Artemis Fowl II

Artemis Fowl II is a title character and the antihero of the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer.

Origins

Colfer has said that he based Artemis on his younger brother Donal, who as a child was "a mischievous mastermind who could get out of any trouble he got into". A childhood picture of his brother in his first communion suit caused Colfer to think of how much Colfer's brother resembled "a little James Bond villain" and "how funny...a twelve-year-old James Bond villain" would be, inspiring Colfer's creation of Artemis.^[1]

Colfer planned for Artemis to have been called Archimedes but changed the name due to an interest in using a "classic Greek name" and trepidation that "people would think [the series] was about [the historical figure] Archimedes". Artemis is a notable choice for a name because while it is traditionally a female name, it "was [historically] sometimes…given to boys as a kind of honorific if their fathers were great hunters". Fowl was derived from the Irish name Fowler as a play on words to convey the characterisation that Artemis was a nasty or foul individual at the beginning of the series.^[2]

Plot

Prior to the events of the first book, Artemis's father, Artemis Fowl I, imperils the family fortune by investing "a huge chunk of the Fowl fortune in establishing new shipping lanes" to Russia, following the breakdown of Communism there. The Russian Mafia retaliates by sinking a shipping vessel Artemis I was travelling on, the Fowl Star, leading to his disappearance, the loss of a substantial amount of the Fowl fortune, and the mental breakdown of his wife Angeline Fowl, Artemis's mother.^[3]

In Artemis Fowl, which is set two years after those events, the 12-year-old Artemis decides to regain the Fowl fortune by following leads on the Internet that refer to an underground world of fairies collectively called the People. Artemis manages to blackmail a member of the People into giving him what they call "the Book" which is like their Bible, holding all their secrets, customs, rules, and history. This leads him to ransom Lower Elements Police (LEP) Captain Holly Short for a portion of the People's gold. Artemis and Holly agree a deal whereby Holly retains half the ransom fee, while Artemis gets one wish from Holly and gets to keep the other half of the gold. After recovering Holly, the LEP attempt to permanently eliminate Artemis by setting off a biological weapon, but are thwarted when Artemis discovers a way around their attack (something not even the People had been able to develop).

In the sequel, The Arctic Incident, the 13-year-old Artemis learns that his father was only injured in the attack on his shipping vessel, and is being held hostage by the Russian Mafia. Artemis barters with the People to receive their aid in rescuing his father in exchange for assisting them in solving the mystery of who was behind a goblin rebellion. It is later revealed that Opal Koboi, a pixie criminal mastermind, and ex-LEP officer Briar Cudgeon are behind the plot. Their plan is thwarted, ending in Cudgeon's death and Koboi's arrest, and Artemis successfully recovers his father.^[4]

In the third book, The Eternity Code, Artemis (in what he considers to be his last criminal act before his father recovers from his injuries) creates the C Cube, a mini super-computer based on the People's technology that is decades ahead of human technology. He plans to make a deal with Chicago technology businessman Jon Spiro over the Cube, but Spiro double-crosses Artemis, steals the Cube, and wounds Domovoi Butler in the process. Along with Holly Short and Foaly, Artemis succeeds in healing Butler and ensuring that Spiro does not discover the existence of the People through use of the C Cube. The C Cube is recovered, with the help of Foaly, Holly, Juliet (Butler's sister), and Mulch. But to gain the help of Foaly, Holly, and their Fairy technology, Artemis has to agree to Butler's, Juliet's and his own memories being wiped by the People, to avoid future misadventures. This happens at the end of the book.^[5]

In the fourth book, The Opal Deception, Opal Koboi, who had been lying in an institution in a catatonic state, escapes with the help of pixie twins Mervall and Descant Brill, and begins plotting revenge against Julius Root, Holly Short, Foaly, and Artemis. Opal frames Holly for the murder of Julius Root and nearly terminates the now 14-year-old Artemis and Butler with a biological weapon. Holly rescues Artemis after being injured while escaping Opal's weapon. But Opal still seeks revenge on Holly and Artemis, so she traps them in an abandoned amusement park (comprising copies of the 11 wonders of the worlds plus four extra monuments determined by the People) with only hungry trolls for company. Meanwhile, Mulch Diggums has helped Butler regain his memories and together they save Holly and Artemis in the nick of time and also return Artemis's memory. With help from Artemis, Butler, and Mulch, Holly prevents Opal from taking over the planet.^[6]

