Morzan is the overarching antagonist in the Inheritance Cycle series. He is the father of Murtagh, the husband of Selena, and the former close friend-turned-archnemesis of Brom. Despite having died before the series started, he had a profound impact on the events of the series, being responsible for both Murtagh's tragic backstory and the destruction of the destruction of the old Riders.
Biography[]
As a Rider[]
Before his betrayal of the Riders and his service to Galbatorix, Morzan was Brom's training partner and idol. It was said that Morzan belittled him, ordered him around, and treated him shamefully, but in spite of this Brom still loved him like a brother. It took Morzan's betrayal and him killing Brom's dragon Saphira for him to fall from Brom's favor.
The name of Morzan's Dragon is unknown due to the Banishing of the Names, a powerful spell cast by the dragons to strip the traitorous dragons of the Forsworn of their names and identities. Because of the red color of his sword, Zar'roc, it is safe to assume that Morzan's dragon was red. Morzan and his dragon eventually betrayed the Order to Galbatorix, becoming the first of the Forsworn.
As a Forsworn[]
Morzan met Galbatorix, who was at that time a fugitive, under unspecified circumstances. Galbatorix convinced him to leave the door open at Ilirea. Why Morzan would grant a request for a notorious enemy of the Riders, or even speak with him, is unknown, but it could suggest hatred, deliberate disobedience, a thirst for domination which he could gain under Galbatorix, contempt for the Riders and elves on Morzan's part, or friendship between Galbatorix and Morzan.
Once inside Ilirea, Galbatorix stole a dragon hatchling to replace the dragon he lost. Afterward, Morzan followed him to a place that Riders were loathe to go. Morzan had an obscure teaching there, learning the secrets Galbatorix had gained from a Shade (presumably Durza). Several years later, when Galbatorix revealed himself to the world, Morzan stood faithfully by his side. They fought any Rider they met, recruited some into their service, founded the order known as the Forsworn.
Alongside Galbatorix and the 12 other traitors, Morzan flew to the plains of Du Völlar Eldrvarya, where he fought in the First Battle of the Burning Plains, fighting against the Dragon Riders during which the flames the dragons (including Morzan's red) of both sides used to attack their foes permanently scarred the landscape. These flames also lit the vast deposits of peat in the area, and the fire apparently "burrowed" underground. Consequently, there are frequent bursts of flame coming out of the ground. The outcome of this battle is unknown.
Finally, having gained enough Eldunarí to face of against that full for of the riders, Morzan, Galbatorix and the rest of the Forsworn flew on island of Vroengard, where they laid siege to the Riders at Doru Araeba and destroyed them. During the battle, one of Morzan's enemies, an elven rider by the name of Thuviel, who had lost his dragon to the hands of a member of the Forsworn (possibly Morzan) only a month prior to the fight, cast a powerful spell in a desperate bid to kill the Forsworn. Half driven to insanity, he remained loyal to the Riders to the end and sought release though he was desperately needed for the fight. By converting his body into raw energy, he caused a release of energy which destroyed himself in a powerful explosion akin to an antimatter detonation. What Thuviel, the Forsworn or the Riders were unaware of was that this was part of a plan to keep a portion of Eldunarí and all the dragon eggs safe from the Forsworn by hiding 135 Eldunarí and 243 dragon eggs, in in the Vault of Souls along with the Eldunarí of Vrael's dragon, Umaroth himself, in a subterranean area beneath the roots of Mount Erolas, deep enough to evade magical detection and the memory was magically removed from the minds of all who knew, including the mothers of every egg. Galbatorix and most of the Forsworn, including Morzan, had some warning and survived by shielding themselves with magic, but one of Morzan's comrades, an elf by the name of Glaerun and his dragon were not so fortunate and were consumed in the explosion and were killed. Of the Riders, many were not as forwarned and thus perished, leading the Forsworn's victory. The explosion also, much to Morzan, Galbatorix and the Forsworn's rage, destroyed the hatchery and incubating chamber, which had in fact been emptied of its contests, the eggs being placed in the Vault of Souls.
They then descended on Ilirea and deposed King Angrenost, turning the Broddring Kingdom into the Broddring Empire. Morzan presumably participated in the elves and remaining Dragon Riders final attempt to defeat Galbatorix and the traitors with him and may have fought against Blödhgarm or one of his eleven allies, who were known to have survived a duel with at least three of the Forsworn. After their victory, Morzan was granted his own castle in the Spine, hidden away from the rest of the world. The Banishing of Names, however, resulted in Morzan only being able to watch in what we can only assume was silent misery as his dragon, stripped of what made their identity, descended into ignorance.
Marriage to Selena[]
80 years later, Morzan met a woman named Selena, showed her a small kindness to gain her confidence, and enlisted her as his Black Hand after making her swear oaths in the Ancient Language and learning her true name. Selena had complete confidence in Morzan. Abusing her trust, Morzan commanded her to commit many crimes for the benefit of Galbatorix's army. After three years, she became pregnant with Morzan's child. Because the other Forsworn might use Selena and the child against him, Morzan hid her in his castle, which he protected using powerful spells. The only other individual to know of Murtagh's existence beside his parents was Galbatorix. Morzan is the only known member of the Forsworn to have a child.
When the child, Murtagh, was born, Morzan kept him and Selena separated, allowing her to visit her son only occasionally. After another three years, when he was in a drunken rage, he threw his sword, hit Murtagh and left him with a large scar on his back. Unknown to Morzan, Brom had infiltrated his castle in his plan to get revenge for the death of his dragon Saphira, only to unintentionally fall in love with Selena. Meeting Brom changed her true name so that Selena was able to break free of her bondage from Morzan and secretly began to supply the Varden, a rebel group Brom had formed to fight the Broddring Empire with information.
Duel with Brom and death[]
About 15 years before the Rider War, Morzan hunted down Hefring, an agent of the Varden that had stolen a dragon egg from Galbatorix, and retrieved the egg from him. Shortly after, Brom confronted him to take the egg back and they came face to face for the first time in several decades. He questioned Brom as to whether he was responsible for the disappearance of his Black Hand and they proceeded to duel. Morzan lost and Brom killed both him and his dragon in a terrible contest of strength and skill. Brom then took both Zar'roc and the egg and fled. Brom would later give the egg to the Varden and Zar'roc, later on, to his and Selena's son, Eragon (Morzan's step-son).
Legacy[]
As the right-hand man to King Galbatorix, Morzan was succeeded by the Shade Durza.
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