Something I always assumed when reading the Magician's Nephew was that The Wood essentially had an automated defence against would-be invaders. Because think about it: a world hub would be a powerful asset for any military superpower, so The Wood's passivity and neutrality is weaponized against all who find their way into it, in proportion to the state of their own hearts. Peaceful people like Digory, Polly and Frank only feel drowsy, while violent and ambitious people like Jadis are literally suffocated and prevented from even recalling that such a place existed after they leave.
You know, that does sound plausible. It also makes me wonder, can The Wood defend itself against those who'd exploit it? Sure, you talk about a military conquest. That's one thing. But what I mean is like....imagine if someone felt the serenity, and wanted to use that. Imagine having trouble sleeping, for whatever reason, and you were brought here. Or had a chance to come. You'd probably pay for the privilege. Forgetfulness might be exploitable too, in case of say, a traumatic memory. (In fact, that would be ALL too easy to want to go to the Wood. Just suffered something traumatic that would give PTSD? The Wood can fix ALL of that, as you forget, and sleep, forever.)
C.S. Lewis had an Irish nurse as a child. She told him stories from Gaelic myth. One of the central stories is that of Oisin, an Irish prince who went away to the Otherworld with a Faery Queen. Oisin became homesick after a year and decided to go back. Only to discover that centuries had passed in his absence. This idea of time having different properties in different worlds is common in Irish cycles. There is even a version of the wood between the worlds. A place where time holds no sway at all - the veil made manifest. Later, as a theologian, this would've interested Lewis - for the same reason it had fascinated the Medieval monks who originally transcribed the legends. They were stuck on the paradox of God and time, and they had been since the 4th century. God transcended time, was outside of time, and not subject to its laws. Therefore God did not exist as such, not in any kind of knowable way. There was a quote by Lewis that summed it all up. I can't remember the exact words. He was an atheist for a while, and described how he was angry at God for not existing.
@@IntotheWardrobe As long as they don't butcher the 'Chronicles'... And I seriously hope they have Liam Nelson reprise his role as Aslan; I've only seen clips of the other films (the Corenation in LWW is my favorite) but those breif glimpses have cemented Aslan's voice as Liam Nelson in my head!
@@ZweimannImperiumin Tolkien's own legendarim Middle-earth is our world. It's a mythic past that eventually gives way to our real world history after Elves faded into the West, and Dwarves hid into their mines.
I always felt Uncle Andrew must have been a very underrated magician on some level. He's much maligned in the book as inferior and out of his depth, but creating those rings was no mean feat. Even Jadis never dreamed of that kind of magic, and relied on the rings to transport her around.
Turning the dust into rings is more of a mechanical process than a feat of magic - chemistry rather than alchemy. Potentially long, boring, focused work to separate the dust, and a degree of care in handling the materials, but no mystic skills required. The impressive part is how much he knew about what the rings did and how they worked, even if he drew a wrong conclusion based on the assumption that they connected to a single other world, rather than to an interstitial non-world. Of course, the big question there is how much of a hint he got along with the dust itself. The story that the box came from Atlantis suggests there may have been more to the oral history than just the city of origin, so he may have done no more than take an old legend seriously.
@@rmsgrey I think you're correct - Jadis is scathing of his non-magical lineage, and denounces him as a tinkerer that has no true feeling for magic. None the less, you have to admire his tenacity, even if he didn't truly understand what he was doing and killed a few harmless animals along the way!
@@mkeysou812 Considering his lack of aptitude, what he does achieve is impressive, but it's as a technician, not a magician. Like someone repairing and restoring a car rather than someone inventing the internal combustion engine. Still a lot of hard, careful work and requiring a level of skill, just a different category.
And diggory created the wardrobe from a tree grown from the Pit of the Apple from Narnia he had brought to his mom to heal her and the rings buried under the dirt . That’s how the wardrobe became a portal
Being both a huge Star Wars fan and a huge Narnia fan, I love that apparently Dave Filoni (the main creator behind _Clone Wars_ and _The Mandalorian_ ) actually based the "World Between Worlds" in the Star Wars _Rebels_ show off of the Wood Between the Worlds from Narnia. The Star Wars version is more of a place that exists outside of both time and space instead of being an in-between area separating parallel universes (at least based on what we know of it so far), but the general concept is pretty similar. I'm a big fan of Filoni's work on SW so it's pretty neat to know he's a Narnia fan as well
I remember such a feeling of *potential* when Digory and Polly figured out what those pools were, it's kind of a shame they only got to explore 2 new worlds and then Aslan made them bury the rings. It would be so exciting to systematically explore world after world - surely I wouldn't corrupt anything, accidentally spread Evil or exploit for my own benefit _too much_! Does Aslan really know best altruistically or does he just want to control the transdimensional highways? And if those pools are really infinite, how many worlds can he have a paw of influence in? You can imagine they could cover every fantasy world human's have created; the fun ones and the horrible Grimdark worlds (putting aside Lewis's ability to write Grimdark). You might just stumble into some HP Lovecraft nightmare! Or Maybe you'd appear in Screwtape's office, or Tash's realm. Who knows if it'd even be habitable - would you have time to switch rings? We're kind of conditioned to expect a grand adventure that improves our character - _destiny_ - and maybe that's true when Lewis is telling the story, and maybe that's why he couldn't tell it that way anymore and he buried the rings. But one hidden postscript the chronicles of Narnia I think is overlooked is: in the Last Battle *(spoilers),* the rings _were_ dug up! Peter had them and was going to give them to Eustace and Jill arriving by train, when it derailed and everyone died! So, I suppose, the Rings would be in dead Peter's pocket, waiting to cause mischief. Some (un)lucky policeman or coroner might be in for a huge Adventure, but chances are they'll be wearing gloves and Peter's possessions would be sent to Peter's living relatives, and the only one we know of who's still living is...Susan the unbeliever! This can't be coincidental right? Seems like the only reason Lewis would dig those rings up in a complicated exposition, and never mention them again. This was, I think, in case he decided to do an eighth book, it would be about Susan finding her way back after the tragic loss of _all of her family_ a ring would whisk her to a strange wood leading to... well not Narnia, unfortunately that's a dried-up hole, but potentailly anywhere else her destiny leads. I'd love to read that, but I'll have to imagine...
