Love and “Recognition” between the Barbarian and the Healer by Amanda

Love and “Recognition”

between the Barbarian and the Healer

an Article about “ElfQuest” (a Graphic Novel series by Wendy and Richard Pini) by Amanda Roncalio-Meyer, life-long ElfQuest fan and fantasy-lover

“Soul meets Soul when Eyes meet Eyes” That is how the elven instinctual phenomenon known as “Recognition” is described from the graphic novel series, ElfQuest, by Wendy and Richard Pini. While Recognition does not take Love or current relationships into account, it can in-fact occur between two elves who cannot tolerate each other’s presence, it ensures the continuation of the elfin race, that the offspring of the two elves will be strong and powerful, and can actually lead to some of the most powerful love ever known to their race. This happens to two of the main characters of ElfQuest, and sets the stage for one of the best love stories I have ever read and many haven’t even heard of.

Cutter, the fierce, strong, and wise young chief of the WolfRider tribe of elves, has no idea what’s in-store for him when he raids a small elfin village named Sorrow’s End out of desperation to save his own tribe-mates. He rides astride his powerful wolf-mount, Nightrunner, to steal bread and water, for his tribe has just spent several days crossing the Burning Waste, a desert they were tricked into entering without hope of return by the selfish (and sometimes slightly evil) Trolls. As he leads the raid on the village, his eyes fall upon Leetah, a beautiful elf maiden and the desert tribe’s Healer.

Leetah, the fairest maiden of her tribe of Sun Folk elves, is in-a-way betrothed to the tribe’s head hunter, Rayek, an elf with a very powerful (yet at the time, mostly dormant) gift of levitation and can stun others with a single glare. Just before the WolfRiders attack, Rayek is once again trying to convince Leetah to stay with him, and she playfully pushes him away. She turns to find the tribe of WolfRiders swarming down from the surrounding mountains onto her peaceful tribe, but cannot take her eyes from the young warrior-chief who rides towards her.

Soul meets Soul when Eyes meet Eyes. Cutter and Leetah stare for long moments at each other, unsure of what has just happened between them. As if acting on instinct, Cutter swoops a terrified Leetah up into his arms and rides away with her, back to the WolfRiders hidden camp in the mountains. Rayek stares after them in anger before arranging a rescue party…

That is how Cutter and Leetah meet for the first time. They do not immediately love each other, in-fact Leetah hates Cutter for kidnapping her without thought. But just as Love at First Sight can be a very powerful emotion and nearimpossible to ignore for humans, Recognition is even more powerful of an instinct, one that absolutely cannot be ignored (as other couples

“...Tho’ driven by savage hunger and half mad with thirst, Cutter is brought up short...”

of elves find out the really hard way in other parts of the stories). Time and again, Cutter tries to convince Leetah that ignoring Recognition will only sicken them both, but Leetah refuses to be with a “barbarian.” It’s only after hearing the WolfRiders daring story of how they got to be who and where they are that Leetah’s heart finally opens up to Cutter, and from then-on they share one of the strongest and most beautiful love stories I have known.

From murderous trolls, to evil human leaders, to a 10,000 year forced-separation, Cutter and Leetah’s love never falters once. They each have their own trials and tribulations to endure, but after all the war, after all the tears and blood, Cutter and Leetah will always love one another. And they will always have a very special place in my own heart. Elfquest is the longest-running independent fantasy series, with more than 15 million comics, graphic novels and other publications in print. The story of Cutter, chief of the Wolfriders, and his quest to find others of their own kind on the World of Two Moons, Elfquest was first published in 1978 by creators Wendy and Richard Pini. The latest cycle, The Final Quest, is being published by Dark Horse Comics.

Everything up until the new “Final Quest” can be read online, for free, at the official ElfQuest website. And be sure to follow all of the awesome updates on their official Facebook page.