Factionless Resistance

Lore & Background

In a dystopian post-apocalyptic Chicago where 'faction before blood' is the motto, those who fail initiation are stripped of their homes and cast out. This permanently-homeless group lives in squalor, surviving on the fringes while the five factions—Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite—maintain order above. The Factionless are considered threats only by those who fear independent thought, yet they serve as the hidden underbelly of the city. Their status changes dramatically when Evelyn Johnson-Eaton, Tobias's mother, seeks to unite them with Dauntless against Erudite. This alliance transforms a scattered group of outcasts into a military force capable of challenging Jeanine Matthews. Following the invasion of Erudite headquarters and the death of Jeanine at the hands of Tori Wu, the Factionless seize all weapons, effectively taking power and ending the era of faction rule.

In Their Own Story

Tris Prior, Four, Caleb, and Susan Black flee to the Factionless sector on a train after escaping Erudite and Dauntless traitors. There, they meet Evelyn Johnson-Eaton, who tries to convince her son to ally Dauntless with them against Erudite. While Tris and others infiltrate Erudite headquarters, the Factionless remain a crucial part of the insurgency plan arranged by Tobias. When Jeanine Matthews orders Tris's execution, Peter swaps the lethal dose for a paralytic, freeing Tobias so they can escape to Abnegation. The climax occurs in Erudite's laboratory where Tris confronts simulations and Jeanine. After Tori kills Jeanine, the invasion ends with the realization that the Factionless have taken all weapons to rule in her place. The group is handcuffed alongside other Insurgents like Christina and Marcus, but they successfully pass information through computers, revealing Edith Prior's secret video about the city's true origins.

Reader's Guide

There is no official way to join the Factionless; one becomes a member by failing initiation or leaving their faction, resulting in permanent homelessness. They are distinct from the 'Divergent' threat but often overlap in their rejection of strict conformity. During the conflict with Jeanine Matthews, they operate as part of the broader insurgency alongside Dauntless loyalists and Candor renegades. Key figures include Evelyn Johnson-Eaton, who leads them politically, and Tobias Eaton, who bridges the gap between Dauntless and the Factionless. The group's role shifts from passive victims to active rulers by the book's end, taking control of weapons after Jeanine's death. Their presence is central to the plot's turning points, from the train escape in the early chapters to the final revelation of Edith Prior's video about the world outside the city.

Did You Know?

• The Factionless are a permanently-homeless group deemed to be a drain on society.
• Evelyn Johnson-Eaton is Tobias Eaton's mother and attempts to ally Dauntless with the Factionless against Erudite.
• By the end of Insurgent, the Factionless have taken all weapons to rule in Jeanine Matthews's place.
• Tris, Four, Caleb, and Susan Black seek refuge in the Factionless sector after fleeing from Erudite and Dauntless traitors.
• The faction motto is 'faction before blood,' which contrasts with the existence of the outcast Factionless.