The Great 'Which Universe Would I Rather Inhabit' Tournament, Round 1, Match 5

The Great 'Which Universe Would I Rather Inhabit' Tournament, Round 1, Match 5

Narnia vs Ultima

After a couple of easy matches, we’re back to a much trickier lineup.

Universe of fawns, talking animals and all powerful lions vs universe of virtues, medieval towns and magic.

Narnia, setting of my favourite children’s book series. There’s magic, although it only seems to get used for anything but evil once. There are exotic islands with their own adventures and mysteries beyond the mainland. There are fantastical creatures, most of whom talk, and there’s the added bonus that, as a son of Adam, I’d be a King of Narnia no matter what time period I went to, with my own castle. Which is handy as I’d always be able to find a hotel. On top of all this, if things ever got too much, I could just summon a magical lion to come and save the day. ‘Aslan!’ I would chant, my face full of smiles and wonder (if the BBC adaptations are anything to go by), new hope springing forth within my heart, and lo, he would appear to me somehow, and give me courage, show me the way, or rip someone’s throat out if they’d tried something silly like sacrificing him on an old table.

The land of Britannia, from the Ultima series of computer games, has as much meaning to that medium for me as Narnia does to literature, which is what makes this match doubly hard. Again, it’s a land of magic, although much more readily apparent and available to anyone with any skill, and there are fantastic creatures and beasts, including talking gargoyles. It’s a universe where adventure is unavoidable, a noble quest just around the corner, and fulfilling your life through eight noble virtues the greatest way to live. The Avatar, hero of the Ultima series, is always venturing to rid the land of evil with a band of companions, and I’m sure with my skilful hand and tree-trunk like physique I would easily find a place amongst them. I’m clearly demonstrating my commitment to one of the eight virtues, Humility, right here and now by vowing to be a companion, rather than sneakily despatching the Avatar to claim the top job myself. I picked up some change a lady dropped in the Post Office the other day, so that’s Honesty, a bit of Compassion, some Valour, definitely Justice, surely Honour, a bit of Sacrifice (time and the effort at bending down), and presumably Spirituality has to be in there somewhere, so really I’m a prime candidate for Avatarhood. In fact, sod it – I’d probably just bump him off then cleanse my sole at a shrine.

So it’s ‘Awesome Land of Adventures’ vs ‘Awesome Land of Adventures’. *Whistles in a way that demonstrates a tricky decision has to be made*.

There’s a tricky decision to be made here.

On the one hand, without sounding too spiritual (a little – I’m looking to become the Avatar, after all) and one with nature, part of me always thinks that whenever I’m driving through a wood and the trees are forming a canopy over my head, particularly when it’s winter and there’s snow everywhere, it’s almost like I’m travelling through Narnia, and therefore doesn’t that mean that I sort of already have lived in the Narnian universe, and should try to experience somewhere else? I imagine Britannia as being full of Medieval villages, with taverns, blacksmiths, and simple folk going about their lives, with some magic and gargoyles thrown in, and in many ways this is the perfect life I would choose if I had to abandon modern day living.

On the other hand, because I DO see Narnia whenever I travel through a forest, particularly through larges stretches of the A6 on the approach to Buxton, I know this is something that I love, and surely I should pick a universe that I KNOW I would love parts of? Plus, once and King or Queen in Narnia…

Hmm. Tricky. Ultima or Narnia. Aslan or Virtue. Bananas or Strawberries.

Oh, if only it was the latter question. I’d have to go with Bananas I think, as I never turn down a banana, but strawberries often seem like to much of an effort to get rid of the green bits.

I’m digressing now deliberately so I don’t have to make a choice.

Ok, ok. Choice made.

And it’s…

…

…

(I have chosen, honest. This is just for dramatic effect.)

…

…

(Just keeping up the drama…)

…

…

(Hey, do guys think ‘Which Colour Sofa Best Brings Out People’s Inner Child’ should be my next tournament? No? Just get on with it? Narnia vs Ultima or the sofa tournament? You mean Narnia vs Ultima don’t you. Ok, fine. It’s coming)

…

…

Ultima.

I love Narnia. It’s an amazing place, a wonderful universe to visit, but there’s something about the Ultima universe that has a distinctly medieval feel to it, which makes it stand out that little bit more. Both universes have magic, both universes have adventure, and both universes have the most fantastic scenery, but if it really comes down to it, with nothing else to separate how I feel, I think the adventures that I’ve experienced in the Ultima games just appeal that little bit more than those in the Chronicles of Narnia, both in terms of the settings and storyline. It’s an incredibly hard decision to make here, and I feel like it’s sacrilege to say that the Narnian stories aren’t adventurous or fun enough to win, but if I think about the trips down the Stygian Abyss, or travels to Serpent Isle, or to the eight different worlds through the large Blackrock Gem in the depths of Castle Britannia, the only thing that can compete is the adventures on the Dawn Treader, and sadly that isn’t enough to win. With that in mind, I’m likely to find the most excitement in the Ultima universe, and it is to this that I award an incredibly close and hard fought victory.

Winner: Ultima

Red Dwarf	Heroes
Heroes
Buffy	Buffy
Battlestar Galactica
Star Wars	Star Wars
Aliens
Elder Scrolls	Elder Scrolls
Terminator
Narnia	Ultima
Ultima
Star Trek
Middle Earth
Firefly
Marvel
DC
Doctor Who