Book Summary – The Last Battle – The Chronicles of Narnia – Book 7
- Jason Montero
- Aug 28
- 14 min read
Updated: Aug 29
Book summary by chapter of The Last Battle. Includes spoilers from the donkey’s disguise to the end of the book. As the curtain falls and Narnia fades into shadow, a false stable becomes an eternal threshold, and those who believed awaken in a world more real than any dream; the story ends not with farewell, but with the promise of endless truth.
Introduction – The Last Battle
C.S. Lewis brings his epic saga to a close with The Last Battle, the most profound, somber, and symbolic finale of The Chronicles of Narnia. This chapter-by-chapter book summary of The Last Battle unveils every twist and deception that seals Narnia’s fate in a story steeped in betrayal, faith, and revelation. From forests ravaged by the Calormenes to the mystery surrounding the cursed stable, this final installment not only concludes a mythic journey—it transcends it. Explore the full reading order of The Chronicles of Narnia ➤
In this final chapter, the conflict is fought not just with swords, but through shaken loyalties, dangerous lies, and the blindness of cynicism. The apocalyptic, existential tone that defines this book reflects in the fall of old symbols—like the false Aslan or the stubborn Dwarfs—and the rise of a “true Narnia,” more real than ever before. Lewis’s style becomes more direct and allegorical, placing his characters in front of moral choices that cannot be undone.
What lies behind the stable that changes everything? And what becomes of Narnia once the curtain falls? Keep reading to uncover each powerful chapter of this unforgettable farewell.
Want to see all the summaries from this series?
Click here to access the Complete Reading Order. 👇
Chapter Navigation
Chapter 1 Summary – The Last Battle – By the Caldron Pool
In the far western reaches of Narnia, near the great waterfall, lived Shift, a cunning and wrinkled monkey, and Puzzle, a naïve donkey who served him unquestioningly. Shift manipulated Puzzle with feigned wisdom, convincing him to do all the work. One day, upon spotting something strange floating in the Caldron Pool, Shift persuaded Puzzle to dive in and retrieve it. Exhausted, the donkey pulled out a soaked lion’s skin, which the monkey eagerly inspected. Secretly, Shift sewed the skin into a costume to disguise Puzzle as a lion. When Puzzle expressed unease at the irreverence toward Aslan, Shift dismissed his concerns and manipulated him into compliance. He promised they could do good by pretending to be Aslan, assuring Puzzle no one would notice. A thunderclap shook the land, which Puzzle saw as a warning, but Shift interpreted it as a divine sign. Thus began his plan to deceive all of Narnia.
Chapter 2 Summary – The Last Battle – The Rashness of the King
The young and valiant King Tirian was resting at his hunting lodge with his friend Jewel the unicorn when surprising news arrived: Aslan had returned to Narnia. Although many animals claimed to have seen him, the centaur Roonwit warned that the heavens did not announce such an event, but rather foretold a catastrophe. His warning coincided with the desperate arrival of a dryad, who cried out for the devastation of the sacred trees in Lantern Waste. She died the moment her tree was cut down. Filled with rage, Tirian set off with Jewel upriver to confront the culprits. They saw a raft laden with logs, guided by a rat who claimed to be following Aslan’s orders. Perplexed and alarmed, the two continued on to find a forest devastated by Calormenes. Horrified to see a Talking Horse being forced to labor, Tirian and Jewel, enraged, slew the Calormene overseers without hesitation. Thus began their tragic conflict.
Chapter 3 Summary – The Last Battle – The Monkey in His Glory
After killing two Calormenes, Tirian and Jewel fled, but the King soon decided to surrender for his crime, ready to face Aslan’s judgment. Presenting himself as a prisoner, he was taken before Shift, the monkey, who now wore a red jacket, shiny slippers, and a fake crown, posing as Aslan’s spokesman. Before a crowd of Talking Beasts and Calormenes, Shift demanded more nuts, threatened squirrels, and shamelessly lied, claiming Aslan was no longer merciful. He also declared that all animals must work for the Calormenes and that Tash and Aslan were one and the same. Amid the beasts’ confusion and sorrow, a cat named Ginger showed skepticism but ultimately went along. When Tirian could no longer bear the lies and publicly denounced Shift, he was brutally beaten by Calormenes and tied to a tree. The monkey’s charade continued, deepening the fear among Narnia’s animals.
