66 pages • 2 hours read
Pierce BrownRed Rising
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2014A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Part 3, Chapters 27-33Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 27 Summary: “The House of Rage”
Darrow reunites with the members of House Mars and proceeds on his stolen horse, carrying Minerva’s standard. They arrive at Mars’s castle to find it burning, overtaken by House Minerva. Sevro, Antonia, and others from Mars besiege Mustang and her friends as Proctors arrive to watch. Darrow surges forward, and the large Minervan Pax unsaddles him. The fighting continues. Pax picks Darrow up and nearly crushes him, but Darrow knees his crotch and flees.
Darrow negotiates with Mustang again. He offers their captured Minervans back in exchange for control of Mars’s castle. Mustang chastises them for allowing the rape of female slaves and their other ruthless tactics. Mustang demands keeping Titus or Mars’s slaves from Ceres. Darrow refuses and explains that everyone in the war game is like a Red until they ascend the ranks. Mustang mentions a brutish player called the Jackal, whose domination surpasses that of Darrow.
Chapter 28 Summary: “My Brother”
House Mars eats a feast in their derelict castle with tension in the air. Roque and Darrow discuss how to exact justice upon Titus for his wrongdoing. Roque explains why Cassius should not be involved in the decision. Darrow is pleased that he has gained power over Cassius as Mars’s leader.
Darrow talks with Titus, chained in the cellar. Darrow demands to know how many members of House Ceres Titus killed and explains how misguided his violence is. Titus argues that Darrow withholding vital supplies from other House Mars students proves Darrow is just as power-hungry as he is. He says Darrow’s weakness is his emotional bond with other students.
Titus speaks about men raping an unnamed woman and that his rape of slaves was vengeance. Titus uses the words “bloodydamn” and “bloodywell” (218), and Darrow realizes that Titus is a Red.
Chapter 29 Summary: “Unity”
Darrow decides that although Titus is his fellow Red, he is too hungry for vengeance to wage a successful rebellion against the Society. Darrow decides to kill Titus.
Darrow arranges a public execution in the castle square. He announces, “For crimes of rape, mutilation, and attempted murder of fellow House members, I sentence Titus au Ladros to death” (220). Darrow asks for objections against the charges; Titus objects and challenges him to a duel. Cassius asks to take Darrow’s place, since he believes Titus killed his brother Julian. Darrow allows Cassius to duel Titus.
Cassius dispatches Titus with his knife. Roque criticizes Darrow’s choice to let Cassius’s vengeance have the final word against Titus.
That night, a sleepless Darrow watches over the castle, and Fitchner appears. He wonders aloud if Titus mightn’t have proven useful later in life. He explains that the Institute teaches students through trial and error rather than rote instruction. Fitchner mentions the Jackal’s violence and remarks on Darrow’s inner sadness. Darrow wonders why Fitchner appears lonely as well. They dispute Fitchner’s status within the Golds.
As a reward for stealing Minerva’s standard, Darrow and the rest of Mars will receive fresh supplies. Fitchner says the Jackal is the son of ArchGovernor Nero au Augustus. Darrow claims his new horse, Quietus, the next day.
Chapter 30 Summary: “House Diana”
Over the following month, House Mars loses its water supply and must innovate to find new water sources. Darrow learns how to duel with a straight blade and to fight hand-to-hand with Kravat technique. Battles with House Minerva continue, and Antonia considers betraying Darrow. Sevro now leads lowDrafts from Mars called the Howlers.
Darrow, Sevro, Cassius, Quinn, and Roque debate over Mars’s next steps. Darrow suggests an alliance that will help them defeat Minerva. Darrow says he and Sevro will go to the Greatwoods. Darrow commands an argumentative Cassius to remain at the castle, and Cassius submits.
On their scouting mission, Darrow and Sevro discuss Sevro’s exemplary skills and yet how he has not earned any points for Primus. Darrow has concluded that Sevro killed Priam, while Sevro has realized that Darrow killed Julian. Darrow feels a kinship with Sevro, a low-rank Gold.
In a forest of enormous trees, members of House Diana approach Darrow and Sevro. They cover Darrow and Sevro’s eyes and lead them to the House Diana leader Tamara and cruel henchman Tactus. Tamara says, “Let me guess. Reaper. Oh, we’ve heard of you. House Minerva doesn’t like you at all” (236).
Darrow asks Tamara for Diana’s help against House Minerva. Tamara agrees after Darrow mentions the bread supply at House Ceres, which he promises to help Diana overtake.
Chapter 31 Summary: “The Fall of Mustang”
Darrow, outfitted for war, rides slowly to Minerva’s castle with the rest of House Mars. They stop at the killing field in front of the gates, where several dead horses lie strewn about. Mustang comes out to greet them; Darrow challenges Pax to a duel. Mustang is unsure that all members of House Mars are accounted for and asks Sevro, covered in wolfskin, to show himself. She orders the grass burned to ensure that no members of Mars hide there.
Darrow and Pax brandish their weapons and prepare to duel. Several Proctors float overhead. Darrow fights Pax and delays giving the signal so that he can prove himself worthy of Primus. Darrow pulls Pax’s helmet over his head and delivers heavy blows on Pax’s body. He howls, a signal to Sevro and his Howlers. They emerge from the horse corpses, along with members of House Diana. The Howlers in wolfskin behind Darrow were decoys from Diana. The Howlers and House Diana besiege House Minerva on two sides.
