Empty Netters Podcast - Sci Fi Section Ep 6: Red Rising Chapters 34-38

Episode Date: September 2, 2026

We are diving deep into Pierce Brown’s world of the Red Rising saga. Join us for Chapters 34-38 of book 1. Darrow and Mustang save each other in the wild. A new army forms with a new way to play this game. Can Darrow answer the Tactus test better than he answered the Titus one? And finally, the proctors get what’s coming to the them. Hail Reaper!Chapters:0:00 - Intro1:29 - Chapter 34 The North Woods21:44 - Chapter 35 The Oath Breakers32:37 - Chapter 36 A Second Test45:33 - Chapter 37 South54:56 - Chapter 38 The Fall of Apollo1:08:30 - 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 you 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. Into the world of Red Rising. Now, I am Dan Powers, a newly freed slave,

prepared to crawl through shit and stink like bloody wolf guts for the Reaper of Mars. Beside me is the type to wax poetic about getting bedded by a hulkish obsidian, Chris Powers. And I am ready to earn my wolf cloak. Wands at the ready, and it's a swish and flick on that subscribe button and that like button, a swish and flick. Those who do not believe in magic will never find it, and those who don't subscribe to this channel will never find these videos.

Today, we will be talking about chapters 34 through 38 of Red Rising. However, we have read this entire series. There will be spoilers galore. If you venture any further, please do so with the knowledge that you may hear things you wish you had it. And now, we begin.

We have left Darrow with a hole in his stomach, courtesy of Cassius Abolona, slowly dying in the cold mud, which takes us to part four of the book, Reaper. Chapter 34, The Northwoods. I can never fix what happened to E.O. I couldn't even run my army. I couldn't win.

I couldn't beat Cassius, not to mention the jackal. I was the best hell diver. I'm nothing here. The world is too big and cold. I am too small. Darrow is in a fever dream. Is he in the veil? Is he alive?

A tender girl takes care of him, nursing his wounds and wiping the sweat off his brow from the fever. Pain seers into his stomach. He believes it's Eo. He yearns for her as he thinks of the hate he has for Cassius, for Augustus, for all in the institute. From the book, I hate him, I hate Augustus. I see them hanging Eo together. They mock me.

They laugh at me. I hate Antonia. I hate Fitchner. I hate Titus. I hate, I am burning and mad and sweating. I hate the jackal, the proctors. I hate myself for all I've done. All I've done.

For what? To win a game? To win a game for someone who will never know about anything I do. It's Mustang who cares for him, who saved him. He hears her humming Eyo song as she brings him back to life. It's been four weeks since Cassius cut Darrow down. Now he is Primus, and a war rages between House Mars and House Jupiter in the north. Mustang still keeps her standard as the only remaining member of House Minerva.

She didn't enslave Darrow. Mustang and Darrow stay alive. They hunt, camp, and discuss plans. Darrow laments the fact that he was betrayed. He says people love Mustang. She says he worries too much about being feared. She also says she hears him crying for a girl named Eo in his sleep. they discuss the best ways to take back power and rule.

Darrow knows he needs to learn if he's to make any change for Reds. Mustang explains that slaves and soldiers need to be cared for, need to work in harmony, and be made to feel a part of something. Mustang takes to a cold, and Darrow needs to find a way to keep her warm and healthy. He follows a pair of footprints in the snow, shamed slaves who broke their oath. In following them, they trace back to his cave with Mustang. Darrow attacks the two boys who have Mustang stripped almost nude and have vile plans for her. It's in this moment Darrow realizes how much he cares for her.

They leave their cave and find a new spot in the woods to camp. Darrow sings the reaping song to her. Mustang is dying. Darrow leaves to find medicine, but first, she needs food. During his hunt, he feels someone following the snow. He climbs a tree and knocks the snow on top of a hidden figure. It's Fichner. Fitchner activates a sound bubble around them to make sure no one can hear their conversation.

Darrow asks who gave the hollow to the jackal. Fitchner says it was all the proctors. He tells Darrow that he's not a loud. allowed to win. From the book, the best of gold is supposed to rise, yet they already have chosen a winner. Not only does this ruin the institute, it ruins the society. The fittest reign, that's what they say. Now they've betrayed their own principles by taking sides in a schoolyard fight. This is the laurel all over again. Hypocrisy. Fitcher says that Augustus bribed all 12 of the proctors to make it so that the jackal wins. There's nothing he can do, but stay alive and stay out of the jackal's path. He also tells

him that any scarred can watch them from anywhere in the society. Not just the proctors on Olympus. Their rings are nanocams. Fitchner talks of the proctors. Minerva likes Dero now. Since he spared Mustang, she's been allowed to stay on Olympus. Then Dero gets an idea. Eliminate Jupiter and Apollo and the proctor's who are his enemy have to leave. Fitchner urges against it, but Dero's mind is made up. He demands meds for Mustang since Fichner has been a ship proctor. He gives them to Dero, and as he does, Dero notices he needs to turn off his pulse shield to make the exchange and touch Darrow's hand. Good to know. Before Fitchner leaves, he tosses Darrow a package and says his friends have not forsaken him. Inside is Darrow's Pegasus necklace with EO's Hamanthus blossom inside.

We're getting into the meat, Dan. Huge chapter. The meat, long chapter and the potatoes. And put in a, an IPA there too. That's how heavy things are getting. I assume that Mustang, and actually, the theory that I'm about to give you is actually kind of helped by a piece of information we catch later. Okay. But I assume Mustang came out to get Darrow pretty fast. We never see that scene.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. And then Darrow wakes up when Mustang's cave. I assume she came up pretty fast. But still kind of insane to me that the medbots don't come rushing down.

Pretty much any time, anything bad happens at this school, right away, all the characters say, the wine of the bedbots flies in. Leah feels like someone they let die on purpose to prove a point to Darrow. But after all they've seen of Darrow here, even though they don't want him to win, at the very least you'd think they'd have use for him and want to keep him alive, the fact that they were prepared to just be like, and he bleeds out in the mud. And I'm like, what a waste, dude.

Crazy. You're right. It must have been pretty quick. Yeah. But for us, again, we've just seen Darrow die, it seems like. And you mentioned to me earlier, like, Darrow dies twice now. Like, you're like, Jesus Christ. Two parts of this book, part one and part three. Yeah. And with our apparent hero's death. Yeah. I'm like, okay, Jesus. Good Lord. And in this moment, too, it starts, is he in the veil pretty quickly for us, the reader? He's alive. But someone's taken care of him. And I love hero. It could be a lot of people. It could be.

be Roque. Is he alive? We don't know for sure that Roak's dead. It could be Severeaux. Severo someone we feel like we can trust at this moment. And it's just so perfect that it's Mustang. He is spared Mustang. We know she was in the woods hiding. He kind of made sure to draw tactis away from her and all that. And in this moment, meeting Mustang and getting a first, they're not adversaries at this moment. So we hear a lot about her, about the way she thinks of the game, the society of him. It's not in a, we're kind of haunting each other because we're at odds here. It's in a genuine way. And in this moment, I know you, the horniness surges. One thing that Pierce did in this section that I wonder if I

needed, I'll never know, but Darrow puts eyes on her when Vixis is looking for her. Yeah. And says, uh, go this way. I don't see her over here. Yeah. I think I would have bought, essentially this becomes a, you scratch my back, I scratch yours. Right. We believe Mustang would save Darrow, even though their adversary's in a game, because he just saved you. I wonder if I would have bought it without Darrow doing that because of who she is. I think I would have. I think if Mustang just saved him and he went, wow, you saved me. And she's like, yes, because this is about bigger than us. You know what I mean? I almost didn't need that you saved me, so I'll save you. Oh, well, I don't think it's, it doesn't hurt. I'm just curious. I completely agree. Yeah.

I don't need it, but I also don't think that's what it was. Yeah, right. Like, obviously Darrow is not like, there will be a time where I need her to save me. That's why I don't think it's that. Oh, sure, sure. Very much that's who Darrow is. He's like, I'm not going to let this psychopath do it. Yeah, I mean the other way. Right now, Mustang, we read that, everyone reads this going, Mustang saves Darrow because Darrow just saved her. Yeah, I don't read it that way. I think Mustang might have acted that and acted that way anyway. Yes. We'll never know. Yeah, for sure. For sure. But I think we do know. I think as we, as we go through the section alone, we do know. And again, for example, I didn't read it that way. I read it as from every,

that she has said from even as their adversaries, the warnings of the jackal and when she's like, you got to evolve. I think she sees something in him. I think she sees like a positive situation in him. So I never read it as she saved him because she owes him one. And also, she never mentions anything like that. For sure. I think it plays great. Yeah. No, it's a great beat either way, like you said. Mustang is the vision by her. Mustang's reading the defense here, dude. Mustang's in shotgun has seen all this cover two bullshit before. She knows exactly what's coming. And her not enslaving him is that, is her reading the D, is having vision.

