🎥 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒)

John Carter 2: The Gods of Mars (2024)

After a decade of being stranded on Earth, John Carter finally finds a way to return to Barsoom (Mars), desperate to reunite with his wife, Dejah Thoris, and defend his adopted home from new threats. The film begins with Carter uncovering ancient Martian texts on Earth that reveal hidden secrets about the Therns, the mysterious, godlike beings who have long manipulated Barsoom’s civilizations. He learns that the amulet that first transported him to Mars was part of an ancient system that allows interplanetary travel. After years of searching, Carter finally obtains another Thern medallion and activates it, instantly finding himself back on the red sands of Barsoom. However, he does not arrive in Helium as expected. Instead, he materializes in the fabled Valley Dor, a place thought to be a paradise but is, in reality, a deadly prison ruled by the sinister Therns. Captured by the warrior-priests, Carter is forced into the gladiatorial arenas of the First Born, an elite warrior race who worship the false goddess Issus. Forced to fight for his survival, Carter forms an alliance with Xodar, a high-ranking First Born who has begun to question the rule of Issus. Together, they plot their escape, hoping to expose the lies of the Therns and liberate Barsoom from their hidden influence.

Meanwhile, Dejah Thoris and the city of Helium face a growing threat. In Carter’s absence, a ruthless warlord named Matai Shang, the High Priest of the Therns, has seized power, using advanced Thern technology to spread fear and maintain control. The people of Barsoom, still believing the Therns to be divine, are falling under his rule, and resistance is becoming increasingly difficult. Dejah, now a prisoner in her own palace, secretly works with the remaining loyalists to keep hope alive. However, she is also dealing with an even more devastating personal crisis—she has given birth to Carter’s son, a child prophesied to be a great warrior, but the Therns seek to take him, believing he will one day bring about their downfall. As Carter and Xodar escape from the Valley Dor, they encounter Tars Tarkas, leader of the Tharks, who has been leading a desperate resistance against the Therns. The three warriors unite and rally the scattered forces of Barsoom, preparing for a final assault on Helium. The battle that follows is unlike anything Barsoom has ever seen—airships clash in the skies, Thark warriors storm the city gates, and Carter, fueled by his rage and love for Dejah, fights his way through the enemy forces to reach the palace and face Matai Shang.

The final battle between Carter and Matai Shang is both physical and philosophical, as the Thern priest attempts to break Carter’s spirit by revealing dark truths about the history of Barsoom and its inevitable decline. However, Carter refuses to succumb to despair, fighting with all his strength to protect the people he has come to love. In the climactic moment, Dejah Thoris joins the fight, proving herself not just as a ruler but as a warrior, standing alongside Carter as they take down the last of the Therns. With their defeat, Barsoom is freed from centuries of manipulation, and peace is restored to Helium. However, as Carter and Dejah embrace, a new mystery arises—a vision of an even greater threat looming in the depths of space, hinting that the battle for Barsoom is far from over. The film ends with Carter looking to the stars, ready to face whatever comes next.