This document, compiled by "Student 160" with the assistance of "Numbers" and "Mr. White," serves as an index of general predictions regarding the prospects of the kidnapped senior class of George Hunter High School from Chattanooga, Tennessee. It catalogues all one hundred and fifty-nine known missing students, arranging them into five tiers based on a wide range of factors. While other establishments are basing their odds on scattershot assessments and superficial information gleaned from athletic and academic records and what scant anecdotes can be had from families and friends so soon following the disappearance, this serves as an insider's view of the class. It takes into account the social dynamics, the subtleties, the secrets allowed to slip to those in the know.
The paradox of this project is such: the value of this information is highest at this earliest of junctures, when it is most unique, and yet this is precisely the time when its accuracy can least easily be measured. While my insights and understanding of my erstwhile classmates will be notably advantageous to your ends throughout the process, it will become less exclusive as the truth of the others' characters become evident to even casual viewers. Of course, how much you choose to trust in my insight or not is ultimately your decision, and I am eminently grateful to you for your promise that my compensation will be determined by the accuracy of my predictions regardless of whether or not you follow my advice.
This first view of the roster has been assembled between June 10 and June 12, 2018. Further updates and discussion will be produced as the game progresses, allowing the odds to be honed and adjusted to account for evolving circumstances, and I do believe that you will find my interpretations and direct experience invaluable throughout.
Highly Favored:
Roughly the top five percent of the class, these students are the ones who can be counted on to make a splash, even in light of a poor weapon draw or unfavorable early circumstances. Each one could be a contender for the win, and if they fall before the halfway mark it'll be a surprise.
- Arizona Butler: Popular, fit, and competitive, Arizona is the perfect package. She'll make an impact and keep everyone on their toes in a way a lot of the other athletes will struggle to do, because she has more substance backing her up and is lacking the baggage of being secretly despised. Keep an eye on the whole girls' basketball team, for that matter.
- Connor Lorenzen: Connor is one of the only Vegas-obvious picks who actually holds up to scrutiny. He can juggle seemingly mutually exclusive social groups, has actual bonds with powerful allies who are unlikely to turn on him, and is physically adept. And looking squeaky clean is a whole different animal from actually being that.
- Faith Marshal-Mackenzie: Faith is somehow the grand unifier, able to juggle friend groups who hate each other, able to win positions of power and influence despite hewing to unpopular views, and able to shrug off anything messy she gets involved in. Some people dislike her, but they almost certainly are on good terms with someone who doesn't share that opinion and might talk them down. Faith has real potential.
- Lorenzo Tavares: Lorenzo knows his way around a fight, knows his way around probably a quarter of the boys in school, and has a knack for getting into trouble matched only by his knack for getting back out of it without being too much the worse for wear. Inexplicably liked by people who should hate him, and not fake-liked like the Carters.
Favored:
Students in this tier land in roughly the top third of the class. They have some inherent quality—a cunning nature or selfish demeanor or slew of connections or something like that—that make them favored to accomplish more than the average. A good draw or strong opening can easily bump these students up a tier, and most of them should live through the first third of the game, though there are bound to be misjudgments and disappointments.
- Ace Ortega: Ace transcends most of his football brethren both by being vaguely intelligent and sensitive and by being astute enough to keep that under wraps. He's an actual good guy, and that can go a long way, especially when most of the obvious points of comparison are raging dicks.
- Adele Jones: In decent shape, with a wide circle of friends, and a good heart. Really, only that last part can drag her down, and it'll take long enough to do so that she may well realize her error before it's too late.
- Aditi Sharma: Aditi puts on a good show, but it doesn't ring true—I think it's not hard to see in her recent snippiness that she cares about number one first and foremost. The thing is, most of the class is too unimaginative to realize, and much of the rest is too nice to do anything with the information, leaving what should be a weakness evidence of real promise.
- Anna Herbert: Two-faced in a very specific way, I think she has a whole lot of potential to make something of herself so long as she gets it in her head to try.
- Ariana Moretti: Confident, passionate, and scrappy, Ariana has so much on her side. The only drawback is, so far as I've heard she can't turn it off, can't back down, and that means she's one bad setup away from total disaster.
- Arjen Kramer: Arjen is odd, in this way that makes it seem he may have a screw or two loose. Fortunately for him, this is the perfect moment for such things to manifest, and that combined with his solid physical condition will likely take him further than might be expected.
