Conan the Barbarian

A Cimmerian blacksmith forges a sword and shows it to his young son, Conan, as he tells him of the "Riddle of Steel", an aphorism on the importance of steel to their people. A band of raiders led by cult leader Thulsa Doom then massacres the Cimmerian village, killing Conan's parents. The children are taken as slaves to work a large mill, the Wheel of Pain. Conan survives into adulthood, becoming a powerfully muscled gladiator and eventually gaining his freedom. He is chased by wild dogs and seeks refuge in an Atlantean warrior's tomb, from which he takes an ancient sword. Conan wanders the world, bedding a prophetic witch and befriending Subotai, a Hyrkanian thief and archer. Following the witch's advice, Conan and Subotai go to the city of Zamora to seek out Doom. There they meet Valeria, a female brigand. The three raid the Tower of Serpents, slaying a giant snake and looting the jewels and other valuables it guarded. After escaping with their loot, the thieves celebrate, and Conan makes love with Valeria. The city guards capture the trio and bring them to King Osric, who offers them a reward if they will rescue his daughter, Princess Yasmina, who has become a cultist of Doom. Subotai and Valeria demur, but Conan, who already desires vengeance against Doom, sets off alone for the villain's Temple of Set. Disguised as a priest, Conan infiltrates the temple, but is discovered, captured, and tortured. Doom lectures him on the power of flesh over steel, which he demonstrates by commanding a young woman cultist to leap to her death. He then has Conan crucified on the Tree of Woe. Subotai and Valeria rescue the near-dead Conan and bring him to Akiro, the Wizard of the Mounds (and also the film's narrator), who lives on a burial site of warriors and kings. The wizard summons spirits to heal Conan and warns that they will "extract a heavy toll", which Valeria is willing to pay. The spirits try to abduct Conan, but he is restored to health after Valeria and Subotai fend them off. Subotai and Valeria agree to help Conan complete King Osric's quest and infiltrate the Temple of Set. As the cult indulges in a cannibalistic orgy, the thieves attack and flee with the princess, but Doom escapes Conan by transforming into a large serpent and shoots Valeria with a magical snake arrow. Valeria dies in Conan's arms, acknowledging the toll that the wizard warned would be exacted in exchange for Conan's life. Conan cremates her at the Mounds and prepares with Subotai and the wizard to battle Doom. Conan asks Crom, the Cimmerian God, to grant him revenge. By using booby traps and exploiting their terrain, they manage to slay Doom's warriors. Just when Doom's lieutenant Rexor is about to overcome Conan, Valeria reappears for a brief moment as a Valkyrie to save him from the mortal blow. Doom shoots another snake arrow at the princess to deny the heroes a successful rescue, but Subotai blocks the shot with his shield and Doom retreats to his temple. Conan kills Rexor and recovers his father's sword, now broken by his Atlantean sword. Doom calls upon his cultists to take up fire and burn the world that oppressed them. With the aid of the princess, now freed from Doom's sway, Conan sneaks back to the temple and confronts Doom in front of his cultists. Doom attempts to entrance him, but the barbarian resists and uses his father's broken sword to behead his nemesis. With Doom's spells broken, the disillusioned cultists douse their torches and disperse. Conan burns down the temple and leaves to return the princess to her father. The film ends with the narrator promising to tell how Conan eventually became a king by his own hand.

Plot from Conan the Barbarian (1982 film)CC BY-SA 4.0