Mars Colony
From Lykos mines to Asgard halls: Mars holds the secrets of the Obsidians, the heart of the Sovereign's tyranny, and the birthplace of a new order.
Mars serves as the central stage for the third novel in Pierce Brown's Red Rising trilogy, Morning Star (2016). The planet hosts the critical southern pole region where Darrow recruits Obsidian allies under Alia Snowsparrow. It is also the site of Asgard, a stronghold where the Rising defeats Society Golds, leading to Sefi executing her mother and bringing the Valkyries into the rebellion.
- Primary Function
- Home to Lykos mining colony and site of major battles
- Dominant Power Structure
- The Society (until captured by The Rising)
- Key Geographic Feature
- Southern Pole (Obsidian territory), Asgard
Lore & Background
Mars is defined by its pivotal role in the uprising against the Society. The southern pole of Mars hosts the Obsidian tribes, where Darrow, Virginia, and Sefi discover that Alia Snowsparrow, Ragnar's mother, has conspired with Golds to deceive her people. This location becomes the turning point for the Obsidians when Sefi deposes her mother and executes her at Asgard after the Rising defeats local Society forces. The planet also holds Lykos, Darrow's home mining colony which he is forced to surrender while imprisoned by Adrius au Julii. Furthermore, Mars contains the strategic ground where the Rising captures territory alongside Luna and Earth, marking it as a key battleground in the final war.
In Their Own Story
On Mars, the conflict shifted from guerrilla skirmishes to open revolution. Darrow arrived with Virginia and Sefi at the southern pole to recruit the Obsidians, only to find Alia Snowsparrow complicit with the Golds. After Ragnar Volarus was fatally wounded by Aja au Grimmus in a duel on Mars soil, he urged Darrow to kill his mother before dying. The Rising then invaded Asgard, defeating Society Golds and allowing Sefi to execute Alia. Later, as the war escalated, Darrow lied about an Obsidian invasion on Mars to draw guards away from the Sovereign's bunker, a ruse that facilitated the final assault on Luna. When Virginia became Sovereign, Sefi's Obsidians returned to Mars to reclaim their home while Cassius adopted Lysander.
Reader's Guide
For those tracking the narrative of Morning Star, Mars is the crucible where the allegiance of the Obsidians was secured and the path to the final victory on Luna was paved. Key locations include Lykos, Darrow's origin point which he lost during his captivity; the southern pole, where the truth about the Golds' deception of Obsidians was revealed; and Asgard, the site of Alia Snowsparrow's death and Sefi's rise to leadership. The planet also serves as a major objective in the final campaign, with the Rising capturing it alongside Luna and Earth. Visitors or readers should note that Mars is where the reconciliation between Sevro and Darrow occurred after their fight over leadership, and where Victra and Sevro eventually married following the death of Ragnar.
Did You Know?
- Darrow was forced to give up his home mining colony of Lykos while imprisoned and tortured by Adrius.
- Ragnar Volarus died on Mars after being fatally wounded by Aja au Grimmus, urging Darrow to kill his mother Alia before he did.
- Sefi executed her own mother, Alia Snowsparrow, at Asgard after discovering she had deceived the Obsidians for the Society.
- Mars was one of three planets (along with Luna and Earth) captured by The Rising's fleet near the end of the novel.
- After the war, Sefi's Obsidian tribes returned to Mars while Cassius adopted Lysander.
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