Sci Fi Section: Red Rising Chapters 7-12

Summary

Empty Netters Podcast – Sci Fi Section: Red Rising (Chapters 7–12)

Almost Friday Media | August 5, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, brothers Dan and Chris Powers dive deep into chapters 7–12 of Red Rising by Pierce Brown for their Sci Fi Section. The focus is on Darrow's resurrection (literally and figuratively), his initiation into the Sons of Ares' plans, the reveal of Mars's shocking truths, and the harrowing carving process that begins his transformation from Red to Gold. The Powers brothers analyze character motivations, symbolism, and worldbuilding with humor, sharp insights, and their trademark sibling banter.

Please note: The episode contains major spoilers for the Red Rising series as the hosts continually reference future events and the overall narrative.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Darrow's Resurrection: The Lazarus Chapter

• [01:31] Chapter 7 – Lazarus
  • Darrow awakens from his supposed execution, drugged and buried alive, only to be rescued by masked members of the Sons of Ares, Harmony and Ralph.
  • The brothers riff on the implausibility (“It is also nightmare fuel. The scene of him talking when he's like, I open my mouth to scream and dirt fills my mouth. What an awful moment that would be, dude.” – Chris, [05:54]).
  • Initial confusion and blurry awareness for Darrow underscores his disconnection and emotional devastation after EO’s death.
  • Notable quote: “My voice is like gravel dragged over metal. ‘Because Ares has a mission for you, little helldiver.’” (Dan, quoting the book, [01:34])

2. The Sons of Ares and Dancer

• [10:01] Chapter 8 – Dancer
  • Darrow meets the enigmatic Dancer and is tested—mentally, not physically—through a rigged card game.
  • Favorite moment: Darrow’s out-of-the-box thinking: “He knows that both are scythes. So he pulls the card, and before Dancer can ask to see it, stuffs it in his mouth and just eats it.” (Dan, [11:35])
  • The podcast draws parallels to moments in other sci-fi and fantasy stories, celebrating Dancer's dynamic as both mentor and manipulator.

“Dancer wants an outlier. I don't need a dude who's just fucking super fast helldiver. I need a guy who's up here too. It's not just about looks. It's about brains.” – Chris [17:18]

• The brothers praise how Dancer navigates Darrow’s grief over EO while pushing him toward a higher cause, “walking the line of parent and radicalizer.”

3. Unveiling the Lie: Seeing Mars’s True Surface

• [22:52] Chapter 9 – The Lie
  • Darrow is brought to the sunlit, thriving city on Mars—a revelation that shatters his belief in everything he’s known.
  • Quote & analysis: “My life is a lie is for me. Even after we saw Gamma gets the Laurel ... it is this moment where he finally breaks.” – Dan [18:12]
  • [24:47] Chris and Dan reflect on the worldbuilding: “It’s awesome world building legitimately. ... In series like this you could plenty of fantasy series go we live on Mars. ... But they really construct a deep, deep history.”
  • The hosts highlight Darrow’s emotional response—overwhelmed, dislocated, and furious at being deceived for generations.

4. The Carver and the Hierarchies of Society

• [30:43] Chapter 10 – The Carver
  • Introduction of Mickey, the Carver—presented with levity, horror, and complexity. He and his workshop are eccentric, obsessed with altering bodies, and a little unhinged.
  • Discussion of color hierarchy: “Every color has a purpose. Every color props up the gold.” – Dan [31:55]
  • Darrow's disgust and awe at the excess and decadence of Gold/High Color society, and his discomfort (“There's a version of this book where Darrow goes, holy fuck, this is dope. ... But he's genuinely bashful here.” – Chris [39:06])
  • Pierce Brown’s homages to other works (ex: “You cannot simply walk or ride into a gold or copper district”—echoing Tolkien).

5. The Mad Plan and Rubik’s Cube Moment

• [40:59] Chapter 11 – Mad
  • Dancer & Harmony’s plan: to physically alter Darrow into a Peerless Gold; Mickey’s revulsion, then excitement at the challenge.
  • Dan and Chris highlight the motif of manipulation—how everyone manipulates everyone else, in and out of the Gold society.
  • The “Rubik’s Cube test” as a litmus of Darrow’s special qualities (“If you can solve a Rubik's Cube quickly ... you're hired.” – Chris [44:42]), and Mickey’s artist ego (“He is talented ... but he can be tricked because of his fucking hubris.” – Dan [42:28])
  • Notable debate on how much is justified by, “I’m the youngest Helldiver ever”—the hosts approve of how it threads plausibility.

6. The Carving: Body, Identity, and Transformation

• [48:54] Chapter 12 – The Carving
  • Sequence covers Darrow’s excruciating transformation: pain, endless surgeries, new body and face, physical therapy, and even learning to read. (“I am told the trauma killed me and had to restart my heart. I've died twice.” – [49:08])
  • Symbolism: his new strength and desire to protect the weak is shown as he stands up for Evie, Mickey’s assistant (“His first act with his new strength is to protect those below him.” – Dan [51:52])
  • Importance of pit viper venom: “This is the first look that we get at the strength ... why do we believe Darrow can survive. This ... that's so important.” – Chris [52:50]
  • The hosts reflect on Mickey’s obsessive, artistic love for his “creation” (Darrow), and draw comparisons to Ollivander (HP) and Jurassic Park’s Dr. Wu—a drive to create, regardless of consequences.
  • Discussion on the Matrix-like info-dump learning device and whether it fits the rule set of the world.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

Character and Book Lines

• Dancer on societal brainwashing:

  “Imagine there was a table covered with fleas ... Then the man removed the jar. And yet the fleas did not jump higher than they had grown accustomed because they believed there still be a glass ceiling.” — Dan quoting, [19:24]

• Dancer, on the essence of rebellion:

  “Without our rough hands, the dreams of the pure hearts would never be built.” — Dan [19:48]

• Mickey’s God Complex:

  “I do not want to make you a man. Men are so very frail ... No, I've always wished of making a God.” — Dan quoting, [61:09]

• Chris’s take on being ‘special’:

  “You’re gonna need more than ‘I have quick hands’ for me to believe you’re the chosen one.” — Paraphrased, [46:21–47:13]

• On Mickey’s artistry:

  “Mickey is addicted to the creation more than the result.” — Chris [56:06]

Comic Highlights

• On the Names (Ralph):

  “These people's names are Harmony, Dancer, Darrow ... and this is codename Ralph. ... It's when you think of the old Earth, it is a—Maybe that's what it is. ... They found like, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and they were like this. I'll be Ralph.” — Chris & Dan, [04:15]

• Sibling Banter (Hitch, coaching, & therapy for your kids):

  “I'm Hitch. I'm Alex Hitchens.” — Chris, [16:57]

• Worldbuilding Humor:

  “If violence is the gold sport, manipulation is their art form.” — Dan quoting, [40:01]

• Food Realism (Chris on ‘hamburger’):

  “We couldn't get a slice of American cheese on this. ... I want in the comments of this fucking podcast for people to say if you actively eat a hamburger ... without cheese on it ... I think there are fucking three of you on Earth.” — Chris, [62:21]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:32] – Darrow’s resurrection (Lazarus chapter), summary of his burial and awakening
• [10:01] – Meeting Dancer, the mental test, and context for the Sons of Ares’ motives
• [22:52] – Darrow sees Mars above ground, worldbuilding analysis, emotional fallout
• [30:43] – Society’s color hierarchy, intro to Mickey and his workshop
• [40:59] – The Mad Plan: The reality of carving a Red into a Gold
• [49:08] – The Carving: Physical transformation, pain, and rebirth
• [51:52] – Darrow protects Evie, signaling his enduring empathy
• [61:09] – Mickey’s “I want to make a god” speech (the apex of his artistry and obsession)
• [68:18+] – Honors: best quotes, unsung heroes, devious figures, and MVP of these chapters

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Honors Segment (Character Awards)

Detailed at [64:10–73:28]

• The Scrolls of Tyrion Lannister (Most Impactful Words):
  Dancer — for his philosophy, mentorship, and perspective-shifting dialogue.
• The Dobby (Unsung Hero):
  Evie — quietly nurturing Darrow and representing his lingering empathy/humanity.
• The Way of the Bene Gesserit (Most Devious/Untrustworthy):
  Harmony — for her chilling pragmatism and potential for violence.
• The Sword, Axe, and Bow (Loyalty/MVP):
  Mickey — the indispensable Carver, whose artistry and risks make the entire plan possible.

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Tone and Style

The Powers brothers infuse the discussion with sibling banter, literary allusions (Potter, Tolkien, Thrones), and irreverent asides, but always circle back to thoughtful breakdowns of character arcs, themes (identity, class, manipulation), and Pierce Brown’s craft.

Notable running motifs:

• The dangers and value of manipulation at every level of society.
• The body as both weapon and prison—Darrow’s transformation as literal and symbolic rebirth.
• Relentless questioning of “chosen one” tropes via humor and criticism.

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Final Thoughts

For listeners new or veteran to Red Rising, this podcast segment provides a detailed, comedic, and insightful companion to the most pivotal section of Darrow’s origin. The hosts balance thoughtful literary critique with pop culture references, making for both an engaging and informative listen—or in this case, read.

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Transcript

[A]

Explorers, warriors, magi, intergalactic voyagers and helldivers, man your battle stations, draw your swords and prepare for destiny. This is Sci Fi section, a journey where we take you through the epic expeditions of our favorite fantasy and sci fi stories. The board is set. The pieces are moving.

