Empty Netters Podcast - Sci Fi Section Ep 13: Golden Son Chapters 32-39

Episode Date: October 21, 2026

We are diving deep into Pierce Brown’s world of the Red Rising saga. Join us for Chapters 32-39 of book 2, Golden Son. We finally got Pliny that little rat!! Darrow calls for an Iron Rain to take back Mars. Octavia is here in secret and as long as the Sons did their part, the good guys will tunnel through the river and win the day. But then an EMP goes off that changes everything. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 1:39 - Chapter 32 Die Young 16:12 - Chapter 33 The Dance 25:24 - Chapter 34 Blood Brothers 36:18 - Chapter 35 Tea Time 46:20 - Chapter 36 Lord of War 58:09 - Chapter 37 War 1:02:29 - Chapter 38 Iron Rain 1:08:50 - Chapter 39 The Wall 1:15:30 - The Honors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explorers, warriors, magi, intergalactic voyagers, and helldivers. Man your battle stations, draw your swords, and prepare for destiny because this is sci-fi section. A journey where we will be taking through the epic expeditions of our favorite fantasy and sci-fi stories. The board is set. The pieces are moving. This adventure will be a deep dive. Dive, dive, rig for deep submergence. the world of red rising baby i am dano

and i have walked the stone stairs of the martian an arctic to become a servant of the all-mother death and now i offer you my stains to my left is a pixie politico who would scheme against me in order to rise and try to kidnap his master's daughter and force her to marry him she is hot wands at the ready and it's a swish and flick on that subscribe button swish and flick those who do not believe in magic will never find it and those who do not

subscribe to this channel. We'll never find these videos. Today, we are talking about chapters 32 through 39 of Golden Sun, the end of part three. However, we have read this entire series. There will be spoilers galore if you venture any further, do so with the knowledge that you may hear things you wish you hadn't. And now we begin. Darrow faces open war. The sovereign and House Polona have put a price on Darrow's head as well as that of House Augustus. Darrow has wrapped his old. friend and mentor Lorne Ararchos into the fray. Tactis no longer draws Beth, but Aja and Octavia still hunt Darrow and his friends, and worse. Pliny has betrayed them, and now Nero and Adrius are held prisoner. Chapter 32, die young. He was always our friend, Roak says. It was our responsibility

to help him try, even if it was like hugging a folly. Darrow and Mustang stand over Tacus's body with Roak. Roak mourns the loss of their friend in remarks that it is yet another of their brethren lost to their cause. He comments on the fact that Aja was able to get away. Mustang tries to come to Darrow's defense, but Roke doesn't want to hear it. He kisses tactis his forehead and makes his way out. Mustang tells Darrow he needs to mend his relationship with Roke before he loses him for good. In the war room, Mustang explains Pliny's betrayal and how her father's forces were taken. After killing the hearth night, Nero was taken down and forced to yield by two remaining Olympic nights, Fitchner and the morning night, Cassius,

fit with a new arm. Mustang, also says that Julie Ships came to finish the job and take down Narrows fleet. All eyes turn to Victra. She defends herself saying that she has always said her mother is a wicked bitch who cares for nothing more than money in her position. Daxo and Kavix question her loyalty. Their concerns are echoed by Mustang and even Lorne. Victra is finally pulled from her chair amidst the talk of treachery. She defends herself only to be further challenged by the former rage knight. From the book, My name has nothing to do with who I am. Snakes beget snakes. Lorne replies, not even looking at her now. Your mother was a snake. She beget you. Ergo, you are a snake.

And what do snakes do, my dear? They slither. They wait, cold-blooded, cruel in the grass, and then they bite. Finally, Roak speaks. He shares his disgust in the group at how they question Victra's loyalty. She has been nothing but loyal to Darrow despite her mother's protest and attempts to pull her away. Darrow knows he made a mistake by withdrawing from Tactus and keeping him at arm's length. Victor has proven her love and loyalty time and time again. He won't make that mistake twice. Certainly not with her. Darrow says he chooses Victor, just like he chose all of them. Mustang says it's settled. Now to the matter at hand, they must rescue Nero and their fleet. Otherwise, this war is over. That is a great snake line. There's a better one later when he calls Pliny a...

Oh, it's great. We've got it. We've got it. Written down. The Lorne is wise. I mean, he's about to say wise beyond his years, but he's a billion years old, so he's just wise, adequate to his years. But he, and he has incredible quotes, and I love how quotable he is. I do think he goes to the beget well too often. Like, I feel like we'd be at the bar, and he'd be like this, wings, beget wings, beget wings. And I'd be like, okay, dude. I'd be like, that's a good one, dude. I'm down for more wings. Like, oh, he's just like. Like, I know some bad stuff, but. And dude, like the death begette death begett is great. But I'm like, okay. It is his trademark. It is his trademark. For sure.

Like, all right. Yeah. I get it. I get it. I have, um, I'm going to be softer here than my original take, but I'm shocking from you, sir. I know. Well, because there's parts that made me pull it back. The line, I believe that you said at the top of the chapter, yeah, is the quote, is a great quote from Roke about tactics.

He was always our friend. It was our responsibility to help him try to change, even if it was like hugging a flame. That helps. That line helps. And that's good. That's good, those are good words. I'll tell you, pal, this section is a great section for me and my take that we discussed last episode about tactis.

Like, I am the one who's like, I would have, I would have been down with trying to bring him back. And we'll get to it. Yeah, I've a thought of that. Here we have, uh, Roque being like, dude, we could have changed him. So my first, or my question that I'll pose to you here about this is, is when they go in there, I think it's Theodora says, Roke has been sitting next to Tactus's dead body since Europa.

And I'm like, dude, I have no issue at all with, and I've been hard on Roke. I have no issue at all with Roke being mad about what happened to Tactus. His friend is dead. And yet again, Darrow had a large part to do with that. He has that line later, or maybe you have the quote about like, how many friends? Yes, he says, naturally, she killed our friends. She killed Quinn, but we let her walk away for the grander scheme. Everything costs something, Darrow.

Perhaps you'll soon tire of making your friends pay. Yeah. Beautiful line, again, from the poet. That one is a little bit sensitive, though. That one is aggressive because of his love for Quinn, and it's a bit cutting to Darrow, but there's truth to it. There's truth to it. But this is, you got me right where I was headed.

Roke loves the lias and the quins of the world. People so sweet who didn't deserve what society did to them. Yeah. And I agree with that. But remember with Titus, the brute, Roke said that wasn't justice, when Darrow let Cassius cut him to ribbons. He said that wasn't justice. So he has a soft spot for everybody, but not, he wasn't like, leave him alive. He was like, absolutely kill Titus because he's been raping other golds and is a prick.

Yeah. Literally, Tactus rapes other goals and hurts other goals and is a prick. So I'm a little confused why Roke, he should be mad at Darrow. Fine. He should be sad that their friend died again. But I am like, Roke's been sitting weeping next to Tactus's dead body for days. And I'm like, bro, he's barely better than Titus. Yeah. Like, why are you this? If this was Quinn, of course. So it's just odd to me that Roke is so sad. I accept his emotions, but I'm like, dude, you need to chill. I-Tactus. I know.

I think the one, that's a great point. I think the one saving grace is tactics. Tactis was about to do those bad things, and then he was punished justly by Darrow. And I believe Roke thinks he is slowly but surely changing. Yeah. And in this section, we get the information about the violin that we talked about. Yeah. You know, episodes ago where he's like, he didn't sell the violin.

He was practicing and trying to play you a song. Yeah. That for Roque and that knowledge is a little bit of more evidence that he's like, he's changing. He's like, actually he was trying to change and to get better. So I think with Titus, he was like, he was unsavable. Tactis, he thinks is saved. Yeah. That's why he's soft.

agree and great point because i have that here too unbelievable reveal my counter point to that is oh and also i roke doesn't even know really titus's sob story to darrow right before lorne kills him like no one knows that except lorne and darrow so tactices you mean yeah yeah sorry yeah so roe's like he was he actually kind of was but you don't even know that god forbid you ever see a hollow of that conversation we're dead yeah but this this is my counter dan and i'm being harsh but i just this is how i feel it's a beautiful reveal and it is it is you get you feel emotion, but he's essentially going like, hey dude, you know how you thought, you know how you thought you spent half your bank account on a gift for your friend and he sold it?

Yeah. Which is not, which is like so mean. He goes, really mean. He didn't actually sell it, which is like, oh, okay, thanks. He kept the gift I gave it. Continue. He kept the gift I gave him. So Rokes counter is he's actually been practicing in secret.

And I go, okay. Post that, he's been practicing in secret. Then he took Lysander and essentially literally literally. executed all of us. Yes, correct. Like him taking Lysander wasn't like, ooh, that was a misstep. He marked for death,

me, you, Victor, everybody. And Roke goes, yeah, but he was practicing that violin. And I'm like, he just shot you in the head. Yeah, okay. Don't say, don't,

no, no, you got to be fair with the way you break things down because not, he didn't just keep the violin. He kept it because he was then practicing to then play Daryl a song. It's actually the nicest thing you can do when you get a gift

is to then use said gift to give you something back. So, no, make sure you add that in, you piece of shit. But you are absolutely right that it does. I don't give a fuck what song he was going to play for me because he then literally took Lysander, betrayed us, and then was about to murder Lauren's grandchildren. It was the fifth sonata. It was Molyte Sonata.

