Author’s Note: There are several cuts and versions of the film Legend. My comments and impressions are based on the American theatrical release, which is the shortest version, running only 89 minutes, and features a soundtrack by German electronica band Tangerine Dream. To my knowledge, this version is only available on VHS tape or as part of the Ultimate Edition Blu-ray which includes the Theatrical and Director’s cuts.
Please note that this article contains spoilers for the movie!
Legend is one of those underrated gems of 1980s fantasy films. Released in 1985 and directed by Ridley Scott, it is a dark fantasy of epic proportions that combines both a dream-like atmosphere with some very powerful primal themes. On the surface, it may look like a run-of-the-mill fairy tale about the battle between the forces of light and dark. But we’re going to delve a little deeper because it’s a bit more complicated than that.
Many other fantasy films exhibit a dualistic struggle between good and evil, with good ultimately triumphing and presenting the obligatory happy ending. But Legend showcases a more complex and cyclical conflict of life, death, and rebirth. The story begins in a beautiful fairy forest where it seems like nothing bad could ever happen. But shadows lurk along the edges as a goblin hunting party is dispatched by the demon known only as “Darkness” (played by Tim Curry) to kill the unicorns that protect this realm of springtime. And it is the temptation of an innocent that gives the goblins an opportunity to fulfill their mission.
Jack (played by Tom Cruise) lives in the forest and takes his girlfriend Princess Lili (played by Mia Sara) to see the unicorns. Despite Jack’s warning not to touch them, Lili goes to the unicorns and pets the stallion. This distraction gives the goblins the chance to shoot the stallion with a poisoned dart. The unicorns run away, but neither Jack nor Lili realize what has actually taken place. The goblins pursue the poisoned stallion and cut off his horn.
This plunges the world into instant winter, the descent from the state of Life into one of Death. Fairies and humans and other forest creatures may still be alive for the moment, but if winter never abates, they won’t be for long. In many ways, this parallels the Biblical story of the Fall: a woman is tempted to do something forbidden and the rest of the world pays the price for it.
However, unlike Adam and Eve, Jack and Lili do not accept this state of affairs. They each begin separate quests to right this wrong and restore the land. And although the unicorn stallion is dead, the fact that the sun still rises over the frozen wasteland proves that the mare is still alive, which means there is hope. This does not please Darkness and he berates his goblin henchmen for this oversight. When one goblin protests, saying that, “It’s just a female, lord. She has no power,” Darkness responds, “Only the power of Creation… As long as one unicorn walks this earth, my power is not complete.”
But the power of Darkness and Death is strong. When both Lili and the unicorn mare are captured by the goblins, all hope appears to be lost. Still, Jack persists in his pure-hearted quest to free them while Darkness seeks to corrupt Lili, tempting her with jewels, gowns, and promises of power if she becomes his queen. Yet Darkness sows the seeds of his own downfall by pursuing Lili. He is so confident of his power, that he cannot conceive her being able to resist him. And because Darkness focuses on Lili to the exclusion of all else, Jack and his fairy allies are able to sneak into the very heart of the evil fortress.
Here, Jack’s steadfast devotion to the Light and Life is given the final test. The unicorn mare is about to be sacrificed, which will grant Darkness dominion forever. Lili appears to have willingly joined forces with Darkness and wields the knife that will slay hope forever. Jack has a clear shot with his arrow to strike Lili down and his allies urge him to do so. But Jack still loves Lili and chooses to place his trust in her one more time. He fires his arrow at Darkness just as Lili severs the chains that hold the mare captive. Enraged, Darkness strikes Lili down, and the final battle ensues. Jack and his allies finally manage to push Darkness into the void with sunlight and retrieve the stolen horn.
With Darkness cast into the void, the stage of Rebirth can begin. The unicorn stallion’s horn is restored along with his life. Spring returns with the stallion’s power and the signs of Darkness’s domain vanish. Jack revives Lili from her death-like sleep and they reaffirm their love which has overcome all obstacles, temptations, corruption, and strife. All’s well that ends well.
But this is where Legend does something that I had not seen in a fantasy story up to this point. It undercuts the usual tale of good vs evil present in the majority of fantasy. In most stories, the heroes win the day and evil is defeated permanently. But during the final battle, as he is about to be flung into the void, Darkness tells Jack: “You think you have won! What is light without dark? What are you without me? I am a part of you all. You can never defeat me. We are brothers eternal!” And in the final shot of the film, as Jack and Lili run hand in hand into the sunset while the fairies and unicorns look on, there is an overlay of Darkness laughing.
The closing image of Legend makes it very clear that while Jack and Lili won the battle, they have not won the war. Darkness is a fundamental part of the world and can only be stopped for a little while. It can be defeated, driven back, sealed away and forgotten. But it cannot be permanently destroyed. It is an endless conflict cycling from Life to Death and back again through Rebirth, from the innocent life of Lili and Jack’s spring, to the frozen death and temptations of Darkness’s reign, to the rescue and rebirth of the unicorns. While other tales and media explore this idea with greater depth and subtlety, I credit Legend as being the first to introduce me to this concept. And yet, while good may not permanently vanquish evil, neither can evil vanquish good forever. The dark winter may last a long time, but in the end, spring will be reborn in light.