon Riders.

The trio reach the Varden just in time to save Arya (the elf Eragon, Murtagh, and Saphira saved from imprisonment), and there they meet the leader of the Varden, Ajihad. Eragon and Saphira are received with honor, and Murtagh, for his own safety, is kept in a "cell". Eragon and Saphira also meet Hrothgar, the King of the Dwarves. Since Ajihad plans to send Eragon to Ellesméra to finish his training, he is assessed in magic and swordsmanship by two cruel aides of Ajihad, the Twins, who delight in tormenting Eragon. A fully healed Arya rebukes them and spars with Eragon herself. Although he loses, Eragon passes the test in Arya's eyes. During this time, Eragon realises he is attracted to Arya and begins to develop a deep infatuation for her. While with the Varden, he meets up again with Angela and Solembum.

A few days to a week after Eragon's arrival, war becomes imminent: an intercepted message reveals that a legion of Urgals and Kull (giant, elite Urgals) is marching toward the Varden. In the battle that follows, a seemingly endless tide of Urgals and Kull seems poised to take the fortress. Within Tronjheim, the cone-shaped Dwarven city located at the center of Farthen Dûr, Eragon is confronted once again by the menacing Shade, Durza. Eragon is greatly outmatched by the Shade, and it seems as if all hope is lost. Thanks to a sudden distraction from Saphira and Arya breaking the Dwarves' most prized possession, the Isidar Mithrim (the star sapphire, a giant gem shaped like a rose). Fortunately, Durza's attention is averted long enough for Eragon to kill him with a quick stab through his heart. Durza dies, but Eragon pays a terrible price for his deed: the Shade inflicts a great wound on Eragon's back which will have a long-term, debilitating effect on him in the future. Upon the Shade's demise, the spell Durza had on the Urgals' minds is destroyed, causing the remainder of them to flee. Eragon faints from his weariness and affliction, and is tormented by pain. His mind during his unconciousness flicks between two lives: His and Durza's, throughout this time he cannot distinguish who or what he is. His mind is healed by the mental presence of the Mourning Sage, who urges Eragon to follow Arya and seek her out. It becomes certain that, in order to triumph over Galbatorix once and for all, Eragon must seek future tutelage in the sequel, Eldest.

Eldest

After killing Durza in Eragon, Eragon gains the title of Shadeslayer. Ajihad is killed by stray Urgals; and the Twins and Murtagh disappear, believed to be dead. Before they leave for Ellesméra for Eragon to continue his training as a Dragon Rider he is asked to join Orik's Dwarf clan, Dûgrimst Ingeitum. Eragon agrees to this pact, which therefore makes him Orik's adopted brother.

In Eldest, Eragon and Saphira travel to the Elves’ capital city of Ellesméra, where he meets the Elven queen Islanzadi. Here it is revealed that Arya is the daughter of the queen, making her a princess. She reconciles with her mother, (although there was no other option then), after they were estranged for 70 years. He also meets a werecat-Maud. Later he meets another rider, who apart from Galbatorix and Eragon is the only dragon rider alive Here he is instructed by an Elven Rider, Oromis who is the "Mourning Sage" and the "Cripple Who is Whole," mentioned in Eragon. Oromis' golden dragon, Glaedr trains Saphira. It is during his training when Oromis reveals that he once instructed Brom and Morzan. Eragon learns many things from Oromis such as an extensive knowledge of the Ancient Language, Alagaësia's history, the Riders’ history, various magical techniques including melding matter and energy, drawing energy from external sources, the twelve spells of death, aerial combat, and much more. However, the scar across his back that Durza gave him during their fight causes him to have very painful spasms, and as such he fears that he might never fight again and that his training is all in vain. But in the Blood-Oath celebration, Eragon is healed of this as a gift from the dragons. Eragon also is given the abilities of an elf and the appearance of one.

While in Ellesméra, he scrys a war brewing between the Varden and the Empire and departs at once to aid the Varden in the battle. Once he finds the Varden, he becomes leader of the Du Vrangr Gata ("The Wandering Path"—these are the spellcasters of the Varden). ( Note that in Eldest he states that it should be written Du Gata Vrangr)

Running parallel to Eragon’s story is that of his cousin Roran. The Ra’zac return to Carvahall in search of Roran, as the king had planned to use Roran as bait to make Eragon return to the Empire. Many in the village are killed, and Roran’s fiancée Katrina is taken by the Ra’zac. Determined to rescue her and also determined to protect the villagers from another attack, Roran moves everyone who is willing to follow him out of Palancar Valley through the Spine and eventually to Teirm. They stop at Teirm to gather information, and Roran and a few others meet Jeod, who is delighted to see Eragon’s cousin, but surprised that Roran knows nothing of what has happened to Eragon. Jeod then reveals that Eragon is now a Dragon Rider, and that Brom was once a Rider too. Jeod and the villagers steal a massive ship (the Dragon Wing) belonging to the government and sail it to Surda, a neighboring country that is allied with the Varden against Galbatorix—and where the battle will take place. The pirated ship arrives just as the battle is at its peak, and the Varden sends Eragon to check if the ship is friend or foe. The Carvahall people are stunned to see a magnificently attired Eragon riding a great blue dragon; he warns them not to come close to the battle. Roran, however, kills The Twins, who had betrayed the Varden, thereby saving the Varden from their massacre.