Roque is, it's like, okay, Roak, fair point. But dude, are you going to just gloss over the betrayal? He tried to kill us. Come on, man. It was Moolite Sonata. He is too romantic and he is too forgiving. Broke. So that was insane.

You have a lot of quotes from this part, but I will say this. This council is a disaster. It's just a horrible meeting. It is, this whole chapter is just brutal. I mean, this, after the violin thing, this quote, The heaviness in me deepens. Tactus was always my friend. He just got lost in trying to be the man his family wanted him to be.

When all along his friends loved the man he already was, brutal. Mustang puts a hand on my lower back knowing what I'm thinking. Roke leans down now to kiss Tactus once on the cheek and to give him a benediction. Better to go into that other world in the full glory of some passion than to fade and wither with age. Live fast, die young, my wayward friend. Roke walks away leaving Mustang and me alone with Tactus. You have to fix that, she says, of Roke. Fix it before you've lost him.

It is L. Brutal in this part how much Roke is like. It's remarkable that Roke's still around. I know. Like he hates Daryl. He hates it in these. And like Daryl's line after that is like this, I know, after I fix a million other things. But I am kind of like this dude, put other things on the back burner for a second because, as we know with this poet, all he needs is an apology. Yeah.

Follow him out the room. Yep. Excellent point. It is brutal. Excellent point, Dan. And spoiler alert, we almost gave Dero the Benegeserate honor this week because of how poorly specifically he handles this. Darrow does too much other good in this section to give him that demerit. But agree.

I'm like, dude, this was a simple, simple fix. Yeah. And you did not do it. Shit. It really is. So go to the council. I am surprised everyone, but especially Severo and Mustang, turn on Victora. If only because they trust Darrow.

I know they get there, but I'm kind of surprised when Darrow's like, yo, I guess everyone betrays Darrow so they're like, yeah, I, I, I'm not surprised by this at all. I actually, I, I, I love Victora. Like I am a, I am a Victora Stan heavy. Yep. But I will say, I respect the council. I respect Daxo and Kavix and Lorne. Because to this point, all Darrow has been is betrayed. Yeah. And there's just so much scheming going on in this society. and we are right on the heels of, well, I trust tactis, despite all the signs not to, boom, brutal betrayal. And, Nero, I trust Pliny, even though all you guys say not to, boom, brutal betrayal.

I would 100, they're not doing their duty to not go, we got to talk about this chick. It's just good counsel. Good business. It's good business. And I think it's a good clapback by Darrow to go, well, you know what, she has done nothing. but had my back at every fucking second. So reverse of tactis, right? Because they go, dude, all signs of tactis said don't trust him, then you did.

And you got betrayed. In this case, Darrow goes, yeah, literally all signs of Victoris say trust her. So, like, they're talking out of both sides of their mouth a little bit there. And I got to give Roque's flowers here because he's the one that makes this point. This is an awesome moment. Great moment from Roe. I really enjoy. I agree.

And it's, it is the, Roque is so good in his young age of just the disappointment schick. Like, he doesn't scream at anyone. And he's just like this, you all make me sick. Yeah. I'm like, oh, damn. Yeah. And I'm, and I'm, and I'm like, shut up, bro. And like, if you're Mustang particularly and somewhat several, sever,

several doesn't really give a shit about anyone, but Mustang in that moment must have been like, yeah. Well, Mustang's jealous. Mustang is like, she. 100%. And when Victor calls her a little girl, and she's like, little girl. And Victor is like this, literally in every way you are little compared to me. Dude, it was an incredible response.

She is like, you are an aunt to compare. She's like, I have a decade on you and you're short, bitch. It's like, damn. that is so awesome I also love in that in that whole scene even though he weighs in how Lorne is like

I god I should have gone with Asha like this whole time he's like this is a fucking disaster like I can't believe I chose this side and now I'm on this ship you are all idiots yeah

he's obviously not saying I should have gone with Aja but he is like this we are not prepared for this yeah dude we're not prepared for this What's that Inception 9? It's like, This shit has come up

And he's like, this should have come up in the desert And then, dude, I love shit like this When Victor's full defensive, which I don't blame her at all. She's chirping at everybody. And she goes,

How many men did you watch burn At the side of the Ash Lord? And Lauren goes, Do not speak of Raya to me, girl. I love that part. I love when there's such a backstory war In a book. Dude, it's literally,

it's the Jumanji scene. Yeah. He's like this, dude, in the jungle you must afraid? Yeah. You don't even know what afraid is. Like don't talk about Rea. Yeah. You have no idea Oh dude that is so awesome. Yeah. Okay so I

I'll save that part but I'll just I'll land on this even though And I'll defend this more later but even though I think Darrow is wrong About his massive guilt for Tactus lingering here still And that is my stance I stand by why it gets him emotional. Don't turn your back on your friends when they need you and Victora needs you here.

I don't think that, I know a lot of you do. I don't think that affects tactis. But for Victora, I do think where it got him is right for Victora. Because to quote Mustang again, he is evolving. He is going, you know what? I need to stand up for my friend here. And that is important. Yes.

And at the end of the day, deep cover or not, pal, these are your friends. You've got to live the part all the time, Olivia. All the time, Olivia. You have to live the act because these people are your friends. That takes us to chapter 33, a dance. I thought she must have forgotten. I whispered the name of another girl as I lay with her in the institute's snows. How stupid of me.

How could she forget? Mustang comes to visit Darrow in his suite. She teases him for not liking the Mozart. Arch she puts on and asks if he likes the electronic craziness the Howlers listen to. Love that the Howlers are EDM. Dude, I flagged this too. Do you have the quote later? Because if not, I'll say it right now. I do. Or I have it written down and we'll get to it. Okay. She leads Darrow into the training room of his suite and she stalks Darrow with a training razor as she asks him questions. Mustang wonders why Darrow insists on only being a warrior when he is and can be so much more. Darrow's mind wanders as he contemplates his

love for this girl. He can't lie to her, which sets him on edge when she prized. Mustang grows frustrated with how Darrow resists his feelings for her. He can't keep pushing her away, shutting her out, and all at the same time wanting to keep her close. She reaches the door and tells him he will become like her father if he keeps following down this path alone. Mustang tells Darrow to tell her to stay. When he looks up, she is gone. More important than anything. The house Howlers listen to Mao P, Boris Breha, Max Styler. They are fucking, they're at Coachella with us. So what do you like that?

Not that electronic madness the howlers thumped their heads to, I hope. Makes sense that the Greens came up with that. It's like listening to a robot have a seizure. And I'm like, that sounds gas. I mean, they're for sure listening to Old Earth EDM. They listen to EDM, and it is so incredible. And it's also insulting to me that Mustang can't give

she's listening to other bands like she's not like oh I love Led Zeppelin You know she's like I like Mozart And I'm like Have you fucking heard Rufus to Soul?

Yeah Like dude And I want Who's that crazy guy We saw that one time The German dude Gestopelstein Oh Gestapelstein

Yeah like he's goaded Yeah like I want Put on some OPR Yeah like how your fucking brain feels I want that dude Like I need Mustang to dabble. And hey, she might like it, dude. Yeah. Like I told you, it's designed to enjoy.

I love, like, in this lovely moment, I mean, not, not, it's like almost tormenting moment between the two of them. I love these little tidbits of like Pierce's brain, the underlying references. And even this part, they're talking about her childhood and Adrius. She goes, I remember mother laughing about his paranoia, especially when Adrius tries restarting one of the combat models from Eurasia. Father was convinced that robots would have overthrown man and now rule the solar system if Earth's empires had never been destroyed.

Dude, narrow, big Terminator 2 fan. Because he seen that movie. 100% dude. He watched C2 Judgment Day and was like this, those robots will take us over. They were doing a deep dive. They have an AI crisis as well. It's great to know. And I actually left that quote going,

Yikes. Because now I realize we, since we don't have golds raining down on us from Luna to stop the robots. Yeah, we are dead. We are dead. Yeah, this is an alternate universe where golds actually save us. Hyundai. And it's a nightmare.

Yeah, we are about to die from the robot, so that was not good at all. If you, if Darrow didn't let a wet-haired Mustang wearing only a black kimono into his room, I was going to stop reading this book and probably all books moving forward. Yeah. This would have been my last book. Do you like that when he, Ragnar is guarding the door outside and she's like, I told you he wasn't asleep, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And Darrow says to Ragnar,

Ragnar, if I'm not safe here, I'm not safe anywhere. Go to bed. I sleep with my eyes open, Dominus. Really? Yes. Yeah. It's also sick later when he... Ragnar's full-on.

