Characters Amari and the Great Game B.B. Alston

Dylan Van Helsing: Rival, Magician, and Redeemed Enemy

Overview

Dylan Van Helsing, brother of Lara Van Helsing, is one of the most gifted magicians introduced in Amari and the Great Game. A former friend and partner of Amari Peters, Dylan returns from the Sightless Depths—a nightmare prison designed to drain magic—with changed appearance: red eyes replacing his once‑blue gaze. He becomes Amari’s chief rival in the Great Game, a deadly contest for the Crown of Vladimir. By the book’s end, however, Dylan performs an unexpected act of redemption: he secretly lifts the curse on Amari’s brother, Quinton. This article traces his journey from antagonist to a figure capable of grace, using evidence from the novel. For the broader story context, see the main book page.

Plot Role

Dylan’s escape from the Sightless Depths is announced in Chapter 13, sending shockwaves through the Bureau. He appears before the League of Magicians in Chapter 15, demanding the Crown of Vladimir. Cozmo, the League’s steward, had freed him specifically to challenge Amari. Dylan accepts the Great Game, wagering his magic and life. In the challenges, he proves ruthless: he steals Thomas Fletcher’s memory using the Dreamcatcher spell (Chapters 28–29), learning the first time–freeze magic. He gives Amari his password to the Department of Dreams and Nightmares—Amari Amazing—a moment that reveals hidden tenderness. In the final confrontation (Chapter 35), Amari turns Dreamcatcher on Dylan, extracting his traumatic memories and briefly restoring his kind self. Although Cozmo dispels the effect, Dylan later lifts Quinton’s curse (Chapter 36), fulfilling the character’s quiet redemption arc.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Dylan is driven by a desire for power to protect magicians from persecution. He tells the League, “I’ll teach Bane the lesson he should have learned… I’ll return us to our proper place” (Chapter 15). This goal stems from his own experience of imprisonment and his family’s rejection. He is cunning: he tricks the ghost Thomas Fletcher into revealing the time‑freeze spell, then steals the memory so no one else can use it. His password, Amari Amazing, indicates that despite his betrayal, he still values his former friendship—a sign of internal conflict. He is capable of cruelty but also of mercy: he chooses not to kill Amari’s friends when they confront him (Chapter 30), and ultimately frees Quinton without being asked.

Interpretation note: Some readers view Dylan as purely villainous, but the evidence shows a boy who lost himself in the Sightless Depths and was manipulated by Cozmo and Moreau. His red eyes symbolize his surrender to foul magick, while the brief return of blue eyes after Dreamcatcher suggests his true self is only buried, not destroyed.

Chronological Arc

  • Before the novel: Dylan was Amari’s partner and friend. He was imprisoned in the Sightless Depths after their confrontation at the end of book one.
  • Chapter 13: He escapes, and his escape re‑strengthens Quinton’s curse, raising the stakes.
  • Chapter 15: He appears before the League, demands the Crown, and accepts the Great Game.
  • Chapters 28–29: He visits Thomas Fletcher, uses Dreamcatcher to steal the memory of the first time freeze.
  • Chapter 30: After Amari wins the third challenge and rescues him from a Living Nightmare, he gives her his password. He denies causing the current time freeze.
  • Chapter 35: In the final challenge, Amari uses Dreamcatcher on him, temporarily restoring his blue eyes and kind demeanor. Cozmo undoes the effect, and Dylan takes Amari’s magic.
  • Chapter 36: When Amari returns home, she learns Dylan secretly lifted Quinton’s curse. Dylan’s whereabouts remain unknown.

Relationships

With Lara Van Helsing: Lara rejects Dylan after his escape, telling Amari she hates her brother (Chapter 25). Their estrangement reflects the family’s shame and Dylan’s alienation. Lara later expresses regret but does not reunite with him within the story.

With Maria Van Helsing: Maria, Lara and Dylan’s mother, feels guilt for neglecting Dylan. She admits this to Amari (Chapter 18). Dylan’s bitterness toward her is evident; he mocks her “disappointment” at his return (Chapter 15).

