Empty Netters Podcast - Sci Fi Section Ep 7: Red Rising Chapters 39-44

Episode Date: September 9, 2026

We are diving deep into Pierce Brown’s world of the Red Rising saga. Join us for Chapters 39-44 of book 1. This is the epic conclusion, where we finally go toe to toe (or hand to hand) with the Jackal. And the proctors aren’t ready for when Darrow brings the war to Olympus. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 1:29 - Chapter 39 The Proctor's Bounty 14:10 - Chapter 40 Paradigm 24:51 - Chapter 41 The Jackal 44:55 - Chapter 42 War on Heaven 51:46 - Chapter 43 The Last Test 1:09:29 - Chapter 44 Rise 1:18:00 - The Honors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explorers, warriors, magi, intergalactic voyagers, and hell divers. Man, your battle stations, draw your swords, and prepare for destiny. 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, dig for deep submergence into the world of red, rising. I am Chris Powers returning to my bathtub to warm up after helping the Jackal

cheat all you can eat cheesecake waiting for me. And by my side is a man pretending to be drunk on grape juice. Dan Powers. Nah, I'm bringing that real wine. It's Wands at the ready and it is a swish and flick on that subscribe button and that like button. A swish and flick. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it. And those who don't subscribe to this channel will never find these videos. Please subscribe. Please. Please. Today we will be talking about chapters 39 through 44, the conclusion of Red Rising. However, we have read this entire series. So there will be spoilers galore. If you venture any further, do so with the knowledge that you may hear things that you wish you hadn't. And now we begin. The Reaper rages south with his army of misfits after toppling House Apollo. His eyes are set on Jupiter next, but the ominous threat of the jackal still looms. Chapter 39, the Proctor's Bounty.

You've made such a mess of things, lad. Fitchner comes to speak with Darrow. He sits in the Apollo war room with Darrow and Mustang and tells him that Apollo has not left Olympus. He was guaranteed a juicy appointment, talks of the Prater Knight position on Luna if the jackal won. Now that guarantee is slipping. Fichner attempts to talk sense into Darrow,

and he asks for Mustang to leave. When Darrow refuses, Mustang relents. She lets them have their words. Fitchner tries to take them to take them. tell Darrow that he's proven his point. He will get any apprenticeship he wants, but if he keeps pushing the proctors, they will kill him. As Darrow insults and undermines Fitchner barks, Fitcher didn't come from a great family. He rose as high as he could, and now he fears for his son. Darrow can't believe he didn't see it before. Fitchner is Severo's father. Fitchner worries

that Darrow is falling right into their traps, specifically hers. Before he leaves, Darrow shakes his hand and shortly after breaks his nose and knocks him out cold. dude why did I've never really dug into this why does Apollo they're all cheating everyone has taken a bribe right every single person has taken a bribe and Apollo if the jackal wins Apollo gets this huge appointment if I was the other proctors who are also actively cheating for the jackal I'd be like why why don't I get the sick appointment the question is does everyone know that or did Fitchner do some digging yeah by this one point though yeah I guess they wouldn't react now but I would say After, I would go, what the fuck? Augustus? Maybe them too. Maybe Jupiter had something in there. Maybe, you know, Juno.

Yeah, little sprinkle. Wet the beak for everybody. And I guess it feels like they all took bribes, but some of them aren't acting on it as aggressively as a palmer. Like we keep talking about, this is so great. It's the depths that Pierce goes to. We've seen stories like this before where there are proctors, people like this, who cheat. They fall into the system that's broken. But all of the intricacies here of why they're cheating.

getting appointments, things like this, makes it so much more believable. It's the world we live in. Dude, yes, it sure is. And it kind of justifies some of the Apollo has been out of pocket for the last 10 chapters. So it kind of makes sense. We go, okay, he had the most skin in the game here. We went nuts last episode. This guy is a bitch.

He's pushing Diro into a bear. Apollo is pathetic. It's pathetic, and this just makes it more so. He was earned our honor of the way of the way of the, the Bena Jester, because he is just a devious piece of garbage. Yeah. And this is just more of the same from him. And we're sick of his nonsense.

Yep. I got to give you some credit, I think. I was going to say I have to apologize, but it's not an apology. It's not worth that, but I got to give you some credit because right at the very beginning of this chapter, they have sacked House of Polos and Deros. They're collecting themselves, you know, before the next mission. And he comes in and it says, says that Severos freed some slaves saying, great job, you're now in the army, you've earned your cloak.

Severus fleets some slaves, and they're playing the flinch game. And I was like, oh, okay, you know what? I take it back about that proctor. Apparently, the be-all and all speed test in gold society is the flinch game. They love the flinch game. I was like, dude, why are you guys doing this? You have to imagine that Pierce Brown loved that game growing up. It's so great. And Darrow says, too, he goes, they don't even let me. I was playing, but I beat everybody so I don't play to let the kids have their fun. Darrow can never not win the flinch game. I guess he is kind of like the mean boyfriend in Rachel McAdam's mean boyfriend. Is that when that happens? It's in wedding crashes, right? Yes, Sack. She's, or no. He does, she does it with Owen. And then gets back together with Sack and it's in that montage with Coldplay playing in the background.

And she's like, give me your hands. And she starts to do it and he goes, you're not getting enough attention. What an asshole. Sack. The Sack master. Backmaster. Yeah, incredible. This is a great chapter of Fitchner and Darrell. Understanding each other, Fitchner opening up, telling them the truth, obviously, the Severo reveal is unbelievable. But before that, there's still this fundamental difference between what Fitchner

thinks Darrow can do and what he understands. From the book, it says, The point is to show them that they can't gory well cheat in their own game, that the arch governor can't just say his son is best and should beat me just because he was born lucky. This is about merit. No, Fitchner says, leaning forward. It's about politics.

Another example of where Darrow is right. Yep. But he needs to understand how much more is at play. He needs to understand why they do the things they do, which is why Mustang has been so important for him. And I also want to go, Darrow, are you, how dumb would you say you are? Just in terms of not grasping that. He comes from the mines in Lycos, where Gamma wins the Laurel every year.

He goes, it's about merit. We pulled the most helium. And they go, yeah, you lose. It's not, it's never been about merit. This same society makes these rules. It's funny to me that he gets up here and goes, it'll be about merit here. And I'm like, obviously not, dude. I think it's Darrell's largest struggle.

He hears it over and over again and literally sees it. You just said, he saw it with the laurel. Now he's seeing it here. I think it's one of his flaws that we love so much is that he literally can accept it. Yeah. Because he is someone who is special. He is physically capable. He can smash.

literally this society from the inside out and he's like I'm going to try but everyone's like it's not going to work yeah and that is the great test for him the I'm going to say things if presumably if you're listening to this episode you've read this entire book at least now because this section finishes the book so I'll tell you what if there I think there are based on a lot of the comments if there are people watching these recaps these episodes as if it's just a TV show and they're learning everything for the first time nothing would make me happier yeah okay fair enough so well here's the I'm going to this part. And there's something later where I will hold off. But right here, I just want to talk about that her, her plan. And it's cool because Fitchner keeps going, Mustang. Like he's saying, he won't say

her full name in front of Daryl. So it's awesome for us, the rereaders, watching that scene where Fitchner's like, oh yeah, what do you think about what's going on? Mustang. I twishing. Yeah, it's so funny. So I really like that part. And it's interesting to me. This has been going on for a while. By the way, Fitchner has leaked or hinted at a few things. I'm kind of shocked he never told Darrow because that would have been good for him to know. He tells him right away the Jackal is the arch governor's son. So Fisner has been a shit proctor, but I don't totally know why he wasn't like. I think we'll get to something in a couple chapters where I'll address that question. Because I think it's actually a really cool element of what we see here. But my favorite part about this chapter, I know as is yours, is when we

see the human side, we always see him popping his gum bubbles and slinging insults back and forth with Darrow. But when he is talking about Severo, it says here, he stares away as if ashamed, glowering at the fire, his son. It's in their coloring, in the face, in the disposition and the way they speak to one another. I'm a fool for not saying it out loud sooner. You're Severo's father, I say. He does not respond for some time. When he does, his voice is pleading. You make him think he can climb higher than he can, you'll kill him, Boyo, and you'll kill yourself. That is a dad. Yes. That's just a true humble father not caring about any position or anything else, not caring about gold, red, whatever. He's just going, you're going to kill my son and you're going to die

doing it as well. Yeah. And that moment is incredible. Don't forget, by the way, Cassius says to Darrow, when Julian got the letter, we were all shocked because we knew he was an institute material. Yep. And it's illegal to turn down this invitation. Nero's playing bureaucracy to kill our brother, our son. Certainly, Fichner feels some of that, right? When Severo gets, he knows what Severo's capable of. He knows what my boy can do. Yeah.

But he sees that letter. And this is all off camera. We don't even know Fichner of several yet. But when Fitchner gets that letter, he must go, they're going to kill him. They're going to put him in the fucking passage with a Priam and kill him. Yes. So he had to live through all that trauma, too. But Chris, can you imagine?

the moment. Now we know Fitchner is Severo's father. We learned a couple of chapters ago that Severo killed Priam. When that moment happened, can you imagine the peacocking Fitchner must have been doing around Olympus? He must have been like, especially, bro, because... Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,

what happened? Oh, Priam's dead? Uh-oh, uh-oh. What was Priam's like the sword of Mars? I mean, dude, he's literally their premiere. Not even in the... Like, doesn't go through the past or he goes to the past, but doesn't go through all the testing, the draft, he's like, yeah, dude, I'm just, I am goaded.

And don't forget, remember, they go, Severo's last pick, and they tried, Fitchner tried to say, we'd rather not, I'm not going to even going to take him. He got forced, he was trying to go, don't come, I don't want to draft him. They made him draft him just to be Priam food. And then Chevro fucking shoved it up his hoop. He knows Mr. Irrelevant goes up against Priam. Yeah, yeah, and he's like, this is not good. And then Severeux comes out there with blood dripping from his teeth.