Because not only would it have fucked Darrow's status outside the game, which doesn't totally matter to her. It matters to us, the reader, a lot. It would have fucked Darrow status after. But even with just the two of them, her, the last remaining Minerva and Darrow is her only slave, she knows the bigger priction. Her and one slave accomplishes literally nothing. But her in this moment giving Darrow the faith and the faith in him, belief in him, and challenging

him to use this second chance, to be better, to evolve, to all that stuff, that's going to make all the difference. And this is just such a prime example of Mustak in her bag where, like, he wakes up and he's like, you didn't enslave me. And she's like, what am I a fucking idiot, dude? Like, what would that do? What would that do? Because it also, she harps here quickly and heavily about the slaves and about how, when

they're talking about why did everyone love you and what you know darrow in this moment talks about about he's like when we when i had my dregs they loved me because i was taking care of all of them when i fed them they were they honestly looked to me as like a father and then we started conquering and we got more people and i lost that that i think is a huge reason why she doesn't enslave him because her whole point is we are not going to win this war with slaves yeah it's just like she is you're right man she sees the game she's tom brady understand yeah it's unbelievable dude when she She's doing her hand demonstration. Yes, that's awesome.

It's amazing, first of all, because Darrow, I'm willing to believe a lot of shit from the youngest hell diver of Lycos. You're telling me that Daros thumb moves clockwise and then all his fingers move clockwise except his middle finger, which moves counterclockwise. Or maybe I flipped the whises around, but you know what I'm saying? Doesn't matter what it is. And he goes, hell divers are pretty dexterous. And I'm like, pretty dexterous. She's like, all right, prick. And I'm also like, what are you talking about, dude?

That is fucking witchcraft. But it's such a great example of we're always talking about his grip and his hands and how quick he is. That might be the best example in the book. Because I read that and I'm like, good. That's impossible. Yeah. Could you imagine what this guy can do in the bedroom? God damn.

It was very, uh, it was very casino royale because you know what I can do with my, with my pinky thing. Yes, exactly. I was like, let's fucking go, dude. One quote that I love because it faces you from our discussion last, at least from Deros, POV. Okay. From our discussion last episode. In the very beginning, as Dero's feeling the pain and everything that happened.

it says, I shiver and sweat, rotten hell, Cassius, I was your friend. I might have killed your brother, but I had no choice. You did, you arrogant, slag. I hate him. Yep. And I'm like, that's what I'm saying. Great. Like Cassius, yes, I understand the emotions, but it's what we keep talking about where it's like, dude, use logic for one second, Cassius. Dude, okay, so I actually have a facial to give myself, but then also a boost to give myself. Would you don't want a facial me? No, well, I would take any chance I get to facial you. You better believe that, dude. You better believe that. Well, careful with your Pause. Careful with your words there.

But I unfortunately must facial myself here. Okay. This was later, but I'll just bring it up now since I'm getting all the facials. Darrow, when Fitchner brings up the nanocam, and he's like, everybody can see everything. Like people are literally watching the whole time. And Darrow goes, in his head, he goes, thank God I didn't admit to Titus that I was a red. And I was like, oh, I forgot about, like, remember before I said to you, I can't believe he didn't at least try. Yeah.

You're like, yeah, yeah, yeah. Pierce ahead of the game. Yeah. And I love that part where he's like, did I say that out loud or did I just think? Such a cool wine. Yeah. And how many times are we, it's almost like,

Chris, when you're drunk the night before and you're thinking about something, you're like, that was a weird interaction. You're like, did I say that? Or was I, dude, and then I look at my phone and I'm like,

I did say this. Fuck, I did say, yeah, yeah. Dude, in episode three of this, we said, it's when, it's during the test. Yeah. The girl's doing the stylus and Darrow snipes it.

And then they go, the proctor see it. And I even said out loud then, reminder, they are always watching. So I should have been even more aware of that when I was suggesting Darrow reveal state secrets while he's under fucking surveillance.

And then here's the boost I have when Mustang's doing the hand thing. Darrow has a line where he goes, he says, quote, if the Reds of Lycos thought they could actually win the Laurel, they would be so much more productive. In episode one of our reviews, Darrow makes a comment that goes, the fact that we know, it's all gold's game. The fact that we know we can't win is good. And I said then, I was like, no, it isn't, dude. that's how rebellions start when they know they can't win.

It's the belief of we could be better. It's the carrot. Yeah, exactly. So I actually finally, it's cool to see him come around here, and it's interesting that it comes from his new perspective of being a gold, having interacted with the golds that now finally he can see. Like, oh, actually, there are ways to, I'll use the word manipulate, which sounds mean, but just there are ways to get the most out of a crew.

Sometimes it's your slaves, uncool. Sometimes it's your rebellion army, V cool. Yeah. So thank you for learning, Darrow. I appreciate it. I love how quickly we talked earlier before I get into that part. We talked about how Mustang is ahead of the curve. And this is the new revolution that we are witnessing here as he's being nursed back to health.

Mustang is the one who is trying to tell him earlier, things about evolve, be bigger than this game. Don't succumb to the rage. Don't succumb to the violence. She says, you have to remember people don't like being told what to do. You can treat your friends like servants and they'll love you. but you tell them their servants and they'll kill you. Anyway, you put too much stock in hierarchy and fear. And this is the revolution of you cannot win this game with slaves and telling people what

to do. You need to make them feel like they are part of something. And to be being nursed back to health from a sword wound through the gut. And already they're talking about these lessons show the intensity of the institute and how the game is always being played and being moving forward. Absolutely. Read your next two quotes too because it's in the same vein. Her words strike my heart

They echo through time from another's lips Live for more More than power more than vengeance More than what we're given Eo's words Dude I actually love Some people Okay so here's two great examples

One I'm gonna bring up later But um I said a save for a save right I just said that Darrow saves her She saves him however you want to read it But it's in the story line A save for a safe same beat Right here which I also really like

Sick sick she nurses me back to health I nurse her back to health. All good. I really like when authors and writers, screenwriters do this things where there's symmetry and repeated lines from other people, for example, in Inception, when he's like a leap of faith. And Sato says that. And Leo's like, oh my God, what? Yeah.

And just, dude, that, I find it hard to believe that any person wouldn't react that way. If you have a really well-known comment that has a massive impact on your life and you hear it from someone else who is dangling a massive opportunity in your life. Yeah. Go, whoa, dude. This is crazy. So I really like that. and we mentioned horny CP in this section already we've been getting teases of the first time he sees her she's naked yeah or well actually she's on the horse yeah and he talks about how beautiful she is then the second time he sees her she's singing

humming ios song she's naked it's just all these times where he's like who is this woman like good lord almighty and here she's sick she's dying he comes back to these two deserters who are about to attack her and he says, even shivering she's beautiful, the small, quick smiling girl who brought me back to life, the bright-eyed soul who keeps Eos song alive, I shudder with anger. If I had been 10 minutes later in returning, this night could have broken me forever.

I cannot bear another death, especially not Mustangs. Hearing Darrow talk that way about her already, the amount of times that Darrow tries to push down his feelings, both true emotion and both horny as hell, is immense. Yep. And it's so early. It's like, oh, dude, you, this girl is a problem. Dude, when Darrow...

Yeah, when Darrow goes full rage mode, all rage mode to protect Mustang here against these two fuck bags, I love when they agree to tie them up. And then Darrow wakes up in the middle of the night to kill them and Mustang's already up and she's like, this, don't. And he's like, okay. It's just so awesome, dude. It's so good. And also, dude, it's cool that I just said, I just said before, Mustang shows. faith in Darrow to let him evolve, right? And this right there, her waking up in the middle of the night

is showing no faith in Darrow that you are going to immediately disobey my instruction and kill them. But I kind of think that's displaying another side of support that he also needs. Someone has to ground him and give something to be better for beyond Eo's memory. I know he's still clinging to that, but he needs to have someone who, when he gets up to kill them and give in to his animalistic instincts, she is there going, don't, dude. And he goes, okay. You know, even when they describe her mouth being gagged, and he's literally about to kill them, and like through her binding, she's like, Darrow, stop. Yeah. And he does, you know? So it's cool because on one hand, she gives all the belief in the world to him to empower him. And on the other hand, she goes, stop being such

an idiot, but he needs both sides. She's both the angel and the devil for him, and it's incredible. Hondo P. And this is truly the moment where we get, Darrow has been betrayed by Cassius. Yeah. He's been brought back to life by Mustang. Now he finds out. from Fitchner that the proctors are cheating. Cheating heavily. And he has two proctors, Jupiter and Apollo, who are actively being like, kill him. So he has the perfect combination

of his rage, his vengeance now with the tactics, intelligence, and calmness of Mustang to create the true Reaper. Yeah. Oh, dude. It's another unreal exchange with Fichner. We've had one of these already with him

popping in. And it's actually kind of fun for Pierce as a writer to just be able to use the pop-in. Sometimes characters like Fitchner in this case feel convenient because you're like, okay, now here comes like the information guy. But it's cool because it's a game and he's your proctor. So it's almost scheduled that he would pop in. Yeah. So it's, it works beautifully. And remember in the last time this happened, we were saying the way Dero's interacting with Fitchner is a very know-your enemies, even though when they were last chatting, Fitchner is not his enemy. But he was just learning stuff about him and acquiring information. Oh, the Jackals, the arch

governor's son, stuff like that. Well, the pro- I got news flash for you, bud. The proctor are your enemies now, your vocal, outspoken enemies. So let's learn everything we can about them. How the Pulse Shield works. How the nanocams and the rings work. How the jammer works. How the rules of the Proctor staying on Olympus works. And I'm curious what you think about this,

because this is especially that part, the Proctor staying on Olympus. This is definitely a little Hagrid, like, shouldn't have said that. You know, right? Like he says that, that he's like, oh. That one actually didn't feel like exposition to me. Oh, yeah, not exposition.

