Galbatorix

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Inheritance Trilogy character
John Malkovich as Galbatorix in the film Eragon
Galbatorix
Gender	male
Hair colour	Gray
Eye colour	Unknown
House	Unknown
Allegiance	The Empire
Film portrayer	None
First appearance	Eragon

Galbatorix is the primary antagonist of Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Trilogy. He is an immensely powerful Dragon Rider and the king of a large portion of Alagaësia. Galbatorix has yet to appear in person in the trilogy, but he is integral to plot. His status is almost legendary due to his age and title as a dragon rider.

Contents 1 His dragon 2 History 3 Summary 4 Abilities 5 Film Portrayal 6 Name 7 See also

[edit] His dragon

In Christopher Paolini's Inheritance (trilogy), Shruikan (IPA pronunciation: ['ʃrukɪn]) is King Galbatorix's black dragon.

Centuries ago in Ilirea, the capital of the Broddring Kingdom, Shruikan and his rider were being tutored with other Riders and their young dragons. Galbatorix, a Rider who was denied a new dragon after his was killed, and another Rider named Morzan, murdered Shruikan's true Rider, whereupon Galbatorix twisted the young black dragon's mind through dark magic so that he would serve him.

The union of Shruikan and Galbatorix is unnatural, because rather than being mutually chosen partners, Shruikan is a slave and Galbatorix his tyrant. There is therefore no true bond between Galbatorix and Shruikan, no love or loyalty on either side. The mental link between them is also a poor imitation of the telepathic connection between a rider and a dragon. It is possible in the third book, that Shruiken will cut off all connection and betray or kill Galbatorix.

Shruikan is briefly sighted at the end of the Eragon movie, when Galbatorix, in his rage, draws his sword and cuts a tapestry-map of Alagaesia in half, revealing his dragon. Shruikan briefly roars and breathes fire. Oddly enough, Shruikan as he appears in the film does not have the increased size that dragons in his real life attain with age; he is barely larger than Saphira.

[edit] History

When nomadic traders come to the village of Carvahall - Eragon's hometown - Brom, a former Dragon Rider in the guise of a village storyteller, tells the village the story of Galbatorix's rise to power. Eragon also learns something of Galbatorix's past from Oromis, the oldest living Dragon Rider, and from others he meets on his travels.

Galbatorix was born a century ago in Inzilbêth. He was tested at the age of ten (it is uncertain, but this must have been the time a Dragon's egg hatched for him) and was found to have great strength and power within him. With training, Galbatorix rapidly grew more powerful, and soon surpassed all other Dragon Riders in skill.

Because of his gifts, the Riders soon allowed Galbatorix into their ranks. The foolhardy young Rider journeyed into the lands of Urgals with two friends, believing that they were strong enough to protect themselves. The group was ambushed in their sleep, and his friends were killed, along with their dragons. Galbatorix however, survived, butchering the Urgals, but a stray arrow pierced his dragon, and she was killed.

Alone and driven to madness by his grief, Galbatorix traveled by foot through the desolate land, praying that he would die and join his partner. He became so ghastly that even the Urgals and other monsters fled from him. He traveled back through The Spine, a deadly mountain range that even the fiercest hardly dared go. A farmer found him collapsed on the edge of the range and summoned the Dragon Riders, who took him back to their island to heal him.

Once healed, Galbatorix demanded another Dragon from the council at Vroengard, the Riders' capital. The council, however, saw the madness in the desperation of his plea. Galbatorix was firmly denied another Dragon egg, and consequently, in his vulnerable and twisted state, began to think it was the Riders' fault his Dragon had died.

He convinced another Dragon Rider to support his cause, and, using persuasion and dark secrets he had learned from a Shade, he and his partner slew an Elder. Galbatorix then turned on his ally and killed him. After this, Galbatorix fled into the wastelands. Many years passed and the searches for Galbatorix dwindled, but Morzan, a Rider highly accomplished in magic and combat yet morally weak, came across Galbatorix by accident. Galbatorix convinced Morzan to unlock a gate in Iliria (now Urû'baen); he did so, and Galbatorix was able to steal a dragon hatchling from the fort city.

Galbatorix and Morzan waited until their powers were strong enough and Galbatorix's Dragon, a black dragon named Shruikan, was fully grown before they began their all-out attack on the Dragon Riders. The Riders, overwhelmed by the onslaught, were slowly beaten down. During the war, twelve corrupt Dragon Riders joined Galbatorix. These twelve riders and Morzan became the Thirteen Forsworn.