Yep. And you're like, oh my God. This was shocking to me. What about you, your first treat? And I'd love to hear in the comments who was like, oh, I'm all over this. I never in a million years would I have guessed this. And frankly, I think anyone who claims they did is full of it. This is so brilliantly cloaked.

There's nothing that points to this at all. Other than in the, this is a compliment what I'm about to say, because some twists are just insane, but you go, okay. This one is they are, you said it best. and I think in episode one or two, these golds are smoke shows, except for horse face. Horseface Milia is the only ugly gold on earth. Oh, I meant to say last episode, too.

It's so funny how Tactus tries to hide in the snow with her, and she kicks him out, and he's like, you're hideous. You should be so lucky. She's like, Jesus Christ. Piss off, clown. But anyway, pretty much the only two golds ever, who are like, they're kind of fat and bad-looking are Fitchner and Ever, which is a compliment.

It's amazing, because if you're really dialed, you go, That's weird. Are they related? And Darrow says, God, it's the way they talk to each other. There's really, really, it's really well done. Darrow, okay, let me talk about this for a second. When I think you read this, when he goes, I think this is Darrow too. I'm surprised when he says, oh, no, that was me. The quote is this.

Hell, the trap's already set for you. You're walking right into it. I'm ready for the jackals traps, Fitchner or Apollos. It makes no difference. They won't be able to stop what's coming for them. No, Fitchner says, hesitating a moment, not their traps, the girls. I'm kind of surprised Darrow doesn't. doesn't clock that a bit more?

He says, he's going to betray me in the next chapter? Yes, I mean, I think that's absolutely him clocking it. Oh, he clocks the, he's warning me about Mustang. He knows who he's talking about, but I'm surprised he doesn't clock like one step higher. Like Mustang is something, you know? Well, I mean, there's very much the world where he's like, dude, she has her standard. She's of a different house. She's co-leading this.

That's why it works. I mean, that's, yeah, exactly. That Daryl's like, yeah, I mean, I would expect my proctor not be thrilled that I don't have my standard. and she does, and I'm clearly vibing with her. Yeah. Everything to that points,

well, she's obviously going to betray you at the very end. Yep. That's why it works. It works. It works. And then my last thought is, I wonder if there was a way

he could have restrained Fichner without the level five concussion. I don't think so. I really don't. Actually, I will say this, Chris. He didn't need to break his nose. The level five concussion, definitely. You got to knock him out.

It's so tough. Don't forget, Fitchner has a bunch of stuff on it. If he doesn't knock him out clean, then Fitchner fights back. It's a whole thing. You did not need to break his nose. He's already struggling. He's got the hell diver grip, right? He's saying he's crunching his hand already.

I just wonder if he could have gone, like, got his hands behind, tied him up. Yeah. I mean, there's just like, there's a world where he like, he presses the grab boots. They're up into the ceiling. No, you can't take any risks. These concussions add up, is all I'm saying. You know what I mean? Carvers can handle that, dude.

But Fitchner won't get carved. He's chewing on combustion tablets. I think if he's all of a sudden got early on-site dementia, they might. He's like, new brain, new brain, new brain. Get that out of here. But you know, listen, Darrow, I'm going to criticize Darrow later for not finishing jobs, so I probably should take it back that he said he finished this one, and I'm complaining about it.

True. So, fair enough. Massive conch for Fitchner on the shelf. We'll go see the testing into the blue tent. That brings us to Chapter 40, Paradise. You have my trust, because when you saw me hiding in the mud, after taking my castle, let me escape. And I have your trust because I pulled you from the mud when Cassius left you for dead. Darrow and Mustangs speak and he plainly asks her when she plans to betray him. She looks confused.

They exchange that they have each other's trust. They can win together. Darrow snaps up and says they need to storm Jupiter now in the snowstorm. It'll catch everyone by surprise. They know the proctors can see and hear these plans. That's what Darrow wants. In four days their army has made it through winter. Spring arrives as they march on Jupiter's castle. Darrow's division splits up and take different parts of the castle until finally a thin, sheepish boy named Lucian hangs a white flag over the walls. He meets Darrow outside the gates. He will be shamed for his surrender, but they're hungry. The Jupiter Primus left Lucian and seven of their weakest in the castle.

His only condition is there not to be made slaves, and Darrow accepts. Darrow and his army make home in the Jupiter dormitory. They find beds and share food with the starving seven, including Lucian. Darrow speaks to Milia about the Jupiterians, and he asks her what her read is. Something to him doesn't seem right. Finally, Darrow stands and commands his army to get the wine stores from Bacchus' castle they took. It's time for his army to get drunk, but they look confused as they know this is grape juice, not wine. But they catch on when Darrow says the students of Jupiter haven't earned wine yet.

Darrow's army pretends to drink and pass out. Darrow feigns drunk and wobbly as he makes friends with Lucian. They chat long into the night. When Mustang returns from her watch, she seems confused by the scene. Darrow tells her to find packs as he and Lucian continued to talk. Darrow asks him to show him his hand when Lucian asks more of Darrow's story. He empties a bag of sigil rings on the table.

He sees one of Jupiter, Venus, Neptune, Bacchus, Juno, Mercury, Diana, Saris, Minerva, but not one of Pluto until he looks at Lucian's hand. Okay, so this is an example of a chapter where I'm just going to give commentary on this chapter because I know what happens next, but I just want to talk about the view from this chapter. Oh, and Dan, that line I read at the top,

Interesting, right? Because that was the line I brought up to you the other day where I was like, man, it felt very quid pro quo. Saved you, saved you. Yeah, and Mustang here clearly says that. She's like, yeah, that's why. Well done. Took up the hat, good sir. And I still think that Mustang is selling herself short. I think she pulls Darrow out of the mud no matter what. Dead ass. I think if he sacks her castle and then she sees what happens, I think she pulls him out no matter what. That's what I said last episode. I totally agree with that. But again, I think everything with Mustang is calculated. I don't think she's selling herself short. I think she's speaking very plainly and logic. being like, this is how it works.

She could be like this. I would have saved you no matter what, dude. I'm all in. Yeah. And I want you to be all in. And I think she literally. Yeah, yeah. Dude, get in.

Dan, get in. And she goes, I almost wish she had gone for saving me in the cave. You know, like you let me go there. But him, him, you know, fighting those two fuck bags. And then. He was about to kill him. Yep. That was awesome.

Don't do it. Okay. Speaking of that, actually, by the way, especially because now we're in the kind of finish the jaw. section. This was just occurring to me as we were reading through this part. Such a massive oversight by Cassius. Oversight or maybe we can speak to Cassius's character for a second, but if he went out there to kill Darrow, which presumably he did, I don't think he went out. When he stabs Garret Darry. Yeah, I don't think he went out to gravely injure him. I think he was like,

I'm going to kill you. Don't you agree? Yeah. Well, you know, I think about that often. Yeah. Because he should have cut off his head. A hundred percent. But a great duelist like Cassius, I do wonder sometimes as intense as his rage was in that moment. I wonder if it's one of two things. One, he left him there bleeding because he was like, if the med bots save him, the med bots save him. I have defeated him. Yeah.

And they'll take him away. Like he's time in the game. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And he's like, you know, maybe I see him later in life, but I, you know, I defeated him. He's gone from the game, whatever. I got my revenge. And I'm letting him live because there's a part of me that does love, I called him brother. Yeah.

Or if he was like, I want you to slowly fucking die and bleed out. Because remember he doesn't turn the eye on on the blade. Yes. He just shoves the close to make it worse. I still to this day don't know which. I know. I'd like to believe it's the former, but I don't know. because I'll spend all my days wondering because if he should have just, even if he wants to spin this yarn about, you know, he could have dragged him back, uh, Achilles and Hector style tied to the back of his fucking chariot, dragged by horse, showed all of Mars. Yep. But I get him wanting to go. Is this your king? Yeah. I get him wanting to go the jackal took him. But he still should have killed him and buried him in a ditch and then gone the jackal took him. Because no matter what you and I just said about Mustang's character, those moments of Mustang saving Dera had a huge impact on the Mustang Dera relationship, the Mustang Dera Alliance.

which is what is about to win this game, right? So, pivotal moment from Cassius there. He absolutely huge. Lucien waves the white flag. Yep. The, God, Darrow has been so good. The past few chapters. So good.

But there's two huge issues here. But? Oh, yeah. He's perfect in this chapter. Well, no, he isn't. Because right here, there's only one thing you could possibly comment. Right here, when Pax goes, Lucian goes, we just don't want to be enslaved. Pax out loud goes, Darrell, every single person,

every single person in our new army got enslaved first and had to fight with us to earn the freedom. Every single one. And Darrow goes, I know, but it's seven of them. No, Chris. Every single person has to earn it. You are such a revisionist history bitch. It's true, dude. No, it's not. He goes like this. I am on a time clock here. We need to get Jupiter now. We need to handle this shit now. If I go like this, well, we can't. do that and Lucian goes, fine, fuck you, and doesn't let them in the castle, then that's more time of a siege. Then they have to figure out how to get in the castle. They're in, Dan. No, dude, he's literally, he comes out and talks to him at the gate. They can easily close the gate.