[B]

This adventure will be a deep dive,

[A]

dive, dive rig for deep submergence into

[B]

the world of Red Rising. I am Dan Powers, a drunken gold being chased around by pinks as I fly around in my grab boots. And next to me is Chris Powers, newly carved with fresh sigils on his hands and angel wings coming from his back. Wand's at the ready and it's a swish and flick on that subscribe button and that like button. Swish and flick. Those who do not believe in magic will never find it. And those who don't. Subscribe, subscribe to this channel. We'll never find. Come on, subscribe.

[A]

Subscribe. Why not? Today we are talking about chapters seven through 12 of Red Rising. However, we have read this entire series. There will be spoilers galore if you venture any further. Do so with the knowledge you may hear things you wish you hadn't.

[B]

And now we begin. We are getting into part two. Reborn. There is a festival where we wear the faces of demons to ward evil spirits from our dead. In the veil, the faces sparkle with fool's gold.

[A]

Come on.

[B]

Chapter seven.

[A]

Lazarus.

[B]

Why am I not dead? I ask after the hanging. My voice is like gravel dragged over metal. Because Ares has a mission for you, little helldiver.

[A]

Unbelievable.

[B]

We get to Darrow, who has just been hanged. Thinks he is dead. He expects to wake. In the veil, he describes the beauty of the afterlife that he has come to hear and know. But he's not there. He feels a pressure on his chest, knows that feeling from being in the mines, being a helldiver, and realizes he has been buried alive. He tries to scream and dirt fills his mouth. Darrow is alive, folks. He is alive. He can feel some sort of drunk in his system. Something's happened. And then he realized he felt it when he was walking to the gallows. Nero has drugged him. But why, Chris? But why? Then he hears a machine rumbling over the dirt where Darrow has been buried alive. And it starts to dig him up. There are several people in demon masks surrounding him. And they pull him from his grave. And then we find Harmony and Ralph. Two people wearing these masks. Ralph. Unbelievable name. And they are the ones who bring him out. And they put him in this tumbler, this automobile, this machine. Darrow asks questions he assumes that they're the sons of Aries. This. These people, they're wearing these masks. They're clearly doing some sort of mission. What the hell is going on here? And they call him Lazarus, but they know who he really is. And they say that Ares has this mission for him. Harmony takes her mask off, and she has a steam burner that Darrow knows can only come from the mines. Crazy to see a female. A woman. A woman is unbelievable. A woman, but on the other side of her face, it's beautiful.

[A]

One of the most beautiful women.

[B]

She's. He even says is more beautiful than

[A]

IO, which we know is a ruster.

[B]

Dude, take it.

[A]

She is. She's a ruster. And you all. You'll all see soon enough that IO is nothing but a regular ruster.

[B]

You all see, they drive this Tumblr through the tunnels of the mines until they reach this cul de sac of warehouses where Harmony says he needs to go meet Dancer. This person named Dancer. So chapter seven. Lazarus Darrow is very much alive.

[A]

Do you think. What do you think Harmony's code name was? Karen? What do you mean that kid's name isn't Ralph? Like, she's going, true. You accidentally used my real name, Ralph. She's calling him his fake name. Yeah, that's how I read Deborah. Yeah, okay, yeah, Deborah something.

[B]

Got. It's got to be something that normal, too.

[A]

Yeah. RALPH is just like, these people's names are Harmony, Dancer, Darrow, eo, and this is codename Ralph. I don't even know how they heard of the name Ralph. It's when you think of the old

[B]

Earth, it is a. Well, I mean that maybe that's what it is. Like, they were like, let's pick old school Earth names.

[A]

They're like, going through this. They're old texts, you know, I think

[B]

they went through books. They found like, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and they were like this. I'll be Ralph.

[A]

Ralph. People were called Ralph. Like, yeah.

[B]

Harmony's name is jk.

[A]

Yep. I also love that in fantasy books, you go, wow, Darrow's dead too. And you're like, well, obviously he's not dead. You know, it's such an awesome end of part one, but you go, okay, what happens? And it would have been, someday I will read a fantasy book where that happens. I thought it was Hunger Games, by the way, when you start with Katniss and then they pull the thing and they're like, Primrose Evadine. I was like, wow, cool trope. The book's about Primrose and then she's like, yes, I volunteer as tribute. And I was like, you're like, oh, got me.

[B]

Little bait and switch. Got me again.

[A]

Here's, I think, my favorite part about this chapter from Darrow's pov. He wants to die dead ass. He goes, I don't want to live in this world without EO. Correct. I want to die. So he cuts her body down, buries her, knows he. He will be dead. And his last thought, his last conscious thought on this fucking planet. I almost said on earth. On Mars.

[B]

On Mars.

[A]

Is that he goes, I hope they don't bury me. And then he wakes up alive and buried, and he's like, both wrong, dude. You fucking idiots.

[B]

You cut me down and buried me. But I'm not even dead, dude.

[A]

I just bring me home. I just want to be dead and. And not buried. And then he is alive and buried.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Literal nightmare scenario for our guy.

[B]

It is also nightmare fuel. The scene of him talking when he's like, I open my mouth to scream and dirt fills my mouth. What an awful moment that would be, dude.

[A]

And not to question Pierce, not to question the hands of a helldiver, but I will say it feels very difficult to undig yourself if you were buried alive. Well, he like, if you go to scream and dirt is already filling your mouth. Are you telling me he went like this?

[B]

He didn't. He got dug out by the. By the.

[A]

No, I think he digs himself out.

[B]

No, no, no, no, no. They dig him out.

[A]

Yeah, I think he digs himself out.

[B]

Well, he's got hands that flicker fat. I don't think he digs himself out. Are you confident? Either way, he gets out. And I. My favorite part about this is the Sons of Aries in the mass. It's like the Death Eaters, but they're cool. It's like we like a cool terrorist group. Is there such thing as cool terrorists? No, because that's maybe what the Sons of Aries are.

[A]

What? I. What? I think they would argue they're not terrorists. Yes, but they do instill terror. You're right, they do. I guess, though.

[B]

So I'm saying we're walking the thin line.

[A]

It's weird. They almost instill terror more to the. To the low colors. Like the golds are like, whatever, dude. The nice explosion, bitch. But they are. They are scary. Yeah, I liked here. This is actually one of the few times Darrow doesn't. Darrow is so observant, which I'm gonna get to in a second. But this is one of the few times when. When they have the Ralph exchange, they go, dancer didn't tell us to discuss anything with him till we got home. And Darrow doesn't clock that Nerol had just said, say hi to my wife. Say hi to my family. Say hi to Dance. Say hi to Dancer. And Daryl's like, dancer.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm kind of surprised that doesn't flicker anymore. He's like, holy Dancer. I think he's too, like. I.

[B]

It's like coming out of anesthesia. You've just been. I mean, give a guy a minute. He's just buried alive and he was just unearthed. So he's kind of like, holy. Unmarked.

[A]

Rather unmarked. Oh, nice. That's really good. You like that? He was unmarried.

[B]

I love this so much because it's. It's like I. The beginning of this book, it just wastes no time. We get the whole moment. EO's dead. So emotional, so intense. Darrow buries her, accepts his own death. And immediately, next chapter, it's like this. You are not dead. And also, you were buried alive. And now you've been dug up by this, like, insane group of vigilantes. Yeah.

[A]

They get the fucking. The. The plague mask on.

[B]

Yeah. Eyes wide shut.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. But it's exciting. And now we're gonna meet Dancer and we're. It's. It's like instantly we are thrown into. Here we go.

[A]

Yes. And I really like here, too, that you kind of get all of this in this section that we read.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

For this week. Darrow, you had brought up in the first one that Darrow makes a comment that he's like, I don't care about the Sons of Aries. They're. They're wasting time. They're delaying progress, he says, which is an interesting take from someone who isn't as passionate as eo, but certainly someone who goes, this sucks.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That he's so anti Sons of Aries. And here, when Harmony says, we have a mission for you, little helldiver again, Darrow has that. That reflex of, I hate the Sons of Ares. And in this case, I kind of get it because he goes, I just tried to hang myself. And then the Sons of Ares have drugged me to make sure I didn't die, dug me up. And then in his mind right now, going like this, you need to suicide bomb. You know, no dying without suicide bombing. Fake shit. We got a trap. Let's strap you up. And. And then there's no dying for free in this. In this world.

[B]

Cause that's all he knows of them. Is just like bombings. And he's like, what are you gonna do now, dude? Strap a bomb to my chest?

[A]

I was already dead, dude. Like, jesus Christ, let me fucking die in peace. Jesus Christ. Very, very tough.

[B]

But it is tough here, too. The moment where he's like, I am not in the veil with IO, like it's all he wanted. And it's like, well, no. Yeah. And I liked your point for how observant he is. It is cool rereading this, the beginning of this book and seeing how stupid he is to what's actually going on. How blind, rather.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

In the beginning. Which is amazing.

[A]

Okay. And then we're off. I think we go just to chapter eight.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

Chapter eight. Dancer. The harder they die, the louder their voice, the deeper their echoes. But your wife served her purpose. Jesus Christ. Harmony. I really like, by the way, when fantasy books have chapter names.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

And I'm like, you gotta. We gotta be naming chapter.

[B]

Chapter names are awesome.

[A]

Rip me through this chapter, Dan.

[B]

We meet Dancer. He has pit viper scars all along his neck, making us think maybe this guy was a helldiver. Unbelievable. One of his arms hangs limp with nerve damage. And Darrow asks questions about why he's there as eight reds all stand around him. His wounds are open and bleeding from the lashing. Like, don't forget that. That just happened. And Dancer says he'll need anti back and skin res for the scars. And Dara asks why they didn't save each eo. And they kind of say, we didn't need her. She did. She served.

[A]

She served her purpose.