With Amari: Once close partners, they become bitter enemies. Yet Dylan’s password choice and his decision to lift Quinton’s curse show residual loyalty. His line, “We would’ve been such a great team” (Chapter 32), confirms he still mourns the broken bond.

With Cozmo: Cozmo manipulates Dylan, freeing him to use as a pawn against Amari. Dylan seems aware of this but plays along to gain power. After the Great Game, Cozmo dispels Dylan’s restored personality, revealing his exploitation.

With Quinton: Dylan places the curse that keeps Quinton in a coma, but later removes it. The motivation for lifting it is ambiguous; it may stem from empathy triggered by Amari’s Dreamcatcher or a lingering sense of justice.

Key Decisions and Consequences

  1. Stealing Thomas Fletcher’s memory: This decision allows Dylan to learn the time‑freeze spell without Moreau’s help. It puts him one step ahead of Amari’s investigation. Consequence: It deepens Amari’s distrust and sets the stage for the final confrontation.

  2. Entering the Great Game: Dylan accepts the contest knowing the loser could die. His choice forces Amari into a life‑or‑death competition. Consequence: He wins the Crown and Amari’s magic, but loses his own traumatic memories when Amari turns Dreamcatcher on him.

  3. Lifting Quinton’s curse: This is Dylan’s final decision in the book. He does it secretly, after his defeat, without demanding anything in return. Consequence: It saves Quinton’s life and gives Amari hope, proving that Dylan can transcend his hatred.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Dylan’s arc resonates with several major themes explored in the novel, such as prejudice and discrimination (magicians are hunted by Bane, and Dylan responds with a desire to strike back), power and responsibility (he craves the Crown to impose order), and identity and belonging (he is rejected by his own family and seeks validation from the League). The theme of truth and deception is central to his character: he lies about the time freeze, yet he is also a victim of Cozmo’s deception. His redemption connects to friendship and loyalty—his lingering bond with Amari leads him to spare her friends and free her brother.

Symbolically, Dylan’s red eyes represent his surrender to foul magick, while the restoration of his blue eyes (even briefly) hints at his original goodness. The password Amari Amazing acts as a symbolic key: it unlocks not only his memories but also the reader’s understanding that his villainy is not absolute.

Five Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Dylan want the Crown of Vladimir?
    He believes the Crown will give him enough power to protect magicians from persecution. In Chapter 15, he tells the League he will “teach Bane the lesson he should have learned” and restore magicians to their “proper place.” His desire is rooted in fear and a desire for vengeance.

  2. How does Dylan manage to escape the Sightless Depths?
    Cozmo frees Dylan specifically to challenge Amari for the Crown. This is revealed in Chapter 14 when Maria demands to know who freed Dylan, and Cozmo admits it. The escape is not an independent feat; it is engineered by the League.

  3. What is Dreamcatcher, and how does Dylan use it?
    Dreamcatcher is a spell that steals memories by staring into a target’s eyes and shouting the word. Dylan uses it on Thomas Fletcher (Chapter 28) to take the memory of the first time freeze so he can learn the spell without Moreau’s help. He later stores the memory in the Department of Dreams.

  4. Why does Dylan lift Quinton’s curse?
    The novel does not provide an explicit motive, but it occurs after Amari removes his traumatic memories with Dreamcatcher. The implication is that Dylan’s original kind self, briefly restored, compels him to undo the harm he caused. This act suggests he retains a core of goodness.

  5. What does Dylan’s password “Amari Amazing” reveal about him?
    The password, used to access his dreams in the Department of Dreams and Nightmares (Chapter 30), shows that Dylan still holds Amari in high regard despite their enmity. It indicates he never fully stopped caring for her, adding complexity to his character and hinting at his latent redemption.

For further discussion of the story’s resolution and Dylan’s fate, see the ending explained page. Readers can also find more character and plot analysis in the questions and answers section.