Chapter 4 Summary – The Last Battle – What Happened That Night
Tied to a tree, bruised and in pain, Tirian remained alone as the deceived creatures dispersed. At nightfall, a group of small animals—mice, a rabbit, and moles—secretly approached, gently feeding him and tending his wounds. Though afraid of disobeying Aslan, they confessed their confusion over the cruel acts attributed to him. They insisted they had seen a lion emerge from the stable, convinced it was Aslan, but their hearts were full of doubt. After bidding farewell, Tirian was alone again and watched a fire being lit in front of the stable. From afar, he saw the supposed Aslan—a yellow, stiff figure—emerge, receive the beasts’ praise, and return to the stable without uttering a word. Desperate, Tirian recalled tales of ancient kings aided by children from another world. He cried out with all his might for Aslan and the friends of Narnia. Unexpectedly, he dreamed he was in another land before seven people, and King Peter recognized him.
Chapter 5 Summary – The Last Battle – How Help Came for the King
When Tirian awoke soaked and bound, his plea had been answered: Eustace and Jill, two children from another world, suddenly appeared in the woods and freed him. Exhausted and stiff, Tirian could barely walk, but they hurried to flee the area. As they moved, he told them his story, and they revealed they were part of the Seven Friends of Narnia. Upon reaching an old watchtower, where Tirian knew supplies were stored, they found weapons, chainmail, and Calormene disguises. They dressed in armor and applied special skin dye, preparing to infiltrate the enemy. Tirian was amazed to learn Eustace and Jill had once rescued King Rilian. They explained how they arrived, having received a vision of him during a meal in their world. Without using the Magic Rings, Aslan had brought them directly. In the tower, they armed themselves, lit a fire, and though they ate frugally, they felt ready to face the darkness threatening Narnia.
Chapter 6 Summary – The Last Battle – A Good Night’s Work
Tirian briefly lies down while Eustace and Jill sleep, exhausted after practicing archery and swordsmanship under his supervision. Jill shows good aim, and Eustace fights with a Calormene scimitar despite his struggles. As night falls, the three head into the forest toward the Stable Hill, where they plan to rescue Jewel. Jill leads the group using her keen sense of the stars. At the top, they silently approach a sleeping sentry, whom Tirian subdues with a dagger and forces to lead him to the unicorn, tied behind the stable. Tirian frees Jewel and binds the soldier. Upon returning, they discover Jill is missing. After tense minutes, she reappears, overjoyed: she has discovered that the supposed Aslan is actually a donkey named Puzzle in disguise. She brings him back as proof of the deception. Tirian restrains himself from executing Puzzle and instead decides to expose the truth to the other Narnians.
Chapter 7 Summary – The Last Battle – Mainly About the Dwarfs
Tirian intercepts a group of Dwarfs being escorted by Calormenes toward the salt mines. He pretends to be a Tarkaan and confronts the situation. The Dwarfs, disillusioned and distrustful, say they follow Aslan’s orders and do not question their fate. Tirian reveals Puzzle and the false Aslan’s fraud, hoping to open their eyes. Though the Calormenes are defeated in combat—Eustace surprisingly kills one—the Dwarfs refuse to support Tirian. Griffle, their leader, convinces them they’ve been fooled once and won’t be fooled again, even when the truth is clear. Jill and Tirian plead with them, but their cynicism is impenetrable. They say they want no kings, no Aslan, and no tales of other worlds. They choose to go their own way. Poggin, a loyal Dwarf, later joins Tirian and reveals a sinister conversation between Ginger the cat and Captain Rishda, who don’t believe in Tash or Aslan but manipulate everything for power.
