Susan Pevensie (aka Queen Susan the Gentle)

Age: 12-27 (LWW), 13 (PC), 26 (HHB)

Species: Human

Home: London on Earth, Cair Paravel in Narnia.

Physical Description: Black hair (during her reign, it fell almost to her feet)

Tools (not Toys): Bow and arrows and a magic horn.

First Appearance: "The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe" Chapter 1 (1950)

LWW - Like the other three, Susan did not initially believe Lucy's story about Narnia. Concerned that something might be wrong with Lucy, she and Peter asked Professor Kirke for advice. His response that logically, Lucy might be telling the truth, astounded them. But, Susan too found her way into Narnia for the first time as the Pevensies climbed into the wardrobe to avoid Mrs. Macready's tour. After the Pevensies decided to visit Mr. Tumnus' house, it was Susan who suggested that they use the fur coats in the wardrobe. Peter was doubtful, but she replied "we shan't take them even out of the wardrobe." When Susan heard Aslan's name for the first time, she felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated past her. As they learned more about Aslan, Susan asked "is he - quite safe?" On the journey to the Stone Table, they met Father Christmas, where she received a bow, a quiver of arrows, and a magic horn. Susan first used the horn at the Stone Table when Maugrim attacked the camp and chased her up a tree. That night, Susan and Lucy followed Aslan to the Stone Table where they witnessed his death and resurrection. During her reign, she was known as Queen Susan the Gentle.

PC - Susan and her siblings were drawn into Narnia when Caspian blew her magic horn. That night, she found a chess piece on the ground that the Pevensies remembered playing with during their reign and led them to realize they were in the ruins of Cair Paravel. After rediscovering the treasure room, Susan found her bow and quiver of arrows, but was surprised to see that her magic horn was missing. The next day, after Susan's arrow prevented two Telmarines from drowning Trumpkin, the dwarf explained that Doctor Cornelius had found her magic horn and passed it on to Caspian. After he finished his story, Susan had an archery competition with Trumpkin to prove to him that she was indeed Queen Susan the Gentle from the ancient past. After crossing Glasswater, Susan was the most doubtful of Lucy's claim that she had seen Aslan and she and Trumpkin were the last able see him. Then, Aslan told her "You have listened to your fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you. Forget them." While Peter and Edmund went into Aslan's How to meet Caspian, Susan and Lucy stayed with Aslan and were part of the "romp" with Bacchus and Silenus. The next morning, the girls rode on Aslan's back as the Bridge of Beruna was destroyed and Narnia was set right again. After the second Battle of Beruna, Susan and Peter were told that they would not be coming back to Narnia, because they were too old.

HHB - Queen Susan visited the city of Tashbaan for three weeks to consider Prince Rabadash's proposal of marriage. During her visit, she realized that Rabadash was a different person than he seemed. After telling Edmund of her decision to reject the proposal, Susan said "Yet when he was with us in Narnia, truly this Prince bore himself in another fashion than he does now in Tashbaan." But King Edmund warned her that he believed Rabadash planned to make her his wife by force. Edmund's warning and Tumnus' brilliant plan enabled the Narnians to escape

LB - Susan did not return to Narnia with her siblings. According to Peter, she was "no longer a friend of Narnia" and had forgotten it.

Quotes:
"It isn't as if we wanted to take [the fur coats] out of the house; we shan't take them even out of the wardrobe." (LWW-6)
"Is he - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion." (LWW-8)
"Who's done it? What does it mean? Is it more magic?" (LWW-15)
"[My shot] wasn't really any better than yours. I think there was a tiny breath of wind as you shot. " (PC-8)
"And I really believed it was [Aslan] tonight, when you woke us up. I mean, deep down inside. Or I could have, if I'd let myself." (PC-11)
"I would't have felt safe with Bacchus and all his wild girls if we'd met them without Aslan." (PC-11)
"What wonderful memories you have! Fancy your still thinking about all those funny games we used to play when we were children." (LB-12)

Comments: Susan is the practical one in the Pevensie family. When they first stepped through the wardrobe, the Pevensies followed her sensible suggestion and used the fur coats. In PC, she was among the last to believe Lucy's claim that she had seen Aslan. Susan's absence in LB made her one of the most talked about and controversial figures. When King Tirian met the seven friends of Narnia inside the stable, he asked "Has not your Majesty two sisters? Where is Queen Susan?" High King Peter answered him gravely, "My sister Susan is no longer a friend of Narnia." Susan had become more interested nylons and lipstick and invitations, and no longer believed in Narnia.

Illustrations:

[ILLUSTRATIONS OR LINKS HERE]

Portrayals:
Anna Popplewell - LWW Disney/Walden film 2005
Born: 16 December 1988
"I think I sort of pretended I didn’t mind [about getting the part] right up until the last couple of weeks and then I really did mind. I think I probably deafened Mark and Andrew with screams of joy" ~ Anna Popplewell
"Anna was somebody who I was just blown away by I remember she just arrived early for an audition scene and just came in and sat down and talked to me and I could have been talking to a 25 year old, just so together and smart and mature and so many of those things that I wanted Susan to be." ~ Andrew Adamson



Sophie Winkleman (adult) - LWW Disney/Walden film 2005
Born: 5 August 1980

Other Portrayals:
Katherine Suchet (voice, young), Sally Ann Burnett (voice, adult) - Focus on the Family Radio Theater, 1999-2002
Sophie Cook (young), Suzanne Debney (adult) - BBC TV series, 1989-1990
Abigail Docherty (voice, LWW), Susie Hay (voice, PC), Deborah Berlin (voice, HHB) - BBC Radio Tales of Narnia
Susan Sokol (voice) - LWW TV animated film, 1979
Zuleika Robson - LWW Television series, 1967