The Dwarves and Elves fought bitterly, but were also defeated. The Dwarves, however, knew Galbatorix's victory was imminent, and retreated to their caves, sealing themselves away from the rest of the world. The Elves fought longer, but they eventually went into hiding as well.

Vrael, leader of the Dragon Riders, had the strength to resist Galbatorix. In the final battle before the gates of Doru Araeba, Vrael defeated Galbatorix, but hesitated to kill him. Galbatorix took advantage of this and wounded Vrael. Vrael fled to the Utgard Mountain to regain his strength, but Galbatorix found and beheaded him. Following this, Galbatorix and the Forsworn infiltrated into Urû'baen and slew the rightful King. Galbatorix then appointed himself King of Alagaësia.

It must be noted that, on legal documents of the Empire, Galbatorix is only the ruler of the Broddring Kingdom, the realm he took from the deposed king, Angrenost. Many other lands, however, have since fallen under his sway, including Vroengard.

[edit] Summary

During the story of Eragon, a century later, Galbatorix's rule encompasses most of the western portion of Alagaësia. He rules this vast territory from Urû'baen, his capital, and his reign is marked by injustice, slavery, poverty and corruption.

In Eldest, Galbatorix sends his army out to destroy Surda and the Varden. Along with this army, he sends his new Dragon Rider and Dragon, both of whom he controls through knowledge of their true names (see the Ancient Language). This captive Rider is Murtagh, son of Morzan (who is long dead), and Murtagh's ruby-red dragon Thorn. In a duel with Eragon and Saphira, Murtagh reveals Galbatorix's plans: he wants Saphira, the last female dragon in existence, to mate with either of the two last young males - Thorn, or the emerald-green Dragon who has not yet hatched - and rebuild the race. He did not ride the ship dragon wing because he was not there. In this way, Galbatorix hopes to re-establish the Riders, under his own control. Through the Riders, Galbatorix could dominate all parts of Alagaësia and rule for centuries more.

[edit] Abilities

Being an ancient and skilled dragon rider, Galbatorix is possibly the most powerful magic user in Alagaësia. As mentioned in "Eragon", Galbatorix's power and knowledge grows even though magic is limited to the user's strength and knowledge. It is possible that Galbatorix has nearly unlimited magical strength, as in "Eldest" wherein he was able to teach Murtagh powerful magic; the source of this power is known to Oromis, but not fully disclosed except in the third book, although Oromis implies that it involves the absorption of life force from other living beings, a magical technique sane dragon riders find distasteful. Though it is said that Galbatorix might not know about this technique.

He also uses weapons like seithr oil, a fictional substance in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance trilogy. As described in Eragon, it is taken from the petals of the Seithr plant, which grows "on a small island in the frigid northern seas." (Eragon, Pg. 166). The oil is mainly used for preserving pearls, but when a certain incantation is spoken over it, along with the offering of a blood sacrifice, it becomes a deadly, caustic poison. It eats away flesh, but leaves everything else with which it comes in contact untouched. Because of this, it has been frequently used by assassins. In its incorrupt state, Seithr Oil is a tool of jewellers, but only of the richest mercantiles. Cities along the coast of Alagaesia keep records of its transmission, and tabs on the records. In Eragon Seithr oil, purchased by the Empire, is used by the Ra'zac to murder Garrow.

[edit] Film Portrayal

John Malkovich plays Galbatorix in the film adaptation of Eragon. Although the character does not appear in the book, Eragon, he is placed in the movie so as to expand the character for the film's own purposes. Malkovich's portrayal of Galbatorix was criticised by some for being too low-key.

[edit] Name

• In Gaulish, the suffix "rix" at the end of a name means king. It is found in the name of several Gaulish leaders, such as Vercingetorix, who fought Julius Caesar. Paolini has said that "Galbatorix" means "Big King."
• Galba was also the name of a Roman emperor.

[edit] See also

• The Fall
• Saphira the Dragon
• Murtagh
• Alagaësia

v • d • e Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Trilogy
Books	Eragon | Eldest | Book 3
Films	Eragon
Games	Eragon
Main Characters	Eragon | Brom | Arya | Galbatorix | Murtagh | Roran | Durza | Ajihad | Nasuada | Angela | Saphira | Oromis | more...
Places	Alagaësia | Beor Mountains | Ellesméra | Farthen Dûr | Teirm | Inheritance Trilogy locations | more...
Events	Blood-Oath Celebration | Battle of the Burning Plains | Battle for Carvahall | Battle under Farthen Dûr | Dagshelgr Invocation | The Fall