The Last Kids on Earth and the Monster Dimension

In the second section of The Last Kids on Earth and the Monster Dimension, Brallier introduces two important plot devices that heighten the stakes, propelling protagonist Jack into a more dangerous adventure and prompting deeper self-reflection. The first major plot device is Thrull’s success in powering up the Tower. This accelerates the looming threat of Ŗeżżőcħ’s arrival, moving Jack’s world one step closer to a potential catastrophe and intensifying the story’s urgency by introducing a clear ticking clock. This plot development also raises the personal stakes for Jack, who faces the impending threat of fighting an even more powerful villain than Thrull. Throughout the series, Jack has had to face increasingly powerful, dangerous villains, climbing a metaphorical tower of foes reflected in the physical tower that ultimately points to Ŗeżżőcħ.

The second plot device that Brallier introduces is the vision that Jack sees through the rip-tear of godlike monsters observing the world’s suffering from above. The vision itself is both mysterious and portentous, implying a dark future if Jack fails to defeat Ŗeżżőcħ while also containing clues that could help Jack in his battle. This vision becomes an important motivating force for Jack, driving him to take on a new quest to seek Shuggoth, the wise monster who could help interpret the vision. The vision also highlights The Destructive Power of Self-Doubt, reminding Jack how little he knows about the monster dimension and how ill-prepared he is to fight against Ŗeżżőcħ. Jack’s Cosmic Hand behaves unpredictably, adding another layer of uncertainty about his abilities and his control over his own body.

The rip-tears that reveal glimpses of the monster dimension also illustrate the deteriorating divide between the human and monstrous realms, highlighting the theme of The Contrast Between Humanity and Monstrousness. These portals are a physical manifestation of the blurred boundaries between two worlds, suggesting that the metaphorical barrier separating humans from monsters is gradually breaking down as well. For Jack, the monster dimension is uncharted territory, both literally and figuratively. As Jack crosses the threshold into the monster dimension, he embarks on a new quest that follows the traditional structure of the hero’s journey as he accepts his quest and crosses into a new world. He not only steps into a foreign landscape but also has a deeper understanding of himself and his connection to the monstrous. As Jack travels through this unfamiliar dimension, he reunites with old monster friends who help him fight off enemies, reminding the reader that monsters are not a homogenous group. Though Jack is suddenly in a world with a vastly different culture and even altered physics, he connects to the monsters through their shared experience fighting the powers of Ŗeżżőcħ. Through these scenes, Brallier highlights how the concept of monstrousness is not a question of species but one of morality, using the Goon Platoon to illustrate the humanity of Jack’s monster friends.

The theme of the contrast between humanity and monstrousness is also explored with the reappearance of Wracksaw, a villain from Jack’s past. Wracksaw’s monstrousness is particularly grotesque; he takes pleasure in creating scientifically hybrid creatures, altering his own body and those of his minions to make them more powerful and physically intimidating. Wracksaw’s actions illustrate both an obsession with force and a disregard for the autonomy of others, both of which the novel associates with moral corruption. However, he also draws a parallel with Jack’s own experience with his monstrous Cosmic Hand. Because of it, Jack himself is a monster-human hybrid, not unlike Wracksaw’s experiments. Brallier uses this idea of hybridization to again highlight the blurring of boundaries between humans and monsters. Wracksaw’s monstrosity is centered on his lack of morality, not his identity as a monster, and Jack, although he now has monster characteristics, remains human because of his morals and values. 

Brallier intensifies both Jack’s personal peril and the global stakes of the story, weaving the theme of Empathy in the Face of Conflict with the destructive power of self-doubt through a storyline that aligns with the classic hero’s journey. By introducing new elements like Thrull’s Tower, the rip-tear vision, and Wracksaw’s monstrousness, the narrative challenges Jack to develop leadership skills, confront his fears, and reckon with the parts of himself that he may not fully understand or control.