A really interesting line of thought, I must admit I never gave any consideration to what could have happened to those rings after the events of the Last Battle. Then again, this is not the only point where Lewis left us on threshold of yet another story - untold by him, but prodding our imagination to undertake the journey. Just like Michael Ende in his Neverending Story: “But that is another story and shall be told another time.”
@@sergeygladkikh8520 Thanks - good reference to Neverending Story, I just reread that for the 3rd time and it's still amazing. I never hear anyone mention this connection, and It'd be nice if the people who think Susan was treated unfairly (and to some extent I agree because it's all handled briefly and told second-hand) would realize that events were lined up for something fantastic to happen to happen to her. Don't know that it'd be an easy reconciliation, but it seems it would naturally force her to reexamine those "children stories" she played with her siblings.
Finally someone with the same theory, I always tougth that the rings not being use as intended was the secret way Lewis gave us a hint of what migth happend to Susan and the nexts novels.
Cheers @@ijimenez1951! I always imagined that when the Last Battle gets adapted at last, there'd be a final scene with Susan grieving the loss of her family and collecting their personal effects - some small measure the film makers could take to handle "the problem of Susan" - to do much after that would probably get too speculative/fan-fiction.
The Wood between Worlds inspired the World between Worlds in the Star Wars cartoon series Star Wars Rebels. Good to see other creators like Dave Filoni paying homage to Narnia.
Thanks for sharing that. I didn't know that Dave Filoni based the World between Worlds on Narnia. That is awesome to know. I loved that episode of Rebels.
I honestly never been able to forget the "woods between worlds". Maybe it the Infinity possibly, multiverse theory, or hints at true existence. To me it defines true existence. As Aslan says I have a different name in your world.
Lewis borrowed numerous elements from Edith Nesbit's children's stories. In The Enchanted Castle we read : '...but as he went along the dewey lawns and through the groups of shrubs and trees, where pools like giant glasses reflecting the quiet stars...' And on a ramble in a wood as a young man Lewis noted pools between the trees. ( See published Letters ).
The Wood actually helped inspire me about the nature of the multiverse. How it’s all connected, but more importantly the why. I believe The Wood may actually be linked to the branches of Yggdrasil, the World Tree. The cosmos as a whole. All worlds are interconnected. And perhaps…they may even have been one in a forgotten age.
The Wood is the whole grove of Yggdrasils, but the heroes can only travel into lower realms by the pools. I had a dream once i was escaping of some sort of dinosaurs climbing a huge tree and as i reached the top of the tree i found the top touches some kind of world ceiling and a friendly goblin like creature is picking mollusks and he said oh hello pal join me and we can sell them for a good price.😂😂
When I was a kid, I absolutely loved The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton. Although it's definitely meant for younger readers than the Narnia books, it kind of takes this concept further, because the kids there visit so many different lands. I remember our teacher used to read a chapter every day before home time, and we would all look forward to it.
Of all the Narnia books. I've read "The Magician's Nephew" to my sons (when they were children years ago) and to myself many times. It's only recently that it dawned on me that this story, in particular, could easily be used to describe the experience of liminal spaces. Although one's personal experience may vary. The description of the woods between the worlds, Charn, even the spaces above Polly and Diggory's homes all shared characteristics of liminal spaces.
Middle-earth is actually our Earth, but during an ancient time period. Tolkien intended for his legendarium to be a sort of alternate British mythology, just like how the Norse and Greek people had their own mythologies.
The possibilities are endless whether it be Middle Earth, Westoros, a world where Rome never fell, the Axis powers were victorious, a Southern victory, even a world where Gotham City existed, or the Marvel Universe.
Just as an addendum : This seems to share a particularity with the woods where memories are lost, in Through The Looking Glass And What Alice Found There.
Great video! While watching, you made me think about Nitrogen Narcosis, which is an effect SCUBA divers must deal with when diving into deep water. The dangers you listed and the experiences of those who went into the Wood Between the Worlds sounds exactly like some of the effects of Nitrogen Narcosis, including even an explanation as to why Jadis was unable to remember her time there! Perhaps her physiology made her more susceptible to the Nitrogen Narcosis effects, whereas Diggory and Poly had a higher tolerance due to being from a planet with a higher pressure atmosphere. Food for thought!
lightly related to this subject of exploring other worlds; I remember in The Dawn Treader, Prince Capsian was elated to hear Lucy, Eustace, and Edmund came from a world shaped like a ball.
I grew up reading Narnia, and loved it but since had forgotten most of the details. But having watched your videos recently really thought back a lot of good memories. I'm gonna have to reread the books soon. Can't wait for part two!
My idea is that it’s the almost exact opposite of Janis. The wood is extreme calm, peace, and orderly chaos, and Janis was temperamental and a force of destructive chaos. I believe that there maybe a fourth danger of the woods. One that repels or harms those that would disturb peace. This may exist as a way to protect the other worlds from evils that may escape their own world. Possibly if the children hadn’t brought Janis out of the woods it may have done something to her in the long run. In Christian terms the woods could be seen as just standing right before the golden gates awaiting judgement and to be sent to the world (Heaven, Hell, or Limbo) that you deserve.
@@IntotheWardrobe It was a place of peace, and peace might be something really alien to the nature of Jadis. She must have felt like a torch thrust into a bucket of water in that wood...
