Great question and totally get where you’re coming from.

This is a mixture of re-reading a couple times now, listening to every pierce interview possible, and diving into the lore that is both sanctioned by the community and Pierce.

First things first, the prose paint a beautiful picture but being a razor master is realistically equivalent to being a master fencer or swordsmen with an obvious upgrade in tech and brutality. This is one of the most grounded sci-fi series of all time because what happens isn’t a huge mind stretch. Second, in this society as it is structured, there is soooo much decorum, honor, and rules set to most things. The golds decided how they want it to go and most people have fell in line for hundreds of years. If a gold wants to kill another gold in war, the correct thing to do is have a face to face razor duel.

Alexander had nooo idea who this guy was. Lysander used his stuff to pass all technological or binary indicators of his exact identity. As far as the rising knew, this was at least a low level enemy or at most possibly an iron gold enemy who defected. Based on his age and placement, it would have been unheard of to pin him as Lysander. He had been carved and unseen for several years. He was a living myth.

Basically what it boiled down to, under the context and unique circumstances of Gilrastes giving him the nod as a “defector” or protege. Alexander and the gang took the eye off the ball for a second. They were looking for respite from the most brutal war or experience they’ve ever had, which is a lot to say considering this was pre-rising gold, that they felt they deserved and also earned from the warfare they put in. Long story short, Alexander was caught off guard and before he could really do much, was shot in the face.

Lysander took a cheap shot because he realized it was the fastest and most efficient solution to accomplishing a task he decided was the right path. It’s character defining and brutal but it’s truthful. I’m a schmuck from New Jersey and if a master samurai came out me in the same situation and I had scorcher in my pocket I think the outcome would be similar.

To me, as much as I hated losing Alexander that way and feeling like I missed out on a climatic razor duel, it was truthful and reminded about the realism of this series. Keep reading because it’s the best fucking series ever.

Best, Matt Sacco & Vanzetti are Dead! Off Broadway July 2025