Eragon turns the tide of the battle until a new Rider (Murtagh) appears upon a red dragon before him. He proceeds to tell him that he had been kidnapped by The Twins and taken to Urû'baen (the Empire's capital), where his Dragon hatched for him. Both he and his Dragon, Thorn, were forced to swear loyalty to Galbatorix in the ancient language and are thus his unwilling servants(Galbatorix knows their ((one true name)). Murtagh then reveals they are both sons of Morzan and therefore brothers, repeating it in the ancient language. When Murtagh is about to capture Eragon (Galbatorix wants him alive because Saphira is the only known female dragon), Eragon reminds his brother about their friendship; Murtagh subsequently finds a loophole in his orders "I was ordered to try to capture you. I have tried. Make sure we don't cross paths again,", leaving Eragon. Before he leaves, Murtagh takes Zar'roc, saying that it was his rightful inheritance since the eldest son was supposed to have it, not the youngest.

After the battle, Eragon introduces his cousin to the Varden leader Nasuada and the elves’ ambassador Arya (who also happens to be the Elves' princess, which he found out when they first met the queen, Islanzadi) in Nasuada’s tent, and then imparts his newfound knowledge of his family to the three of them. Later, Eragon agrees to help Roran rescue his fiancé, Katrina, from the evil clutches of the Ra'zac, and seek justice for the numerous crimes they have committed.

Romantic Attachments

Arya - In Eragon, Eragon begins to develop feelings for the beautiful and wise elf, Arya. Then in Eldest, it is revealed that he has become infatuated with her. He forwardly admits his affection for her at the Blood-Oath Celebration; however, she rejects his love and shows no romantic interest in him. She tells him quite bluntly that he is so much younger than she is and has great responsibilities as a Rider. This was all told by the fortune teller Angela (Eragon would encounter a romance with a women of noble birth, but if it would end for good or ill, she could not tell), though at the time, Eragon didn't know Arya was a royal and did not connect the prophecy to Arya. Trianna - Eragon met the spellcaster Trianna in Farther Dùr early on in Eldest. He is very taken with her, but Saphira does not approve and rebukes him for showing interest. No further romantic attention from Eragon was paid towards Trianna in the rest of the book.

Nasuada - Though nothing beyond friendship has appeared between the two, Eragon did consider for a while that Nasuada may be the woman Angela foretold he would love; though Nasuada being a noblewoman is still unknown, though her carriage implies that she is of noble blood. When Eragon returns to Nasuada's tent after the Battle of The Burning Plains, Nasuada flings herself on Eragon in a hug.

Titles

• Elf Friend
• Argetlam meaning "Silver hand"
• Leader of Du Vrangr Gata
• Shadeslayer
• Shur'tugal meaning "Dragon Rider"

Possessions

• Cadoc, a spirited colt that Brom bought in Therinsford along with the mighty stallion Snowfire. Cadoc was named after Eragon's maternal grandfather and bore Eragon far south until Brom died. He was sold in a village after Brom's death.
• Snowfire, a great white steed who originally belonged to Brom, who swore to guard him as long as he lived. When Brom died, Eragon sold Cadoc and thereafter rode Snowfire, fulfilling Brom's promise. There are few human-trained horses to equal Snowfire, except Murtagh's magnificent gray stallion Tornac.
• Zar'roc, a Rider's sword that once belonged to Morzan. This wine-colored blade was taken from Eragon by Murtagh in the Battle of the Burning Plains on the border of Galbatorix's empire and Surda.
• The diamond-studded belt of Beloth the Wise, one of the greatest treasures of the Riders. It is possible for Eragon to store magical energy in the gems, and later call upon the energy when it is needed, such as when he loses strength in battle.
• Two dragon saddles, one an engraved pleasure saddle meant for comfortable long-distance traveling, gifted to Eragon by Oromis, and one a lighter saddle built for speed and aerial combat, made for him by Brom.
• A yew bow made by Garrow and given to him as a gift for his 12th birthday. After being gifted by the Dragons, Eragon broke it while testing his new abilities. He was dismayed by the loss, as with the bow he killed his first deer, provided food for his family, killed his first Urgal, and through it, first used magic.
• An Elvish yew bow and a quiver of yew arrows fletched with swan feathers; a weapon sung by Queen Islanzadi.
• Dwarven armor gifted to him and Saphira by the dwarf lords.
• Magically enhanced faelnirv, an Elvish drink made from crushed elder berries and spun moonbeams which on its own gives plenty of energy, but if enhanced gives even more. He receives it from Oromis, and drinks a little bit at the end of Eldest.
• Oromis's scroll of his poem from the Agaetí Blödhren (Blood-Oath Celebration).
• Aren - a sapphire ring with a yawë on it which proclaims him Elf Friend. It was originally Brom's.
• Four elven tunics: two given by Islazandi as a welcome-to-Ellesmera-gift, one crimson and gold, and one sky blue and silver.
• A metal necklace with a hammer-like pendant on the end that protects him from being scryed, which was given to him by the dwarves.
• A Dwarven puzzle ring. It was given to him by Orik to calm his nerves after his first episode. It was at first solved by Narí while they were traveling down Edda River, and then solved by Eragon after the Agaetí Blödhren (Blood-Oath Celebration) when he was gifted by the Dragons.

Portrayal in film

Eragon is played by Edward Speelers in the movie adaptation of Eragon. In the movie he is seventeen years old, not fifteen. Also, he has blond hair and blue eyes instead of brown hair and brown eyes.

Trivia

• Christopher Paolini intended for Eragon to be an author surrogate.

External links

• Official website, which includes autobiographical comments from Paolini
• Eragon summary, from Random House