@@IntotheWardrobe I feel it’s a place of true neutrality. Jadis, with her lust for power and reliance on the subordination of others, was revealed as her true self in the Wood Between the Worlds.
@@laurafergs88 well given that the Jadis killed her own sister and committed genocide on the entire population of Charn just to be queen and the woods between worlds are filled with so much peace it makes you complacent, being in the woods might've been like stepping into a poisonous gas chamber for Jadis.
Can you imagine finding someone who's been sleeping there for thousands of years, with roots and moss growing over them. They would have know idea who they are or which pool they came from.
I challenged myself to read the entire series of 7 books 7 times when I was seven, and this is by far the most fascinating concept for me. There are so many things about our realm that can be tied to this concept. Shasta's world was a close 2nd, due to it's contrast and close proximity to Narnia.
Will you mention the ether-like vacuum or outer space type realm that you pass through when going between the wood and each world? You can sometimes see celestial bodies while in this realm. Remember, it does take some time to travel between each world and the wood and vice versa, because Digory and Polly had time to switch rings while in this vacuum or ether-like realm.
Just realised Primeval made their own version of this. Primeval was a show about time travel, mostly animals from the past coming to the present day, but at one point there was an anomaly which lead to what one character called the spaghetti junction of anomalies. It wasnt a wood, but a lovely looking grassy area. I wonder if they were inspired by this.
Been a long time since I've read the Magicians Nephew, so I might have this wrong. It is interesting when Digory and company came through the last time, they didn't go to the wood between the worlds. The end up in complete darkness and Narnia was born. I wonder why... It is my favorite creation story. Love these videos. Keep them coming!!
I imagine, other than because Aslan (Jesus) wanted them to, that when they entered the Wood Between Worlds that they landed in the newly forming puddle of Narnia, and immediately got sucked up.
Hey! They actually did come through the wood! They were trying to get the witch back to Charn and accidentally took the wrong pool into the new world of Narnia. I 100% agree that the creation of Narnia is super cool. I find it super colourful. Have a blessed day :)
You have no idea how much I enjoyed rewatching all of these ❤❤❤ My gosh! I never felt so adventurous while watching a vid. The narrator is very good at describing the images, too. Love it so, so, so much! 😊 God bless you❤
I bet you that the Wood Between the Worlds inspired the creation of many universes/realities in the Marvel and DC comics respectively, which became known as the multiverse in most Marvel comics, TV series, and movies.
Marvel copied off of DC's homework. Marvel's more known now but DC were the architects and construction workers of the fictional multiverse style that Marvel now uses.
Hi! The Wood b/w the Worlds has always been very special to me.. I use it as a place to 'visit' when undergoing pain , such as in the dentist chair .. I have done this my whole life & have it down to a fine art now. TMN has always been my fave Narnia book , for loads of reasons. I haven't seen most of your videos, but I assume you are familiar with The Narnia Code film??
Very good video with some interesting insights that I'd never considered about the Woods between Worlds. Well done. Glad to hear from you again man. I was beginning to worry the channel might be forgotten. Can't wait to see what you show us in the next video. As a side note, you might want to make some quick and easy videos just so there's a bit more to see on you channel. Might I suggest character histories? Men of the West (a Lord of the Rings channel) does something similar, and I think you could make some very good Narnia ones here. Just throwing it out there. Looking forward to whatever you bring us next.
@@IntotheWardrobe Maybe you could do something about some Telmarine characters? I am very interested in Telmar and its inhabitants. Anyway, your voice is so suitable for this content. I am glad I discovered this channel, I already understand the Chronicles so much better!
I remember when they used something like The Wood Between the World in and series The Magicians. I thought it was clever, funny, and that someone was a huge Narnia fan. If you don’t know what I mean try watching the TV series that is available on Netflix or purchase it on Amazon Prime.
@@IntotheWardrobe yesss please check it out. The books are really good and a bit campy but the show really just took that campiness to another level. Let Grossman took a lot from Narnia he even had to rename it to fillory so he didn’t have publishing issues. I love your character break downs and would love to hear them for the Magicians Books.
Beautiful ilustrations, really good job! I love this part about the wood between worlds, is amazingly temptating! So much possibilities... Funny to read and talk about a Narnia multiverse nowdays😄
"It didn't even exist in any world itself." While that's true, I always thought of it as more of the "Magician's version of space." It's completely silent, yet you can almost FEEL everything around you. Sounds like how people describe when they're in space. It just always seemed like ALL of those worlds, as different as each of their rules might be, could've existed in the same universe. The Woods were just the Magical side of how to travel to them, rather than take the longer scientific way.
I'm not good with fan theories, but something that struck me about the wood between the world is that it kinda reminds me of the weirdwood network from A Song of Ice and Fire. The way that the trees are described, the whole idea of connecting different worlds made me think about how people hooked to the network are able to see events happening across time and space. This is getting into really tinfoil-y territory, but it would be really intriguing if there were some... Supernatural will or being that gave birth to this world between worlds, not necessarily a god, but something.
This is my first time hearing about this and it’s fascinating. It actually makes me think of Buddhist Nivarna. I think the woods between the worlds (such a cool name) would be considered a kind of Nivarna where if you stay to long you become content to stay there forever as you’ve escaped the cycle of desire & suffering. Though I presume you may still die so it’s not a perfect analogy. But if due to magic you can’t die while there that would be a permanent escape from the cycle of death & rebirth. And again escape suffering
I don’t know if any of you remember the show LOST. I remember reading that the creators were big fans of Narnia. Somehow I like to imagine that show somehow being connected. I feel like the island in that show could’ve sent someone to the wood between the worlds. I believe that the people of Atlantis must’ve found a similar path to the wood between the world and found a way to travel back and forth. That is why the lost city was such an advanced civilization.
