Magic

Magic was a powerful energy or force in the world of Narnia and some others worlds used to override the laws of nature that existed. Those who possessed magical ability had the potential to control, manipulate, twist, turn, bend, warp, shape, impact, direct, or otherwise influence reality to fit one's goals or ends, to help or hinder, to protect or to harm or kill. A rare few possessed an innate affinity for magic, for example, the star people. The properties, origins, and general understandings of magic, however, remain unknown or uncertain. Humans do not have any inborn magical talent or connection, though they, along with any sentient being, could become involved in a magical event or could conduct someone else's magical ability by extension. The self-proclaimed human "magician" Andrew Ketterley clumsily experimented with magic in a foolish manner on Earth. True magicians tended to be stars, nymphs, gods, demons and witches, who could invoke magical rituals of their kind, good or evil (in magical terms, often referred to as light or dark, respectively). Magicians could conjure power and cast spells that would alter the flow of nature's reality. It is unconfirmed but a strong possibility that Aslan may be the higher entity who regulated the flow of magical elements in Narnia. To those from Earth, any of Aslan's divine abilities were often perceived as magical.

The Deplorable Word
"That was the secret of secrets. It had long been known to the great kings of our race that there was a word which, if spoken with the proper ceremonies, would destroy all living things except the one who spoke it."

The Deplorable Word was an evil incantation from the world, a magical word which, if spoken with the proper ceremonies, would destroy all life except the person who uttered it. This 'ultimate weapon' was used by Queen Jadis, then Empress of Charn, when she lost a civil war with her sister, destroying the population of Charn and turning the planet into a sterile wasteland.

The existence of the Deplorable Word was a closely guarded secret passed down through generations of the magically adept ruling family of Charn, but they had bound themselves with oaths never even to seek knowlege of it. Jadis, more power hungry than her ancestors, including her recent ones, "searched long for it and paid a terrible price to learn it".

The war with her sister, an extremely bloody world war, was apparently just a power struggle between the two, which the sister won. Jadis waited to use the word until she met with her victorious sister. Then she spoke the Deplorable Word and a moment later she was the only living thing under the sun. Afterward, Jadis showed no remorse, and narcissistically blamed her sister for her act; "Her greed has destroyed the whole world!"

Apparently it was used, largely to destroy her sister and her entire army. Besides killing Aslan on the Stone Table, this was Jadis's most evil act known.

It is not known why Jadis didn't use the Deplorable Word to destroy Narnia when she was defeated at the Battle of Beruna, before she was killed by Aslan. It may be that the Deplorable Word, along with many of her other magical powers, only worked in the world of Charn. Alternatively, she may not have had time to use it before she was killed by Aslan, since his attack was a surprise, and the use of the word required certain ceremonies. Or it may be that Aslan had powers against the Deplorable Word.

The Deplorable Word should not be confused with a lesser spell, also involving a magic word, which Jadis used to destroy the gates of the entry and exit of the palace of Charn.

Users

 * Aslan