In the fifth book, The Lost Colony, Artemis works with the People to recover a young kidnapped demon imp from the 12-year-old child prodigy Minerva Paradizo. The team succeed in finding and rescuing the imp-warlock, but Artemis and Holly Short must then work to restore the imp's home, a floating island lost in a space and time Limbo, which threatens to breach its way onto Earth. In the process, several significant changes occur within the characters' lives. Artemis receives a small amount of magical power during the trip to Limbo, and swaps an eye with Holly on the return trip. The pair finds that they have been transported nearly three years into their future. Finally, Artemis learns that in the ensuing time he has become the older brother to twins, Beckett and Myles Fowl.^[7]

In the sixth book, The Time Paradox, Artemis' mother Angeline Fowl becomes gravely ill with a rare fairy disease called Spelltropy. Artemis attempts to cure her with his remaining magic, but it only serves to worsen her condition. The only cure for Spelltropy is found in the brain fluid of the Silky Sifaka Lemur, the last of which Artemis sold in a business deal when he was ten years old, resulting in the extinction of the species. To get Holly to help him, Artemis falsely accuses her of exposing his mother to magic, which led to her developing the disease. Holly believes Artemis and, ridden with guilt, accompanies him to the past to rescue the last lemur from his younger self. After several misadventures, Artemis recovers the lemur but learns that his mother's illness was a ruse plotted by Opal Koboi, who wanted the lemur's brain fluid to increase her own magical powers. Artemis ruins Opal's plans by bringing his ten-year-old self into the present and fooling Opal, saving his mother in the process. Opal flees, but returns again as Artemis appears to take the lemur and fly off the manor's grounds in his Cessna. She chases him, following the thermal read of the lemur and slowly destroying the plane until it crashes on the shoreline. At the crash site, the two stand off until she discovers that the lemur is actually only a decoy, fitted with a thermal read to trick Opal. Before she can further injure Artemis, he shoots the boulder she's on, and it is shown that it was in fact the shell of a kraken she stood on, built up with gases that exploded with the pressure of Artemis's shot. The LEP team later informs Artemis that Opal's body was not recovered from the rubble. As a result of Opal meddling with her mind, Angeline Fowl learns of Artemis' contact with the People, and she asks Artemis to tell her the truth. Artemis' 10-year-old self has his mind wiped by Nº1, but retains a brief memory of the existence of fairies,^[8] which spurs him to research them, ultimately leading to the events of the first book.

In the seventh book, The Atlantis Complex, Artemis contracts a mental disease called Atlantis Complex disease, similar to OCD, and now has an alter-ego named Orion, who is in love with Holly Short, and has a strange fascination with bivouacking. Due to the disease, Artemis finds himself obsessed with the number 5 and fearing the number 4 (which in Chinese sounds like the word for death). The disease worsens throughout the novel, leading to his distrust of close friends. A neutrino shock from Holly Short frees Artemis' alter-ego Orion but he comes back after being knocked out by a buzz baton blow from Holly. He later undergoes Atlantis Complex Disease treatment by the fairies, curing him and restoring his former self.

In the eighth book, The Last Guardian, Artemis must save humankind by stopping the crazed pixie Opal Koboi. Opal kills her younger self (who followed Artemis and Holly to the present in the sixth book) to gain enough black magic to open a magical gate, which has been under the Fowl Manor for a millennium, and so release the Berserkers (ancient fairy warriors). Then Artemis must fight his brothers, who have been taken over by the Berserker souls. He sacrifices himself at the conclusion of the book to trigger an ancient spell that disperses Opal and her various fairy spirits, but since his spirit was human (apart from some traces of fairy magic from Holly's borrowed eye), his essence endures at the location of the spell long enough for Holly and Foaly to clone a new body for him and transfer his soul into it. Although the process leaves him with missing memories, the book ends with Butler, Holly and Foaly immediately beginning work to restore them.

Characterization

Family history

Artemis Fowl II is the son of Artemis Fowl I and Angeline Fowl. He is a brother to younger twins Beckett and Myles Fowl.^[9] As shown in the fifth and seventh book, Artemis' birthday is 1 September.

