What are the main themes of Conquest?

The summary picks out 3 themes: Hero's Quest, Power and Transformation and Good vs Evil.

Who directed Conquest?

Conquest (1983) was directed by Lucio Fulci and runs 1 hour 28 minutes.

Conquest (1983) Plot Summary & Timeline

Q: Who are the main characters in Conquest?

The story follows Ilias (Andrea Occhipinti) (played by Andrea Occhipinti), Mace (Jorge Rivero) (played by Jorge Rivero), Ocron (Sabrina Siani) (played by Sabrina Siani) and Zora (Conrado San Martín) (played by Conrado San Martín).

No spoilers

What Is Conquest About?

The premise of Conquest in 306 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.

In a realm that seems to exist beyond the ticking of clocks, an endless wilderness stretches under bruised skies, its valleys humming with ancient magic and its horizons blotched by a creeping darkness. The land is a tapestry of hidden glades, wind‑whispered ruins, and tribes that cling to survival, giving the world a mythic, almost dream‑like weight. Every rustle of leaves and distant howl hints at forces both wondrous and threatening, setting a tone that is as reverent as it is unsettled.

Ilias is a youth on the cusp of adulthood, entrusted with a bow forged from enchantments older than the surrounding forests. The weapon is more than a tool; it is a test of courage, a beacon that draws the shadows out of hiding. With the weight of his family’s legacy on his shoulders, he steps away from the safety of his home, driven by a quiet determination to cleanse the realm of the encroaching gloom.

Mace appears in the wilds as a hardened outlaw whose reputation precedes him, a figure shaped by countless trials in the harsh terrain. Though his motives are his own, a fragile alliance forms between him and Ilias, each recognizing in the other a crucial companion for the perilous journey ahead. Their partnership balances youthful idealism with seasoned pragmatism, creating a dynamic that feels both tense and hopeful.

Lurking in the shadows of this enchanted world is Ocron, a witch whose ambitions loom large. She covets the magical bow, believing it could amplify her own power and deepen the darkness she cherishes. As Ilias and Mace press onward, the promise of their quest—standing against a force that would twist the bow’s purpose—casts a lingering sense of urgency and wonder, inviting the audience to wonder how far courage can travel when the very fabric of the world hangs in the balance.

Full plot

What Happens in Conquest?

The complete story of Conquest, from the first scene to the last, in 728 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 6 cast member pages.

Spoilers ahead

A youth named Ilias leaves his paradise home for the wilderness, his father marking the rite of passage by gifting him a magical bow that will test his courage and resolve. In a land where small tribes are preyed upon by hostile creatures, Ilias’s journey soon places him in the path of danger and wonder. The masked leader Ocron watches from the shadows as a faceless youth with a powerful bow dares to strike, and she dispatches her troopers to hunt this newcomer down.

A band of Ocron’s marauders moves to seize the bow and capture Ilias, but they are thwarted when the outlaw Mace crashes into their camp, delivering a brutal beatdown that sends the attackers fleeing. With fierce survival instincts and a growing sense of camaraderie, Mace teams up with Ilias on a quest to purge the land of evil. During a rough training session, Mace kills a random hunter as they test the bow’s power, and together they desecrate the hunter’s camp by stealing his game, a grim reminder of the price of combat.

The danger escalates when Ocron dispatches Fado to capture Ilias and the bow. The two travelers press on, resting for the night among a tribe sheltered in cave walls, where they offer a fresh animal kill as a peace offering. There, Ilias recognizes a young girl from earlier in the journey—Ayana—and the two youths drift closer before fate intervenes. Masked attackers strike again, killing the girl and abducting Ilias, along with the bow. Mace tracks the kidnapper’s camp and wades into a bloody confrontation to rescue Ilias, restoring a flicker of hope amid the encroaching threat.

In the lair of Ocron, Fado is punished for failing to capture the bow, burned on a giant hot plate as a stark warning. Ocron calls forth the Great Zora, a spirit that inhabits the body of a white wolf. She offers herself, body and soul, to Zora if he can kill Ilias, raising the stakes of the struggle and hinting at darker forces at play.

Meanwhile, Mace grows wary, doubting their ability to challenge Ocron and choosing to escort Ilias as far as the sea. Their path runs along a landscape thick with danger, and a swarm of tiny poisoned arrows erupts from the shrubbery, injuring Ilias and beginning a rapid deterioration of his condition. The two press on to a coastal meadow where a rare plant can cure the poison; Mace sails the coastline with Ilias to reach safety, while he adventures ashore to confront undead beings and a spectral double of himself—the double is revealed to be Zora, and then it vanishes again, leaving questions in its wake.

