Garet Jax

Shannara character


name=Garet Jax
nickname="Weapons Master"cite web |url=http://www.alitheia.org/shannarafiles/Wishsong_ABC.php |title="The Wishsong of Shannara" Character List |accessdate=2008-06-24 |last= Gong |first=Minnie |year=2007 |publisher=The Shannara Files]
race=Human
gender=Male
hair=Light (almost silver)
eyes=Flint Gray
loyalty=Himself, Jair Ohmsford
appearance="The Wishsong of Shannara"
magic=none
birth=Unknown
death=Presumably, he was killed during a fight with a Jachyra at the Croagh.

Garet Jax is a fictional character from Terry Brooks' epic fantasy [cite web |url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/index.html |title=Terry Brooks' official website|accessdate=2008-05-13 |last= Speakman |first=Shawn |authorlink= |year=2008 |publisher= ] novel "The Wishsong of Shannara". He is known as the "Weapons Master", and it is said that no matter what weapon you choose, even your hands and feet, Garet Jax is better with it. He claims to have never lost a fight, and all who have seen him fight stand by that statement. He is seeking the one opponent who can finally defeat him in a battle.

Biography

"The Wishsong of Shannara"

Garet first appears when he rescues Jair Ohmsford from a band of nine Gnome Hunters, defeating eight of them single-handedly--he killed six, knocked out their leader, and one fled. The ninth, Slanter, doesn't even attempt to fight, saying that he was only working with them because he had to, and he has heard stories about the fighting prowess of Garet. When Jair asked Garet why he rescued him, Garet says that Jair interests him, something that "few things do anymore". [Brooks, Terry (1984) "The Wishsong of Shannara", p. 110.] The three travel together to the Eastland, to Culhaven.

Along the way Garet receives a vision of himself fighting a creature of flame, and he knew that this was the one creature who could give him a 'run for his money' in battle. This is the main reason that convinces him on to join Jair in his quest to journey to Heaven's Well to save his sister Brin and to save the Silver River. Though he did agree to accompany Jair to Cullhaven before he received the aforementioned vision, this may have been from an influence from the King of the Silver River. ["Wishsong", p. 118.]

At the Croagh leading to Heaven's Well, where Brin will be found, Garet, Jair and Slanter are stopped by a Jachyra, a lethal creature from the Old World. Garet realizes that this fiery-red monster is the battle promised him in his vision, and orders Jair and Slanter to go ahead and save Brin while he fights the Jachyra.

When Jair and Slanter return, having saved Brin, they find Garet Jax sitting against a wall, his sword still held in his hand and looking like he might even be sleeping, but on closer inspection they realize the Weapons Master is dead. Of the Jachyra there is no sign --the magic that brought it to the Four Lands has been destroyed--but Jair is convinced the Weapons Master slew his foe before succumbing to his wounds. When asked who it was that won, Terry Brooks responded with "What do you think?" [cite web |url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/askterry/2000.html |title= 2000 Ask Terry Q&A |accessdate=2008-06-24 |last=Brooks |first=Terry |year=2000 |publisher=] Because of the collapse of the Croagh, Garet Jax's body was never recovered. However, Jair thought that this seemed appropriate, that Garet Jax should be where no other mortal could go, that he should be no different in death than in life.

"Dark Wraith of Shannara"

Garet Jax himself does not make a true appearance in "Dark Wraith of Shannara", but is still a main character. Jair Ohmsford uses the Wishsong in the book in order to meld him and his memories of Garet Jax into one sentient being. Jair still thinks like himself, but moves and fights as though he were the weapons master.

First, Jair used the Wishsong to become Garet Jax when he is confronted by Mwellrets while attempting to steal the last page of the Ildatch. He uses the Wishsong to appear as though he is Garet Jax. But when his life is actually threatened, he succumbs to the power lust and truly combines his spirit with Garet Jax's.

The next time we see Jair use the Wishsong to become Garet Jax is when he is confronted by a Koden while traversing the Charnal region. He doesn't want to use the Wishsong, because of the promise he made to his sister Brin. But once again succumbs and becomes Garet Jax once more.

The third and final time Jair uses the wishsong to become Garet Jax is near the end of his journey when he is locked in combat with numerous Mwellrets and the dreaded Croton Witch. Jair initially prevails, and talks about how easy it would have been for him to fully give in, and just become Garet Jax forever.

The appearance of Garet Jax in "Dark Wraith of Shannara" is much different than it is described in "The Wishsong of Shannara"--in that novel, he has almost white hair and flint gray eyes, but in "Dark Wraith", he appears to have brown hair, and darker (possibly green) eyes.Fact|date=August 2008

Terry Brooks expressed his desire in the beginning of "Dark Wraith" to further explore the relationship between Jair and Garet Jax. [Brooks, Terry (2008) "Dark Wraith of Shannara" ]

Is he Stee Jans?

Many rumorsWho|date=August 2008 have been discussed about the possibility of Garet Jax actually being Stee Jans, the "Iron Man" from The Elfstones of Shannara. This can most likely be attributed to the talk of it in the book "World of Shannara".fact|date=August 2008 However, this is dubious, as Stee Jans has "rust-colored hair"Brooks, Terry (1982) "The Elfstones of Shannara" Pg. 286] and a beard, and Garet Jax was described as having hair almost silver in color with no beard.Fact|date=March 2008 While there is a possibility of his hair turning white with age, there is no mention of how old Garet Jax is and Jair's initial impression of him mentioned nothing about him looking old enough to have a full head of gray hair. The one feature that almost conclusively provesFact|date=March 2008 that they are not the same person, is that the books mention that Garet Jax has "flint gray eyes" ["Wishsong" Pg. 85] while Stee Jans's are described as "hazel".

Some people believeWho|date=August 2008 that Garet Jax may be the son of Stee Jans, a rumor that holds more credibilityFact|date=August 2008 but ultimately is unprovable either way.Fact|date=March 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/shannara/darkwraith.html Information on "The Dark Wraith of Shannara"]