They would take the castle, but it's just time wasted. He's like, there are seven people here, I can handle this. Listen, revisionist history, which we'll get to, sure. Yeah. But I think that that is nothing but revisionist history. I hear Pax, and he's right, but Daryl's like, dude, we don't time. I do not have time for the two hours it would take for us to figure out how to get in this castle and take these seven idiots. I'd rather just go, yeah, dude, whatever, and then handle them inside. That's, I think, what he's doing. Yeah, but I'm making an excuse for him, but I think you're being way too harsh. I probably am because of what it costs him, and obviously if Derek could do it again, but I just think literally every single person got enslaved and he gives a break

to these guys and girls for a bad reason, a bad reason. I think that that is insane. for you to say the word bad twice. You're being a bitch. He is being a bitch. No, dude, you are taking information that you wouldn't previously have had. But it's one, dude, if it was... No, keep going.

It's unfair. It's unfair behavior from Darry. It is unfair, but life is unfair and war is unfair. And the game is unfair, so he needs to move quickly. And he... Because you know what happens to go, it's like this. Okay, let's figure out a siege, and then the proctors interfere and kill them. Yeah. Now who's an idiot?

Ooh, okay, that's pretty good genre, actually. But I do think... Let's move on. Let's keep going through the check. Okay, okay. But I, I, this, this haunts me forever. You've made your point. This haunts me forever. Um, okay, so I kind of have three things about the ending of this. Um, this is one of the fastest next chapter flips ever. Like this chapter. You do not, you do not take a single second before turning the next page. In the history of fantasy books. Yeah. This is one of the fastest, oh my God, even if I don't care what time it was or what you have to do, one of the fastest next chapter flips in any

book ever. Second thing, extremely well sniffed out by Darrow in this, because it's kind of a good play by Pluto, team Pluto. He's like, they're like, oh, we're going to pretend to be Jupiter. Like, that was actually pretty good. But Darrow, I kind of want to shit on Lucy in the same way I shit on Novice. Remember last time I was like, dude, figure it out, bro. But like, now that we all know this is the jackal, like, I don't want to jump ahead of chapter, but like, it's the jackal. So if you're the the jackal. I'm like, dude, do you think Darrow, all you've heard about the rip, but you think Darrow came in here and just got fucked up? You know, I kind of want to shit on him for that. Yeah, I hear that. But for me, this is a case of perfect offense versus perfect defense. Yes,

and offense just made the better player. Yep. Because everything about, and we're jumping ahead here a little bit, so we got to chill. But you will see in the book, Darrow, it's what you always point out, he's the most observant person in the world. Yes. He immediately says his ring on his finger is loose because he hasn't eaten in so long. His hands kind of sit in front of him. They're not in his pockets. They're not fiddling. These are things that Darrow notices to the reader immediately. And that's why he calls Milia over and he's like, what do you think of these people? And that is another sign for us, the reader, that Darrow is like, these people are not who they say there. Yeah. So great, great work from Darrow here. Why you just said, do not say but.

Because this was a great, great sniff out by Darrow. You're right. Offense guy made the better play. Yeah. My third thing about the end is Mustang. I love you. deeply. And I know Darrow's ordering you to get out. Nope. This is a... That was the one I said. There is one. And it is not Darrow's mistake. And you always... She trusts Darrow. We've seen many times. She trusts Darrow's

plan. I'm all good with that. And she, I bet I would... I'd be willing to concede that she's a little nervous about the jackal telling Darrow who she is. Right? Like that's a fair, reasonable fear of hers. But you one does, you simply must

tell me. Something. Easy. We're going to save it. We're giving people an episode here. Yep. But yeah, it's brutal. And I think we can do nothing but just move on.

As we said, it's the biggest chapter flip. Yeah. A lesson learned here for readers is, you know, Darrow, there's a line that says something like this. Darrow goes, I normally would bring Mustang up to this meeting, but instead I thought the new people should come. So she stays back. Yeah.

For the readers of this series moving forward, anytime someone is supposed to be there. Be afraid. That means Be very afraid Death, dude I was going to bring this person And then I changed my mind I'm like, fuck

Be very afraid Exactly We flip To chapter 41 The Jackal He jerks back his hand He is fast I am faster

Darrow drives his dagger Through the jackal's hand And pins him to the table What comes next is chilling Who was once Lucian Now becomes a different animal Someone cold Unwavering and inhuman

They begin to negotiate. The jackal is the politico you fear. He is smart and calculated. He urges Darrow to free him and whatever position he wants will be his. The jackal knows the power his family has and he tries to use it. Darrow makes a power play. He stabs another dagger into the table and goads the jackal to cut off his own hand. To his horror, he obliges and cuts without hesitation. He says a gold's power is in his mind, not his hands. Pax gives him an eye on blade to make the job easier. He can't watch this barbarism. In the shock, Darrow gives the proctors the time they need to help. A sonic detonator flies through the window and the jackal grabs it.

At the same time, he slashes the iron blade into Pax's throat. The jackal activates the detonator and everyone goes flying. As the jackal comes towards Darrow with the blade, Pax launches himself on top of Darrow making a human shield. The jackal wildly hacks at Pax's body trying to get to Darrow. He flees leaving Pax dead. Darrow and the howlers jump from the tower and follow the blood trail to find and kill the jackal. jackal. They get up to the mountain pass and are intercepted by Apollo. He sends the howlers flying with a pulse fist. Darrow dodges and swings his blade at Apollo's head, but it's stopped by the shield he

wears. Apollo grabs Darrow by the hair and lofts him high up into the air. He tells Darrow that they have Mustang, and if he doesn't lose his next encounter with the arch-governor's son, they will kill her. But Apollo has made a grave mistake. Darrow remembers what he learned of the pulse shields the day Fitchner touched him. Apollo lets go, Darrow, and intends to kill him with the fall. But Darrow hovers. wearing the grab boots he stole from Fitchner. With Apollo's shield down, Darrow drives his knife ring through his visor and kills Apollo,

from the book. I find my howlers around his body. The snow is red. They stare at me as I descend, my knife ring wet with the blood of a peerless scarred. I had not intended to kill him, but he should not have taken her, and he should not have called me a puppet.

They took Mustang, I tell my pack. They look on silently. The jackal no longer matters. So now we take Olympus. The smiles they give one another, are as chilling as the snow, several cackles. Dude. Jam-packed.

Yes. Chapter. We have the jackal. We finally meet the jackal first and foremost. And that I will never forget. Same. Same. First, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth time I read that moment.

When he, the chapter begins and Darrow's knife ring is just like, yeah. And he's just like, what's up, Jackal? Jackal, I'm the Reaper. And the jackal just goes, you have a better name. Yeah. And I'm like,

oh my God, this dude is a psychopath. Dude, it's one of my favorite moments in any, this is the, when I give people this book, I,

and I'm checking in how you go, how's it going, what do you think? What do you think? I am waiting for them to get to this moment. Oh, yeah. It's one of my favorite moments

in any, especially book one, any book one of any series I've ever read. I remember texting you. Dude. I remember texting you being like, dude,

the jackal. And you were, I think you called me immediately. I was like, buddy. Because, dude, it's such a sick play by Darrow. When he has his hand, it's just unreal. And I will say Darrow, when he explains how he figured this out. Can I just read this quote?

Yeah, please. What I just kind of paraphrase? That moment in the book, it says, I thought we should become better acquainted, I say. I point to myself, Jackal, I am Reaper. You've the better name, he replies. With a blade-driven and hammered with a flagon of fake wine down further. into the table through his hand. Yeah, do read the next quote too.

He goes, if we're to have a conversation, please take this dagger out of my hand, the jackal says to me. Believe it or not, it hurts. Savage. So Darrow's explanation of how he figured this out is some of his best work yet in the whole book. He said out loud, back at Apollo. I'm going to Jupiter.

We have to take out Jupiter. So, duh, the proctors are listening. We know this. And they're immediately going to spring a trap to favor the jackal. Yes. So this I can excuse from the jackal. I was just kind of busting his ass.

really think Darrow would get drunk, but I can kind of get where he's going, they're giving, they just told me, I have inside information, I have a stacked deck. Yeah. I can even kind of buy it and excuse it from the proctors, getting their pants, getting pants by Darrow again, because this is such a masterclass from Darrow. Like, probably right before he stabbed the jackal in the hand, they all were going, we, we won. Yeah. We did it. He fell right into the trap. It was perfect. And I like how the Darrow, or how the Jackal respects Darrow so much in this moment, for sniffing it out. Like he goes, I'm cheating and I had a great plan here and you now have me pinned to the table and he's kind of like, wow, pretty good, dude. You know, like he's so

fucked up that he just, all he can do is be impressed by the Reaper. Absolutely, man. It's, it's unbelievable. I mean, this whole interaction, obviously, so much happens again. Like, we will get to Pax. We will get to Apollo. But in this moment, he just begins negotiating. Daryl's like, I'm not going to uncut or take the knife out. Let's talk. And it says, from the book, it says, after the jackal is like, join with me. Yeah. It's a great offer, dude.

Let's win this game. I will be Primus. And I will give you literally any position you want. And from the book, it says, dancer would want me to accept the offer. It would guarantee my survival, guarantee my meteoric rise. I would be inside the halls of the arch governor's mansion. I would be near the man who killed Eo. Oh, I want to accept.

But then I would have to let the proctors beat me. I'd have to let this little whore fart win and let his father smile and feel pride. I'd have to watch that smug smile spread across his bloody damn face. Slag that. They'll feel pain. Awesome. Dude. But then this part.

Yeah. For all of my watchman fans, for all of my MCU fans, in these moments, the Jackal reminds me so much of Ozzy Mendias and Ebony Ma. With the way he talks and just like how calculated he is, Darrow says, did you know that? the proctors are helping you, I ask, that they tried to kill me. Of course, he says with a shrug, my bounties are above average. And you don't mind cheating, I ask, cheat or be cheated, no? Familiar. That familiar, unbelievable foreshadowing. But just the way he goes, of course, I'm like, this guy is, you talk about teenagers in a game, the jackal is a sociopath. They're all geniuses here. This is the genius. The little wharf art is one of my

favorite insults. If you think that I haven't started calling people whorefarts again, you're out of you. Oh man, dude, that is so good. You are a, um, the pricklic and a horrid. Yeah. The jackals dialogue here. The jackals, mannerisms here. The jackals, the looks he's giving. It all lives up to the hype. And I will say the substantial hype that Pierce has built as an author. He's doing this. This character is unseen, Dan, for 90% of the book. That's a hard lift as a writer. You don't even know what this guy looks like. Mystery and the unknown is scary, but he's really hyped this character.

