King Sorrow Chapter 140: Gwen’s Plan to Kill a Dragon
⚠️ 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
Three days after Allie said goodbye to Donna at The Briars, Gwen and Robin wait in the chapel at Rackham College for Allie and Tana, who are the last to leave an AA meeting downstairs. The chapel’s accent lights cast brilliance on the stonework. Robin reads a Bible passage from Psalm 44 about being broken in the place of dragons, finding it fitting. When Allie and Tana join them, Gwen begins to explain her plan to kill King Sorrow. She has brought several items: a martyr’s robe for protection, a silver-handled mirror used in the original summoning, a thermos of dragon tears that allow a person to breathe fire, a black stainless-steel cylinder that is a Bluetooth projector for a video of Arthur, and five of Arthur’s notebooks.
Gwen explains that Arthur, before his death, was certain he could kill King Sorrow. She outlines known dragon-killing methods: learning its true name (lost when the Crane journal burned), tricking it into eating something impossible, winning a riddling contest (she once succeeded but cannot repeat), summoning another dragon (which she refuses), or using a magical blade sharp enough to cut dragon scale. Arthur believed such swords are literally souls—pure spirits forged into blades. The human body is a sheath, and death is the moment the sword is drawn. Arthur had the sword he needed but could not draw it while alive.
Gwen’s plan is to perform a séance similar to the one that first brought King Sorrow into the world. She will find a place emotionally important to Arthur—the Brooks Library—play his video, call for his spirit, and complete a task that bends reality. The mirror will serve as a window into the Long Dark. She intends to draw Arthur’s soul out and use it as a sword, wearing the martyr’s robe to hide from King Sorrow, allowing her to get close enough to strike. The dragon tears are an emergency measure: if she cannot kill him, she will drink them to breathe fire and at least cheat him of killing her.
Allie objects, wanting to help and suggesting they summon Van (her deceased partner) as a second sword. Tana asks why not summon King Sorrow now when he is weak. Gwen explains that doing so would risk burning everyone present. Robin deduces the deeper reason: if Gwen fails, Allie can later use her mark to summon a weaker King Sorrow and try again with Van. But Gwen insists on facing him alone, saying her conscience cannot bear losing any of them. Allie accuses Gwen of not planning to survive, and Gwen does not deny it. Robin asks for time to think it over, but Gwen may be wrong about having until Easter.
Key Events
- Gwen and Robin wait in a chapel for Allie and Tana after an AA meeting.
- Robin reads Psalm 44:18–19 and comments on its relevance.
- Gwen lays out her items: martyr’s robe, mirror, dragon tears, projector, Arthur’s notebooks.
- She explains Arthur’s theory that souls can be forged into swords, and that death draws the sword.
- Gwen reveals her plan: summon Arthur’s spirit from the Long Dark at Easter, using him as a blade.
- Allie proposes bringing Van back as well; Gwen refuses.
- Tana suggests summoning King Sorrow immediately while weak; Gwen rejects that as too dangerous for everyone.
- Robin realizes Gwen intends to die: the dragon tears are a suicide measure.
- Allie says everyone good dies; Gwen counters that she is leaving her friends alive.
- Robin asks for time to consider the plan, but Gwen’s certainty about the timeline is challenged.
Character Development
- Gwen: Emerges as a determined, self-sacrificing leader. She has fully embraced Arthur’s ideas and prepared a risky, solitary mission. Her refusal to endanger her friends shows a protective, guilt-ridden side, but also a fatalistic willingness to die.
- Allie: Still raw from her losses, she desperately wants to help and believes in summoning Van. Her emotional outbursts (“Everyone good dies”) highlight her trauma and her love for Gwen.
- Robin: Analytical and cautious, she questions the plan but respects Gwen’s autonomy. She recognizes the moral weight of letting Gwen go alone.
- Tana: Pragmatic and blunt, she focuses on tactical questions and hates uncertainty. Her loyalty to Allie and Gwen is evident.
- Arthur (posthumous): His notebooks and recorded video become central sacred texts. His belief that souls are swords shapes the magical logic of the story.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Soul as Weapon: Arthur’s metaphor that the human body is a sheath and death draws the sword is literalized. A soul can be forged into a blade, making sacrifice a direct source of power.
- Places of Worship as Wards: The chapel provides a space where King Sorrow cannot spy, paralleling the idea that faith or sacred space offers protection against the dragon’s influence.
- Dragon Tears: Symbolize ultimate risk and sacrifice. Consuming them grants fire-breathing but is lethal, representing Gwen’s willingness to cheat death on her own terms.
- The Choice to Face Evil Alone: Gwen’s insistence on solitude echoes classic hero narratives, but here it is driven by love and the desire to spare others—a motif of redemptive isolation.
- Time Pressure: The approaching Easter deadline (when King Sorrow is strongest) and Gwen’s mistaken belief that she has until then underscore the theme of limited time and the cost of waiting.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 140 is the strategic heart of the novel. Gwen fully articulates her plan, synthesizing Arthur’s research, the magical artifacts gathered by Allie and Robin, and her own resolve. It clarifies the rules of dragon-slaying in this world and sets up the climactic confrontation. The emotional stakes are raised: Gwen is prepared to die, and her friends must wrestle with letting her. The chapter also foreshadows that the timeline may shift, creating dramatic irony—Gwen thinks she has until Easter, but the closing line suggests she is wrong.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What are the five methods of killing a dragon that Gwen lists, and why does she dismiss the first four?
- Learning its true name (the name was in the Crane journal, which burned).
- Tricking it into eating something impossible (King Sorrow’s diet is restricted to blood seasoned by grief).
- Winning a riddling contest (Gwen succeeded once with a bad joke, but King Sorrow now has thousands of years of knowledge and she cannot fool him again).
- Summoning another dragon (Gwen refuses to bring another dragon into the world).
- Using a magical blade sharp enough to cut dragon scale (her chosen method, by summoning Arthur’s soul as a sword).
2. Why does Gwen insist on performing the séance alone?
She gives two reasons: first, anyone with her is likely to be killed by King Sorrow, and her conscience cannot bear losing more people. Second, if she fails, Allie can later use her mark to summon a weaker King Sorrow and try with Van—a backup plan that requires Allie to survive. Gwen also plans to drink dragon tears if necessary, making the mission potentially suicidal.
3. How does Robin deduce that Gwen does not intend to survive?
Robin notices that Gwen includes a thermos of dragon tears among her items. When Robin notes that dragon tears kill, Gwen does not reply. Allie then states outright that Gwen isn’t planning to survive, and Gwen confirms that she will drink the tears rather than let King Sorrow kill her—a last-ditch act of defiance.