The plant heals Ilias, but the experience leaves him disenchanted with the mission, and he begs to return home with Mace, who refuses to claim the bow as his own. No sooner do they part than a swarm of cobweb-covered monsters descends, binding Mace to a wooden cross and demanding Ilias’s whereabouts. Ilias returns in a blaze of archery to save his companion, yet Mace falls from the cross into the sea as rescue unfolds. In a remarkable turn, an army of super-intelligent dolphins gnaws at the ropes and frees him, washing him ashore while Ilias arrives with a renewed sense of purpose to stand beside him and continue the fight against Ocron.

That very night, Ilias is seized and dragged into a subterranean lair by monsters. Mace follows, engaging in a fierce chase through twisting caverns until he finds Ilias hanging upside down, his head severed. Zora returns with Ilias’s head and the bow, delivering both to Ocron as a grim payoff to the ordeal. Mace kindles a funeral pyre for Ilias, and the boy’s spirit speaks within him, guiding him to anoint himself with the ashes to inherit a power Cronos granted to Ilias—the bow becomes his to wield.

The next morning, Mace faces Ocron in her lair, and the bow shoots from her grasp into his hand. He confronts all of Ocron’s werewolves with a flurry of magical arrows, and one shot shatters her mask, revealing the ghoul beneath the human façade. Ocron dies, her corpse transforming into a wolf that gallops away into the wilderness alongside Zora. With the shadow of evil receding, Mace resolves to carry forward Ilias’s mission and continue the fight to rid the land of darkness.

Timeline

Conquest Timeline: Every Key Event in Order

15 key events in the order they happen, from “Ilias leaves paradise home” to “Mace vows to continue Ilias's mission”. 15 events name a place, across 14 locations.

1

Ilias leaves paradise home

A youth named Ilias leaves his paradise home for the wilderness. His father marks the rite of passage by gifting him a magical bow that will test his courage and resolve. He steps into a land where tribes are preyed upon by hostile creatures.

Where:Paradise home
2

Ocron observes and orders the hunt

In the wild, the masked leader Ocron watches from the shadows as a powerful bow-wielder dares to strike. She dispatches her troopers to hunt this newcomer down and claim the weapon.

Where:Wilderness outskirts
3

Mace interrupts the marauders and joins Ilias

A band of Ocron's marauders moves to seize the bow and capture Ilias, but the outlaw Mace crashes into their camp, delivering a brutal beatdown that sends the attackers fleeing. After the skirmish, Mace chooses to team up with Ilias on a shared quest to purge the land of evil.

Where:Marauder camp
4

Training clash and theft

During a rough training session, Mace kills a random hunter as they test the bow's power. Together they desecrate the hunter's camp by stealing his game, a grim reminder of the price of combat.

Where:Training ground near camp
5

Fado is sent to capture Ilias and the bow

Ocron dispatches Fado to capture Ilias and the bow. The mission raises the stakes as the threat tightens around the duo.

Where:Ocron's domain
6

Night among a cave tribe; Ayana's fate

The two travelers rest for the night among a tribe sheltered in cave walls, offering a fresh animal kill as a peace offering. Ilias recognizes Ayana, a young girl from earlier in the journey, and the two youths drift closer before fate intervenes. Masked attackers strike, killing Ayana and abducting Ilias and the bow.

When:night Where:Cave-trapped tribe
7

Mace pursues and rescues Ilias

Mace tracks the kidnapper's camp and wades into a bloody confrontation to rescue Ilias. The dangerous pursuit rekindles their resolve to stop Ocron and protect the bow.

Where:Kidnapper camp
8

Zora is invoked by Ocron

Ocron calls forth the Great Zora, a spirit inhabiting the body of a white wolf. She offers herself to Zora if he can kill Ilias, raising the stakes and hinting at darker powers at play.

Where:Lair of Ocron
9

Poison arrows and the coastal journey

Mace grows wary, escorting Ilias toward the sea. A swarm of tiny poisoned arrows erupts from the shrubbery, injuring Ilias and beginning a rapid deterioration. The pair reach a coastal meadow where a rare plant can cure the poison; Mace sails along the coastline and encounters undead beings and a spectral double of himself—the double is revealed to be Zora and then vanishes.

Where:Coastal route and meadow
10

Healing plant and disillusionment

The plant heals Ilias, but the ordeal leaves him disenchanted with the mission. He begs to return home with Mace, who refuses to claim the bow as his own.

Where:Coastal meadow

Show the other 5 events of Conquest

11

Ilias seized; chase through caverns

That very night, Ilias is seized and dragged into a subterranean lair by monsters. Mace pursues through twisting caverns in a desperate bid to reach his companion. The chase heightens the sense that time is running out.

When:night Where:Subterranean lair
12

Zora returns with head and bow to Ocron

Zora returns with Ilias's head and the bow, delivering both to Ocron as a grim payoff to the ordeal. Mace mourns the loss, while the horror of the act underscores the stakes of the fight and sets the stage for what comes next.

Where:Ocron's lair
13

Funeral pyre and awakening power

Mace kindles a funeral pyre for Ilias; the boy's spirit speaks within him, guiding him to anoint himself with ashes to inherit Cronos's power—the bow becomes his to wield. This cryptic transformation marks a turning point in their struggle.

