Artemis Fowl and the Last Guardian (also Artemis Fowl: the Last Guardian) is the eighth and final novel in the Artemis Fowl series. The book was mentioned by Eoin Colfer when he stated that The Atlantis Complex was the penultimate (second to last) book of the Artemis Fowl series and would be followed soon after by the finale.Seemingly nothing in this world daunts the young criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl. In the fairy world, however, there is a small thing that has gotten under his skin on more than one occasion: Opal Koboi. In The Last Guardian, the evil pixie is wreaking havoc yet again. This time his arch rival has somehow reanimated dead fairy warriors who were buried in the grounds of Fowl Manor. Their spirits have possessed Artemis’s little brothers, making his siblings even more annoying than usual. The warriors don’t seem to realize that the battle they were fighting when they died—a battle against humans—is no longer neccesary. Artemis has until sunrise to get the spirits to vacate his brothers and go back into the earth where they belong. Can he count on a certain LEPrecon fairy to join him in what could well be his last stand?[citation needed]
Release
Colfer confirmed that the release date would be the July 10, 2012. The Amazon link is here. A book depository link is here.
Synopsis
Artemis Fowl is recovering from the Atlantis Complex and is talking to Doctor Argon about his release. In the conversation Artemis is told how he is probably smart and has a desire towards magic because his family line was influenced by residual magic from a great spell. Artemis trades this information for information on how Doctor Argon can heal his hip pain. Butler is waiting in the hall on a chair given to him by Foaly. Butler and Artemis talk, and Butler confirms that Artemis is cured and released from the hospital. Then a message comes in summoning Holly, telling Butler and Artemis to come from the hospital to HQ. The reason turns out to be that some people with masks on are about to kill young Opal Koboi unless Opal Koboi is released. Foally and Artemis have a intellectual laugh about how if young Opal dies then their time's Opal will probably destroy anything she has come into contact with in the last five years. And the first chapter ends with the countdown still going on.
Characters in the Book
- Artemis Fowl II
- Holly Short
- Foaly
- Butler
- Juliet
- Beckett and Myles Fowl
- Artemis Fowl I
- Angeline Fowl
- Mulch Diggums
- Opal Koboi
- Trouble Kelp
- Opal Koboi (of the past)
- N°1
- Qwan
Plot
The book begins with the perspective of the Berserkers, highlighting their vigor on getting their revenge on humans. The perspective then shifts to where Artemis is cured of the Atlantis Complex at the J. Argon Institute, with Holly and Butler accompanying him. During his visit, Dr J. Argon reveals to Artemis that there had been once a human- fairy battle fought at the Fowl Estate. Artemis then trades the information with his sketches on curing Dr. J Argons's hip problem. Following that, Holly is seen sitting beside Opal Koboi's clone (cruelly nicknamed Nopal) when Artemis enters. Foaly alerts Holly about the live feed of Opal received at Police Plaza and urges her to rush there ASAP. They travel on a "stick" and arrives there. The two "kidnappers" then state that they demand that the present-day Opal be set free, or they will shoot the younger Opal, possibly causing nuclear fission, as explained by Artemis and Foaly. This causes panic due to their indecision of letting present-day Opal free. They finally decide to contain her in a nuclear reactor so as to contain the nuclear fission. However, after present-day Opal is placed in the nuclear reactor and the younger Opal is killed, Opal's entity generated massive energy. Opal manipulates the nuclear energy in the reactor to do her bidding, revealing that she had planned the entire thing. Opal escapes and zooms towards Fowl Manor. At the same time, Artemis and Holly, who, due to a slip from one of the kidnappers, realize that they were at Fowl manor, rush to the estate immediately. However, Opal reaches Fowl Manor first and unlocks the first lock, which releases the Berserkers from the ground. They rise from the ground to possess Juliet, Myles, Beckett and all the animals. They then attempt possession of Artemis, Butler, and Holly. Holly, upon realizing this, fires a blast from her Neutrino at Artemis and Butler to prevent them from being posssesssed. Opal, realizing that they are immune to possession, orders Artemis and Co. to be killed. Holly, after using her magic to heal Artemis, Butler and herself, collaspses. This leaves the gang defenseless from the Berserkers. Out of nowhere, the ground below Artemis, Butler and Holly splits, swallowing them. Opal then shrieks a defiant "NO!"