Mustang retreats on horseback, pursued by House Mars and Darrow. Darrow and Vixus find her, but Darrow allows her to remain in the woods rather than letting Vixus enslave and abuse her.
Chapter 32 Summary: “Antonia”
House Diana remains within House Minerva, betraying their agreement with Darrow. Sevro destroys Diana’s food and water supplies. House Mars encircles the castle and sets fires. The members of House Diana attempt escape, and House Mars enslaves them. Tactus arranged for Tamara’s death by cutting her saddle strap.
Darrow, Cassius, and Roque celebrate their victory from inside House Minerva’s castle. Cassius suggests that his father can appoint Darrow and Roque as House Bellona Praetors within the Society’s armed forces.
House Pluto sends a messenger named Lilath. She tells Cassius that the Jackal would like Darrow in exchange for fifty ionBlades. She presents him two ionBlades and gives Cassius a pouch. Darrow tells Cassius and Sevro to take out the rest of House Diana and asks Sevro to steal the pouch from Cassius.
Darrow, surrounded by intimidated slaves and grateful followers from House Mars, feasts in his castle and anticipates his award as Primus. Roque plans to kiss Lea, and Darrow gives him advice based on his first kiss with Eo.
That night, Lea tells Darrow that Roque has been badly injured, and they run into the hills. Darrow realizes he has been tricked and hides. Antonia threatens to kill Lea if Darrow doesn’t reveal himself. Darrow remains hidden, and Antonia slashes Lea’s throat.
Darrow tells Cassius what happened. House Mars searches for Roque, who may be dead or alive. Darrow is enraged that the Jackal has conspired against him. Sevro declares he will kill the Jackal and searches for Roque. Darrow retires to bed.
Chapter 33 Summary: “Apologies”
In the middle of the night, Cassius rouses Darrow to lead him to Roque. Darrow realizes Cassius has led him out to confront him about Julian’s murder. Cassius explains that although Julian was not especially strong or smart, he was eager to enter the Institute and honor the Bellona family. Because of the ArchGovernor and the Bellona families’ rivalry, however, the Institute ensured that Julian would die by Darrow’s hand.
Cassius realized the truth after Sevro stole the pouch Lilath gave him. The pouch contained, as Cassius says, “A holo that shows you killing Julian, brother” (260). Darrow says the Jackal arranged this and reminds Cassius that he is the ArchGovernor’s son.
Cassius demands that they duel to the death with ionSwords. Cassius stabs through Darrow’s abdomen, and Darrow falls down. Cassius leaves him to die in the cold.
Part 3, Chapters 27-33 Analysis
The fast-paced action continues as House Mars fights for dominance throughout the second half of Part 3. These chapters are dense with military strategy and fight scenes, all told through Darrow’s changing perspective. The narrator continues to lose himself in the action. He remarks in Chapter 27, “It’s hard to remember I’m doing all this for Eo, all this to start a rebellion. It feels like a game this night; in a way it is, because I’m finally beginning to have fun” (207-08). Not only does he enjoy the fight, but he relishes the power he exerts over the rest of House Mars, as well as the personal relationships he has forged. Cassius calls Darrow his brother, and Darrow comes to identify with his Golden identity more and more. Thoughts of his people dwindle somewhat, although he thinks often of his wife.
Darrow is startled back into his identity, however, when he discovers Titus is a Red like him. Speaking with Titus in the dungeon, he learns that Golds raped a woman Titus loved. Pierce Brown introduced Titus as a villain, eager to kill and abuse others; Chapter 28 reveals the deep-seeded trauma that informs his reprehensible behavior. Darrow shares Titus’s desire for vengeance and repeatedly contemplates murdering the ArchGovernor for ordering Eo’s death. Darrow evaluates Titus’s rage as more dangerous than his own, although he may underestimate himself. In a grave leadership error, Darrow also gives ground to vengeance by letting Cassius kill Titus himself, as both Roque and Fitchner observe.
The characters in these chapters often discuss the distinction between civil military proceedings and bloodthirsty tactics. Mustang and Tamara both identify Mars’s penchant for the latter. In fact, as Tamara explains, Mars never wins the game:
Because you butchers are like a wildfire. In the early stages of the game, you burn everything you touch. [...] You ruin Houses because you can’t sustain yourselves. But then you starve because there is nothing more to burn. The sieges. The winter. The advance in technology. It kills your bloodlust, your famous rage (237).
These foreboding words speak to later events as well as the characters of Darrow and his friends. In these chapters, House Mars’s drive to dominate leads it to innovative victories against Minerva and Diana. As the Reaper, Darrow is their violent, war-mongering ideal. No image illustrates Mars’s wildfire character better than Sevro and his band of Howlers emerging from horse carcasses in the battle against House Minerva.
The theme of deception also runs throughout these chapters. Titus has deceived everyone about his true identity; Sevro and his Howlers fool Mustang in their wolfskins; House Diana goes against their bargain with Mars; Antonia betrays Darrow; and Darrow has betrayed Cassius. Deception is a mainstay of warfare but also human relationships. Fitchner, as Darrow identifies, hides a secret beneath his surly, unkempt demeanor, and Sevro continues to surprise Darrow with his observant nature and guerilla instincts. He, like Titus, seems a Red in Gold clothing. Darrow’s lie about Julian’s death also falls away once Cassius sees footage of Darrow killing his twin brother.
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