Search Jump: Comments
    Chapter Index
    Back to Story
    Cover of Champion
    FictionPolitical FictionScienceThrillerYoung Adult

    Champion

    by Lu, Marie
    “Champion” by Marie Lu is the gripping conclusion to the Legend trilogy, a dystopian series set in a divided future America. The story follows prodigy June Iparis and former criminal Day as they navigate political turmoil, war, and personal sacrifices. Key themes include loyalty, power, and the cost of revolution. As tensions escalate between the Republic and its enemies, June and Day must confront their pasts and make difficult choices to save their nation. The novel explores the complexities of leadership and the blurred lines between right and wrong, delivering a thought-provoking and action-packed finale. Lu’s world-building and character development shine, making “Champion” a standout in young adult dystopian literature.
    PreviousNext
    Champion

    Chapter 9: Day 5

    by Lu, Marie

    The chap­ter opens with Day encoun­ter­ing Tess and her com­pan­ions, for­mer Patri­ots, shack­led as pris­on­ers in a Repub­lic facil­i­ty. Tess appears old­er and calmer, but her wary demeanor toward Day hints at their strained past. Pas­cao, a sar­cas­tic and flir­ta­tious Run­ner, mocks Day’s Repub­lic uni­form, spark­ing ten­sion. Day demands their release, but the sol­diers insist they were aid­ing the Colonies—a claim Pas­cao vehe­ment­ly denies. June inter­venes, ques­tion­ing the sol­diers’ orders, while Day qui­et­ly recon­nects with Tess, who reveals they returned after hear­ing his radio trans­mis­sions about his ill­ness and the war.

    Tess explains that her group, includ­ing Pas­cao and Frankie, returned to the Repub­lic after being exiled from Cana­da. Pas­cao admits they sought redemp­tion by aid­ing the war effort, hop­ing for a par­don. June remains skep­ti­cal, prob­ing their motives, but Pas­cao deflects, acknowl­edg­ing their frac­tured his­to­ry. The ten­sion esca­lates when Elec­tor Anden arrives, dis­miss­ing the sol­diers’ claims and order­ing the Patri­ots’ shack­les removed. His cold demeanor sug­gests unre­solved con­flicts with June and Day, par­tic­u­lar­ly after their ear­li­er argu­ment. Anden instructs the sol­diers to mon­i­tor the group but evac­u­ate them, sig­nal­ing a prag­mat­ic approach to their poten­tial use­ful­ness.

    The scene shifts as Anden leads Day and June to anoth­er group of sol­diers, where four guards kneel under accu­sa­tion of trea­son for aid­ing Com­man­der Jame­son and Cap­tain Bryant’s escape. One guard pleads inno­cence, but the oth­ers remain silent as guns are trained on them. Anden’s unchar­ac­ter­is­tic icy demeanor under­scores the grav­i­ty of the betray­al, hint­ing at the Republic’s inter­nal frac­tures. Day observes the scene, sens­ing the Elector’s ruth­less­ness, while June’s pres­ence adds to the under­ly­ing ten­sion between lead­er­ship and loy­al­ty.

    The chap­ter high­lights themes of trust and shift­ing alliances, as Day grap­ples with Tess’s return and the Patri­ots’ ambigu­ous motives. Anden’s author­i­tar­i­an actions reveal the pre­car­i­ous bal­ance of pow­er, while June’s skep­ti­cism reflects the Republic’s deep divi­sions. The sol­diers’ betray­al under­scores the chaos of war, leav­ing Day and June to nav­i­gate a land­scape where loy­al­ties are con­stant­ly test­ed. The chap­ter ends on a fore­bod­ing note, with Anden’s chill­ing resolve fore­shad­ow­ing dark­er con­fronta­tions ahead.

    Down­load PDF Sum­ma­ry

    FAQs

    • 1. How does Tess’s physical appearance and demeanor differ from the last time Day saw her, and what might this suggest about her experiences since they last met?