This exchange is everything and more. What a fun villain to write to, where it's not another agro, psycho dude. I was going to mention, as I'm reading this section, I have to imagine if we could, if talking to Pierce, especially about this book specifically, and we say, who his voice is your favorite to write, I feel like I can feel. He would say Darrow because I think Pierce feels a lot of Darrow and himself, as I would hope most authors do about their main character. I think you can feel, in the words, on the page, how much he likes writing this character. Yes. Everything the Jackal says is so Jackal.

It's unbelievable. Always manipulating. Great example of it, right? When he's bribing and stuff, of course. But even when he does stuff like this, he's like you and Severo and the toadstools. And they're like, Toadstools. And they're like, well, that's what we call you because you're just there for Darrow and Severo to sit. on perfect right because it's just dude it's just seeding doubt seeding yes it's also we always say

the the more dripping with curse words and vitriol and insult is the more mad you know they are yeah the simpler that's why i think calling someone an idiot is so effective because you're not like pissed at them you're just going you're you're you're an idiot it hurts toadstool is a perfect perfect word for that you're like what the fuck so you're not even sure if you're mad you're Like, wait, yeah, yeah, yeah. What? Would you just call me? Yeah, yeah. The, uh, you wouldn't give me criticism on Darrow for not enslaving them, which I have said my piece. Here, you must, you must give me something because this, this is when I said, there is something coming. Yep. But it is, nine, nah, 80% on packs and 20% on Darrow. So here's the only is I'm going to push it

closer, because I, I know what you're going to say. It's because you're a bitch. Nope. I have to Also, you hate Darrow. I hate Darrow. You hate Darrow and EO. No, I actually love Darrow, but I do hate EO so much. Yeah. Eo's the worst character in any book ever. I have to admit, even though I'm fuming with him in this part, I do kind of see his logic.

Whose? Deros. Okay. I kind of go, because he, or put it this way, I would have also thought no gold would do that. You know what I mean? Like, I kind of see his logic ongoing, based on what he knows about golds. He's like, there is literally no way that he will cut his hand off. however he did eat people he did eat people yeah and but but he darrow kind of says doing stuff to other

people fine yes a gold would never internal especially when you think about a psychopath yes and you're like he would never harm himself so let's give darrow that benefit of the doubt okay we'll start there then the game changes right darrow always talks about the paradigm shifting okay jackal cut your own hand off jackal goes okay so it's cutting the paradigm is immediately shifted and darrow who's made a career on shifting it in his favor is has just watched it shift against him now and he doesn't react in time or correctly. The first thing you need to do is just stop him. Like the first thing you do is go, whoa, dude, that was disgusting. What are you doing? And I feel like he only doesn't do it because of honor because he's like, well, I told him. I, you don't think a little bit of shock.

He says shock too, for sure. He's like, what the fuck is happening? Because I think, Chris, if this was happening to me, like, if that was my power play, because in the book, Darrow was like, I want the proctors to watch this. I want them to be like, watch him, watch him be, no, he's like,

I want them to watch him be a coward and not do it. When I'm like, here you go, dude, you're free, cut your hand off. And he won't do it. And then he does it.

If you stop him, it's, you kind of look like a, like a fool because you're like, oh, this failed. So I think it's a combination of like,

shit, what do I do? But also like, are you cutting your hand off? You horse's ass? It's terrifying. So, but still though,

you go, because dude, you're about to, to standoff, you lose the game. So you just have to stop him. And by the way, Jackal is fighting with no honor. So you don't need to stand on your honor. Just be like, never mind. I've changed my mind. And everyone goes, you went back on your word and I go, blow me, dude. You've been cheating this whole time. And then, I know you blame it 80% on packs because he gives him the ion blade. And Dan, this was Dero's out for me, though, because I wish he had gun this. Whoa, dude,

the deal was this knife. I said, if you cut your hand off with this knife. you can leave. The second Pax does this, you go, oh, oh, you snatch that iron blade. Like, Jackal even goes, thank you, Pax. Like, no, do you snatch that iron blade and be like this abs a fucking lily- And you don't look the fool anymore. I also look at Pax and I go, Dan. Are you fucking out of your, look at what this guy's doing. You just gave him an eye on blade. Are you fucking nuts? It's insane, Dan. It's, it's, you're, I, I shirped you for the 80, but you're right. It is almost unforgivable. But it is true to Pax's form. Yes, it is. It's like, it is the gentle giant. Because, again, Pax throughout this whole thing

never kills anyone. Pax is just dominating people. He is like, this is a game. It's getting intense, but this is a game. And when he sees that, it goes beyond anything he can process. He's like, I'm not going to let you like he thinks snap your bone here. Like Christ Almighty. That's brutal.

Dude, here, just get it over with. But it's like it is, you know, it's your famous last act. It's awful. Yep. And so yes, it's in. Well, not technically. Understandable, but unforgivable decision by Pax, but I wish, I wish, I wish, Darrow's shock had cleared enough in that moment to go, oh, whoa, we had a deal because that he could have got out of it so clean without any embarrassment and the jackal still would have. But it all happens so fast.

And I'm going to tell you. Well, I got to say to get to this point from the book, obviously we have there then the slash up into the throat, the detonator comes through, the blast. Pax jumps on Darrow. Yeah. Says a shutter, a spasm, 10 impacts as the jackal stabs at Pax trying furiously to get at me like some a rabid animal digging in the dirt, digging through Pax to kill me while I'm down. Horrendous.

Dude, I will tell you this, Dan, the jackal violently stabbing through Pax is one of the most disturbing and grotesque things I've read in any book ever. And I literally squirm every time I read it. That that description, because I can just picture an animal digging, that description of him carving through a human trying to kill what's underneath it in a game that doesn't require killing. No. You're not even supposed to kill people. Yes, it encourages not to kill.

It is truly, I mean, it's brilliant storytelling, but it is, it makes me physically uncomfortable every single time I mean. To have one chapter of maybe 20 pages to make a character one of the most horrific villain. Horrific villains I have ever read in my life is some of the most brilliant storytelling and writing you will ever see. Incredible. And the Jack, like in this chapter, it's just one. One chapter. And you go, for the love of God, this person is horrifying.

Because he lived up to all the brain hype building up to this. Everything we were afraid of. And then we fell into the sense of security of, oh, the jackal isn't a violent supervill. He's a brain mastermind supervill. And he goes, watch this. Wrong. Yes. absolutely horrifying incredible uh it is so sad dan and it is we have would you would you agree this is

the first devastating death lea is really sad lea is really sad oh no this is put the book down yeah this is and it's it's it's almost brilliant from pierce to have apollo be killed as well because you're you're like excited again it ends on a very exciting note but there's even you know mustang has been taken he we get to apollo apollo tells darrow that mustang has been taken And I wrote down this quote just because it's like Darrow is now truly on a warpath. He says, first packs, now the girl who sang Eva's song by the fire, the girl who pulled me from the mud, the girl who curled beside me as the smoke swirled in our little cave, brilliant Mustang, who would follow me out of choice. And this is where I led her. I did not expect this.

I did not plan for this. They have her. Yep. That is, that I think shows the devastation of like first packs is dead. and now they have Mustang too. And in that moment, like, as the reader, I'm like, oh, my God. Dude, read the last quote. I know you have two, but read that big one.

Yeah, because then I'll tell you something I have to say about this interaction. It says, this is with Darrow and Apollo. We're floating in the air now, high, very high. I dangle like a hanging man as he hits me again. I moan. But as I do, I remember one thing I learned from Fitchner as I clapped his shoulder in the woods. If Apollo is holding my hair and I do not feel his pulse shield, then it is turned off. It is turned off over.

his entire body. He has physical recoil armor everywhere else except one place. So remember when we said in that scene during testing when it could have said, I take the test in a bright room, I do well, but instead we got all that stuff about the stylus and the doctors and the nanocams, whatever. This horrific moment that we just lived through, most authors would let that breathe, would give us a minute to sit here and this person died. Dobby dies and we're going to bury him at Shell Cottage, right? We don't race off to something else. He doesn't go, Harry doesn't go, Belichick will pay for this. Let's get out of here. Let's operate. Let's take a moment and bury Dobby. The whiplash that you get at the end of this chapter is so

impressive writing and such a great choice by Pierce. I'm thinking to myself, Pax is killed, I'm thinking to myself, okay, the wolf pack is going to hunt down the jackal and kill him. but I'm also so mad about packs that I don't even care because, yes, we have to kill the jackal, but it's not even enough because that doesn't bring packs back. But that's my sole laser focus. Okay. Then the proctors interfere as we're going to get the jackal. Chris. Of course.

I just have to say in that moment when they're chasing this feeble jackal, bleeding stump of a wrist running through the snow. And then Apollo drops down. I'm like, you rat, fuck. Will you get out of here? Like, I'm so mad in that moment. Oh, my God. I'm like, just fuck off. Yep, you loser.

Because again, he has to die. We have to kill him because he can't get away. So then the Proctor interferer, of course. And now I go, oh my God, we're not even going to kill the jackal. This is one of the true disaster chapters I've ever read in any book. Then they also have Mustang. And I'm like, enough, dude. I cannot handle this.