No, no, but even what, I disagree. Okay. Like that, I was thinking about that, too. That is a slip up that I would make. When he's talking about the Proctor's and somehow, he's like, Minlerva likes you. I mean, you kept her here. That is, I would absolutely slip up with that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, right. It's a really good way he says it. And my question was, to you, was going to be, a part of me wonders if Fitchner just hates the other Proctor so much that even with the Jamron, because don't forget, no one can really see this. Even with the Jameron, I wonder if he did that on purpose. I wonder if he was like, you know, I'll go Harry Potter again,

you know how Hermione's like, I think Dumbledore gave me this book so I could figure it out on my own. I wonder if Fitchner was like, I'm going to say this and because I believe Dara will figure it out on his own. I need him to figure out on his own. I do get a vibe that Fichner is kind of

feeding Daryl the rage that he needs. Yeah, for sure. You know, because it is a little, I shouldn't have said that, but I'm now kind of like, maybe he said that, maybe he did mean to say that.

Yeah. Very cool. The last quote I have from this one, which I just love. every time I read it. Darrow just found out Jackal is the dog and they're cheating. So this kid is what? A predestined Alexander, a Caesar, a Genghis, a Wiggin, I ask.

Shout out, Ender. I love all Pierce's references. I don't think I like this one. Wiggin's not real. Yeah, but it's cool that it's an Earth book. Like, I think he's going, the people of Earth, read a book about one of the great generals of all time. Say a Potter.

Yeah, a Potter would have been guessed. But Porter is not the greatest general. you know. Yeah, that's true. I think he's talking great generals. He's the boy who left now. Andrew Wigan is a good war leader. That is true. I love that one. All right, that takes us to chapter 35, oath breakers. Severo, if he is still with Mars, will find me. And I could use that little bastards help.

Darrow gives Mustang her meds, and they begin to trek through the woods. They set fires intentionally to draw in as many oathbreakers as they can. Finally, they catch several who follow a girl named Milia. She says she doesn't care about being an oathbreaker and plans to cut them in their sleep. Darrow says they will not be slaves. They'll be an army. Mars and Jupiter troops storm towards each other with new weapons and armor from the proctors. Darrow sees packs and Cassius leading charges.

Neither house gains much ground on each other as Saris's castle still stands with no one able to breach it. Darrow, Mustang, and their ten oathbreakers dress in white and gray wolf pelts and set a trap for House Mars. They fell trees and blocked their path across the river. Cassius suspects a trap. and send slaves to clear the trees. Their army swarms the Mars slaves. Darrow attacks in the woods and takes down a high draft from his horse. As they swarm, Mustang uses her standard to free the slaves of their Mars emblem, and the tide

changes. Finally, they get their prize. It takes 12 men to tackle packs long enough for Mustang to change him. He's thrilled. Darrow needs to regain his image amongst the soldiers of Mars. He needs to become a myth, like the jackal. He and Mustang form a plan. In the night, under his wolf cloak, he scales the castle walls of Mars.

from the book. Sneaking through my home, I am tempted to pay Cassius a visit, but I'm not here to kill him. Violence is the fool's way out. Sometimes I'm the fool, but tonight I'm feeling smart. I'm also not there to steal the standard.

They will be guarding that. No, I'm there to remind them that they once were afraid of me, that I am the best of all of them. I can go where I please, do what I please. Darrell carves sling blades into the walls. He enters the war room and carves one into the massive table. He drives a knife into a skull he

carves into Cassius's chair. Then in the fields below, Mustang lights a fire in the shape of a sling blade for all to see. Right away, dude, right away. The Reaper of Mars is alive. And dude, I love symbols. Oh, dude, symbols. I need a symbol. Yeah. In my life. We should and, God, we do need a symbol. I guess like, we need a sci-fi section symbol. Yeah, we do not, We just start burning it. And I will burn it. I will burn it. I will start a wildfire.

I will find a cornfield and light it on fire with the symbol of sci-fi section. Notice the difference between Mustang and Cassius here in stark contrast. And it's awesome. Darrow is evolving like she asked. So she is rewarding him. Darrow, will you join our army? Mustang immediately. His army.

Right? This was all her plan. It's good. This was all her plan. But it's okay. Cassius would never, right, that we've seen that. Then later, when he wants, when Darrow wants, quote, speed and extreme prejudice in their next assault, she doesn't complain. You're the boss, Reap.

They work together. They lift each other up. They are the perfect ying and yang to do this. Whereas as buddy, buddy and friendly and as loyal as Cassius felt for a long time, it was too much of the same thing, right? Cassius tries to say we're thunder and lightning brother. But the way they fight. Yes. but you're both born leaders, you're both fighters,

it's going to be very hard for this to work. Mustang and Darrow fall so effortlessly into this perfect connection that only enhances both of them. Yeah, it's true, man. This chapter is really fun. Yeah, it is. We talk a lot about the back and forth of this book and this series of there's just fun rock action.

And then the next chapter is the most violence. It's usually in that part. The second they hint fun, you get fucked. And this is one of the few times when they hint some fun, they go, ooh, we laid a trap. And I'm like, great.

Here comes like Darrow with a fucking log shoved through his throat. I know. Just kidding, we won. We got Pax back. I love the juxt position in this chapter two

of we see all the oath breakers. Millia being like, do it, I dare you. Make me a slave of Minerva with your stand. I'll cut you in your sleep. Some of them don't care. And then you get Pax

who is a slave of house Mars. Yeah. And he is, he doesn't want to be, but he's like, listen, I'm not going to be shamed. I'm going to battle. I'm going to be a beast. It takes 12. I mean, there's, there are Minervin slaves in there, too. And he's like, he's just fighting everyone. But I love that. When he gets switched, he gets up, I said, he's thrilled.

He gets up and he's just looking for someone to fight. And he sees Darrow and start to charge him. And Mustang says, this is quote, he's on our side, Mustang says, the truth? Pass asks, his giant face splits into a smile. What news? And he's got me in a bear hug. Freedom brothers and sisters. Sweet freedom. We leave Scipio and the other high drafts moaning on the ground. Like it is so funny how Pax is just like, he's kind of in the game. Oh, Dan. He gets the Mars slave emblem taken away from his forehead and he's like, I'm back, baby. Let's go. Bro, this is one of my favorite teams ever. Pax is a legend. He literally, literally, dude. We have oath breakers, right? It's actually such a cool thing because Hunger Games

is a game, but it's not. You're all going to do it. die. Full stop, right? This is this really creative and twisted game where no one's supposed to die, but people die all the time. Oh, you're a slave. You have to do what you say, but you don't actually have to. You can just break your oath. Who gives a fuck? And in this moment, Dan, Pax has been made him our slave. He literally, literally sees Mustang, his house's primus alive with their standard. She goes, all good. And then she frees all the other Minerva people. And they're winning. And all he has to do is go, oh, amazing, free me. Yeah.

But instead, he tries to kill Mustang and all his housemates going like this. I pray to God, they free me, but if they don't, I will kill it. I will kill it. He will literally. He will not be their skulls in, dude. And then they finally get the thing on him. And you actually left out the front part of it, which I love so much. It says he goes, they free him.

And he goes, yes. And then he goes, Darrow, oh, I'm drama on us. Because he's like, I'm going to kill him now. And Darrow's like, whoa, he's like, Mustang, Mustang, Mustang. It's so good. The truth, what news? The truth is such a guy. Every time someone says something to me from now on that I'm not sure.

I'm going to go, the truth is fucking hilarious, dude. I really like the way I love these. A lot of people will say it's, this is why I love fantasy and sci-fi. A lot of people will say sections like this are too boisterous and too much. But this moment where Deros scales the walls of Castle Mars. And he pops over the ledge and there's one girl on guard who's from House Minerva. And she's immediately like, oh my God. and the way he tricks her,

because this is a great example of how some of the slaves will do anything to get around the rules. You just do what's the bare minimum. Darrow says, this is my home. I am rightful primus of House Mars. I am your master,

and I demand you continue to watch the wall for intruders. It is imperative. I wink. I swear Virginia would be happy if you followed your orders to the letter. She cocks her head at Mustang's real name and looks me over.

