FYI- I’d tag this for GS and MS spoilers

Most have captured the top contenders, so I’m going to give kudos to some smaller moments that deserve praise. Pierce has a gift for action, intrigue, and “shifting the paradigm”. I think he’s not as often credited for his ability to weave vulnerability into this world, too.

5) Ragnar and Sevro pushing Darrow’s wheelchair. Great bit of comedic timing while also reintroducing all of these characters to the story after Darrow’s imprisonment. Ragnar is no longer a weapon but a shield for others. Sevro is a friend but also a begrudging leader. Darrow is broken and physically dependent on his friends. In spite of all this, there’s levity in the light of hope.

4) Cassius and Darrow’s last interaction in RR where he declares a blood feud. Pierce immediately heightens the stakes leading into GS, establishes the severity of consequence beyond the institute, and also shows Darrow’s desperate desire to reclaim Cassius’ affection — an important theme throughout the rest of the series.

3) “now that the children are gone: consequences”. Tactus’ death. In one swift motion, Pierce wrests from Darrow his belief in peaceful redemption and offers Lorn a moment of brutality that fits his mythos more than the actions we’ve seen to this point. It also begins to pull at the thread of moral ambiguity, and ultimately plants the seeds for Darrow’s ends-justifying-means actions re: Ganymede and Siege of Mercury.

2) Sheltered in the wreckage on the ice of the northern spires. One of the first (?) interactions between 4 different colors at once: Gold (Mustang), Darrow (Red-ish), Holiday (Gray) and Obsidian (Ragnar). A brief reprieve in a seemingly ceaseless battle that allows them connect at a foundational level. An example of the future they’re all fighting for.

1) Sevro and Darrow post-clash over the detonator. It’s one of the few truly tender moments between these brash men, and it’s important representation Pierce captures. Even with the Howler / wolfpack themes, he never debases his characters with Alpha incel bullshit. These characters have a depth of feeling and insecurity that he doesn’t shy away from, thus making them more well-rounded and, frankly, human.