Silver Elite

Cross Redden is the Captain of the Silver Elite, the son of the General who rules over the Continent, and the eventual love interest for Wren. She calls him “inconceivably attractive,” with “cobalt-blue eyes,” dark hair, and “flawless, symmetrical features that could’ve been chiseled out of stone” (8). Despite the cold, guarded nature he exhibits during the Program, the barest indentation of a dimple that appears when Wren almost makes him smile suggests a hidden gentleness and capacity for emotional connection.

Cross is introduced to readers in the anonymous character of Wolf long before Wren learns of his secret identity. The telepathic link Wren shares with Wolf builds the foundation their intimacy and vulnerability while their physical relationship forms. Cross’s candidness as Wolf contrasts sharply with his distant demeanor as Cross, revealing how he has compartmentalized his true self to survive within the Command structure. “He has no filter, never has. And he’s an outrageous flirt” (20), Wren notes of Wolf, but as Cross, he is strategic, cold, and disciplined—a mask he must maintain in Silver Block.

In his identity as both a covert Mod and the son of the General determined to eradicate all Mods, Cross embodies The Moral Ambiguity of Survival. He is positioned precariously between two irreconcilable worlds; if his father or brothers—Travis and Roe—were to find out what he is, they would not hesitate to kill him. His every decision is a negotiation between personal survival and moral integrity.

Kaine Sutler is initially presented as a charming, flirtatious recruit whose golden hair and impish eyes make him a foil for the dark, rugged, brooding Cross. His playful persona and physical attraction to Wren position him as a romantic interest and competitor to Cross.

Kaine begins as a minor character with straightforward characterization, but his hidden depth is hinted at throughout the novel. His willingness to jump out of an aircraft without hesitation, coupled with his assertion that the Uprising must have been using a rookie instead of their famous pilot when they missed their bombing target, foreshadow the later revelation of his true identity—Grayson Blake, the Uprising’s elite pilot. The reveal of his identity at the end of the novel transforms Kaine’s character from a background recruit into a key operative of the Uprising.

Kaine’s complicity in the bombing that kills several recruits, including Wren’s confidante Struck, drives a wedge between him and Xavier, revealing the true cost of war-time secrecy. It also strains his friendship with Wren, who is torn between elation at finding him alive and horror at his willingness to sacrifice peers for the cause. Despite his easy smile and apparent loyalty to his peers, Kaine’s actions depict the theme of The Moral Ambiguity of Survival.

Lyddie de Velde is introduced as a seemingly unremarkable recruit—plain at first glance, but endearingly pretty upon closer inspection with “freckles and perfectly shaped lips” (75). Lyddie’s external presentation mirrors her internal disposition: sincere, sweet, and initially naive. Because of this, Wren is drawn to sympathize with and protect her. During many ops and drills where Lyddie struggles, Wren motivates her to succeed.

Lyddie is the daughter of two influential figures: a mother in Biotech and a father in Command Intelligence. Lyddie’s gentle and compassionate nature inclines her to believe that the eradication of all Mods is extreme, but the ingrained prejudices she has learned from her parents are too powerful to overcome. Therefore, her character arc culminates in betrayal due to indoctrinated fear. When Lyddie discovers Wren’s identity as a Mod, she immediately reports it because she cannot reconcile the danger she’s been taught to fear with the person she considered a friend. This moment devastates Wren and illustrates how deeply the Command’s propaganda permeates the minds of even the most seemingly kind-hearted individuals. Lyddie’s arc becomes a cautionary lesson about institutional loyalty and the personal costs of systemic fear.

Julian Ash, more commonly known under the alias Jim Darlington, functions as both a surrogate father and the ideological anchor in Wren’s life. A former Command colonel turned Uprising insurgent, Jim represents the cost of rebellion and the quiet heroism of sacrifice. His character operates as a foundational force in Silver Elite, shaping Wren’s values, instincts, and understanding of resistance. Similarly, Jim’s capture and public execution serve as the inciting event that launches Wren into full rebellion. Jim’s fate embodies the war’s emotional toll. His death forces Wren to reconcile her need for safety with the urgency of resistance. Even in his absence, Jim remains a powerful force shaping her decisions and worldview, serving as a constant reminder of the personal sacrifices embedded in the fight for justice.

Wren’s view of Jim is deeply layered. He is gruff, antisocial, and emotionally guarded, stating at one point: “You’re more likely to get a ‘piss off’ from Jim Darlington than a ‘hello’” (24). Despite his cynicism and detachment from community, Jim’s loyalties are unbreakable once given. Jim abandons his entire life to raise Wren after the death of her parents: “He was forced to leave everything behind. His career, his home, his friends. But he did it. For my parents. For me” (27). This act of devotion heavily influences her own views of love and loyalty, which she showcases throughout various drills during the Program, refusing to abandon her friends in times of crisis.