[B]

Darrow attacks Harmony when she says that martyrs are a dime a dozen. But Harmony and Dancer explain that they are friends to Darrow. He's needed for a higher purpose. And he allows them to take him to the showers and dress his wounds. Dancer then comes to Darrow and tells him that Nero has been working for them since before his father died. Before Darrow's dad was hanged, he had already been on that team. And he helped them get Darrow. Darrow. Dancer has this test for Darrow. It's this card game. There's two cards in a bowl. He has to pick one. One has a scythe on it, one has a lamb on it. If he gets a scythe, he loses. But Darrow figures it out. He's like, this is a test. You're testing my mental fortitude, my will. He knows that both are scythes. So he pulls the card, and before Dancer can ask to see it, stuffs it in his mouth and just eats It. And he's like, what's the card remaining to scythe? I must have had the lamb. I win. And Dancer's like, let's go, dude.

[A]

Here we go.

[B]

So Dancer tells Daryl of the sons of Ares and why they're named. Hundreds of years ago, the Golds rose to power and called it the Conquering Now. Not. Or. Excuse me, not. Many years ago, they reduced an entire world to ash. Rhea has been completely destroyed. The Ash Lord nuked it to oblivion. Dancer tells Daryl that he wanted him to climb high. And he shares or. Sorry, hold on. Yep, sorry. Let me do that again. Daryl, tell or. Jesus Christ. Dancer tells Daryl that he wants him to climb high. And he shares that the Greens helped them hijack the feed of eo's death. Thousands of Reds in all of the mining colonies heard her song, and they now call her Persephone. And Daryl's pissed because he's like, that's not her name, dude. Also, there aren't that many.

[A]

Yeah. I think he even says hundreds of thousands.

[B]

Yeah, no, it is hundreds of thousands. And Darrow is still again. He's like, dude, you're out of your mind. None of this is real. But Dancer explains that she belongs to the people. This is another moment where he's like, IO is bigger than what you think. Dancer puts Darrow in a lift and explains to him what they need to do. Darrow wants vengeance, but Dancer says he needs to want more. And they get up the lift to the surface. And inside this room, Darrow walks on a wooden floor and sees out a window to see the sun blaring in and a massive sprawling city beneath him. His entire life is a lie.

[A]

They go up to the motherfucking surface. Incredible. I love when we meet Dancer.

[B]

This is one of my favorite chapters in the book.

[A]

Oh, it's an incredible chapter. This is. This is the inciting incident chapter. Really?

[B]

The.

[A]

When we meet Dancer. And this is cool because it matters for what life is like as a red. But it's just so funny. He's described as, quote, terribly old.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Maybe in his 40s, which is tough.

[B]

That's tough, man.

[A]

I just. I don't need to hear that you're. I'm at. In my life.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, you're coming around the bend here.

[A]

I don't need.

[B]

You're about to be terribly old.

[A]

Terribly old.

[B]

How tough is that to hear? I can't even get Bro is already terribly old.

[A]

That is very brutal. I actually was laughing Dan, listening to binge mode. A huge inspiration for us by the way. Obviously the best. And I was listening to Mallory to talk about my goat. Talk about. It's in their first Potter one. And she goes like this. She makes a comment to Jason where she goes, I'm 31 and I can

[B]

barely get out of bed.

[A]

And I was like, Mallory was 31 when they were starting this. I think she's like, I think she might be younger than me. Incredible. She felt like such a wise adult to my child. And I think I was older than her the whole time.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Probably funny how that works. I get Darrow's frustration here with IO. I actually think this is great character work from Pierce. Because even in the insanity of you being alive, of where am I? Of what is Nero doing? Because clearly he dare has said many times that he felt drugs still. And then he's like. And. And Daryl goes, we saved your life. And he's like, my uncle saved my life. You. You know, even in the insanity of all that, I really love that Darrow just cannot get past. Why is EO gone? She's gone for sure. Right? Because I'm back. Which makes no sense. Why is my wife not back?

[B]

It all holds so true with the hit. How much he loves her. It's like through all this, I actually read these portions of the book when Dancer Harmony, and everyone is just trying to teach him shit.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And it's like how I imagine it must be as a parent with a kid who thinks their world in high school is the most important thing in the world. And you just want to yell at them and be like, you are a moron. Yeah. Just please listen to me. But you can't do that because then they'll be like, you don't understand me. Fuck you. And they'll storm out of their room and slam the door. They're just trying to be like, please just trust us that there is more at play here. And it's like, Darrow. I love that Darrow's North Star, though, is just EO still. And he's just like this. All I want to do is be in the veil with her. And how come I am alive and she is not? And they're like, dude, just.

[A]

There's bigger things happening here, bro. Will you just listen to us? The. The. I've always said that when. If I ever have kids, when they're young enough, I'm going to try to convince them that I can time travel. I. I only. And. But don't tell anyone, because if I. If you tell your friends that I lose the ability.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And and then when they are really bummed about a boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever, I will go, I'll go, hold on, hold on one second. And then I go into the future, come back out of the closet about time style, and then go, oh, I just found out he or she doesn't Matt. It didn't matter.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then they'll go, oh, okay. And then I, I legitimately hope it's a thing where they don't realize till they're in high school that I actually can't time travel. And then they're like, they have to go to tons of therapy because they're like, my dad is fucking tapped and lied to me.

[B]

Yeah, you are.

[A]

But I saved, I saved their formidable years. I saved them strife through tough.

[B]

For someone who as is as emotionally and mature, wise, stunted as you. I don't think you're going to save anyone. You're just going to ruin your.

[A]

No, no. It's like coaching. I can't, I can't do so I coach. I can fix everyone else. I can't fix myself. I'm Hitch. I'm Alex Hitchens.

[B]

Let's hope that's the case. I, I, I fear for your children.

[A]

Me too. In the game, Dan. This is awesome. So Dancer puts the two cards in, like you said, right here. This, this is where I get blood flow. This, this part. I start to get the book. The book rises a little bit.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. I get a little chubbed up on

[A]

my lap because this is our first example. Really? You've gotten, you've gotten great. Darrow's athletic already. Darrow's a hell diver. Darrow. Can hands move faster than fire? Blah, blah, blah. Yeah, this is the first example, our first look into why Darrow is so goated. Because he is always trying to figure out the trick. He's trying to break the game somehow, always to get the advantage. And that's what Dancer wants. Dancer wants an outlier. I don't need a dude who's just fucking super fast helldiver. I need a guy who's up here too. It's not about looks. It's not just about looks. It's about brains. I care about personality. And that's, that's what Dancer needs. Here, dude. And it's so awesome that Darrow's like, I'm eating this card because I have gone three steps ahead. I know what's happening. And then if he sees the scythe, then he will have no argument other than to say, you're right, you did win. Without saying, I Was cheating.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And that is a pillar of Daryl's character. The rest of the.

[B]

No doubt. It's so great seeing all. I mean, I love Harmony in here. I love all the other people, like, seeing, like this is. These are the sons of Aries. Like, this is a real thing. They're actually working on something. And I love that he attacks Harmony. I love that he's like. We see the fire in him. My favorite part of this chapter, though, is obviously that moment at the end getting to the surface and seeing that there is this full city here about to get into this in the next chapter. But just having Darrow say, my life is a lie is for me. Even after we saw Gamma gets the Laurel, even though they won it, they see all of the ways they're mistreated. It is this moment where he finally breaks. I love that break moment of like, oh, I am an idiot. I have been completely veiled to what is really going on. That moment rocks.

[A]

It's amazing. One of my favorite quotes, I was going to save it for the quotes at the end of this, but is when Dancer says. It says from the book, it says. Now you understand. Dancer says, we are deceived.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So that's a sick line.

[B]

My two ones that I love on this one are. Imagine there was a table covered with fleas. He explains. The fleas would jump and jump to heights unknown. Then a man came along and upturned a glass jar over the fleece. The fleas jumped and hit the top of the jar and could go no farther. Then the man removed the jar. And yet the fleas did not jump higher than they had grown accustomed because they believed there still be a glass ceiling.

[A]

Great, great. It's perfect.

[B]

Great, great, Great description of what's happening to them. And then when he says, we are lesser creatures in the grand scheme of things, but without us men of war, no one except those of Lycos would hear IO's song. Without our rough hands, the dreams of the pure hearts would never be built. I think this is why Dancer is the man. Because he is. He is. He does a good job of walking the line of IO was super important.

[A]

Dude.

[B]

She. They. She's Persephone because she is inspiring all of these red clans.

[A]

You.

[B]

We. We need that. But also, she was great because she saw the bigger picture. And you need to see it too.

[A]

Yes. And. And Darrow's father would fall in that category too, right? You're right. When Darrow's going, why isn't EO alive? Dancer saying, this is why? She is not a person of war. She does not have hands of war. War. And I would argue and dude, people, I'm gonna get outed as such an EO hater by the time this is all done.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But I would argue that eo's song. They don't. The. The people don't actually need EO song at all. The only thing that needed EO was Darrow. Darrow needed Iyo to push him into this. And then the Reds needed Darrow. But EO's role gets blown out of proportion in my opinion of what she does for the people. They're like, oh, the song inspired us. I'm like, the song inspired Daryl. And then Daryl does everything. But. But you bear. But this is. Right. This is what dancer means. We. There's. It ends. The dream ends with EO's song, with your dad's dance without getting your fucking hands dirty.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

So that's an important thing. And I would say too, Dan, that like you said, this chapter, so important. This. This is truly the premise. This chapter is the premise.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Of the book. We arrive there. And don't forget when Darrow, you're going to see a lot of this in this next chapter. But d. Seeing that city, they. He was just in a bubble garden with IO nearly weeping because she pulled up a blade of grass, plucking on a blade of grass. And now he's like. He. He. He was a little child in that bubble garden, pulling on his little pee pee. Correct. In the bath.

[B]

Tug it on his little linus.

[A]

And now what is it? What's simple Jack? Is he like, sitting in the bathtub laughing at farts?

