Level 13

Beyond his contributions as a character in the novel, Draja Dubrovnik symbolizes the theme of Expectations, Perceptions, and Reality and the potential hazards of gaming.

Draja is the Awesome Threesome's hero, “the greatest gamer of all time” (28). Cam's gamertag, GameFox229, is a partial tribute to Draja, whose birthday is February 29th. Cam idolizes Draja. At eSports tournaments, the sight of Draja's 400-pound bulk lumbering onto the exhibit floor was enough to send challengers scurrying for the exits. With Draja around at tournaments, others aspired to second place rather than first. Draja's unmatched talent concerns Cam when he learns Draja never reached Level 13. This dashes Cam's expectations of beating the game quickly and easily.

Draja is also Cam's stalker, a man “in his thirties, tall and rail thin, with dark hair, dark eyes, and a black mustache and goatee accentuating pale, pale skin” (141). When Cam first sees Draja, he feels anxious. Draja's subsequent stalking behavior only exacerbates Cam's fears and highlights the dangers associated with online spaces. However, Cam's perception is wrong, as Draja only wants to talk to Cam and help him reach Level 13, illustrating the disparity between perception and reality.

Even Draja's physical appearance highlights this disparity.