Pax was too much already. Leave Mustang out of this. Then we get a really cool Darrow reveal where a lot of things are finally coming together for us, like the Fitchner grab boots that he stole, like the Pulse Shield research that he did. Then he fucking kid. Heels Apollo, a proctor, a peerless scarred while he is a student. And as he circles his dead body with howlers, he goes, now we take Olympus. And as the reader, you're like, let's fucking go.

But then you're like, wait, what happened to the jackal? You know, like, where is everybody? Where is, what's going? Where is Mustang? What do I care about? Where is the jackal? Pax is dead. Dude, it is mental.

I am taking body blows, just trying to keep up with the end of this when every other book would just let you be sad for Pax. Yes. And then, in this one, 10 fucking things happen. Oh, it's crazy. I don't even know what state I'm in. I think this is one of the best chapters in any fantasy book of all time. Dude.

And there's one key thing before we leave this chapter as Darrow is floating up in the air, as Apollo is threatening him. He screams to Apollo, I'm going to rip out your bloody damn heart. Bloody damn. And this whiplash that I just talked about makes that line easily missable. Just like I missed it with Titus at the beginning. Absolutely. I think most people read through, it's hard for me to remember,

but most people read right through that. You don't even notice. 100%. Dude, one quick chirp on Apollo, and then we're off to the next chapter. When he, think about everything that's just happened. Sure. Okay. And you've tried to kill Darrow.

You've tried to actively kill Darrow a million times. Him getting him here and going like this, hey, we took Mustang. You better lose to the jackal. I'm like this. Kill Darrow did. Like, I can't believe you thought that like one of, maybe one more scheme will beat Darrow. I have a very good idea. This kid has thwarted you every fucking chance he's gotten maybe to get rid of.

You're like, hanging you of a thousand feet in the air. and you go, just lose on purpose next time, or we'll get your little girly too. And I'm like, sit his throat. Dude, I'm just like, how are you doing this? You get everything you fucking, you got everything you deserve. Dude, well, you remember what he says? No.

It's maybe my favorite line in the, actually no, my favorite line. You reap what you sow, dude, bitch. And like the being the reaper is like to be able to kill someone and say you reap what you sow. It's actually an all-time kill line. It's an all-time kill line. I think a lot of people skip over it. Yeah, yeah. Too much is happening.

He fucking buries that knife ring through his fucking eye socket and goes, you reap what you sow, you proctor, peerless scarred, cunt. I think he hits a four times. Oh, yeah. Oh, so, it's unbelievable. Insane. Which brings us to chapter 42, war on heaven. We look like wolves, and we smell blood. Stiff cock.

Yeah. Darrow takes Apollo's grab boots, shield, helmet, and razor. He gives the boots and ghost cloak to Severo. The two of them fly to Olympus, carrying. the howlers. They storm the mountain and find Venus first. They tie her up and gag her as she screams confusion and outrage. They search all the fancy and pampered chambers for the other proctors. Juno breaks clown's arm and almost drowns him in the baths before they subdue her. They take more proctors in the search for Jupiter, tactus killing Greys who try to attack them. Finally, they find

him, a mass of a man wearing armor and wielding a razor. He and Darrow square off. It's a rage of a fight. They hurt and slash each other and go tumbling out a window 100 meters down into the the snow. Jupiter taunts Darrow and then Darrow uses his trick. He throws his razor to the ground for several, invisible in his ghost cloak to slash Jupiter's hamstrings and slice his arms. They take his armor and weapon and drag him back to Olympus. Darrow and his army find the armory. They have taken Olympus. Every time that hamstring slash happens, I'm like, oh, there's a lot of hamstring slashing in these books. Smart. Oh, yeah, brother. That'll fucking cripple you. This is one of those chapters. Dan and I have a book club and we, which is where we first read these books.

and we read a lot of books like this. This is one of those chapters in the book club where there's barely anything to talk about because you're reading it so fast and it's just chaos and fighting. And it's awesome. It's fun, right? So I'll have a few tidbits for you.

One, Apollo's been banging Venus. So funny. Like his underwear is by the bathtub. Like Darrell gets in there. Venus is like the joke I made at the top of the app. She has cheesecake waiting for her. She's brushing the snow off. Just help the jackal run away.

She's like, curly hair at Apollo. Where are you? You're ready to. Come back to bed. I want you twice before Jamie gets home. Literally, dude. She's like, you fucking dumb ass. We've cheated for the jackal annulia of time and we killed Darrow.

We're about to kill Mustang. Hurry up, big boy. It's like fucking good God. You guys suck. Banged out again, dude. And listen, I can, me of all people can appreciate the cheesecake, Dan, but she is a hoe for show and has horrible taste in men because Apollo is not it, dude. Truly the biggest fat rat pig you will ever find. So then they're just banging through.

Someone's in the hollow experience, like watching Cassius, whatever. Then they find Mercury, who is awesome. And he's fighting really hard. And I love that the Mercury fight, this is also great for Pierce, is essentially the Indiana Jones scene when Harrison Ford had to shit himself, where he pulls up the razor and Darrow has his blade and Darrow's like, I, for some reason this, this scene sticks out in my mind. I was like, I, for some reason, this, it's such a great call, Chris, for some reason this scene sticks out in my mind every time I read it. Him like drunk and like laughing. Yeah, yeah.

Giggling and fucking razor whipping people. Hirting people. I'm like, this is terrifying. Like this dude's drunk as shit just like giggling it up, yucking it up, having a grand old time. Everyone else running to the hills. And he doesn't give a fuck. Yeah. And then you're going to.

No. Well, then you get Jupiter. Like you said, Mr. First Pick. Yeah. Mr. First Overall pick. Jupiter. I love this chapter. It's a chip, quick chapter. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And there's

just, but there's so much subtlety in the world building that he's done. One, it shows how loyal Darrow's army is. Yes. Obviously, immediately, the howlers are like, oh yeah, let's go. But then to see the rest of them

storm in, Tactus is like killing grace. He's like, I don't give a fuck, dude. You want to storm Olympus? Let's storm Olympus. And it also shows the insanity of goals. The fact that there isn't protocol here to shut everything down the second they get to Olympus, they're like, oh, the great, great season. Dude, damn. Like I said, I mean, like, they're all right. Shit, dude. Like, this is crazy. It's one of the best games I've ever seen. Like, they just go with it. But it also shows the dichotomy of the different proctors, like,

the fact that Apollo and Venus are just, like, fucking. And, like, Venus is kind of pathetic in that moment. But then, like, the fights escalate. It's like, There's the clown's arm getting broken in the bathtubs, Mercury being insane. But then I think it's so important that Jupiter is not some coward clown. Jupiter wears his armor. Jupiter won this game. He is like, oh, dude, you've made a fucking huge mistake.

I have a razor. I'm going to fucking murder you. I'll literally kill all of them. The amount of times he calls Darrow a little boy in their face off. That was actually pissing me off. He says it so much. He says it so much. It's kind of a good chirp at first.

but when he says it, I was like, you sound like a clown. Well, you know what it is? It's Ramsey calling John Snow a bastard. He says bastard every other word. Because he's like, you were a little boy. You're a little boy. You can't do this little boy. And Darrow's just like, say it again.

Yeah. I dare you. I dare you. Yep. So, dude, in that, I wanted to call you out in the positive here, because you brought this up a couple of episodes ago. Jupiter, this is, again, Darrow's rage and unconventional fighting that help him win. Jupiter has his razor out and is ready to go.

He's ready to whip him and. take his arm up. And Darrow's just like, spear, spear, headbutt, headbutt, you know, he's out of control. And these gold, this isn't going to save his life forever, but it has saved his life many times in this book. The way he is clearly not a gold if they were paying attention. Yeah. Right. He can't use a razor for shit. He's just a uncaged animal. Um, and then also dude, a third, I can't really do three, this one, a third great Severo reveal to complete the hat trick in this book. He's very cool. Uh, great. Do you know what the best part of this part of this? this moment is?

What? He, the Darrow tosses the razor. Jupiter's like, what the fuck? Yeah. It gets picked up by seemingly hairy under his invisibility cloak, slashes the hamstrings, and then Jupiter turns to

absolutely cleave someone's head off, but just whiffs because several's so short. Dude, I wrote down, Dan, kind of a ricochet shot by Pierce when several hamstrings Jupyton and it goes, Jupiter swings his razor, but it's two feet high. I was like, okay. Listen, several's a small guy.

Jupiter's big. Like, Jesus Christ. How about a foot? How about six inches high? How about nearly clipped Severo's head? Clips his wolfier is on the top. Two feet high. I was like, okay.

Severo's like, I'm fine. Fuck off, dude. I'm not that fucking short. That was amazing. There are two quotes I love here at the end that just show how, like the, the paradigm, as you said. The proctors have played their games. They pushed and pushed for so long.

They knew I was something dangerous, something different. Sooner or later, they had to know I would snap and come to cut them down. Or perhaps they think I'm still a time. child, the fools. Alexander was a child when he ruined his first nation. So good. Awesome. And then this one.

Funny thing, watching gods realize they've been mortal all along. What a lie. Unbelievable. What a lie. Great, great stuff. Which takes us to chapter 43, the last test. Darrow finds Mustang safe in bed. He wakes her and they share a long, awaited kiss.

Come on. Yes! Then he sends her to take the jackal. Darrow finds the hard drives from the hollow transmitters and has several delete a specific part of the files before it's sent to the drafters. He brings Fitchner up from the Apollo Dungeons. Darrow feels he has all but won the game, but Fitchner warns him of three things that must happen. First, he must duel Cassius if he is to win. No easy feat.

Second, the repercussions of Olympus. The drafters will see what's happened and why. Perhaps the arch-governor will be removed of his post and shamed for cheating. For that, he will blame Darrow. Third, Darrow just sent Mustang and half his army to get the jackal. And Mustang, Virginia a Augustus, is the jackal's twin sister. Crazy that the Bologna's and the Augustus had twins? Insane.

