Scarlet Benoit

Lore & Background

Scarlet Benoit is the second book's protagonist, based on 'Little Red Riding Hood.' She is introduced as the granddaughter of Michelle Benoit, a farmer and former military pilot who has disappeared. Scarlet works hesitantly with a street fighter named Wolf, who is a genetically altered Lunar warrior.

Reader's Guide

Scarlet Benoit is based on 'Little Red Riding Hood' and appears in the second book of The Lunar Chronicles, titled Scarlet, which was published on February 5, 2013. She is the granddaughter of Michelle Benoit, a farmer and former military pilot. Her grandmother's disappearance sets the plot in motion. As her admiration for Wolf grows, his old Lunar pack puts them in unusual circumstances, testing Wolf's loyalties. In Winter, Princess Winter and Scarlet become close friends.

Origins and Family Ties

Michelle was not merely a farmer but a former military pilot, a background that hints at a life of discipline and danger now absent from Scarlet's daily existence. This sudden abandonment forces Scarlet into a precarious position where she must navigate the complexities of a futuristic world alone. Her journey begins with a singular, driving purpose: to locate her missing guardian. Unlike other protagonists who start with established support systems or clear alliances, Scarlet starts from a place of isolation and uncertainty.

Her status as an orphaned granddaughter in a society grappling with interplanetary tension and pandemic fears adds layers of vulnerability to her character. The disappearance of Michelle serves as the inciting incident that propels Scarlet out of her home life and into the wider conflict between Earth and Luna, setting the stage for her transformation from a lone farm girl into a key player in a galactic revolution.

Alliance with Wolf

During her desperate search for her grandmother, Scarlet forms an uneasy partnership with Wolf, a genetically altered Lunar warrior who works as a street fighter. This alliance is fraught with tension and danger, particularly because Wolf belongs to a Lunar pack that views him with suspicion due to his altered nature. As Scarlet's admiration for Wolf deepens, their relationship becomes complicated by the malicious intentions of his former pack, which places them in increasingly perilous situations designed to test Wolf's loyalty.

The dynamic between the human girl and the genetically modified warrior highlights themes of trust across species lines. Their journey is not just a physical trek but an emotional one, as they must navigate the treacherous politics of Lunar society while trying to survive. The pack's interference forces them to confront deeper connections and hidden agendas, ultimately revealing that their bond is stronger than the divisions created by biology or origin.

This partnership becomes a cornerstone of Scarlet's development, teaching her resilience and the importance of standing by those who are different.

Convergence with Cinder

Scarlet's individual quest eventually intersects with the broader rebellion against Queen Levana when she meets Cinder, the cyborg mechanic from New Beijing. Their meeting marks a pivotal shift in the series, transforming Scarlet from a lone searcher into a strategic ally within a larger resistance movement. Together, they join forces to stop the tyranny of the Lunar Queen and her thaumaturge, Sybil Mira. This collaboration is essential because it combines Cinder's technical expertise and knowledge of Earth politics with Scarlet's determination and unique perspective as someone connected to the missing Michelle Benoit.

Their alliance also involves working alongside Carswell Thorne, a convict who becomes a crucial part of their team. The convergence of these characters allows them to pool their resources and skills to challenge Levana's growing power. By uniting, they create a formidable front against the Lunar threat, demonstrating that their combined strengths are necessary to overcome the overwhelming odds posed by the Queen's glamour and military might.

Friendship with Princess Winter

In the later stages of her journey, Scarlet develops a profound friendship with Princess Winter, Queen Levana's stepdaughter. Winter is a complex figure who has rejected the use of Lunar glamour, leading to severe mental deterioration and terrifying hallucinations, yet she remains admired for her grace and kindness despite facial scars. Scarlet becomes one of the few people who can offer Winter genuine comfort and understanding amidst her crumbling sanity.

Their bond is significant because it bridges the gap between the Earth resistance and a member of the Lunar royal family who secretly despises her stepmother's tyranny. Winter has been undermining Levana for years, and her connection with Scarlet strengthens the resolve to launch a revolution. Together, along with Cinder and other allies, they possess the potential to win a war that has raged for too long. This friendship underscores the theme of unity across divides, showing how compassion can forge powerful alliances even in the most hostile environments.