Asterix and the Chieftain's Daughter
| Company type | Graphic novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Comics, Publishing |
| Founded | October 24, 2019 |
| Founder | Jean-Yves Ferri, Didier Conrad |
| Products | Comic book |
Asterix and the Chieftain's Daughter (original French title: La Fille de Vercingétorix) represents the 38th installment in the Asterix franchise and marks the fourth collaboration between author Jean-Yves Ferri and illustrator Didier Conrad. Launched globally on 24 October 2019, this edition was made available in more than 20 languages, with an initial print volume surpassing five million copies.
This volume stands as the final Asterix release during the lifetime of co-creator Albert Uderzo, who died on 24 March 2020.
Plot
Monolithix and Sidekix, two chieftains of the Arverni tribe and former commanders under Vercingetorix, arrive at the Gaulish village bearing his daughter, Adrenalin. Bearing her father’s emblematic torc, she must be shielded from Julius Caesar, who aims to capture and assimilate her into Roman culture. The chieftains entrust Vitalstatistix with her protection until she can be safely transported to Britain, beyond Roman influence.
Vitalstatistix appoints Asterix and Obelix as her protectors. Adrenalin, strong-willed and defiant, soon becomes restless and forms friendships with village youths Selfipix and Blinix. Rejecting her destiny as a symbol of war, she escapes with their assistance.
A betrayer named Binjwatchflix informs Roman troops of Adrenalin’s whereabouts. Amid a chase involving Gauls, Romans, and pirates, Adrenalin attempts to commandeer a pirate vessel to reach Thule for refuge. Asterix, Obelix, Selfipix, Blinix, and Dogmatix pursue her. Binjwatchflix secretly boards the ship but is ultimately foiled when Obelix capsizes it. The torc is lost in the ocean during the chaos, and Binjwatchflix flees into shark-infested waters, leaving his fate unknown.
Upon returning to the village, Adrenalin dismisses Monolithix and Sidekix’s plans for rebellion. The Arverni choose another warrior donning Vercingetorix's helmet as their new emblem of resistance. After affirming Asterix’s village as the legitimate heirs of Vercingetorix’s legacy, Adrenalin sets off for Thule aboard a ship captained by Peacenix, joining a group of children on a tropical island.
Notes
- Information about this book was revealed during a press event on 10 April 2019 at Parc Asterix. Writer Ferri characterized the protagonist as a headstrong adolescent inheriting her renowned father's temperament. Central to the story is the theme of adolescence, which Ferri describes as "finding one’s own path despite parental influence."
- This album is only the second occasion—following Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield—where the Gauls express embarrassment over their defeat at Alesia, reflected in their hesitation to mention Vercingetorix’s name aloud.
- After being absent for 38 years, Phoenician merchant Ekonomikrisis reappears briefly as a recent casualty of the Pirates.
- During the voyage back, Peacenix quotes lyrics from John Lennon’s Imagine.
- One pirate character is a caricature of Charles Aznavour, who passed away one year prior to publication.
- At the traditional banquet, Cacofonix the bard is only gently restrained by village children and remains ungagged.