Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
Chapter 23
by Suzanne, Collins,The chapter opens with Ripred swiftly taking charge as an army of giant ants approaches, threatening to destroy the starshade plants essential for a cure. He orders Aurora to evacuate the younger children, including Boots and Hazard, while Gregor protests. Luxa insists on staying with her bond, Aurora, but Ripred convinces her to join the battle on Nike’s back. Gregor and Luxa prepare for combat by taping flashlights to their arms for visibility. Ripred organizes the group into a defensive formation, urging them to protect the starshade at all costs, even as Hamnet hesitates before reluctantly joining the fight.
The battle begins as the ants, organized and relentless, advance toward the group. Ripred instructs Gregor to channel his rage, emphasizing the life-or-death stakes. Gregor loses himself in the frenzy of combat, fighting desperately but gradually being forced back by the overwhelming numbers. The ants systematically destroy the starshade, reducing the field to ruins. Despite their efforts, the group is overpowered, and the plants are obliterated, leaving Gregor in despair as he realizes the cure is lost. Ripred drags him away from the chaos, acknowledging their defeat.
In the aftermath, the jungle finishes off the remaining ants, as the delirious effects of the white blossoms cause the insects to turn on each other. The battlefield is littered with destruction: the starshade dissolved into lilac goo, Frill’s lifeless body, and Hamnet mortally wounded. Luxa rushes to her uncle’s side, while Gregor, covered in wounds, surveys the devastation. The chapter underscores the futility of their struggle and the heavy toll of the battle, both physically and emotionally.
The chapter concludes with Hamnet on the brink of death, his injuries severe. The group is left to grapple with their loss—the starshade, their companions, and their hope for a cure. The scene is one of profound grief and exhaustion, highlighting the brutal consequences of their failed mission. The ants’ victory leaves the characters broken, setting the stage for the emotional and strategic challenges to come.
FAQs
1. What strategic decisions does Ripred make to protect the group and the starshade, and how do these reflect his leadership style?
Answer:
Ripred demonstrates quick, decisive leadership by immediately assigning roles: he commands Aurora to evacuate the children (Hazard and Boots) to safety with the nibblers, insists Luxa joins the battle on Nike despite her bond with Aurora, and organizes the fighters into a “five-point arc” defensive formation. His instructions to “save the plants” over each other highlight his pragmatic focus on the mission’s critical objective—preserving the starshade for the cure. Ripred’s leadership blends urgency (“Move!”), psychological motivation (pushing Gregor to “rage”), and harsh realism (“Don’t save each other”), reflecting his experience in life-or-death scenarios and his prioritization of the greater good over individual attachments.2. How does Gregor’s emotional journey during the battle illustrate his development as a “Warrior”?
Answer:
Gregor begins the battle hesitantly, distracted by concern for Boots and initially failing to draw his sword. However, Ripred’s command to “rage” triggers a transformation: Gregor enters a trance-like state where his combat instincts take over, targeting ant weak points with precision. His anguish afterward—sobbing at the destruction of the starshade and the loss of life—shows his deepening awareness of the Warrior role’s burdens. Unlike earlier battles, Gregor now grasps the stakes (“life and death” for all warmbloods) and the cost of failure (the cure is “gone”). This chapter marks a shift from reluctant participant to a warrior who understands both his power and its consequences.3. Analyze the significance of Hamnet’s decision to fight despite his apparent trauma. What does this reveal about his character?
Answer:
Hamnet initially freezes, stuttering when Ripred demands his commitment, suggesting unresolved trauma from past battles. However, Ripred’s appeal to redemption and saving Hazard spurs him to action. By choosing to fight, Hamnet confronts his guilt (implied by “redeeming past actions”) and prioritizes his son’s future over his own fear. His death—protecting the starshade—completes this arc, portraying him as a tragic figure who reclaims his honor too late. This moment underscores the chapter’s theme of sacrifice and the cyclical nature of violence in the Underland, where characters are repeatedly forced to choose between survival and morality.4. How does the chapter use the ants as both a literal and symbolic threat?
Answer:
Literally, the ants (“cutters”) are a relentless physical force, methodically destroying the starshade with their “razor-sharp mandibles” and overwhelming numbers. Symbolically, they represent inevitability and futility: despite the group’s efforts, the ants’ destruction of the cure mirrors the Underland’s recurring cycles of loss and despair. Their eventual demise in the jungle’s hallucinogenic vines—a poetic justice where nature eliminates them—highlights the futility of violence. The ants’ “evil-smelling lilac goo” and the “wasteland” they leave behind visually reinforce the chapter’s tone of irreversible devastation.5. Contrast Luxa and Gregor’s reactions to the battle’s aftermath. What does this reveal about their differing perspectives on war?
Answer:
Luxa focuses on immediate losses, rushing to Hamnet’s body and ignoring her own wounds, reflecting her regal duty to protect family and allies. Gregor, meanwhile, grieves the broader consequences—the lost cure and the ants’ senseless violence—showing his Overlander perspective, which questions the cost of war. While Luxa acts swiftly (drawing her sword immediately), Gregor processes emotions more visibly (weeping “in fury” and “despair”). Their differences highlight Luxa’s hardened acceptance of battle as necessity versus Gregor’s lingering idealism and trauma, setting up future tensions in their leadership roles.
Quotes
1. “‘You look after Boots for us, all right, Hazard?’ he said, giving his son a hug.”
This moment captures the emotional weight of separation and protection as Hamnet entrusts his son with Boots’ safety amidst impending danger. It highlights the theme of familial bonds and sacrifice in crisis.
2. “‘Wake up, Warrior! You’ve got your sword. What about light?’ said the rat.”
Ripred’s sharp command underscores the sudden shift to battle readiness and Gregor’s role as the “Warrior.” It marks a pivotal transition from panic to action in the chapter’s escalating conflict.
3. “‘If you can rage, do it now! This is life and death, boy! Life and death, understand?’”
Ripred’s urgent plea encapsulates the chapter’s stakes—Gregor must harness his “rager” ability to survive an existential threat. The quote distills the raw desperation and high consequences of the battle.
4. “‘It’s gone,’ Gregor wept. ‘The starshade is gone. The cure is gone.’ ‘All gone,’ said Ripred quietly. ‘It’s all gone now.’”
This exchange delivers the chapter’s crushing climax: the destruction of their hope (the starshade cure) and the bleak aftermath of their failed defense. The repetition emphasizes irreversible loss.
5. “‘If it’s any consolation, the jungle has finished our work for us,’ said Ripred.”
Ripred’s grim observation about the jungle’s destruction of the ants adds irony to their defeat. It underscores nature’s indifference to their struggle and the futility of their efforts.