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Chapter Eighty-Six
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Children of Virtue and Vengeance, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Power and Systems of Oppression
Cycles of Violence
Tradition and History
Love vs. Duty
Summary
Analysis
Zélie, Roën, Tzain, and the elders stand on the hill overlooking Lagos. Kâmarū releases Amari’s bindings and the elders name those the monarchy killed, including Zu, Baba, Mama, and Mâzeli. Zélie whispers the incantation and the elders unite. A rainbow of light flows around them. Kâmarū and Kenyon pull up the earth and send lava rushing toward Lagos, destroying majacite mines as it goes. Jahi and Amari transform the majacite into Cancer clouds and send it rushing back at the soldiers. Kâmarū, Jahi, and Kenyon deflect cannonballs and explosive. Finally, Zélie reaches for the life in the tîtán soldiers and takes it from them.
Remembering those who have died for this cause allows the Iyika to honor the dead and think of them as important fighters in this battle—even if they’re no longer around to fight it. Those who are still fighting, meanwhile, are the survivors who are intent on living, just as Roën encouraged Zélie to be. Their connections to each other are a physical representation of love, and thanks to Mama Agba’s sacrifice, they can weaponize that to fulfill their goals.
Themes
