A black chess bishop and a red king standing along a diagonal strip of gray-blue squares.

Original artwork, not a still

Small Gods • 1992

Terry Pratchett

Bishops move diagonally. That’s why they often turn up where the kings don’t expect them to be.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The passage turns a chess rule into a joke about unexpected influence. A bishop's diagonal movement becomes a reason for surprising kings. Read beyond the board, the comparison suggests that people who approach power indirectly may arrive where those in charge least expect them.

Context reviewed

Share this quote