Tobias Eaton

Lore & Background

Born in Abnegation to Marcus Eaton and Evelyn Johnson, Tobias chose Dauntless to escape his abusive father. He has dark blue eyes, dark brown hair, a scar on his chin, and freckles on his nose. His spine bears tattoos of each faction's symbol, starting with Dauntless at the top, then Abnegation, then Erudite, then Amity, then Candor at the bottom. As an instructor, he guides initiates transferring into Dauntless. In Four: A Divergent Story Collection, it is revealed that as a 16-year-old he discovered he was Divergent after escaping simulation serum unorthodoxly; he befriended initiates Zeke and Shauna and developed a rivalry with Eric. He refused an offer to become a future leader of Dauntless to instead become an instructor.

In Their Own Story

Tobias meets Tris, who is also an Abnegation transfer. They slowly develop a relationship as he helps her through initiation tests and protects her from threats like Eric and the attempt on her life by Al, Peter, and Drew. When Erudite plans to attack Abnegation, Tobias and Tris are immune to the mind control serum used to execute their plan of exterminating Abnegation, but Tobias is captured and injected with a serum that does work on Divergents. He is forced to attack Tris when she attempts to deactivate the serum, but breaks free when she tells him she does not want to hurt him. Together they deactivate the mind control serum before escaping towards the Amity sector alongside Caleb, Marcus, and Peter. In Insurgent, Dauntless and Erudite traitors recognize him at Amity headquarters; he escapes through boarding a train full of factionless including former Dauntless Edward. They are led to the factionless headquarters where his mother Evelyn is waiting. Going to Candor, Tobias reveals under truth serum that he joined Dauntless to escape his abusive father and learns Tris shot Will while he was under mind control. Eric attacks Candor but gets caught. Four, along with Tori and Harrison, are selected as new leaders; they sentence Eric to death and Four executes him. He makes an agreement with the factionless to destroy Erudite and establish a new government. When a simulation threatens to kill Dauntless members until a Divergent is given to Erudite, Tris decides to sacrifice herself but he begs her not to. She leaves for Erudite as he sleeps; he also surrenders himself to Erudite and later escapes the headquarters with her and Peter.

Reader's Guide

Tobias chooses Dauntless after leaving Abnegation, driven by a need to escape his abusive father Marcus. His personality is defined by a protective nature toward Tris Prior and deep loyalty to his friends. He serves as an instructor who guides initiates through fear simulations. Key plot actions include helping Tris pass initiation, protecting her from Eric's taunts and death attempts, exposing Erudite's mind control plans, becoming one of the new leaders of Dauntless alongside Tori and Harrison, executing Eric, and forming an agreement with the factionless to destroy Erudite.

Did You Know?

• He gets the nickname 'Four' from his instructor Amar because he has only four fears: heights, the dark, claustrophobia, and his father.
• He bears tattoos of each faction's symbol on his spine, starting with Dauntless at the top, then Abnegation, then Erudite, then Amity, then Candor at the bottom.
• As a 16-year-old in Four: A Divergent Story Collection, he discovered he was Divergent after escaping simulation serum through unorthodox means.
• He refused an offer to become a future leader of Dauntless, choosing instead to become an instructor.