He has the... Gandalfe, major pain. And he has the Jack Sparrow... Two eyes. Eyeballs tattoo to his eyelids. So it's like, I forget what the line is, but it's like, so when he sleeps, his like animal soul can see the world.

They're like, holy fuck. Good Lord. That was awesome too, because Darrow's like, I see her outside, wet hair, black kimono, and he's like, I think I can't let her in. And then his hand just goes, and he's like, my hand betrays me.

And I also, when she goes, I told you he wasn't asleep, I wanted her to be like, I told you he would let me in. Because I picture the scene going, right, like she comes out smoking hot, and Ragnar's like, he won't let you in. And she's like, do you want to bet? I'm in a black kimono.

You wish, pal. You wish. I assure you he will let me in. God, that was awesome. On Ragnar, though, Dan, I kind of forget. got how you don't get a ton of Ragnar right after we meet him. There's casual mentions here and there.

Like, oh, he's here. He's in the background. But it's like, when you meet him, I'm like, here we go. And then he's just like this section. And like this episode is really the first time we get to meet. Now we get Ragnar. I kind of forgot that. That was cool.

This also made me laugh. Mustang, when she's hitting Darrow with the practice razor. And she goes, on your hills, you're a liar on your toes. You spit truth. I love how this is a new version of hot ones. interviews show where that one goes hot questions even hotter wings this is this is like hard questions even harder crow bars so you'll finally get some real answers out of celebrities as we just beat this start beating the shit out yeah i was like i love the world where that interview show gets so popular

that celebrities have no choice because their PR team's like well you got to go on on you got to spar yeah you got to spar with musk as she wails on you with the crowbar and she's like who's your toddler crush you're like fuck fuck fuck jeezer lola buddy yeah so Also, shout out hot ones. Great a show about time. Shout out of hot ones. Hard questions. Even harder crow bars.

I'm just telling you, nice spin-off. Nice web series spin-off. Not much to get into in this chapter other than just the, it's awesome how often we see Mustang being the one to be like, dude, we are in love and you are being a little baby. Yep. And Darrow is like, I know, I can't help it. But I did love the. when she references she's like, is it Victora?

And he's like, no. And she goes, then the other girl, the one you lost. Dero says, she never pride. She's never asked about Eo. Not when we shared time together after the Institute when I was a rising Lancer. Not when we rode horses at her family's estate or walked through the gardens or dove in the coral reefs. I thought she must have

forgotten I whispered the name of another girl as I lay with her in the Institute's snows. How stupid of me? How could she forget? How could it not linger there inside of her forcing her to wonder as she lay with her head on my chest listening to my heartbeat if I didn't belong to another girl, a dead girl. Cool moment of, we remember that he said Eo to her and she's like, who is that and all this. And it is a very human emotion from Mustang to be like, I love this dude.

He keeps me at arm's length. It must be because of this thing. Yeah. And he not only keeps me in arms link, but he's hot and cold, right? It's, oh, yeah, on and off. And this banter here is beautiful because I, the reader, wonder about Dero's motivations all the time. I guess not, I don't wonder what his motivations are. I wonder how he's getting away with his motivations.

Because remember that line with Nero when he goes, why are you spewing democracy? Yeah. And he's like, because we needed help. Yeah. It's nice of Pierce here to help placate that fear of ours, the readers, by having Dero say, Mustang is always curious about my motivations because it establishes, A, only the really observant characters are the ones who can notice this, which helps me just go, okay, Mustang's paying attention, but not everyone else is.

And B, that Darrow himself is aware. And that's kind of enough for me to go, okay, you know that you need to be careful. And there's a few times later where I'm going to point out that I don't think he was careful enough. Yeah. But I like that a lot. And it's also great, great, great, great, that the EO thing in that tent, would one billion percent still be on Mustang's money?

For sure. And it's amazing that that wasn't just a throwaway part of book one where he says that and it brings them closer together because she asks a question and then it's like, poof, it's gone. Because in rereads, we would go, why didn't that ever come up again? It's great that it comes up here because it's doing big plot work here. She's going, dude, so many of Mustang's hesitations about their relationship stems all the way back to the moments in that tent.

For sure. And I get that. And I think that's really cool. And God damn it, dude, ask her to stay. don't for once even mean to bang. I mean, she's saying it with levels, dude. She doesn't mean literally ask me to stay and fuck me right now. She's going, ask me to stay.

Do you have to be so fast? Yes, Dan, I do. Good God. Because how about make sweet love? No. No, no. Dude, I saw someone in the comments the other day be like, Darrow is the most monogamous bitch.

He's literally had sex with two people in his whole life. And they're only if he intends to marry them. And Eo might even be after. It's an old-fashioned gentleman. I was like, wow, that's so true. I never really thought about that. But he's literally like, oh, that's it. It's an old-fashioned gentleman.

But yeah, ask her to fucking stay, dude. Get the real meaning. I know. Christ. Chapter 34, Blood Brothers. Pliny is a leech, I say. A liar as much as you're an honest man. And that makes him dangerous.

Liars make the best promises. Darrow and his companions wait to make their play to try to gain traction against Pliny's operation. He speaks with Lorne, who does his best to advise him, but Lorne shows that years have been harsh on him and broken his spirit in too many ways. From the book, you will fall to ruin because you believe that exceptions to the rule make new rules, that an evil man can shed the trappings of wickedness just because you want him to. Men do not change. That is why I killed the wrath boy. Learn the lesson now, so you don't have to learn it with a knife in your back later.

The colors exist for a reason. Reputations exist for a reason. Lorne doesn't believe an obsidian, let alone a stained, can be trusted or can change from the killing machine they are bred to be. Darrow believes they can, that Ragnar is more. He finds Ragnar sleeping in the freezer and asks what he wants. From his life, Ragnar says that stains do not want. Darrow makes a gesture that shakes the massive man. From the book, Our color is the same, I tell him.

He doesn't understand, so I cut my finger. Red blood comes out and I smear this on the black sigils that mark his color of his hands. Then I take his blood and smear it over the gold on the back of my hands. Brothers, all water, all flesh, all made from, and bound for the dirt. I do not understand, he says fearfully. Actually scooting back and away from me till I have him cornered like a little child. We are not the same. You are from the sun.

I am not. I was born six inches from the dirt, Ragnar Valeris. I release you from my service. Whether you like it or not. I will not let you be bound. I will not let you be led. You stay in this ice box till you are a man enough. to decide what you want. You shirt yourself in the head. You freeze yourself to death. Go ahead.

But whatever you do, it will be because you chose to do it. Perhaps you'll choose to follow me. Perhaps you'll choose to kill me. Whatever it is you decide, you must decide for yourself. Ragnar thinks Darrow is trying to trick him. He has been taught all his life that he must obey golds or they will rain fire upon them. So Darrow tells him they are the same. He shares his truth, his story, of Eo, of dancer, and of the second chance he was given to rise and change their fate. He asks Ragnar if he will trust him, if he will be his brother. Lorne tried

to bang last month. And he goes, didn't work, dude. He goes, you know, couldn't, couldn't get her out. When I read this section, that is highlighted, because I was like, it's so funny. Like, Lauren's like this, I tried to love the other week. Didn't work like

you, you, too much, Lord. Dude, he's at 100 years old. What a legend. But I have to say, dude, surely there are stims for this though in this society like we have he ain't a pED guy bro we have viagra on earth yeah but you know that must be fucking gold pixie dust that makes you eight inches and thick lorn is lord is true man he knows if if if it ain't working then he ain't he ain't he ain't clap old stone side more like old limp side dude more like old putty side more like old limp

dick you're gonna get a new nickname pal if you don't let this if this story get that too man People can use that in battle to get inside your head. Dude, waving their razor at him. Oh, oh, oh, stiffing the razor, dude. Only a whip now? No, no, dude. Wow, I've never really got how... To be fair, dude, he's 100.

I've never really got how dick a razor is until this conversation, but it absolutely is a dick, and that's tough. Deros always to the left. Careful who you get it up with. I'm kind of rattled by Lauren's obsidian racism. because especially after Daryl says, especially after the way Lauren treats his own servants

and Daryl's observation of if all golds were like Lauren, they would, the Reds would still toil, but they would know. With all those comments, I'm kind of rattled, but he is 100, as I just said.

And the rage night, you know, so he's that grandfather that's too far gone with some stances, you know? For sure. About the Japanese. And you're like,

we also, you're like this, can you relax, dude, you're not in the war anymore. And he's like, nah, but that is Lauren.

Yeah. He has been in so much war. Yep. And he has seen obsidian and stained do horrific things. And they are truly just a tool of death. And he's like, that is what they are, man. Like, give me a break. Yeah.

And I want to save my, the conversation I really want to have to you about tactics till when Lauren comes all the way around. I think it's better to have that combo there. But I will say he has good lines here that Darrow can fight and you can fight, but that are right where he's like, dude, Exceptions to the rule do not make new rules. There can be exceptions. Yeah.

