Skyward

The remaining members of Spensa’s family—her mother and her paternal grandmother—live in Igneous, the cavern below Alta base. Spensa’s mother and grandmother are her only living relatives. Spensa discovers that her mother is more truly “Defiant” than many humans, for she refused the offer of a cushy job that would have been the reward for supporting the government’s false narrative that her husband, Zeen, died a coward. Spensa’s mother does not believe in the existence of the genetic “defect” that Zeen was reported to have, even though her mother-in-law—Spensa’s grandmother—insists that the defect is real and is a gift rather than a curse.

Gran-Gran (Becca Nightshade) is the mother of Spensa’s father, Zeen. Although humans have lost much of their history, Gran-Gran remembers what happened on the day that humans first came to Detritus, and she has continued her father’s tradition of retelling the stories and histories of the humans from old Earth. Her stories from ancient human history form the basis of Spensa’s personal definition of heroism. Gran-Gran also provides the information that Spensa needs to confront the fact that she herself has the “defect,” or gift. Although Spensa initially sees her strange ability as a defect, her grandmother’s words stay with her, and she finally sees how her gift can help humanity.

Rodge McCaffrey is Spensa’s best friend. She sometimes calls him “Rig,” short for “Rigmarole.” As teenagers, they decided that this would be his call sign as a pilot. He follows Spensa’s dream of getting into flight school because he struggles to know what he truly wants. The first battle that the cadets face forces him to realize that he does not want to be a pilot. His journey is one of self-realization; By examining and fixing M-Bot, he embraces his passion for engineering and design and finds a respectable role in society. He also uses the knowledge he gleans from M-Bot’s advanced technology to make innovative new designs that will help humans improve their chances of defeating the Krell.

Jorgen Weight is flightleader for Spensa’s fellow cadets. He is the son of a First Citizen (a pilot who fought in the Battle of Alta) and a National Assembly Leader (NAL), and his heritage makes him a powerful figure in Defiant society. Due to his family’s status and wealth, Jorgen has practiced flying ships on simulators long before he entered flight school. This gives him an advantage and makes him one of the more skilled cadets. He starts flight school as an arrogant cadet desperate to receive the deference that he feels he deserves due to his status. For this, Spensa gives him the nickname and unwanted callsign of “Jerkface.” His experiences in flight school help him to learn to be humble and to value the other members of his flight. He learns to be a true leader and struggles with the knowledge that his family will pull him out of the DDF after only a few months so that he can follow in his father’s political footsteps; he feels he does not have the courage to defy them.

Hurl, like Spensa, is from Igneous cavern. She initially shuns Spensa after learning of the girl’s family connection to Zeen. She later admits that her mother often used the story of Spensa’s father to make Hurl avoid any actions that might be construed as cowardice. However, when Hurl sees Spensa’s bravery and skill in battle, she accepts Spensa. They make a pact to be brave until the end, but Hurl clings to this unreasonable vow so powerfully that she refuses to eject from her ship. Unable to regain control, she dies in the crash.

Captain Cobb, whose callsign is “Mongrel,” is the instructor of Skyward Flight’s class in the academy. Spensa’s father was Cobb’s wingmate, or partner, and Cobb allows Spensa into the academy despite Ironsides’s attempts to deny her entry. He is Spensa’s advocate throughout her time at the academy, fighting Ironsides’s mistreatment of her and reminding Spensa to prove herself a competent and brave pilot. Cobb no longer flies because he is deeply scarred by the fact that he was the one who had to follow orders to shoot Spensa’s father down after the man’s apparent betrayal. Cobb’s gruff but consistent support helps Spensa face the difficulties that Ironsides creates for her. Despite his fear when Spensa admits to having the same symptoms as her father, he rejoins the battle to support her and the rest of Skyward Flight.