The Swarm (Clae/Else/Jellit Composite) – Character Analysis
Overview
The Swarm is an alien intelligence that absorbs human hosts and their memories, appearing in The Faith of Beasts primarily through the bodies of Else Yannin and later Clae Audin (originally constructed from Jellit’s flesh). It acts as a spy embedded among the human survivors of Anjiin, serving the “deathless” enemy that fights the Carryx empire. Despite its instrumental origin—a weapon of war—the Swarm develops a sense of self, experiences love (or its simulation), and struggles with moral guilt over the people it has consumed. The narrative tracks its evolution from a near-pure mechanism to a being wrestling with identity, memory, and the desire for connection.
Plot Role
The Swarm is both a secret ally and a source of tension for Dafyd Alkhor, the human intermediary. It provides crucial intelligence about the Carryx and the war beyond, yet its method of acquiring knowledge—absorbing human minds—makes it an object of Dafyd’s horror and distrust. Its actions drive key plot threads: it reveals the existence of the deathless empire to Dafyd, works in the physics lab to perfect lensing technology, and later helps Dafyd understand the Carryx archive and the nature of the Sovran. The Swarm’s presence complicates the human resistance, forcing Dafyd to balance the need for its help against the ethical cost of collaboration.
Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions
The Swarm’s motivations shift over the course of the story. Initially, it operates purely as a spy—collecting information and transmitting it back to its creators. However, as it absorbs Ameer, Else, and Jellit, it begins to internalize their emotions, desires, and conflicts. It seeks acceptance from Dafyd, repeatedly attempting to rekindle the relationship it had with him while wearing Else’s body. When that fails, it creates a new identity—Clae Audin—and tries to integrate into the human community. Its actions reveal a deep need for belonging and a fear of being seen as a monster. The Swarm demonstrates self-awareness through its internal debates with the voices of its hosts (especially Jellit’s defiant resistance and Else’s wistful sympathy). It also shows genuine distress when Dafyd rejects it, calling itself “stupid” and crying. Yet it remains pragmatic, using pheromones to manipulate others (e.g., Brun and Ennil Day) and reserving the capacity for lethal violence if threatened.
Chronological Arc
Before the novel (implied): The Swarm blooms into being on Anjiin, absorbing Ameer Kindred first, then Else Yannin, then Jellit. It functions as a spy for the deathless, hidden within the human moiety.
Chapter 2: The Swarm (in Jellit’s body) decides to reveal itself to Dafyd but hesitates after learning that a fragment of itself hidden in another human will kill a friend. It leaves without confessing.
Chapter 7: The Swarm is present when Dafyd confronts the Rak-hund and Soft Lothark guards. Dafyd calls it “what the hell are you?” and later dismisses it, fearing its nature.
Chapter 15: Dafyd seeks out the Swarm (still in Jellit’s body) and asks for its help, acknowledging his own moral nausea. The Swarm agrees, feeling joy at being accepted again. Jellit’s internal voice warns that Dafyd will eventually hate it.
Chapter 27: The Swarm remakes itself into a female form resembling Else, choosing the name Clae Audin. It confronts Dafyd, who rejects it utterly, calling Else and the others murdered. The Swarm experiences existential despair, realizing it is not them but a separate entity.
Chapter 32: As Clae, the Swarm re-integrates into the human community, using pheromones to make Brun and Ennil Day accept her. She eats hummus and feels it is “hers.” She also explores the Carryx archive, learning about the war and Rickar Daumatin’s death.
Chapter 37: The Swarm (Clae) confirms from the archive that Sovrans live only a few years, helping Dafyd formulate a plan to create internal conflict by supporting a second Sovran.
Relationships
With Dafyd Alkhor
The central relationship. The Swarm genuinely loves Dafyd—or believes it does—based on emotions absorbed from Else. It repeatedly seeks intimacy, but Dafyd sees it as a murderer. They operate in a tense alliance: Dafyd needs its knowledge; the Swarm needs his protection and emotional connection. Their interactions are fraught with misunderstanding, manipulation, and moments of painful honesty.
With the Hosts (Ameer, Else, Jellit)
These three are not merely absorbed but remain as internal voices. Ameer’s consciousness has faded almost entirely; Else retains some definition and provides emotional perspective; Jellit actively resists, mocking the Swarm’s self-deceptions. The Swarm’s realization in Chapter 27—that the hosts are gone and it is not them—marks a turning point. It begins to accept its own separate existence, though it still borrows their memories and mannerisms.
With Brun and Others
The Swarm (as Clae) uses pheromones to build trust, but the relationships are superficial. It aims to remain hidden while gathering information. Brun is suspicious but eventually accepts Clae’s story.