But Darrow does get over his skis with that shit, in my opinion, where he's like, see? And it's like, dude, easy. And it's, well, I guess I'll save that part. But it's hard when Darrow calls Lorne a relic, because I get what he means. He is in a lot of ways. We just said stuff about war. It's hard, but it's true. Yeah.

I mean, Lauren is, again, he's my Mount Rushmore of characters in this series, but he is too broken by mentally by war. Yep. And he's stuck in his ways. Yeah, yeah. He can, we can give the old man the fight one more time. Then we get to Ragnar. Yeah, this section is all, or this chapter is all Ragnar. Just learning the way of Staines and... Sick.

Learning who Ragnar is. And I, and I, it's just such sick writing by Pierce. When Darrow does something that no gold has ever done, it legitimately scares Ragnar. Yeah. Like, Ragnar is like a child. He's like, what are you doing? It's also. sad hearing how obsidian

are, have been told these lies that they're like, you are gods. And Darrell's like, are you an idiot, dude? I am just a man. Yeah. And you could beat the shit out of them. Yeah, yeah. But it's like they are truly whipped into submission. It's awful. And the you're right.

I wrote another Pierce classic this whole chapter, but this section, because it comes out of nowhere. I've said this many times in this series. Sometimes, or usually, I should say, in fantasy books, you're building to a thing. I know what's coming. Or I know a thing is coming, right? Even, I'll even go as far as the red wedding. I'm not going to sit here and be like, I knew exactly what was going to happen to the red wedding. But you do as that builds feel like something's going to happen here. Yeah.

And even if it's not bad, you just know this is a huge tent pole plot point in the book. So it's not just going to go. And then the wedding happened. It all was well. Like obviously something's going to happen. These are moments that Pierce does so well where you're just sitting there talking to Lauren, twiddling your fucking thumbs. And Darrow's like, I gotta get up. I'll be right back. And then it's like, oh my God, dude, what's happening? So amazing there.

And it's totally sparked by that convo with Lauren. It's those comments, the relic comments from Lauren that Darrow, I believe, inspires him to go do this. Maybe he wasn't going to do it in this moment and that combo pushes him. Some epic lines in it. I flag these two, yet they're actually back to back. Yet it takes only one truth to bring a kingdom of lies crashing down. And Ragnar must join me because Red Alone will not be enough. Yeah. All true, all awesome. However, it is kind of insane that Ragnar is the next person who finds out.

Like, several being first was probably minus 350. Like, several will find out first. But second being Ragnar is was plus a thousand. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Plus a thousand? Yeah, dude. Try plus five thousand. No, it's crazy. I see the logic in some ways, but it's such a gamble. It's a Hail Mary. It does feel like it was the only. only way you were going to get him like this. Yeah. But you saw, I mean, when you got him in your service, you literally out loud went,

did you just use a loophole to betray your master? And he's like this, I am no longer your master now. Also, I have the biggest secret in the entire society. Dude, Dan, they are, please don't tell everyone. They're certainly not in a good spot. Because currently Nero is captured. They're about to plan an iron rain. but Darrow definitely feels momentum right now

where he's like, okay, we're on the precipice. Severo knows, like, let's do shit. And then he goes, I'm just going to tell Ragnar. Imagine Ragnar just kills him right here. He goes, I don't like that. All done. Imagine he tells everyone. All done.

This is an insane play. It totally works. It does feel like Darrow makes this decision and is kind of going, if I don't get Ragnar on my team here and I get him to really become what he can become we're lost. I'm like, I'm not sure you're lost. You're not at all. Calm down. And I felt like, let's say, and you never know how it plays out, but let's say you tell Mustang second. Let's say,

let's say your family grows and then you guys go together to tell Ragnon. I will say this. He didn't need to tell him. Yeah. I love that he did. But I will also say, as we were talking about the odds, he is in a position to tell no one else. So when you think about it that way, if you line up everyone and say Darrow has to tell someone else, who is it? There's a part of me that's like, Ragnar. That's why I kind of get the logic. I'm like, I'm not going to talk to any of these other golds.

Are you kidding me? Maybe, maybe. Maybe. But otherwise, I'm like, there's no one else here to tell. Theodora's good. Mustang. No, way. Way too risky. Way too risky. She's upset with you.

We have no like, and she's way too smart and powerful to give that secret to unless you're 100% sure. He says in that next chapter, he's like, I have to tell her right now because he's like, I do. But he doesn't. Well, he does in a second. And actually, no spoiler. The, and I like your take that Ragnar.

No one would believe him. He was like, hey, he's a red. Yeah. People would be like, what fuck, shut up. But a Mustang or frankly, an Adrius would be like, oh yeah. Yep, he is. That makes sense. Yeah.

Wow, true. And then I just had this from Ragnar too. I do or do not. There is no plan. It was like another Star Wars. And this one, Dan, last time I said there's a chance Darrow was actually quoting the movie. I cannot believe that Ragnar is actually quoting Empire's Express back. Pretty sick.

Pretty cool. Darrow's like, bro, pretty cool. Can you imagine actually, Dan, how sick with that a bit if that was their, that's their, what Batman movie is it when him, I guess Batman versus Superman when they're like, we are more than. Jesus Christ. I would have died here if Ragnar says that. And Darrow was like, bro, do you like Star Wars? He said, Ragnos, like, yes. He's like, I watch it every now.

Like, that's how he decides to tell him the secret. He's like, dude, me and you, Star Wars Boys. That is great. It forced me with you. May 4th. Couple boys, dude. Every May 4th, Darrow and Ragnon. A couple Star Wars homies.

That is so good. Okay, that takes us to chapter 35. Tea time. You are a worm who thought himself a serpent just because you slither. But your power was not real, Pliny. It was all a dream. Time now too late. Oh my God. Darrow arrives at the Hilda Station to board what was once Augustus's flagship, now Pliny's, the Invictus.

They are dressed for battle as they board the ship. Darrow flanked by his fellows, including Ragnar. He has chosen to follow Darrow, his brother. They make their way through the ship's holding bays and free the imprisoned peerless loyels to House Augustus. They find the jackal and release him, though he doesn't know where his father is. When he and Darrow speak of their plans, Roke clocks the familiarity. another thing Darrow has kept from him. The telemanuses situate a thermal drill

in the middle of the mess gallery. They attach power cables and prepare to drill through the floor of the ship. Lauren smirks at Darrow and tells him to terrify them. The hole burns hot to the metal floor and the drill plummets through down the war room of the Invictus. Darrow jumps down to find Pliny

at the table surrounded by gold praetors and two Olympic nights. He's joined by Lorne, Roke, Victra, Severo and the Howlers, Cavics and Mustang. Lauren says he will kill any man or woman who gets within two meters of Darrow. and Darrow says he has come for Pliny.

From the book, Pliny Al Velocator, you are a traitor to Arch-Governor Nero Ar Augustus. You have conspired to destroy his house, to forcibly marry his daughter, to kill his son and betray him to the sovereign, who has set herself against him. Your master raised you up,

and you tried to tear him down. You have betrayed his trust for all personal gain. Worst of all, you have failed. Darrow slaps Pliny across the face and knocks him to the floor. He picks Pliny up and leaves him to the praetors, who just moments of him, were loyal to him and they cut him down. Darrow rises on his grab boots

as he leaves and addresses the room. Tell all who will hear, the Reaper sails to Mars and he calls for an iron rain. A bitch slap for a bitch, dude. Dude, that is what we call a bitch slap. Yeah. A bitch slap for a bitch. And when he picks him up and fixes his hair

like a mother and then turns around and literally goes, I leave him to you. And they all just kill him. Yeah. I'm like, man, you guys are cold-blooded. It's unbelievable, sneaky. A sneaky all-time chapter. Kind of short, but just, like, it fires me up so much. Shocking when you really think, obviously, things are leading to this, but we've heard

of Iron Raines. Yeah, yeah. So many times, a lot from Lorne and how devastating they are and gnarly they are. And wild that Darrow just hovers on his grab boots at 20 years old and goes, the Reaper calls for an Iron Rain. It's almost a reckless declaration of like, do you know what you're doing? And he does it. This is crazy.

Yeah, it's wild. Several making all the people in jail say thank you, Reaper, before they get out is funny. But I actually think is really important, too, because we talk about power so often in this book. And know who saved you, bitch. These are all really powerful. Neil, Neil as your daughter does. Dude. Because, dude, that, this, it's the Reaper.

And Severo is the goat with that every time. He's like, I'm here for the Reaper. I'm here for Darrow. Darrow saved you, not me. That is so awesome. Yeah. This part that you flagged, Roak looks. back and forth between us, perhaps noting the familiarity with which we speak. Yet another thing I

never told him, the gulf grows. This, I am actually completely on Roke side. It's like, oh, brother. I, again, there are a lot of times where I go, Roke has a point. And here, when Darrow frees the jackal, and, and they clearly are scheming a plan together, Roak is like, dude, are you actually kidding? Yes. Are you actually kidding? And if I'm Dero there, I'm like, sorry. I'm sorry. Dude, because that's the jackal. Oh, and that is fucked.

