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Chapter 30
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Cruel Prince, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Power and Control
Cycles of Violence
Identity and Coming of Age
The Nature of Love
Summary
Analysis
Jude goes to see Oak and Vivi, who have escaped Faerieland and are living with Heather. Vivi has cast spells on Oak to make him appear normal in the human world. Heather was surprised to see Oak and thought he might be Vivi’s baby, but Vivi assures her that he is not. Together, Jude, Vivi, and Heather walk Oak around a grocery store, which Oak greatly enjoys. He asks Jude if Oriana will come visit him some time and Jude promises that she will.
Although Faerieland is still in turmoil, Vivi and Oak get their happy ending, at least for the time being. Although Oak misses Oriana, he gets to grow up in a world that is not as polluted by violence and endless political upheavals. Jude hopes that the human world will better prepare Oak to become a good leader, though only time will tell.
Themes
When Jude returns to Faerieland, she goes to see Cardan, who she has not spoken to since making him king. Balekin is now imprisoned and no longer a threat. Meanwhile, Madoc has calmed down, realizing he will no longer be able to seize power. When Jude sees Cardan, who is all dressed up in royal garb, she suddenly second-guesses her decision. She worries that she has made a terrible mistake and put the wrong person in power. Cardan gives her a cruel smile and reminds her that he is only under her command for a year and a day. Cardan also says that he does not think he will be a good king. However, he promises to act as Jude’s “puppet” until he is no longer sworn to obey her. With a hint of menace in his voice, he says, “This is what you wanted, isn’t it? […] What you sacrificed everything for. Go on. It’s all yours.”
For the entire novel, Jude feared what would happen if Cardan gained more power and now, she has willingly given it to him. Although he is under her control for the time being, already he is implying that he intends to punish her as soon as he is no longer under her command. In the final words of the novel, Cardan taunts Jude by reminding her of everything she has given up in order to secure a brief tenure on the throne. Because this is the first entry in a trilogy, Black does not provide any resolution in this final chapter, but rather sets up the conflict for the next book in the series.
Themes
