Troubled by a strange recurring
dream and mourning the loss of her beloved father, nineteen-year-old Alice
Kingsleigh attends a garden party at Lord Ascot's estate, where she is
confronted by an unwanted marriage proposal and the stifling expectations
of the society in which she lives. Unsure of how to reply, and
increasingly confused, she runs away to chase after a rabbit in a blue
waistcoat, and accidentally falls into a large rabbit hole. She is
transported to a world called Underland, where she is greeted by the White
Rabbit, the Dormouse, the Dodo, and Tweedledum and Tweedledee. They argue
over her identity as "the right Alice," who it is foretold will slay the
Red Queen's Jabberwocky on the Frabjous Day and restore the White Queen to
power. The group is then ambushed by the Bandersnatch and a group of
playing-card soldiers led by the Knave of Hearts. Alice escapes and flees
into the woods.
The Knave informs the Red Queen that Alice has returned to Underland and
threatens her reign, and the soldiers are ordered to find Alice
immediately. Meanwhile, the wandering Alice encounters the Cheshire Cat,
who takes her to the March Hare and Mad Hatter. On the way to the White
Queen's castle, Hatter relates the terror of the Red Queen's reign, and
comments that Alice is not the same as she once was. The Hatter helps
Alice avoid capture by allowing himself to be seized instead. Later, Alice
is found by Bayard the Bloodhound, who wishes to take her to the White
Queen, but Alice insists upon helping the Hatter, so they go to the Red
Queen's castle.
The Red Queen is unaware of Alice's true identity (believing she is named
"Um") and therefore welcomes her as a guest. Alice learns that the Vorpal
Sword (the only weapon capable of killing the Jabberwocky) is locked away
in a case inside the Bandersnatch's den. The Knave attempts to seduce
Alice, but she rebuffs him. She later manages to retrieve the sword and
befriend the Bandersnatch. The Knave finds her with the sword and attempts
to arrest her. Alice escapes on the back of the Bandersnatch and delivers
the sword to the White Queen. The Cheshire Cat saves the Hatter from
execution, and the Hatter calls for rebellion against the Red Queen. The
resistance flees to the White Queen's castle, and both armies prepare for
battle. Alice remains unsure about the expectation for her to champion the
White Queen, and meets with Absolem the Caterpillar. He reminds Alice of
her past visit to Underland (which she mistakenly called "Wonderland" at
the time) thirteen years earlier, and helps give her the courage to fight
the Jabberwocky.
When the Frabjous Day arrives, both the White and Red Queens gather their
armies on a chessboard-like battlefield and send forth their chosen
champions (armor-clad Alice and the Jabberwocky respectively) to decide
the fate of Underland. Encouraging herself with the words of her late
father, Alice manages to kill the Jabberwocky. The White Queen then
banishes the Red Queen and the Knave to the Outlands, and gives Alice a
vial of the Jabberwocky’s blood, which will take her home. The Hatter
suggests that she could stay in Underland, but she decides that she must
go back and promises that she will return.
Alice returns home, where she stands up to her family and pledges to live
life on her own terms. Impressed, Lord Ascot takes her in as his
apprentice, with the idea of establishing oceanic trade routes to China.
As the story closes, Alice prepares to set off on a trading ship. Absolem,
now a butterfly, lands on her shoulder. Alice recognizes him and greets
him before he flutters away. |