Waverider

In this section, Kibuishi deepens the novel’s exploration of The Benefits of Collaborative Leadership, contrasting different perspectives on power, responsibility, and trust. Through Trellis, General Puk, and the young stonekeepers, Kibuishi examines the tension between ambition and selflessness, the need for adaptability, and the symbolic weight of leadership in shaping the future.

Trellis’s journey illustrates how true leadership for him is rooted in selflessness. Although he initially doubts himself, he learns that his decision to prioritize the needs of his people over personal ambition has earned him trust and admiration. Riva respects his integrity, and Trellis himself observes that he has seen “power corrupt and destroy” people he loves (121). At the same time, Kibuishi highlights a tension in Trellis’s conception of leadership. Even as Trellis recognizes that he chose the right path, he still holds on to an idea of leadership built on force and resource consolidation: He frames this picture of leadership as “success,” using language that implies conquest, victory, or prosperity. However, his discussion with Riva reminds him that there are other ways to evaluate and determine the purpose of leadership and that their goal is peace.

General Puk and Sergeant Birch debate leadership from another angle, considering the relationship between legitimacy and force and touching on the theme of The Complexity of Autonomy. Like Gabilan, Puk points out that the stonekeepers have the power to impose their will on anyone. Ironically, despite this awareness, Puk represents exactly the kind of leadership Ronin wants to counteract: He respects tradition, fears change, and frames force as the primary way to lead even as he worries about how others might use their power to coerce others.

As the story progresses, the young stonekeepers face their first true test of leadership, stepping beyond training into active participation in Alledia’s future. They acknowledge that they are now “part of the stories” (124), signifying a transition into adulthood and responsibility. Kibuishi frames their journey within the larger mythology of the world, emphasizing that their choices will shape both history and the way future generations understand it. This moment echoes the novel’s opening, where IKOL warns Emily that every action sends ripples beyond an individual’s life. Now, Emily’s younger allies join her in that reality, passing through a threshold into adulthood.

Alongside its meditation on leadership, this section also expands the novel’s exploration of The Struggle Between Darkness and Light. Aly and Navin’s storyline illustrates a shift from a binary concept of victory to a more nuanced approach rooted in harm reduction and inner peace. When it becomes clear that the battle cannot be won outright, they pivot their strategy to protecting and preserving what they can. The golden beetle emerges as a visual symbol of hope, standing out as a bright beacon amid the dark purples and deep shadows threatening to consume them. As the shadows close in, Navin reminds his mother that she does not have to look at them, reinforcing the idea that embracing darkness is a choice and that one can always choose to see the good in others.

The idea that the struggle between good and evil plays out as much internally as it does externally also informs the climactic confrontation between Emily and IKOL, a moment visually framed to emphasize the overwhelming forces against her. Kibuishi places Emily in the foreground against a massive swarm of shadows, including darkened forms of her loved ones, joining Emily’s perspective with that of the reader. Echoing Ronin’s philosophy on training stonekeepers, Emily must face the darkness head-on. She takes a literal and metaphorical plunge into IKOL, crossing into a liminal space visually represented as an ocean filled with bones. This transition reinforces the novel’s theme of passing through darkness to reach understanding.

At the heart of this confrontation, Emily uncovers IKOL’s emotional core. He attempts to manipulate her by appealing to her empathy, hoping she will choose to save him. However, she sees through this tactic and instead recognizes the deeper lesson within their conflict. Kibuishi visually links IKOL to the amulet itself, highlighting their similar spiral forms and glowing pink energy. Both represent temptation—the promise of power with a hidden cost. Emily’s ability to resist this temptation is rooted not in force but in self-awareness and self-forgiveness. She understands that IKOL, like the amulet, is part of her story and part of her struggles; In forgiving herself, she also frees herself from his influence. This moment underscores Kibuishi’s exploration of autonomy: Leadership and strength come not from dominating others but from reconciling one’s conflicting selves and choosing a path of self-determination.