And were all this year. Like there were four of them here. That's ridiculous. Darrow acts in haste, preparing what remains of his army for the coming war with the Augustus twins. The proctors laugh at Darrow's mistake as they gather armor and weapons. First, they descend upon Castle Mars. time to take back his home. Antonia, Vixus, and Cassandra

are cut down quick and sent to Olympus with medbots. Quickly, the Wolf of Mars flag is replaced with a bed sheet with the sling blade painted up. Painted on it. The students of Mars welcomed the Reaper, one in particular. From the book, A thin boy I hardly recognize delivers it

to me, but when he grabs me in a skeletal embrace, a hug so hard it hurts, I know who he is. A silent sob echoes in my chest. He is quiet as he hugs me. Then his body shudders like Pax's did as he met death. Except these shutters come from joy, not pain. Roke lives.

My brother, he sobs. My brother. Mars is a wreck, and Cassius gave up long ago. Roke and Pollux tell Darrow not to kill him. He is a wreck for what he did. Time to face him. From the book. He sits with his iron blade out on House Mars's table.

He's in the seat I carved with my sigil. The old house flag lies across his knee. The primus hand dangles around his neck. So much time has passed since he put that sword in my belly. The weapon looks silly now, a toy, a relic. I am so far past this room, past his blade, past his reach, yet his eyes stop my heart. The guilt is like black bile in my throat, fills my trust, and drains me. Cassius gives the Mars banner, standard, and primus necklace to Darrow, but then peels back

a scab on his knuckle, sucks blood and spits it in Darrow's face. He declares a blood feud and leaves. baby I have so many quotes from this chapter okay good good right at the top when he finds Mustang lovely scene it's kind of fun seeing her wake up and it'd be happy for a moment it almost reminds me of when she was nursing darrow back to life and he's like yo all is well

and then he kind of wakes up like oh I've been stabbed I envision her waking up similarly here where she's like oh Darrow yeah and she says like I was having a dream about purple dragon yeah she's like all good He's like, hey, I killed Apollo. Some bad shit's happened. But, Dan, this line killed me. He goes, he's like watching a, I forget what he's watching. He's like watching some hollow of something.

And he goes, this is how Augustus saw Eo as he killed her. An aunt. No, he called her a red bitch. Yeah. And I go, Darrow, I have some bad news. It was actually a rusty bitch. It's worse than you thought, pal. I have some terrible news, dude.

Maybe. We don't tell him, but. It was even worse. He called her a rusty bitch. He called her a rusty bitch, lest he continued to howl. The kiss. We got the kiss. Horny C.P.

He's been waiting for it. All book. Dera says, I can't give her flowers, the flowers of Mars, and it's born of the red soil. May I read? It's still Eos. It is a beautiful. Yeah, read this bullshit. He says, this is when I kiss her.

I cannot give her the himanthus. That is my heart, and it is of Mars. One of the only things born from the red soil, and it is still Eos. But this girl, when they talk. Tucker, I would have done anything to see her smirking again. Perhaps one day I'll have two hearts to give. Shut the fuck up, dude. Forget, Eo.

It's born of red soil. You have a new golden... Fuck hot. Carved by Mickey. Give it to Mustang, the golden goddess who loves you right now. Damn. Outrageous, dude. You're evil.

And in this moment, because they have a good kiss. It's not just like a peck. Oh, it's hot. They're going after it. And he even says, like, they're kissing. He's like, I have time. Dude, so Dan, he goes, the line is this. She says,

There is a bed. There is time. And first of all... I'm like clap cheeks, bro. First of all, Dan. What are you doing? How much time do you need, bud? You haven't been laid in two years.

I haven't been laid in years. You can do it ten times. How much time do you actually need? Yeah, ten minutes? Go for the decade. I don't know if Mickey makes it a little less sensitive or something, but I feel like this would be a pretty quick endeavor. Yeah.

Second of all, is there time? Like, you just said, we couldn't even... We didn't even have time to enslave the jackal. We're on such a time crunch And Darrow has just killed a proctor And he goes, there is time And I'm like, there's no time There is no time for anything

We have to go right now I suppose all of the proctors are subdued So he's like What's gonna fuck with me? In fact, there is always time To bang Mustang, you're right? You know, here's a crazy deep cut The Mask when Darian has the mask on

And Cameron Diaz just wants one more Dorian, yeah Dorian Wants one more kiss And he's like, there's always time For one last. Yes. Hey, pal, before we started this,

I would have not have guessed that you would have quoted the mask and Dorian, no less, but you did. And I'm proud of you. It was perfect. It was perfect. Here's my big question to you

in this chapter. Okay. Because I have an answer to something you spoke of earlier. Okay. My huge question to you, oh, I know what you're going to bring up. Nice.

I want to talk about that too. I never see anything coming in books or movies. It's one of my favorite parts about me. I just, I'm on the journey, and it's all good. whatever. Ignorance is bliss, baby. So Virginia being the Jackals twin sister totally took me out. I was

like, oh my God, what a play. Maybe some people saw that coming because it had been foreshadowed a lot. But I had just been mad at others. This is what you're going to talk about, I think, for not telling Darrow more things. So why wait if you're Fitchner? Like, why is Darrow just finding this out now? Okay. So we have two quotes here. Yep. Fichner. in Fitchner is the he brings Fichner up and he's the only Proctor not tied up and Darrow and he have another conversation and

Fitchner continues to ask here he's like why what are you what drives you do what are you doing the same question that the jack jack last very cool and Darrow says I am not a balona not in Augustus not an Octavia Alune I smile wickedly something he can appreciate but I want to be able

to stand above them and piss on their gory damn heads that as he says something he can appreciate. He's like, I want to, I want to break the system. Yeah. It's, it's, uh, it's, uh, it's Danny in Thrones. Like, I want to break the wheel. It's been going on too long. And I think when Fitchner says the three things, you have to face Cassius in a duel. You have to potentially deal with the repercussions of what you've just done. And there's a third thing. He's like, do you trust your army? And Darrow's like, without,

fail. They are different. And he goes, well, then the third thing doesn't matter. Yeah. And Daryl's like, well, then, well, what is it? Because I want to know everything here. I genuinely think Fitchner is watching this game, because if there's anything that the Storming of Olympus shows us is that the Proctor's don't know everything. They are clowns. And I think Fitchner understands that while they are kids and they don't know everything, he has watched Darrow do go against every warning he has given him and succeeded. And I think Fitcher's like, this fucking kid, maybe he's different, dude, I don't know. And I think he sees Mustang. He, he, he, he, he jibes him. He's like, Mustang, Mustang. He's making fun of him. But then it's like, you guys make a pretty good team. Yeah. I think there is a part of him

that's like, I don't know, dude, maybe, maybe she is anti-Augustus. Like, she's been, so far, she is fucking batting a thousand. Yep. So I think there's a part of him that's like, I don't want to He has done everything he's set out to do. And if I give him this information, it could blow everything up. I think the answer is perfect. I think that's the only reason he hesitates. And for me, it's confirmed here when he's like, well, then I'm not going to tell you, dude.

If you really trust her, I'm not going to tell you. Because if Fitchner says nothing here, Darrow just like flies to wherever they are. He's just waiting for her to bring to house Pluto. He's waiting for her to do exactly what she did. Yeah, he just flies to house Pluto and then she shows up. And he's like, hey, babe, we will see. you. Do you want to go bang? Yeah. Dude, so you're right. That was my instinct to where he went, early in the game. He goes, if Darrow finds out who she is, he might snap on her, and I like this

alliance so far, so I'm totally with you. And then here's what I want your take on. This, pretend she is bad. Pretend she is on the jackal side. Well, we don't even know yet. Right. Well, you do in this chapter. No, no, no, no. Next chapter. Find out. This twist would totally track with Pierce's writing so far. Oh, Darrow has a big perfect plan. Hug. Everyone's happy. And then bang, slapped in the face.

All the proctors are laughing at him. You sent your whole army to the jackal. Nightmare. I, in this chapter, I'm talking Chris, real time reading this book. I never believed this for a second. Did you? Mustang and Darrow were too tight. Even as Darrow was tweaking about this, I was like, bro.

There's no universe. Oh, you didn't believe that they were twins. No, no. I didn't believe that she was now fighting on. great, I've just sent Mustang to fight with the jackal and they're about to come attack me. I was like, no fucking way. So let me give you two things. Yeah. One,

I was nervous. Okay. Specifically because of the way I tracked back to when she saw him before he stapsed her. And I was like, oh no, that is bad. And then also when he's like, go bring me the jackal and she's like, as you wish, good Reaper. And like

Kurtzies. Yeah, yeah. It's just like, it could look like a her being like this. This is all working perfectly. Yep. the one thing that saves me is you're holding the book and I'm like there's 20 pages left of this book oh fair fair fair yeah truly that is like the one thing that saves me because I was like no way dude yeah and again I don't predict things but I was just like there's just no but it's also the way pierce writes he says this Virginia augustus sister to the jackal twin an heir of the great family the gens augusta the only daughter of arch governor narrow are augustus the man who made all this happen those are

moments where he writes so well when you're like that is exactly what is in darrow's head and you're like no dude fuck me but the end of that chapter the the the showdown with cassius i'm sure you heard it in my voice i almost cried reading that reunion with roke this when he's talking to roke and pollux don't kill him please it ate his mind up man ate it all up what he did to you we all found out so just let him get some time away from this place man it does things to your head makes you forget we don't have a choice. Paulix kicks a piece of mud. The bastards put me in with a little girl, you know. I, that part is the fact that Roke and Pollock's like, don't kill Cassius. Yeah. Is like, what, what an arc of this book Cassius went through? Like, all the ups and downs for him

to now get here when you've just been told you're going to have to duel him. And you get there, Roke is alive. So many of House Mars are like, fuck yes, you're, back and they go, dude, don't kill him. Like he is, he is destroyed in there. It's nuts. How bad you, you as the reader, you're like, fucking Cassius, like go cut his head off. And then to find out that he's just sitting in that war room destroyed, both from the game and what he did to you and everything that's happening, you're just like, oh my God, dude, this is like, this kid is going to need therapy. Yeah, in a big way. Well, let me, I have something about Roke for you and then I want to debate something with Cassius. My Roke thing is this. I'm so happy he's alive. And I talked about

lessons if he goes, I left Mustang home for no reason. Alert, alert, alert, siren, siren, siren. Good lesson here about people dying off camera. Roke's dead. Alert, alert, alert, you know, pay attention. An observation I have about that, though, is Pierce Brown is really, really good at working with main characters off screen for a while. And it's something I complain about George R. Martin a lot, where we just lose people. And I'm like, what is going on? And I get distracted and all this bullshit. Somehow losing Roke and Cassius for the entire second half of the book, no jackal for the entire first half of the book. First half, no jackal even heard of for the first half.