I'm reminded of the A. A. Milne poem "Halfway Down": Halfway down the stairs there's a place where I stop/It isn't at the bottom, it isn't at the top/ It isn't in the nursery, it isn't in the town/ . . . /It isn't really anywhere, it's somewhere else instead.
I speak Spanish, but I use a way to understand the video and I love your content, it is fantastic that they talk in more depth about the world of Narnia that has so many mysteries to discover !!! I congratulate you for such incredible content♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
I am curious to the video where you dive into the origin of the dust and how it came to the world of Earth in the first place! Hope you post it soon, looking forward! ❤
How can you be in eternity and not bored? " " That was what it felt like- as if one had always been in that place and never been bored although nothing had ever happened"
Great content! Finally a Narnia quality channel! Maybe a book recap series would be an idea? It has been so long ago that ive read the books but I do not have the time to read it all!
They are SUPER short. Last time I reread them, I was done faster than I thought I’d be. And they’re really easy to follow so I was able to ready little pieces at a time.
Amazing imagination based on reality! I am so thankful for C.S.Lewis legacy! But most of all I am thankful and excited for God’s imagination that he dared to create us and put us into this world to make our free choices jumping in different pools
what if for all it's wonder the wood between the worlds is just a small back garden in aslans country like "heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool " vibe
I love your videos! They are all so interesting and well edited. It great to see people talking about one of my fav series. Also, where do you find those pretty artworks??
Sounds a lot like the realm of magic from the cartoon Star vs the forces of evil. I wouldn't be surprised if it was based on this wood between the realms. If you haven't seen it, little weird. The first season comes off as manic; but later seasons have some good stories and villains. Lots of dimension hopping.
hi! so glad you're back. I think it would be great if you made video about lilliandil, her character (which is more explained in the books than in the movies) and her relationship with Caspian and other characters!
Something I always assumed when reading the Magician's Nephew was that The Wood essentially had an automated defence against would-be invaders. Because think about it: a world hub would be a powerful asset for any military superpower, so The Wood's passivity and neutrality is weaponized against all who find their way into it, in proportion to the state of their own hearts. Peaceful people like Digory, Polly and Frank only feel drowsy, while violent and ambitious people like Jadis are literally suffocated and prevented from even recalling that such a place existed after they leave.
Good observation
It seems to force serenity onto all who visit, so those who are tortured internally have an adverse reaction.
You know, that does sound plausible. It also makes me wonder, can The Wood defend itself against those who'd exploit it? Sure, you talk about a military conquest. That's one thing. But what I mean is like....imagine if someone felt the serenity, and wanted to use that. Imagine having trouble sleeping, for whatever reason, and you were brought here. Or had a chance to come. You'd probably pay for the privilege. Forgetfulness might be exploitable too, in case of say, a traumatic memory. (In fact, that would be ALL too easy to want to go to the Wood. Just suffered something traumatic that would give PTSD? The Wood can fix ALL of that, as you forget, and sleep, forever.)
You do have imagination, the good kind of imagination, perhaps you should consider writing more for the people
I believe that Jadis kept it in tact but she was in like a Coma-like state
@@critter30002001 and that’s what that sweet smell was for to make anyone who would try to harm the woods feel instantly sleepy and fall asleep
I'll be honest, when I was a kid I wanted to explore the wood between worlds even more than places in Narnia. It sounds so beautiful and peaceful
I wanted to go as a place to relax.
I have to agree 💚
@@heatherL4834 I wanted to go to the attic and drink a quiet bottle of ginger beer like Polly
C.S. Lewis had an Irish nurse as a child. She told him stories from Gaelic myth. One of the central stories is that of Oisin, an Irish prince who went away to the Otherworld with a Faery Queen. Oisin became homesick after a year and decided to go back. Only to discover that centuries had passed in his absence. This idea of time having different properties in different worlds is common in Irish cycles. There is even a version of the wood between the worlds. A place where time holds no sway at all - the veil made manifest. Later, as a theologian, this would've interested Lewis - for the same reason it had fascinated the Medieval monks who originally transcribed the legends. They were stuck on the paradox of God and time, and they had been since the 4th century. God transcended time, was outside of time, and not subject to its laws. Therefore God did not exist as such, not in any kind of knowable way. There was a quote by Lewis that summed it all up. I can't remember the exact words. He was an atheist for a while, and described how he was angry at God for not existing.
I'm dying to see a Magician's Nephew film.
I would definitely put money on this being the first book covered in the Netflix Narnia series.
@@IntotheWardrobe As long as they don't butcher the 'Chronicles'...
And I seriously hope they have Liam Nelson reprise his role as Aslan; I've only seen clips of the other films (the Corenation in LWW is my favorite) but those breif glimpses have cemented Aslan's voice as Liam Nelson in my head!
@@IntotheWardrobe I would want The horse and his boy to be the first movie in the Netflix adaptation
I can't describe to you how elated I was to find a channel like this. Narnian lore is slept on, and deserves the spotlight. Never stop posting!!
@ Benjo Banjo ... I 100 💯 percent agree!
The only complaint I ever had about the Narnia books - we didn't get to dive into more pools :(
In my head-canon middle-earth is inside one of them.
@@ZweimannImperiumagreed
And personally i think gimli would bow before aslan out of love and service
My head cannon Harry Potter middle earth Narnia OUAT series Disney and KH Final fantasy all are in these pools
@@ZweimannImperiumin Tolkien's own legendarim Middle-earth is our world. It's a mythic past that eventually gives way to our real world history after Elves faded into the West, and Dwarves hid into their mines.
Great to see a new ITW vid pop up on my phone! 🙌
Thanks for hanging with me!
@@IntotheWardrobe you two are like the Tolkien and Lewis of TH-cam vids. Love your work!
