Assumindo que tomamos a novela oficial do filme como canon, a resposta é que Conan foi libertado principalmente porque Red Beard (AKA Toghrul) estava cada vez mais preocupado com a agressividade e espírito independente de Conan e sentiu que estava planejando matá-lo na primeira oportunidade
Para o registro, Conan lutou por várias temporadas depois de estudar com o mestre de guerra.
“I hated myself. Never have I told this tale before, for the deed is one of the few of which I am ashamed. True, the woman was dying, and the death I dealt her was perhaps more merciful than letting her die slowly; but still, the deed was vile and cowardly to a Cimmerian. Then I bethought me of Toghrul, who had made me thus to despise myself. All my hatred focused on him, and I swore that one day I would repay him for my shame.”
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Approval lit the dark eyes of the general. “The Pit has not broken the spirit of your champion, O Toghrul. Neither has it sapped his will. Beware lest this young tiger some day turn and rend you!”
“He wears chains so that he cannot,” said Toghrul, chuckling.
Conan said nothing more; but a strange volcanic fire smouldered briefly in his fierce blue eyes.
Note que no filme Red Beard o libera voluntariamente enquanto no livro (que parece ser baseado no roteiro anterior de Milius), Conan escapa das garras de Toghrul depois que um terremoto ocorre.
Below him, at the foot of the little hill, Conan saw the Pit master’s head protruding from a wide crack in the earth. He saw that the earth had opened beneath the Hyrkanian’s feet and swallowed him to his shoulders. Wedged in the crack, the man was unable to free himself.
“Pull me out!” implored the Pit master.
“Why should I?”
“I’ll pay gold! I’ll give you your freedom! Only save me now!”
“My freedom, eh?” Conan threw back his head and laughed—his first good laugh since the Vanir had captured him, ten long years ago. “That I already have. Stay there, swine! If the earth swallows you down, good riddance to you!”
Conan turned and walked away.