Howie Maldonado Character Analysis

Howie Maldonado is a celebrity who receives notice of his impending death from Death-Cast on the same day as Rufus and Mateo. He’s best known for starring in the film adaptations of the Scorpius Hawthorne books (which a number of characters love, including Mateo, Delilah, and Wendy Mae), though he’s also written one book of his own. Delilah does everything she can to tag along on Sandy’s final interview with Howie, which they conduct in a car. When Sandy’s questions prove less interesting, Delilah, a longtime fan of Howie and of Scorpius Hawthorne, steps in. Through Delilah’s questioning, Howie reveals that while he never feels entirely lonely because of his fame, he is alone—online fans aren’t the same as in-person, genuine, human connection. He also believes that getting famous so young kept him from truly connecting to his parents, his roots, and the Spanish language, which keeps him from connecting to his aging grandmother. Howie begins to suggest that while he’s satisfied with what he’s done with his life, he also could’ve been happy not being famous and living a life connected to his family instead. Unbeknownst to Sandy and Delilah, the three of them are on the way to visit a woman whom Howie loves but never got to be in a relationship with due to his fame. It’s on this journey that the car crashes and Howie dies.