Even Daxo and Kavix go later, maybe in this chapter. It is later. They're like, Do not trust it. Marriage of necessity, but don't trust it. But they at least know that there's something.

Roke needs, he doesn't need to know the plan, but he needs to know, I'm talking to the jackal, we're working on something. Yeah. So this, that one was actually really tough.

I'm with him there. I really love all the moments in these books where we get there. We talk about them all the time. They're the hardo moments, but I live for them. And when they get the drill and burn through, I love this part. I looked at Mustang.

Burn. She presses a button. The drill glows red. Heat radiates up into me, spreads along the floor. Low colors flow away, abandoning their food, fleeing the room as the floor sags and melts like sand pouring down an hourglass. The drill falls through the dripping deck into the command room beneath with me riding on its back. A hell diver again, if only for a moment. So gas.

And I also bet in that moment, truly, Darrell was like this. I'm back. Yes, dude, bro, I agree. Dude, there are three, I think three all times. This is why I said this sneaky chapter, this chapter is sneaky, so dope. There are some awesome hard-o lines in here that, well, I'm only saying that because that's what the internet

says, but they are so sick. That one is incredible. The ending is, this is why we read. Tell all who will hear the Reaper sails to Mars and he calls for an iron ray. And I'm like, oh my fucking God. And then this, when Lauren goes, if anyone comes

within two meters of Darrow, I kill everyone in the room. And then that one guy lunges, and Lauren goes, 2.3 meters. Yeah. Close. Close. And, dude, Lauren is legit insane. I also loving that, that guy lunges and the praetor next to him. Yeah.

Knives him and is like, sit the fuck down. Lauren's gonna kill everybody. And Lauren's reputation requires him to do this. If someone, if that guy got 1.9 meters, Lauren would have unfortunately had to kill everyone in the room. Correct. And he's like, that is the plan. And Dan, this line, this is goaded. This line.

Okay. And who do you know that can kill me, I say, that ridiculous gold rage building in my voice so that it might impress all these hungry souls? The Jackal failed. Antonia Aseveris Julie failed. Proctrus Apollo and Jupiter failed. Cassius Avalona failed. Carnus failed. Cagney failed.

Aja Agrimis and her Praetorians failed. The hangman failed. The mines and pit viper's failed. And now you fail. I and I love for everyone listening in the book those the hangman failed that's he doesn't say

that's in his mind and you know in that moment Darrow is in his bag and starts believing his own story there because like he's saying all those things and then he's like in his head he goes and they don't even know the hangman fan that is that is like I'm not fucking leaving shit

run through a brick wall gets said too often I'm not gonna lie though in that moment reading it, I think big mistake to say the jackal failed. You've got a truce going on here to an extent with this lunatic, but don't poke the bear. Don't poke the jackal.

The first time he says it, I'm like, this fucking loser failed. This little one-handed bitch failed. It's like, dude. He's like, I killed Pax, man. You got him on your side. Come on. And he's like, also a Mustang caught me, so fuck you. But yes. And dude,

you're right. There's a few. He's like, Aja failed. Then I'm like, well, you ran away from Oja and she killed Quinn. So, you know, but it's still that line, dude. I am like, stand. I read that line and I stand up. I'm pacing.

Fucking insane. Do you think we needed a better death of Pliny? Okay. I actually want to talk to you about this. Pliny is a, is a scumbag rat, as we've said many a time. I wonder if I wanted, I kind of like, you know what, Pliny is so small. Yeah.

That I don't want Darrow to sully his razor. by killing him. Good take. Good take. So I kind of like this death, but there's part of me that wanted it to be more humiliating, but that's pretty humiliating. Well, that's what I was going to say, getting bitch slapped and then Darrow fixes your hair and he's like this.

Goodbye. I think you just came around because for all the characters you hate in all the books, you just, the books that have death. You want the fucking best death. I just want to enjoy their death so much. And this one isn't perfect because I kind of wanted Darrow to do it himself, but I love the notes. sully your razor with Pliny's blood.

And you're right, dude. I think it is humiliating where he goes, you thought you could win people over and watch this. I snap my fingers and I've won them over and kill him. You are pathetic. It's the line and taken when he's like, kill him. Oh yeah, but I actually love when Pliny is going. He's like, kill him.

Yeah, yeah. Cut him down. It's like this. Oh, my God, you're pathetic. Yes, dude. Can't do it yourself. You little one-eyed bitch. It was awesome.

I see the beauty in it. I was kind of interesting. by the fact that Moira doesn't do any... She is a Fury who's completely on Octavia's side and, you know, I get that maybe she felt outnumbered here, but I was like, kind of interesting that she's like... Yeah, tough that Pierce,

aka Darrell, calls her pudgy here too. Yeah. It's just like this. Damn. Fucking loser, dude. But yeah, so I'm good with it, dude. And I'm glad it didn't linger. Like, go away. Agree. Jesus. Yeah, it's like, Pliny at the end of the day

was insignificant and his death should be insignificant. Yep. And I also love the... It's the... or when he's like liars, you know, are dangerous because they, you know, blah, blah, blah. Great. It's also such a good lesson in life to realize that little rat schemer losers like this, they die insignificantly because they are insignificant. They are schemers, dude.

I like Darrow's internal speech about trust here. It's fucking awesome and it's believable because he says that is why gold will fail. They will shatter against one another when they go up against a color who stands together. Yeah. I will die on the hill that he's wrong about tactics, but he's right in principle, and I'll get to that more later. Last thing in the chapter, I loved how Ragnar hates rhyming. Yeah, that was a little bit like relax.

Jesus, dude. And I'm kind of a rattle that several, you'd think Severeaux would have liked a little psycho bad. Like he, when he throws that out of him and several's like, control him. I thought he would have been like, okay, dude, let's play some ball. I think Ragnar is so scary that people got to come around to like, is this dude off the leash? Because that's pretty terrifying. Do not ride. And, dude, don't you play any hip-hop around Ragnar.

No, no, no. Keep it to the E.m. He might like the EDM. There's a lot, oftentimes no lyrics. Chapter 36, Lord of War. Legions marshal within my ships as my armada gathers around the dock moon of Phobos. I carry my razor, curved as a sling blade. Crooked and cruel, it is my scepter. News of Darrow's iron rain spread across a society like wildfire.

Ships race to join his armada, golds with no estates to inherit or high families who seek nothing but glory. Darrow gives a speech of glory. He tells these golds that they're taking back of Mars will be shown on the eight she's for all the worlds to see. From the book, now there's the roar. I hate how my body shivers at the idea of glory. There's something deep in man that hungers for this, but I think it weakness, not strength, to abandon decency for that strange, darker spirit. Dero and the Jackal speak of their plan. He even thanks him for saving Virginia from being captured during Pliny's betrayal. Perhaps he's a better man than he thinks. Darrow knows that the sovereign will have legions prepared to

kill him at all costs, including Olympic knights. Let them come. Orion notices, that the enemy could have attacked as they came into orbit over Aegea, but they keep their defensive position. Roke agrees it's strange, but Darrow says he wants Ajiah. Before heading off to battle, Darrow embraces Roque. He apologizes for everything and says he should have done it sooner. Roke says they can make amends later, and he bids him farewell. Darrow speaks to Lorne, of their plan and of war. Lorne wishes it didn't come to this, but he tells Darrow to fight well. From the book, each time I returned home to my wife, I told her that her boys died well. He fidgets with his ring. There's no such thing.

Achilles died well. No. Achilles let his pride and rage consume him. And in the end, an arrow shot by a pixie took him in the foot. There's much to live for besides this. Hopefully you'll grow old enough to realize that Achilles was a gory damn fool. And we're fools all the more for not realizing he wasn't Homer's hero. He was a warning.

I feel like men once knew that. His fingers tap his razor. It's a cycle. Death begets death begets death. Begets death. It's been my life. I don't think I should have killed the boy, your friend. Why do you say that?

Because I see the way the rest of them look at you. I think they do anything for you because you believe in them. Dero meets with several as they walk down the hall passing several grays and obsidians. Each of them with a blood red sling blade painted on their armor. It spreads. Dude, I don't think Dero's speech is fucking awesome. And I don't think it's weakness at all to be fired up about that. He's like, ah, weakness is human nature that it just pumps me up.

but I'm like, incorrect, dude. Like, that is so sick. And it's completely fine. You are, they are the second conquerors, dude,

100%. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really matter. If you are to go to war, I agree. I'm like this. You're doing it.

Yep. So get fired up. Yeah. It's amazing. So that I am so down with. I said this to you, too. The interaction with the jackal is great.

He saves, he saved Mustang. He tried to save Quinn. No spoilers, but I will always be curious of the Jackals' motivations, let's call it, during this section of the series.