My primus is alive. House Minerva has not yet fallen, I say. The girl's face almost breaks. She smiles so hard. Well, then, I suppose this is your home. Can't stop you from entering it. Bound by oath to obey, I am. Wait, I know you.

They said you were dead. Thank your primus that I draw breath. That exchange is just so... Can't you see it too? It's the pitch black. It's just scaled the wall. He's like crouched down with mud and charcoal on his face. And she's like the...

The My Primus is still alive is so good. And then House Minerva has not yet fallen is so like lower to the ranks. Dude, it's the gladiator when he's like, how quick can the men be? Oh, for you? for you tomorrow. Yeah, he's like, tell them, tell them your general lives. Yes. Dude, I, you talked about horny CP.

I really like, this is the second time that Mustang is always going leg to leg with Dero. It's always described that way. I know. In the caves when they're sleeping. She's so aggressive. They go, and that is so hot. And then here, they're lying in the snow and they go leg to leg.

Physical touch, Dan. Physical touch. It keeps you warm. Daddy, daddy like. Physical touch. But dude, this is, it says from the book, quote, this is the first time I've thought of kissing her. I chase the thought away and summon the sight of Eo's mischievous lips. Boo! She is dead. She is dead. She has been hung. You snapped her neck, in fact, sir.

Hey. She's not buried. Or no, she is buried. She's buried in the garden. End of the tree. Actually, fucking ugly Dan probably dug her up, you bitch. She's dead. Poggy Pig and I'll go Dan. Leave her alone, dude. Kiss these gold lips. They are fucking perfect. I will add, their face, both of their faces, is literally covered in white bird shit right now. And a first kiss... Makes it better. Makes it better. Makes it better.

A first kiss with white bird shit. It's like a stepbrothers. Kiss that white dog shit, dude. That is... Have you all seen a gone girl? Actually, that's right. It's definitely stepbrothers. He licks white dog poop in stepbrothers and he eats cat poop in Anchorman.

Yeah. What? I was say, have you all seen gone girl? Yeah, yeah. Okay, so you know, like, the sugar, like the formula off so you can taste me. I forgot about that. I thought you were going to say the scene where she slits Neil Patrick Harris's throat. Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

No, no, no. I'm just saying, like, the point where the sugar, like, wipe off to taste me. Like, that's what you hope this went down like. Yeah, you want the sugar wipe off and then you can taste me now. Get the white bird shit off. Yeah, exactly. I was really going to say, don't knock it until you try it. Yeah, and you've tried it a lot, Dan.

Yeah, it's unbelievable. And then, dude, this, the end, dude, I had said on a recent episode, I can't remember which one, maybe episode four, that several was like Batman. When Darrow goes, that would be several, whoosh, people start disappearing. Well, this, the end of this chapter is Darrow doing his Batman impression because it is literally the Dark Night Rises. Theatricality and deception are powerful agents to the uninitiated. And buddy, we have talked together a lot about our dicks being hard in this book.

Well, fucking call the hospital because my erection has lasted more than four hours. Correct. Which is called Priypism, by the way, for the people that don't know, a very cool word. Priyapism, you have an erection lasting over four hours. Carving the sling blade into the entire war room of Mars, a skull in castes a chair with a knife in the fucking back, and then looking outside, and it is the sling blade bat signal. I'm telling you, man, if I ever in my life see a blazing, fire in the shape of a symbol. I will do whatever that symbol, which is a dangerous game,

because it could be a bad symbol. Dude, you know, and a homelander goes, it was perfect. That is, the end of the chapter is exactly that homelander meme. It is ab so lutely. It was perfect. He sneaks into Mars, draws a sling later, and you look outside and you go, oh my God. Yeah. And now, chapter 36, a second test. Sometimes I wonder why we even bother speaking. She knows my thoughts, even the mad ones. How Ceres is the goal. They need their ovens that house Mars and Jupiter are desperate for. The students of Saras have learned to sleep during the day to make sure they have more soldiers awake at night in case of a siege. So that means Darrow must attack in the light of day. He and his soldiers make a plan. They bury

themselves deep in the snow outside the castle walls. As they wake, Darrow's 24 burst from the snow and silently run a long tree they've cut down and buried on their shoulders. By the time the castle the wall realize what's happening. They have the tree lofted against the wall. Darrow, Mustang, and horse-faced millia balance a run up the log and get over the wall. As the rest of House Serius runs to defend their castle, Darrow gets to the gate. He opens it and Pax is the first one through. From the book, Pax are telemenis! He shoves me aside. He's shirtless, massive, muscled, screaming. His hair is painted white and spiked with sap to form two horns. A piece of wood as long as my body serves as his club. The Howserie students flinch back.

Some fall, some stumble. A boy screams as packs thunders close. They take house Saris quickly and enjoy the spoils of bread. During the celebration, Tactus has some choice, arrogant words for Darrow. Darrow knows he needs to make everyone feel appreciated. He pays a compliment to each and every student. But that night, Tactus goes too far and attempts to rape a Saras girl. He stopped by Milia, and it took everything Mustang had to prevent her from cutting Tactus a million ways.

The Sarah students are enraged and they want blood. from the book it's bad mustang says the diana students are in their war gear and are about to try and take him back from millie n packs they're mad enough to fight packs yeah i'll get dressed please darrow and mustang discuss how they can possibly dole out justice without alienating members of the different houses darrow can't mess up again like he did with titus darrow speaks to nila about what tactis tried to do to her he learns that the other diana students were there watching and doing nothing he needs to act Darrow shames Tactus in front of all of the students in the castle, and then he sentences him to 20 lashes. After Darrow whips him, Tactus tries to tell him he's made a mistake, but in that moment, Daryl makes his move. From the book, This is my army. Its evils are mine as much as yours, as much as they are Tactus, every time any of you commit a crime like this, something gratuitous and perverse, you will own it and I will own it with you. Because when you do something wicked, it hurts all of us.

Darrow forces Tactus to whip him. After five feeble swings, he forces the lash into packs his hands. He makes his army count. They cry out in protest. Darrow stands after the lashes, everyone's staring at him in shock. He pulls Tactus into a hug and tells him their blood brothers. Darrow bagwork. Dude, this is him passing every test.

We've seen him crush the Institute test. We've seen him think he's passed some tests in the Institute gameplay. this is finally he's he is number one student he's uh what's the chicken school of rock oh uh if you sniped this name out i can get it i'll be i can get it let me come back to it keep going okay but he is he is the girl who was getting the stars on the wall dude finally uh i know you haven't read this but the stormlight archives sanderson stormlight archives for the people that have that are listening to this right now i had not red stormlight till i read red rising you know three or four times this is my first red rising read

post reading stormlight and for the the vending room of people i'm talking to right now when they pop out of the snow and they have the log on their shoulder and they're dead sprinting at the castle and arrows zooming in and hitting the log and just missing it is so much dan like the bridge crews in stormlight who have to run bridges from plateau to plateau while they're being shot at and they put the bridge down and their army runs across it's awesome and dude those are the best scenes in stormlight way of Kings and I was like, dude, this is so sick. So when you do read that someday, you were going to think about this and go, wow, that was fucking awesome. And very, I guess no one's, but very Agamemnon Trojan War when, in my mind, when they get the gate open and Pax is standing there.

I literally picture that exact scene. Like, no spoilers for Odyssey, sorry. When they open the, when they open the doors of the gate and Pax is standing there. It's just Pax. I'm waiting. Oh, shit. And also in that moment. summer halfway by the way yes so in that moment it is so what what relief darrow must feel because it's like they've they've gotten in the three of them have jumped up but they got to do something to get that gate open and paxes there you're like yes this is the backup that i need yeah also so brutal how often he he refers to millia as a horse-faced oh i can't imagine that's a compliment especially from a gold dan everyone's hot uh i do think this is a funny thing with pierce he i think he stops this

eventually, but he often adjective names people. It's always like, I see them walking with cruel Victus, like something Scipio and something like. I think it helps us the reader remember. Yeah. And I won't lie to you. When I hear horse face Millia, I'm like, I'm picturing this. Yeah, I remember her. This chapter is so good because we see immediately, you know, we get Darrow's war tactics along with Mustang. This is an awesome plan. It's epic, how they've become a version of the howlers with their white and gray wool. cloaks blending into the snow it's wintertime now this is a sick plan they in the book it says they train for days running along the log mustangs the fastest uh millia right behind then darrow so this

wasn't a quick shitty plan this was something they worked out for a long time and to bury that that tree is crazy and i will just add unless you do that where you're about to go a quote no oh then i'll just add here give pierce brown a ton of credit because of course he's great at naming. We've complimented him. He's great at these twists. We've complimented him. But these action sequences are really fun. They don't go on too long, but they don't brush over stuff too fast. I very much feel in the sense

of the battle. And this one is a sick visual sequence. Like that stuff is so underappreciated in stories like this, running the log and then jamming it in and flip. It's very Helms deep. Like the orps getting onto Helms deep. On the ladders. Flipping the ladders up and then sprinting up them. That looks really, it's literally like, The orcs tactics mixed with Legulus's nimbleness as they run up the spinning log.

