The Final Gambit (The Inheritance Games)
CHAPTER 84
by Barnes, Jennifer LynnThe chapter opens with Vincent Blake honoring his wager with Avery but banishing her from his property, ordering his men to escort her, Grayson, and Alisa Ortega away. Toby intervenes when a guard roughly grabs Avery, asserting his authority as Tobias Blake to take charge of their departure. This moment underscores Toby’s conflicted position—while Avery has won her gamble, Toby is now bound to the Blake legacy against his will. The tension escalates as Eve confronts them, furious at being used as a pawn in Avery’s scheme to outmaneuver Blake, feeling robbed of her chance to prove her worth.
Eve’s emotional outburst reveals her deep-seated need for validation, particularly from Grayson and Blake, now overshadowed by Avery’s victory. Grayson’s cold acknowledgment that Eve “could have been one of us” highlights the fractured trust between them. Eve’s defiant mask slips momentarily, revealing vulnerability before she hardens again, dismissing Toby and Avery with a venomous promise that Toby will return. This exchange underscores the chapter’s themes of betrayal, identity, and the inescapable pull of family ties, even when they are fraught with manipulation and resentment.
As they leave, Toby warns Avery about the risks she took, but she deflects with humor, referencing the meaning behind her name—a “risky gamble.” Their conversation turns somber as Toby accepts his fate as Tobias Blake, despite his earlier rejection of the identity. Avery pleads with him to flee, but Alisa and Toby emphasize the consequences of breaking the wager’s terms. Toby’s decision to stay for Eve, despite her actions, mirrors his own redemption arc and his loyalty to Avery, whom he considers a second daughter. This moment poignantly reflects the chapter’s exploration of sacrifice and forgiveness.
The chapter closes with Avery grappling with Toby’s choices and her own journey. Toby’s admission of past mistakes and his belief in redemption, inspired by Avery’s mother, Hannah, adds emotional depth. Avery reflects on her growth through Tobias Hawthorne’s game, realizing it revealed her inherent strength rather than creating it. The bittersweet parting between Avery and Toby underscores the cost of their victories, leaving readers with a sense of unresolved tension and the enduring impact of their choices.
FAQs
1. What was the significance of Toby becoming “Tobias Blake” at the end of the chapter, and how does this relate to his earlier statement about never being a Blake?
Answer:
The moment when Vincent Blake addresses Toby as “Tobias Blake” (p. 343) represents a forced acceptance of the identity he had previously rejected. Earlier, Toby wrote in the hedge maze chamber: “I was never a Hawthorne. I will never be a Blake” (p. 344), showing his resistance to being defined by either family. However, after losing his wager with Blake, Toby must assume this identity to protect Avery’s victory and potentially redeem Eve. This transformation shows Toby sacrificing his own freedom and principles—paralleling Avery’s earlier sacrifices in the Hawthorne game—while maintaining his protective instincts toward both daughters.2. Analyze the complex dynamic between Eve and Grayson in this chapter. How does their interaction reveal their true characters?
Answer:
Their exchange (pp. 343-344) reveals layered vulnerabilities beneath their controlled exteriors. When Grayson states emotionlessly, “I saw you, Eve… You could have been one of us,” it shows his capacity for perception and disappointment, contrasting his usual detached demeanor. Eve’s furious reaction to potentially “winning” only because others let her exposes her deep insecurity about legitimacy and belonging. Her claim that “the girl you knew was a lie” is both a defense mechanism and a tragic admission—she’s embraced her Blake heritage as identity armor. This interaction crystallizes their core conflicts: Grayson’s struggle with emotional connection and Eve’s desperate need for authentic recognition.3. How does Avery’s statement “Tobias Hawthorne’s game hadn’t made me extraordinary. It had shown me that I already was” (p. 345) reflect her character development throughout the story?
Answer:
This epiphany marks Avery’s transition from seeing herself as a pawn in others’ games to recognizing her inherent agency. Earlier, she questioned why Hawthorne chose her (p. 345), but now understands the game revealed—rather than created—her strategic mind (risking Blake’s wrath), loyalty (defending Toby), and moral complexity (using Eve against Blake). Her realization mirrors Toby’s naming her “Avery Kylie Grambs—a very risky gamble” (p. 344), affirming she always possessed these traits. This contrasts with Eve’s external validation-seeking, showing Avery’s growth into self-actualization beyond the Hawthorne legacy’s shadow.4. What conflicting motivations does Toby demonstrate in his decision to stay with Blake’s organization, and how does this decision impact Avery?
Answer:
Toby’s choice stems from three interwoven motivations: protecting Avery’s wager (p. 344), redeeming Eve (“Hannah thought I was redeemable… walk away from Eve?” p. 345), and atoning for his past (referencing killing Avery’s aunt, p. 345). While this shows his protective nature—paralleling his lifelong pattern of sacrificing for others—it devastates Avery by repeating his disappearance after her mother’s death (“losing him all over again,” p. 344). The tension between Toby’s paternal love (“I have two [daughters],” p. 344) and Avery’s need for stability creates bittersweet resolution—his sacrifice enables her freedom but perpetuates their cyclical separation.
Quotes
1. “I wanted,” Eve whispered, her voice quiet but brutally fierce, “for once in my life, to prove to someone that I was good enough.”
This quote captures Eve’s raw vulnerability and driving motivation—her desperate need for validation from Blake and Grayson, which contrasts sharply with her hardened exterior. It reveals the emotional core beneath her strategic manipulations.
2. “The girl you knew,” she told Grayson, “was a lie.”
A pivotal moment where Eve fully rejects her past connection to Grayson and the Hawthornes, cementing her transformation into a Blake. The line underscores the chapter’s theme of identity and the masks characters wear.
3. “Tobias Hawthorne’s game hadn’t made me extraordinary. It had shown me that I already was.”
The protagonist’s key realization about her self-worth and growth throughout the story. This quote represents the chapter’s (and likely the book’s) central thesis about inherent worth versus external validation.
4. “I’m staying for both of you,” Toby replied, and for a moment, I could see the two of us, hear the last conversation we’d had.
This emotional declaration highlights Toby’s impossible choice between his two daughters and his moral redemption arc. It crystallizes the chapter’s tension between family loyalty and personal freedom.
5. “There are a lot of things I would do differently if I could live this life all over again.”
Toby’s bittersweet reflection encapsulates the chapter’s themes of regret, second chances, and the irreversible consequences of choices—both his and Eve’s.