Where:Ocron's lair aftermath
14

Final confrontation and Ocron's defeat

The next morning, Mace faces Ocron in her lair. The bow shoots from her grasp into his hand, and he unleashes a flurry of magical arrows against the werewolves. A single shot shatters her mask, revealing a ghoul beneath, and Ocron dies, her corpse transforming into a wolf that bolts into the wilderness alongside Zora.

When:morning Where:Ocron's lair
15

Mace vows to continue Ilias's mission

With the shadow of evil receding, Mace resolves to carry forward Ilias's mission and continue the fight to rid the land of darkness. He embraces the bow's power and steps into a future where the struggle against Ocron's remnants continues.

Where:Wilderness

Characters

Who Are the Main Characters in Conquest?

4 characters, among them Ilias (Andrea Occhipinti), Mace (Jorge Rivero) and Ocron (Sabrina Siani): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.

Ilias (Andrea Occhipinti)

Played by Andrea Occhipinti

A youth who leaves his paradise home to enter a perilous wilderness, Ilias earns a magic bow from his father as a rite of passage into manhood. He begins naive but grows into a determined hero who fights alongside Mace to rid the land of evil. The journey tests his loyalty, courage, and capacity for sacrifice as he confronts demons both literal and moral.
- 🗡️ Hero
- 🧭 Journey
- 🪄 Magic Bow
- 🗺️ Growth
M(
Mace (Jorge Rivero)

Played by Jorge Rivero

A pragmatic fighter who intervenes to thwart marauders and becomes a reluctant mentor to Ilias. He grapples with whether to continue the fight against Ocron but ultimately chooses loyalty and partnership. His arc blends action with responsibility as he accompanies Ilias toward the sea and into the heart of danger.
- 🛡️ Protector
- ⚔️ Warrior
- 🤝 Ally
- 🧠 Strategist
O(
Ocron (Sabrina Siani)

Played by Sabrina Siani

The masked, power-hungry leader whose dominion over creatures turns the land into a perilous zone. She commands fear through magic, werewolves, and undead threats, seeking to seize the magic bow to cement her rule. Her defeat reveals a grotesque transformation from human to ghoul-wolf form.
- 👹 Villain
- 🪄 Sorcery
- 🐺 Werewolf Queen
- 🧪 Necromancer
Z(
Zora (Conrado San Martín)

Played by Conrado San Martín

A cosmic spirit inhabiting a white wolf, Zora manipulates events and even takes form as a double to challenge the protagonists. He delivers key twists, including attempting to claim the bow and later presenting Ilias's severed head to Ocron. His presence blurs lines between ally, foe, and the supernatural.
- 🐺 Spirit
- 🌀 Trickster
- 👁️ Insight

Setting

Where and When Is Conquest Set?

Conquest is set in Paradise Home, Wilderness, Ocron's Fortress, Seashore and Caves. Here is why the place matters to the story.

Where

Paradise Home, Wilderness, Ocron's Fortress, Seashore, Caves

Ilias's story begins in a peaceful paradise home before stepping into a harsh wilderness. The journey carries him through remote tribal lands and perilous lairs, from caves where tribes feast to the shores where sails meet the sea. The settings blend intimate, elemental spaces with ominous fortresses and lairs that house the central conflict against Ocron and her creatures.

❄️ Wilderness
🏖️ Seashore
🗺️ Fantasy Realm
🏕️ Caves

Themes

What Are the Themes of Conquest?

3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Hero's Quest, Power and Transformation and Good vs Evil.

01

Hero's Quest

A youth leaves his homeland to face a dangerous realm, guided by a mentor toward a mission to rid the land of evil. The journey tests courage, loyalty, and resolve as he confronts overwhelming odds. The bond between Ilias and Mace grows, illustrating mentorship, sacrifice, and the weight of leadership.
02

Power and Transformation

Magic weapons and ancient powers drive the plot, revealing how power can elevate or corrupt those who wield it. Ilias's connection to Cronos brings a fate-altering burden, while Zora’s presence blurs the line between ally and trickster. The story explores physical and spiritual change shaping choices and destinies.
03

Good vs Evil

Ocron embodies tyranny and necromantic control, forcing the heroes to confront overwhelming darkness. The climactic battle tests courage, mercy, and duty, showing that victory often requires personal loss. The narrative upholds the value of resistance against oppression and the cost of doing what is right.

Tone & mood

What Kind of Film Is Conquest?

Dark in tone, with fast pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.

Tone: Dark
Pacing: Fast
Story: Straightforward
Intensity: High
Ending: Bittersweet

A relentlessly grim and brutal dark fantasy epic, characterized by frequent savage violence and a pervasive atmosphere of peril, where a noble quest unfolds amid tragic sacrifice and sorrow.