Chapter 8 Summary – The Last Battle – What News the Eagle Brought
A dark figure emerges from the forest: a floating creature with a bird of prey’s head and clawed arms. Its nauseating stench reveals its evil nature. Jill is the only one able to look away as Puzzle flees in terror. Tirian recognizes the shape—it is Tash, the feared god of the Calormenes, made real. Jewel confirms that he has come because he was invoked. Puzzle returns shivering and admits his mistake in obeying Shift. The group debates their next move: should they present Puzzle to the people or join the Centaur Roonwit? They choose the latter to rally more support and face the enemy with strength. They prepare a stew of pigeon and rabbit, and Poggin recounts how the Monkey has spread a false story: that Aslan devoured the King. The plan of Ginger and Rishda is also revealed as pure manipulation without real belief. Just as things seem calm, the Eagle Farsight arrives with devastating news.
Chapter 9 Summary – The Last Battle – The Great Assembly at Stable Hill
The Eagle Farsight announces that Cair Paravel has been taken by surprise from the sea by a Calormene fleet, and that Roonwit has died fighting. Shaken, the group decides to face their fate. Tirian tries to persuade the children to return to their world, but they refuse. They head to Stable Hill, hoping to expose the fraud. The Monkey and Rishda are there, preparing another deception. Tirian and his companions hide behind the stable, with Puzzle still in disguise. On a makeshift stage, the Monkey announces that Aslan will no longer appear, blaming an impostor donkey. The Dwarfs, led by Griffle, mock them, doubting the whole story. Rishda declares that anyone may enter the stable to see “Tashlan.” Ginger the Cat goes in first, but flees in terror and, to everyone’s horror, loses the ability to speak. The creatures realize in fear that Tash is truly inside and that the punishment for blasphemy against Aslan is real and terrible.
Chapter 10 Summary – The Last Battle – Who Will Go Into the Stable?
Jill removes Puzzle’s lion costume to protect him, while the Monkey accuses the donkey of being a fraud. The crowd demands to see Tashlan, and the Monkey allows them to enter the stable one by one. A young Calormene named Emeth volunteers, eager to see his god. Rishda tries to stop him, but the pressure forces him to relent. Emeth enters with courage and closes the door. Minutes later, a different man comes out and collapses dead. Tirian notices the difference and realizes that Tash kills indiscriminately. The Monkey calls for the boar to go next, and the Calormenes close in on him. At that moment, Tirian decides to act. With Jill, Eustace, Poggin, Jewel, Puzzle, and Farsight, he launches the attack shouting, “For Aslan!” The firelight shines off their armor as they charge across the clearing. With lies, horror, and manipulation against them, they have no choice but to fight with courage and reveal the true face of deceit to the world.
Chapter 11 Summary – The Last Battle – Things Begin to Move Faster
Rishda Tarkaan flees from Tirian, overwhelmed by the strength of the Narnian animals, hiding among the crowd and calling out to Calormenes and loyal Narnians. Meanwhile, Tirian throws the Monkey into the Stable, followed by a green flash, a tremor, and a monstrous screech that shake everyone. Rishda, terrified, admits he never believed in Tash. The Talking Dogs eagerly join the King, followed by mice, moles, squirrels, and other small creatures who free the Horses tied by the Monkey. Still, most beasts fear Tashlan. Rishda orders the capture of the faithful to offer them as sacrifices to Tash. Tirian organizes his forces and attacks. Jill shoots with precision, Eustace fights bravely, and Jewel charges fiercely. The first Narnian assault wounds the enemy but comes at a high cost: several Dogs fall, the Bear dies, and the Dwarfs mock instead of helping. A drumbeat signals incoming Calormene reinforcements.