And no jackal seen for the first eight ninths. And then being without several for really long stretches, he just, Pierce wields that as a weapon almost. He hides characters from you really effectively and you never feel like you're missing out. So huge credit and Rokes being here was awesome. Let me ask you a question. Sorry. No, I'm going to switch to Cassius, so ask me a question. Okay, well, switch to Cassius because I have one thing to say.

And you, I think having what you just said before, I think you're going to disagree with me here. Dero's interaction with Cassius in this part makes me fuming, fuming that. A lot of books do this where you hate a guy and then you love this guy. Jamie Lannister comes to mind, right? this is that in the reverse where all this build up Cassius and I were brothers and you have this horrible thing that happened but now we're getting all this build up where it feels like we're headed towards this great apology and reconciliation don't kill him it's been killing it's been killing him what he did to you and me Chris Powers I don't even want the reconciliation right now I'm like fuck you Cassius you rat you stab me in the stomach like I don't want it but if that's where we're headed fine I'll live in that world go apologize and you guys can hug again and be brothers This place does it to you. You know, it's not his fault. The guilt aided him.

Then they walk in and Darrow has the stones to go, I'm sorry about Julian. It's actually an incredible opening line when he walks in. It is the first thing he says. He walks and looks at Cassius and goes, I'm sorry about Julian. Like a man. I'm sorry about Julian. And Cassius goes high and mighty here. Cassius goes, was it worth it?

Yes, you fuck bag. It was worth it. Just like it would have been worth it to you if you were winning. But instead you suck at this and you have fleas in your eye. You have fleas. You have fleas, you idiot. So yes, it was worth it. Bloodfewed my ass, you fucking loser.

I came in here, survived you betraying me, and now I'm extending the olive branch and you bloodfewed me, blow me. I don't fucking hate this, in a good way, but I'm like, I don't totally disagree because I don't think he asks, was it worth it as like a pompous bitch? I think he's genuinely asking.

I think it's like Gamora to Thanos. I think he goes, was it worth it? Because when Darrell goes, yes, he's like, that's simple, dude. And then he's like, that's the difference between you and me. Yeah, and I'm like, shut up Cassius. But dude, you got to remember, he is a kid. Cassius was not prepared for this. He was not prepared for this.

Because Cassius is a high-born bitch. Hot boy. Yep. Who's never really struggled for anything. The only suffering he's ever done is the death of a brother. And he is now like, dude, this shit is, I did not know war. And I was not ready for it. And I won't fault him for that, but he is too emotionally corrupted here.

And in this blood feud, he spits in Dara's face and says, this line is incredible. Yeah, just the way it's written. He says, this is a blood feud. He hisses in high lingo. If ever we meet, you are mine or I am yours. If ever again, we draw breath in the same room, one breath shall cease. Hear me now, you wretched worm. We are devils to one another till one rots in hell.

let me ask you a question if someone said that to you would you go i am dead for sure yeah because i would yes one thousand percent and i would be like this good oh no good lord that's the greatest speech i've ever heard i am fucking finished if i ever see you and you've already dueled him like he's gonna kill you again he killed you once hear me now you wretched worm we are devils to one another till one rots in hell and dude like i said about george about jamy lannister i should say cool from pierce to give us this guy that we loved. We loved, we loved. And now he is like, I leave that going, you're worse than Jackal. Like, I hate you more than anyone I've ever hated in any book. I have two quotes to finish up this chapter that I just fucking loved. I mean, this is incredible. The howlers and I come from the sky like

golden gods. Our ragged cloaks flat behind us. But if the besiegers expected us to be proctors bringing more gifts, they could not have been more mistaken. We land hard on the earth. The howlers first and I land at their head. And as I hit, the enemy scatter before me in utter terror. Reaper has come home. I'm like, bro. And then this one, too. Electric. This one, too.

This is the, I think the end. I leave the castle through the spire. I am a red hell diver of Lycos. I am gold primus of house Mars. And I am going to my last battle in this bloody damn valley. After that, the real war begins. Yeah. Sometimes people chirpiers for these being so macho.

But these quotes, I would punch a hole through a vault, a bank vault. Yeah. I am so fired up when this is happening. about it. Unreal. Which brings us to chapter 44, the final chapter of Red Rising Book 1, Rise. I am the spark that will set the worlds of fire. I am the hammer that cracks the chains. That's my favorite quote in the book. They prepare for the final battle. Mars has the advantage with the higher ground, but before any fight can begin, Mustang arrives with the jackal,

disarmed and bound. She remained loyal to Darrell. He has won. The drafters descend on Olympus to congratulate Darrow. He's told he will have all the suitors he can imagine for apprenticeships. Severo says he deleted the conversation with him and Apollo. Darrow knows he said Bloody Dam, but he doesn't know if Severo knows what that means. Narrow-Augustis approaches Darrow and shocks him. From the book, I will provide you with funds and patronage requirements. I will introduce you to the sovereign. I will do all these things for your silence if you become one of my lancers, and Aed de Kamp, a member of my household. Daryl looks at all the drafters who could offer him a chance to rise in the academy. He looks at Lorna Arcos, the Rage Knight, then back to the man

he hates most of all and accepts his offer. From the book, Darrow, Lancer of House Augustus, rise. There are duties for you to fill. Rise. There are honors for you to take. Rise for glory, for power, for conquest and dominion over lesser men. Rise, my son. Rise. Brough. Got to be honest, do you hear that? He's kissed. in your forehead. You hate the guy. I'm in. Think about the fancy clothes. The fancy cars. The fancy stuff. Sounds like a pretty sweet

job. What are the perks? What are the bennies? So real quick, I want to say, I would have loved to have seen Mustang getting the jackal. They obviously can't show me that, but I really am really curious because, of course, all the proctors are basically tied up, so there's no one left to help the jackal cheat and he's stump boy, so I get it.

But I actually am really curious how she got him, because there are Pluto people alive, you know, she just rolled in there and took him, has him gagged and bound. So I would love to know that. Then can you please read your top quote? Because this is one of the best, this is one of the best things in the book? Unbelievable. Yet the question remains, is Mustang her father's daughter? Or is she the girl who hums Eo's song? I think I know the answer. She is what golds can be, should be. Yet her father and brother are what golds are. Eo never would have guessed it could be this complicated. There is goodness in golds, because in many ways,

they are the best humanity can offer, but they're also the worst. What does that do to her dream? Only time will tell. Stunning. Stunning pros there, dude. Stunning? It is the entire point of the series,

and sometimes in these fantasy books, you are on something, and then you see the bigger picture. This isn't a perfect analogy, but just the first one coming to mine. Actually, Horrocks is probably the better one. You're like, okay, I'm doing this thing, and then there's a way bigger thing afoot.

I was going to say Thrones, where you're like, okay, there are, there's people, there's bad guys over the wall. And you're like, dude, no, this isn't a, or sorry, this isn't a battle for this throne. There is bad guys over the wall coming. We have a way bigger issue. This is the curtain has lifted and it's perfect timing because the Institute just ended. EO, I've said a million times. EO did not know what she was asking. But EO couldn't comprehend either that there is good in gold. Is that Mustang? I don't know. And can, they are the best of us. Golds are the best of us. They are better. than reds. They are better than every other color, but it's going to take them treating that power. It's Spider-Man. With great power comes great responsibility. Yes. That is the whole point. And this paragraph sums it up perfectly. Perfectly, you said it. This prose is unbelievable and it is remarkable to read this whole book and to see, especially when you've read the whole series like we have, Mustang and frankly the Augustus family is a perfect microcosm of this series. What he says, golds are the best that humanity can be, but they are also the worst.

Mustang is the best. The rest are the worst. Yes. How does that balance work? Who wins? Who drowns? Who survives? It's unbelievable.

And just this whole thing, like the way it ends so quickly is also, it's not rushed. It's perfectly done because it would happen this way. The game is over and the society goes like this. Yeah, we move on. Like, congratulations. Now you go to the academy. Hope you enjoyed the institute, bitch. I said leaving that school must be insane.

Like, dude, you literally, I'm trying to equate it to like, oh, college ended, or, you know, you were all in the WME mailroom together. But it's like, you get up there and you're like, okay, hags. And dude, that is what Augustus says to, so as much as we hate Augustus, you do see the knowledge in the golds all the time. And here, he's talking to Darrow. And he's like, dude, do you think your army is going to be loyal to you? They're going to be drafted by other houses. They're going to go to the far asteroid belt, to the other. moons. They are going to fight you. Yes. I won this. I've been through it. Yes, it's a great little

moment. You have your time together, but they will be your enemy before nightfall. Yep. Wake up. Dude, he gives the classic this generation stuff. Every this generation thinks, but Nero is completely right. Derek's going, I'm different. And I'm like, you're not different. You're not. You are not different at all. And I love this line. It says, funny how a single word can change everything in your life. It is not funny at all. Steel is power. Money is power. But of all, the things in all the world's words are power. It's the right, actually let me say this thing about Severeaux quickly. I love the way Pierce presents that Severeaux deleting the bloody damn.