You know, what was he really feeling this whole time? I know. We'll come to find out, but yeah, it is crazy when you have a person who has all these motivations

that you can't predict is a horrifying thing to have in your nest. Yeah. It's crazy. And the, I really liked the reversal POV when they're chanting the names, the wanted names. Very Thrones.

Very, very Aria Stark. I wonder who did that first, actually. I can't place the publication date of Golden Sun and Thrones. Yeah, Thrones. She does it in book one, so Thrones for sure. Yeah. So yeah, very Thrones of Pierce here where they chant the wanted names. But I really like how Darrow goes, on that side, they're chanting my name.

They're doing it. They're doing it too. It's not just the good guys who do that. The bad guys do it. And they're trying to kill me. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I was like, God, that's awesome.

The Cassius stuff is heavy. It's some real, like, you need to go to therapy shit. Because it's an interesting question when he says, who would be the better man? If Cassius had been born a red and I had been born and gold would have taken over. It's really cool. But I wish he wasn't feeling shame over what he said to Cassius' family at the Gallag. He's like, I'm so ashamed of that. And I'm like, fuck that, dude.

Oh, no, man. I mean, like, dude, it's. I think it's some of, I think Pierce is legitimately maybe the greatest writer of all time, in my opinion, because I've never seen anyone walk the line of fucking hard rock that gets me fired up and just unbelievable human connection. And I think it is the most relatable and wonderful thing ever for a character who has been wronged by pieces of shit. Yeah. But in his heart, go, well, I'm not going to be a piece of shit to. Yeah.

Because what they did hurt me so much and was so awful, but I'm not going to stoop to that level. That's what that is. He's like, yeah, they deserved it, but I'm not a bad person. Yeah. I shouldn't do bad things. Yeah. I think it is so, I think it's such smart writing.

And it's why for how awesome Darrow gets and how badass of a warrior gets, he always has these internal check-ins where he's just like, I don't want this. It's the first line. Like, I would have lived in peace. Yeah, right, right, which I love. I think it's just, it's so important all those moments because it tells us and it tells him, Darrow telling himself, he's not getting lost in all of this. Yeah, and it's funny because he doesn't say, he doesn't say he's ashamed, he said it,

he says ashamed how much he liked it. He's like, man, I really got that. Yeah. It's vengeance, right? That I can get, yeah. It's, there is, it's a salve for a moment. Yeah. And you hate when you feel like, you're like, yeah, I want to punch you in a fucking face.

but does it feel good for a moment? Sure, but it's not the thing to do if you're a good man. Yeah, I actually think he should have said it, which he's kind of saying. He's just like, I shouldn't have enjoyed it so much, which I'm like, yeah, well, I enjoyed it. So, but he's always, he's always seen through the trees with Cassius from the very beginning, even when night, even when I will say 100% of the readers can't, you know, we've obviously read the whole series, but the, if you are in the middle of Golden Sun right now and you don't hate Cassius more than any character than you are reading the book wrong. and I passionately disagree.

Cassius is the devil in the Galassine. You are blinded by how small of a man you are and how tiny your Pee is. Because he loved Mustang. Who did you, we don't have to go on this tangent too long, but I will pull up our book club threads of getting to the gala the first time and everyone being like, I hate Cassius more than I've ever hated any character. Yes. And I stand by Cassius's sword arm being removed is the great. greatest moment in these books. But at this moment, I don't, I don't think I hate him still. Oh, okay. Interesting. I, but it's, it's all Darrow. It's the way Darrow talks about characters that

make me, yeah, right. Am I? Yeah, he swings you back. But even when they show up and everyone's like, God, the fucking Cassius is there fucking killing us again. And I'm like, God, damn it. Um, so yeah, that, that is nuts. Uh, the convo's with Lorne, super emotional. Um, be a better man than the man who tricked his friend. Maybe, maybe you continue. your grandson the piece you couldn't teach me those are two back and forth between them and i'm like holy hell the the part that i read i i don't think he says that the very beginning of saying each time i returned home to my wife i told her that her boys died well you don't say that to someone that you don't consider your son yeah yep and that part's really intense for me amazing dude uh people

or i have these two things that just fire you up i love when they go um he's with severone he's like is it done and several's like i think so it just it just makes you be like, holy shit. I love every one of those lines when you're just like this, they have a plan. Yeah, yeah. It's like, come on. You know, him and Mustang, when he's like, Mustang and I decide when to begin. I'm like, yes.

People starting to wear the sling blade logo, I'm not sure there is literally anything cooler than the logo of a rebellion getting popular. That might be my favorite thing on earth. Yeah, it's very cool. It's extremely sick. let's have the tactics conversation really quickly here because now we've come full circle and Lauren has said maybe you were right. Again, big, big, big episode for me. Yep. Lorne overcome, this is more of a big picture comment for him where I think he's overcoming

his, what I called racism before where he's like, okay, maybe you're right. People can change. I'm glad he got there. And that stance is correct. And I think passionately that is what Darrow means. but I will continue to dig my heels in on the part Lorne is right about is wickedness in a person. Gold can change. In fact, Darrow's basing his whole life on it. Yeah. And Lorne would have said up until this chapter, no, they can't.

And now Darrow has proven to him that gold can, or at least Lauren feels as though Darrow has proven to him that gold can change and they are on this mission together. Yes. And in fact, Lorne even saying that, I would argue, is gold changing in a way. Yeah.

I still passionately don't believe that a lifetime, a lifetime of wickedness can be cut out of a man. And there's a thing I'm not going to say that proves my point more than anything. But the, and I just personally believe

my interpretation of the tactics character is he has, and it's not his fault. His family ruined his life. and created a devil in him. And if Darrow had brought him back here, he would have betrayed them again and again and again and over and over and over. So I actually think Lorne should have killed Tactus, but it's vitally important that Lorne accepts right now in this moment

that actually gold can change and you have your words mattered. It's massively important for Darrow. And I made reference to Theon episodes ago. And I think Tactus and Theon are wildly similar. The huge difference is Theon was raised by Ned. So right about to say that. That is the huge difference. It's not a life.

However, he could have been raised by Darrow. It's not the same timeline, but I think he could have changed because it is, he shows all the signs that he wants to you. You can dig the evil out of someone. Don't forget, Theon was still born to a piece of shit and was lived with him until, like, like nine. He did have great years with Ned, absolutely, which helped. But like, he was raised in that house, dude. So don't forget that. And I think no question he could have. It would have been if when Theon goes up to John Snow and apologizes, it would have been if Sir Davos came up and stabbed him in the ribs and was like, fuck you, you can't change. But John trusts that he can

and thank God he did. And I would have been completely fine with it. Yeah, well, of course. Like you can cut out the potential issue because it could potentially always be an issue. But I will always believe that tactics could have been changed. Yeah. And to quote the great Kanye West, I guess we'll never know. But the, yeah, that is the, that is the question, right? And it just. But it is good.

I think it's good for Darrow that. To hear him say it. That Lauren says that. And I do want my stance clear that I love that Lauren gets there. Yes. Even though I think he's wrong about the person. Yeah. I love that Lauren gets there.

Very, very good. Fuck you, Texas. Chapter 37. War. This battle is to make the fleet yours. His voice drops to a harsh whisper. The suns will spread it. The jackal will spread it.

House Augustus will spread it. Act like a god. Get followed like a god. Register. Darrow and Severo stand in the hangar bay preparing for war. Darrow asks several, what if Aries isn't real? What if it's all a trick by gold to make them fall? Then several howls.

It echoes by all colors and obsidians. several says that is no lie from the book and that's when i see the standards of the legions fall replaced with something new gone are the pyramids of the society gone are the laurel and the sceptre on the sword and the scroll gone is augustus's lion instead the high golden standards that the legions carry to battle are peaked with wolves and sling blades these legions are mine several tells darrow he needs to fight like a god today every move he makes will be broadcast for all to see he can create a true following. If he wins Mars today at 20 years old, he will be a living God. So when he reveals what he truly is, he transcends color. Darrow meets with Mustang to go over the final

pieces of the plan. They aim for the balanus. He reaches for her hand, but she pulls it away, saying the half of planet to invade. Jupiter's such a bitch. I like Jupiter. Me too, but it just, and I would hate Darrow too. I'd be like, fuck you, you little brat. But like, he's like, I'm fighting with you. You know, like, I like that he's kind of snarky. He's not just like a sniveling bitch who's like this. Oh, yes, Hail Dominus. Well, he's just like, yeah, fuck you, dude. Let's go kill the balunas.

But, like, you guys are scumbags. It's great to see him, honestly. It's great to see him. Like, when Jupiter shows up, they're like, Jupiter, could that be you? What's going on? He's just like, yeah, yeah. Shut up. How old is he?

True. Yeah, I'm so curious. 60. What if Aries is a lie is such a terrifying idea to have in this moment? when he's like, dude, what if this was a trick? And it's kind of what Ragnar just did to him. I know. You're lying.

Yeah. It's literally just the game. He's Michael Douglas in the game at that moment. Like they just turn on the house lights and it's Truman Show. He's like, oh my God. He was alive. Darrow, come on down. Oh, that's so good.

