This is the nickname that Eli and Randy give to the Surety police who protect Serenity. They wear indigo uniforms and are vaguely sinister figures whose principal job seems to be keeping the clones from escaping. As such, they symbolize repressive authority and relate to the theme of Personal Autonomy.

The phrase “purple people eater” originated with a pop song that topped the charts in 1958 and led to a 1988 movie that featured the original song. While the clone teens might not easily identify with a decades-old pop culture reference, it serves the book’s theme well. The song originated during the Cold War era, when science fiction movies featured “mad scientists” and dangerous aliens from outer space. The plot of Masterminds involves a scientist experimenting on clones, which are considered alien life forms. Serenity itself is located in the same state as Roswell, New Mexico, the epicenter of space alien theories. At one point, Randy explicitly mentions a connection to UFOs and Roswell.

Except for Mrs. Delaney’s husband, the Surety personnel lack individual identities. Eli and Randy, however, give them fake biographies and nicknames, perhaps as a way to diminish the psychological distress created by their presence in town.