- Aurelien Valter: Tough, friendly, and willing to go to bat for his ideals, Aurelien has a lot working in his favor. Sure, he's rubbed some of the more bigoted members of the class wrong, but for all the disproportionate noise they generate, they're not actually as much of a force as they'd have you believe.
- Beryl Mahelona: Beryl operates on a different plane from everybody else. That, I think, will keep her safe until suddenly it doesn't. She'll go further than she has any right to, but not the whole way.
- Billy Trevino: Risk-taking, social, been knocked around a bit, and more than a little unpredictable. Billy also knows how to draw a line and stick to it, and while the wrong line can be fatal, the right one can save your life.
- Camilla Bell: She's no social butterfly, but Camilla has some surprising twists to her, and connections with a handful of people who could do much to counteract her most overt issues. She's not firmly in this category, but I expect more from her than a cursory glance might suggest.
- Christina Rennes: I've seen her run, and she's quick. Being a recluse can hurt in certain stages of the game, but actually may be to her advantage during the initial airings of grievances when everyone else is flailing and panicking.
- Daria Bhatia: I think she's got that drive to look out for herself first and foremost, but without the tendency for turning that towards baffling and pointless ends that so many of her like share.
- Declyn Grayson-Anthis: Well-connected and well-liked, Declyn has a lot going for him. He's nice, and certainly has the potential to fall into the trap of helping others to his own fatal detriment, but somehow I think when the chips are down he'll see reason.
- Emmett Bunnell: There's nowhere for Emmett to go but up. Everyone already hates him. He's a loser with no expectations, but for precisely that reason he's in a great position to change minds and do what he needs to without too much worry about his standing.
- Erika Stieglitz: Familiarity with guns and with several other contenders pulls Erika above where she otherwise might land. I also have this feeling that she's more mentally strong than she gets credit for, and one cannot ignore the luck factor. She got off that roof okay.
- Garnet Barnes: She gets a little extra credit for the basketball connection. Active and engaged are the best things to be, especially if you can avoid being a busybody about it. I think she has real potential.
- Ivy Langley: Slowly but surely, Ivy seems to be realizing that almost everyone despises her. And yet, she has enough sycophants who are already detached enough from the reality of the school that she will last for some time as they throw themselves away for her. But that's never enough, is it? Close is not all the way.
- Jeff Greene: Jeff is the football member who most feels like an outsider, but in the way where he could very well go do his own thing that the others won't be able to bring themselves to. He's fit, but more than that he's independent in the ways that count.
- Jeremiah Anderson: A huge guy who likes to shake things up and yet hasn't pissed off most of the class is in better shape than many likely expect. He's a freak, but really who isn't? I doubt anyone will be all that worried about it.
- Jonah Heartgrave: He's nice, a bit prone to putting everyone else first, but you know, I think that even rubber snaps if pulled too far. It's always the ones you trust the most. Or, should I say, the ones most people trust the most.
- Julien Leblanc: Mm, Julien, you have so much going for you but you've made an awful lot of enemies lately. Word gets around, and I don't think you've quite figured out just how far into the spotlight you've stepped. But my first impression still hasn't changed, and I see major things to come for you.
- Katrina Lavell: Katrina has the right temperament to go somewhere if enabled even a little bit. She's fit enough to pose a threat, and smart enough not to force the issue.
- Kelly Nguyen: Kelly is one of the few people who could be writing this herself if she was in my shoes. That alone makes her a serious contender to keep an eye on.
- Lori Martin: Lori doesn't quit. More than that, when she sets her mind to something she clings to it with a grim tenacity that will see her through what would make lesser wills waver.
- Lucas Diaz: Lucas may seem quiet and melancholic, but I think that masks some fascinating depths and potential. I can see him going almost any way except immediate out.
- Marcus Volker: Marco is the sort to do something crazy—maybe even to become something crazy. The material factors for and against him matter much less here than his overall elemental nature, and that's one that will make a splash.
- Max Rudolph: Of all the holier-than-thou hard political kids running around the school, Max is the only one who really feels like he might have something there backing up his hype, even if it's nothing but the eclipsing shadow of his own ego.
- Michael Froese: Michael has surprising depth and potential, but it's hard to say whether that will get the chance to amount to anything. I think he's a little sneaky, and a better judge of character than might be anticipated, but at the same time he seems to hold a measure of poor self esteem that may help his more objective drawbacks drown him.
