The Poppy War

by

R. F. Kuang

The Phoenix Character Analysis

The Phoenix is the bloodthirsty god of fire and vengeance. It thrives on blood and destruction and was the god the Speerlies channeled. Both Rin and Altan channel the Phoenix, though the Phoenix conceives of Altan as weak and unworthy. It articulates to Rin that while it wants destruction, Rin must accept that she’s the one who wants it to destroy the island of Mugen—it’s doing Rin’s bidding, not what the Phoenix itself wants to do. Once Rin fully accepts the Phoenix, she constantly hears it screaming for blood and vengeance in her head. To escape it, Rin, like Altan and the Speerlies before them, turns to opium.

The Phoenix Quotes in The Poppy War

The The Poppy War quotes below are all either spoken by The Phoenix or refer to The Phoenix. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Dehumanization and the Horrors of War Theme Icon
).
Chapter 9 Quotes

“You must conflate these concepts. The god outside you. The god within. Once you understand that these are one and the same, once you can hold both concepts in your head and know them to be true, you’ll be a shaman.”

Related Characters: Master Jiang (the Gatekeeper) (speaker), Rin (Fang Runin), The Phoenix
Related Symbols: Opium
Page Number: 194
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14 Quotes

“I think Tearza was wise. And I think that she was a bad ruler. Shamans should know when to resist the power of the gods. That is wisdom. But rulers should do everything in their power to save their country. That is responsibility. If you hold the fate of the country in your hands, if you have accepted your obligation to your people, then your life ceases to be your own. Once you accept the title of ruler, your choices are made for you. In those days, to rule Speer meant serving the Phoenix. Speer used to be a proud race. A free people. when Tearza killed herself, the Speerlies became little more than the Emperor’s mad dogs. Tearza has the blood of Speer on her hands. Tearza deserved what she got.”

Related Characters: Qara (speaker), Rin (Fang Runin), Mai’rinnen Tearza (The Woman), The Phoenix, The Red Emperor
Page Number: 319
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 17 Quotes

She had just killed Altan.

What was that supposed to mean? What did it say that the chimei had thought she wouldn’t be able to kill Altan, and that she had killed him anyway?

If she could do this, what couldn’t she do?

Who couldn’t she kill?

Maybe that was the kind of anger it took to call the Phoenix easily and regularly the way Altan did. Not just rage, not just fear, but a deep, burning resentment, fanned by a particularly cruel kind of abuse.

Related Characters: Rin (Fang Runin), Altan Trengsin, Nezha, The Phoenix
Related Symbols: Opium
Page Number: 368
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 20 Quotes

“That boy is beyond redemption,” said the Woman. “That boy is broken like the rest. But you, you are still pure. You can still be saved.”

“I don’t want to be saved!” Rin shrieked. “I want power! I want Altan’s power! I want to be the most powerful shaman there ever was, so that there is no one I can’t save!”

“That power can burn down the world,” the woman said sadly. “That power will destroy everything you’ve ever loved. You will defeat your enemy, and the victory will turn to ashes in your mouth.”

Related Characters: Rin (Fang Runin) (speaker), Mai’rinnen Tearza (The Woman) (speaker), Master Jiang (the Gatekeeper), Altan Trengsin, Kitay, Chaghan, The Phoenix
Page Number: 390
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 24 Quotes

She had never understood how horrendously difficult it was to be Altan Trengsin, to live under the strain of a furious god constantly screaming for destruction in the back of his mind, while an indifferent narcotic deity whispered promises in his blood.

That’s why the Speerlies became addicted to opium so easily, she realized. Not because they needed it for their fire. Because for some of them, it was the only time they could get away from their horrible god.

Related Characters: Rin (Fang Runin), Altan Trengsin, Dr. Shiro, The Phoenix
Related Symbols: Opium
Page Number: 479
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 25 Quotes

Rin forced the last parts of what was human out of her soul and gave way to her hatred. Hating was so easy. It filled a hole inside her. It let her feel something again. It felt so good.

“Total victory,” she said. “It’s what you want, isn’t it?”

“What I want?” The Phoenix sounded amused. “The gods do not want anything. The gods merely exist. We cannot help what we are; we are pure essence, pure element. You humans inflict everything on yourselves, and then blame us afterward. Every calamity has been man-made. We do not force you to do anything. We have only ever helped.”

