Les Légions perdues (The Lost Legions) is a comic book by Jacques Martin. It was first published in Tintin magazine in 1962-1963. Then it was published as a comic album in 1965. This is the sixth episode of the Alix series.
Alix wakes up in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm. On the roofs of Rome, he sees a guy chased by a group of armed people. The guy calls Alix, but he is caught. Alix's servant tells him that the armed people are Garofula's servant. The next day, Alix start investigating and pays Garofula a visit.
Les Légions perdues provides examples of the following tropes:
- Ancient Rome: The story begins in Rome, then Alix travels to Taurinorum (Turin), then through the Alps to Germania, i.e. out of the Roman Republic.
- Androcles' Lion: Alix frees a starving wolf from a trap. The wolf and its pack follow Alix from afar and help him on more than one occasion for the duration of the album.
- Battle in the Rain: Agérix fights against Garofula's henchmen in the pouring rain.
- Bittersweet Ending: Garofula and Kildéric are captured by Caesar. The sword is buried by Alix in the middle of nowhere, so it cannot be used by the Germani to conquer Gaul. On the other hand, Agérix and Porius are dead.
- Call-Back:
- Galva and Horatius, two characters who Alix met in La Griffe noire, appear again.
- Vanic, Alix's cousin who he met in Le Sphinx d'or, pops up in the Germanic citadel.
- The Cavalry:
- A pack of noble wolves shows up several times to save the heroes at the last second.
- In the final confrontation with Garofula, the wolves arrive, then Caesar.
- Continuity Nod: Alix goes through the fictional city of Vulsini, where he had been in Alix l'intrépide.
- Cool Sword: The sword of Brennus is legendary and it has a special look (it is golden, heavy, long and very large).
- Curtain Camouflage:
- Agérix hides behind a curtain to hear the conspiracy set up by Garofula.
- Alix hides behind a curtain in the Germanic citadel to spy on Garofula and his Germanic and Gaulish allies.
- Dramatic Thunder: The opening sequence, with the confrontation between Agérix and Garofula's henchmen, happens during a thunderstorm.
- Flashback: The story of Brennus is told by Alix in a flashback. Another short flashback shows the death of Marcus Licinius Crassus.
- Gladiator Games: Agérix has to fight in a gladiator game. Alix jumps into the arena to help him.
- Heel–Face Turn: In the beginning, Porius works for Garofula and he makes Alix believe that he is a supporter of Caesar to trap the young hero. After he leaves Taurinorum with Garofula, he feels remorse and he becomes an ally of Alix and his friends.
- Historical Domain Character: Brennus
, Marcus Licinius Crassus and Surena in Flashbacks. Pompey the Great and Julius Caesar in the main plot. - Imagine Spot: There are several to show what will happen if the Germani get the sword of Brennus, ally with the Gaulish tribes and defeat Caesar.
- Inspector Javert: General Horatius believes that Alix tried to kill Caesar, so he jails him.
- Last Stand: In the end, Alix, Enak, Agérix, Porius and Galva confront overwhelming Germanic and Roman forces in the ruins of Darantasia. When Garofula suggests them to surrender, they refuse. Finally, The Cavalry arrives: the wolfes, then Caesar.
- Legendary Weapon: The sword of Brennus, which was used during a Gaulish victory against Rome. It grants enough authority to his bearer to unite all the Gaulish and Germanic tribes.
- Lost Roman Legion: Two legions under the command of Horatius are destroyed by the bad weather conditions and the rebel Gauls who harry them. Some survivors (including Horatius) get to Caesar's camp.
- The Mole:
- Porius and Macarus make Alix believe that they are Caesar's supporters and that they are pleased to help him in his quest. Actually, they work for Garofula.
- After he betrays Alix and leaves Taurinorum with Garofula, Porius feels remorse and he becomes an ally of Alix and his friends. Then, he is sent back to Garofula's camp to infiltrate the bad guys.
- Nightmare Sequence: Enak dreams that the sword of Brennus is going to pierce him. He wakes up and Porius is above him, pointing a dagger at him, but he was just trying to kill a spider.
- Noble Wolf: Alix saves a wolf's life. This wolf then repays the kindness by coming to his assistance on several occasions.
- Redemption Equals Death: In the beginning, Porius works for Garofula and he makes Alix believe that he is a supporter of Caesar to trap the young hero. After he leaves Taurinorum with Garofula, he feels remorse and he becomes an ally of Alix and his friends. In the final confrontation with Garofula, he dies.
- Roof Hopping: Agérix jumps over an alley when he flees from Garofula's henchmen.
- Rooftop Confrontation: In the opening sequence, between Agérix and Garofula's henchmen.
- The Siege: In the end, Alix, Enak, Agérix, Porius and Galva confront overwhelming Germanic and Roman forces in the ruins of Darantasia.
- Stab the Scorpion: Enak wakes up and he sees Porius above him, pointing a dagger at him, but he is just trying to kill a spider.
- They Have the Scent!: Dogs are used by Germani to track the heroes on the banks of the lake.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Macarus, Porius's accomplice, does not appear any more after he leaves Taurinorum's area with Garofula and Porius.