      Answer:
      Tess appears calmer, older, taller, and her once-round baby face has “leaned out,” indicating significant physical and emotional maturation. Her wary look—unlike her previous openness with Day—suggests she has endured hardships that changed her. The description implies Tess has faced challenges that forced her to grow up quickly, possibly involving survival, leadership, or trauma during her time away. Her subdued demeanor contrasts with her past vulnerability, hinting at newfound resilience.

      2. Analyze the significance of Pascao’s sarcastic remark about Day’s Republic uniform. What does this reveal about their relationship and Day’s internal conflict?

      Answer:
      Pascao’s jab—”Republic uniforms suit you”—highlights the tension between Day’s past as a rebel and his current allegiance to the Republic. The sarcasm underscores Pascao’s disapproval, implying Day’s shift is seen as betrayal by former allies. For Day, the remark stings because it forces him to confront his complicated identity: a former Patriot now working with a system he once fought. This moment emphasizes the theme of loyalty and the personal cost of political change.

      3. Why does Anden order the shackles removed from Tess and the Patriots, despite their history as enemies of the Republic? What does this decision reveal about his leadership style?

      Answer:
      Anden’s command to free them shows pragmatism and a willingness to prioritize unity during crisis (the Colonies’ invasion). His refusal to engage with the captain’s excuses suggests he distrusts blind protocol and values efficiency. By evacuating the Patriots under watch instead of punishing them, he demonstrates strategic leniency—possibly to recruit allies or avoid unnecessary conflict. This aligns with his nuanced, less authoritarian approach compared to previous Republic leaders.

      4. How does the chapter use the juxtaposition of two prisoner scenarios (Tess’s group vs. the traitorous soldiers) to develop themes of justice and power?

      Answer:
      The contrast highlights arbitrary definitions of “criminality”: Tess’s group is detained unjustly (as they claim to aid the Republic), while the traitorous soldiers face brutal treatment. This duality critiques how power dictates justice—Anden pardons Patriots for strategic gain but shows no mercy to defectors. The parallel scenes question who deserves punishment and who holds the authority to decide, reinforcing themes of moral ambiguity in war and governance.

      5. Evaluate June’s role in this chapter. How does her interaction with Pascao and the soldiers reflect her evolving position between the Patriots and the Republic?

      Answer:
      June’s suspicion of Pascao (“Why so generous?”) and her authority over the soldiers (snapping at them to lower guns) showcase her dual role as both a Republic insider and a critical thinker. Her past as the Patriots’ saboteur lingers, but her alignment with Anden’s regime is uneasy. By challenging Pascao’s motives yet defending Day’s judgment, she embodies the tension between loyalty to systems and individuals—a key conflict in her character arc.

    Quotes

    • 1. “We came back because Tess heard you calling for us.”

      This quote from Pascao reveals the emotional core of the Patriots’ return, showing how Day’s persistent attempts to reach them created a bond strong enough to draw them back into danger. It marks a turning point where past connections override present conflicts.

      2. “No hard feelings—not that, you know, I was a big fan of Razor or anything.”

      Pascao’s sarcastic remark to June demonstrates the complex dynamics between former enemies now forced into uneasy alliance. The casual delivery contrasts with the weight of their shared history, showing how wartime allegiances constantly shift.

      3. “Take those shackles off them… Watch them carefully.”

      Anden’s command encapsulates his leadership style - showing mercy while maintaining caution. This moment highlights the tension between trust and control that defines his governance during crisis, as well as his authority to override military decisions.

      4. “Please, Elector… I had nothing to do with their escape.”

      The begging soldier’s desperate plea reveals the climate of fear and suspicion permeating the Republic’s ranks. This scene underscores the theme of betrayal and the high stakes of wartime loyalty, showing how easily trust can collapse under pressure.

    Quotes

    1. “We came back because Tess heard you calling for us.”