The Fowls are a family of "legendary criminals" whose history dates back to at least the Norman Conquest that have amassed a fortune through both legitimate and illegitimate means. Working alongside the Fowls is the Butler family, a centuries-old line of trained bodyguards that form lifelong affiliations with members of the Fowl family.^[10] The family motto is Aurum Potestas Est (Gold is Power).^[11]

Artemis Fowl I underwent reform following his kidnapping and has joined Angeline Fowl in her humanitarian and environmentalist efforts.^[12]

Physical appearance

Artemis is described as having pale skin, deep blue eyes, premature wrinkling near the eyes, and raven black hair.^[13] He is said to resemble his father. As of his adventures in The Lost Colony, Artemis has exchanged one eye with Holly Short as a result of a botched re-materialization and now possesses one blue eye and one hazel eye, and a time travel in The Time Paradox aged him to his chronological age of 18 but then back again upon his return to his own time. A similar re-materialization resulted in the swapping of the index and second fingers on his left hand.^[14] His smile is called vampire-like, and he maintains manicured hands.^[15] Artemis has a slight build and is not physically fit.^[16] He often wears Armani suits.^[17] It is also mentioned by himself that his first suit was a Zegna custom made as worn by Holly in The Time Paradox. As of The Last Guardian, Artemis has reverted to his image as it was at the start of the series due to being placed in a new body grown by Foaly when he lost his during Opal's attempt to dominate the world and wipe out the human race. He now possesses two blue eyes and all fingers are back in their original place. It is noted, however, that Artemis has the physical appearance of a boy just over the age of 15 and now also has six toes on one foot.

Personality

Colfer describes Artemis' personality at the beginning of the series as being difficult.^[2] A description of the twelve-year-old Artemis in The Artemis Fowl Files finds that "he may isolate himself completely from anyone wishing to be his friend and, ultimately, from his family too". However, Artemis also reveals in the same text that Butler is his best friend.^[18] Artemis later acknowledges his father, Holly, and Butler as figures of respect following the events of Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident.^[19] Following Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code, Holly Short and Foaly both express regret at Artemis' mindwipe.^[20] As the series progresses, Holly describes him as a friend. Artemis then acknowledges that he considers Holly, Julius Root, and Mulch Diggums to be friends as well. Artemis realizes that his adventures and new friendships have changed him for the better. Foaly later acknowledges Artemis as a friend of the People Artemis admits feeling conflicted about wanting to be a criminal but also wanting to be a normal teen.^[21] Ultimately, Artemis uses his abilities to help the People because he feels that he owes them for the past trouble he has caused, and he misses the challenges that their problems present.^[22] On the other hand, his 'alternate personality' (Orion) is almost the opposite. He is childish and possibly over-familiar, addressing Foaly as the 'noble steed' and treating Holly as his 'fair maiden'. His use of language is also very different, speaking as if he is a knight in a fantastical dragon-slaying story.

He hates lollipops.

The intention of Artemis' development has been to explore the development of a "boy [that] becomes a young man and learns that avarice is not as important as family."^[23] Colfer has noted that once Artemis "gets completely good, that's it" for his criminal ways.^[24]

Relationships

During The Lost Colony, Artemis meets a girl called Minerva Paradizo, another child prodigy aware of the existence of magic, and develops an apparent attraction to her, but this relationship is not fully explored before Artemis and Holly are transferred to the Lost Colony, where they remain for about three years, limiting Artemis's potential interest in getting back in contact with her. She is not mentioned in any of the other books.

Artemis may have a possible romantic relationship with Holly Short. Though they start out as fierce enemies, they gradually learn to respect each other, and then to like each other. By the end of the fourth book they are good friends, and in the last book is described as having "tremendous affection for his fierce and beautiful best friend."

In The Time Paradox, the two kiss and seem to take pleasure in it, although it should be noted that Holly was suffering from somewhat disturbed hormones due to the time travel disrupting her body's chemistry. Also, in The Atlantis Complex, Artemis's alter ego, Orion, confesses his love to Holly and tries to woo her, although she is unnerved by his advances. In the last book Artemis and Holly are in a crisis and Artemis finally realizes his affection for Holly and kisses her on the forehead which seems to be for romantic reasons, however it is later revealed that this is only so Foaly can have Artemis' DNA sample to create a clone and revive him.

He obviously cares deeply for his mother, father, and brothers, and where they are concerned, acts much like a young boy who just wants to be taken care of by his parents. He also cares about Domovoi Butler very much, and has an ongoing rivalry with Foaly over who is more brilliant.

He also has a pseudo-friendship with Mulch, and it is Mulch who eventually delivers the disk that helps him restore his memory after the events of The Eternity Code.

Many details of Artemis's personal life are left open ended. As is stated in the first book, "[those questions] can only be answered by one person. And he delights in not talking."

