Chapter summaries In the Likely Event Rebecca Yarros

Chapter 2 Summary: The Fateful Flight

⚠️ 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

In November 2011, eighteen-year-old Isabeau “Izzy” Astor boards a commuter plane in Saint Louis, headed to Atlanta for Thanksgiving with her sister Serena. She is terrified of flying and has memorized aviation statistics. In her row she finds a handsome stranger, Nathaniel “Nate” Phelan, who accidentally took her window seat. She admits she prefers the aisle to avoid seeing the ground. They introduce themselves: Izzy is a Syracuse freshman studying public relations; Nate is nineteen, from a small Illinois farm, and is flying to basic training at Fort Benning. He plans to use the Army to pay for college. To calm her nerves during takeoff, Nate offers his hand and sets a three-minute timer on his watch. He distracts her with questions about her favorite movie and time of day. Just as the plane climbs through fog, the wing explodes in a ball of fire, ending their conversation.

Key Events

  • Izzy boards the plane, struggles with her carry-on, and Nate catches it before it hits her face.
  • They realize Nate accidentally took her window seat; she insists she prefers the aisle.
  • Izzy reveals her fear of flying and her ADHD, apologizing for babbling.
  • Nate explains he is traveling to Army basic training; they discuss books and their reading lists (The Outsiders, East of Eden, The Hunger Games, etc.).
  • Izzy offers to send him books while he is in training.
  • During takeoff, they hold hands, and Nate starts a stopwatch to time the critical first three minutes of flight.
  • The wing suddenly explodes.

Character Development

Izzy Astor: Her internal nervousness contrasts with her outgoing, honest chatter. She self-deprecatingly acknowledges her ADHD and tendency to overthink. Her willingness to trust Nate—taking his hand, offering to send books—shows an openness to connection despite her anxiety. The chapter establishes her as empathetic, bookish, and prone to romanticizing stories.

Nate Phelan: Calm and observant, Nate is immediately attuned to Izzy’s fear. He gently steers the conversation away from her panic, using his own reading list and memories of pine trees to ground her. His quiet admission of a recent fight and his bruised lip hint at a harder past, but he presents himself as self-assured and purposeful. His decision to join the Army for pragmatic reasons (college funding) suggests a resilient, forward-looking nature.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Fate vs. Chance: The chance seating assignment, the swap with another passenger, and the loaded question “Risk and reward, right?” all underscore the idea that life-altering encounters and disasters can happen randomly.

Risk and Reward: Nate explicitly frames his military enlistment as a gamble worth the potential benefit. Izzy’s decision to fly despite her panic mirrors this theme.

Literature as Connection: Both characters bond over their reading lists, using books to reveal personality and values. Books become a bridge between two very different lives.

The Timer: The three-minute stopwatch symbolizes both the temporary nature of their intimacy and the looming deadline of the flight’s danger.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 2 introduces the central relationship of the novel by placing Izzy and Nate in a confined, high-stakes setting. Their instant rapport, built through vulnerability and shared interests, makes the sudden explosion all the more devastating. The chapter establishes Izzy’s anxiety disorder, Nate’s military path, and a connection that will likely shape the rest of the story. It also sets up the inciting incident that will force them apart or together in unforeseen ways.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Izzy refuse to switch back to the window seat?
She is terrified of flying and finds the aisle seat less confronting because she can avoid seeing the ground.

2. What does Nate’s reading list reveal about his character?
His list (classics like Into Thin Air, The Outsiders, Lord of the Flies) shows a self‑educated, disciplined person who is systematically improving himself, despite limited resources.

3. How does the author use the stopwatch to build tension?
The timer creates a literal countdown of the most dangerous phase of flight. It also gives Izzy a concrete goal, making her anxiety feel manageable, and its eventual end coincides with the explosion.

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