A cool, all I really have here is it's a cool observation between Darrow and Severo because I think they're both right in a lot of ways. I'm going to tell you why I think Severo is more right, but I think they're both right in a lot of ways. I think Severo is right because if you fight, fight different and if you're a god after today and then you can do whatever you want. But Darrow insisting that the goal is freedom,

not having a new God. If you all have a God now, I have a tyrant now. I'm not trying to go, I'm now the God. I'm trying to free everybody. Yeah. So that on paper is right and more right. But the reason I think Severo is more valid is because he means, in my opinion, you just become a god for a moment, not the whole time. And I'll give you my perfect comp.

It's exactly Maximus. Maximus fights and kills Cometus. And in that moment is the emperor. Yeah. Commodus is dead and Maximus rules all of Rome. He has become a god. And his first act as a god is to give Rome back to the people. That is what several means.

He goes, become a god now so that you can go, I release you. Yeah. And Darrow's like, no, dude, it's about freedom. And I'm like, yes. But that's how you do it. Do this. Exactly. So that's my big take.

It's a great, it's a great conversation. It's a great, great observation. That's my takeaway. It's one of the great themes of these books is that like you want to remove power, but you can't do that without gaining it. Yep. And you fear becoming Caesar, right? You go, I don't want to cross the Rubicon and then never give power. It's the ring, right?

Yeah, yeah. When you have the ring, you need to have the power to destroy it, you know, not be consumed by it. Exactly. God, those movies are so good. It's unbelievable. I also love, as we move on to the next chapter, I love these mini chapters that Pierce does. Yeah. It's like, he gets, he's like fluffing me up for back for war. Yeah, because he's like the next two.

Where I know we're about to go to war, but let me give you a quick little chapter with some awesome conversations to get you really prepared. Yeah. So to chapter 38, iron rain. Hick-Sunt-Leonese, I say to my friends, be brave. Be brave, and I'll see you on the other side. Daryl flies through war in his starshell. He speaks on his comms with his friends as they prepare for battle. Darrow hails Mustang's private comms and delivers a short message. Stay alive. From the book, I've acted this whole time like I know what's coming, like I know what the iron rain is, but it looms before me like some dark, slavering beast. A mystery. though I've seen its face. I've seen the virtual reality experientals. An H.C. clips. I know what it is is the way the child knows flying from watching a bird. Darrow watches the battle unfold as explosions and spraying metal and death litter the space around them. Victor's ship makes a reckless plunge into the Bologna fleet and their first trick is played as her mother's Julie's ships turned on the Bologna's unleashing leechcraft upon them. Victor's promise comes true. To take the city is to fight on foot. That is where Darrell hurls himself to the surface beneath the shields and away

from the battle in space where so many are already dying. The amount of missiles, explosions, fire, and death is terrifying. More men die in 10 minutes than Darrow has ever known his entire life. From the book, War is Chaos. It always has been, but technology makes it worse. It changes the fear. At the institute, I feared men. I feared what Titus and the jackal could do to me. You see death coming there and can at least struggle against it. Here, you don't have such luxury. But Modern war is fearing the air, the shadows, fearing the silence. Death will come, and I won't even see it. They make their way across the snowy mountainside on the surface through gunfire.

Mustang's forces join Darrow on the mountain, but then Roak comes over the comms. His signal is broken, but his tone frightens Darrow. There's a lightning storm blocking the signal. Darrell soars into the sky with his grabboots to get above the storm. Finally he hears Roque's message. From the book, Icarus, he shouts into the calm. She's here. She's not on Luna and with the main societal fleet.

We just found out. Kavix's men found Praetorians on board the war child. She's here. She came in secret without her fleet. We caught her. Roke, slow down. What are you saying? Darrow, the sovereign is on Mars.

Her shuttle is trapped behind the shields on Aegea. She is trapped. Roke, I already know. She's why I want Aegea. The Victra's mom, Switcheroo, great. Great. Really like that. It's an important part.

And I also really like how they don't know. It's both how they don't know the horrors of war and that they are kids. This is a fun reminder that they're kids. Obviously, a rain is especially insane. And Iron Rain is the most insane thing we can do. And, you know, Harpy is dead just like that. Oh, my God. Like, we lose a howler instantly.

And he's just like, I was not fucking ready for what this is. Yep. And I like, we just made fun of Jupiter, but I like when several lands and is puking, Jupiter helps him up. That's a cool moment because Jupiter, despite being a cheating bitch, has seen some shit. And they're kids. And they are here at war together. So he's like, let's go, man.

He's like, it's okay, dude. You know, and you're like, holy hell. Because I'm like, oh, my God, Darrow sacked Olympus and him and several or twice the men you could ever be. And he's like, yo. This moment, Chris, is the scene in saving Private Ryan when Matt Damon is literally like covering his ears, crying, rocking back and forth. Because it is the moment where we realize it's, I love that Pierce does this. The second it begins, Darrow's monologue is like, oh, fuck. Yeah.

this is not what I thought. We did not sign up for this. I had no idea what this was. I wrote absolutely electric chapter and insanely awesome action writing, which is not easy a lot of the time. I don't even have a lot to say because you're gripping the book so tight and reading so fast as this all just explet. You're living the rain with him.

It is unbelievable how fast you read these sections because even knowing what happens. You read it because you're just like, please nothing bad happened. Please nothing bad happened. Yep. This is all I really want to say. It is hilarious to me that we get a genuinely, genuinely, really nice moment finally with Darrow and Roque. He grips the back of his neck, says, I'm so sorry, you are my dearest friend. And Roque goes, we will make amends later. Don't die. And all seems to be well. And then Roak even says, why are we going for the capital? Why are we going for a geo? Why don't we go to any other city and take it that way? This is the most dangerous. version of this. And Darrow goes, because I'm being reckless and I want it. Yeah. That's his only explanation. Then Roque hits him with that sovereign who knows over the comms and Darrow goes, dude, I know. That's why I wanted a Gia. And I'm, may I jump in? Yeah. Just lie. It's literally what I said. Why don't you just go? Oh my God. Way! That's huge. Thank God we came here.

Let's get her. Dude, are you kidding me? Literally lie. What a stroke of luck. It makes And I'm being dead ass, dude. It makes zero sense for Darrow to rub this in his face. Literally go, that's awesome news, Roque. We just kissed and made up. And now you literally go, fuck you, loser. I already knew that. It is such a mistake.

Dude, like, I cannot get past that comment. Roak is like so happy to tell him. He's like, oh my God, the tides have turned. This is huge. And Darrell's like, I know, dude, shut up. What are you doing? Buddy, calm down. It is beyond my comprehension that he couldn't just lie there.

It is a massive mistake. It gains him nothing to just rub it in his face. Even when, you know, I'm scared as the reader when you can't quite hear Roe because you're going, oh, no. Yeah. Oh, yeah. And then Roe goes, dude, amazing. She's here. She's here.

Even in that moment when Darrow goes, slow down, what are you saying? I'm like, oh, good job. He is lying because he should have gone. I already, I know what you're going to say. Yeah. So when he goes, slow down. What are you saying? I go, nice, Darrell.

Well done. Just let milk this. And then he goes, the sovereign's here. And he goes, oh, you're a loser, Roke. No one likes you, Roke. I don't like you. No one likes you. Quinn hated you.

Quinn likes Severo more, you bitch. And I'm like, oh, Jesus Christ, dude. Oh, it's such... It's such a mistake, man. Like, I can't believe... Awful. How hard he drops the ball on this one. Absolutely awful.

Yeah, brutal. Chapter 39, The Wall. The Girl presses a button on the globe. And that's when we begin. to die. Darrow let Aja go because he knew she would return to Octavia's side. He's been tracking her since. Darrow told no one but Mustang the jackal and Severo.

Roke hangs up on Darrow without another word. Friendly dropships descend on Darrow and 30,000 soldiers pour out to aid his attack. They wait outside the walls of Olympus. The enemy is using it as a base. Jupiter wants to wage war with blunt force, but Darrow and Mustang explore all reasons why the enemy remains dug in. It must be a trap. Darrow tells the howlers in his troops that the sovereign is on Mars.

She is the target. If they come across Cassius, Carnus, or Aja, do not engage. From the book, you'd have us run, clown asks, insulted. I'd have you live, I say. The prize is the sovereign. Don't be distracted by revenge or pride. If we seize her, we are the new power in the solar system, my friends. They follow their plan and dive into the ocean along the banks of the high walls of the city.

There in the water, they find a gift from the suns, a hole drilled in the fortified walls, and a way into the city. From the book, I'm to find the sovereign. Ragnar is to open the gates. Mustang is to lower the shield so Roke can send reinforcements, and we can take the city in one fell swoop. I don't want her to leave me, but I can trust no one else with this task.

Several gathers a probe. He sent up above and says the coast is clear, just a girl playing on the riverbank. Darrow and his soldiers soar up from the surface of the river, but horror awaits. From the book, beneath us, a single unarmored brown girl stands, ankle deep in the mud.

