Line #13 Literature/TheAbles


1	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_61necrbbn7l.png]]
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3	''The Ables'' is a Young Adult novel written by Jeremy Scott, one of the founders of WebVideo/CinemaSins.
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5	Philip Sallinger is blind, and telekinetic. The last part surprises him; his father tells him. Only one problem: no one thinks that Phillip is cut out to be a hero due to his blindness, and the school system puts him in a special needs class for those with powers. Determined to prove his bullies wrong, Phillip forms a hero team within the special needs class, while a mysterious man targets him.
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7	It was followed by two sequels, ''Strings'', in 2019 and ''Currents'' in 2020, as well as an {{Interquel}} comic entitled ''The Hero's Journey'' which takes place between the first two books. The fourth and final book is planned to release in 2022.
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9	----
10	!! Tropes for this book include:
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12	* AlwaysSaveTheGirl: Subverted. Though Phillip is tempted, he can't bring himself to [[spoiler:surrender to the Finch to save his mother because he doesn't believe he's the chosen one that Finch thinks he is, and because he promised his father he would send a distress signal for help. Then Finch reveals he lied and wasn't planning to restore Mrs. Sallinger's life, in the hopes of awakening Phillip's latent powers]].
13	* AnyoneCanDie
14	* AscendedExtra: In the first book, Penelope was just a classmate of the team and not a member. In ''Strings'', she's Bentley's girlfriend and one of the members of the Ables.
15	* AssholeVictim: Subverted. Phillip is horrified when [[spoiler:Finch murders Steve just because he happens to be standing in his way. Steve was a bully, but by no means deserving to be killed during a training exercise]].
16	* TheAtoner: Mr. Charles considers himself this. [[spoiler:However, when Finch attacks Freepoint and Mr. Chales initially refuses to help, Phillip gives him a ReasonYouSuckSpeech calling him a coward for refusing to fight back.]]
17	* BittersweetEnding: Verging on DownerEnding almost; [[spoiler:Finch succeeds in wiping out a good portion of Freepoint and escaping with most of his followers before the bomb hits full impact, but Donnie prevents the bomb from killing everyone at the cost of his life, unless he's unable to come home. Patrick gets his powers and becomes an honorary Able. The Ables continue to meet and will participate in the SuperSims, now that they've gotten their status and reputation restored, in honor of Donnie's memory]].
18	** ''Strings'' has one as well that is equally bitter. [[spoiler:Marian Ettinger is captured and custodians' status is somewhat improved, but Washington D.C. is destroyed, Henry is dead, FantasticRacism against custodians is still everywhere, Phillip's emotional state has gotten worse, and Henry's death has alienated Phillip from his friends.]]
19	* BoomerangBigot: PlayedWith by [[spoiler: Marian Ettinger. Her plot hinges on making the world at large hate custodians and want to see them locked up, despite being a custodian herself.]]
20	* CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot: While beating up [[spoiler:the Finch and nearly killing him, Phillip shouts that his grandfather didn't have to murder his mother to try and find out if Phillip was the chosen one. He could have just ''been'' a grandfather and a part of their family, the way Charles was]].
21	* DisabilityNegatingSuperpower: Tragically {{Inverted}}. It’s mentioned that one of Phillip's classmates was born with Super Hearing but has since gone deaf.
22	* FallenHero: Mr. Charles betrayed and killed his partner Thomas Sallinger. [[spoiler:Except Thomas Sallinger isn't really dead, and it turns out he was the ''true'' FallenHero.]]
23	* FauxAffablyEvil: Finch seems pleasant enough at first. The act falls apart by the climax.
24	* HeroicSacrifice:
25	** In the end, [[spoiler: Donny sacrifices himself to get rid of Finch and his army, revealing himself to be [[TheUnchosenOne the real chosen one]] the Finch was looking for.]]
26	** In ''Strings'', [[spoiler: Henry does this to stop Marian Ettinger.]]
27	* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Finch teleports away with a number of his surviving followers before the bombs hit. Though now he's the most wanted man in the United States]].
28	* KickTheDog: [[spoiler:Chad and Finch sabotage the Ables' second SuperSims run, for no real reason]].
29	* KilledOffscreen: [[spoiler:James dies in the comic tie-in, ''The Hero's Journey.'' Not technically offscreen, but if you just read the two books, you would be left confused.]]
30	* TheLoad: Freddie can't effectively use his powers in the first book due to his asthma. Bentley finds a workaround for him before the events of ''Strings''.
31	* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler:The Finch is actually Phillip's grandfather, Thomas. He didn't die when he was struck by lightning and fell.]]
32	* TheMole: [[spoiler:Chad was one, coerced by Finch into giving up an arm for the Believers cause and to spy on The Ables]].
33	* OnceMoreWithClarity: We finally learn why Charles turned on Thomas Sallinger; he reveals [[spoiler:before he dies that he saw Thomas was becoming obsessed with power and with the prophecy and acted on the spur of the moment]].
34	* PeoplePuppets: [[spoiler:Marian Ettinger]]'s power.
35	* SacrificialLamb: Finch kills [[spoiler:Mrs. Sallinger, Phillip's mother, after leaving her in a coma for weeks]].
36	* TheUnchosenOne: It turns out that [[spoiler:Phillip was not the reincarnation of Elben, as Finch had predicted. Donnie ended up being TheChosenOne who would rise to the occasion and save everyone, but as Henry angrily points out, Finch is the reason that the Ables exist and that they survived the Believers' onslaught]].
37	* ThisIsNotADrill: The SuperSims end up being completely useless when a real emergency happens.
38	* TookALevelInBadass: Phillip and Henry.
39	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: It doesn't say if [[spoiler:Chad got away with Finch or was killed during the explosion.]]
40	* WhatTheHellHero:
41	** Phillip receives one from Mrs. Crouch for his excessive moping and taking advantage of others [[spoiler:after the death of his mother.]]
42	** In ''Strings'', Henry chews Phillip out for taking him for granted. Phillip in turn accuses Henry of wasting his potential. The rift doesn't last long.
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Context Literature / TheAbles