The Final Gambit (The Inheritance Games)
CHAPTER 73
by Barnes, Jennifer LynnThe chapter opens with the protagonist and Jameson discovering a hidden chamber beneath the ground, part of an unfamiliar tunnel system. Despite their efforts, they find no body, only cryptic messages written by Toby on the walls, revealing his inner conflict about his identity and complicity in past events. The duo ignites a torch, which illuminates the messages, including the chilling phrase, “Try again, Father,” suggesting a deeper mystery. Their exploration is interrupted by Mr. Laughlin, the groundskeeper, whose unreadable expression hints at his knowledge of the secrets buried within the maze.
Mr. Laughlin’s demeanor shifts as he confronts the protagonist, expressing sorrow over Alisa’s kidnapping and revealing Nash’s plea for help. The protagonist deduces that Mr. Laughlin knows the location of Will Blake’s remains, a secret he insists should stay buried. Tensions escalate as the protagonist vows to destroy the maze and use any means necessary to rescue Alisa and Toby, highlighting her desperation and determination. Mr. Laughlin’s resistance and loyalty to the Hawthorne family create a stark conflict, emphasizing the weight of long-held secrets.
The arrival of Rebecca, Thea, and Xander shifts the dynamic. Rebecca confronts her grandfather with quiet steel, recalling their bond and hinting at her knowledge of the maze’s secrets. Mr. Laughlin’s emotional breakdown reveals his pain over his daughter’s past and the sacrifices made to protect the family. Rebecca’s insistence on uncovering the truth contrasts with her grandfather’s plea to forget, underscoring the generational divide and the toxic legacy of the Hawthorne and Blake feud.
The chapter culminates in a poignant standoff, with the protagonist piecing together the tragic history: Mr. Laughlin’s daughter, then a teenager, was involved in Will Blake’s death. The protagonist’s resolve to unearth the truth clashes with Mr. Laughlin’s desperation to keep the past buried. The emotional confrontation highlights the far-reaching consequences of the families’ intertwined fates, setting the stage for a reckoning that could finally bring the dark secrets to light.
FAQs
1. What discovery do the protagonists make in the hidden chamber, and what does it reveal about Toby’s state of mind?
Answer:
In the hidden chamber beneath the maze, the protagonists find no body but instead discover a series of cryptic messages written by Toby on the walls when illuminated by the torch. The messages read: “I was never a Hawthorne,” “I will never be a Blake,” “So what does that make me?” and finally “Complicit” and “Try again, Father.” These revelations suggest Toby’s deep internal conflict about his identity and lineage, as well as his feelings of guilt or responsibility (“Complicit”) regarding the events surrounding Will Blake’s death. The absence of the body and the final taunting message indicate Toby may have been playing an elaborate game with Vincent Blake rather than actually providing what was demanded.2. How does Mr. Laughlin’s character develop in this chapter, and what internal conflict does he face?
Answer:
Mr. Laughlin evolves from being a seemingly loyal Hawthorne employee to a deeply conflicted character burdened by decades-old secrets. His internal struggle becomes apparent when he initially blocks the protagonists from leaving the chamber, torn between his promises to Tobias Hawthorne and his desire to protect his family. The revelation that he knows the location of Will Blake’s remains (implied by Nash seeking his help) suggests his direct involvement in the cover-up. His emotional breakdown when speaking about his daughter (“My little girl”) and his insistence that “some things are best left buried” reveal a man haunted by his past actions and protective of his family’s reputation, creating tension between his duty to the Hawthornes and his love for his granddaughter Rebecca.3. Analyze how Rebecca’s confrontation with her grandfather advances both the plot and thematic elements of the story.
Answer:
Rebecca’s confrontation serves as both a plot catalyst and thematic exploration. Plot-wise, her deduction that her grandfather always maintained one section of the maze himself hints at the location of Will Blake’s remains, moving the mystery forward. Thematically, their interaction explores generational trauma and the weight of family secrets. Rebecca’s transformation from the “good girl” who made herself small to someone asserting her agency (“I used to make myself small…But here with you—I didn’t have to”) mirrors the chapter’s examination of how suppressed truths affect subsequent generations. Their exchange about Rebecca’s mother (“She was brilliant. Is still.”) and the references to forgetting highlight the destructive nature of buried secrets while establishing emotional stakes for revealing the truth.4. What does the protagonists’ threat to “raze this entire thing to the ground” reveal about their changing approach to solving the mystery?
Answer:
The threat to destroy the maze (“I’ll raze this entire thing to the ground…bring on the chain saws”) marks a significant shift from their previous careful, methodical investigation to a more desperate and aggressive stance. This change reflects their heightened emotional state due to Alisa’s kidnapping and the immediate danger facing Toby. The contrast between “some situations required a scalpel” and their current willingness to use brute force illustrates how personal stakes have altered their problem-solving approach. This escalation also serves as narrative foreshadowing, suggesting that resolving the mystery may require similarly dramatic, irreversible actions that will have lasting consequences for all involved parties.5. How does the chapter use the physical setting of the maze to symbolize the psychological and emotional complexities of the characters?
Answer:
The maze serves as a powerful metaphor for the tangled web of secrets and identities explored in the chapter. The hidden chamber beneath the maze represents buried truths, while the torch-activated messages suggest that illumination (both literal and metaphorical) reveals painful realities. The different sections of the maze that various characters maintained (Mr. Laughlin’s secret area, Rebecca’s knowledge of its layout) mirror how each character holds pieces of the truth. Just as the protagonists must navigate physical passageways, they must also navigate layers of deception and half-truths. The threat to destroy the maze symbolizes how confronting these long-buried secrets may dismantle the carefully constructed facades protecting multiple families, making the physical setting an active participant in the psychological drama.
Quotes
1. “I was never a Hawthorne. I will never be a Blake. So what does that make me? Complicit.”
This haunting message left by Toby reveals his existential crisis and guilt over his role in the family’s dark secrets. It encapsulates the chapter’s central theme of identity and moral responsibility.
2. “Some things are best left buried.”
Mr. Laughlin’s defensive statement represents the generational secrecy that has plagued both the Hawthorne and Blake families. This quote highlights the tension between preserving painful history and uncovering truth to save lives.
3. “I’ll raze this entire thing to the ground… Bring on the chain saws.”
The protagonist’s furious declaration shows their determination to uncover the truth at any cost. This marks a turning point where preservation of the past gives way to urgent present needs, demonstrating the chapter’s escalation of stakes.
4. “We’ve all done our share of forgetting.”
Mr. Laughlin’s bitter acknowledgment reveals how systemic silence has enabled the cycle of trauma across generations. This quote powerfully summarizes the destructive pattern of repression that the characters are now confronting.
5. “For more than forty years, this secret had festered. It had affected all of them—two families, three generations, one poisonous tree.”
This narrative observation provides crucial context about the far-reaching consequences of the hidden truth. It serves as both summary and thesis for the chapter’s exploration of intergenerational trauma.