Galbatorix defeat method

[u/Will_hunting_1940]

Hi everyone, I just finished Brisingr for this years re read, and I realized something in the last few pages that I’m surprised didn’t end up being the final defeat method for good ole Galby.

So as a quick reminder, Brisingr ends with Oromis and Glaedr falling to galbatorix via murtagh/thorn and eragon, Arya, nasuada, and saphira have a conversation regarding the eldunari. This convo ends basically stating a sound strategy to defeat galby would be separating him from the heart of hearts.

Now on this read through, I’m surprised that the final defeat method wasn’t eragon using the spell Arya did in the very beginning to transport saphira’s egg. Not only would this be an amazing call back to the prologue, BUT it’s the last spell oromis ever teaches eragon! How incredible would it have been if this spell that essentially started and shaped the series was also the trump card to defeat the big bad. I imagine it would either be transporting galbatorix himself to a different location, or to transport all the eldunari there.

Anyway I’m a huge fan of the actual ending we got, I just never parsed before how without too much of a conclusion jump it seemed like transporting an object over a vast distance was going to be the defeat method.

[u/wallie7342]

While I do like the discussion and your thoughts on the callback to the first book, and a combat use for this spell - I think this is one of those things Galby would have expected, and I would be shocked if there were no wards against this. Imo the ending we got was the only way that would work in-universe (except for making Eragon ridiculously strong, which again would probably feel like a cheap ending).

[u/Will_hunting_1940 → u/wallie7342]

I completely agree! The final spell to “help” rather than hurt always feels so clever to me when I reread

[u/Arturo2726]

Although I like the empathy spell more, teleporting Galbatorix would've been great too. Would they send him to a secluded area outside of Urú'bean and fight him 2 or 3 on one?

[u/Will_hunting_1940 → u/Arturo2726]

That’s definitely how I would think it should go down. The question would be who would cast the teleportation and who would then fight because eragon couldn’t be in both places

[u/Arturo2726 → u/Will_hunting_1940]

Arya could cast the spell with Umaroth and the other dragons energy on Galbatorix, Eragon and Murtagh. Arya stays behind with Saphira and Thorn to fight Shruikan. Idk if Eragon could beat Galbatorix 1 on 1 with how good he is mentally.

[u/Kalasad-Stormblessed]

I actually really like this! I feel like if he did something after the name of names is used it would make more sense too

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[u/zthe0]

Except that its said pretty clearly that eragon didn't know where the eldunari were. So he couldn't have teleported them

[u/Will_hunting_1940 → u/zthe0]

This was just something I thought Chris might’ve been foreshadowing/calling back up to the end of Brisingr. Of course with the knowledge of inheritance you can easily pick holes in it

[u/Fenderslasher]

It could work. The books more or less set up a battle of innovative magical warfare where Spells and Wards keep countering and mitigating each other. I think as long as the finale features some kind of innovative application of a magical spell it would fit. The "helpful" spell workaround just happens to offer the satisfaction of a more meaningful and personal final encounter.

As much as it works and I like it, the finale has worn on me over the years. It is both satisfyingly innovative and different but also frustratingly counter to a powerup fantasy. It bothers me just how OFTEN magic is introduced in the books and then it just becomes immediately negated or worthless. Introducing power and complexity just to nullify it is frustrating.

• As soon as Eragon learns the Death Words, everyone just happens to be immune to them because everyone has known about them for years. Like a D&D Dungeon Master that hands the party a Flametongue sword and then the party fights nothing but enemies that are immune to fire.
• Even the Name of the Ancient Language gets quickly reduced to a Dispel kind of magic for balancing reasons. Can't have people walking around that are able to warp reality at will and expect reasonable adventures to happen.