Ransom’s surname is derived from “Ranolf’s son,” or so he has always believed. But as Ransom comes to terms with the fact that he must fight Weston in order to save Perelandra, he realizes that reality is more complex than he knew. Maleldil reminds Ransom that he, too, is called “Ransom”—in other words, Christ is the one whose death pays for human beings’ sinfulness and redeems them. Now, Ransom faces the truth that he, like Christ, is called upon to act as a sort of “ransom” by suffering and possibly even dying for Perelandra. While the coincidence seems like a…