The struggle for power and control creates conflict within Nic, between her and her grandmother, and within the Remarkable world as a whole. Thomas draws a comparison between the protagonist, who is considered a danger because she’s the Manowari, and marginalized groups like the Mmoatia and Giants, who are also subject to suspicion and subjugation because LORE perceives them as threats. Nic must therefore learn to take control herself instead of being controlled by others. 

Although Uhuru is filled with marvels, LORE’s efforts to control non-Manifestor Remarkables prevent the society’s apparent peace and prosperity from being shared equitably. Decades after Roho’s defeat, LORE continues to point to his terrorist attacks and claim that they are protecting “the greater good” to justify the limitations they place on some citizens’ rights and freedoms. After witnessing a Guardian harass a Rougraou, Nic observes that the seemingly “enlightened” Remarkable world is “actually not all that different from the Unremarkable world” and the injustices that occur there daily (194). LORE’s discrimination embitters some non-Manifestors and makes them feel that positive change is impossible. Disillusioned with LORE’s mistreatment of their peoples, Lady Thema and Magnus exploit their fellow Remarkables at their own centers of power—the retreat center and the casino, respectively—rather than attempting to fix a corrupt system. LORE’s unjust and domineering governance sows division and distrust within the Remarkable world.

Just as LORE’s abuses of power harm the Remarkable world, President DuForte’s attempts to control Nic hinder the protagonist’s ability to understand and master her power. DuForte treats the 12-year-old as though “she’s waiting for [her] to become everything she’s afraid of” (344), and Nic internalizes this fear, seeing her supernatural abilities as a threat. The president’s decisions, such as placing Nic in The Gift of Governance instead of a Gift-training class, demonstrate that she aims to control her granddaughter rather than to help Nic learn to control her power herself. In addition, the government propaganda that Nic is exposed to in the course, such as the claim that LORE is a “beacon of unity, sacrifice, and enduring strength,” upholding “the greater good” (124), pressures her to accept both DuForte’s domineering leadership of the Remarkable world and the president’s efforts to control Nic’s life.

After spending much of the story fearing and subduing her power, Nic reclaims her agency during the climax when the Adinkra necklace breaks and Toby tells her that “no power will ever control [her]” as long as she controls her power (422). By embracing the strength the Badili gives her, Nic protects her loved ones, thwarts the Za Siri’s plot, and gains the confidence to stand up to her controlling grandmother. The thematic struggle for power isn’t fully resolved in this novel, enhancing the ending’s suspense. Nic remains unsure if Uhuru can truly be her home when LORE mistreats “[a]nyone they think needs to be controlled” (458), which includes her as well as entire groups of non-Manifestor Remarkables like Fairies and Giants. 

However, the story ends on a hopeful and empowering note as Grandpa Doc supports Nic’s agency with his promise to help her master the Badili. Nic’s movement from fear to self-control defines her growth and encourages young readers to realize their power in a world that often seeks to diminish individuals’ potential.

Throughout the Nic Blake and the Remarkables series, Thomas draws inspiration from African mythology and Black history. By using fantasy elements to critique past and present injustices, her work demonstrates the importance of preserving history and cultural heritage.

Thomas creates layers of metatextual meaning through her incorporation of history and mythology. She celebrates traditional stories by granting folkloric figures like Mami Wata prominent roles in the story and by rebuking characters who try to diminish the importance of folktales: “Folktales are always rooted in truths. Remember that” (119). In addition, the Book of Anansi, which is named after one of the most famous characters in African folklore, is vital to the plot and can “unravel the very fabric of reality” (205), emphasizing the power of storytelling and LORE’s attempts to erase non-Manifestors’ pasts. 

The horrors of enslavement and the triumph of resilience are reflected in how it is people who survived enslavement that found Uhuru and New Atlantis.  Some fantasy elements create analogies for real-life issues. For example, Merfolk’s plight parallels colonization: “LORE would have you believe they ‘saved’ New Atlantis. That they ‘civilized’ Merfolk by bringing them into their ‘league’” (206). Similarly, the Giants’ relocation functions as an analogy for the forced displacement of Indigenous peoples to reservations: “They rounded us up and stuffed us into La Vista. Called it a sanctuary, and to the Giants back then, maybe it seemed like it was. But let’s be real—it was a cage. We had to prove we weren’t monsters. Dress like you, talk like you. Act ‘civilized’” (388). 

When Nic uncovers LORE’s attempts to twist history for their own ends, it raises issues of government censorship and whitewashing history. For example, when DuForte reviews Nic’s exam results with her granddaughter, she claims that leaving the Unremarkables in bondage is the “correct answer,” just like present-day Remarkables are “justified” for not using the Gift to help Unremarkables. As The Gift of Governance class demonstrates, teaching students propaganda and heavily editing history helps LORE maintain control over the Remarkable world. LORE obscures the contributions of non-Manifestors, such as the fact that Mmoatia “led [the capital city’s] founders to Uhuru in the first place” (305), to reinforce the myth of Manifestors’ superiority and perpetuate inequalities between groups of Remarkables. 

The more historical truths that the protagonist uncovers, the deeper she understands her society’s need for change. Thomas’s treatment of history and folklore thus shows that knowing one’s history not only preserves the past but also paves the way for a better future.