@@SGallagher-dh2hq lots more parallels there than you might know! I'll say this, I'm definitely the chubby one. :-)
I always felt Uncle Andrew must have been a very underrated magician on some level. He's much maligned in the book as inferior and out of his depth, but creating those rings was no mean feat. Even Jadis never dreamed of that kind of magic, and relied on the rings to transport her around.
Turning the dust into rings is more of a mechanical process than a feat of magic - chemistry rather than alchemy. Potentially long, boring, focused work to separate the dust, and a degree of care in handling the materials, but no mystic skills required.
The impressive part is how much he knew about what the rings did and how they worked, even if he drew a wrong conclusion based on the assumption that they connected to a single other world, rather than to an interstitial non-world. Of course, the big question there is how much of a hint he got along with the dust itself. The story that the box came from Atlantis suggests there may have been more to the oral history than just the city of origin, so he may have done no more than take an old legend seriously.
@@rmsgrey I think you're correct - Jadis is scathing of his non-magical lineage, and denounces him as a tinkerer that has no true feeling for magic. None the less, you have to admire his tenacity, even if he didn't truly understand what he was doing and killed a few harmless animals along the way!
@@mkeysou812 Considering his lack of aptitude, what he does achieve is impressive, but it's as a technician, not a magician. Like someone repairing and restoring a car rather than someone inventing the internal combustion engine. Still a lot of hard, careful work and requiring a level of skill, just a different category.
And diggory created the wardrobe from a tree grown from the Pit of the Apple from Narnia he had brought to his mom to heal her and the rings buried under the dirt .
That’s how the wardrobe became a portal
Being both a huge Star Wars fan and a huge Narnia fan, I love that apparently Dave Filoni (the main creator behind _Clone Wars_ and _The Mandalorian_ ) actually based the "World Between Worlds" in the Star Wars _Rebels_ show off of the Wood Between the Worlds from Narnia. The Star Wars version is more of a place that exists outside of both time and space instead of being an in-between area separating parallel universes (at least based on what we know of it so far), but the general concept is pretty similar. I'm a big fan of Filoni's work on SW so it's pretty neat to know he's a Narnia fan as well
I was actually wondering about this thanks for sharing!
Yeah... I don’t care much for Filonis work. The whole multiverse thing just doesn’t fot Star Wars.
I remember such a feeling of *potential* when Digory and Polly figured out what those pools were, it's kind of a shame they only got to explore 2 new worlds and then Aslan made them bury the rings. It would be so exciting to systematically explore world after world - surely I wouldn't corrupt anything, accidentally spread Evil or exploit for my own benefit _too much_! Does Aslan really know best altruistically or does he just want to control the transdimensional highways? And if those pools are really infinite, how many worlds can he have a paw of influence in?
You can imagine they could cover every fantasy world human's have created; the fun ones and the horrible Grimdark worlds (putting aside Lewis's ability to write Grimdark). You might just stumble into some HP Lovecraft nightmare! Or Maybe you'd appear in Screwtape's office, or Tash's realm. Who knows if it'd even be habitable - would you have time to switch rings? We're kind of conditioned to expect a grand adventure that improves our character - _destiny_ - and maybe that's true when Lewis is telling the story, and maybe that's why he couldn't tell it that way anymore and he buried the rings.
But one hidden postscript the chronicles of Narnia I think is overlooked is: in the Last Battle *(spoilers),* the rings _were_ dug up! Peter had them and was going to give them to Eustace and Jill arriving by train, when it derailed and everyone died! So, I suppose, the Rings would be in dead Peter's pocket, waiting to cause mischief. Some (un)lucky policeman or coroner might be in for a huge Adventure, but chances are they'll be wearing gloves and Peter's possessions would be sent to Peter's living relatives, and the only one we know of who's still living is...Susan the unbeliever! This can't be coincidental right? Seems like the only reason Lewis would dig those rings up in a complicated exposition, and never mention them again. This was, I think, in case he decided to do an eighth book, it would be about Susan finding her way back after the tragic loss of _all of her family_ a ring would whisk her to a strange wood leading to... well not Narnia, unfortunately that's a dried-up hole, but potentailly anywhere else her destiny leads. I'd love to read that, but I'll have to imagine...
A really interesting line of thought, I must admit I never gave any consideration to what could have happened to those rings after the events of the Last Battle. Then again, this is not the only point where Lewis left us on threshold of yet another story - untold by him, but prodding our imagination to undertake the journey. Just like Michael Ende in his Neverending Story: “But that is another story and shall be told another time.”
@@sergeygladkikh8520 Thanks - good reference to Neverending Story, I just reread that for the 3rd time and it's still amazing.
I never hear anyone mention this connection, and It'd be nice if the people who think Susan was treated unfairly (and to some extent I agree because it's all handled briefly and told second-hand) would realize that events were lined up for something fantastic to happen to happen to her. Don't know that it'd be an easy reconciliation, but it seems it would naturally force her to reexamine those "children stories" she played with her siblings.
I heard once that he had begun a book on Susan, dealing with her redemption, but he, unfortunately, died before he got much written.
Finally someone with the same theory, I always tougth that the rings not being use as intended was the secret way Lewis gave us a hint of what migth happend to Susan and the nexts novels.
Cheers @@ijimenez1951! I always imagined that when the Last Battle gets adapted at last, there'd be a final scene with Susan grieving the loss of her family and collecting their personal effects - some small measure the film makers could take to handle "the problem of Susan" - to do much after that would probably get too speculative/fan-fiction.
The Wood between Worlds inspired the World between Worlds in the Star Wars cartoon series Star Wars Rebels. Good to see other creators like Dave Filoni paying homage to Narnia.
Thanks for sharing that. I didn't know that Dave Filoni based the World between Worlds on Narnia. That is awesome to know. I loved that episode of Rebels.
Who said they ain't the same forest...