[B]

Yeah, farting in the bathtub, laughing your ass off. Dude.

[A]

That was what they said that in the bubble garden. They literally sit in the bathtub, fart and laughing their ass off. And now he's like, holy. And I think importantly too, here Darrow goes. I. I love this Is dancer goaded when he's going. He's trying to express to Daryl what they're trying to do.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And he's like, what do you want? And Darrow's like, kill. Kill Nero. And he's like, darrow, can you grow up? You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling. You. You know, he's like, ready that you

[B]

want to just go kill the one guy?

[A]

He's just the dude on Mars.

[B]

Give me a break.

[A]

What are you talking about?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So it's. It's good for Darrow to get perspective. Both in the world that he has, his people have built and the mission that the sons of Aries have for him. Perspective is big here.

[B]

Now to chapter nine.

[A]

The lie.

[B]

The city is one of spires, parks, rivers, gardens and fountains. It is a city of dreams. A city of blue water and green life on a red planet that is supposed to be as barren as the cruelest desert. This is not the Mars they show

[A]

us on the hc.

[B]

This is not a place unfit for man. It is a place of lies, wealth and immense abundance. I gasped at the grotesque. I love that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. So Darrow looks out at this city. It's sprawling with golds and silvers flying with their grab boots. Unbelievable grab boots. Not the ones that fucking ugly Dan and Porky pod.

[A]

Porky pod malfunctioning the whole way.

[B]

Darrow sees a drunk gold flyby chased by four gold women. Just living the dream.

[A]

Dude.

[B]

This guy's just ripping around.

[A]

I was actually extremely jealous of that dude who was just fucking.

[B]

Oh yeah. We'll get to it. We'll get to it. Darrow's life is a lie. They are the gold's slaves. The people of Earth have moved from the planet to their moon, Luna. They use it to travel to nearby planets like Mars. This quote. The golds in their society rebelled against the countries of Earth. Earth fought back and Earth lost. That was the conquering. Economics turned Luna into the power and port of the solar system. And the society began to change into what it is today. An empire built on red backs. Darrow learns of how corrupt the society really is. It's been hundreds of years since Mars has been fit for the high colors. Yet they still make them slaves anyway. And Darrow then asks what his mission is. So this is the eye open moment chapter. Truly this chapter is just about seeing what Mars is. They've been mining this helium 3 forever thinking that they are nowhere near close. That's what Octavia says to them. That's what Nero says to them. And they've just been living this true full lie. And then boom. He sees this here. Look at him. They're fucking living the dream. Dude.

[A]

Dude. Generations after generation, hundreds of years. We left Luna 700 years ago. The Reds arrived on Mars 500 years ago. It's awesome world building legitimately. It's awesome world building that makes the difference. In series like this you could plenty of fantasy series go we live on Mars. And. And. And the. The. It's actually secretly been terraformed without taking the time to come back and really dig in. Thrones and probably Lord of the Rings. Does this better than anybody in terms of backstory. The depths that. That Tolkien and George R.R. martin go to to give you backstory is sometimes exhausting, frankly, in both those books. But they really construct a deep, deep history.

[B]

No doubt.

[A]

This is Pierce doing an incredible job here where he's like, I want you to understand. And he does it in an amazing way in that our hero, our main character, doesn't know. So it's like they always say in scripts, if you can have two characters be confused about what's being said or confused about in topic, you can get away with some exposition. Because I'm like, I'm trying to help you. Yeah, we get this perfectly here. Because Daryl's like, the fuck is going on?

[B]

The fuck?

[A]

And Dan's just like, let me tell you.

[B]

That's why I just love that. What's my mission at the end again? The quick chapter. And it's just like it. This is.

[A]

It's both equally.

[B]

For we are Darrow in this chapter. It's everything that you thought you've been doing, all the hard work you've been doing for what? Nothing. Yeah, they're already fat and stuffed piglets rolling around in their shit and eating all their food. And it's this moment where he is like, are you my dad?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And dancers like, yeah, they literally killed him.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah, he's dead.

[B]

And he's like, oh, my God, The.

[A]

It's so awesome, too, because he goes, holy shit. Mars has been terraformed already. And it's like, oh, buddy, we've been terraforming everything. We terraforming, dude, don't even fucking. Don't even try to be a planet near us if you're not going to get terraformed. We're out on the fucking rim, we're on the fucking moons. We fucking all over this galaxy, you dumb bitch. And he's like, God damn it. It's not just Mars. Hell no. Also, here's a really cool thought that Darrow has that I loved in this chapter.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And his evil EO obsession will linger throughout this trilogy.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

But it's still very. Got its hooks in here.

[B]

God, you hate so much. You said you were gonna be outed as an EO hater. Everyone knows, brother.

[A]

Yeah, that's what outed.

[B]

You were not tricking anybody.

[A]

No, she's cool. I like her.

[B]

No, you hate her. You are glad she died.

[A]

I am glad she died. I go on record about that. I am glad she died.

[B]

But you're not glad she died because

[A]

for the right reasons, for the Right. Reasons you're glad she died because you're like. Because she's out of the way.

[B]

Fuck that ho.

[A]

Get out of here. She was. Dude. She wanted him to punch Ugly Dan. Leo's up on her high horse. Like I was this. I set everything in motion. She wanted him to punch Ugly Dan, which would have got him killed. And she thought with her death he would have fought back. And instead he just hung himself. Or he actually got himself hung. This is his thought. IYO always preached something of the like. When. When Dancer showing him what's happened here and what's going on. EO always preached something of the like. Though she never knew the truth. If she had known this, how much more passionately would she have spoken? This existence is worse than she ever could have imagined. It is not hard to understand the conviction which the sons of Aries fight. So I bring this up for two reasons. One, I think it's a really interesting thought exercise about if EA was behaving that way when she found the guard bro. I was right to say, could you

[B]

imagine the absolute shit fit IYA would

[A]

throw if she saw this?

[B]

She would fucking blow everyone away. Right.

[A]

But. So my. My sliding doors Thing is, I almost think her rage would have been too much.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

The dancer, I think it's in at the previous chapter. He has a great line where he says, oh yeah. Darrow says, why didn't you save my wife? And he goes, because the rebellion isn't ready. A rebellion now would be squashed in days.

[B]

Yes, we have to build.

[A]

And I was like, oh, that was a. Patience there. Yeah. I mean, God. No good. No good. Rebellion happens quickly, buddy. Rome wasn't built in a day and Rome wasn't torn down. And two years. That's my new quote. Dancer says we needed time. If IO knew this, I think she would have gone so berserk that it would have started the fake rebellion, which would have been squashed in.

[B]

Yeah, I mean they would. They would have killed Ugly Dan and Pudgy Pig and then they would have all been killed and it would be over. Exactly.

[A]

So I'm actually glad. Darrow says if she had known this, how much more passionately would she would have spoken? Too passionately, in my opinion. And then the second part of the quote. It's not hard to understand the conviction which the sons of Ares fight. Go back a mere two chapters. Go back to part one, Daryl. They're delaying progress. They're terrorists. I don't like them. With one look at the sprawling city, it is not hard to see the conviction with which they fight. Very important shift for Darrow. And completely believable from Pierce, because it's not.

[B]

It happens.

[A]

Quick but justifiable. Oh, my God. We terraform. And everything in this bitch. I'm on your side now.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Darrow is ready. My only quote. Other quote in this one is, earth has come to Mars. And we pioneers were left below, slaving, toiling, suffering. To create and maintain the foundation of this.

[A]

This empire.

[B]

We are, as EO Always said, the society slaves.

[A]

They got him, dude. He'd never even heard the term low red. I know, because he's like the. Does that mean. What is that?

[B]

Is that me? Are you talking about a low red me?

[A]

The. It's Alice. It's hilarious that he just sees other reds. Who? Their hair and eyes are red too, but it's just like a nicer red. He's like.

[B]

He's like. Oh, dear. I do look like rust.

[A]

Yo Was hideous. This is insane.

[B]

We are disgusting.

[A]

Are you talking about me? Terrible.

[B]

Take us to chapter 10.

[A]

Chapter 10. The Carver. Holy shit. An empire cannot be destroyed from without till it is destroyed from within. Remember that? And. And you wrote that quote. And then I added to it. Because there was the next line I also loved. We are empire breakers, not terrorists. Which is what you were talking about earlier, right? We were saying, is any terrorist good? And I'm like, well, no. But they don't think they're terrorists. Yes, they're empire breakers.

[B]

So here we learn of the true trickle down of the hierarchy. This quote. Ashlord who made the world of Rhea Cinders is her minion. She controls the 12 Olympic Knights. Legions of peerless, scarred and obsidians as innumerable as the stars. And those obsidians are only the elite. The gray soldiers prowl the cities, ensuring order, ensuring obedience to the hierarchy. The whites are sorry. The whites arbitrate their justice and push their philosophy. Pinks pleasure and serve in high color homes. Silvers count and manipulate currency and logistics. Yellow, study the medicines and sciences. Greens, develop technology. Blues, navigate the stars. Coppers run the bureaucracy. Every color has a purpose. Every color props up the gold. Such a great quick like. This is how it.

[A]

Here's how everything works. Here are the colors. Here's what they do. And gold is on top.

[B]

We learn of how bodies are manufactured at the highest levels here. Gorgeous curves and bulging muscles. Everyone is hot as fuck in this world. We learn that Darrow fears what they're going to attempt.

[A]

A carving.

