# Mars — Last and First Men character guide

> Mars in Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mars

**First appearance:** 0034-viii-the-martians

## Snapshot

A red planet whose ancient, orthodox civilization becomes the mirror in which humanity is forced to see its own spiritual limits.

## Who they are

Mars is the rival world whose long-lived race repeatedly plants a colony on Earth, only to see it destroyed by the orthodox Martian powers. The planet's presence turns human history into a theological crisis: the Second Men cannot stop asking why a cosmos so beautiful should be so indifferent to their longing. That unresolved question, more than any war, is what hollows out the species and sets the stage for its long dark age.

## In the story

### [III: Voyaging in Space](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/iii-voyaging-in-space)

Considered as an alternative destination but dismissed due to lack of water and atmosphere.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/characters/mars
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/characters