CS Lewis doing mutliverses stuff before it was cool hahahaha love this channel and the discussion. Awesome vid!
I honestly never been able to forget the "woods between worlds". Maybe it the Infinity possibly, multiverse theory, or hints at true existence.
To me it defines true existence. As Aslan says I have a different name in your world.
Aka Jesus Christ
This was always my favorite part of the whole series. So surreal...
Lewis borrowed numerous elements from Edith Nesbit's children's stories.
In The Enchanted Castle we read : '...but as he went along the dewey lawns and through the groups of shrubs and trees, where pools like giant glasses reflecting the quiet stars...'
And on a ramble in a wood as a young man Lewis noted pools between the trees. ( See published Letters ).
The Wood actually helped inspire me about the nature of the multiverse. How it’s all connected, but more importantly the why. I believe The Wood may actually be linked to the branches of Yggdrasil, the World Tree. The cosmos as a whole. All worlds are interconnected. And perhaps…they may even have been one in a forgotten age.
That’s why I believe in the multiverse it’s totally possible and u can’t tell me it ain’t possible
The Wood is the whole grove of Yggdrasils, but the heroes can only travel into lower realms by the pools. I had a dream once i was escaping of some sort of dinosaurs climbing a huge tree and as i reached the top of the tree i found the top touches some kind of world ceiling and a friendly goblin like creature is picking mollusks and he said oh hello pal join me and we can sell them for a good price.😂😂
That ending monologue hit me hard.
it seems so peaceful yet so scary
When I was a kid, I absolutely loved The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton. Although it's definitely meant for younger readers than the Narnia books, it kind of takes this concept further, because the kids there visit so many different lands. I remember our teacher used to read a chapter every day before home time, and we would all look forward to it.
As a person who loves literature, I love the fact that in every video there's always a life reflection......❤️❤️❤️
Hey man, so glad you're back! I've really missed your videos :) hope you're doing ok!
Thanks! I must have gotten lost in the wardrobe!
Of all the Narnia books. I've read "The Magician's Nephew" to my sons (when they were children years ago) and to myself many times. It's only recently that it dawned on me that this story, in particular, could easily be used to describe the experience of liminal spaces. Although one's personal experience may vary. The description of the woods between the worlds, Charn, even the spaces above Polly and Diggory's homes all shared characteristics of liminal spaces.
Perhaps one of these Pools could lead to Middle-Earth?
Middle-earth is actually our Earth, but during an ancient time period. Tolkien intended for his legendarium to be a sort of alternate British mythology, just like how the Norse and Greek people had their own mythologies.
This comment made me feel warm inside. Those friends have surely found each other again, and they gave so much to our world while they were here.
The possibilities are endless whether it be Middle Earth, Westoros, a world where Rome never fell, the Axis powers were victorious, a Southern victory, even a world where Gotham City existed, or the Marvel Universe.
@@Bauglir100 if it's alternate, it's not our Earth. In this world, there are no elves, no dwarves, no hobbits.
@@ElanaVital83 This would be many, many thousands of years ago. The other races are all gone, so it's just humans now.
I feel like ive been in the wood between the world's for the last year.😀
WBW is sooo 2020!
Me too, and I LOVE it! Liminal spaces are unspeakably beautiful 🤩
Lol!
@@IntotheWardrobe me too I want to escape my own life but I don’t know how
As a kid I always imagined you could get to like Middle Earth or Star Wars through one of those pools
Maybe you can!
Just as an addendum : This seems to share a particularity with the woods where memories are lost, in Through The Looking Glass And What Alice Found There.
Interesting, I've never come across that connection. I look forward to finding out more about it.
Great video! While watching, you made me think about Nitrogen Narcosis, which is an effect SCUBA divers must deal with when diving into deep water. The dangers you listed and the experiences of those who went into the Wood Between the Worlds sounds exactly like some of the effects of Nitrogen Narcosis, including even an explanation as to why Jadis was unable to remember her time there! Perhaps her physiology made her more susceptible to the Nitrogen Narcosis effects, whereas Diggory and Poly had a higher tolerance due to being from a planet with a higher pressure atmosphere. Food for thought!
Wow! That's incredible! Thanks for the contribution!
lightly related to this subject of exploring other worlds; I remember in The Dawn Treader, Prince Capsian was elated to hear Lucy, Eustace, and Edmund came from a world shaped like a ball.
finally someone talks about this! God bless you
I grew up reading Narnia, and loved it but since had forgotten most of the details. But having watched your videos recently really thought back a lot of good memories. I'm gonna have to reread the books soon.
Can't wait for part two!
I was a Twilight saga fan and Hunger games fan I grew up on those books
I would really like to understand why the wood has such a bad impact on Jadis.
You make great videos, I just wanna say.
Me too! Any theories? Might be worth exploring in part 2....
My idea is that it’s the almost exact opposite of Janis. The wood is extreme calm, peace, and orderly chaos, and Janis was temperamental and a force of destructive chaos. I believe that there maybe a fourth danger of the woods. One that repels or harms those that would disturb peace. This may exist as a way to protect the other worlds from evils that may escape their own world. Possibly if the children hadn’t brought Janis out of the woods it may have done something to her in the long run.
In Christian terms the woods could be seen as just standing right before the golden gates awaiting judgement and to be sent to the world (Heaven, Hell, or Limbo) that you deserve.
@@IntotheWardrobe It was a place of peace, and peace might be something really alien to the nature of Jadis. She must have felt like a torch thrust into a bucket of water in that wood...
@@IntotheWardrobe I feel it’s a place of true neutrality. Jadis, with her lust for power and reliance on the subordination of others, was revealed as her true self in the Wood Between the Worlds.
@@laurafergs88 well given that the Jadis killed her own sister and committed genocide on the entire population of Charn just to be queen and the woods between worlds are filled with so much peace it makes you complacent, being in the woods might've been like stepping into a poisonous gas chamber for Jadis.