- Mikki Swift: Everybody knows her name now. She's synonymous with a huge event, yet escapes the real blame for the bad parts of it. She obviously knows how to maneuver and work her peers, and that's the most important thing.
- Myles Roux: The cleverest and surprisingly most stable of the dysfunctional social center of George Hunter, Myles will probably ultimately be undone by the fact that he's actually got some humanity in him. I think he should be able to navigate the challenges of the game well for a time, but he's liable to be dragged into trouble by someone with less discretion, or else fall afoul of enemies made back before such things really mattered.
- Nick Ogilvie: Illusion, magic, call it what you will: Nick knows how to work others, as evidenced by how many of their pants he's worked his way into. This also provides him a nice set of comparatively trustworthy potential allies, and I don't think his recent fallings-out will be enough to hinder him unless he fumbles into precisely the wrong situation.
- Oliver Lacroix: When a troublemaker's willing to roll the dice, there's some real potential for things to get interesting. Oliver has a decent chance to flame out instantly, but if he doesn't I think he can leverage his situation better than those who'll be paralyzed by fear.
- Paloma Salt: Paloma has the temper and the stubbornness, and can be a bitch but can also hold that in check at least occasionally. She's on the lower edge of this category, but I think sheer force of will should carry her some ways.
- Parker Green: Parker is actually subtle and able to work others. He has good connections, few major enemies, and the right demeanor to get dirty. The thing is, he knows that, and that's what will most likely ultimately be his undoing. He's not good enough to make up for his lacking humility, and he doesn't seem quite able to cope when faced with someone else on his level.
- Regina Petrov: Unlike most of the "class darlings," Gina actually seems to be genuinely well-liked by most of her peers. That can hold some real weight, but it's also just about all she has going for her. I don't think it can carry her all the way, but I think it can see her through for a time.
- Reuben Walters: Reuben seems to have the deck stacked against him, but if you're that low on the totem pole you learn actual skills for survival and navigating prickly situations with your less-reasonable classmates. Reuben has exactly what it takes to not die, at least for a while, and that's what matters most.
- Roxie Borowski: Her clear lack of comfort sitting idle may be a drawback in some niche situations, but generally those who do nothing temporarily are those who most easily slide into making it a permanent habit. She lands here due to a good attitude combined with just something hard to describe about her.
- Sakurako Jackson: Something about her just speaks of better prospects than most of those whose role could charitably be described as "team morale."
- Sal Bonaventura: In every respect, Sal is who Tristan wishes he was.
- Sean Leibowitz: It seems like everyone in school is either generally nice or generally awful. Sean is generally nice, but I think he has the follow-through to overcome that disadvantage.
- Sierra Cook: Sierra has a good head on her, the ability to look past easy solutions and simple prejudice, but at the same time she's not afraid to scrap if she has to and isn't honor-bound to let others throw the first punch. That's a good combination.
- Teresa Rojas: This girl will at least stir things up. She's near the bottom of this category, certainly—I don't see her making the final stretch—but I think she'll be a very notable figure on the way there.
- Theo Walterson: Theo escapes the great morass of "average" ranked kids who I don't know very well by virtue of what company he does keep. He's also able to walk the walk in a more aware way; he feels under the radar by choice rather than ineptitude.
- Thomas Buckley: Acting chops are nothing to sneeze at, and I suspect that Thomas' deficiencies in other areas will wane as the days go on, or at least everyone will stop caring. And never underestimate the power of the better part of valor.
- Tyrell Lahti: A fighter, but one without a cause. Tyrell is, at the end of the day, too good a guy for his own good, whatever he tries to pretend. He thinks trouble follows him, but he invites it in. He knows how to take care of himself, but will probably be screwed over because he usually chooses not to do it.
- Violet Schmidt: The interesting Violet. She's almost otherworldly in a way, and something about that suggests she'll do better than others now that it is a whole new world. There is some room for her to get caught up in her games and fall flat, though, and she's too nice for her own good.
Average:
At roughly a third of the class, this is the largest tier. It comprises students who are unremarkable, who are unknowns, or who have complicated factors that make them difficult to peg or leave them middling prospects. Weapon draw and early actions will help swing them to one tier or another, so this category should shrink as the game goes on.
- Abe Watanabe: Really, the question is whether there's anything hiding behind that sarcasm and forced humor. My guess: yes, but not enough.
- Adonis Cohen: The Greek God needs to figure out how to tell when people are messing with him, and how to take a stand for himself. Otherwise, all the athletics in the world will do him little good.
