takes refuge in a cave where he is overcome by smoke produced by an American Indian woman and wakes up on Mars. He effectively disappeared for nine years [while on Mars], believed dead, but re-emerged in New York in 1876, settling on the Hudson. He appeared to die in 1886, leaving instructions for a fictionalized Burroughs, who refers to him as an 'uncle' of the family, to entomb him in a crypt, and leaving Burroughs with the manuscript of A Princess of Mars with instructions not to publish it for another 21 years. Carter has no memory before the age of 30 and seems never to age. He is adept with command, horsemanship, swords, and all weapons. He is 6'2" tall, with black hair and gray steel eyes. He is honorable, courageous and eternally optimistic, even in the face of certain death. Dejah Thoris: A Martian Princess of Helium, who is courageous, tough and always holds her resolve, despite being frequently placed in both mortal danger and the threat of being dishonored by the lustful designs of villains. She is the daughter of Mors Kajak, jed of Lesser Helium and granddaughter of Tardos Mors, jeddak of Helium, highly aristocratic and fiercely proud of her heritage. She was introduced early in the first Barsoom novel, A Princess of Mars, and is the love interest of John Carter. Carthoris: Son of Dejah Thoris and John Carter, unusual in having no second name (unless it is implied to be Carter); his name is a blend of his parents' surnames, as they had agreed upon. He is described as worthy of his parentage in nobility, ferocity, and intelligence. Because of his father's ancestry, he is considerably paler than other Red Martians. He and his father first meet each other in a Black Martian prison and have adventures together for a while before they figure out their relationship to each other. His jumping and fighting ability is not unlike his father's, suggesting that in the Burroughs novels, the superior strength of Earth men over Martians is interpreted as due to genetics rather than the difference in gravity. Tars Tarkas: A fierce Green Martian warrior, unusual among his people for his ability to love. He befriends John Carter and later fights at his side. Carter helps him become Jeddak of the Green Martians in A Princess of Mars and negotiates an alliance between the Green Martians