Can you imagine finding someone who's been sleeping there for thousands of years, with roots and moss growing over them. They would have know idea who they are or which pool they came from.
I challenged myself to read the entire series of 7 books 7 times when I was seven, and this is by far the most fascinating concept for me. There are so many things about our realm that can be tied to this concept. Shasta's world was a close 2nd, due to it's contrast and close proximity to Narnia.
Will you mention the ether-like vacuum or outer space type realm that you pass through when going between the wood and each world? You can sometimes see celestial bodies while in this realm.
Remember, it does take some time to travel between each world and the wood and vice versa, because Digory and Polly had time to switch rings while in this vacuum or ether-like realm.
It should definitely be mentioned!
It reminds me of the process of travel in Pan, the prequel to Peter Pan
Incredible video! So glad you’re back at it! Can’t wait for part two!
Thanks for watching! ;-)
Just realised Primeval made their own version of this. Primeval was a show about time travel, mostly animals from the past coming to the present day, but at one point there was an anomaly which lead to what one character called the spaghetti junction of anomalies. It wasnt a wood, but a lovely looking grassy area. I wonder if they were inspired by this.
I never thought of connecting those specific dotes before. Nice catch
Been a long time since I've read the Magicians Nephew, so I might have this wrong. It is interesting when Digory and company came through the last time, they didn't go to the wood between the worlds. The end up in complete darkness and Narnia was born. I wonder why... It is my favorite creation story. Love these videos. Keep them coming!!
I imagine, other than because Aslan (Jesus) wanted them to, that when they entered the Wood Between Worlds that they landed in the newly forming puddle of Narnia, and immediately got sucked up.
Hey! They actually did come through the wood! They were trying to get the witch back to Charn and accidentally took the wrong pool into the new world of Narnia.
I 100% agree that the creation of Narnia is super cool. I find it super colourful.
Have a blessed day :)
I love the creepy stillness of the woods
You have no idea how much I enjoyed rewatching all of these ❤❤❤ My gosh! I never felt so adventurous while watching a vid. The narrator is very good at describing the images, too. Love it so, so, so much! 😊 God bless you❤
You should do a video about the emperor beyond the sea. He’s always been a character that has really intrigued me
This chapter always captivated me as a kid -- my friends and I even had a DnD campaign based around this place.
I wish Disney had made this into a movie instead of Prince Caspian.
Epic comeback, I love it!
I bet you that the Wood Between the Worlds inspired the creation of many universes/realities in the Marvel and DC comics respectively, which became known as the multiverse in most Marvel comics, TV series, and movies.
Marvel copied off of DC's homework. Marvel's more known now but DC were the architects and construction workers of the fictional multiverse style that Marvel now uses.
Was waiting for a new upload. Welcome back
Love this I really enjoy Narnia thanks for making these videos
There's obviously a *lot* of care that's gone into this video.
Very well done ✨
Listening to the sound of the wood growing is one of my wonderful imaginations 😊
Hi! The Wood b/w the Worlds has always been very special to me.. I use it as a place to 'visit' when undergoing pain , such as in the dentist chair .. I have done this my whole life & have it down to a fine art now. TMN has always been my fave Narnia book , for loads of reasons. I haven't seen most of your videos, but I assume you are familiar with The Narnia Code film??
Always love watching these videos!! Definite highlight of my day
This and the chapter about Charn are some of my favourite chapters ever written by C.S. Lewis.
Very good video with some interesting insights that I'd never considered about the Woods between Worlds. Well done.
Glad to hear from you again man. I was beginning to worry the channel might be forgotten. Can't wait to see what you show us in the next video.
As a side note, you might want to make some quick and easy videos just so there's a bit more to see on you channel. Might I suggest character histories? Men of the West (a Lord of the Rings channel) does something similar, and I think you could make some very good Narnia ones here. Just throwing it out there. Looking forward to whatever you bring us next.
Thanks for the tip. I definitely need some shorter content to add between these larger pieces. I'll check it out!
@@IntotheWardrobe Maybe you could do something about some Telmarine characters? I am very interested in Telmar and its inhabitants.
Anyway, your voice is so suitable for this content. I am glad I discovered this channel, I already understand the Chronicles so much better!
Finally a new uptade. Really looking foward for the next one
im so happy to see a new video it brought so much excitement to see it pop up
I remember when they used something like The Wood Between the World in and series The Magicians. I thought it was clever, funny, and that someone was a huge Narnia fan.
If you don’t know what I mean try watching the TV series that is available on Netflix or purchase it on Amazon Prime.
Intriguing! I'll definitely check it out.
@@IntotheWardrobe yesss please check it out. The books are really good and a bit campy but the show really just took that campiness to another level. Let Grossman took a lot from Narnia he even had to rename it to fillory so he didn’t have publishing issues. I love your character break downs and would love to hear them for the Magicians Books.
Beautiful ilustrations, really good job!
I love this part about the wood between worlds, is amazingly temptating! So much possibilities...
Funny to read and talk about a Narnia multiverse nowdays😄
"It didn't even exist in any world itself." While that's true, I always thought of it as more of the "Magician's version of space."
It's completely silent, yet you can almost FEEL everything around you. Sounds like how people describe when they're in space.
It just always seemed like ALL of those worlds, as different as each of their rules might be, could've existed in the same universe. The Woods were just the Magical side of how to travel to them, rather than take the longer scientific way.
Wake up babe, Into the Wardrobe uploaded
Ha! Maybe my favorite comment ever!
Really happy to see another one of your videos. It was a long wait but it was worth it! Hope you can keep it up!
I'd love to publish some fan ideas in part two! What are some of your favorite theories or questions about the Wood Between the Worlds?