And I'm like, that is sick, dude. It's just, it's seeing siege in action is so cool. But again, this chapter, the balance of war is so intense because something great happens. But then it's on to the next thing. What is the next moment? And this chapter is a perfect depiction of that. They have this great siege of Saras. They take the castle.

and then immediately his army is fracturing. Yeah. Because tactus is not obeying. They're not feeling like a unit. They're not feeling like a family. These two quotes back to back, right after taking the castle. They begin to howl, not because I told them to, not because they think they are Severus howlers,

but because it was the sound they heard when my soldiers cut their way out of horses' bellies, the sound that made their heart sink as they were conquered. Now it's their turn to howl as they turn the battle into a mad melee. That is a moment of like, as you're Darrow, you're going, fuck yeah. Yeah. We've got it.

And then right after. This quote is... Tactus tries... I'm not even going to read this next one. It's the one after that. It is after Tactus has tried to rape Naila and things are fracturing, this is Mustang. They expect an eye for an eye, the house Sari slaves. Punished Tactus, you piss off the Diana kids.

They get you a fortress and you spit on them for it. Remember, as far as they're concerned, Tactus hid in a horse's belly half a day. for you when you took my castle. Resentment will swell like a copper bureaucracy, but if you don't punish him, you'll lose all of House series. It's crazy how you can have a victory in one moment, and then the next, everything's falling apart.

And that is this entire series. Loyalty shift. It's unbelievable. Pax, dude, this killed me. You know, we've talked to him, he's banging outside. Please let me in hungry for combat. Pax comes in, and he has painted his whole body white, I think, hair with sap, horns, pulled into horns. All I could think, Dan, equitsuocia.

You know what? It's hard not to think of that. You got to push those thoughts out, dude. Live in the intensity of the moment. Don't let Ace Ventura ruin this one. White devil, white devil, equitsuosha. Dude, he is a white devil too. He's painted all white. He literally is painted white with his hair sapped into horns. He became equinsuosha in this scene. Do you think it was like multiple down the middle? No. Like spike horns are two devil horns. I literally think he is full white devil, white devil. And hilariously, I think he could survive what Ace survives.

Like Ace takes two spears into the leg. Ah! And I think Pax, I could see that happening to him. He wouldn't scream. He wouldn't even do it. Oh, no, he would just yank him out and use them for himself. That was killing me, dude. And then you brought us to the tactus rape.

Yeah. The tactus rape and punishment. This is what I was calling out earlier. This is another example. where one could argue that it's a little on the nose with what Titus did, right? It's literally another rape, so it's a perfect side-by-side comparison of Darrow. How are you going to handle this? There's more subtle, probably ways to go, this was test one, this was test two.

They're different, but same, same. This one they go, no, it's this guy raped someone, this guy raped someone. And I think it works wonderfully. You know, I don't, I buy it from both characters. This is what happens in wartime. Yes. And Tactus, everything Tactus says leading up plays exactly. into this behavior. He is like, I take what I fucking want. And that is a perfect example.

Darrow and Mustang lay out the stakes, as you said, this is lose, lose again. You're going to piss off someone and then there goes this dream comeback win that we're having back, coming back down from 3-1 in the Institute. We're going to pull it off. I will say, I see why it's lose-lose, okay? But the Diana people who he's going to piss off, chill. Tactus raped a girl. Think about what we're punishing. Like, dude, like the series people are going, bro, if you don't punish him, we're going to bail on you. Understood.

Yeah. That Diana people going, if you punish him, we're out. And I'm like, he raped someone. Yeah. Like, can't we just go, I'm not going to kill him. I agree. I'm not going to behead him like I beheaded Titus. It's tough, man, because I think the real feeling is they're going,

yeah, what he did was wrong, but you punishing him shows supreme leader status. Yeah. Like, you are our king. And that's what they don't want. that's what he can't have. It is tough that the thing they're upset about is this. Because it's like, hey, you guys are scumbags. Mustang's like, the Diana people are going to be bad.

And I kind of want to go. How's Diana? They can leave. How's Diana supposed to have a little bit of compassion to you guys? They're like, wake up. I think I literally, if I was Darrow, I'd be like, you guys are out. Like, I don't want anyone that is getting their war gear out to fight packs to defend a rapist can go.

It is so, my last thing on this chapter, that moment when Darrow whips, Tactus. And Tactus is, you know, he's bleeding. He's in tons of pain. When he gets up and looks at him and goes, mistake. Terrible mistake. Like such a mistake. It is scary because you're like, oh, dude, you are a rat.

Yeah. You are a bad dude. The first thing he thinks after getting punishment for doing something abhorrent is, what a mistake. I'm going to burn you to the ground now. That part is amazing. But when Darrow thrust the switch into his hand, you will, and then starts screaming, being like, this is what happens. And he takes off his shirt

and he looks at Mustang and she winks at him. Because he isn't told her this plan. Yeah. But that is her seeing the plan and going, well done. And he goes, I believe I can do anything. Oh, yes. Yes. Dude, and it's so good because he says, Golds don't do this. But he told if the people that are paying attention, Christopher Nolan, are you watching closely? For the people that are paying attention, when he first meets Milia and Dax, his first two oath breakers, he says from the very beginning, you dig a shit pit for this army i dig two that's the first thing he says to them so he's saying listen everything is reflected back on me if you're if someone's taking whipping i'm taking it too and my one of my favorite quotes fucking ever is in this section so i'll read it here this is when

he's ranting to the army you do not follow me because i am the strongest paxes you do not follow me because i am the brightest mustang is you follow me because you do not know where you are going i do love it oh my fucking god dude love it then takes then takes a Actually, maybe post-beating, but either way. Bloody back saying those words, I'll go to war with you, pal. Unreal. Which takes us to Chapter 37, South. Then knock house Apollo off the gory damn map, and I will tell you,

his lips curl into a feral smile. A pleasure, good reaper. C-B quote voice, I love it. Mustang tends to Darrow's lashes with some cheeky flirting as they feel strongly about his power play. He is an army united now of 56 soldiers. The next day they make six groups of scouts using communes found in the Serious war room. They search for House Apollo.

In their scouting, Darrow is met by a rider, Primus of House Apollo, Novus. He has been hardened by what's happened here in the South. Darrow and his army play like weaklings to make Novis think they aren't a threat. Novus offers to take them in not as slaves but servants. He thinks Darrow is too weak to put up a fight. He says there are monsters in the South, a one-eyed monster and the jackal. Darrow lures them into a trap that night. After Pax and others weaken the ice covering the river,

Novus and his horsemen attempt to storm Darrow's men in their camp and are plunged into the icy river. They march further south looking for Apollo's castle. The sexual tension between Darrow and Mustang grows from the book. You haven't been sleeping well, she says. When do I ever? When you slept next to me. You cried out the first week in the woods.

After that, you slept like a little baby. Is this you inviting me back? I ask. I never told you to leave. She waits. So why did you? You distract me, I say. Yes.

Yes. Yes. Fuck you, we all. Tactus notices linear lines in the snow. He says that proctors are following them wearing ghost cloaks. He wants to know why. Darrow tells him because they fear them. Darrow sits by a fire with Pax and Mustang as they tell stories of their upbringing.

Pax is a hoot, telling stories of fighting with obsidians and fucking a thick-bodied one named Helga. The next morning, Tactus shares news that their horses are gone. The proctors cut their ropes. Dero knows he knows he needs to handle these interferences. Mustang asked Darrow, why Cassius betrayed him and he tells her about Julian. When he shares the news of the Proctor's giving the jackal the hollow cube, Mustang says they're cheating for the arch governor's son.

Darrow moves in the woods to relieve himself with a piss, and Mustang comes to tell him to follow. But she calls him Darrow. He knows it's a trap. As he hides, Proctor Apollo reveals himself, and he tosses Darrow to the snow. Dude. Proctor Apollo is such a rat loser.

A little biotch. Just cannot accept that he is getting worse. Yep. The one of my favorite parts, you have a quote, and you can say it after I say this, but no, you can say the quote. Yeah, I'll say the quote. You traumatize Pax, by the way. He's crying. Good work.