It's so good to us because it leaves us in the dark along with Darrow. I think because it's told in past tense. If that had happened in real time, which it easily could have, Darrow or we would have felt like there was a chance to push for more when Severeux goes, I deleted that. If it was happening in a real conversation, as the reader, I'd have been like, ask him, something. Why? What did he delete specifically? But the fact that Darrow is telling us it happened hours ago. Well, and he says, Severo goes, the storm was too loud. I couldn't hear what you

said. So I just deleted the whole conversation. And then I just, as the reader, I go, oh, shit. And now it's also amazing, flashing forward to the very end, that this remains unresolved. Darrow doesn't get to go talk to Severo. He leaves so much for us to chew on going into book two there. Incredible. And then about the very ending, it's, it's a great, I love it because it's the right choice by and it's the right choice by Darrow. Keep your enemies close. This is the best access. Lauren would be great,

but this is the best. And Will of the Many, which I hope we review someday, goes a different direction with almost this exact scene at the end. And I really like that for that book and that choice.

But this works here because it's not just about Darrow and what his mission is. It's also about who Nero is as well. Darrow says his pride reeks. He needs the best to fill his farm system. He's like,

I have no nephews. and nieces, Bologna has everything. And he even says here, like, no one's going to feel bad for the Jackal, Adrius. But he's like, my one great son was murdered. Yeah. I have him. Yep. And I have a daughter, but I don't have great people in my stock. That's why I need you. So he's acting on day one, hour one of free agency in front of everybody. And frankly, this is probably tampering. But all the other drafters gas. Yeah. Like Darrow even remarks, he's like the impropriety of it. He's like, this is not how it should go, but here we go. But he doesn't.

Just renounce my name for this guy. Yeah. I am a little surprised that Nero is good with, he's like, yo, don't tell anyone about cheating. And Daryl's like, I won't. And he's like, what about your friends? And he's like, they won't either. And Nero's like, okay. Doesn't have a choice.

Doesn't have much of choice, right? Darrow says no here and he is fuck, fuck. Yeah, yeah. So, dude, it's a beautiful, beautiful ending with a bold decision, but launches, launches you into book two. The other part of that quote, that I love. This is our end.

Darrow says, I will win. I will sharpen myself into a sword. I will give my soul. I will dive to hell in hopes of one day rising to freedom. I will sacrifice. And I will grow my legend and spread it amongst the peoples of all the worlds until I am fit to lead the armies that will break the chains of bondage.

Because I am not simply an agent of the sons of Aries. I am not simply a tactic or a device in Aries's schemes. I am the hope of my people, of all people in bondage. And we're like, someone hand me book to immediately. So that will take us to the honors of our Red Rising series in the last episode before we move on to the second book. We'll start with from the scrolls of Tyrion Lannister given to the character who provided the most impactful words. For us, this section, it is Fitchner. Wow.

Just think Fichner in this section gives us so much. He talks to Darrow. He tries to reason with him, but like we talked about that one section, he shows his cards. He is a father looking out for his son while also looking out for Darrow when he says, you will die to. I think Fitchner does become a good proctor towards the end here. He really does give Darrow the information that he has. He trusts Darrow, starts to show some faith in him.

But at the end of the day, Fichner being the only proctor not tied up, doesn't necessarily have to do with the fact that it's Mars's proctor, but it's because Darrow is like, I do trust you. If he didn't trust him, Darrow would have not brought him up. He would have kept him tied up. He would have been an asshole to him. And I think Darrow shows he really does appreciate him because at the end of the day, throughout, Fitchner has helped him. Yes. And he might be getting a little ricochet from his previous sections on this, but it is really, and I'm going to get to this in my next one.

But it is really that familial bond that is cool here and coming through. And those quotes, dude, hit me the hardest. The way he talks about his son. And Darrow, who he's come to love, hit me the hardest throughout this part. and Fitchner has been wise, has been wise in secret. You know, like, he's telling Darrow things without telling it to him all book, and he's doing it here too. For sure.

It's the push he needs. Yep. Our next honor is Dobby the house elf given to the character, who is the unsung hero providing aid behind the scenes. We are giving this final Dobby honor to Severo. Severo has been called Darrow's shadow many times already. Darrow says Severo won't leave his side, but in this section it locks it in permanently for me.

Severo and tactics, to be fair, lead the charge on taking house Apollo when everyone's in the jam field. But that stuff is old hat for him. He's been doing that basically all since the frozen point. Severo's been doing that shit for Darrow. But Darrow gives Severo the job of getting the right message out to the drafters

when he's editing the footage. He wouldn't trust that job to anyone else, maybe not even Mustang. No chance. You know what I mean? Like literally he goes, this is the message. because they can send whatever they want to the world, to the drafters, to all the planets.

Severo, you know my mind, you know what I want out there. Please tell the right story. That is so important. And then several, of course, as we've talked about, takes it a step further. Hey, Darrow, the storm scrambled some audio, so I deleted your last line. That's my dog right there. That's my goblin. Because Darrow doesn't say that.

That's not his instructions. He's saying, oh, go tell the right story. Severo goes out of his way to do that. And on top of all that, Severo being Fitchner's son, makes us appreciate so much more of this, their interactions, which Darrell brings up. Remember the deer when he's like, he could have killed it closer to the fucking castle. And Fitzner's like,

the goblin left the deer, so now you will starve. He's like, listen, shitbag. Yeah. But Fitchner's vulnerability around Darrow regarding the love for his son, we have seen some pretty intense family relations among Golds. Mustang and the Jackal, Augustus and his kids.

The way he talks, you know, he's like, I don't give a fuck. Like, my good son died. Yeah. There is no, there is love lost among gold families. Admittedly, the Bologna seemed kind of lovely. They're all hugging and sad. But Fichner, Severo's relationship gives us something we didn't know existed beyond the Red Clans in the minds, and they would pull each other's feet.

And Darrow now gets to see that and loves them both for it. Incredible. Next is the way of the Benegeseret given to the character who cannot be trusted or shows outright devious nature. There is no question that this goes to the jackal. The jackal. As I said, in one simple chapter, Pierce Brown, Delft, delivers maybe the greatest villain in sci-fi and fantasy literature history. I genuinely mean that. He is the most intelligent, devious, cunning, evil and vile character we have seen in decades,

in books. And every line that comes out of his mouth is something that you could never even dream up. It's unbelievable the effect he has on every character throughout the book when he's just a ghost. And then now we finally get him in the section face to face and he lives up to the that reputation, as you said. It is unbelievably terrifying that this character still exists. We do forget, yes, our big bad has been thwarted in this book, but Virginia just brings him to Darrow's feet. They imprison him. They win the game, yes, but he still is alive in this society and in the academy. He will be someone to fear long, long into this future. And every bit of him is something that Darrow can't understand. Pax dies because he cannot understand the

jackal. Darrow gets duped by him and gets caught off guard because he can't understand him. And that is the most terrifying enemy of all, the one you can't understand. Darrow said, I shouldn't have let him go before. He frankly lets him go a second time. I know it would have been pretty gnarly, but he could have killed him. The second Mustang dropped him at his feet. But you're right, he's absolutely alive and absolutely the biggest threat left on the board. Yeah. Our final honor of Book 1, the sword axon bow, given to the character deemed to have, have earned our loyalty, belief, and trust above all. We are going Darrow. Have to. Hard to go anyone else. Mustang, maybe, because she was so loyal. Definitely. But no student has ever taken Olympus,

and no student has ever been like Darrow. I made the joke, I think, maybe last ep that the proctor should just sit back and enjoy this season of television that Darrow is giving them. Well, now it's the ring and the characters are crawling out of the screen and killing them. So I kind of get, I get you now. But Darrow does this all perfectly, kills Apollo, handles Mercury, handles Jupiter, handles House Mars with class when he comes back to the students. He doesn't trust Mustang, but I get that a family bond Darrow is scared of because he values family so much. I can forgive him that overreaction. And it's the duplicitous nature. Mustang never said anything. Some major demerits for me, less so for you, are how he handled

the second half of the Jackal Exchange. I wish he had enslaved him. We talked about this. It almost cost him this award. But here Dan Darrow has finally passed all the tests that the Institute have to offer. Unfortunately, the Institute tests are childplay, to what's coming. And Nero makes this very clear. Like, oh, you're king shit here, dude. You won risk. You won a board game. Who cares? So this next decision, which I am making you make right now, will literally determine the rest of your life. Yeah. Which, dude, is like, you know, when you're deciding to go to college or picking your major, they're like, it's okay. There's no wrong answer. You're good. This is like the exact opposite. There are only wrong answers. And there is one

correct one. Don't fuck it up. And as deranged as it is, that he literally becomes a ward to the man who killed his wife. This is the way forward. Both for Darrow to advance and for Pierce to advance the story, because we are ready for the academy, dude. Take us to the stars, bring on the next obstacle that the society wants to throw at us because we are

into deep now. Mateo told us there's no screwing up once you get to the institute or you're in trouble times that by 10,000 as soon as we step into that drop ship. Yeah, no question about it. This is potentially my favorite book of all time. Wow. And I

could not be loving this journey more. As I've said many times, this is some of the most fun I've ever had on this program, and I'm so glad that sci-fi section now exists. That wraps up Red Rising, book one of the Red Rising trilogy, which then goes on to another. And do not worry, I know with TV you're used to in season ending and then having to wait a long, long time. Well, guess what? Next week we begin, Golden Sun. All gas, no breaks. Hail, Reaper.