- Amber Yates: One of the cheerleaders without the baggage of the collective, Amber has a measure of fitness and sociability that give her potential. On the other hand, she also lacks some of the drive and presence of her squadmates, leaving her a little harder to predict.
- Angie Cortez: She presents herself well. That's the first step to success. The second step is living up to your implicit promises, though, and that one is less certain for her.
- Axel Fontaine: Axel has that fighter's spirit, but he lacks the proper judiciousness to time it well. He may make things work, or he may go off at the wrong time and flame out early; his fate is dictated more by circumstance and chance than who he is or how he acts.
- Blake Davis: Actual experience with weapons and stressful situations doesn't cancel out social problems. Care too much what others think of you, and you'll quickly find yourself acting solely for them. That's doubly dangerous if they don't like you much.
- Camila Cañizares: Do one thing well and sometimes that's all it takes. But do the wrong thing, and you're going nowhere fast. Camila will probably be much easier to sort out come the second or third day, assuming her survival to that point.
- Camille Bellegarde: Camille can be clever, and she's unafraid to go where others shiver to tread, but she's a little too willing to go looking under rocks that don't need turning, and her taste in companions isn't as good as she thinks it.
- Catherine Zier: She seems to do alright on her own, which should keep her from some of the more egregiously poor choices others will make. On the other hand, what resources does she have to make anything of herself? A decent pull could bump her up.
- Cecil Salazar-Loveless: Cecil often comes off as icy and almost robotic, which is a combination that could see him making some interesting choices but also doesn't speak well for long-term success. A lot of room to swing here, though.
- Claudeson Bademosi: Claudeson has something about him that makes him hard to peg. He won't be boring, and he won't be what you'd expect from a glance, that's for sure. But will that be enough to carry him far? Hard to see. He's near the top of this category, with a lot depending on his pull and what happens in the early stages.
- Colin McCabe: I cannot reiterate often enough how little being able to shove someone into a garbage can means if you're an unlikable asshole. The physical things can carry you for a time, but it only takes one loss and then nothing in the world but other people can save you.
- Coriander Silverman: Andy's okay. Lots of pros, lots of cons. There's a scrappiness about him that should see him through trouble decently, but there's also a chance that it lands him in unnecessary peril and leads to his undoing.
- Darlene Silva: That's what her name was. That's been bugging me for ages. Don't know enough about her to make a real call.
- Demetri Futscher: Demetri is a trainwreck of neurosis and offense, which goes a good way towards erasing the good his physical fitness and decent collection of acquaintances should do him. Then again, if the situation finally snaps him into reality, he stands among the best chances of shooting up in tier.
- Desiree Beck: Desiree does her best to be as unknown as possible, but too intentional an attempt to be inconspicuous ironically tends to have the opposite effect desired. I doubt she'll have much more luck staying to the sidelines here than in the normal world.
- Diego Larrosa: Quiet and prone to going unnoticed, but I think he may well benefit from that. Unlike some of the others in his spot, he may be assumed to be harmless. Too bad for him that's probably a fair call.
- Dolores Upton: Dolly's tough to get a read on. She has this spooky vibe, but probably can't back it up. Being calm in the face of disaster is just a couple steps from being placid and docile.
- Emil Van Zandt: I looked up his YouTube videos and at least we can say he has a high tolerance for pain?
- Emeka Gibson: Meka is just too passionate to be reliable. He's got a strong sense of how the world should be, but he brings that into everything and that's enough to counterbalance intelligence and charisma.
- Forrest Quin: Forrest is like Beryl-lite. She works in her own way, but I don't think it's the sort of way that will keep her safe and secure—see her arm for the proof. More likely, she'll soon find herself in way over her head and unable to grapple with reality. And yet, I think she just may have been there before.
- Jackson Sullivan: Surly and prickly, Jackson could find his temper working to his advantage or against it. Personally, I think we'll see it to do both. He can keep it under control to a point, but I don't expect that to hold up in a high-pressure situation.
- Jessica Rennes: Advantages in physical arenas and the presence of some solid allies almost outweigh the naiveté. If someone can correct her attitude, she may actually be one to watch.
- Johnny Silva Ruiz: Physical capabilities may be important at the start and the end, but no man is an island and a short temper coupled with a sharp tongue will get Johnny into trouble almost inevitably. Once it starts, I expect his problems to cascade and multiply, but he's also the sort to have at least a little experience with such things.