Pax crying about what he did to Darrow is so funny. It's, well, it's so perfect. He is a gentle giant, right? I mean, he is a hellion on the war path. But you see it when he's freed, when he goes, the truth? Yeah. What news? He's just a happy go lucky guy who, when he's in war mode, he engages into an absolute

rhino. Yeah. And that's amazing. But ultimately, he's a lover. Yeah, right. Look at the way he talks about Helga. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Come on.

God, who's, what, what movie or something is it from when they talk about, or maybe it's how to train your dragon, but someone has like a breast thing so big. It's like they drink out of it. You know what I'm talking about? Are you thinking of torment in, uh, giant Spain in Thrones? Oh, yes, I think I am. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

What does he say? I'm not sure. I mean, he talks about, I mean, he's like, he's like a giant's breast milk. Yeah, he's like drinking. He says he drinks the breast milk of a giantess after he killed her husband or something. Actually, I think Catatrainian Dragon is like Hickups Helmet. They're like, this was your mom's breastplate.

That is correct. He's like, okay. Incredible stuff. the I would like to make fun of someone and it is novice of house apollo because he and he will get made fun of more later but right here I want to call him out because he should be embarrassed as he states they are in the south dude this is this is nom okay you think it's been bad in the north the jackal is here the one-eyed monster roams he correctly points out they have been dealing with shit here We've made fun of pretty much every northern house for this being a fun game. Yeah, yeah. Okay? We've seen when Pluto showed up to the north, we went, yo, dude, what the fuck was that?

Yeah. That's what's going on in the South, okay? And Darrow points out, Novus is no boy. He is no teenager playing a war game. He is a man. Darrow's words. Darrow's trick is good. You know, he's limping and they're snowball fighting and whatever.

Playing as a beaten down army. But, dude, you're in the set. Like, what is this? Your first fucking rodeo, Apollo, House Novus, they should be ready for shit like this, considering they're dealing with the jackal and the one-eyed monster and all the bullshit. They should be embarrassed. They should be ashamed and they deserve everything they get. Even though when Darrow talks about him, he says, this is the first person I've seen fully changed.

He looks at Novus and he's like, he is not a boy anymore. This is a man. Doesn't that help my argument? He's like, this guy is fucking adult now. He is not a child anymore. But because of that, you think Novus should be embarrassed? Yes, because I go, this is clearly a. trick. Darrow sniffs out traps easily. This guy is a man. Darrow

Darrow's going like, damn, this guy is... Yeah, okay, I hear you. I'm like, bro. I think he's broken, dude. He's a bitch. He's an idiot and he's stupid. And he should be embarrassed. And I'm pissed at him. He does, he does fall for it quickly. From the book, he goes, The Reaper of Yours is dead, a shame. I would have liked to test myself against him. He was a demon, I protest. We have our own demon here. Demons here. A one-eyed monster in the woods and a worse monster in the mountains to the west, the jackal. He confides as he can continues with his pitch. I would be allowed to join Apollo as a mercenary, not a slave, never a slave.

He would help me defeat the jackal, then retake the north. We would be allies. He thinks me weak and stupid. You're right. He is fully falling for Darren's trick. I'm like, dude, grow up. Novus, you moron. Yeah.

And dude, listen to this. This is a quote I have that I really wanted to read. Because this gets into when before all the proctors start pulling their bullshit. I mean, they already are. They need to release the horse. This is, this is it right here. And this, I read the very end of this quote was my intro, but just this whole section I loved. I copied this whole section.

This is tactis, pulling Darrow aside. I've seen things in the snow reaper, he says quietly. Impressions in the snow, to be specific. And these impressions are not made by feet. Pause, hooves? No, dear leader. He steps closer. Linear impressions.

I get his meaning. Grab boots. Grab boots flying very low. Do tell me, why are the proctors following us? and why are they wearing ghost cloaks? All his whispers mean nothing because of our rings, yet he doesn't know that. Because they're afraid of us, I tell him.

Afraid of you, you mean, he watches me. What do you know that I don't? What do you tell Mustang you don't tell us? You want to know, Tactus? I've not forgotten his crimes, but I take his shoulder and bring him close like he's a brother. I know the power touch can have. Then knock house Apollo off the gory damn map,

and I will tell you, his lips curl into a feral smile. A pleasure, good reaper. A pleasure, good reaper is such a good answer. It's how you use these chess pieces, right? Tactus is scary, but, you know, if we can harness. Tactus is a bad dude, I fear, but what a weapon here is. And, dude, remember Daryl way earlier goes, everyone's genius is here. Don't forget that.

It's easy to forget because they're so violent. Tactus is a genius. Tactus sees the linear impression. That exact exchange could have been said by Mustang, could have been said by Dero. It is just, it is sharp, sharp, sharp mental ability that he is displaying here. Absolutely. It's unbelievable. And then, man, as you said, they start fucking with him in every way, left, right and center.

And Apollo, I forget what you said right at the beginning of this chapter, but Apollo is just such a pussy, dude. Because I hate him. He's pathetic. Dude, it's pathetic. I just made fun of Novus. They're perfect for each other. I'm glad he was probably your first draft pick and it makes perfect sense. Fitchner warned Darrow they would be sneaky, right?

Because he goes, listen, they have to answer to their bosses too, so they can't openly rig it. So he warned him they'd be sneaky. and then they are sneaky, removing the horses, weevils and the bread. Yeah. All good. And by the way, if I was, I don't want to leave Olympus either.

We just said a couple episodes ago, we said it sounds like the greatest party of all times. Yeah, true. I get it. But if I was another Proctor on Olympus, I would be giving him so much shit. I'd be like, dude, you are such a bitch. Like, using whatever that device is to make him have Mustang's voice,

get my girl's voice out of your mouth. You're stealing the voice of a teenage girl. You fucking creep. You were a, Greek creep show, dude. And he's just this, his little curls bouncing on his head looking like a cherub. Apollo is a bitch.

Dude, release. It's pathetic. Release the horses. Fine. You want to make it hard on me? Release the horses. Doing a voice impression of ventriloquist act of Mustang, grow up, dude.

And I'm with you, man, to quote Mustang, all the other proctors, you did nothing to. Yeah. You're watching this app. The other proctors, Minerva. How are you not like Apollo? Are you kidding me? You little baby boy, bitch.

I would be literally un-inviting him to float parties. You'd be doing another float party? There's a big fight. Oh, it's a float party. I'd be like, you're not coming, dude. No one, you're not, you can't sit with us. And the good news for us, Chris, this takes us into Chapter 38, the fall of a polonk. They chant and chant the name of the Reaper at the Proctor's because they know whom now we fight.

A carved monster of a bear waits for Darrow in the snow. He sprints just barely missing its massive paws and razor-sharp teeth. Darrow runs through the forest and gets to what a person. appears to be a trap in the ground of the woods. He waits for the bear and jumps back as it plummets into the hole, in the ground, and onto the bed of wooden spikes. But then Darrow steps into a trap of his own. He dangles upside down, and a familiar voice says something about two pelts needing to be

scalped. Severo. Severo's reputation precedes him. Some are thrilled to see him like tactics. Others fear him. Severo has one eye now, the monster Nova spoke of. Severo gives news, as well as giving Darrow his newly sharpened sling blade. He and the howlers stayed no more than a day after Darrow disappeared.

Cassius said the jackal took him. Several mentions that the jackal is the one who took his eye. All he saw was a knife. The jackal has men everywhere. Apollo, Venus, Mercury, and Pluto are all that's left in the south, and it's been chaos. Taking a risk, Darrow has them all remove their rings as he shares his plan. Darrow splits his army into six units of ten, all led by one. From the book, My tactics are ones of fragmentation.

I split my army into six pieces of ten. under myself, Pax, Mustang, Tactus, Milia, and, due to a surprising recommendation from Milia, Nila. I would have given several his own unit, but he and his howlers will not leave my side again. They blame themselves for the scar in my belly. Gas.

Slowly, that's God, it's so awesome. Slowly they nod, House Apollo. Never taking slaves, but reaping fear and myth. They destroy their supplies, steal weapons, and carve sling blades into trees, walls, and some into flesh. Dero knows the

Proctors would thwart any assault on the castle, so instead they continue to so fear into the house. As they sit around a fire, they're visited again by Apollo. He comes to tell them to go back north. He attempts to disguise his treachery with advice, but Darrow's army are privy to his tricks and tell him to slag himself. Even Milia shows pluck. From the book, you're nothing more than a bureaucratic pixie, Millia hisses. Do us a favor and piss off. Other proctor's watch as Darrow goes for the jugular. From the book again. when you tried killing me in the woods with that stupid bear you failed now you come here like the desperate fool you are to threaten my friends when they do not slaver at the idea of betraying me will you really kill us all i know you can edit what you like from the footage the drafters see but however will you explain to all of our drafters how we all died inside the jam field apollo can not hear what happens outside and without their rings on the other proctors can't see as severo and tactis have used this diversion to storm house apollo Darrow and the rest storm the castle.

