Free Four – Veronica Roth (2012)

Free Four: Tobias Tells the Divergent Story by Veronica Roth (2012) is a companion piece to the bestselling Divergent series, offering readers a glimpse into the inner world of Tobias “Four” Eaton by retelling a pivotal scene from Divergent through his perspective. This short story brings to life Four’s thoughts, fears, and growing attachment to Tris Prior, providing new depth to a familiar moment.

Plot Summary

The air in the Dauntless training room carries the scent of dust, sweat, and sharpened metal, the kind of air that fills Tobias Eaton’s lungs with a rare sense of strength. Before him, faction transfers line up, a mix of Candor, Erudite, and Abnegation-born initiates, their old identities clinging faintly to them. Among them stands Tris Prior, slight and sharp-eyed, a figure who moves with deliberate awkwardness, making no effort to pretend the knives in her hands are anything but foreign. Tobias watches, unnoticed yet alert, his attention flicking to her even when he tries to pull it away.

Eric, the venom-laced Dauntless leader, paces the room like a predator, his voice cutting through the noise as he outlines the day’s task – knife throwing. Tobias, known as Four, steps forward to demonstrate, his mind tethering movement to breath, a discipline Amar, his long-gone mentor, once taught him. Inhale, lift, exhale, release. Knives slice the air and thud into wood, a rhythm that drowns out the world.

As the initiates scramble for their own knives, Tobias retreats to the side, his presence a quiet challenge to Eric’s simmering authority. He hates this – the theatrics, the bravado that serves no purpose but to feed the Dauntless thirst for spectacle. His request to remove knife throwing from the curriculum was denied, leaving him to stand in this room where cruelty masquerades as strength.

Tris struggles, her arm awkward but determined. Peter’s taunts ring out, sharp and childish, seeking cracks in her resolve. Tobias feels a surge of dislike for Peter, whose joy comes from shrinking others. But Tris surprises them all, metal striking wood with an unsteady but sure aim, her quiet voice pushing back against Peter’s mockery. Tobias smiles before he can stop himself.

Al, the towering initiate with the heart of a child, fumbles. His knife clatters harmlessly, and Eric’s eyes sharpen. There’s no mercy in Eric – only the satisfaction of breaking those weaker than him. He orders Al to retrieve the fallen knife while the others keep throwing. Al resists, fear leaking through his words, and Tobias’s chest tightens. He knows where this is headed, and his mind pulls back to memories of Eric as an initiate, trembling before Amar, his fear twisted into a cold determination.

Eric’s command comes like a lash – Al must stand before the target while Tobias throws knives at him, a lesson in not flinching. Tobias’s hands tighten around the handles, resentment burning under his skin. If he defies Eric, Al suffers worse. If he obeys, he becomes part of the cruelty he despises.

Then Tris’s voice cuts through the tension, low and steady, calling out Eric’s cowardice. Tobias’s heart stumbles in his chest, torn between admiration and dread. Eric’s smile sharpens like a blade as he turns his sights on her, offering her Al’s place. The room holds its breath.

Tris steps forward, defiant despite the danger. Tobias feels his world narrow to the top of her head, the lift of her chin, the stubborn light in her eyes. He fights to keep his expression cold, fights the urge to throw a knife at Eric instead. His mind calculates with desperate precision – aim near the edge, close but safe, just enough to convince Eric without breaking Tris.

The first knife lands near her cheek, a whisper of steel against wood. Relief floods him, sharp and fleeting. Tris’s eyes flash with anger when he warns her to keep them open, his words meant to remind her of the strength she carries from Abnegation, but they fall heavy between them.

Peter’s jabs from across the room fade to static. Tobias’s focus sharpens, breath and aim entwined, a dance between control and chaos. The next throw lands by her ear, too close, and his hands shake with the effort of holding himself together. Eric’s approval slithers through the air, a dangerous thing, but Tobias feels no triumph. Only sickness when he sees the blood trailing down Tris’s ear, when he sees Eric’s hand land on her shoulder in a mockery of praise.

