Third thoughts

Spoilers up to Light Bringer ahead

Christian Moodie on Pinterest

One of the great things about Red Rising is that Brown incorporates a ton of nods to stoic philosophy into his character writing in a subtle but impactful way. I’d bet that he has his own annotated copy of Meditations sitting somewhere on his bookshelf at home. Stoic and existential themes quietly drive the arcs of characters who are dealing with war, grief, purpose—and also, space politics. Let’s dig into some of the deeper stuff, starting with character names that may nod to some ancient thinkers:

Golds (and others) named after famous philosophers or Roman centerpieces:

• Cicero Au Votum: A notable contribution from the Skeptic/Stoic Cicero is On Living and Dying Well
• Seneca Au Cern: Letters from a Stoic is a signature foundation
• Sophocles the fox: Sophocles was a playwright, but kind of a philosopher in his own right. Still watching out for that series of short stories on Sophocles’ side quests, Pierce!
• Nero Au Augustus: Nero’s namesake was, fittingly, the fifth Roman emperor known for his tyranny and extravagance. While he was not a philosopher himself, he was tutored by Seneca- but often lived in stark opposition to stoic values like self-control and virtue.
• Dio O’Lykos: Maybe a nod to Dio Chrysostom, who was big on Cynic and Stoic thought. Or maybe just a cool-sounding name.

Lyria with Sophocles by @pallasillustration on Instagram

Apart from the names of characters being on theme, many of them also clearly maintain and live by the practices of existential and stoic teachings. Honestly, it makes the book ridiculously quotable and a great way to do some thought work and self reflection while being immersed in a dystopian Sci-Fi setting. This is the sort of thing that makes reading so rewarding!!

Here are some stand-out moments

🪐 Musings on freedom

One of the series’ core questions: Is freedom always good? Or can it become chaotic, even dangerous? The color-coded Society exists precisely because those in power decided people couldn’t handle complete freedom.

Remember Mickey’s ominously calm defense of the system in book one?

“Mankind was always enslaved, they’ll say. Freedom enslaves us to lust, to greed… Take freedom away, and they gave me a life of dreaming. They gave you a life of sacrifice, family, community. And society is stable.”— Mickey, Red Rising, Chapter 12

Later, in Dark Age, we watch the public be tricked to turn on Virginia disturbingly fast—proof that even well-intentioned freedom can be weaponized.

🌌 Coming to terms with insignificance

The characters here often face the uncomfortable truth that their lives are mere blips. Still, they try to make those blips matter. However, there are times when they question whether spending the time they have suffering while trying to create a better world they may not even get to see is even worth the sacrifice.

“I wonder, in my last moments, if the planet does not mind that we would her surface or pillage her bounty, because she knows we silly warm things are not even a breath in her cosmic life.”— Darrow, Morning Star

“Matter, how tiny my share. Time, how brief my allotment. Fate, how small my toll to play. Self, all that can be mastered.”— Virginia and Daxo, Dark Age

🕰 The importance of being present

Darrow’s older and more haunted in later books. He misses the quieter moments and realizes too late how precious they were.

“Maybe that’s just the nature of us, ever wishing for things that were and could be rather than things that are and will be.”—  Darrow, Morning Star

Classic stoicism: the only moment you own is now. Don’t waste it regretting or fantasizing.

🧠 Mastering the mind

Mental discipline and the consequences of that collapse is displayed in every installment here.

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, or a hell of heaven.”— John Milton, quoted in Iron Gold

“In the cold prison of our minds, we are alone with our self-hatred, our doubts, and guilt…a friend may reach through the bars and hold our hand, but they cannot open the door for us..Only the prisoner has the key”— Darrow on Sevro, Light Bringer

Victra & Sevro by @LesyaBlackBird on Instagram

💀Accepting death and suffering as a part of life

In Red Rising, people die. A lot. And sometimes it’s who you least expect- and in the worst and most unfair of ways. Because of that, many are forced to face and come to terms with their own mortality- and be okay with it’s inevitability. The stoics say Momento Mori. An existential take on mortality will push you to accept it and embrace mortality as an opportunity to live fully

“It is uncivilized to do anything but laugh in the face of death.”— Cassius, Light Bringer

Final Thought:

Red Rising doesn’t just include philosophical garnish, it’s core to how characters survive, adapt, and sometimes evolve (think that epic Light Bringer Darrow transformation). Under all the science fiction flash, it’s a story about control: of your emotions, your choices, and your damn mind.

So… what would Aurelius think of the Reaper? He might raise an eyebrow and say, “Damn. That boy’s been reading.”