[B]

Something that will make him into a version of himself. That IO won't even recognize. And as they move through the city, Darrow sees colors and behaviors he has never seen. We see a rash cream ad where a woman is just completely naked rubbing cream all over places that he's never seen. And Harmony's like, stop being such a little bitch, dude. This is how it is. Get used to naked bodies. We get a feel for the city through Darrow's eyes. It's too big and unfamiliar. The stars above him make him feel small and uncomfortable. High colors treat them like ants. Dancer and Harmony threaten guards at a door, and they plan to meet someone named Mickey. And we do meet Mickey. He's a violet, as rare as a white, and they call him an artist. The people in his company are all carved with wings, horns, and other things like that. He has 12 fingers. Dancer and Harmony give Mickey a box, the contents of which make Mickey panic. It's the sigils of a gold, and they want them attached to Darrow.

[A]

So cool. Yep. The. There's a point here, too. I think, actually, maybe this is where Dancer says the line I said in the last paragraph in the last chapter. But Darrow again, questioning why. How is this happening? How are there high reds who are. Who are? It's like, in actual American slave history. It's like.

[B]

It's like Sam Jackson and Daniel.

[A]

Yes. Thank you. It's like some people are in the house, Some people are in the field. And it's. Daryl goes, why. Why don't we even know this? And I think this is where Dancer actually does say it, where he's like, we can't do it now, dude. Patience, patience, patience. If they found out, then they would go apeshit, and then your little EO would be freaking out, and then we would be squashed. But it's. It's really cool for Darrow to see. He's even having a hard time going. But they're getting. They get paid, though. And Dancer's like, shut up, dude. Like, they are still. I think it's Harmony really dogging him here. But, yeah, Darrow just can't even believe the wonder of the world and that there are reds allowed to work and be out here and see the surface and. And dance is like, do not be blind. Do not become addicted to water, because we have real problems here.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's important for Darrow's psyche, though, of. Oh, my God.

[B]

I always love these moments in books so much where we are introduced to a world with the character. It's like Luke Skywalker walking through Tatooine is It Tatooine, not Tatooine. It's like walking through that bar for the first time with Obi Wan.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And he's just like, Jesus. Like, look at all these creatures. What's going on in here? And it's just like, this is the cool moment of. This is high society, brother. This is what you're about to get thrust into. And it's also so sick. I love it when we have fantasy and sci fi stories like this. And Pierce takes us in his world and he's like this. Everyone's a fucking babe.

[A]

Oh, I was just about to say that. It's so awesome is what it is, man.

[B]

The golds are jacked, Sexy as fuck and awesome. And I'm like, this kind of like the golds, literally perfect.

[A]

They're literally cool. They're the hottest people to ever live. It's incredible. Yeah.

[B]

And like, the way they're talking about the carving is like, everyone is just like, curvy and has, like, beautiful breasts and fat cocks. I'm like, let's go, dude. Can I get carved?

[A]

Can I get carved, dude? It's my first thought. Girth. Yeah.

[B]

Like, what the fuck, man?

[A]

Linked is so 90s, dude. It is all about girth. All girth.

[B]

Check out the golds.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But it's also cool when we get to see Dancer here. Excuse me, Mickey here. And seeing everyone in Mickey's group, all of his company, the wings, the horns and stuff, it's like there's an. There's almost like this like devilish element of Mickey and it's. We're getting excited as the audience of, like, what is about to happen to Darrow.

[A]

This is unbelievable.

[B]

They're talking about carving him. They're like, we're going to make you gold, dude. That is. That is what's in the box. The sigils. He has his red sigils on his hands currently. They're going to remove them and put gold sigils on him. The fact that Mickey is like, are you fucking crazy, dude? Is like, this is a big deal, what they're about to do. Darrow is scared of it for a number of reasons, but it's like, you can tell Mickey is. Is a talent, he's an artist. But something is a little whacked about him.

[A]

Oh, it's because he had. I love the way Mickey talks. Literally his dialogue, I mean, and he. They have such great banter in this whole end of this chapter. And then it is a full what's in the box moment. It is A fucking meltdown. And. And it excites me even before you get the reveal. Because if Mickey, Mr. Cool, Mr. Calm and Collected, is doing that, I'm like, holy shit, dude. That is. That is awesome.

[B]

No doubt.

[A]

I really find it fascinating and important. Mini spoiler. Because we know what's coming here.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Where Darrow hears the mission. And Pierce does this a lot in this series where he will go. Darrow has an internal thought where he goes, the mission is insane. I can't believe it. But he wasn't saying what it is yet. So I'm waiting a little bit. A little bit. Then as we get closer, Darrow goes, how many people have tried this? And Harmony says they tell him 97 have failed. The carving that we know of. So a little foreshadowing.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Not major spoilers, but a little foreshadowing. B. Fascinating, because Darrow certainly to this point, while worried about IO, while accepting the surface, is a little like, I am special. I'm the guy.

[B]

A little bit.

[A]

And then Uncle Nero, he drugged me. He said, I didn't put my feet.

[B]

I got buried alive, bro.

[A]

I got buried alive.

[B]

I'm the best helldiver anyone's ever seen.

[A]

Look at this. Faster than fire. I'm. I'm the guy. I'm the guy. And they're like this. We've tried 97 people. They're all fucking dead.

[B]

He's like, yo. But also, I love that we now learn quickly with just that line. We learned that this is attempted. Like people are trying to rise. It's like if there's an opportunity to be carved and to be made into a higher color might make my life a little bit easier.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

It's kind of interesting.

[A]

Very interesting. He also. I'm calling this line out. It's not perfect example, but there are some very perfect examples coming. So I'm just laying groundwork. I'm laying groundwork here for future episodes because you're going to appreciate this. Pierce Brown, the man, the man goated, likes to put lines in his books that are homages, he would say an homage to other properties that he likes. Again, this one isn't perfect, and there are some perfect one coming, but I just wanted to flag this one. Darrow's getting a lay of the land of the city, and he's trying to figure out where he can go. And the golds are mostly on grab boots, but there are areas where low colors can't even go. And he says, I cannot simply walk or ride into a gold or copper district. And Again, it's not a perfect one. Does not simply walk into Mordor. But it was close enough that I wanted to lay it out.

[B]

I love it.

[A]

That was incredible. This Dan, too, I think, is a great part of this chapter. I brought this up earlier when Darrow can't even comprehend. Low res to low red to high red. I really liked. You brought up him looking at the stars. Darrow's character being uncomfortable in this city, I thought was awesome.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

There's a version of this book where Darrow goes, holy fuck, this is dope.

[B]

Oh, my God. Like, we.

[A]

We built this, like, wow, I'm so impressed.

[B]

Or even pissed. Or even, like, these fucking pricks. Like, so mad. Like, he's genuinely bashful here.

[A]

Yes. And it's cool in the same way you hear true stories about soldiers who come home who hate a mattress and. Or red in Shawshank, I've been institutionalized. Now I step out and I actually don't like this. The cars move too fast. Everything. I literally picture Darryl, like, red in Shawshank, where he's walking outside and there's fucking grab booths.

[B]

That's Brooksie, dude.

[A]

Or. Yeah, sorry, Brooksie.

[B]

Brooksie.

[A]

That's what I met. Brooks was here. Yeah. Completely institutionalized. That is a great beat for me, connecting with this character because Pierce gives you the vulnerability of Darrow here, where he's like, I am this big, tough guy and I'm gonna get carved. But also, I am tweaking right now.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

I really like that.

[B]

It's a great device of showing us how actually massive this world.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

The. Do you have a final quote?

[A]

I have this here. Mickey is a vision. I think some people don't like that, but I fucking love. I love everything about him. 12 fingers, like spider legs and all this shit. So great. The quote I put from this section is, if violence. I think it's dancer. If violence is the gold sport, manipulation is their art form. I flagged it because it's a very important thing to remember that philosophy moving forward. Forward as well. If you've read this section, you know this at least. Desdaro becomes gold as he immerses himself in gold culture. Yes, they are violent because they are Greek gods of obscene form, physical form. But manipulation is the premise of which they operate for this entire series. And it really reminded me of man on Fire, where they're like, creasy's art is death.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

He's about to paint his fucking masterpiece. If gold's art is manipulation, Darrow is about to paint his fucking Masterpiece.

[B]

Yep. All right. Now we move to chapter 11. Mad one cannot make a mouse a lion. Dancer and Harmony tell Mickey their plans. And he is appalled. Cannot believe that they would think to try to do this. Mickey gets into all the various complexities of what biologically makes gold gold. And how this is just not something that can be done. But then we learn that Dancer wants Darrow to be the highest level level of gold. This is not just some simple thing. He wants him to literally rise all over the ranks and become a fucking massive, massive member of this society. Go to the Institute and become a peerless, scarred to command fleets.

[A]

Which we know now is the dream.

[B]

Yes. Darrow thinks that he can do this. He is hearing all of this. And he sees the doubt in Mickey's voice. And he picks up Mickey's little puzzle cube. It's work based on electric frequency. It's like a Rubik's cube, but one that we would find in this world. Mickey can't solve it. He's not fast enough, even with all of his fingers. But Daryl can. And that simple task is enough to perk Mickey. And we finally realize here that Mickey is an artist. He is talented. He also knows the ways of the Golds and how crazy this idea is. But he can be tricked because of his fucking hubris. And when he sees that Darrow is in fact special, he gets that creeping thought of, maybe we could pull this off, dude. Yeah, maybe we could pull this off.

[A]

They play on his vulnerabilities, right? And in the same way, though, Dan, they're playing on Darrows. Right? Dancer likes to say gold manipulation is gold's art form.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Look in the mirror, pal. Dancer is a manipulator, as we will see, you know, many times over. Many. Spoiler. But Dancer is doing to Mickey, flashing his Sons of Aries badge, telling him he can't do it just as much as he's doing it to Darrow, saying, you are special. You, your wife died for this. All this stuff. Your dad, your uncle. And Darrow's got. Darrow's got a little sea biscuit in him where he just needs the fight and then he's ready to go. So it's like Darrow is like, this mission's insane. And then they're like, you're a. And he's like, you, I'll do whatever I want, you know, so they. They know how to get everyone fired up. I. I thought it was a great choice. That Mickey, when he's doing a this is impossible thing that he and Daryl Was like, fuck you. I'll do whatever. Mickey recognizes him. I thought that was awesome because it just shows the scope of.