In perfect organization, they attack the remaining soldiers of House Apollo. Novus is there with a pull spear for a weapon. Darrow gets him centered for all to see and challenges him like a mad demon. He makes quick work, shattering his leg with a swing of his sling blade and takes Novus's spear. One girl from House Apollo escapes with their standard with aid from the proctors, but Mustang, thistle, and pebble chase her down and return with her, spanking her with the standard. House Apollo has fallen. Darrell fires the pole spear at the proctors above,

who have to dodge it as the weapon goes through their pole shield. Darrell roars to Jupiter, saying he is next. His army chants his name as they also throw their spears at the proctors. Another epic Severo reveal. Dude. It's kind of sick that several... This guy is every time he shows up. It's pretty cool that he essentially disappears for two long stretches of this book,

and both times Pierce unleashes and utilizes him wonderfully. It is so awesome that Severo is the one-eyed demon on par with the jackal in the south. Because when I hear that, remember I said it was cool at 52% in when Pierce Brown goes, hey, it's the jackal. And I thought I had all the bad guys. And I go, whoa, there's a whole new bad guy coming. It's uncool, however deep we are in here, to go, there's also a one-eyed monster you never heard of. And I'm like, okay. We are now too far in the book. But when it's just Severeaux, you go, oh, amazing. and then it's also awesome that Tactus and several love each other.

They're belly buddies, dude. This quote, why if it isn't my belly buddy, Taxis, Straals? Why the limp, my friend? Your mother rode me ragged, several grunts. Severo's retorts are so good.

Keep going. Keep going. It's so funny. Ba, you'd have to stand on your tiptoes to even kiss her chin. Wasn't her chin I was trying to kiss. He's unbelievable. Dude, dude. Tactis claps his hands together in laughter and draws Severo in for an obnoxious hug. They are two very peculiar people, but I suppose snuggling in horse corpses gives a bond, makes twins of a morbid sort.

They chant the name of their, oh, sorry. That's the end, yeah. It's just like, tactis laughing. When he goes, wasn't her chin, I was trying to kiss a tactics going. Yeah, he's like, die. Give it come here. So funny. And then, Dan, this part is amazing for the Potter readers out there.

There's the end of the Halloween chapter in book one when J.K. says, there are a few things that you can do that make you friends for life. and knocking out a 12-foot mountain troll is one of them. Yeah. This is so good. They are two very peculiar people, but I suppose snuggling in horse corpses gives a bond, makes twins of a morbid source.

It's the same thing, right? But it's so real. So real. There are, the mountain troll line is amazing. And having him, several have his sling blade. He returns his sling blade is gas for two reasons, and that I find very important. Number one, thank you.

This is Darrow's secret weapon, right? He fights with the curved blade, and that's very cool. so it's great for the plotting of the book. Yeah. It gets it back. Two, Severo says, quote, kept it safe after finding it in the mud,

which means he went looking for Darrow after Cassius took him out there instantly. He went, wait, dude, what happened? And Casimir the jackal took him? Severo went looking. And my callback from way earlier was that kind of proves that Mustang did get him quick because Severo came right out.

Oh, yeah. And Mustang probably took Darrow. I mean, they say it was no more than a day before the howlers bounced. Amazing, dude. And yeah, that means like, Cassius came back, told his tale, and Severo was like, what? And immediately went looking and he was already gone.

Dude, how easily, Dan, could Pierce Brown have gone like this? Because Cassius doesn't fight with a sling blade. He's above that, right? But how easily could Pierce Brown have gone? Cassius brought Darrow's sling blade back, because whatever, it's a weapon. And then Severo, in this scene, goes, I stole it. I stole it from the keep before I came to get you. Also cool, but just I found it lying in the mud.

Set tells me so much about Severo, about what happened. about the howlers. Fucking awesome. I mean, the same note of that is my favorite part of this chapter without question is the, when he splits the army and gives a command to any of them. And he is like, Severo and the howlers literally are like,

I am never leaving you again. Because it was our fault. It's just like the fact that they blame themselves, but also that they're like, I am not letting you out of my sights. It's like, this is how you fall in love with characters, man.

Yes, DeVero's return again here. This reveal, you're like, oh, you motherfucker. Dude, and Darrow's saying many times the dregs, I did it right with the dregs. This proves that, right? The howlers felt well treated by Darrow.

They will treat him back now. Because friends don't like being told what to do. They want to be together. They want to be a unit. That's what Daryl created when he was with the house. And then it's to the very beginning. I think the second chapter here, you read that quote at the top.

Severo, if he is still with Mars, will find me. And I could use that little bastard's help. That quote is Darrow, his inner monologue, and it is everything we think as the audience, because you're like, where is Sephora? Yeah. I need him. And here we get him, and God is he good. Great, great, excellent work from Pierce here on the jackal.

Because, dude, since his introduction, it's been more and more and more about the jackal and Pluto, right? Scary, scary, scary. Everyone's terrified of him. Everyone's cheating for him. That's all we're hearing as the reader. All we've heard about. Darrow says in his head, God, what is he? Is he big? Is he lean? You know, is he tall? It's the mystery. Are you afraid of the dark? It's like, it's the unknown that is terrifying him. He wonders. He wonders. We the reader assume all that the jackal must be doing are these Achilles level victories, right? Like that's when I'm reading about the jackal, that's what I'm thinking. He must be doing what Darrow's doing in the north. The jackal must be running rampant over the south, murdering everybody, fighting the packs down there. But actually, it's not. Actually, it's that he, was defeated on the first day, collapsed his own tunnel, killed 10 hydrafts, and then eight other

golds to survive. Literally eight people. And that is even scarier. Oh, yeah. Right? Like, what work from Pierce here where I've believed there's this Achilles monster out there? And then it turns out it's a rat. But it's the most terrifying rat you've ever heard of. That is so good, dude. And it's that quote. It's why he's called the Jackal. Jackal will gnaw its own leg to get out of a trap. He literally ate other golds to survive. Killed so many of them to avoid being. captured. He is a madman. Yes. And I really like, I've never thought about it as much as I have doing these recaps. As Darrow talks about what he needs to become in this section, as what they need to accomplish. So much of it is I need to instill fear in my enemies. I need to become a myth.

I need to become like the jackal. It is envy. He is looking at the way everyone is speaking about the jackal, the way he hears about it from Mustang, from Fitchner, then from Novice here. He's like, the what is this guy finds himself asking what does he look like how big is he what is he what is he best at there is an element of him seeing how much ground the jackal is getting both in myth and in literally the game and he is like i need to match that yeah that is crazy stuff it's spooky thinking about you when you have an enemy like that that you fear i talked about it a few episodes ago as you go further in the game, the challenges get harder because, of course, someone else is good in the game, too. This is the most unbelievable build-up to the jackal.

Dude, and it's our best, it's our biggest move from Darrow so far, as we're getting pretty late in the book here. It's his best chess move yet. And it's awesome in that the whole book has really built to this. How many times have we said, Darrah's been a genius, Darrow's failed? Fitchner says, you will fail again, and Darrell will fail again, right, as this goes on. But the lessons he's learned from Mustang, from Cassie, from his own mistakes, that led to this play, and that's why we sit here

completely believing that he has the unity of these people who will listen to this plan and go, that's a proctor, but this doesn't sound insane and we are fucking in. Everything that's happened All book has led to this moment,

and that's why it's executed so, so perfectly. Yeah, I mean, it's, there's a lot of hunger games as the proctor start dabbling and start messing with them. We see that in the hunger games. They're cheating.

Yeah, oh yeah, buddy. That is happening. here. What I love here is in the middle of the game, we get an acknowledgement from Darrow saying, I know you're cheating, and I'm going to fight back. And the other proctors are watching and they're like, let's see how this goes. That is why this is so electric. There is an acknowledgement of the duplicitous nature that's going on. There is fighting back and allowing the fight back to happen because they're so deranged that they go, I want to see how this plays out. Yeah. Yeah. It's incredible. Can't you buy it, right? I watch this battle. Absolutely. Really fun battle.

Pierce credit to him again. And I love, I buy that Apollo won't stop cheating. He's addicted to it, right? It's believable for him as a gold and a prick lick, I might add. But it also reinforces the depths that they will go. If there was ever any doubt who we were fighting, I too, the reader, now know who we fight. And it's fucking so good when the girl with the standard jumps off the top wall to her death, but then she floats down and they're like, okay. And then she rides away and packs to reference Achilles again goes, Spear chuck, headed for her jugular. It's going to skew her.

And then Apollo's like, dude, let her go. And then they chase her down again. It's actually kind of pathetic that Apollo doesn't stop Mustang and thistle and crown. I'm like, dude, go all the way. If you're going to stop them, stop them all the way. Amazing chanting of Reaper at the end. The chanting of Reaper and firing.

