The Siege and Fall of Zodanga
A Princess of MarsThis flow follows the conversion of a private rescue mission into a campaign that topples Zodanga and relieves Helium.
increasing
Bearing strength in each event
decreasing
A City at War

Rival Powers in Conflict
Helium besieged
Zodanga’s forces take advantage of Helium’s missing fleet and press the siege. The war is not universally popular, but its rulers use military advantage to demand concessions.
Dejah Thoris as leverage
Zodanga holds the princess and seeks her marriage to Sab Than. The state turns a captive’s personal future into a bargaining instrument for political settlement.
Carter and Kantos Kan

Two Infiltrators Meet
A reunion in the plaza
Carter recognizes Kantos Kan, whom he last saw in the Warhoon arena. Kantos Kan has entered Zodanga to locate Dejah Thoris and learn where she is held.
Shared objectives
Carter’s access to the city and Kantos Kan’s knowledge of Helium give them complementary advantages. Their cooperation makes the rescue attempt part of a larger contest between the two kingdoms.
The Royal Marriage

A Ceremony Under Arms
Political settlement staged
The court prepares to unite Dejah Thoris and Sab Than in marriage while the war continues. Carter sees that the ceremony will make the coercive bargain harder to reverse.
Intervention begins
He breaks into the hall and shatters the chain intended for Dejah Thoris. The action turns the wedding into a fight for control of the city’s ruling family.
The City Conquered

The Fall of a Capital
Court combat
Carter confronts Than Kosis and Sab Than as the Tharks force their way into the palace. The deaths of both rulers mark the collapse of Zodanga’s government.
A dangerous victory
Outside, the wider city becomes a scene of looting and disorder among the Green Martian hordes. Military success does not immediately produce peace; Carter must move quickly to reach Helium and its besieged people.
The Besiegers Defeated

Victory at Sea and on Land
Air battle
Helium’s fleet joins Carter’s captured and allied forces against Zodangan warships. Green Martian marksmen support the battle from above, helping turn the balance toward Helium.
The siege ends
Tharks and Heliumite troops attack the Zodangan land forces from opposing directions. The besiegers surrender, and the former enemies enter Helium together as victors.
Before Carter joins Zodanga’s air scouts
Carter’s first morning in Zodanga
The wedding night in Zodanga
The hours following Carter’s palace entry
The day the allied fleet reaches Helium