[B]

It tells Darrow to what happened. Like, when Darrow is told that the Greens hijacked the HC to show EO Song to show the hanging all of that stuff. And he's like, fuck you. This isn't real. There aren't that many reds.

[A]

Blah, blah, blah, blah.

[B]

And now we get Mickey here, a Violet who's like, I have seen. That's another moment where Daryl's like, yo, this.

[A]

Something's happened. Yes. I thought that was so cool. Yeah. Okay, so the Rubik's Cube, Dan the. It's. It's so sick. First of all, when Mickey's like, that's not possible. And Harmony's like, that's evolution, bitch. But A, I believe you're gonna have to. You're gonna have to date. Check this. But I believe that the pursuit of happiness stole this. Stole this plot point in its entirety. And B, I'm now wondering, should we all be solving Rubik's Cubes at job interviews?

[B]

100%, dude. 100%. If you are a person, shout out, Rusty. Rusty can do a rub. He actually taught me how to do it, and I was doing it for a while. If you can solve a Rubik's Cube quickly, if you are not going everywhere in your life with a Rubik's Cube and planting it somewhere, and if the conversation starts going poorly, go like this. Wait a minute. Let me just do this real quick. Finish it. Everyone will go like this. You're hired.

[A]

You're hired, dude.

[B]

You can do it.

[A]

I have two data points, and one is that Will Smith was literally homeless and solved Rubik's Cube and became, like, a day trader. What was he doing? Was he doing stocks?

[B]

I think so.

[A]

I think he was in the market. I think he literally got into the market. And Darrow is a ruster. Low red.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then does a Rubik's Cube, and he is now a peerless, scarred. Like, we gotta be. We gotta be. Bring in puzzles. Even if you can't do a Rubik's Cube, find your puzzle and then just be doing puzzles in front of people.

[B]

It's like doing a magic trick in front of someone. It's just impressive. If you can solve a puzzle like that, you got to do it as often as possible.

[A]

Fucking amazing.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

By like, 12 years, by the way. Pursuit of Happiness was first.

[B]

Yeah, of course. Did you think when you said that, I was like, do you think that Pursuit of Happiness Came out after this book.

[A]

I don't remember when this book came out. I don't remember when Pursuit of Happiness came out also.

[B]

Pursuit of Happiness is a real story.

[A]

I like.

[B]

I don't know if that happened.

[A]

No, there's no way that happened.

[B]

I think. I think. I think that guy. What is his name? Chris. Chris. Chris something.

[A]

Chris something.

[B]

I think he can solve a. Chris.

[A]

Chris Happiness can famously.

[B]

His name is Chris Happiness.

[A]

He can famously solve Rubik's Cubes. That actually would be sick if that was not dramatized.

[B]

Yeah, that's true. That would also. But on the other hand, it would be a sick piece of writing if it was. Was just.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Gardner.

[A]

Chris Gardner. In this part, when he's doing the Rubik's Cube, we get a line that we've heard similar beats to, which is the minds. The claw drill taught his fingers to move. His uncle taught him to dance with grace. And it goes into his fingers. These are very important tent poles in Darrow's history.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And provide significant justification of what's to come. You and I talk about this all the time. I get that it's a bit of a reach. That or it's not a reach. It's a tell, not a show that. We're just hearing how good Darrell's fingers are. We're hearing how great of a teacher his uncle was. But for me, Dan, it's established early enough. I'm the youngest Helldiver. Anyone can remember that. It's okay for me, the reader, to go, I believe his hands. I believe the Claudrill did do that to his hands. I believe that his uncle was able to teach him to dance because he's the youngest helldiver ever. So it's great that Pierce threads the needle really well here, where I don't need more backstory, more stuff just to show me. A lot of people would have done a scene where Darrow is dancing or something. I don't need it. I trust it. Darrow reminds us here. And those are going to be really important ways of why he's so. He's so nimble and Jack be quick.

[B]

And though all of that is just going into. It's so well done here. How. How against this, Mickey is.

[A]

There's this quote.

[B]

The Institute is not a school. It is a culling ground where the golds go to hack at one another. Till the strongest in mind and body is found, you will die. That is such a cool moment for us of being like, dude, this isn't fun. Yeah, this isn't fun. In games here, they send these kids into the Institute to literally kill each other to find the strongest of it is Darwinism at its finest. This is not a game for you. And then it's also such a brilliantly well done thing with something as simple as a little puzzle cube to show us the audience as well as Mickey and characters. He is different. He is special. I fucking love those moments in books.

[A]

Me too.

[B]

Give me the. Like, yeah, he's the fucking man. She's the fucking shit. I love these moments where we get these characters where they're like, these people rock. I'm like, yeah. That's what. That's what books are all about, baby.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Give me fiction.

[A]

It's Katniss Everdeen shooting the fucking with her bow. It's Harry's Patronus, right? Like you need I said this in last episode. The Quoth thing is a problem when they're too good, but they need a thing. Otherwise I'm like, why? Why am I watching this story? Right? I also love Dan. How. How Mickey goes. Daryl goes. I am a helldiver of Lykos. Which is a line you and I say to each other all the time. I am a helldiver of Lycos. And Mickey goes, oh. Oh, Hell. Divers, my God, you work in the mines.

[B]

Shut up.

[A]

I've never seen a hell before. God, he's perfect.

[B]

So good.

[A]

He's perfect. Okay, that takes us to chapter 12. Or no. Is that right?

[B]

Yep. The final chapter of this section.

[A]

What was the. Was there another. Oh, the carver. Yeah. Nice. That takes us to chapter 12. The carving. I am told the trauma killed me and had to restart my heart. I've died twice.

[B]

That unbelievable. Darrow is in hell. The carving is insane. He dies, passes out, goes into comas. Mickey has him do tests to get all of his synapses lined up. And the entourage of carved people give him care in the form of baths, changing his diapers, changing his piss tube. All of this crazy. Darrow is told he will need to learn to read if he's going to pass the institute. Hilarious to think that Darrow can't read. Mickey reinforces Darrow's bones one by one. His legs, arms, spine, pelvis and face. They give him new skin. His workers massage Darrow's muscles and tend to his new flesh. Mickey tells stories to Daryl while he recovers and deals with the agony. He talks about this circus like culture where he was raised. He was given drugs to perform. And now he creates the creatures he saw in his fever dreams all these People, the wings, the horns. As little as stuff that he saw while he was tripping. Fucking mushrooms. Mickey treats Darrow like a creation. He calls him my darling little bird. He strokes his hair. He is. Excuse me. Mickey treats Darrow like a creation. He calls him my darling little bird. He strokes his hair. He does this while Darrow is just recovering in agony. And Darrow dreams of IO every night. His love for her is still stronger than anything. Mickey tells Darrow he is stronger than any who have tried this because of the pit viper venom in his blood. Unbelievable. And finally, Darrow gets past the hard part. He gives Darrow new eyes and new hair. And now he is fully unrecognizable. And this kills Darrow. He can't believe it. Mickey, in a moment of a nice gesture, gives Darrow a wooden zither. It's the first time that Darrow actually likes him. And he plays songs of Lykos. And Mickey and Evie just sit there and listen. Harmony finally returns and puts Darrow through workouts with this simulation machine. Things that Darrow does that test all of his muscle. And Mickey yells at Harmony. He is like, stop pushing him too hard. This is my creation. You're going to ruin him. But Darrow continues to train. He's getting stronger and stronger every day. And he's becoming a Gold. And as he sleep, he downloads old books from Earth to broaden and strengthen his mind. These are all books that we know. We get unbelievable references to, like, Hemingway and Tolkie and Gatsby. Gatsby.

[A]

I was like, fuck yeah, dude. Dale. Rick. Gatsby.

[B]

But finally, Darrow's carving is done. His body has healed, and he is a Gold. But his last act in this chapter is using his newfound strength and grabbing Mickey by the hands, not letting him move. Finally shooting some fear into Mickey's eyes and telling him that Evie is to never dance for him anymore. A cool moment, this first second. Darrow is gold. His first act with his new strength is to protect those below him.

[A]

Very cool. Good. Good point, Dan. Actually, that's awesome. The pit viper thing is great because as I've said multiple times in this episode, what makes you special? Yeah, the claw drill. My hands. My hands are so good. Because I'm the youngest cell diver. I'm graceful because my uncle taught me to dance. This is the first look that we get at the strength because right now, they just established. Pierce just established for us via Harmony. 97 people have died.

[B]

Oh, yeah. That we know of.

[A]

That we know of. So why do we believe Darrell can survive. This dancer has a line that says, I can feel it. And you're gonna. It's gonna work. I can feel it in my bones. Well, can you feel it in my 6x bones? Because it hurts like a dude.

[B]

You feel it in my new pelvis, dude?

[A]

Yeah, my heavy.

[B]

My asshole and heavy are throbbing right now. Not in a good way.

[A]

So that's not enough for. For. That's not enough for Darrow's peace of mind, and it's also not enough for me, the reader, by the way. Yes, because I feel it. Because I. Because. Because you've got hands.

[B]

Quick hands.

[A]

Quick feet. Quick feet. I don't buy that. That's why Darrow can survive. That's why this line is so important. And it's established in the first chapter.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Darrow is bit by a pit viper, and he has venom coursing through his veins.

[B]

And I love when Mickey clocks it. He's like, you have pit viper venom. And he's like, yeah, my uncle Nero sucked it out. And he's like, that's a fucking.