“This is my destiny,” Rin said with conviction. “I’m the last Speerly. I have to do this. It is written.”

“Nothing is written,” said the Phoenix.

Related Characters: Rin (Fang Runin) (speaker), The Phoenix (speaker), Master Jiang (the Gatekeeper)
Page Number: 501
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Poppy War LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Poppy War PDF

The Phoenix Quotes in The Poppy War

The The Poppy War quotes below are all either spoken by The Phoenix or refer to The Phoenix. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Dehumanization and the Horrors of War Theme Icon
).
Chapter 9 Quotes

“You must conflate these concepts. The god outside you. The god within. Once you understand that these are one and the same, once you can hold both concepts in your head and know them to be true, you’ll be a shaman.”

Related Characters: Master Jiang (the Gatekeeper) (speaker), Rin (Fang Runin), The Phoenix
Related Symbols: Opium
Page Number: 194
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14 Quotes

“I think Tearza was wise. And I think that she was a bad ruler. Shamans should know when to resist the power of the gods. That is wisdom. But rulers should do everything in their power to save their country. That is responsibility. If you hold the fate of the country in your hands, if you have accepted your obligation to your people, then your life ceases to be your own. Once you accept the title of ruler, your choices are made for you. In those days, to rule Speer meant serving the Phoenix. Speer used to be a proud race. A free people. when Tearza killed herself, the Speerlies became little more than the Emperor’s mad dogs. Tearza has the blood of Speer on her hands. Tearza deserved what she got.”

Related Characters: Qara (speaker), Rin (Fang Runin), Mai’rinnen Tearza (The Woman), The Phoenix, The Red Emperor
Page Number: 319
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 17 Quotes

She had just killed Altan.

What was that supposed to mean? What did it say that the chimei had thought she wouldn’t be able to kill Altan, and that she had killed him anyway?

If she could do this, what couldn’t she do?

Who couldn’t she kill?

Maybe that was the kind of anger it took to call the Phoenix easily and regularly the way Altan did. Not just rage, not just fear, but a deep, burning resentment, fanned by a particularly cruel kind of abuse.

Related Characters: Rin (Fang Runin), Altan Trengsin, Nezha, The Phoenix
Related Symbols: Opium
Page Number: 368
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 20 Quotes

“That boy is beyond redemption,” said the Woman. “That boy is broken like the rest. But you, you are still pure. You can still be saved.”

“I don’t want to be saved!” Rin shrieked. “I want power! I want Altan’s power! I want to be the most powerful shaman there ever was, so that there is no one I can’t save!”

“That power can burn down the world,” the woman said sadly. “That power will destroy everything you’ve ever loved. You will defeat your enemy, and the victory will turn to ashes in your mouth.”

Related Characters: Rin (Fang Runin) (speaker), Mai’rinnen Tearza (The Woman) (speaker), Master Jiang (the Gatekeeper), Altan Trengsin, Kitay, Chaghan, The Phoenix
Page Number: 390
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 24 Quotes

She had never understood how horrendously difficult it was to be Altan Trengsin, to live under the strain of a furious god constantly screaming for destruction in the back of his mind, while an indifferent narcotic deity whispered promises in his blood.

That’s why the Speerlies became addicted to opium so easily, she realized. Not because they needed it for their fire. Because for some of them, it was the only time they could get away from their horrible god.

Related Characters: Rin (Fang Runin), Altan Trengsin, Dr. Shiro, The Phoenix
Related Symbols: Opium
Page Number: 479
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 25 Quotes

Rin forced the last parts of what was human out of her soul and gave way to her hatred. Hating was so easy. It filled a hole inside her. It let her feel something again. It felt so good.

“Total victory,” she said. “It’s what you want, isn’t it?”

“What I want?” The Phoenix sounded amused. “The gods do not want anything. The gods merely exist. We cannot help what we are; we are pure essence, pure element. You humans inflict everything on yourselves, and then blame us afterward. Every calamity has been man-made. We do not force you to do anything. We have only ever helped.”

“This is my destiny,” Rin said with conviction. “I’m the last Speerly. I have to do this. It is written.”

“Nothing is written,” said the Phoenix.

Related Characters: Rin (Fang Runin) (speaker), The Phoenix (speaker), Master Jiang (the Gatekeeper)
Page Number: 501
Explanation and Analysis: