Derived from a misremembered promise made by Kim’s father, the Red Bull initially represents mystical aid and a bright future for Kim. Though Kim does not take the prophecy seriously at first, telling it to the lama only out of his “boylike” impulse to not be outdone by the lama’s quest, Kim gradually begins to believe there might be some merit to the tale. After a horoscope reading which portentously confirms his new intel on a coming war, Kim comes to believe he is “a favorite of the stars,” and when he finally discovers the Red Bull traveling the Grand Trunk Road, he is overjoyed, believing once again that he is on the side of destiny. In an ironic twist of fate, however, the Red Bull turns out to be the insignia of his father’s former regiment who, upon discovering Kim’s true identity, seize him with the intention of making him into a “white man.” While this may very well have been his father’s dream for him, Kim has no interest in such a fate, and he only narrowly escapes it. Consequently, the Red Bull comes to symbolize the irony and fickleness of destiny, suggesting that fate might not always fulfill itself in the way one expects or hopes it will.
The Red Bull Symbol Timeline in Kim