[A]

He's like, dude, like, that's. Jellyfish bites. You lose. I bet he sucked it out.

[B]

Yeah, didn't he Pissed on you, too. He's like, that's a myth. Like, that is in your blood. It's in your heart. And that lore is so cool.

[A]

It's so sick, dude. Daryl, I almost wish in another version of this story, his. His. Go on. No, his sign is become something so sick, which I guess I won't spoil, but in another version of this story, he is like the pit viper.

[B]

I was about to say that, too. I feel like the pit viper doesn't get enough love in Darrow's ambiance and his aura. It's like, you are literally a pit viper, dude. You have pit viper venom in your.

[A]

I agree, Dan. I have read. Read Rising 1, I think three times before this. Maybe only twice, but I think three times before this, and I'll be dead ass. I. When I read that part right here on my fourth read, I was like, oh, yeah. I actually forgot that Mickey's like, your. Your heart is stronger because of your pit viper.

[B]

Yeah. Oh, really?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I was like, oh, it's like, my favorite part.

[A]

So that is actually. But. But to your point, it is. It is largely forgotten. Like, that never is a thing where they're like, by the way, Daryl's pit viper heart, you know? And I'm almost like, God, there's a version to this where that is so sick.

[B]

This chapter is the first time that Mickey starts to scare me a little bit, the way he is so obsessive about Daryl, like, the stroking his hair. It's doesn't feel like manipulation. It feels like obsession.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Where he's just. He's, like, petting him, treating him like a creature. And he even talked. Darrow says. He's like, this guy thinks he owns me. He is creating me. And it's weird. It's almost the Stockholm syndrome vibe where he gives him the gift and he's like, I kind of like him right now. After. I mean, it's the first time I've liked him. He's not getting.

[A]

He says that about Ugly Dan. Do you remember that? When he goes. When Ugly Dan stops the lashings, he's like, I love him in that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So it's. It's. It is this weird moment when you hear about. When he's telling him about those. When he was in the circus world and he was getting drugged, and now he has this power, clearly. Like, this guy is kind of a. You know, wherever they are, he's. He's a top dog. He is a carver people. He has an entourage, people who work for him. And he's putting horns on them and wings on them. And you can tell when Daryl gets to know Evie here, that Evie doesn't like her wings. Like, they. They may be beautiful, but she's like, I'm a freak, dude. Like, I'm a pink who is made to dance.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

For Mickey. And I don't really. She doesn't even really speak that much. And she's over here just taking care of, literally building Daryl back to life. And she's like, I hate what I've been made. So you do kind of have this moment where Mickey, you're like, what is your deal, brother? Like, you are. You are tapped. This guy has sick thoughts.

[A]

Yeah, dude. He. Wouldn't you say he's a little Ollivander in this chapter or always, but a little Ollivander in that. You leave Ollivander going. You leave Ollivander's wand shop going. Jesus, dude, does that guy even dislike Voldemort? Cause he's like, he did terrible things. Great. Terrible, but great. But great. And here Mickey is like, he's not a bad guy. Neither is Ollivander. But Mickey is addicted to the creation more than the. The result.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

In the same way Ollivander is addicted to wand magic more than the result. He goes, wow, that was sick spell. He just killed a billion people. But that was awesome. Correct? Mickey is very much like that. And to take another reference, it's a little Jay Park. Jurassic park where he's like, you never stop to think if you should just. If you could. Mickey has no filter on that. No break, no governor. Just if I can, I will, because I. And I can.

[B]

I love. I mean, these are such cool chapters. I mean, we literally are recreating Darrow. Darrow is made into a goal in this chapter. And it's so cool. But weirdly enough, this chapter is about Mickey. It's about what his talents are, why he is obsessed with all of this stuff and how good he is at it and seeing the care and attention. I love that moment when Harmony comes to, starts training him and Mickey is freaking out. He's like, stop you fucking. Yeah, you're gonna ruin him. You're going to ruin him. In this moment. You can tell that he, like loves him. He's like, dude, this is. It's like he is. This is his truest passion. And he has finally found a subject that he can do the undoable with. He's going to protect him at all costs. But I love even still with that dancer shows up and he's like, dude, steel, sharpened steel. Like we have to push him. It's like, it's like you can see he's kind of conflicted. He's like, I get what you're saying, Mickey, but dude, if this is gonna work, he has to be the fucking best of us.

[A]

Dan. And you said, Mickey, this is the first time Mickey starts to scare you. This is the first time Harmony starts to scare me. She's intense the whole time when you meet her, but this is the first time Harmony starts to scare me. And Grant just said this and it's genius for both. Yeah, he said, mickey can't stop doing it for the love of the game.

[B]

Yeah, but it's.

[A]

But neither can Harmony and dance. They just love different games.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

You know what I'm saying? Mickey is creating this beautiful art. Harmony is creating a war machine. And buddy, get me one of those concentration machines that Darrow gets in and just fucking rips your muscle fibers to shreds. You don't have to do that. I used to dream. I used to say all the time that if there was a magical dagger, I believe this passionately. If there was a magical dagger, that if I held it, if I held it right here and did a sit up into the dagger, stabbing myself in the stomach. But that gave me. It made my body as if it experienced A perfect workout that day. But it only took the time it took me to stab myself. I would stab myself every day. I passionately believe that I don't have time to work out. I don't want to work out. I don't like working out. I feel no joy working out. I would. I would go through the turmoil of stabbing myself in the stomach every day. That equated to a perfect workout, brother. I. So watch this. And, dude, you feel every second of it. I literally would go like this. And the second it comes out, you are pain free, scar free, anything. And you're. You become jacked.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Every day. Like, can you imagine the mental turmoil I would go through dealing with that every day?

[B]

I would. No, no, I actually think it'd be. I think it'd be the opposite, dude.

[A]

I think I'd.

[B]

I think not only would I do that, I would start to crave the pain.

[A]

Yeah. Because I'd be like this.

[B]

I'm getting shredded. Can I stab myself more than once?

[A]

Yeah, yeah, dude. Dude, can you act like that's how they go. You drink. You drink. Hey, Chris, you drink coffee? I'm like, no, actually, I. I actually

[B]

have a simulation machine that makes it feel like a. A 9 inch serrated blade is going into my abdomen every day.

[A]

It'll wake you up, don't you worry. Yes, but. Oh, actually, good point. Maybe I should just roid.

[B]

I don't think, but I think, and

[A]

I think you have to work out still. You have to roid and then work out. I'm like, I'm trying to take out the workout, but, buddy, if they invent roids where you don't have to work out, I will be doing them. Yeah. So. Yeah, yeah, right.

[B]

But that just turns you hollow.

[A]

Yeah, I'm already hollow, Dan. But get me that concentration machine. That was sick. But here, dude, Harmony is tapped.

[B]

She's.

[A]

You can start. You can start to tell. And she defends it, and dancer defends it where they're like steel sharp and steel. We need him. We need him to do this. But she. She. She talk about sick thoughts, pal. Oh, she has sick thoughts, but she does turn him into the fucking Terminator.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

The one thing that they throw in here that. This is close, close, close. Close to a little bit of a rule break from Pierce. And they happen, right? Like, no, it's a fantasy story. It's about the books. Darrow's like, I drink a tonic that when I go to bed, I just, like, download books, basically. And I was like, that is a little Matrixy. I don't care about that. I just mean, like, we don't ever really use that again. If you have that ability. I'm like, there. I'm sure there's a book about perfect razor technique. And I'm like, download that book. You know, like, there's. Again, it's close. There's just things.

[B]

See, I disagree because that to me would be. That would turn into a talent. Whereas this is just like. It's just. It's like audiobook, dude.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It makes sense to me that they have, like, quick hit audiobooks.

[A]

Yeah. Gassy. And he's like, oh, my God, Jay, no. Jay, no. Dude. Darrell wakes up weeping every morning, just always sad. Books. They're like, God damn it.

[B]

I got a bunch of quotes that I like here. First, I liked personally. I do not want to make you a man. Men are so very frail. Men break, men die. No, I've always wished of making a God.

[A]

It's incredible. I actually put that one in.

[B]

Yeah, that one is great. I love this one too. They say carvers will never duplicate the beauty of the Golden Man. The board of Quality control taunts us personally.

[A]

Oh, that.

[B]

That's. I was like, I had that too.

[A]

Oh. Oh, nice. Yeah.

[B]

If you had just read, you would have seen that.

[A]

I had. I just put my quotes in.

[B]

But yeah, I love that. It's so cool. And it just shows who Mickey is. I love this one too. This is when we talked about, like, the cinnamon and stuff. This is Darrow when he is getting fed and getting built up. This quote says, he gives me something called a hamburger. I love it. Red meats and thick creams and breads and fruits and vegetables make my diet I have never eaten so well.

[A]

I have a bone to.

[B]

Books make me so hungry.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Game of. We talk about all the time.

[A]

No.

[B]

Nothing makes me hungrier than Game of Thrones Thrones. The way fucking George R.R.

[A]

martin describes Feast, he spends three pages on more breakfast. It's unbelievable.

[B]

But I love that.

[A]

I have a bone to pick here, though, Dan.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

The. This place is eaten hummingbird tongues in tins, right? Like, this is a fucking decadent society with what they are willing to. They serve their. Their people.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

We couldn't get a slice of American cheese on this.

[B]

Yeah, I.

[A]

A hamburger.

[B]

I do wish. I do wish that he had cheeseburger.

[A]

A hamburger.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

A soul Grant. Have you ever.

[B]

Hey, hey, hey, hey. He said red meats and thick creams. Like, there might be, like a nice creamy cheese.

[A]

There's Big Mac sauce on it.

[B]

There might be a creamy cheese on there, too.