Chapter 12 Summary – The Last Battle – Through the Stable Door
Jill is delayed in returning to the white rock, distracted by the battle, and arrives just before her companions. Suddenly, a Calormene throws Eustace into the Stable and slams the door. Poggin warns of more arrows, but this time the Dwarfs shoot at the Calormenes, declaring they want neither “Darkies” nor Kings. In the dim firelight, Rishda captures eleven Dwarfs and offers them to Tash. While the group drinks from a hidden spring and regains strength, Poggin senses that they will all cross that door soon. Rishda offers mercy if the beasts surrender, but Jewel and the others choose to die free. The final battle begins fiercely. The Calormenes’ spears give them an advantage, surrounding the group. Tirian becomes separated and is dragged toward the Stable. In a desperate act, he throws himself through the door along with Rishda. Inside, the monstrous Tash claims the Tarkaan. But a mighty voice banishes him—Aslan has arrived, and Tirian awakens clean, dressed in finery, before the former Kings and Queens of Narnia.
Chapter 13 Summary – The Last Battle – How the Dwarfs Refused to Be Taken In
Tirian realizes he’s not in a dark Stable but in a bright meadow under a blue sky. The former Kings and Queens of Narnia welcome him with honor. When he asks about Susan, Peter explains she is no longer a friend of Narnia, consumed by vanity in the real world. Lucy recounts how the first creatures to cross the Stable were judged by Tash. Some were taken by the creature, while others like Emeth were received with grace. Tirian then visits the Dwarfs, who sit together believing they’re trapped in darkness. Lucy tries to convince them by showing flowers, but they deny everything and accuse others of deceit. Aslan himself appears and tries to help them with a heavenly feast, but the Dwarfs only taste hay and dirty water, convinced they are being tricked. They reject divine help, imprisoned by their cynicism. Aslan says their prison is within their minds, and he cannot force their freedom.
Chapter 14 Summary – The Last Battle – Night Falls on Narnia
Aslan calls for the end of the world. Father Time awakens and sounds his horn, beginning the fall of the stars. These brilliant beings descend from the sky like a shower of light and gather behind the gate. Darkness envelops everything, save for the starlight behind them. From the north come dragons, beasts, and terrifying creatures that devour and destroy the forests. Aslan watches silently as every being crosses the gate: those who love him enter to his right; those who hate him vanish into his shadow. The lost friends—Roonwit, Jewel, Poggin, and others—reappear alive and joyful. The land withers, dies, and the sea covers all. The sun becomes a fireball beside the moon and is squeezed by Father Time. Aslan orders the door closed. Peter, shivering, turns the key. All that was Narnia is left behind, and they move on to a new land, deeper, more real: the true Narnia.
Chapter 15 Summary – The Last Battle – Further Up and Further In
Emeth recounts his story to the group: how he served Tash with devotion but, upon learning that the Monkey and Rishda mocked the god, chose to enter the Stable in faith. There, he fought and killed a traitor and then met Aslan. The Lion welcomed him as a “son” and explained that every good act, even in Tash’s name, was counted as service to him. Moved, Emeth expresses his joy and joins the group. Puzzle reappears, ashamed, but is warmly embraced. They all follow Aslan westward, marveling at the landscape. They recognize in this new land more vivid reflections of the old Narnia. Farsight confirms they are in the true Narnia, not a copy. Professor Digory explains that the real world was only a shadow of the true one. Aslan has brought them home. The Unicorn sums it up with a joyful cry: he has reached the place he always longed for. They all follow, running effortlessly, toward eternity.
Chapter 16 Summary – The Last Battle – Farewell to the Shadowlands
Eustace halts the race upon discovering the majestic Great Waterfall behind the Caldron Pool. Without hesitation, Jewel leaps into the water, followed by the others, swimming toward the cascade as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Though such a feat would mean death elsewhere, here the current is delightful, and the ascent feels glorious. From behind, Jill sees the Unicorn slicing through the water with his horn, followed by Tirian. The Dogs, amused, sneeze as they bark underwater. They finally reach the top, emerging into a calm river, and from there they run even faster. Crossing valleys, rivers, and lakes, they arrive at a hill crowned by golden gates and trees with silver leaves and golden fruit. These open at the sound of a horn, and Reepicheep greets them. Tirian embraces his father, King Erlian, and others reunite with figures from the past. In the end, they understand that this land is more real and profound than any other. Jewel, Puzzle, Fledge, and even Tumnus join the procession toward the world’s heart, as Aslan, majestic and powerful, appears and reveals the truth: they have died in their world, but awakened in the true one. There is no more fear. No more farewells. The story that never ends has begun.
