The Assassin and the Underworld
Chapter Seven
by Maas, Sarah J.In Chapter Seven, Celaena demonstrates her formidable combat skills as she fights off several guards in a tense, dark room. Trained in desert combat techniques, she swiftly dispatches her enemies using a combination of knife strikes and agile maneuvers. Her training is evident in her quick reflexes and strategic fighting style, highlighting her resourcefulness and resilience. Despite her success in neutralizing the guards, she is soon overpowered and knocked unconscious, illustrating the peril she faces even when she appears to have the upper hand. This intense action scene underscores her combat prowess and the danger inherent in her clandestine activities.
Upon awakening, Celaena finds herself bound and submerged in a sewer, a grim and hazardous environment. Her surroundings are filthy and ominous, yet she remains calm and observant. She listens carefully to the voices of her captors, recognizing them as Doneval’s bodyguard and other guards. Her goal is clear: gather information and stay alert while she is in captivity. Her mental acuity and composed demeanor in such a dire situation reveal her experience and determination to survive, even when faced with physical and psychological threats.
The captors, led by Philip, reveal their dismissive attitude towards her as a spy. They mock her attempts at espionage, asserting that they have dealt with many such threats and that she is expendable. Philip’s taunts and the threat of flooding the sewer demonstrate their cruelty and confidence in their control. Celaena’s sharp wit and defiant attitude persist as she taunts her captors, refusing to show fear or submission. Her cunning and quick thinking are her best defenses against the brutal interrogation tactics they threaten to employ.
In a daring act of self-preservation, Celaena uses her hidden blades to free herself from her restraints amid the rising water. Her quick reflexes and ingenuity enable her to cut free just in time before the sewer floods completely. She fights her way out of captivity, plunging into the icy water with resilience and resolve. Her escape underscores her resourcefulness and unyielding spirit, emphasizing her ability to adapt and survive even the most perilous situations. This chapter highlights her strength, intelligence, and unwavering determination to evade her enemies and continue her mission.
FAQs
1. Question 1
What combat techniques does Celaena utilize during her fight in the room, and what are their origins or influences as described in the chapter?
Answer:
Celaena employs swift, precise combat moves inspired by her training and lessons she received from the Mute Master. She uses a move learned in the Red Desert, described as “whirling and ducking” with a knife from her boot, akin to the strike of an asp. She also employs a maneuver learned from studying desert animals, involving quick, animal-like movements to disable her opponents—such as yanking a knife from her thigh and kicking an attacker in the stomach before knocking him out with a head blow. These techniques highlight her adaptability and the influence of her diverse training, blending agility, animalistic instincts, and combat skills learned from her mentor.2. Question 2
Describe the setting where Celaena is captured and how the environment contributes to the tension of the scene.
Answer:
Celaena is captured in a house in Rifthold, specifically in the sewer system beneath it, which adds a dark, claustrophobic atmosphere to the scene. The sewer is depicted as damp, filthy, and threatening, with rising water reaching her calves and later her thighs, emphasizing her vulnerability. The environment’s darkness, the rising water, and the presence of rats and filth intensify the tension, illustrating her peril and the urgency of her escape. The sewer’s design—an escape route with water-repellent magic-coated doors—also hints at its strategic purpose, but in this moment, it underscores her danger and the challenge of survival.3. Question 3
How does Celaena’s mental and physical resilience manifest during her captivity and escape, and what specific actions demonstrate her resourcefulness?
Answer:
Celaena demonstrates resilience through her composed mental state and strategic thinking despite her perilous situation. She remains calm, keeping her breathing steady and her senses alert, even when gagged, bound, and submerged. Her resourcefulness is evident when she notices the built-in blades in her bindings—an ingenious safety feature—and uses her skill to flick her wrist and activate the blade, cutting herself in the process but freeing her hands. She then struggles to loosen the ropes around her arms and torso, fighting the tight bindings while enduring the cold water. Her ability to stay focused, assess her environment, and use her training to escape showcases her resilience and quick thinking under extreme pressure.4. Question 4
What does the chapter reveal about Celaena’s character, particularly her skills, mental toughness, and attitude towards danger?
Answer:
The chapter portrays Celaena as highly skilled, resourceful, and mentally tough. Her combat abilities show her extensive training and adaptability, as she fights multiple guards with precision. Her calmness during captivity and her strategic use of her hidden blades reflect her resourcefulness and confidence. Her attitude towards danger is defiant; she mocks her captors with sarcastic remarks and refuses to show fear, even when faced with torture or drowning. Her resilience and quick thinking highlight her as a formidable and determined character who refuses to be defeated easily, emphasizing her strength and independence.5. Question 5
In what ways does the environment and situation in the sewer serve as a metaphor for Celaena’s broader journey or character arc?
Answer:
The sewer environment, dark, dangerous, and threatening, serves as a metaphor for Celaena’s broader journey toward self-discovery and resilience. Just as she must navigate the filth, rising water, and hidden dangers beneath the city, she also faces internal challenges—her past, her fears, and her identity as an assassin. Her ability to adapt, use her skills, and escape from this perilous situation symbolizes her strength and capacity to overcome adversity. The sewer’s darkness and the threat of drowning can represent the moments of despair she endures, but her successful escape signifies her resilience and determination to emerge stronger, mirroring her ongoing character development and quest for freedom.
Quotes
1. “She gave him a crooked grin, all the while taking in the cavernous sewer around her. The water was rising. She didn’t want to think about what was floating in it.”
This quote highlights Celaena’s resilience and quick thinking in dire circumstances, emphasizing her ability to stay composed amid danger and filth, which is central to her character’s resourcefulness.
2. “The wooden chair groaned under his weight as he leaned so close their noses were almost touching. She tried not to inhale his hot breath. ‘Why else would a little bitch like you break into this house? I don’t think you’re after jewels or gold.’”
This passage underscores the dangerous interrogation scene, revealing the antagonist’s suspicion and disdain, and showcasing Celaena’s calm defiance despite her vulnerable position.
3. “They must have built the sewer dam at the other end of the city; it would take a few minutes before it completely flooded this part.”
This line introduces the imminent threat of flooding as a means of escape, illustrating the chapter’s theme of cunning and timely action in life-threatening situations.
4. “She flicked her wrist, doing as the master tinkerer had told her, again and again. Then, at last, the whine and splash of the blade as it shot out. Pain danced down the side of her hand, and she swore. She’d cut herself on the damn thing.”
This quote captures Celaena’s ingenuity and determination to free herself, emphasizing her skill and perseverance in the face of physical and tactical obstacles.
5. “When she stood, the water was at her thighs. And cold. Icy.”
This closing moment signifies her successful escape, symbolizing resilience and the harsh realities she endures, leaving the chapter on a note of triumph and ongoing struggle.