- Jonathan Meyers: Hmm, loners can be bad news, but in this case a distance from the turgid heart of school drama is probably more of an advantage than a drawback. And he seems to keep himself together well enough, but who can say what's underneath?
- Katie Agustien: Anger is not always drawback. The same is true of violence. Katie's success or failure will hinge entirely on her ability to snap at the right moments; if timing is with her, she's a real force, but if not she's doomed quickly.
- Lucas Abernathy: Lucas looks good on paper, but he's all too often puffing himself up. He's not as smart, as suave, or as classy as he thinks he is. He's not terrible or anything, but that overconfidence and overreach will be a hindrance and drag him down.
- Lucas Brady: He made a class-wide fool of himself, but at least everyone knows him. Lucas doesn't know when to stop digging the hole he's in, but aside from that he's actually got a decent amount working in his favor. I don't think anyone really strongly dislikes him, whatever he may think.
- Manuel Figueroa: He has enough experience in useful activities to give him an edge, and at least his social failings are moderately productive.
- Marceline Carlson: Anyone so wrapped up in somebody else as she is in Dolly is living on a timer in this sort of situation. She won't be able to hold it together, and when she falls apart, it probably won't be in the way that carries you home. And yet, just maybe, if she keeps things under control long enough, everyone else might be in just as bad shape.
- Matthew Hunt: A decent guy when he gets it right, but he always feels on the verge of saying the wrong thing and messing everything up. Combine that with poor fitness, and you have someone who lacks the spark to really stand out at a glance. If he makes it past the first half week, though, start paying attention.
- Meilin Zhao: The party girl who doesn't like being the center of attention. Meilin lands here because she's just sort of average in a lot of ways. She could easily surprise one way or the other.
- Mike Brown: If he manages to get going on the right path, he may make something of himself. Everything else is decently in his favor. But oh, that "if."
- Nathan Coleman: Nathan's clear deficiencies in every aspect that would normally be advantageous on an individual level are more or less balanced by the odd way the class has chosen to unite behind him. It won't take him all the way, but he's harmless and actually well-liked, which means nobody has anything to gain by messing with him, but a whole lot to lose by drawing the ire of the rest.
- Ned Jackson: Friendly, funny, and able to work a crowd and attract a following, Ned has what it takes to be the team's morale booster, but not really to accomplish much of anything on his own. His success or failure will be almost inexorably linked to who he can woo to his side, and because of that he's on a time limit even more than most of his peers.
- Nikki Nelson-Kelly: Nikki may seem a write-off on shape alone, but I think there's more to her than meets the eye. Being able to navigate social situations is a plus, and frankly she's liable to be severely underestimated by her peers for the same reason most people won't bet on her.
- Nona Hart: Nona can be something of a walking encyclopedia, but she also treads an unlikely path where her obvious neuroticism leaves her seemingly-harmless and prone to being underestimated. A lot depends on whether or not she can figure out how to be a human being when her life is on the line, or if her logic circuit fizzles out and she collapses in a heap of uselessness.
- Quinn Abert: On the one hand, being on the basketball team puts her in good company. On the other, she's the weird one who doesn't fit in, and she's a largely-unknown factor. Not a very good poet, for what that's worth.
- Ramsey Cortez: On paper he looks okay, but ultimately he's a good guy without a lot of drive. To succeed despite that will be the result of circumstances or actions by others, which makes him risky to peg as anything besides average.
- Richard Smith: An unpleasant geek with bad physical capabilities and little to endear him to anyone. He only rises this high because those very things may push him to more directly succeed just to spite everybody else.
- Saffron Fields: Let's call her physical situation a draw—being down a hand will hurt, but she can probably overpower a number of the weaker kids anyways. She's usually easy enough to get along with, but someone generally nice who turns snippy can actually be more alienating than someone who's a jerk from the start.
- Sven Vee: Wildcard. This guy has obvious problems, but are they enough to make him amount to anything? His physical detriments will probably keep him from going too far, but there's room for surprises.
- Tanisha Abbey: Tanisha could be more, but she's too loud, too center-stage, and without the right temperament to play off that when the stakes are high. If she makes it through the early stages, she has real potential to adapt, but that's a real "if."
- Toby Underwood: Sociable, fit, and able to take care of himself well, what Toby lacks is the special spark or zeal to kick him up a notch. He's a good guy, in a common enough sort of way, so he's grouped with the other commoners.
