Chapter summaries Red Rising 3-Book Bundle Pierce Brown

Chapter 107: Plan C – Summary and Analysis

Spoiler Notice

This page contains detailed plot points for Chapter 107: Plan C of Red Rising. If you have not read through this chapter, proceed with caution.

Summary

Stuck between floors in an elevator after Darrow kills Vixus, the group learns the lift has been redirected to the first level where enemies wait. Trigg initiates Plan C: an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) to disable enemy electronics, then a gunfight using antique powder weapons. Holiday detonates a hidden EMP device, knocking out the Jackal’s elite forces. Trigg and Holiday slaughter Grays and Obsidians in the corridor, while Darrow drags an unconscious Victra. They fight through the fortress to a service door leading to a walkway and eventually a landing pad. There they plant mines and signal for extraction, hoping to survive three minutes until help arrives.

Key Events

  • Darrow reflects on killing Vixus and the ease of taking a life.
  • The elevator is overridden, forcing the group to the first level.
  • Trigg proposes and executes “Plan C” – using an EMP and antique weapons.
  • Holiday deploys a cylinder EMP, disabling high-tech enemy gear.
  • Trigg and Holiday systematically kill Grays and Obsidians in the corridor.
  • Darrow, dragging Victra, follows as they fight through the fortress.
  • The group reaches a landing pad; Trigg plants mines and Holiday releases green smoke.
  • They brace for a three-minute wait, hoping for extraction.

Character Development

  • Darrow: Feels hollow, driven by hate rather than hope. He admits he is not prime, struggles with guilt over Victra’s condition, and questions whether any kindness remains in her. His promise to the Grays and to Victra feels like a burden.
  • Trigg: Shows professionalism, dark humor (calling Plan C and a cold beer), and devotion to his sister. He kisses his wedding band and makes a cross gesture, revealing personal faith and a family life outside the mission.
  • Holiday: Focused and protective, she takes charge of the escape, physically supporting Darrow and ensuring Victra is brought along. Her line “this is our profession” reinforces her role as a disciplined operative.
  • Victra: Unconscious throughout, she is a symbol of Darrow’s failure to protect those loyal to him. Her vulnerability contrasts with her earlier strength.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Plan C as last resort: The name “Plan C” signifies escalation when all else fails. Trigg and Holiday accept that violence is the only remaining option.
  • The EMP and “Middle Ages”: The electromagnetic pulse forces a return to primitive combat, stripping away the Color hierarchy’s technological advantage. Low-tech weapons become equalizers.
  • Family bonds: The sibling dynamic between Trigg and Holiday contrasts with Darrow’s isolation. Their whispered “Love you” before battle underscores the personal stakes behind the rebellion.
  • Hate versus hope: Darrow explicitly states he feels no hope or love, only hate—both for his enemies and for what he has become. This internal conflict deepens his character.
  • Snow and stillness: The snowflakes and quiet city after the EMP create a momentary peace, but Darrow’s hope is fragile; the snow stops falling, symbolizing the uncertainty of survival.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 107 marks a turning point in Darrow’s escape from the Jackal’s fortress. It showcases the resourcefulness of the Gray siblings, Holiday and Trigg, and reinforces the theme that survival depends on adaptability—using a forbidden EMP and antiquated weapons. Darrow’s emotional state is laid bare: he is a shell of the Reaper, driven by hate and guilt. The chapter sets up the final stretch of the escape and deepens the cost of the rebellion on its participants.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. What is Plan C, and why do Trigg and Holiday consider it a last resort? Plan C involves using an illegal EMP device to disable all high-tech enemy equipment, then fighting with antique powder weapons. It is a last resort because it draws massive attention, leaves the group with limited ammunition, and requires a secondary extraction that may not arrive in time.

  2. How does Darrow’s internal conflict in this chapter reflect his journey since the beginning of the novel? Darrow admits he feels no hope or love, only hate. This contrasts with his earlier idealism and shows how the brutality of the war has eroded his original purpose. He is now a “withered husk,” questioning whether he has become the very monster he fights.

  3. Analyze the role of the EMP in leveling the playing field. What does it reveal about the Society’s reliance on technology? The EMP turns the fight into a primitive brawl, neutralizing the Jackal’s advanced surveillance and weapons. It exposes the vulnerability of a society built on tech—without it, even Obsidians in heavy armor are felled by simple bullets. The scene emphasizes that the Color system’s power is artificially maintained.

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