I stare at her from behind my terrible black helm. She should be hiding with her family, not out in the besieged city. Something is wrong. When she sees us, she snatches from a basket a small globe device. Lightning slashes the sky. Her best dress gathers mud on the hem, turning an even deeper brown. Shoot her, several snarls. I knock his hand aside, a tree explodes instead.

And as I look high above where, on the wall, far out of range of the probe several sent up, and far beyond the limits of the EMP, Globe the girl carries, perch balona knights, and their obsidian retinue. Waiting. The girl presses a button on the globe, and that's when we begin to die. Fucking disaster. Kind of a nothing burger, but I think it's so sick that they end up back at the institute in the halls of Dero's last victory.

That would be such an awesome visual in the show slash movie. Yeah. But just that was a really cool. It doesn't end up mattering. It's not like they win something because of, familiarity with the terrain or whatever. But I just thought that was a fun little, you know, Easter.

Not even Easter. It's just a fun little thing. No, it's cool. We're back at the Institute. And he's like, God, that's where I do old packs. And I'm like, God, that's so sick. I really like that. So I just have a couple questions for you, essentially, here. Question one.

They get into the river and Darrow sees the gift left by the sons. Yeah. He says his men will think some. elite lurcher squad was sent here ahead of time. When I brought up to you the conversation with Darrow and Mustang in the Ask Me to Stay chapter, I said it was really good by Pierce because Darrow admits Mustang is curious about his motivations and I liked that Darrow was aware of that.

But these are some of the moments where I'm like, what? Because Mustang, if they hadn't been, let's say this worked. After Mustang would have gone, how was there a drill team? Or like how is the gates but already been drilled? old under the river and he would have gone, an elite lurcher team went there and she'd been like, who, who? Yeah. And how did they know? Like, this one is such a like, bro, how do you have this help and you're going to just, everyone's going to roll with it? I slightly disagree only because of two things. One, Mustang is the only one who could maybe pry. But Darrow even says with

Adrius a couple times, he's like, I have my fucking spies just like you, dude, suck me. Yeah. He could say that to Mustang and she'd be like, okay. And he could also very easily go, Severo did it. because Severo is on his side. Yeah, yeah, good call. And like, several was like this. Yeah, I handled that. And I think they're fine. Okay, I actually like that answer

because otherwise I really accept nothing. I would, if you went, I have my spies, I would have been like, bro, this was the most, you only trust me with these tasks. Who in the fuck are you going to explain to me that drilled through Mars? Well, I just solved it for you. Yeah, yeah, that was a really good one.

That's a really good one. I don't like the logic here is my next question. question, I guess. Darrow gets there and he gets up and he sees a girl. And his immediate thought is, why would a girl be out alone on the mud in a besieged city? He thinks that immediately. Dude, when I read this, I think at the first time, several goes, we're all good, dude, just a girl there. I'm like, what? Exactly. We're literally at war. So, so, I mean, I don't know what you mean by the logic, but, like, to me, it's a fuck up by several. Like, the fact that several is like, coast is clear. I'm like, what are you fucking talking about?

That is clearly a trap. Okay, so I'll actually let you give it on Severo too. But for me, my point is it's Darrow, because he goes, if seeing the girl and his immediate thought is, why is a girl here alone? When Severo goes, it's just a girl alone. Why isn't Darrow's immediate thought? He should have been like what? Yeah.

Why is a girl playing alone in a besieged city? Yeah. If he was going to think it at all, to the point that I almost wish, Darrow had gone up there and then gone over to like, hey, you should go home. And then she went, because then I'm like, oh, it didn't cross his mind. Even that is stupid, though. Agree, but this is even stupider because I'm like, why did you think it at all if you didn't think it right away? Like the second thing's like, it's a little girl.

I'm like, okay, don't go up there. So I hate that because it just sucks. Maybe they were dead anyway, but it's just such a mistake. And then all I really have is this one got me, dude. There was so much good happening that I should have seen it coming. But I think I got caught up in the, this is so awesome, a fucking iron rain. We are the conquerors. It's all working.

This will be broadcast for the world to see. And then we're about to capture Octavia. So like I probably should have seen it coming, but now it is all over. Truly it is all over. You're dead. Truly just an EMP blast. They are all fucked now like in the mud and the ocean and the balona's and obsidians are just waiting to fucking eat you alive.

And dude, I am excited for you the readers to get to this next chapter because it is, it's even worse than you think what the EMP does. Like they are so fucked. It's so bad. And yeah, I should have seen it coming, but I totally didn't. That completely got me. I didn't even clock the girl the first time. So I guess I'm as dumb as Darrow.

Yeah. But when Severus says that, I'm like, whatever. It's brutal. Oh, man. But two really fucking awesome action writing chapters that absolutely fly by. Electric, our first iron rain. Now we get into our honors at the end of this episode as we finish this section. First, we will go from the scrolls of Tyrion Lannister.

Given to the character who provided the most impactful words, we went back and forth on this one, but we're going with Darrow. I'm giving it to him for some epic, speeches, some really intense hardo war cry speeches. Failed, failed, failed. I mean, I could read that line over and over a thousand times. Calling for an iron rain for the first time in two decades is probably going to get you the Tyrion honor.

And I will add some lovely words to Lorne to both from an emotional standpoint, but also from a Rocky Four standpoint we can change, getting Lorne to change. and of course the blind trust and faith to give that speech to Ragnar and getting him on board in a way that is going to be a very big deal.

Darrow said a lot of important things in this section, so he gets the Tyrion honor. Dobby, the house elf, given to the character who is the unsung hero providing aid behind the scenes. We're going with Ragnar this episode.

These were all kind of tough this section. Ragnar's not necessarily behind the scenes, but kind of, he's in the shadows a lot. What he does, true, he's in the freezer, what he does in all of these battles, how fucking monstrous he is in the best way is so huge as far as helping Darrow and the cause. But mostly it is the seeing how impactful he could be inside Darrow's inner circle for Darrow to think I can tell him what I am makes him Dobby for sure.

Yeah. And he, he's, we can say this. He is now a true friend. Remember Darrow says that to Severo when he knows. He goes, you are a true friend. Ragnar is now a true friend. And Darrow, I mean, God, now more than ever, can use as many friends as possible. So, no doubt.

The next honor is the way of the Benad Jesuit given to the character who could not be trusted or shows outright devious nature. This was a hard one. There's not a lot of, I mean, Plyne's a bitch, but just he's dead and gold. He's actually being true to himself the first time in this one. Yeah. There was really no treachery in this episode. So we have decided, and we almost give it to war in general. And war is horrible and an iron rain is not worth the price.

And this is a nightmare. But with that in mind, we're giving it to the bologna's because I'm just like, go away, dude. It is unrelenting. I cannot fucking go two minutes without the bologna's and Kellyn and Karnas and Karnas and Kassius, all of them. are just up my, can you crawl out from inside my ass, please? They're rats, they're rats, and I know that there are family allegiances, but at the end of the day, the sovereign is trying to overthrow Nero.

Like, she is a piece of shit, and you are a piece of shits for aligning with her. Yes, you have taken the wrong side. You have killed a young brown girl to plant a trap. Yeah, dude, also, the way I read this, did you read this the same way I did? If Severo shoots her in the head, she doesn't get the press. I don't think she gets. So I'm kind of like Darrow. I cannot believe you pushed that.

As you knew you were in the midst of a trap, surely Severo can shoot a brown girl to keep all of your friends alive. Yeah. L. Brutel. Dude, let him shoot her. Jesus Christ. For sure.

And then finally, sword, axe, and bow, the honor given to the character deemed to have earned our loyalty, belief, and trust above all. It's not one. It's the whole squad here. We're going Avengers. This is truly an Avengers episode

where everyone here rocks. Svaro, Mustang, the telemanuses, Ragnar, even Roke is awesome. Even Roke and Jackle. Everyone here,

even Jupiter. Yeah, even Jupiter. Put Jupiter in there. Certainly, Lorn. Certainly, Victra. Everyone here is just pulling their weight, dragging the sled in the same direction,

being awesome. This was a team win for sure. And dude, up until the very last two lines of the section, it's so a heartbeat dyes, which is a tragedy. But it's so fun. It's insane.

action is chaos, but you're like, God, this is what I dreamed would happen. The crew, the crew is doing, everyone's playing to their strengths and we're fighting the chaos of war together and doing it and we're going to win and we're going to capture Octavia. So right until the very end, this was amazing. And in fact, the Avengers are going to have to fight even harder to get their way out of this. They sure are. We're in a tough, tough spot here. Stuck in the mud, as they say. For next section, read through chapter 45 and stop at Brotherhood. And we will see you in the mud.

Yeah, we're going to get through chat part four and two parts. We're almost done with Golden Sun. I'll see you at Brotherhood. Until then, Hail Reaper. Hold music. Not what you want to hear when a pipe dispersed in your basement is flooding. That's why Intact Insurance answers

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