Tristran Thorn Timeline & Summary

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• Tristran is born, presumably beyond the wall, and sent over to his mortal dad, Dunstan Thorn, in a basket. Very classy.
• He grows up feeling like the odd one out, and then as a teenager develops a crush on Victoria Forrester. This inspires him to swear to bring her a fallen star, in exchange for his heart's desire (presumably marriage).
• Dunstan sees his son off, and then Tristran is on his own in Faerie. He meets a hairy little man and they help each other out.
• Equipped with a candle that lets him travel great distances in single steps, Tristran goes and finds the star. Turns out she's a person, not a hunk of space-metal; Tristran chains her to him so that he can bring her back for Victoria.
• The candle flame goes out, leaving Tristran and the star deep in Faerie. Her leg is broken, so Tristran makes her a crutch so they can begin hobbling back to civilization.
• The star urges Tristran to help save a unicorn in a fight, which he does. The unicorn carries the star for a while, but when Tristran unchains the star so he can go look for food, she rides off on the unicorn to escape him.
• Luckily, a tree nymph helps Tristran, giving him a tip so he can catch a ride with Lord Primus of Stormhold. They ride right into the inn where the witch-queen seeking the star is about to cut out her heart.
• Tristran molds the candle wax into enough of a shape to hold a flame so that he and the star can book it after the witch-queen kills Primus and the unicorn. This involves Tristran sticking his hand into the fire, which leaves him with deep burns.
• When the flame goes out for good, Tristran and the star (whose name he finally learns is Yvaine) are stranded atop a cloud. But at least they're not dead, right?
• An airship picks them up, and Tristran's hand heals. Next they hitch a ride to the wall with Madame Semele, who turns Tristran into a mouse for the duration of the trip.
• Tristran crosses the wall without Yvaine, and gets an apology from Victoria for sending him on that whole quest. He tells her that his heart's desire is for her to marry Mr. Monday, whom she's loved all along.
• Crossing the wall back into Faerie, Tristran realizes that he's developed feelings for Yvaine, and they kiss.
• Then Tristran's mom, the slave-girl of Madame Semele, shows up. The conditions for her freedom have been met, and she introduces herself as Lady Una of Stormhold. She tells Tristran to ask Yvaine for what she's carrying.
• Yvaine gives Tristran the topaz of Stormhold, since he's the rightful heir to the throne. He has a heart-to-heart with his mom, and sends her ahead to Stormhold while he and Yvaine traipse around Faerie having adventures.
• Tristran has married his love, the fallen star, and become lord of Stormhold. He rules wisely, does good stuff, and eventually dies, leaving Yvaine to rule after him.