Summary:
With Endura sunk, Goddard quickly rises to power and manages to charm other countries into merging under his power. Scythe Anastasia and Scythe Lucifer are revived from the safe salvaged from the bottom of the ocean and are updated about their situation. Three years have passed and Goddard has enforced many new rules for the scythes. While the people see it as more protection, it is actually offering the scythes more liberties for killing. The Thunderhead has made everyone but Greyson Tolliver Unsavory. Because of this, Greyson becomes a prophet, a mouthpiece for the Thunderhead. He is largely worshipped by the Tonists who start becoming violent to prove their devotion. When they start hurting large groups of people, Greyson takes it into his hands to make them repent and use their skills for new and good purposes.
When Goddard finds out that Anastasia and Lucifer are alive, he starts the hunt for them because they are the only ones who know the truth about Goddard's evil. Anastasia starts broadcasting episodes of her story and of Goddard's evil deeds while Lucifer is captured by Goddard and then saved by Texan scythes at the last moment. During all of this, Scythe Faraday and Munira have made it to the secret islands but accidentally let the Thunderhead know about it. It commences plans for the new islands that only Munira knows. Anastasia and Lucifer are led to these islands but the Thunderhead and there find out that the plans were making spaceships to take people away from Earth to planets far away. That way, the Earth doesn't get overpopulated. Goddard's finds out and sends ships to the islands to shoot down the spaceships. He succeeds with a few, but ultimately gets taken down. The failsafe that Faraday and Munira had searched for disabled all scythe rings and created sicknesses that would take care of population. Anastasia and Lucifer are reunited at a far off planet.
With Endura sunk, Goddard quickly rises to power and manages to charm other countries into merging under his power. Scythe Anastasia and Scythe Lucifer are revived from the safe salvaged from the bottom of the ocean and are updated about their situation. Three years have passed and Goddard has enforced many new rules for the scythes. While the people see it as more protection, it is actually offering the scythes more liberties for killing. The Thunderhead has made everyone but Greyson Tolliver Unsavory. Because of this, Greyson becomes a prophet, a mouthpiece for the Thunderhead. He is largely worshipped by the Tonists who start becoming violent to prove their devotion. When they start hurting large groups of people, Greyson takes it into his hands to make them repent and use their skills for new and good purposes.
When Goddard finds out that Anastasia and Lucifer are alive, he starts the hunt for them because they are the only ones who know the truth about Goddard's evil. Anastasia starts broadcasting episodes of her story and of Goddard's evil deeds while Lucifer is captured by Goddard and then saved by Texan scythes at the last moment. During all of this, Scythe Faraday and Munira have made it to the secret islands but accidentally let the Thunderhead know about it. It commences plans for the new islands that only Munira knows. Anastasia and Lucifer are led to these islands but the Thunderhead and there find out that the plans were making spaceships to take people away from Earth to planets far away. That way, the Earth doesn't get overpopulated. Goddard's finds out and sends ships to the islands to shoot down the spaceships. He succeeds with a few, but ultimately gets taken down. The failsafe that Faraday and Munira had searched for disabled all scythe rings and created sicknesses that would take care of population. Anastasia and Lucifer are reunited at a far off planet.
Themes:
Humans are imperfect - When imperfect humans were left in power, the world seemed to collapse on itself. Shusterman shows that without a perfect being to control the world, we would eventually destroy ourselves.
Perfection is lack of feeling - the Thunderhead knows that if it lets itself feel too deeply it will make a mistake. It is constantly at war with itself over what it wants to do and what it can't.
Anger is your triumph and your downfall - Anger will get you far because you are ruthless, but eventually, good will prevail.
Silence is deafening - When the Thunderhead went quiet, everyone started listening. Greyson knew that he had to talk softly to get the attention of the tonists.
Humans are imperfect - When imperfect humans were left in power, the world seemed to collapse on itself. Shusterman shows that without a perfect being to control the world, we would eventually destroy ourselves.
Perfection is lack of feeling - the Thunderhead knows that if it lets itself feel too deeply it will make a mistake. It is constantly at war with itself over what it wants to do and what it can't.
Anger is your triumph and your downfall - Anger will get you far because you are ruthless, but eventually, good will prevail.
Silence is deafening - When the Thunderhead went quiet, everyone started listening. Greyson knew that he had to talk softly to get the attention of the tonists.
Favorite Quote:
“You can whisper, and people will still hear thunder" (139).
This book really compares the consuming power of a greedy man and the soft guidance of a boy. People are inherently good and will move where they think is best after they've overcome fear.
“You can whisper, and people will still hear thunder" (139).
This book really compares the consuming power of a greedy man and the soft guidance of a boy. People are inherently good and will move where they think is best after they've overcome fear.
Essay: The sicknesses are a much better alternative to Scythe Rings and this utopia could realistically work.