The Silver Chair (1990 TV serial) facts for kids

The Silver Chair is a TV show from 1990. It was shown on BBC television. This series was the third and last part of The Chronicles of Narnia TV shows. These shows ran from 1988 to 1990.

The series followed the story from the 1953 book very closely. It included all the main parts of the book. The show was filmed in different places, like Peak Cavern and Haddon Hall in Derbyshire, England.

Barbara Kellerman played the Green Lady in this series. She had also played the Hag and the White Witch in earlier Narnia TV miniseries.

What's the Story of The Silver Chair?

This TV series has six parts. It tells the exciting adventure of two friends, Eustace and Jill.

Episode 1: A Quest Begins

Friends Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole are trying to escape bullies at their school. They suddenly find themselves in Aslan's Country. Here, Aslan the Talking Lion gives Jill an important quest. They must rescue Prince Rilian, who is the son of King Caspian.

Prince Rilian disappeared ten years ago. He was searching the woods near Cair Paravel for a serpent. This serpent had caused his royal mother's death.

The quest becomes tricky right away. Eustace and Jill get separated when they arrive in Aslan's Country. Eustace falls from a cliff and is blown to Narnia by Aslan. Jill soon follows him.

In Narnia, a big ship has just left Cair Paravel. A talking Owl named Glimfeather appears. He tells Eustace and Jill that the King of Narnia has sailed away. Eustace is shocked to realize the old man on the ship was King Caspian. Fifty years have passed in Narnia, but less than a year on Earth. Caspian is now much older than Eustace remembers.

King Caspian, now an old man, has sailed to visit places from his youth. He had traveled there with Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace fifty years earlier. Many people think he went to find Aslan. He wanted to know who should be the next King of Narnia. He had no other children and worried he would never see Rilian again.

Eustace and Jill meet the very old dwarf Trumpkin. He is now the Lord Regent of Narnia. He is ruling while Caspian is at sea. Trumpkin lets Eustace and Jill into Cair Paravel. That evening, Glimfeather takes Jill to the Parliament of Owls.

Episode 2: Meeting New Friends

Glimfeather's friend at the Parliament of Owls tells the children about Prince Rilian. They learn how he disappeared ten years ago. The children realize that the serpent who caused the Queen's death and the mysterious lady Rilian saw might be the same person.

Glimfeather and his friend then take the children to someone who will guide them. This guide will help them find the lost prince. To help them on their quest, they meet a gloomy but loyal Marshwiggle named Puddleglum.

Leaving Narnia, they travel into the cold northern lands. They face hunger and hardship. They also meet giants and a dragon. Eustace, who was once a dragon himself, talks to the dragon. He encourages it to fly away.

Episode 3: Tricky Encounters

The children start to argue among themselves. They forget the Four Signs that Aslan gave them to guide their way.

One frosty morning, the three travelers meet a beautiful Green Lady. She is with a quiet Black Knight. The children don't know that this charming lady is the same deadly serpent. This serpent had enslaved the Prince and caused his mother's death. They eagerly tell her about their quest. The clever witch senses they are hungry and tired. She sends them to the Gentle Giants of Harfang.

Episode 4: Escaping Danger

The giants are kind to the children at first. But they secretly plan to feed the travelers well. Then they want to eat them for their Autumn Feast. Jill and her friends discover the truth when they read a cookery book. They escape from Harfang and go underground. They realize they have entered the Underworld, which is ruled by the Green Lady.

Episode 5: The Masked Man

The Warden of the Underworld and his gnome army lead the children and Puddleglum to a grand room. There, a mysterious masked man welcomes them. He claims to be the Queen's second-in-command. He says he will lead her gnome army to conquer the "overworld."

Later, two gnomes appear and capture him in the Silver Chair. But he soon convinces the travelers to set him free. He says to do it "in the name of Aslan." He then smashes the Silver Chair with his sword. He reveals that he is indeed Rilian, the true heir to the Narnian throne. He remembers Eustace's name from his father's stories. He is eager to know if his father is still alive. Puddleglum tells him that King Caspian is still living but is now old and weak.

The Green Lady then arrives. She is horrified to find the Silver Chair destroyed. She wrongly believes one of the three travelers destroyed it.

Episode 6: The Truth Revealed

Rilian confesses that he destroyed the Silver Chair. The Witch then tries to put all three travelers under a spell. This spell would make them forget Narnia or Earth. But her magic does not work on Puddleglum. His defiance makes the witch furious. Especially after he puts out the fire that was casting the spell.

She finally loses her temper and changes into her true form. She becomes a terrible green snake. Once she is no longer in the distracting shape of a woman, Prince Rilian recognizes her. He kills her. They then escape to the overworld. Narnians rescue them through a hole in the hillside.

Rilian goes to Cair Paravel. The children and Puddleglum stay overnight with the Narnians. The next day, Glenstorm the centaur takes the children to Cair Paravel. They witness the return of King Caspian. However, Caspian is fading fast when he returns. He dies shortly after meeting Rilian. Trumpkin then announces Rilian as the new King of Narnia.

Aslan appears and congratulates the children for completing their task. They then return to Aslan's Country with him. The children find themselves back at the stream in Narnia where Jill first saw Aslan. The dead King Caspian is lying in the stream. Aslan tells Eustace to remove a large thorn from a nearby bush. Eustace drives it into Aslan's paw. This creates a stream of blood that brings Caspian back to life. He is restored as a young boy and is thrilled to meet Eustace again.

Aslan then tells the two children and Caspian to face the bullies at Jill's school. Aslan breaks down a wall, showing the three warriors with their swords. This causes the crowd of bullies to run back to the school in terror. The children then say goodbye to Caspian and Aslan.

Meet the Cast

Here are some of the actors who brought the characters to life:

• David Thwaites as Eustace Clarence Scrubb
• Camilla Power as Jill Pole
• Ailsa Berk as Aslan / Dragon
• Richard Henders as Prince Rilian / Black Knight
• Tom Baker as Puddleglum
• William Todd-Jones as Aslan / Centaur
• Ronald Pickup as Aslan
• Warwick Davis as Glimfeather
• Barbara Kellerman as Green Lady
• Geoffrey Russell as King Caspian
• Nick Brimble as Giant Porter
• Stephen Reynolds as Giant King
• Lesley Nicol as Giant Queen
• Patsy Byrne as Giant Nanny
• Joe Hall as Sentry
• Jack Purvis as Golg
• Jean Marc Perret as Young Caspian
• Jeffrey S. Perry as Mr. Tumnus
• Henry Woolf as Doctor Cornelius

To keep the plot a surprise, Richard Henders (who played Prince Rilian) was listed as 'Masked Man' in Radio Times for Episode 5.