The Lion of Mars

Phinneus is the oldest among the group of American settlers. He is a farmer and botanist who takes care of the algae farm, often assisted by Bell. He and Bell are very close and have a grandfather/grandson type of relationship. Phinneus even tells the young boy—“you, dear Bell, are the best thing to happen in my life” (78), and Bell sums up their relationship by comparing Phinneus to his old sweater:

If a piece of clothing could perfectly describe a person, this sweater was it for Phinneus. It was fuzzy, with fraying threads and two missing buttons. But it was soft and comforting and always made me feel safe. When I was little and had nightmares, Phinneus would tuck that sweater around me and read to me until I fell asleep again (73).

Phinneus is kind, funny, and very knowledgeable. He is passionate about helping the settlers thrive on Mars, both through his dedication to his work and by arguing for cooperation. Phinneus acts as a role model for Bell and introduces the boy to lions, prompting Bell to think of the settlers as a “pride.”

In Chapter 13, Phinneus dies either from a heart attack, or possibly from the virus that later infects the other adults. Bell is heartbroken but uses Phinneus as an inspiration to reconcile with the other settlements. The young boy remembers a conversation with Phinneus earlier in the story which left him confused about what weeds are. However, Bell now understands that Phinneus recognized The Dangers of Isolation and was advocating for communication and cooperation.

Sai, as he is referred to by the other characters, is the Commander of the United States Mars Settlement. He is in charge of a group of 10 other settlers: Phinneus; Darby and Eliana (who are married), a general contractor and an engineer; Meems, a doctor who acts as a mother figure to the children; Salty Bill, a grumpy cook; and five children.

Sai’s direct point of view is depicted through Artifacts, his communications with Earth command. When going through Sai’s messages, Bell notes that Sai “[worries) about everything—from Trey’s pimples to the strength of the outside coating of the COR” (148), characterizing him as a caring and practical leader.

Sai’s backstory builds to some of the key plot points in the narrative. When he took command of the settlement, the group included Lissa, his best friend’s daughter who he swore to take care of. At the time, the five countries were cooperating, and Sai developed a relationship with Commander Sylvie Laurent from the French settlement. However, when Lissa died in a rover accident, Sai “took it the hardest” (90), as Salty Bill explains, and completely cut contact with the other countries. Although he is well-respected by his fellow settlers, the latter do not hesitate to voice their disagreement about his decision.

At the beginning of the novel, Sai is mistrustful. His resentment builds over the years until he and the other adults get sick. After Bell makes contact with the other settlements, Sai tries to keep his distance. However, Commander Laurent and Petyr, who were with Lissa the day she died, explain that Sai misunderstood the situation. He then apologizes for “[letting his] grief and anger tear apart everything [they’d] built together” (247) and reunites with Commander Laurent. In the end, Sai happily learns to work with the other settlements again and embraces community.