Allegiant
Chapter Twenty-Seven
by Roth, VeronicaThe chapter opens with a tense confrontation as Nita and her armed accomplices demand access to a secured area from David, who resists despite being held at gunpoint. When David refuses to reveal the passcode, the assailant shoots him in the foot, causing him immense pain. Tris, observing the scene, remains focused and arms herself with two guns, preparing for intervention. She discreetly instructs Matthew to seek help, setting the stage for an impending clash while grappling with her own moral conflict over David’s suffering.
Nita escalates the situation by injecting David with a potent mix of truth and fear serums, causing him to hallucinate his worst nightmares. As David writhes in terror, Nita manipulates his vulnerable state, promising relief in exchange for the passcode. Tris, hidden around the corner, watches the brutality unfold, her resolve hardening. David, in his delirium, inadvertently points toward Tris, revealing her presence and forcing her to act decisively to protect the serum and herself.
Tris springs into action, firing her weapons to disable Nita and the armed man, creating chaos in the hallway. She uses David as a human shield, threatening to kill him if the attackers advance. A standoff ensues, with Tris asserting her indifference toward David’s survival but her determination to prevent the serum from falling into the wrong hands. The red-haired woman calls her bluff, shooting David again and exposing Tris to gunfire, which grazes her arm.
Despite her injury, Tris manages to drag David to safety around the corner, her pain secondary to the urgency of the moment. The chapter ends with the sound of approaching footsteps, hinting at reinforcements or further danger. Tris’s quick thinking and combat skills highlight her growth as a fighter, while the ethical ambiguity of her actions underscores the high-stakes conflict over the serum’s control.
FAQs
1. What methods does Nita use to try to extract the passcode from David, and how does Tris intervene in this situation?
Answer:
Nita employs both physical intimidation and chemical manipulation to force David to reveal the passcode. First, her accomplice shoots David in the foot to inflict pain. When that fails, Nita injects him with a potent blend of truth serum and fear serum, causing him to hallucinate his worst fears. Tris intervenes by firing at Nita’s group—first disabling the armed man, then shooting Nita herself—before using David as a human shield to retreat. Her actions demonstrate her opposition to Nita’s violent methods and her determination to prevent the death serum from being misused (Chapter 27).2. How does Tris’s tactical decision-making in this chapter reflect her character development?
Answer:
Tris’s actions show her growing strategic thinking and moral clarity. She sends Matthew for help quietly, demonstrating foresight. When she fires at Nita’s group, her initial shots are unsteady, but she quickly adjusts, showing adaptability under pressure. Most notably, she prioritizes stopping the serum’s theft over personal safety, even bluffing about her willingness to kill David. Her comment—”I don’t care if he lives or dies”—reveals her hardened resolve, contrasting with her earlier reluctance to harm others. This mirrors her evolution from a hesitant initiate to a decisive leader (Chapter 27).3. Analyze the significance of David pointing at Tris while under the influence of the serum. What might this imply about their relationship or future plot developments?
Answer:
David’s gesture toward Tris while hallucinating suggests she is central to his fears or the security system’s passcode. This could imply: (1) Tris holds symbolic importance to David (possibly as a genetic “success”), (2) her name or identity is literally the passcode, or (3) his subconscious recognizes her as a threat to his authority. The moment creates foreshadowing—Tris may hold the key (literally or figuratively) to accessing the serum or dismantling David’s control. It also deepens the mystery around why David, despite his cruelty, seems psychologically tied to Tris (Chapter 27).4. Compare Nita’s use of serums in this chapter to previous instances of serum manipulation in the series. How does this scene reinforce the series’ themes?
Answer:
Nita’s serum cocktail parallels Jeanine’s terror simulations in Divergent, but with higher stakes—it’s used for real-world torture rather than controlled experiments. This reinforces the series’ theme that power corrupts: Nita, once a victim of genetic discrimination, now mirrors her oppressors’ brutality. The scene also highlights the recurring danger of chemical manipulation as a weapon against free will. Tris’s intervention echoes her resistance to Jeanine, showing her consistent role as a challenger to unethical authority, even when the perpetrator was once an ally (Chapter 27).
Quotes
1. “I don’t believe you’ll shoot me. Because I’m the only one in this building who knows this information, and you want that serum.”
This quote captures David’s arrogance and strategic thinking, revealing his belief in his own indispensability. It sets up the power dynamics of the confrontation and foreshadows the importance of the serum.
2. “I imagine myself trimming back all the stray branches of my thoughts, focusing on just this place, just this time.”
This introspective moment from Tris shows her mental discipline and ability to stay present in high-stakes situations. It reflects her growth as a character and her Dauntless training.
3. “I’ll stop them from doing it if you tell me how to get in!”
Nita’s manipulation of David under truth serum demonstrates the extreme measures being taken to obtain the serum. This quote reveals the moral compromises being made in pursuit of their goal.
4. “You’re not my leader. I don’t care if he lives or dies. But if you think I’m going to let you gain control of that death serum, you’re insane.”
This powerful statement from Tris shows her defiance and moral clarity. It represents a key turning point where she takes decisive action against both David and Nita’s faction.
5. “I feel something hot spreading through my left arm, and I see blood and my feet scramble on the floor, searching for traction.”
This visceral description of Tris’s injury marks a critical moment in the action sequence. It demonstrates the physical cost of her choices and the intensity of the confrontation.