Unravel Me

Aaron Warner, 19, known primarily throughout Unravel Me as Warner, is an antagonist-turned-love interest in the novel. Though many of Juliette’s allies consider Warner to be purely “evil,” Juliette’s narration casts Warner as an increasingly complex character. As a commander of The Reestablishment, Warner shows himself capable of unrepentant violence, but the introduction of Anderson, his abusive father, shows another side of Warner: that of a boy who has been trained since birth to suppress emotion and embrace cruelty.

Warner’s love for Juliette serves as an impetus for change throughout the novel. Though Warner insists that he does not feel regret or shame over any of the cruel acts he has performed (which he deems necessary for survival in a world characterized by war), he does regret upsetting Juliette. Details Warner reveals in conversation with Juliette—as well as things that Anderson tells Juliette about his son—suggest that Warner’s hard shell is not entirely genuine. Rather, his insistence that he cannot and does not want to change is a defense mechanism against the criticism and abuse he experiences at the hands of his father. Warner is often mercurial and cryptic, frequently choosing sudden conversational shifts rather than directly answering any of Juliette’s questions. He is wry and antagonistic with those he dislikes (such as Adam) and reveals his soft side only with Juliette.

The novel consistently emphasizes Warner’s appearance, including his angelic good looks and his preference for impeccable, fashionable clothing. A neat appearance is a means by which Warner projects competence and control, qualities he values, and he becomes highly flustered when he is caught looking less than his best, such as when Juliette comes to his Omega Point room while he is undressed and asleep. He has scars on his back that he tries to hide and two tattoos, one of the word IGNITE and one the quote “hell is empty and all the devils are here” (178) from Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Warner is a foil for Adam, as he represents Adam’s opposite in regard to Juliette. While Adam can barely withstand Juliette’s touch, it energizes Warner. He is Adam’s half-brother and represents the family’s dark side. Warner also represents Juliette’s choice to leave her comfort zone, which Adam represents, and explore her sensuality and strength.

Adam Kent, 18, begins Unravel Me as Juliette’s boyfriend, though the couple splits after Adam learns that his Energy, which allows him to cancel the powers of others, is decreasing in efficacy against Juliette’s lethal touch. Adam is stubborn, sometimes to the point of being self-sacrificing. He insists that he can withstand the dangers of being with Juliette, even after her touch lands him in the medical bay. Adam angers easily and several times throughout the novel storms out of rooms when he is confronted with information he doesn’t want to hear.

Adam struggles to shake off his bad moods, which increasingly cast him as a foil to Juliette; though Juliette spends the beginning of the text also consumed by her own emotional concerns, she gradually becomes more self-possessed and involved with others. Adam, by contrast, is a relatively static character. He spends the novel attempting to convince Juliette to give their relationship another chance despite her repeated assertions that intimacy between them is too dangerous. Though he rarely lets new people in, Adam is loyal to those he cares for and has a strong attachment to his younger brother, James. He is steadfast in his opinions; he intensely hates Warner, a position that remains unchanged, even after he learns that he and Warner are brothers.

Kenji Kishimoto, 20, becomes an increasingly close friend to Juliette over the course of Unravel Me. A former spy against The Reestablishment, Kenji has powers of invisibility that make him effective as a stealth operator. Kenji frequently provides comic relief, as he jokes, flirts, and makes light of situations when there is time for levity. Despite this, he takes his role in the rebellion against The Reestablishment very seriously and offers Juliette “tough love” speeches when she becomes consumed with emotional concerns. He often scolds other characters for being too concerned with personal problems when a war is at stake but is far from emotionless or immune to the lure of gossip. When Anderson is revealed to be Adam’s father, for example, Kenji finds himself asking probing questions and then ruefully admits to being invested.

Kenji is a mentor figure for Juliette. He is one of the most universally respected and liked members of Omega Point, and his friendship and trust allow Juliette to become more central to the group. The transition between Kenji as someone who must lecture and cajole Juliette to someone with whom she has an equal friendship serves as a representation of Juliette’s evolution from a frightened child to a competent, self-assured young adult.

Castle, 30, is the psychokinetic leader of Omega Point. He is optimistic, sometimes to a fault—his determination that Omega Point be a sanctuary for all supernaturals leads him to misguided trust in Warner, for example. Castle and Juliette do not always get along; he often urges her to try harder to harness her powers and extend her social circle, and Juliette sometimes feels that Castle is “using” her for her abilities. Despite this, as the novel progresses, Juliette is pleased when she gains Castle’s approval.

Castle seems to genuinely care for the members of Omega Point though he is not soft-hearted, as shown by his willingness to subject Adam to painful tests to determine his abilities. Castle has a particularly close relationship with Kenji, whom he regards as a son. Castle is a scientist, and he is invested not only in safeguarding those with supernatural abilities, but also in testing the limits of their powers. This places him in a morally ambiguous situation, as when Juliette finds him in one of the experiment rooms with Adam while Adam screams in pain. Though Adam entered the experiment voluntarily, Castle has no qualms about treating the people at Omega Point as test subjects. This is one of the reasons Juliette feels used by him; his main reason for encouraging her is tactical rather than personal.