The room empties, footsteps fading into silence. Tobias waits, heartbeat slowing, before moving toward Tris. She glares at him, fury radiating from every line of her small frame. His attempt to explain, to reveal the tangled snarl of fear and protection inside him, falls apart under her accusations. She sees only the surface – the knife, the taunts, the betrayal.

His chest tightens as he watches her, realizing too late how thoroughly he has tangled himself in her. The space between them fills with words left unsaid, with the memory of how her presence has stirred something long dormant inside him. Before Tris, every day was a march toward emptiness. Before Tris, he had almost chosen to walk away from Dauntless, to disappear into the factionless.

But now she is here, bright and stubborn, refusing to break under pressure, and he knows Eric’s gaze has fixed on her. He knows what happens to the Divergent, to those who don’t fit cleanly into the boxes the factions demand. Amar’s name whispers through his mind, and Tobias presses a hand to his forehead as if he can push the weight of it all back.

Outside the training room, his fists clench at his sides, the memory of her warmth still electric on his skin. He crouches against the wall, hidden from view, the world narrowing to the sound of her frustrated cry echoing down the corridor.

In that quiet space, Tobias admits the truth he has fought to keep buried – he likes her too much. And that changes everything.

Main Characters

• Tobias “Four” Eaton: The stoic and skilled Dauntless instructor, Four is marked by a painful past, a sharp mind, and a quiet intensity. Beneath his tough exterior, he wrestles with vulnerability, morality, and an emerging affection for Tris. His internal conflict between protecting his initiates and defying Dauntless cruelty shapes his arc.

• Beatrice “Tris” Prior: A newly transferred Dauntless initiate from Abnegation, Tris embodies resilience and defiance. Though small in stature, her determination to stand up to injustice draws Four’s admiration. Her presence begins to unravel his carefully maintained emotional distance.

• Eric: A sadistic Dauntless leader whose thirst for control and dominance serves as a direct foil to Four’s more principled strength. Eric relishes tormenting initiates, and his power plays challenge Four’s restraint.

• Al: A gentle giant among the initiates, Al struggles to balance his physical strength with deep-seated insecurity and fear. His vulnerability during the knife-throwing scene becomes a test of courage and loyalty.

• Peter: A cruel and mocking initiate, Peter thrives on belittling others, especially Tris. His taunts and provocations fan the tension in the training room.

Theme

• Power and Control: The clash between Eric and Four highlights competing ideas of leadership—where Eric uses fear, Four balances discipline with humanity. This theme underscores Dauntless’s darker underbelly.

• Identity and Vulnerability: Four’s internal struggle reveals a man divided between his Dauntless exterior and his buried pain. His attraction to Tris threatens the hardened persona he has crafted to survive.

• Courage and Sacrifice: Tris’s willingness to take Al’s place before the target becomes an act of selflessness that earns Four’s admiration, underscoring the novel’s broader exploration of bravery beyond physical daring.

• Perception vs. Reality: Seeing this scene from Four’s point of view transforms our understanding of familiar events, exposing how much can be hidden beneath calm surfaces and how limited one perspective can be.

Writing Style and Tone

Veronica Roth’s prose in Free Four is concise, visceral, and introspective, capturing the tension of the moment with sharp precision. She crafts a believable male voice for Tobias, blending controlled exterior actions with a storm of internal emotion. The language is tight and rhythmic, often mirroring the controlled breathing Four uses to steady himself, creating a sense of tension and immersion.

The tone is raw, brooding, and deeply reflective. Roth strips away the romanticized filter seen through Tris’s eyes in Divergent, revealing the darker, more conflicted side of Four. There’s an undercurrent of suppressed rage, desire, and helplessness that runs through the narrative, giving readers an intimate portrait of a character caught between duty and conscience. The mood swings between simmering tension and flickers of tenderness, particularly in Four’s moments of silent support for Tris, enriching the emotional landscape of the series.