In Hellboy 2, the character Nuada is the last prince and heir of a dying elf race. He believes that humans are the cause of nature’s (and the elves’) destruction, and that without them, nature would be able to thrive again. His father, King Balor of the elves, has remained dormant for centuries. The truce has long been broken as people have expanded all over the world, destroying the natural world, leaving the elves to live underground. This angers Nuada, but his father does not seem to care anymore, so long as there is not another war. Since his father refused to do anything, he decides to use the Golden Army one final time to kill all the humans. Nuada cares greatly for his family but also does not want anyone to get in his way. His father sends his bodyguards to stop Nuada, but his sword skills surpass theirs. He even commits patricide to get the key to the Golden Army. This is in contrast to the myth where King Nuada is killed by Balor, who is the king of the Fomorians. The roles of the characters were reversed to fit the movie’s plot and family dynamic. Nuada’s winning quality is his physical strength. Throughout the film, he relies on his swordship to get what he wants rather than his wits. When prince Nuada is introduced at the beginning of the film, he is shown fighting. Later, when he is faced with Hellboy, he quickly beats him with …show more content…
In the Irish creation myth, each race was stronger and more resilient than its precedent. After each race was wiped out, whether by natural reasons or invaders, a new race succeeded it. In Hellboy 2, the main conflict is between the elf race and the human race. Despite the efforts of Prince Nuada, the humans survive due to population and power. Though the elves have their power of long-life, they do not possess any magical abilities. Because possessing magic in Irish myth is a sign of power, the lack of magic use by the elves could be a reason for their inevitable death. When the elves die, their body turns to stone, as if they were monuments. This symbolizes their role in the modern world. Even though they are forever remembered and captured in a moment in time, they are no longer relevant to the world. Likewise, each race in the Irish myth was remembered and recorded in history. However, with the end of each race came another, making the former unimportant. Another recurring theme in both stories is the role of nature in human affairs. In the Irish creation myth, nature is an external force that is neither good nor bad. It is unpredictable but is always present. The first two races are wiped out by natural forces such as a flood and the plague. The film depicts nature in a similar sense. The Forest God is the last of its kind and mostly lies dormant until it is used for evil purposes by Nuada. It begins to attack cars