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Durza is one of the antagonists of Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Trilogy. He is a Shade, a sorceror possed by demonic spirits.

Description

Durza is described as being tall and rather thin. He has red hair and red eyes. Durza, being a Shade, has amazing experience in magic and sword fighting combats. Shades can only be killed if they are pierced through the heart. No other form of injury can kill him. He carries a pale sword with him, which has a long scar down the blade. Though he is weaker than Galbatorix, he is much stronger than an elf or human.

Role in the books

Background

At the end of Eragon, Eragon pushes his way into Durza's mind using magic. While doing so, he is able to capture small glimpses and scenes of Durza's past.

Durza's birth name was Carsaib. Early in his life, he was member of a nomadic tribe. Carsaib and his parents were abandoned by the tribe when Carsaib's father was accused of being an "oathbreaker". Following his parents' deaths, Carsaib found his way into the desert and was discovered by Haeg, a sorcerer, who taught Carsaib how to use spirits and spells.

Haeg was murdered by bandits, and, in his rage over his mentor's death, Carsaib summoned up avenging spirits too powerful to control. The spirits took possession of his mind and body, transforming him into a Shade. The spirits renamed his body Durza.

It is also revealed in another part of the novel that Durza and Ajihad, who was leader of the Varden in Eragon, fought in sword-to-sword combat. During the struggle, Ajihad gave a long scratch down Durza's sword, before Durza disappeared.

Role in Eragon

Durza is first introduced in the prologue, where he leads a band of Urgals to capture Arya and the stolen dragon egg. Successfully capturing Arya, but unsuccessful in capturing the egg, he takes Arya to his castle at Gil'ead and poisons her. After hearing of Eragon being the new Dragon Rider, he sends the Ra'zac to capture the boy and his dragon.

Later in the story, Eragon is captured outside of Gilead and taken to Durza's prison, where he interrigates Eragon. Eragon manages to escape Gil'ead with Arya, after fighting Durza and having Murtagh shoot Durza between the eyes. They believed they had killed him.

In the final battle between the Varden and the Empire's Urgals and Kull, Eragon faces Durza alone and they have a sword magic fight. After invading Durza's mind, Eragon is cut on the back by Durza's sword. Suddenly, Saphira and Arya break through the roof of the hall and come crashing down. Taking advantage of the distraction, Eragon stabs his sword in Durza's heart. Durza is killed and his spirits flee his body.

Role in Eldest

Though Durza does not make an appearance in Eldest, he has left several key situations. For one, Eragon was unable to heal from the scar that Durza left on his back. When preforming strong magic and stretches to improve himself as a Dragon Rider, he experiences painful seizures from it. Also, since Eragon has killed Durza, Eragon is from then out called Eragon Shadeslayer.

Role in Eragon (Movie)

The role of Durza is played by Robert Carlyle in the Eragon film.

Though many aspects of Durza remain close to the book, like his red hair and evil like proportions, there was many others that were changed. For example, at the end in the final battle, Durza and Eragon have a aeiral combat in which Eragon flies Saphira and Durza flies on a shadowy draconic demon that he has summoned from the fire.

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 Later in the story, Eragon is captured outside of Gilead and taken to Durza's prison, where he interrigates Eragon. Eragon manages to escape Gil'ead with Arya, after fighting Durza and having Murtagh shoot Durza between the eyes. They believed they had killed him.
-In the final battle between the Varden and the Empire's Urgals and Kull, Eragon faces Durza alone and they have a sword magic fight.
+In the final battle between the Varden and the Empire's Urgals and Kull, Eragon faces Durza alone and they have a sword magic fight. After invading Durza's mind, Eragon is cut on the back by Durza's sword. Suddenly, Saphira and Arya break through the roof of the hall and come crashing down. Taking advantage of the distraction, Eragon stabs his sword in Durza's heart. Durza is killed and his spirits flee his body.
+===Role in Eldest===
-==Abilities==
+Though Durza does not make an appearance in ''Eldest'', he has left several key situations. For one, Eragon was unable to heal from the scar that Durza left on his back. When preforming strong magic and stretches to improve himself as a Dragon Rider, he experiences painful seizures from it. Also, since Eragon has killed Durza, Eragon is from then out called Eragon Shadeslayer.
-Durza, being a Shade, has incredible magic powers (as read in the book when he incinerates a half-mile of forest in his attempts to catch Arya). He is able to wield control over the [[Urgals]] through linking spirits. He is also powerful enough to defeat Arya and quite possibly Saphira, yet he is weaker than [[Galbatorix]].
-In the movie, he summons a flying demonic creature (possibly the film's counterpart to a Lethrblaka as Durza can be heard saying a similar word to "Letherblaka" while summoning it) from the smoke of the fires from the fight to fight Eragon and Saphira. He also is an incredible swordsman, easily defeating Eragon, who mastered the art of swordsmanship. One of the Shade's most potent powers is his resistance to death. If a Shade is not killed by a thrust to the heart, he will merely regenerate elsewhere stronger than the previous appearance. While a dragon rider has limits to his magic, so far by what we have seen a Shade has very little.
 ==Role in Eragon (Movie)==
+The role of Durza is played by [[Robert Carlyle]] in the ''Eragon'' film.
-Durza is first introduced in the prologue of ''[[Eragon]]'', ''Shade of Fear'' (this is where the movie starts off), when he attacks [[Arya (Inheritance)|Arya]], an Elf, in an attempt to steal the dragon egg she guards. He is able to capture her, but not before Arya teleports the egg to [[The Spine (Inheritance)|The Spine]], where it is found by [[Eragon (character)|Eragon]]. Eragon later encounters Durza in [[Gil'ead]]. They have a brief physical battle, and Eragon realizes that he does not have nearly enough strength to defeat the Shade. Fortunately, Durza is disembodied when [[Murtagh]], Eragon's companion shoots him between the eyes, but he does not die. Later, during the [[Battle under Farthen Dûr]], Eragon is forced to duel with Durza once again, and this time the two of them use magic. However in the move Durza summons a massive, shadowy draconic demon and uses it to confront Eragon and Saphira in arial combat rather than the combat inside Tronjhiem described in the book.  Durza's summoned monster delivers a fatal injury to Saphira by biting down on her neck. Finally, Eragon has a plan and climbs onto Saphira's tail. Durza throws a ball of flame at Eragon, but to his dismay, he's not there. Saphira flicks Eragon into Durza and as they fall, Durza starts shrieking in protest, right up until Eragon stabs him in the heart.
+Though many aspects of Durza remain close to the book, like his red hair and evil like proportions, there was many others that were changed. For example, at the end in the final battle, Durza and Eragon have a aeiral combat in which Eragon flies Saphira and Durza flies on a shadowy draconic demon that he has summoned from the fire.
-==Other==
-Durza's sword is marred by a long scratch upon the blade, a reminder of the time [[Ajihad]], leader of the [[Varden]], tried to kill him. Durza is depicted as the antagonist in a poem Eragon writes for the [[Blood-Oath Celebration]]; the poem receives much acclaim from the Elves and an honored place in one of their institutions.
 ==See also==