I am sorry, But... this woman and I were fated for each other... from the beginning of time! 
- — Tarzan
Tarzan #223 is an issue of the series Tarzan (Volume 1) with a cover date of September, 1973.
Synopsis for "The Return of Tarzan, Part Five: The Pit of Doom"
Jane, her fiancée, William Clayton, and the sinister Nikolas Rokoff, Tarzan's sworn enemy, were castaways at sea for several days.
They finally found land and docked their tiny rowboat. Two days later in the early morning, Jane was kidnapped by several Beast-Men from Opar, the Forbidden City. They dragged her to their temple and prepared her for a sacrifice. Tarzan heard about the "white girl's" capture from the Great Apes Tribe and went through a secret underground tunnel to try and rescue her.
As he is witnessing the High Priestess about to plunge a dagger into Jane's heart, he quickly swoops down seizing a flaming brazier and fighting off the Beast-Men. After unbinding Jane from the alter, they run off and crawl through the secret tunnel to safety. When they reach the surface, the Beast-Men are still in pursuit and are throwing arrows and spears at them as they climb down the cliff wall.
Finally safe, they swing through the jungle to meet the other castaways at their beach campsite. Moments later they arrive. Tarzan notices the weak and dying William. He goes to his side and hears his cousin's confession of knowing who Tarzan really is, as he had read a telegram long ago about his true identity.
The party buries William next to the graves of his aunt and uncle, by the weather-beaten cabin where Tarzan was born. During this solemn moment, Nikolas Rokoff swings a shovel down on Tarzan, trying to kill him. Tarzan picks himself up from the ground and is extremely angry at his foe. He speaks of the traitor's crimes, how he dislikes how he blackmailed his friends, and then left his cousin to die. He then leaps at his enemy and promptly breaks his arm. Ready for the kill, he swings him into the air, when Captain Paul D'Arnot suddenly rows to shore and approaches the confrontation.
Tarzan hands the man over to the French authorities and everyone pushes off, towards a waiting cruiser. Tarzan is left onshore, wondering if he will ever return to the decaying city of Opar.
Appearing in "The Return of Tarzan, Part Five: The Pit of Doom"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Beast-Men
- La, High Priestess of Opar
- Nikolas Rokoff
Other Characters:
- Prof. Porter
- Hazel Strong
- William Clayton (Dies)
- Captain Paul D'Arnot
- Waziri Tribe
- Busuli
Locations:
- Africa
- Republic of the Congo
- The Sun Temple of Opar
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This is the conclusion of Edgar Rice Burroughs' book The Return of Tarzan.
Trivia
- In the story Nikolas Rokoff, Tarzan's sworn enemy, calls Hazel Strong -- "Miss Storm". Perhaps an error, since he is not really friends with the Porter family or their acquaintances.
See Also