Why does Carthoris save Kulan Tith?
He places Thuvia's safety and honorable conduct above his private hope that a rival's death would free her.
What happens to Kar Komak?
He leads his summoned bowmen after the retreating green warriors and disappears from the lovers' immediate story, leaving them free of Lothar's strange politics.
Why does Kulan release Thuvia?
He recognizes that she loves Carthoris, that she has not acted dishonorably, and that Carthoris risked his life to save him.
How is the political crisis resolved?
Thuvia's recovery and Carthoris's conduct disprove Helium's responsibility for the kidnapping, removing the lie on which Astok built the war.
Themes and What the Ending Means
Honor over possession: Carthoris and Kulan earn respect by refusing to treat Thuvia as a prize.
Thought made material: Lothar literalizes belief through phantom armies, imagined bodies, and the increasingly real Kar Komak.
Propaganda and war: Astok turns a staged abduction into a casus belli among kingdoms.
Inherited heroism: Carthoris acts under John Carter's reputation but must prove his own judgment.
Courage and cowardice: The novel contrasts physical valor with rulers who hide behind projections and deception.