As it turns out, Mulch created the split, thus saving Artemis, Butler and Holly from the clutches of Opal. Mulch brings Artemis and Co. to his underground hideout, accidentally revealing that the initial plan was to rob Artemis. This temporarily angers Artemis. In the hideout, Holly tells Artemis, Butler and Mulch of the origins of the Lock and Key. The Key was Opal (Magic), while there were two locks. The first, which had already been open, releases the Berserkers. Its purpose was to protect the fairy world from the humans should their existence ever be discovered. The second lock was more sinister. It harnesses the power of the Earth God, Danu , to kill all humans on Earth. Artemis and gang then realised that Opal intends to open the second lock, so as to inherit the new Earth. Artemis and gang then agreed to split up. Artemis, Holly and Butler would try to retrieve all of their weapons in Fowl Estate before the Berserkers did, while Mulch would try to get the remaining weapons.
After much zing and fight from both sides, Artemis, emerges with their weapons, from various locations around the Fowl Estate. Artemis then requests to be left alone to reflect while Holly, suspecting Artemis of having a plan to save them, demands to know it. He convincingly lies to Holly that he has no plan. He retreats to a room to ponder, while writing his last will and testament, uses a bio- tech bug to relay to Foaly that he requires two things. Foaly, upon receiving the message, doubts if he trusts Artemis. Foaly still sends the required materials to Artemis, but also, in the process, hints Holly that Artemis is formulating a suicidal master plan. Holly, intrepreting from the items whch had arrived from Foaly, confronts Artemis and tries to stop him with a sedative seal. However, Artemis had predicted that Holly would use a sedative seal, had injected himself with and Adrenaline rush. He holds Holly hand with a sedative pad in his palms, drugging Holly. While drifting between consciousness and unconsciousness, Holly is relayed the information so as to give Artemis a fighting chance at being revived.
The prespective shifts to Opal having almost unlocked the lock. Just when she was about to unlock the lock, however, she is informed that Artemis Fowl and Holly have arrive at the gate. She anatangonistically toys with their feelings. While distracted by her victory close at hand, she becomes overcomplacent and Artemis breaks free from his captives and attempts to close the gate forever. This action, is however, deemed moronic by Opal as Opal knew that she was the only one to be able to close the gate. While distracted, "Holly" attempts to close the gate and Opal shrieks mockingly. However, the ace Artemis had is revealed and "Holly" was revealed to be Opal's clone (from Artemis Fowl: the Opal Deception). As opal's clone had the same DNA as Opal, the gate could be closed. Opal, maddened that her plan had been foiled once more, orders the clone to be killed. However, the berserker instead kills Opal, stating that there has been one too many deaths of the fairy folk. Artemis, exhausted from all the exertion, collaspses to the ground. He sees Holly and Butler sprinting towards him. However, as the gate sucks in all fairy creatures souls which had been involved in either opening/ closing the gate, Artemis's was killed due to his fairy eye (from Holly).
The final chapter begins six months later. It is revealed that Artemis has planned to be cloned using Opal's chrysalis device. His clone is brought to the spot where he had collapsed. Artemis is then miraculously revived. The story ends with Holly telling Artemis of how they had became good friends.
References
| Books | |
| Main Stories : Artemis Fowl • The Arctic Incident • The Eternity Code • The Opal Deception • The Lost Colony • The Time Paradox • The Atlantis Complex • The Last Guardian • The Artemis Fowl Files (contains The Seventh Dwarf) |