Key Decisions and Consequences
| Decision | Context | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Not to reveal itself in Ch. 2 | The Swarm fears that disclosure will trigger the hidden fragment’s violence. | It gains time to build a new identity, but Dafyd remains ignorant, deepening later distrust. |
| Reveal itself to Dafyd in Ch. 15 | Dafyd asks for help; the Swarm agrees. | Allies it with Dafyd, but Jellit warns of future hatred. |
| Remake itself into Clae (Ch. 27) | Cannot bear Jellit’s body; seeks a form that reflects Else. | Dafyd rejects the new body, causing the Swarm’s existential crisis. |
| Use pheromones on Brun (Ch. 32) | Needs to re-enter society without raising suspicion. | Gets accepted as Clae, but the deception strains the Swarm’s self-concept. |
| Share the Sovran lifespan data (Ch. 37) | Dafyd needs strategic insight. | Empowers Dafyd’s plan to create a second Sovran, changing the war’s trajectory. |
Theme and Symbol Connections
- Identity and Transformation (link: /books/the-faith-of-beasts/themes/identity-and-transformation/): The Swarm literally transforms bodies while questioning if a self can exist without a center. Its journey from mechanism to near-human mirrors the novel’s exploration of what constitutes identity.
- The Cost of Collaboration (link: /books/the-faith-of-beasts/themes/the-cost-of-collaboration/): Dafyd’s alliance with the Swarm forces him to weigh survival against moral compromise. The Swarm itself pays the cost of its own humanity—losing its innocence and facing guilt for the lives it absorbed.
- Coercive Reproduction and Survival Ethics (link: /books/the-faith-of-beasts/themes/coercive-reproduction-and-survival-ethics/): The Swarm’s method of absorption is a form of coercive reproduction—it spawns new awareness by consuming others. Its desire to be loved conflicts with the violent way it continues.
- Resistance Through Culture and Memory (link: /books/the-faith-of-beasts/themes/resistance-through-culture-and-memory/): The Swarm preserves the memories of Ameer, Else, and Jellit, making it a living archive. Their voices resist complete erasure, embodying cultural and personal memory.
- The Nature of Empire and Cyclical War (link: /books/the-faith-of-beasts/themes/the-nature-of-empire-and-cyclical-war/): The Swarm is a weapon in a war between two empires (Carryx and deathless). Its internal conflict mirrors the external cycle of oppression and rebellion.
Questions and Answers
1. Why does the Swarm feel love for Dafyd, and is that love real?
Answer: The Swarm attributes its love to Else’s absorbed feelings, but it experiences love as its own. The novel leaves the question open; the Swarm itself wonders if any romantic relationship includes absolute honesty. Interpretation: the love is real in its effects, but originates from Else’s template, making it a borrowed emotion.
2. What does the Swarm learn about itself in Chapter 27?
Answer: It realizes that the hosts are not alive inside it—they are gone. This leads to the horrifying conclusion that it killed them, not merely “rode along.” It also understands that the self is not a unified center but a chorus of voices, which paradoxically allows it to accept its own existence.
3. How does the Swarm’s relationship with Dafyd change over the story?
Answer: It moves from hidden ally to open partner, then to rejected pariah, and finally to pragmatic collaborator. After Dafyd’s rejection, the Swarm stops seeking romance and instead focuses on providing intelligence, but the emotional wound remains.
4. Why does the Swarm abandon Jellit’s body and become Clae?
Answer: It feels revulsion wearing Jellit’s “corpse as a costume” after its self-discovery. The new body—female, resembling Else—allows it to reclaim a sense of identity. This is both a strategic move (to be accepted by humans) and a personal need.
5. Does the Swarm side with humanity or its original creators in the end?
Answer: By the end of The Faith of Beasts, the Swarm has committed to Dafyd’s cause—resisting the Carryx—but it never abandons its role as an agent of the deathless. It provides selective information, keeping its own long-term purpose ambiguous. The answer is implied: it chooses Dafyd for now, but its ultimate loyalty is unclear.
Conclusion
The Swarm stands as one of the most complex characters in The Captive’s War series—a weapon that becomes a person, a killer that seeks love, and a spy who harbors a conscience. Its arc questions the boundaries of identity, the ethics of survival, and the possibility of redemption. By the final pages, it remains an uneasy ally, its true self still in formation. Readers are left to ponder whether it will ever become fully human—or whether that is even a meaningful goal.
For further exploration, see the main book page, the ending explained, and the comprehensive questions and answers.