She 1965

Discharge and departure to Kuma expedition

After honorable discharges from the British Army in Palestine in 1918, Professor Holly, Leo Vincey, and their orderly Job set out on an expedition into central-east Africa, hoping to find unknown lands. They carry a mysterious map that reveals Kuma’s whereabouts and hints at untold dangers. The journey marks the start of a perilous search for a lost city and a legendary queen.

Ayesha meets Leo in Palestine and gives the map

In Palestine, Ayesha, the immortal queen who guides Leo’s fate, meets him again and hands him the map to Kuma. She urges him to travel there and suggests a destiny that links them across time. Leo is drawn by visions of her beckoning, unable to resist the pull of her ancient power.

Discovery of Kuma

The expedition follows the map and crosses into the heart of Africa, where they locate Kuma and its hidden city. The discovery confirms that a civilization long isolated from the world exists beyond the dense jungle and desert. The group prepares to meet Kuma and its enigmatic ruler.

Kuma ruled by Ayesha, the immortal queen

Kuma is revealed to be ruled by Ayesha, the beautiful immortal queen who believes Leo might be the reincarnation of her former lover, Kallikrates. She had met Leo in Palestine, gifting him the map and urging him to seek Kuma. Her presence casts a spell over the expedition as legends come to life.

Blue flame and immortality promised

Ayesha persuades Leo to bathe in the blue ceremonial fire that grants immortality, a rite she underwent 2,000 years earlier. The blue flame appears only during rare astronomical alignments, making the choice dangerous and fated. She promises Leo eternal life if he steps into the fire with her.

Amahagger uprising incited

Outside Kuma, the Amahagger, enslaved by Ayesha, begin to rebel, urged by Haumeid, a Kuma citizen. Haumeid's daughter Ustane has fallen in love with Leo, complicating loyalties and heightening tension inside the city. The coming revolt threatens to topple the queen's control.

Ayesha orders cremation in lava pit

In jealousy, Ayesha has someone cremated alive in the open molten lava pit before her throne, and her ashes are later shown to the outraged father as a warning. The brutal display demonstrates the queen's ruthlessness and the fear she commands. The incident ignites further resentment among Kuma’s people.

Amahagger overpower Ayesha’s army

Despite their weak arms, the Amahagger manage to overcome Ayesha's army, tipping the balance of power in the uprising. The rebellion spreads as the oppressed rise up against the queen's harsh rule. The city plunges into chaos as loyalties shift.

Billali’s failed bid for immortality

Billali, Ayesha's high priest, attempts to push into the blue fire to gain immortality, but is killed by the queen to prevent the rite. The scene reveals the dangers and rivalries that surround the quest for endless life. Leo's own fate hangs in the balance as the moment unfolds.

Leo becomes immortal; Ayesha dies

Ayesha leads Leo into the blue fire and grants him immortality, but her own immortality is stripped away, aging 2,000 years in minutes. She dies and crumbles to dust before their eyes. Leo emerges forever changed, bound to an eternity he never desired.

Holly and Job reach Leo during the uprising

Holly and Job manage to reach Leo through the upheaval and urge him to re-enter the flame to remove his immortality, fearing the loneliness of eternal life. The opportunity to undo the gift depends on the flame turning blue again, which is uncertain. The moment tests Leo's resolve as friends weigh the cost of immortality.