The 5th Wave
by Rick Yancey
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Cast of Characters
- Plot Summary
- An Analysis of Major Characters
-
Chapter Summary and Analysis
- Part 1 (The Last Historian), Chapters 1-12
- Summary: Part 1 (The Last Historian), Chapters 13-24
- Summary: Part 2 (Wonderland), Chapters 25-30
- Summary: Part 3 (Silencer), Chapter 31
- Summary: Part 4 (Mayfly), Chapters 32-36
- Summary: Part 5 (The Winnowing), Chapters 37-41
- Summary: Part 6 (The Human Clay), Chapters 42-52
- Summary: Part 7 (The Heart to Kill), Chapters 53-55
- Summary: Part 8 (The Spirit of Vengeance), Chapters 56-64
- Summary: Part 9 (A Flower to the Rain), Chapters 65-77
- Summary: Parts 10-12, Chapters 65-82
- Summary: Part 13 (The Black Hole), Chapters 83-91
- Symbols and Themes
- Key Facts
- Key Quotes
- Discussion Questions
- Take The Quiz
- Further Reading
- Flashcards
- Biography of Rick Yancey
Summary: Part 8 (The Spirit of Vengeance), Chapters 56-64
Summary: Part 8 (The Spirit of Vengeance), Chapters 56-64
In this section, Ben and his squad are sent on their first mission. They are brought by helicopter into a combat zone, equipped with special glasses that fit over one eye. When wearing the glasses, they are able to see whether or not an individual is one of the infested (or “Ted,” in their slang). If the person is infested, they glow green through the glasses. If not, no green light. They land in a blizzard. Through the sheets of snow, they immediately see three glowing green lights, though they can’t make out the people attached to them. In spite of their best strategizing, they are soon being shot at by an invisible, expert sniper. Ben throws a grenade into a gasoline tank in order to blind their enemies, who are wearing night vision goggles. Subsequently, Oompa is hit through the side by a huge piece of shrapnel.
Flintsone threatens to mutiny because he thinks Ben is a poor leader. In spite of Dumbo’s best efforts (he is the medic), Oompa bleeds to death, whispering that his real name is Kenny just before he dies. Ringer and Ben resolve to take out the sniper. In the process, Ringer begins to ask Ben some disturbing questions about what they are really doing there and who they are really working for. Ben is afraid that Ringer is “going Dorothy,” but in fact she is finally seeing the truth. She digs the microchip out of her neck and asks Ben to look at her through his Ted-identifying goggles. Now, she glows green: infested.
With the horrible realization that everyone they are shooting is human—just humans without microchips—Ringer and Ben now see how thoroughly they have been brainwashed. The officials at Camp Haven clearly are the Others, and they have been training a children’s army to turn humanity against itself. Humans killing humans is the 5th Wave.
Ben cuts out his microchip as well, and they find the sniper who’s been shooting at them on the top of a building. It is Reznik....
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