    This quote from Pascao reveals the emotional core of the Patriots’ return, showing how Day’s persistent attempts to reach them created a bond strong enough to draw them back into danger. It marks a turning point where past connections override present conflicts.

    2. “No hard feelings—not that, you know, I was a big fan of Razor or anything.”

    Pascao’s sarcastic remark to June demonstrates the complex dynamics between former enemies now forced into uneasy alliance. The casual delivery contrasts with the weight of their shared history, showing how wartime allegiances constantly shift.

    3. “Take those shackles off them… Watch them carefully.”

    Anden’s command encapsulates his leadership style - showing mercy while maintaining caution. This moment highlights the tension between trust and control that defines his governance during crisis, as well as his authority to override military decisions.

    4. “Please, Elector… I had nothing to do with their escape.”

    The begging soldier’s desperate plea reveals the climate of fear and suspicion permeating the Republic’s ranks. This scene underscores the theme of betrayal and the high stakes of wartime loyalty, showing how easily trust can collapse under pressure.

    FAQs

    1. How does Tess’s physical appearance and demeanor differ from the last time Day saw her, and what might this suggest about her experiences since they last met?

    Answer:
    Tess appears calmer, older, taller, and her once-round baby face has “leaned out,” indicating significant physical and emotional maturation. Her wary look—unlike her previous openness with Day—suggests she has endured hardships that changed her. The description implies Tess has faced challenges that forced her to grow up quickly, possibly involving survival, leadership, or trauma during her time away. Her subdued demeanor contrasts with her past vulnerability, hinting at newfound resilience.

    2. Analyze the significance of Pascao’s sarcastic remark about Day’s Republic uniform. What does this reveal about their relationship and Day’s internal conflict?

    Answer:
    Pascao’s jab—”Republic uniforms suit you”—highlights the tension between Day’s past as a rebel and his current allegiance to the Republic. The sarcasm underscores Pascao’s disapproval, implying Day’s shift is seen as betrayal by former allies. For Day, the remark stings because it forces him to confront his complicated identity: a former Patriot now working with a system he once fought. This moment emphasizes the theme of loyalty and the personal cost of political change.

    3. Why does Anden order the shackles removed from Tess and the Patriots, despite their history as enemies of the Republic? What does this decision reveal about his leadership style?

    Answer:
    Anden’s command to free them shows pragmatism and a willingness to prioritize unity during crisis (the Colonies’ invasion). His refusal to engage with the captain’s excuses suggests he distrusts blind protocol and values efficiency. By evacuating the Patriots under watch instead of punishing them, he demonstrates strategic leniency—possibly to recruit allies or avoid unnecessary conflict. This aligns with his nuanced, less authoritarian approach compared to previous Republic leaders.

    4. How does the chapter use the juxtaposition of two prisoner scenarios (Tess’s group vs. the traitorous soldiers) to develop themes of justice and power?

    Answer:
    The contrast highlights arbitrary definitions of “criminality”: Tess’s group is detained unjustly (as they claim to aid the Republic), while the traitorous soldiers face brutal treatment. This duality critiques how power dictates justice—Anden pardons Patriots for strategic gain but shows no mercy to defectors. The parallel scenes question who deserves punishment and who holds the authority to decide, reinforcing themes of moral ambiguity in war and governance.

    5. Evaluate June’s role in this chapter. How does her interaction with Pascao and the soldiers reflect her evolving position between the Patriots and the Republic?

    Answer:
    June’s suspicion of Pascao (“Why so generous?”) and her authority over the soldiers (snapping at them to lower guns) showcase her dual role as both a Republic insider and a critical thinker. Her past as the Patriots’ saboteur lingers, but her alignment with Anden’s regime is uneasy. By challenging Pascao’s motives yet defending Day’s judgment, she embodies the tension between loyalty to systems and individuals—a key conflict in her character arc.

    Note