The White Witch primarily wants humans in Narnia because she fears an ancient prophecy foretelling the end of her tyrannical reign and ultimately her own life.
The Prophecy of the Human Rulers
The core reason for the White Witch's relentless pursuit of humans stems from a powerful and dreaded prophecy. This ancient foretelling predicts that four humans – specifically, two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve – will eventually bring about the downfall of her oppressive rule in Narnia.
- Existential Threat: The Witch is acutely aware that these humans represent a direct and potent threat to her power and very existence. Her entire reign, characterized by perpetual winter and oppressive control, is directly jeopardized by their presence and the potential fulfillment of this prophecy.
- Specific Agents: The prophecy precisely names "Sons of Adam" and "Daughters of Eve," indicating that only human children can fulfill this destiny and ascend to the thrones of Cair Paravel.
- Consequences for the Witch: Should the prophecy come to pass, it means the complete demise of her control over Narnia and the end of her life.
The White Witch's Strategic Response
Driven by this profound fear, the White Witch does not merely wish to avoid humans; she actively seeks them out to prevent the prophecy from being realized. Her strategy is one of pre-emption and elimination.
- Orders to Narnians: She issues strict commands throughout Narnia, ordering all creatures loyal to her to bring any human they encounter directly to her. This demonstrates her desperation and the high priority she places on intercepting these potential threats.
- Preventing Fulfillment: Her intention behind capturing humans is to prevent them from reaching Cair Paravel or fulfilling their destined role in the prophecy, likely through imprisonment, manipulation, or destruction.
Understanding the White Witch's Motivation
To further clarify, here's a breakdown of the key elements driving the White Witch's desire to capture humans:
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Primary Motivation | Fear of losing her tyrannical power and her own life. |
| Source of Threat | An ancient Narnian prophecy. |
| Prophecy's Agents | Two Sons of Adam and Two Daughters of Eve (humans). |
| Prophecy's Outcome | The end of her reign and the perpetual winter, bringing about her downfall. |
| Her Action | Commands all Narnians to capture and deliver any human they find to her. |
The White Witch's actions are a direct manifestation of her deep-seated fear and her desire to maintain absolute control over Narnia, a control she believes is critically threatened by the very existence of humans within its borders.
