Valentine Wiggin

Ender's protector and only friend, the sister who went into exile with him.

Valentine Wiggin is the middle child of the Wiggin family, younger than Peter and older than Andrew "Ender" Wiggin. She serves as Ender's protector and only friend during his childhood. While her brother Peter acts as a sadist who torments Ender, Valentine provides the emotional bond that keeps him grounded before he leaves for Battle School. After the war she leaves Earth with Ender for one of the new colonies, and much later she follows him to Lusitania.

Quick Facts

Character role: Sister of Ender and Peter Wiggin
First appears: Ender's Game

Lore & Background

Valentine's influence begins early when she assures a heartbroken Ender that they will always have a bond as he departs for Battle School. After Ender unknowingly commits xenocide against the Formics, the political landscape shifts. His brother Peter becomes a major political force and eventually the Hegemon, the head of Earth's world government. Peter brokers a deal in which Ender is sent into permanent exile rather than have war break out over him. Valentine goes with Ender to one of the colonies on the abandoned Formic worlds. Some 3000 years after the war she marries on the planet Trondheim, and she later agrees to travel to Lusitania, where Ender is helping Novinha protect humans from the descolada virus.

Reader's Guide

Valentine Wiggin is defined by her empathy, which stands in stark contrast to Peter's sadism and Ender's isolation. She acts as a stabilizing force for both brothers: protecting Ender from Peter's torment early on, and later guiding him through his exile and moral crisis after the Formic war. She accompanies Ender into permanent exile. Her presence on Lusitania is crucial as Ender struggles with the colony's rebellion against the Intergalactic Congress. Key moments include her reassurance of Ender before Battle School, her essays as Demosthenes alongside Peter's Locke, and her departure with Ender for the colonies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Valentine Wiggin?

She is the sister of Andrew 'Ender' and Peter Wiggin and the middle child of the family. Throughout the saga, she acts as Ender's primary emotional support system during his isolation from society.

Is Valentine Wiggin alive at the end of the series?

Yes, she survives through the events of Xenocide and remains a key member of the Wiggin family on Lusitania. Her presence is vital for maintaining Ender's connection to humanity while he deals with the Formics and the Hive Queen.