The Moral Cost of Vengeance
Vengeance is portrayed not as a path to justice, but as a cycle that perpetuates suffering and dehumanizes both the avenger and the target. Tor’s desire to kill Exorse stems from generational trauma, but Nanina and Steven argue for restraint, framing vengeance as self-destructive. Exorse’s execution would not heal the Savages or restore the Doctor, but would only confirm the Elders’ dehumanization of all parties. The theme is given poignancy through Nanina’s nurturing of Exorse’s wounds—humanizing the enemy as a precursor to breaking the cycle of retribution.
Events Exemplifying This Theme
Exorse, an Elder enforcer, invades the Savages’ cave to capture Steven and Dodo, who have fled with the Doctor. Nanina, a defiant Savage, refuses to betray them despite Exorse’s threats, …
The tension in the cave reaches a breaking point when Dodo’s accidental noise—her foot dislodging a loose stone—echoes through the tunnels, revealing Steven and the Doctor’s hiding place to Exorse, …
In the tense aftermath of Nanina’s intervention to spare Exorse, Steven seizes the moment to redirect the Savages’ focus from vengeance to action. While Tor advocates for killing the captured …
In the aftermath of Steven’s decision to spare Exorse, the wounded Elder guard becomes a flashpoint for the Savages’ divided loyalties. Tor, still seething from the Elders’ oppression, demands Exorse’s …