Asterix and Obelix All at Sea
| Industry | Comics |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Albert Uderzo |
| Products | Comic book (30th installment of Asterix series) |
Asterix and Obelix All at Sea () represents the thirtieth installment in the Asterix comic series created by Albert Uderzo. This edition is dedicated to Uderzo's grandchild as well as the American actor Kirk Douglas.
Plot summary
A band of slaves, led by Spartakis—a character parodying Spartacus—captures Julius Caesar's personal galley. In response, Caesar sends Admiral Crustacius, whom he frequently derides as the “Silliest Sausage in Rome,” to retrieve the vessel.
The slaves head toward the sole refuge safe from Roman reach: the village of the fearless Gauls. While Roman camps prepare a ceremonial parade for Crustacius, the Gauls misinterpret it as an impending assault and ready themselves for combat. Obelix is refused any of Getafix's magic potion and withdraws in displeasure. When Asterix questions Getafix about this, he cautions that excessive consumption of the potion might produce unpredictable effects. After overcoming Crustacius’ deputy Vice-Admiral Nautilus, the Gauls discover that Obelix has secretly ingested a second cauldron of the potion, causing him to transform into a figure of granite.
The liberated slaves are given sanctuary while Getafix endeavors to reverse Obelix’s condition. Obelix reverts to childhood without his usual superhuman strength but is soon abducted by Romans intending to use him as leverage for reclaiming Caesar's galley. Asterix, Dogmatix, Getafix, and the freed slaves set out on a sea pursuit to rescue him. Following their success, they hand over Crustacius, Nautilus, and the galley to pirates who plan to hold them for ransom.
Spartakis guides the Gauls to Atlantis (identified with the Canary Islands), where despite access to secrets of eternal youth, Obelix’s adult form remains unrecoverable. The Gauls return home while the freed slaves choose to stay on Atlantis as children.
Meanwhile, aboard Caesar's galley, pirates accidentally administer magic potion to Crustacius, empowering him to expel them and attempt a rebellion against Caesar. Like Obelix, he becomes petrified in stone. Nautilus’s ambitions for promotion are dashed when he forgets to remove the Jolly Roger flag near Rome’s harbor; consequently, the galley is attacked and sunk.
Upon returning home, the Gauls face another Roman galley; Asterix is knocked out during the confrontation. Obelix regains his strength just in time to save Asterix and smashes the Roman vessel into their camp Aquarium before heading back for a celebratory feast. Crustacius’ stone statue is exhibited in the Circus Maximus, while Nautilus and his crew are relegated to menial sweeping tasks. When Cleopatra questions Caesar about honoring his incompetent admiral, Caesar remarks that although lions do not consume granite currently, that might change someday.
Notes
- The character Spartakis parodies actor Kirk Douglas and his portrayal in the film Spartacus.
- This volume uniquely names two pirates.
- The design of Atlantis’ palace draws inspiration from Minoan civilization ruins, reflecting proposed connections between Atlantis and Minoan Crete found in works such as Atlantis Mystery and Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis.
- Obelix appears as a young child without his characteristic strength here, implying he is under six years old before exposure to magic potion (see How Obelix Fell into the Magic Potion When he was a Little Boy).
- This story includes a rare near-death experience involving Admiral Crustacius being turned into stone, unlike other Asterix tales.
- Cleopatra’s depiction alongside Julius Caesar differs from Asterix and Cleopatra, featuring darker skin tone, a shorter nose, and a less fiery temperament.
- In this narrative, young Obelix pronounces Asterix’s name correctly, contrasting with his lisp in How Obelix Fell into the Magic Potion When he was a Little Boy.
- A member of Spartakis' slave group claims kinship with Anticlimax, who is Asterix’s cousin.
- The villagers’ misinterpretation of a large Roman force mirrors an earlier incident in How Obelix Fell into the Magic Potion When he was a Little Boy, where Romans arrived with overwhelming numbers instead of a small delegation.
In other languages
- Croatian: Gali na galiji (Gauls aboard a galley)
- Czech: Obelix a Caesarova galéra
- Danish: Så til søs, Obelix!
- Dutch: De beproeving van Obelix
- Finnish: Obelixin kaleeri (also rendered in Savo as Opeliksin orjalaeva, meaning "Obelix's Slave Ship")
- German: Obelix auf Kreuzfahrt
- Spanish: El mal trago de Obelix
- Greek: Η γαλέρα του Οβελίξ
- Italian: Asterix e la galera di Obelix
- Indonesian: "Obelix Yang Malang"
- Latin: "Navis actuaria Obeligis"
- Norwegian: Obelix på galleien
- Portuguese: A Galera de Obelix (Brazil), O Pesadelo de Obelix (Portugal)
- Polish: Galera Obeliksa
- Serbian: Obeliksove nevolje (Obelix's Predicaments)
- Swedish: Obelix på galejan
See also
- Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas (a quote from Virgil, cited by the pirate captain on page 41 of the English edition)
- English translations of Asterix
- Atlantis in comics