The Campaign Against Zodanga

This flow follows the political and military struggle that begins with Helium’s endangered princess and ends with the relief of its besieged cities.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

War Without Resolution

Helium Under Pressure A weakened rival Zodanga exploits the absence of Helium’s principal fleet to besiege its enemy. The conflict is unpopular among some Zodangans, but Than Kosis’s government continues the campaign. The princess as leverage The capture of Dejah Thoris gives Zodanga a means to demand a political marriage. The personal crisis and the wider war become inseparable, with her consent presented as the price of peace.

Carter Enters the City

A Disguised Arrival Finding an opening Carter reaches Zodanga in red disguise and encounters Kantos Kan, who has infiltrated the city to search for Dejah Thoris. The two men join efforts despite the danger of discovery. Service as cover Carter enters the air scouts and then the palace guard after rescuing a royal relative. Official status gives him access to the court, but it also places him inside the machinery of the enemy state.

The Wedding Bargain

Peace at a Personal Cost Dejah Thoris’s decision Carter overhears Dejah Thoris promise to marry Sab Than after deciding that her people matter more than her personal happiness. The choice is a political act made under captivity and siege. A rescue becomes urgent Carter interprets the promise as proof that she has chosen another man until she explains the coercive circumstances. Their reunion gives him a reason to risk the palace and seek a way to break the arrangement.

The Palace Is Breached

The Ceremony Becomes a Battle Assault from within Carter leads Tharks through Zodanga’s defenses and enters the palace as the wedding ceremony begins. He breaks the golden chain and refuses to let the ceremony determine Dejah Thoris’s future. The ruler falls The room becomes a violent contest among Carter, the Zodangan court, and the arriving Tharks. Than Kosis and Sab Than die, leaving the city’s political order in the hands of its conquerors.

Siege Lifted

Victory at Helium A fleet turns homeward Carter and his allies take a fleet toward Helium, where the Zodangan besiegers launch an air battle. The Tharks’ small-arms fire supports the Heliumite fleet despite their inexperience with naval guns. The land war ends Helium’s forces join the Tharks against the besieging army. Zodanga’s defeat ends the immediate threat and allows Dejah Thoris to return to her family.

Before Carter reaches Zodanga

Ten days after leaving the Ptor farm

During Carter’s palace watch in Zodanga

The night of Dejah Thoris’s wedding

The day after Zodanga falls