No Longer a Lion

[PuddleCheep]

In the Last Battle, there's a line in there I've never been able to understand. It's the line "He (Aslan) no longer looked to them like a lion." I know that he says that in our world, he has another name. I think maybe Aslan's lion appearance changed from a lion to a man, Jesus. Did C.S. Lewis say that to show that God shows himself to people different ways? I'd like to know what you think?

[Evelyn]

I agree with you that Aslan is Jesus/God, and in the particular moment he turns from a lion into something even more than a man. I don't think any one of us knows what God "looks" like, but I believe he is, in that moment, going into his true and real form of God. And I don't think any of us can even imagine what that will be like!

Yes, I think Lewis was trying to help us understand who Aslan truely is and explaining that he isn't always a lion.

Good topic! LB has some really cool stuff in it.

[Ithilwen]

Yes, Aslan was turning into His true form there, which, of course, is Jesus Christ.

I don't think Lewis was trying to say God appears to us in different ways. I think a lion form was just what the author picked for Christ's appearance in the story. He definitely didn't want to do the typical Christ form, because the whole point was to show kids that Jesus isn't the "boring" figure kids thought he was by attending strict and stuffy sunday schools. So Lewis used a different form as a tool to get readers to see past the image their minds had gotten used to.

And a lion isn't such a far-fetched symbol either. I've heard many people refer to him as "the lion and the lamb". He took the lamb form in the books too, at the end of VDT.

And, of course, the reason why he no longer looked like a lion at the ned of LB, is because they were in "Heaven", and everything was turning back into its true form.


~Riella

[cipher]

I always thought of Aslan as some kind of Jesus-type figure. He actually sacrificed himself in LWW and "resurrected". And I believe there is a higher entity that exceeds Aslan. One true God that even Aslan must obey.

[Ithilwen]

I always thought of Aslan as some kind of Jesus-type figure. He actually sacrificed himself in LWW and "resurrected". And I believe there is a higher entity that exceeds Aslan. One true God that even Aslan must obey.

The Emperor-Over-the-Sea. In other words, God. Although, when it comes to obeying him, I get the idea that it's not really a question of obeying or disobeying. I think Aslan and the Emperor are kind of "of one mind", if you see what I mean.


~Riella

[Aravis Narnia]

Yup. I assumed a male Homo sapiens as well. Possibly with Semitic features.

[cipher]

Well I haven't read any of the books, but the way I interpret the movies, I find it one God created Aslan, and gave him the duty to protect Narnia. And about the creation of the world part, I believe Aslan create it from God's order. But it is kind of strange if Aslan is "Jesus", then who is the dark one? There is alwasy a balance between dark and light. If Aslan is light, then who is darkness?

[Ithilwen]

Well I haven't read any of the books, but the way I interpret the movies, I find it one God created Aslan, and gave him the duty to protect Narnia. And about the creation of the world part, I believe Aslan create it from God's order. But it is kind of strange if Aslan is "Jesus", then who is the dark one? There is alwasy a balance between dark and light. If Aslan is light, then who is darkness?

The darkness is: The White Witch (in LWW), The Lady of the Green Kirtle (in SC), and Tash (HHB, LB). And I would definitely recommend reading the books. They're amazing, and they contain a lot of stuff the movies changed, or left out all together.


~Riella

[Lilygloves]

I always assumed Lewis meant Aslan became a man, but then again he might have said so if that's what he meant. The Bible describes angels as odd creatures (multiple wings and eyes, wheels, etc). It would be hard to imagine them as beautiful, but they are beautiful beyond imagination, so I suppose that's how Lewis wanted it. He didn't explain what Aslan looked like because he's supposed to look like something beyond our imagination.

[mar_girl]

Yeah, I think Aslan was turning into His true form, God. I don't know if He was strictly turning into Jesus, since that's the form God took in our world.

[Varnafinde]

Did you notice that this is the first time in all the books that Lewis refers to Aslan as He with a capital H?

I think it emphasizes that Aslan turns into something greater than the form he had in Narnia, now that he is (and they all finally are) in his own country.

[narnialuver]

Lewis is saying that aslan is God! and I think that aslan was in the form of a man or God

[Corin101]

Really, I don't think Lewis intended for us to know what Aslan looked like in the New Narnia. It would be like trying to explain God. Some things are better left un-described because when it comes to God, we simply cannot comprehend Him with just our five senses. He, as well as Aslan, is far above us in ever way. "For my ways are not your ways, says the LORD." My guess is that this is what Lewis was trying to capture: there simply aren't words to describe God.

[narnialuver]

Yeah I agree. I think people assume what god looks like too much. Like in a lot of paintings and movies

[StarAsterisk]

Interesting question! I have never noticed that before... Maybe it's because Aslan kind of changed into his REAL form, instead of just a "costume" that he had for Narnia, if you get what I mean. The Bible says people where made in the image of God... but I don't think that for sure means that God has to look exactly like a human.

*reads up* ah you guys have already said pretty much the same thing! You guys are smart

[LUCYOFMIDDLEEARTH]

I think that aslan didnt change from a lion but turned into something more glorified. Still a lion but mabye more heavenly! like jesus in the transfigureation... just a guess