Fireborne

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2019

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue-Chapter 3

Chapters 4-7

Chapters 8-13

Chapters 14-19

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Themes

The Moral Ambiguity of Revolution

The moral ambiguities of revolution are intricately woven throughout Munda’s Fireborne. While revolutions might be born of noble ideals, they can just as easily become compromised or lead to ethical dilemmas or unforeseen consequences. Fireborne portrays a society that has overthrown a tyrannical regime of dragonlords only to grapple with the reality that the new government may be following in their footsteps. The young protagonists Annie and Lee experience coming-of-age character arcs in this series, and part of their growth includes the empathetic awareness that revolution, war, and political conflict always have two sides and moral complexities beneath the surface.

While the class systems were first seen as a way to offer the former lower classes opportunities for advancement, it soon becomes clear that it primarily continues to reward the higher-class individuals. Their backgrounds in education and their access to resources due to wealth place them in prime positions to test well and remain high class. When Callipolis is faced with famine, the new regime falls into the same oppressive patterns as the previous regime, with hostile collections and unfair rationing of food based on class level.

Moral ambiguity is also highlighted in the internal conflict Lee grapples with. On one hand, he is able to recognize and support the goals the Revolution claims to value. On the other hand, he is sickened by many of the violent and oppressive methods of the rebels and the way they presently celebrate their victory. For example, when Lee attends a morale speech:

[It is on the] same dais where, eight years ago, Aletheia was executed. The Callipolans in the square […] were roaring with the same wild fury, a sea of colors and faces that became, at Atreus’s raised arm, a thunderous single voice. [Lee] listened, and remembered Aletheia, and fought nausea (111).

Though the people celebrate the positive changes they’ve made since the Revolution, Lee cannot help but remember the cruel torture and execution of his father’s dragon, an innocent creature who was just following the orders of its master. Similarly, Annie must be empathetic to see past Lee’s history and understand the complexities of the revolution and how it created additional violence while also removing tyranny.

In class with the dragonriders, Atreus describes the Revolution from his own perspective, outlining the moral dilemmas with each stage. He claims it “should never be easy to decide who dies. Even if, as in this case, they were guilty of terrible things” (286). Though Atreus had every reason to support Arcturus on a personal level for aiding him in times of need and seeing to his advancement, Atreus could not overlook the wrongs he committed and thus felt the need to take action, even if it also wasn’t favorable in itself.

Acceptance Over Revenge

Choosing acceptance over revenge is a powerful theme throughout Fireborne. This theme guides the character development of Lee and Annie as they navigate the complexities of their pasts and the demands of their present. In class with the dragonriders of the new regime, it’s said that

[t]he dragonborn feasted while their people starved and denied the famines they found inconvenient. They operated with almost no legal restraints, cruelly and without mercy, and then they justified the wrongs they committed by claiming it was their blood-borne right (104).

As is made clear by this passage, lower-born people have every right to be angry and resentful of the dragonlords and the upper-class citizens for the things they had to endure in the old regime. This mindset is seen firsthand by Annie during the Palace Day parade. However, after reading about the atrocities that Lee’s family faced when they were slaughtered along with many others the day the Revolution won, Annie is “sickened by the festivity around [her]. The Callipolan flags waving, the banners and fanfare, the cheering crowds—all seems like more and more hypocrisy” (295). Coinciding thematically with The Moral Ambiguity of Revolution, this theme develops through the characters’ understanding of the slippery slope that comes with revenge. Choosing to accept one’s past and move forward instead of creating more violence is revealed to often be a better option.

Lee’s personal journey embodies the tension between revenge and acceptance. As he rises through the ranks to become Firstrider and, potentially, the First Protector’s successor, Lee could at any point seek revenge for the deaths of his family at Atreus’s hands. Instead, Lee recognizes that his family’s downfall was a direct consequence of the cruelty they inflicted upon others. This acceptance of this vital truth about the Stormscourge family and the corrupt power systems they allowed to persist allows Lee, in turn, to accept the ideals of the new regime as improvements he can put his support behind. Lee’s decision to align himself with the new regime rather than seek revenge highlights his journey toward acceptance of the events of his past. With the acceptance of his newfound reality, Lee is ultimately able to renounce his birthright at the end of the novel in favor of his new identity as a Guardian of Callipolis.

Annie chooses a similar path to Lee. Her family was killed by Lee’s father. While the event left deep trauma, Annie didn’t allow it to taint her friendship with Lee. Initially, Annie is driven to succeed by a desire for justice—a society where dragons can be symbols of hope not fear—but over time her resentment and pain over the fates of her family fade and she finds a true love for her talent for dragonriding that’s separate from her pursuit of justice for all. While locals who knew her family resent her pursuit of dragonriding and the trajectory of her future, Annie is able to both understand the terrible events of her past and move forward with a clear mind and peaceful intent.

The Complexities of Leadership

The complexities of leadership are showcased by many individuals throughout the novel but are most prominent with Lee, Annie, and Atreus. More than any others, these three characters grapple with the moral, ethical, and emotional burdens that come with leadership in a post-revolutionary society. As the novel highlights, leadership is not merely about authority and power but about the difficult decisions and compromises that must be made to maintain order and pursue justice.

Lee faces the complexities of leadership in a slightly different way than the others. In addition to the normal complexities every leader faces, Lee faces an added internal complication to his leadership role as he is consistently torn between his responsibilities as a squad leader, then Firstrider, and his personal history as the son of a dragonlord. Lee faces an emotional complication during leadership when he makes the unfortunate call to order Annie to defend rather than attack during the battle at Starved Rock. Though it was made to protect her from further trauma, it is perceived as a slight against her capabilities. This incident highlights the challenges involved in balancing personal feelings and relationships with professional duties.

Annie also grapples with separating personal feelings from professional duties. She doesn’t turn Lee in despite being fairly certain he’s the son of Leon Stormscourge. She also doesn’t report him when he hesitates upon first seeing the New Pythos fleet, or again when she discovers he’s been communicating with Julia Stormscourge. However, eventually, she does come to the decision that “[i]f it comes to a choice, [she] need[s] to choose according to [her] conscience and [her] vows. Friendship will not justify treason. If Lee is compromised, it’s [her] duty to report him” (97). Another challenge Annie faces is discovering her confidence and outspokenness, which is important in gaining respect and loyalty as a leader. She must prove herself through grueling methods such as morale and collections visits.

Atreus represents another facet of the complexities of leadership. His vision for his new society is driven by the supposed desire to rectify the injustices of the past. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that his methods are not without flaws. Atreus’s willingness to implement policies that mirror the oppressive tactics of the dragonlords, such as the collections techniques, reveals the inherent contradictions in his leadership. Though he justifies these actions as necessary for the survival of the new order, they raise questions about the moral compromises required to sustain power.