In the beginning, a deadly virus was released into the air of the village of Estrov from a chemical factory nearby, but Yassen’s parents stored an antidote, which they forcibly injected their son with to keep him alive. After his friend Leo died from the virus, Yassen reflected on the miracle of the antidote and the chivalrous act done by his parents: “Leo’s chest was covered by dreadful diamond-shaped sores…I knew if it hadn’t been for my parents, I would be exactly the same as him” (Horowitz 68). Without the aid of the antidote, Yassen would have died along with the rest of the villagers. The antidote was a shield ☺ (figurative language) against the new virus in Estrov. Without this immunity, Yassen would have died from a high fatality rate, abruptly ending his story. Having taken the antidote, Yassen was also the only survivor from his village, which coerced him into a world of isolation. With this isolation, Yassen was forced to learn to survive using his wits and skills, which lead him to a virulent and cruel path. The antidote is important because it is critical to the survival of our character, and the first stepping-stone that leads him towards a life of …show more content…
Near the end of the book, Yassen’s friend from Scorpia’s assassin training school convinced Yassen to halt his pursuit of life as a contract killer, claiming that Yassen did not have the capacity to kill another human. Yassen took Hunter’s advice and was about to hide away in Moscow, until he came across a Power Plus battery in Hunter’s duffel bag and discovered the truth: “I knew. Without a shred of doubt Hunter was a double agent, a spy sent by M16…to spy on Scorpia…to sabotage them” (Horowitz 346-47). Yassen learned that the battery concealed a radio transmitter and could summon British Intelligence at any moment. From the design of the battery, he concluded that Hunter was a British spy sent to bring down Scorpia and kill Yassen. As soon as he discovered the battery, Yassen completely transformed, realizing that Hunter’s friendship had been a farce used to get closer to Scorpia. From that one single battery, Yassen’s world started to crumble. After losing his faith in his one and only friend, Hunter, Yassen realized that he could trust no one and set on becoming an assassin to get back at Hunter. Without the discovery of Hunter’s Power Plus battery, it is likely that Yassen would have chosen the path of good and hidden away from Scorpia; however, Yassen developed a hatred for Hunter that became the final stepping-stone in his transformation into a merciless