Conan the Barbarian (1982) carried the Riddle of Steel - something that's not really directly answered. Instead, it's a riddle that the audience is left to themselves to find out. It's already more than 30 years since the film was done. Watching this film as a child scared me out since this wasn't obviously for children. Now, it's time to try and answer the riddle by actually looking at the movie's events.
The opening has Conan's father talking about the Riddle of Steel. Conan is told that he can't trust anyone but the sword. Conan's father points to the sword. The idea of steel's strength was the theme of the opening of the movie. This is what leads Thulsa Doom and the worshipers of Set to ransack Conan's village. Thulsa Doom collected all the steel weapons to expand his forces. Thulsa Doom also, for some reason, sells the children to slavery. Conan is forced to push a wheel with the others. Conan's tenacity to survives allows him to become the muscular hero he became later.
The Cult of Set or the Snake Cult's perverted use of it
The plot moves forward when Conan meets both Valeria and Subotai. Conan realizes that the Snake Cult has already expanded in a matter of years. The worship of the serpent god Set expanded its coils. The followers hold a dangerous weapon called the Fangs of the Serpent. King Osric hires the three thieves to recover his daughter from the Cult of Set. It's also implied that Thulsa Doom planned to marry the princess (Osric's daughter) so he could turn Zamora into the Kingdom of Set. This is where the clues start to kick in.
Later, Conan is captured after he unsuccessfully tried to infiltrate the Mountain of Power. It's no wonder why Valeria is afraid to face Thulsa Doom. Thulsa Doom's subordinates all die in the service of the snake god Set. Conan felt he alone could destroy Thulsa Doom. How foolish it was as the worshipers of Set all beat up Conan. Conan is later taken up to Thulsa Doom for questioning and torture. Yes, it just got brutal but it's not gory enough to drive me away.
Thulsa Doom then reveals that flesh is stronger. Thulsa Doom acknowledges the power of steel as he and his men have it. Thulsa Doom and his men would don armor of steel if necessary. Thulsa Doom later speaks in non-literal ways. It's like saying that the pen is mightier than the sword. The pen can't kill or beat a sword in a literal fight. However, the pen can be mightier than the sword when you can convince people better than the direct use of force or violence. Thulsa Doom understood the power of persuasion and thinking. In Thulsa Doom's case, he sees that without the proper allies, the weapons of steel he sought are useless. The weapons would be useless if Thulsa Doom didn't have an army of people. Thulsa Doom knows force is only useful IF he's got people to do it. That's what Thulsa Doom meant by saying, "Than the hand that wields it." Good use of flesh makes good steel weapons. Except that Thulsa Doom has PERVERTED it for his own sinister usage.
A later scene may also prove how Thulsa Doom perverted the use of flesh. It's later revealed that the Cult of Set practice cannibalism. Cannibalism is known to also cause mental illness. Apparently, Thulsa Doom made his followers eat their murder victims. They would all become raging beasts to follow the will of Set. It seems that they become as savage as tribal cannibals.
Conan realizes the power of flesh over steel in a non-literal way
Later, Conan is crucified and it's a scene taken from A Witch Shall Be Born. Conan is crucified to the Tree of Woe. Thankfully, he's not nailed right next to Eric Idle. Conan gets rescued by Subotai and Valeria. It's only when Conan realizes the power of having allies that save him from certain death. It was also Valeria's willingness to pay the gods (and she DIED) that had brought Conan back from certain death.
The infiltration of the Mountain of Power is next. Conan and his friends end up rescuing the princess as a team. Sure, Valeria dies later when Thulsa Doom shoots her with a snake arrow. Yes, we know Thulsa Doom can be very petty. Conan still has Mako the Wizard and Subotai. The traps set on the battlefield would be impossible without allies. Conan and Subotai end up managing to defeat the serpent men set to recover the princess. The princess finally sees that Thulsa Doom was merely using her as a tool of convenience. A far cry from Conan who valued his allies to the very end. Valeria's ghost appears briefly to aid Conan in defeating a nearly-winning Rexor. Both Rexor and Thorgrim were just tools. The serpent men were just tools. In the end, Thulsa Doom's twisted version of the power of flesh causes him to crumble.
Later, Conan picks up his father's broken sword which Rexor was using. Conan now gains a new ally in the princess. The princess helps him gain access to Thulsa Doom's balcony. Thulsa Doom tries to exercise the power of flesh yet again. Thulsa Doom was calling his followers to start another murder spree. Conan also discovers that the Riddle of Steel also involves willpower. Conan was carrying the broken sword to which he used to kill Thulsa Doom. Conan may have lost Valeria but he gained the princess. Conan may have been looking forward to meeting Subotai after finishing his mission. Conan ends up laying aside revenge for justice. Conan overcomes Thulsa Doom's hypnosis, chops off Thulsa Doom's head with the broken sword, AND overcomes it. The followers end up breaking out of their spell after Thulsa Doom was defeated.
A deleted voiceover had Conan saying that Thulsa Doom was right about one thing. The answer lies in the man and not in the blade. However, Thulsa Doom's perverted usage soon proved detrimental. Conan, by gaining allies, managed to finally defeat Thulsa Doom's twisted view of the Riddle of Steel.
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