I'm sure Tolkien would hate it, but am I the only one who thinks that Middle Earth might be at the bottom of one of those pools?
I'm not good with fan theories, but something that struck me about the wood between the world is that it kinda reminds me of the weirdwood network from A Song of Ice and Fire. The way that the trees are described, the whole idea of connecting different worlds made me think about how people hooked to the network are able to see events happening across time and space. This is getting into really tinfoil-y territory, but it would be really intriguing if there were some... Supernatural will or being that gave birth to this world between worlds, not necessarily a god, but something.
Yes, he would...and yes, I do! :-)
This is my first time hearing about this and it’s fascinating.
It actually makes me think of Buddhist Nivarna.
I think the woods between the worlds (such a cool name) would be considered a kind of Nivarna where if you stay to long you become content to stay there forever as you’ve escaped the cycle of desire & suffering.
Though I presume you may still die so it’s not a perfect analogy.
But if due to magic you can’t die while there that would be a permanent escape from the cycle of death & rebirth. And again escape suffering
@@artsman412 i think to
The Wood Between the Worlds is literally a grove of Worldtrees.
I can hardly wait til the next episode. This channel and series as a whole has changed me for the better🥲 thank you
this is basically the nexus to the multiverse that Narnia is a part of.
Right on.
Waited almost a month for this, nice to see my dude back at it again.
Sounds like Lewis exploring the dangers of escapism and seclusion
Oooh that’s a cool idea!
This place is more real, like a physical description of a state of mind.
This is great! Hope this channel gets it's deserved recognition!
Thanks man, & I appreciated the analogy at the end. GOD bless you
Maybe the wood between the worlds had portals that accessed places in C. S. Lewis' Space Trilogy books, like Malacandra.
C.S. Lewis invented the first video game hub, decades before video games were even a thing.
I don’t know if any of you remember the show LOST. I remember reading that the creators were big fans of Narnia. Somehow I like to imagine that show somehow being connected. I feel like the island in that show could’ve sent someone to the wood between the worlds. I believe that the people of Atlantis must’ve found a similar path to the wood between the world and found a way to travel back and forth. That is why the lost city was such an advanced civilization.
Awesome Man! I enjoyed this!
I'm reminded of the A. A. Milne poem "Halfway Down":
Halfway down the stairs there's a place where I stop/It isn't at the bottom, it isn't at the top/ It isn't in the nursery, it isn't in the town/ . . . /It isn't really anywhere, it's somewhere else instead.
I love that!
I speak Spanish, but I use a way to understand the video and I love your content, it is fantastic that they talk in more depth about the world of Narnia that has so many mysteries to discover !!! I congratulate you for such incredible content♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Hola yo hablo también español pero no puedo entender los videos es
I am curious to the video where you dive into the origin of the dust and how it came to the world of Earth in the first place! Hope you post it soon, looking forward! ❤
Loved this and looking forward to going deeper into this with you.
Thank you! Further up and further in!
The various illustrations you use are really great, very much enjoy your videos.
Can you do a video about The Emperor (“God”)
How can you be in eternity and not bored? "
" That was what it felt like- as if one had always been in that place and never been bored
although nothing had ever happened"
I once had an idea of forging a green and yellow ring of both elements so that one could come and go between worlds as they pleased
Such a great video! You explain such confusing topics so well, I just discovered your channel and am now a big fan!! :)
Really enjoyed this video can’t wait for the next one keep up the good work 😊
Great content! Finally a Narnia quality channel!
Maybe a book recap series would be an idea? It has been so long ago that ive read the books but I do not have the time to read it all!
They are SUPER short. Last time I reread them, I was done faster than I thought I’d be. And they’re really easy to follow so I was able to ready little pieces at a time.
Welcome back stud! Thanks again for the quality content
Ha! Blushing! Glad to be back!
Amazing imagination based on reality! I am so thankful for C.S.Lewis legacy! But most of all I am thankful and excited for God’s imagination that he dared to create us and put us into this world to make our free choices jumping in different pools
I love your graphic of the little rings that show up with different iconic things of Narnia in them.
Yes your back :)
This is such a underrated channel that brings me so much joy
Great video. I was hoping you would be posting again soon.
what if for all it's wonder the wood between the worlds is just a small back garden in aslans country like "heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool " vibe
I wish Lewis write books about other worlds
I love your videos! They are all so interesting and well edited. It great to see people talking about one of my fav series. Also, where do you find those pretty artworks??
I was the one who posted that comment on stack exchange.... the wood between worlds has been on my mind for many years
Wow! So glad you found this video! Thanks so much for letting us know.
Absolutely love these!!! They teach a valuable lesson too! 👌🏽
That's my hope! Glad you pick up on that! Thanks for watching.
@@IntotheWardrobe A hope well hoped for! My pleasure 😇
CS Lewis understand the spiritual realms, and he explains it to us all in children books.
Sounds a lot like the realm of magic from the cartoon Star vs the forces of evil. I wouldn't be surprised if it was based on this wood between the realms.
If you haven't seen it, little weird. The first season comes off as manic; but later seasons have some good stories and villains. Lots of dimension hopping.
Great video can't wait for part 2!
Wow!!!! Im in a place of transition at the moment and I know you were talking about the book but goodness that was a timely word there at the end
This is cool lore such fantasy that doesn’t go beyond the imagination inside of that forest
Just my opinion but I think that in the Narnia series each pool is portal to another world. In Lewis' day the Multiverse was not a known subject.
hi! so glad you're back. I think it would be great if you made video about lilliandil, her character (which is more explained in the books than in the movies) and her relationship with Caspian and other characters!
Oh, that's a great pick! She's a character people don't immediately think about but she played a big part in two of my favorite books!
@@IntotheWardrobe exactly! it would be interesting for those who wish to better understand her character☺️