Kaede’s Plane Crash
Kaede’s death symbolizes the often pointless sacrifice of war. She is a prominent member of the rebellion and a successful pilot, but her death doesn’t really lead to anything significant, and doesn’t happen during a large-scale battle. Her death is a symbol for the deaths of strong, capable people that happen during war, and that don’t contribute much to the war itself.
Difficult Decisions
Prodigy explores the motif of characters making difficult decisions regarding their lives and relationships throughout Prodigy. Day chooses June over his childhood friend Tess, when forced into a dangerous situation where he can only pick one. June chooses to act as a spy for the rebellion by spending time with Anden and deceiving him, even though she does like and respect him. These difficult decisions that compromise relationships and morals reflect the difficulty of the characters’ situations, and how in wartime, there are often no good decisions that can be made. Often, the only choice that people have is whether they’re going to sacrifice one aspect of happiness (personal relationships, etc.), for another (political and wartime success, etc.)
The Slums of the Colonies
The slums in the Colonies are an allegory for the real life poverty that occurs in wealthy, populated areas. Although the Colonies seem like the antithesis to the Republic, a place where culture and consumerism thrive, Day and June quickly realize the large amount of poverty and corruption taking place there. The poverty in the Colonies acts as an allegory for parts of the world that are wealthy and seen as beacons of culture, but in reality have poverty and corruption that linger below the surface.
Tess
Day’s friend Tess is a symbol of his childhood and his life on the streets. She joins the rebellion with him, but their shared history reminds him of his time on the streets, and how it’s something that will haunt him for the rest of his life.
Day’s Illness
Day’s illness is a symbol for the unfairness of the world. Day spends his entire life fighting poverty and the law, and when he finally gains some footing in the world - he has June, he has recognition within the Republic – he’s struck down by an illness. His fate represents how even when people find something good in the world, that can still crumble.