And keep in mind, folks, those who haven't read the book. or don't remember, Darrow has a pulse spear that he took from Novus, and that goes through their shields. Yeah. The others are throwing archaic weapons. They're throwing steel weapons that immediately hit the pole shield and then come raining down on them, and they love it. They're like, dodging it. And they're like, Rapeer, rape her. And it's like, oh my God.

And one of my, it's not one of my favorite quotes, but I just love this part. Because sometimes they have such crazy lingo, very cool lingo in this book, but sometimes they're just so schoolyard. And Darrow, when he's screaming up, he fires his pulse shield up there. He goes, Jupiter, you are next. You are next, you piece of dog shit. We hear things like prick lick and stuff like that. And he says, Jupiter, I'm coming for you, you piece of dog shit. So good.

Oh, dude, like that would cut so hard on me. I'm like, dude, he just called me dog shit, man. God. And he probably, he just, Ponte de Paul. He probably is coming for me now. This is not good. This is not good, my friend. This episode is the fall of the House Apollo is incredible.

Let's go, CP, into our honors for this episode. Our first honor from the Scrolls of Tyrion Lannister, given to the character who provided the most impactful words, we are giving it to Darrow. Yes. He was in the MVP running, but because this was another incredible section from Darrow, with a cherry on top ending. But we're going with scrolls almost entirely for how he, handles the tactis

situation. You know, don't quote Cicero to me, then quotes Plato back to him. The measure of a man is what he does when he has power. And chirps Mustang,

by the way, Plato's older. She's like, you made fun of him for Cicero and then you go Plato. He's like, Plato's older. So whatever. But keep in mind, by the way, Darrow has never even heard

of Plato until he got carved. And now he has memorized all the text. The great text. Because Darrow is him. Darrow is him, dude. then to truly, he says this to Taxus to truly shut him up because of what Tactus just said why he believes he can do this. I'm stronger than you, Tactus, so I can do with you as I wish.

No? And Tactus is like, fuck. Yeah, that is such a good facing. Instantly, Tactus shuts up because he's like, ooh. Because yeah, and now he's like, whatever. And then Darrow approaches Nila and says, what would you like me to do? She actually has an incredible line too where he goes, nothing isn't enough. She goes nothing, and he says nothing isn't enough.

And she goes, for what he did, nothing is enough. Very nice, Nila. But Darrow brings Tactus onto the trial, onto center stage. Nila, he looks at her. She says nothing, which he does to make sure there's no retribution on her. And then I brought this whole quote in, but I say you get 20 lashes from a leather switch, Tactus. You tried to take something beyond the bounds of the game.

You gave into your pathetic animal instincts. Here, that is less forgivable than murder. I hope you feel shame when you look. back at this moment 50 years from now and realize your weakness. I hope you fear your sons and daughters knowing what you did to a fellow gold. Until then, 20 lashes will serve. Unbelievable. Unbelievable.

This has been putting put out. And then, even better, you had this. This is my army, I say more loudly. This is my army. It's evils are mine as much as yours, as much as they are tactics. Every time any of you commit a crime like this, something returitist into reverse, you will own it, and I will own it with you because when you do something wicked, it hurts all of us. and then my favorite bow on it

when he switches to packs start over I shout a little rapist cur can't swing hard enough to hurt me being called a lit... Not just rapist cur a little rapist cur I mean you could not belittle a person more you are being whipped by the strongest

in your army in your in this guy's face to show him how pathetic he is and how much better of a leader you are and you make him do extra whips because your little rapist cur attempts were nothing is that is how you kill a person. Top notch, buddy. Darrow has faced a lot of tests. We've talked a lot about him growing up about evolving and passing tests. His finest work so far right here. Unbelievable. The next honor, Dobby, the house elf, given to the character who is the unsung hero providing aid behind the scenes. I feel like this could be Severo at all times, but several is now no longer behind the scenes. The howlers are too big.

this one goes to Pax. Oh, Telemannas! Every achievement in their war plan here is so hinged on Pax. He is the lynchpin, dude. He is the monster. And they call it out. Pierce calls it out.

Darrow calls it out. When they pull their first move against House Mars by blocking the path with the trees, their real prize is Pax. He's like, they're taking slaves, but we get our real prize. That's, that's a lot.

That's why they have 12 jump on top of him to make sure they get him because after that, everything changes. They get into House Saris because of him. They open the gates and he storms through. They have this amazing moment taking House of Paula because of him. And it's also just the belief that Pax has in Mustang. And then seeing the belief Mustang has in Darrow makes Pax believe as well. He is just so loyal.

And it's like him following, him seeing the truth, him seeing the, the good in people while being this beast that no one wants to mess with is such a massive thing to have in your arsenal and in your army. You said it perfectly. He's an incredible contradiction of war packs and non-war packs. Gentle giant. It's amazing. And dude, the other than Mustang, I would say, no one, and maybe even more than Mustang, no one has more honor in this entire institute than Pax, the way he behaves himself. Yeah. Absolutely incredible. The next honor the way of the Benegeserate. Given to the character who cannot be trusted

or shows outright devious nature, we're going with Apollo. Who else could possibly be? This guy is an all-time bitch. Bitch. All-time bitch. He's hated Darrow from the jump. He's taken a bribe from the arch-governor

to make sure his son wins, which admittedly I kind of get, considering every single proctor, including Fichner, has done it, right? So whatever. But then to so blatantly cheat this early, because Darrow isn't even fighting Pluto yet. You know, sure, I want the arch governor's son to win. But he's not even fighting Pluto.

They say, oh, he was getting too strong. That's what we had to give the jackal a hollow kill. Dude, let him fight Jupiter in the north still. Like, what are we talking about? They overreact so early. And, dude, to be real, dog, how are you not enjoying Darrow's journey if you're a proctor? I'm being dead ass. You're on Olympics watching.

100% of Chris. How predictable, let's like zoom out for a second. How predictable is the Institute usually probably? It's all the, it's all the Jackals and the Cassiuses and the Priams of the world who just win every year. They run away with the Institute every year. How often does a far planet hayseed orphan burning sling blades into the forest make waves at the Institute? Get your popcorn, dude. Enjoy the fucking show. CP, it's a season of television and this is the best season you've ever seen. They've ever had. How are you not sitting back and going, I hope this never is? Just let him get all the way to the jackal then cheat and let the jackal win. The fact that they're trying to get this done early is so stupid. It shows what a bitch he is.

He's so afraid to even let him get close. He's also, I love how Darrow figures out that once your house is out, you have to leave because it makes it even worse. This cherub curly-haired pansy bitch is sitting up there being like, well, I would have drink more wine. I want to sit up here and I want to eat duck and venison. Apollo, you are a fucking twas. What, get the fuck out of here.

This guy doesn't know ball. He doesn't know ball. You don't appreciate the game if you can't let what is happening. Don't hate the player. Hate the game, pal. You're hating the player because he's doing things you couldn't even dream of. You little bitch. I get not wanting to go home.

We said that, but there was rampant cheating before he was even threatening House Apollo. And he's only threatening House Apollo because you made it Darrow's problem. And he heard that from Fitchner, but you know, you're the one who hates him. Darrow came. Darrow's retaliating. He didn't start this fucking fight. You were a twat. And to add on to that.

He's also just doing Augustus' bidding. Yeah. He's not even trying to get Apollo to win. He's just being like, well, I know that this can't happen because of Augustus is. You are a- Fuck up. Shut up. Fuck you, Paulo.

Our last honor, sword, axe, and bow, given to the character deemed to have earned our loyalty, belief, and trust above all. Mustang. Simply has to be Mustang. The way Mustang saves Darrow. but then instills so much knowledge. More knowledge than dancer, than Mickey,

than Fitchner. Mustang has a way with Darrow that we will see as this book and this series continues on that just taps into him like Darrow has never seen, not even with you. Correct, Dan.

And I know that that fires you up. Preach Dan. I know that that fires you up. But there is that line where he says, I don't even know why I bother speaking to her. She knows my thoughts, even the mad ones. Mustang just understands Darrow, but is able to use that understanding to bring out the best in him. Darrow would not have figured out how to handle tactics without Mustang, without her support,

without her knowledge. She unlocks the Reaper of Mars. And it is true, true poetry when we see it. Dude, isn't it cool that when you think back to dancer, to Mickey, to Harmony, to Mateo, they go, what happens? Darrow goes, what happens at the Institute? And they go, I don't know. I've never been.

I'm not gold. I don't get in there. At some point, it was always going to take a gold to Darrow, for Darrow to spar with, to grow with. Because Mickey and Dancer and the like can only give him so much. It was always going to take a gold that saw things differently. And he will find a few in his life. Yeah. And people will ying and yang and change.

But Mustang is that North Star. Yeah. She's unbelievable. And this book is unbelievable. This and the house of Apollo falling to ashes leaves us heading into our final episode of the recaps of Red Rising Book 1. The conclusion comes next week. We can't wait to see you then. Hail Reaper.