[A]

You don't know, then it's called the cheeseburger.

[B]

Well, he doesn't know that a hamburger. He's probably never had cheese.

[A]

That's what I'm saying. Educate the boy. Dude. A hamburger. I want in the comments of this fucking podcast for people to say if you actively eat a hamburger, if you are making yourself a burger or you're ordering a burger, if you don't get cheese on it, I want you. I want to hear about it. Yeah, because I think there are fucking three of you on Earth. So if I get four separate comments, I'm wrong. Give Darrow a fucking hamburger.

[B]

All right, my next one is. My body is becoming that of a gold. One of the prime stock. Not a pixie, not a bronze. This is the body of the race that conquered the solar system. Just a good example of determining there are other types of gold. And then finally, things are set in stone. Things are well ordered, reds at the bottom. Everyone else standing on our backs. Now you're looking at me and you're realizing that we don't bloody damn like it down there. Red is rising. Mickey. This is that moment right before he grabs Mickey's wrist and threatens him about Evie, that he is like, dude, you've made me this. Yeah, and I intend to fucking use.

[A]

Not your dirty little birdie anymore.

[B]

So Darrow has been carved gold.

[A]

Yep. And that. That line specifically, Be kind to Evie or I'll come back and rip your hands off your body.

[B]

Yeah. And we know how special his hands are.

[A]

Yes, we do.

[B]

That concludes this section of Red Rising. So it is time to get into the sci fi section. Honors we are going to start with. From the Scrolls of Tyrion Lannister, this is the honor we give to the character who provided the most impactful words. And we have chosen Dancer. I.

[A]

And I. I fought pretty hard for Mickey.

[B]

You did fight.

[A]

But only because he's funny. It's not even that he's. He will say some impactful things in this series, but in this part, he's more funny. But Mickey is funny. So. Honorable mention Mickey.

[B]

Honorable mention Mickey.

[A]

But Dancer.

[B]

But again, impactful words. We had to go to Dancer because, as we said in this section, Dancer is just so key in being that parent figure that I talked about. He is walking that line of understanding Darrow's soul, understanding his torment and missing IO wondering why they couldn't bring IO back, explaining to him how important IO was, but also explaining that he is more important because this is what they need. And he has to teach him the world that he thought he knew is a complete lie. And all of his quotes are just so huge and impactful.

[A]

Dude, they're so good. I was going to go look for some. The flea one is awesome, but this one.

[B]

The flea one is perfect.

[A]

But this one, which you said, which was the. Without us men of war, no one except those of Lycos would hear Iyo's song. Without our rough hands, the dreams of the pure hearts would never be built. That. That is so, As I said 40 minutes ago, that is so valuable in this series. Because I truly believe that even if no one outside of Lykos hears IYO songs or. Sorry, even if people outside of Lycos hear EO song, even if that happens, it's nothing without Darrow. And Dancer is who gets that through to Darrow. Yes, he says, I know you're sad. I know this is a lot to process. But all of this, everything your dad died for, everything you died for, is literally for nothing unless we actually do something about it. And you are the only one who can about it. That was great. The next honor is the Dobby, the house elf. It is given to the character who is the unsung hero providing aid behind the scenes. In this section, we've decided to give it to someone who I believe doesn't speak at all in this. In these six chapters, I believe. And it's Evie. And the reason we want to give it to Evie is this. I pulled this section from the book near the very end of chapter 12, right before he tries to beat Mickey to death with his own lips. I look at Evie's white wings and know how ugly she must think them to be on her back, how she must hate them. I want to say something kind to her. I want to make her smile. If she can. I would tell her that she is beautiful. But she's lived a life of men saying that for some gain or another, she wouldn't believe a boy like me. And I don't believe her words. To me, EO was beautiful. I still remember the flush of blood in her cheeks as she danced. She had all the raw colors of life, the crude beauty of nature. I am the human concept of beauty, gold made soft and supple into man's form. Evie kisses the top of my head before darting away and leaving me alone to watch the HC in the mirror's reflection. I did not notice her slip a feather from her wing into my breast pocket. And I flagged that because in this section, the reason I said Evie's we have said Evie is dobby. Behind the scenes, unsung Evie stands for. What you said about Darrow protecting people even as Darrow has transformed into a fucking machine. It's the connection to Evie. His. His empathy for Evie in this moment confirms to us, the readers, that the Darrow we met in the mines is still in there. Yeah, right. It's not completely gone. Eo I think it's a beautiful sentiment from Pierce where he Darrow's fear is that he's unrecognizable. IO wouldn't even recognize me. It's very lovely thought. As he gets new eyes and new hair. Darrow can barely recognize himself in the mirror. But luckily for him, we recognize him still. Yes. From parts like this. And it's takes people and we used Evie in this one because it's. It's a great example. But it takes people like Evie throughout this whole series to keep Darrow, the Darrow from Lycos grounded.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So Evie unsung that part.

[B]

In that quote, I would tell her that she's beautiful, but she's lived the life of men. Saying that for some gain or another is so devastating.

[A]

Awesome, dude.

[B]

Because it's like think not being able to tell someone they're beautiful because that's been weaponized is heartbreaking. God, life in the pink and identifying it is so good.

[A]

Life of the pink is brutal. Not an easy one.

[B]

The next honor the way of the Bene Gesserit given to the character who cannot be trusted or shows outright devious nature. This was a hard one.

[A]

Yeah. We actually went back and forth a lot on this.

[B]

Everyone in this section, we're like, I like these people. These are good people. Or so we think. Or so we hope. And we are going with Harmony. I think I fought for Mickey a lot here because like I said, Mickey scares me. But you are right, the moments where Harmony scares us are a little more sinister. Harmony is just so cold. And what a perfect visual description of her face.

[A]

She's two faced.

[B]

It's like she has been made cold. But every time Mickey shows us those signs of like, what's wrong with you? It feels a little bit to me like Mickey was like tortured in his life and he's been made this way. Harmony has definitely been made hard and cold as well. But Harmony's anger is too intense sometimes. The way Harmony claps at Darrow, it's almost like she's instigating and picking fights way too often. The way she speaks about EO in such an unsympathetic and unempathetic way, you're just like Harmony. You feel like you are capable of flying off the handle way too much. And it just makes us sit back and be like, dude, what the is your deal?

[A]

I. I'll do the Ollivander comp again. Mickey, when he scares me. Like Grant said, for the love of the game, Mickey's game is less sinister than Harmony's game. It. I won't even say less dangerous. Mickey's game is quite dangerous as well, but it's less sinister. So we went Harmony here and Dan, this is a. Maybe a stretch, because I don't mean to paint Harmony with a negative brush, negative light, but there is. When I hear the lines in my head, there is not enough of a difference between Nero going, hang the rusty bitch lest she continue to howl, and. And Harmony going, your wife served her purpose. Yeah. I'm like, there is a big difference. But. But I'm like, I hear you. Jesus Christ. You know, like the. The vitriol in which they both speak those lines is a little too close for comfort.

[B]

It's also just like now at the time, babe. Like, you don't have to say it like that right now. Relax. So, yeah, she's a little scary.

[A]

Yeah. Be nicer to Ralph.

[B]

Be nicer to Ralph.

[A]

He's made. He made a mistake.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

He's a young kid. He's nervous. The last honor is the sword, axe and bow given to the character deemed to have earned our loyalty, belief and trust above all. Also slightly a tricky one, because in this section we're really dealing with Dancer, Mickey, and Harmony. And all three of them, I believe, are manipulative and scary. Yeah, they all. For the. For the readers. For the re. Readers here, I'm sure you have takes based on what you know about these characters. So you're saying. How could you even have put so and so here and this person there? We're just talking about this section.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Dancer is a good man, genuinely is a good man. And his words to Darrow, which say, hey, dude, we just read the quote. Hey, dude, this doesn't work without men of war. Like you are vital. Vital to the revolution, to Red Rising. But at the end of the day, ladies and gentlemen, this show does not go on if Darrow is a fucking rusty bitch. This show only exists if Darrow becomes a God. And that could not happen without the best carver on Mars. R. MVP in this section is Mickey. Listen, it's gotta be Mickey. He's. He's twisted, he's weird. He's maybe. Maybe he's.

[B]

He's an odd duck.

[A]

He's some of those girls.

[B]

Yeah. But Mickey's. Mickey's just. He's the star of the show.

[A]

Star of the show.

[B]

Dan, he is just. He is captivating.

[A]

He.

[B]

We can't do what we. I mean, Mickey is so vitally important. We would. The. The mission here would not be accomplished without him. But is also for us, the reading, the reader, the audience. He is just unbelievable. He's electric at all moments.

[A]

And Dan, he's getting paid. I'm not trying to say he's doing this out of charity. No. But clearly when. When Dancer walks in to Mickey shop and there's like those fucking ogre dudes, you know, being like, fuck off. Dancer goes, hey, I'm here to see Mickey. And they go, there's no Mickey here. And then he goes, bang. Sounds very bad. They have a relationship. Mickey doesn't immediately run to the society. Right. Again, he's getting paid. I'm not trying to say he's doing it for charity, but Mickey, deep inside him somewhere respects the Sons of Ares, respects Dancer, and is willing to fucking risk his life. You best believe that. Risk his fucking life to do this carving.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And no matter how sadistic and twisted it might be, he loves Daryl. Yes. He has love for his little birdie, his little stallion, his little darling. And that matters to me.

[B]

Yeah. Hundo P. Hundo P. That is going to wrap up and conclude this episode of Sci Fi section covering the next section of Red Rising. Folks, please like and subscribe. Send this around to all of your other Helldiver friends, your fantasy and Sci Fi friends, so we can continue this journey and have a great time doing it. Cannot wait for the next section

[A]

and enjoy.