Aliases

Artemis also uses pseudonyms to hide his identity. Some names include a play on words, such as Dr. F. Roy Dean Schlippe (Freudian slip), Emmesey Squire (E=mc²), Dr. C. Niall DeMencha (senile dementia), and Sir E. Brum (cerebrum).^[25][26] Other identities include Stefan Bashkir (Russian child chess prodigy as well as character from The Supernaturalist), Alfonse Lee (a teenager visiting the International Bank with his father), Malachy Pasteur (French-Irish Extinctionist), Art Fowler (Vending Warehouse Owner, also referenced in Half-Moon Investigations), and Violet Tsirblou (Violets are blue).^[27][28][29]

Domovoi Butler usually adapts to the new identities by assuming the role of the father or guardian,^[27][28] including Constantin Bashkir and Colonel Xavier Lee. Artemis also disguises fairy weaponry or other questionable items for his new identities by passing them off as games or toys.^[30]

Skills and abilities

Artemis is a child prodigy and is known to have the highest tested IQ in Europe.^[31] He is described as "a plotter…[and]…a schemer" with "the ability to visualize a hypothetical situation and calculate the likely outcomes".^[32] His professors at Saint Bartleby's School for Young Gentlemen acknowledge that his intellect is beyond what they may offer in the fields of literature, history, science, and mathematics. The English teacher has given him a library pass during his class and the History teacher let him try to build a time machine during her class. She thinks that he can do it.^[33] He has published articles in psychology journals and delivered a lecture on Balkan politics, and has made several patents.^[25][34] Additionally, Artemis shows talent in music when he is able to compose an ending and add extra notes to many famous pieces of music by composers such as Bach and Beethoven.^[35] He speaks fluent Gnommish, some Spanish, and speaks Russian with an impeccable accent. He also speaks French, and is able to read lips.^[36][37][38] He is skilled in detecting and creating forgeries. ^[39][40]

In addition to these abilities, Artemis holds several other fringe talents. He can allegedly type Paradise Lost in less than twenty minutes giving him the minimum typing speed of 7525 words per minute.^[41] He is ambidextrous, but his left hand is slightly steadier (his other personality, Orion, is also ambidextrous, but favours his right hand).^[42] He apparently has perfect pitch, as he was able to label a pitch as high C in Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony.^[43] Finally, Artemis is a trained pilot and equestrian.^[44]

Between the events of The Lost Colony and The Time Paradox, Artemis holds a small amount of clandestinely gathered magic from his extra-dimensional travels.^[45] The magic gives him symptoms of being a magical being, such as nausea upon entering a building uninvited. The ability was lost after a failed healing on his mother.^[46]

As 'Orion', he expresses more physical co-ordination than as 'Artemis'. He shows "a nimbleness that anyone who knew the boy would not associate with him"^[47] and successfully winded Turnball with a move he learnt (but Artemis did not) from Butler. He is also able to shoot Holly under circumstances which Holly (under the influence of a rune) claims Artemis would not.

Valuables and possessions

Artemis has accessed many possessions for implementing his plots throughout the series. Those include his computers and the cache of Lower Elements Police equipment collected during the events of the first book.^[48][49] One of his most prized possessions given to him by Holly Short at the end of The Arctic Incident was a fairy coin that she shot a hole through using the trigger finger he and Julius Root helped her to heal, to remind him "that deep beneath the layers of deviousness...[he has]...a spark of decency".^[50] Another gift from Holly Short is a fairy communicator Artemis has disguised as a "rather ostentatious" ring.^[51]

Possessions used in his exploits also include Fowl Manor, a late medieval, early modern castle on 200 acres (0.81 km²), a Learjet (which he allegedly flies by himself with no legal pilot's license), a Bentley Arnage Red Label, a Sikorsky helicopter, and a solar powered Cessna aircraft.^{[52][53][54][55]} He also considers his collection of Impressionist art to be the only material asset worth travelling in a time stream for.

Artemis's exact cash worth is uncertain, but he is known to have stolen approximately $15 million worth of gold from the fairy ransom fund, in the original novel. In the third book, after Jon Spiro's attempt on his life, Artemis retaliated by completely draining his accounts. He donated the bulk of the money to Amnesty International, but chose to keep ten percent of it (about $300 million) for himself.

He has appeared on the Forbes Fictional 15 three times, placing third on the list in 2011, with a net worth of approximately $13,500,000,000.

References