Conclusion – The Last Battle
The Last Battle is not just an ending—it’s a final revelation about what Narnia truly was, what it meant to those who loved it, and how even the most beloved stories must eventually close. Tirian’s sacrifice, Puzzle’s redemption, and the unwavering resolve of Jill and Eustace come together in one last stand for truth and light amid chaos.
This final chapter turns myth into destiny, leading its characters—and readers—into a deeper realm where the boundaries between reality and belief dissolve. Narnia fades, only to give way to something brighter and more eternal. With this, Lewis delivers a message that outlives fantasy: truth may hide behind masks, but in the end, it always speaks last.
And while this marks the last page in the journey through Narnia, there are many more literary worlds waiting to be explored. Explore other literary sagas ➤
FAQs – Chapter by Chapter Summary – The Last Battle
Why does Shift’s “false Aslan” trick work for so long, and what finally breaks the spell?
Shift exploits fatigue, fear, and the Narnians’ reverence for Aslan. By rationing appearances and speaking “on Aslan’s behalf,” he normalizes cruelty as divine will. The lie also benefits the Calormenes, so it spreads through convenience. What shatters it isn’t a clever speech but exposure: Puzzle without the lion skin, the terror inside the stable that no one can spin, and the courage of Jill, Eustace, and Tirian to act. Once reality is visible, the crowd can’t unsee it—though some prefer cynicism to wonder, as the Dwarfs do.
What is the point of the Dwarfs’ “we won’t be taken in” stance—caution or self-sabotage?
It starts as caution but hardens into self-sabotage. Burned by deception, the Dwarfs refuse any claim—even when Aslan himself offers help. Lewis shows how defensive irony can become its own prison: they sit in open sunlight yet insist they’re in a filthy stable. The passage isn’t a jab at skepticism per se; it’s a warning about prideful disbelief that will taste hay at a feast just to stay “right.” Freedom without trust becomes isolation, and isolation kills joy. Their tragedy is chosen blindness, not lack of evidence.
How does Emeth’s storyline redefine loyalty, truth, and belonging in Narnia?
Emeth enters the stable seeking Tash with honest courage and meets Aslan instead. Aslan’s verdict is precise: any truly good deed done for Tash never belonged to Tash, who accepts no good; such goodness was always service to Aslan. This doesn’t flatten differences between gods; it judges hearts and actions rather than labels. Emeth isn’t “accidentally saved”—he’s welcomed because he loved truth more than tribe. The episode expands Narnia’s moral horizon: fidelity to the good will find its proper home, even if your map had the wrong name.
What actually ends Narnia, and why is the world’s destruction described as beautiful?
Aslan calls the end, Father Time rises, and the stars fall—yet the imagery is luminous, almost ceremonial. The beauty matters: Narnia isn’t scrapped; it is fulfilled. Each creature moves toward judgment—right for love, left for hatred—while mountains, forests, and seas fold like stage scenery. The loveliness underlines that endings need not erase meaning; they can reveal it. When the door shuts, the friends step into “true Narnia,” where colors deepen, distances sing, and running never exhausts. Ending, here, is unveiling, not annihilation.
Is “further up and further in” an escape from reality or a call to it?
It’s a call to reality. The old country was a shadow; the new is the solid original. “Further up and further in” means growth in clarity, love, and joy—no dilution, no drift. Bodies are more alive, friendships more themselves, landscapes more themselves. The Unicorn’s cry—at last, the place he always sought—captures the book’s thesis: desire points beyond. The phrase invites readers to treat hope not as denial but as the world’s truest center of gravity, where beginnings keep beginning and the story finally becomes itself.
Comments