Chapter 36 (Ava) – Summary and Analysis

Spoiler Notice: This page contains detailed chapter summaries and analysis for God of War (Deluxe Edition). If you have not read Chapter 36, proceed with caution.

Summary

Ava secretly visits her new therapist Dr. Blaine, confessing that she is losing time and experiencing fugue states. She asks for increased medication but is told that only her guardian, Eli, can authorize changes. When Ava asks about the possibility of having children, the therapist’s silence confirms her worst fears. Later, at a family polo match, Eli gives Ava the game ball. During a conversation about future grandchildren, Ava dissociates, and Eli quickly helps her take her pills. After the match, Ava confronts Eli about having her tracked. She admits she will never be her own person, but Eli offers to take her somewhere better, leaving her torn between love and despair.

Key Events

Ava visits Dr. Blaine under a fake name, seeking help without Eli’s knowledge.
She reveals she is losing time, experiencing fugue states, and fears she is a ticking bomb.
Dr. Blaine explains she cannot treat Ava without Eli’s presence and cannot increase medication without his approval.
Ava asks about having children; the therapist’s silence implies it is unlikely.
At a polo match, Eli’s team plays against Ava’s father and Remi’s team.
Eli gives Ava the game ball as a trophy.
When Eli mentions grandchildren, Ava dissociates; he calms her down and gives her pills.
Ava confronts Eli about tracking her location, feeling like a puppet.
Despite her bitterness, Eli proposes a better place to go, hinting at a possible escape from her despair.

Character Development

Ava: This chapter reveals the depth of Ava’s vulnerability. She admits her dependence on others for her own safety and accepts that she may never regain full agency. Her love for Eli grows stronger even as she fears he has the power to destroy her. Her visit to Dr. Blaine shows her desperation to be “normal,” and her reaction to the grandchildren comment underscores her grief over a future she likely cannot have.
Eli: He continues to show a protective—and controlling—side. He has Ava tracked for her safety, but also respects her enough to take her preferences seriously, like offering a West End show to cheer her up. His willingness to go to theater he dislikes signals his growing investment in her happiness.
Ari and Nikolai: Their banter at the polo match showcases the volatile family dynamics, with Ari’s fierce loyalty to Remi and Nikolai’s possessiveness over Bran. This subplot adds levity but also highlights the theme of control within relationships.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Loss of Agency: Ava’s inability to make her own medical decisions or even book a flight illustrates her complete lack of autonomy. The tracking device becomes a physical symbol of this control.
Surveillance and Trust: Eli’s tracking of Ava is framed both as protection and as a violation. The tension between care and imprisonment runs throughout the chapter.
Love as a Double-Edged Sword: Ava’s love for Eli makes her happy but also terrifies her because it gives him the power to institutionalize her. The line “I intended to take revenge, but I ended up falling deeper” captures this contradiction.
The Pool of Blood Dream: Ava’s recurring nightmare of drowning in blood represents her fear of the inevitable loss of consciousness—the fugue states she cannot control.
Family as Battleground: The polo match and the playful yet aggressive exchanges between Eli, Uncle Aiden, and Papa (Cole) show how family both supports and threatens Ava’s stability.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 36 is a turning point for Ava’s self-awareness. For the first time she explicitly acknowledges to a professional that she is losing time and that her fugue states are worsening. This admission sets up the central conflict of the second half of the novel: can Ava reclaim her life before she completely loses herself? The chapter also deepens the romance by showing Eli’s care, even as it complicates it with surveillance. The discussion of children introduces a major plot constraint that will affect the resolution. Finally, the chapter ends on a note of ambiguous hope when Eli offers a “better place,” leaving readers eager to see if he can truly save Ava or if he is merely tightening his grip.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Ava go to see Dr. Blaine in secret, and what does she hope to achieve?
Ava wants help for her worsening fugue states without Eli’s involvement because she feels powerless under his guardianship. She hopes to increase her medication so she can stay conscious and present, even if it means being more lethargic. She also desperately wants validation that she can be “normal” enough to have children.
What triggers Ava’s dissociation at the polo match, and how does Eli respond?
The trigger is Eli’s casual mention of “beautiful grandchildren” in front of her father. The reminder of her probable inability to have children shocks Ava into a dissociative episode. Eli immediately notices, guides her to a bench, gives her water and pills, and massages her knee until her heart rate calms. His quick, gentle response shows he has learned to read her cues.
How does Ava react when she learns Eli has been tracking her location, and what does this reveal about their relationship?
Ava feels betrayed and bitter, comparing herself to a puppet. She understands that Eli tracks her out of fear that she will harm herself during a fugue state, but she hates that this robs her of any privacy or independence. The exchange reveals the fundamental imbalance in their relationship: Eli’s control is justified by necessity, but it also perpetuates Ava’s helplessness.