Chapter 12 Summary: Simon Faces a Goblin and Prepares for Surgery
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Simon has just moved into a flat above a landlady. He finds a goblin waiting in his stairwell, demanding Simon’s lost blade. Simon fights the goblin using a broken broom handle, disarms him, and pins him against the wall. Instead of killing him, Simon lets him go with a warning and keeps the goblin’s dagger. After securing the flat, Simon orders pad thai and removes the belts strapping down his wings. He examines his wings and tail in the bathroom, reflecting on the surgery scheduled for tomorrow: Dr. Wellbelove will remove his wings entirely and leave only a short stump of his tail. Simon feels disconnected from his body and his identity, describing himself as “between Simons.” A knock at the door turns out to be Baz, not the food delivery.
Key Events
- Simon encounters a goblin in the stairwell of his new flat. The goblin knows Simon has lost his magical blade and wants to claim the reward.
- Simon fights the goblin with a broom handle; he remembers the Mage’s training about letting an opponent get close.
- After disarming the goblin, Simon pins him against the wall and threatens to kill him, but chooses to let him go. He keeps the goblin’s dagger as a trophy.
- Simon secures the flat door with a broom handle wedge, then orders pad thai for dinner.
- In the bathroom, Simon removes the belts he uses to strap down his wings. He feels the joints where his wings attach and his tail emerging from his spine.
- Simon recalls tomorrow’s surgery: Dr. Wellbelove will remove his wings completely and reduce his tail to a short stub. His intern plans to dissect the wings.
- Simon looks at himself in the mirror, seeing a soft, pale body marked by scars. He thinks he is “nothing” and “between Simons.”
- A knock at the door interrupts him. He assumes it is his food, but when he cracks the door open with the goblin dagger, he sees Baz instead.
Character Development
Simon Snow – This chapter reveals Simon’s physical and emotional exhaustion. He has lost his magical blade, his wings are a constant burden, and he is about to undergo a major surgical transformation. Despite his reputation as a warrior, he deliberately chooses not to kill the goblin, explaining to himself that he wants “a life—a week—with a lower body count.” This shows a desire to move away from violence, even as he still relies on his fighting instincts. His body image is shattered: he sees himself as “soft,” scarred, and unrecognizable. The line “I’m between Simons” captures his identity crisis—he has lost his magic and his old self, and the surgery will complete the disconnection. Baz’s sudden appearance at the door introduces an unresolved personal relationship that adds emotional complexity to Simon’s already turbulent state.
The Goblin – Though unnamed, the goblin represents the persistent threat of Simon’s past. His presence proves that the goblin world knows Simon is vulnerable without his blade, and that many will try to collect the bounty. His fear and grudging respect after Simon spares him suggest the goblins regard Simon as still dangerous.
Dr. Wellbelove – Referenced indirectly, the doctor symbolizes Simon’s future – a clinical, final removal of the physical remnants of his magic. The doctor’s apology for scars indicates a paternalistic concern, but Simon dismisses it, emphasizing how little he cares about his own appearance.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
Identity and Transformation – Simon’s wing and tail removal surgery is the central metaphor for his attempt to shed his magical identity. The chapter is filled with images of removing, strapping, and cutting away body parts. Simon’s self-description as “between Simons” indicates he does not know who he will be without his wings and magic.
Violence and Restraint – Simon’s fight with the goblin showcases both his combat skill and his new reluctance to kill. He uses a mundane broom handle instead of a sword, and after winning, he spares his opponent. This restraint contrasts with his earlier days as the Mage’s weapon, and it sets up a moral choice that recurs in his interactions with Baz.
Loneliness and Displacement – Simon’s flat is bare—no furniture, no coat rack, no sofa. He tosses his coat on the floor and struggles to secure the door. The only thing he orders is takeaway. This emptiness mirrors his internal sense of homelessness and rootlessness.
The Body as a Site of Struggle – Simon’s wings and tail are physical reminders of his magic and his monstrosity. He cannot see them fully, only feel their joints and the chafing belts. The upcoming surgery will leave scars, but Simon sees those as just more additions to his existing collection. His body is a map of past battles and future mutilation.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 12 is pivotal for Simon’s character arc. It directly sets up the surgical removal of his wings and tail, an event that will fundamentally change his physical and magical identity. The goblin fight demonstrates that even without his blade, Simon is still a formidable opponent, yet his choice to spare the goblin hints at a growing desire for peace. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger with Baz’s arrival, which will force Simon to confront his unresolved feelings about him and his own past. This chapter deepens the tension between Simon’s old life as a magical soldier and his uncertain future as a normal human.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Simon let the goblin go instead of killing him, even though he knows another goblin might come?
Simon is tired of bloodshed. He thinks to himself that he wants “a life—a week—with a lower body count.” He also imagines the goblin might have a family, revealing a moral shift from his earlier ruthlessness. Letting him go is a deliberate attempt to break the cycle of violence that has defined his existence.
2. How does Simon’s description of his wings and tail reveal his feelings about the upcoming surgery?
Simon touches his wings, feeling the joints and the leathery skin, and then pulls his tail out of his jeans. He knows that after tomorrow, the wings will be gone and the tail reduced to a stump. He imagines the scars as just more additions to his collection of wounds. His tone is detached, even clinical, but the repeated thought “Tomorrow. My wings will be gone tomorrow” shows a mixture of dread and resignation. He does not want to be a monster, but he is not sure who he will be without these magical parts.
3. What does Simon mean when he says, “I’m between Simons”?
Simon is acknowledging that he has lost his identity. He has no magic, no blade, no home, and no clear future. The surgery will remove the last physical traces of his old self. He feels like a blank slate, uncertain and untethered. This phrase captures the central theme of identity crisis that runs throughout the book.
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