Kurtz who became the pioneer of the savages, was really the motivation behind why Marlow ended up in the Congo anyway. Marlow needed to meet “Mr. Kurtz” (Conrad 23), which lead him to embark on a dark region. When the two finally meet, Marlow discovers that Kurtz is a very different figure than he is described. The savages, or the people of the Congo, treat him as their deity, which leads Kurtz into a spiral of madness and wild behavior, which need not have anything to do with Marlow or his quest. Due to Kurtz not being who he is said to be, Marlow despises him, but still hopes to take him to Europe, as he was asked to do so. Before they can return, Kurtz develops a terminal illness and lacks the vitality to survive the return journey and dies before leaving the Congo. His last words were “How horrible! How horrible!” (Conrad 96), in which he described the severity inflicted on the Congo by the organization, as well as by himself. Upon returning to Europe, Marlow goes to visit Kurtz's wife to inform her of her husband's death. During the discussion, Mrs. Kurtz asks Marlow what her husband's last words were, and he thinks for a while before reacting. Deciding to relieve Mrs. Kurtz of the terror her husband had done to her, he deceives her and says that Kurtz's last words were his name. In doing