Ignite Me

Juliette dwells on the story Warner told about his childhood as she and Kenji, cloaked by invisibility, meet Warner at a storage room and board a tank. While Juliette and Kenji attempt to adjust positions while invisible, Juliette falls into Warner’s lap, which embarrasses all three of them. They reach unregulated territory and Kenji and Juliette exit the tank. She reassures Warner that everything will be fine, then squeezes his hand before he departs. He promises to return in two hours.

Warner doesn’t return on time, which alarms Juliette. Despite Kenji’s reassurances, she insists on returning to Sycamore Street (where Warner’s mother lives and where she and Kenji met Anderson in Unravel Me). They head in that direction, invisible.

Juliette arrives at the house where she was shot. She doesn’t know if Warner is still in the house, but feels compelled to investigate, even when her invisibility is nullified.

Warner’s mother is gone from her room, but Warner is huddled in a corner, crying. Juliette holds him as he sobs, promising herself that she will protect him from future pain.

When Warner and Juliette reach the tank, they return to the base with Kenji in silence. After Warner leaves, Kenji confesses to following them and seeing Juliette hugging Warner as he cried. Juliette tells Kenji that Warner’s mother has died and recounts that Warner’s initial plan in rescuing Juliette from the asylum was to help his mother. Kenji, evidently softening a bit toward Warner, apologizes for not knowing.

Juliette returns to the training room so Warner can have some privacy. She mentally recommits to her plan to kill Anderson and destroy The Reestablishment.

Juliette confronts Adam, insisting he tell Warner they are brothers. Adam warns her not to “push [him],” reminding her that his power nullifies hers. She counters that her power was killing him, which precipitated their breakup. He has further control now, though, and grabs Juliette’s hand, taunting her about feeling helpless without her powers, criticizing her for not being patient enough to let him learn to nullify her without harming himself (implying they could still be together). Juliette counters that they still would have broken up. When Kenji tries to intervene, Adam snaps that if “[Kenji] like[s Juliette] so much […he] can have her” (184). He grabs Kenji’s bare hand and presses it against Juliette’s (risking her lethal powers injuring Kenji, due to the skin-to-skin touch).

Kenji pulls away and punches Adam. The rest of the rebels (less James, who is asleep) hurry toward the trio. Kenji is furious that Adam would risk his safety, but Adam is dismissive, saying it would only hurt Kenji, not kill him. Adam stalks off, and Juliette confirms that Kenji didn’t feel her powers, though she doesn’t understand how, given that she felt her power return when Adam released her. Kenji shrugs it off, but Juliette, who so rarely experiences touch, cannot do so. She realizes that learning to control her powers may include learning to turn them off.

In delight, she rushes to Kenji, hugging him. He tries to jerk away in alarm, but Juliette reassures him; she can touch anyone, now. The group rushes her, offering congratulatory hugs and handshakes. To Juliette, this signifies choice, as she will never “end up with anyone by default” (189) in a romantic sense just because she’s able to touch them.

Juliette finds Warner, sitting forlornly. She tells him he has “always been right” (190) and kisses him. She admits to loving him and apologizes for being afraid of that feeling before. He is initially afraid to believe her, but when Juliette insists she loves him, the two kiss emphatically, undressing and sleeping together.

The next morning, Warner sleeps uncharacteristically late. Juliette lies awake, admiring him. They kiss and cuddle when he wakes, the mood playful. Warner reveals that Delalieu is his grandfather, though the two do not have a typical familial relationship. Juliette confesses her habit of stealing Warner’s soaps and he playfully runs her a bath, teasing her about her embarrassment at being seen naked in the daylight.

Juliette wears her new suit, which is lighter yet stronger than her old one, and does not include gloves. The Omega Point group playfully compliments Winston and Alia on their work and Juliette on her outfit. Adam looks calm, and Juliette is briefly reminded of the version of him she loved. She hopes he will remain calm, as the following day, their plan begins.

At night, lying in bed, Juliette probes Warner to speak about his mother. He is relieved she is no longer suffering her intense pain. She promises she will always be there for him, and that things will improve for them. He fears his own optimism. The two kiss, then prepare for sleep. As she drifts off, Juliette hears Warner confess his fears that her love is a dream, not real. She struggles to wakefulness to reassure him, and kisses his entire body, including his tattoo that reads, “[H]ell is empty and all the devils are here,” a quote from Shakespeare’s The Tempest (202).

Juliette is nervous about revealing herself to the public. Warner encourages her to “ignite.” They leave his room and travel to an assembly Warner has gathered of the soldiers of Sector 45. They present a united front as a threat to Anderson, which Juliette knows the commander will understand.

Using an amplification device, Warner tells the assembled soldiers—who gape in shock at Juliette—that news of her death was a lie. She announces her intent to destroy The Reestablishment, and the assembly devolves into chaos. She climbs to the top of the speaking tower, 100 feet high, and asks the soldiers what The Reestablishment has done for them, insisting that the regime has only offered poverty, suffering, and lack of choice. She encourages them to join a “new resistance” and, when someone shouts that her powers didn’t protect her from Anderson before, uses her newfound control to divide the crowd. In the space she creates, the Omega Point group appears suddenly, having been concealed by Kenji’s invisibility powers. Castle demonstrates his telekinesis and Brendan illustrates his electricity powers. Juliette jumps the great height to the ground, landing unharmed. The crowd erupts into cheers. Warner urges the soldiers to “prepare for war” (207) as Kenji makes the whole group of rebels vanish.

The group returns to the training room, mood congratulatory. Warner reports the soldiers are convinced by Juliette’s power; he believes the civilians will join them. The war has begun.

Warner leaves to tend to military details, praising Juliette’s “greatness” and promising to support her. Adam watches them, acting nervous, commenting that Juliette “really [has] changed” (209).

The Omega Point group discusses Anderson’s imminent arrival, which turns to a discussion about Warner’s name. Juliette admits she knows Warner’s first name but won’t reveal it; they should ask him themselves, she asserts. Ian asks if she knows Anderson’s first name, but she doesn’t. Adam reveals it is “Paris” just as Warner enters the room. Warner demands to know how he knew this. He shoves Adam against a wall, accusing him of being Anderson’s spy. Juliette reveals that the two are brothers, shocking Warner, who is furious that Juliette kept this information from him. Reluctantly, Adam reveals the story of his past.

Adam and Warner sit separately in the room, each regarding James. Juliette sits with Warner, apologizing for not telling him sooner. Warner is awed and pained that he has brothers, one of whom he nearly killed. In hindsight, Adam’s eyes remind him of Anderson’s. He calls it “unbearably inconvenient” that he can no longer hate Adam, now that he understands him better. Juliette watches as Warner approaches Adam, speaking to him. Though she cannot hear what they say, Adam nods and Warner touches Adam’s shoulder. Juliette is happy at their unification as she and Warner head to bed.

Warner declines to tell Juliette what he said to Adam but says he would like to get to know Adam and James, which Juliette wholeheartedly supports. When asked, she expresses no interest in finding her parents, claiming she has her friends, instead. The two kiss and undress, Juliette musing on how their struggles are worth the promise of a future together.