her father, and she uses it as her callsign when she becomes a cadet in flight school. She is the daughter of Zeen “Chaser” Nightshade, a pilot who, according to the military’s official story, fled the legendary Battle of Alta and was shot down for his cowardice. Ever since that day, she has spent her life defending her father’s honor and fighting to prove that she is not a coward, either. The government denied her mother a good job when her mother refused to perpetuate their official story, so Spensa spent much of her childhood exploring the caves, collecting mushrooms, and hunting rats to help support her family. Even so, she harbors a fierce ambition to join the Defiant Defense Force (DFF) and become a pilot. When Admiral Ironsides intends to make sure that Spensa does not pass the test for flight school, Captain Cobb, her father’s old wingmate, recognizes her potential and offers her a spot in his class; Ironsides cannot countermand his decision.

Spensa’s journey transforms her from an overconfident teen to a self-doubting cadet and finally to a truly self-possessed pilot who is newly confident in her own abilities. Throughout this process, she also struggles to accept the very natural feelings of fear and grief that arises from the loss of her friends in battle, and she mistakenly believes that these emotions are signs of cowardice.