- Tom Swift: This guy is largely a mystery. He seems to keep to his own little group, which won't do him any favors, but it's better in most cases to be unknown than infamous. We'll see.
- Tony Acardi: If he doesn't go off at a totally terrible time in the first day or two, he probably deserves a bump up a slot. The odds of that strike me as low, though.
- Valerija Bogdanovic: A close social group is worth more than the ability to butter up random people, and she has both. That said, a preexisting group is also only useful if you find them.
- Violet Quinn: The less-interesting Violet. She might take a bad stand and die for it, but really she's unremarkable and more of a group-oriented sort and a team player. Hard to call.
- William Dover: Call it a neutral. He can get along with people well enough to not be immediately killed, but does he have anything to offer in the long term, or any skills to see him through?
- Wyatt Carter: On the one hand, everyone knows Wyatt, but on the other, even his friends secretly hate him and he's too stupid to realize it. He lasts as long as it takes everyone to figure out that they don't have to pretend anymore, plus a little bit longer because he's got the luck and bull-headedness. He'll be hyped, he may seem to live up to it, but it won't take him all the way.
- Yuka Hayashibara: For being so distinct, the Hayashibara sisters are awfully indistinct. She's friendly to a point, but when her patience runs out I imagine everyone else will run out of patience with her.
- Yuki Hayashibara: Mm, the brains of the triplet should be in the best shape here, but I don't know that she'll do so well with being removed from her natural environment. Needs a little more foresight, a little more engagement with reality on a level beyond theoretical.
- Yuko Hayashibara: A physical edge over her sisters is balanced out by a tendency towards behaviors quite likely to get her into serious trouble. All I've known the anti-bullying crowd to do is irritate the more volatile students.
Unfavored:
The bottom third or so of the class are the unfavored students (or worse). These students, while not necessarily total write-offs and often not bad people (in fact, quite possibly the opposite), just have some fundamental flaw in the context of a death game, some factor that suggests they won't cut it. Barring a major advantage in weaponry or an adjustment of demeanor, most of those in this tier should fall before the final third of the game.
- Abel Zelenovic: Abel's a decent guy, in good shape, but he doesn't have quite enough seriousness to him. It's very hard to imagine him in the sort of situation he's facing now, and that suggests that he may not be the sort to take to it naturally or cope with it well.
- Aliya Kimia Nemati: The wrong sort of scrappy. Driven, but possibly—no, probably—right off a cliff.
- Amelia Fischer: I don't think you need to look to the stars to see how much trouble a weak girl without much personal direction is in.
- Aoi Mishima: I'm pretty sure he thinks he's far cooler than anyone else, but that just rubs people the wrong way. Being aloof isn't clever, just lazy.
- Ashlynn Martinek: Ashlynn's problem is that she's a fanatic, and enough of one that she can't quite seem to wrap her head around the idea that others aren't quite as enamored with her leadership and directions as she is. A leader who can't cultivate followers is not off to a promising start, and she'll have to either prey upon the desperate or adapt to survive.
- Apollonia Karahalios: Nia's tendencies, which make her pretty interesting in normal life, are very likely to land her in hot water in her new situation. Putting aside the significant communication difficulties she will face, she tends towards an overly-detached perspective that I find more likely to result in poor motivation than helpful indifference to the fates of others.
- Benedict Murray: Benny's good nature is undercut by his horrible ego, and I think he'll find others far less tolerant of him than he expects. Coupled with physical deficiencies, and he's in for a rough ride.
- Blaise d'Aramitz: The thing about not giving a damn what anyone else thinks is that if you make it obvious, then they also won't give a damn about you. Expect some drama and violence at their instigation as they utterly fail to cope or understand how to navigate the situation, followed by the inevitable retribution of society.
- Brandon Murphy: A bad attitude and being like Max's less-successful doppelganger mean Brandon is likely in for a world of hurt. Picking bones is not a good choice in normal high school life, and I somewhat doubt he'll be able to turn it off now.
- Bree Jones: On paper, Bree looks a lot like students ranked more highly, and she should have it all going for her, but there's just something that doesn't quite click. She has all the pieces to be a force to be reckoned with, but none of the glue.
- Bret Carter: People "in the know" say Bret's the scarier, more clever Carter but that people know that means it's not true. He's like Wyatt, but without the presence and with even less awareness that everyone secretly hates him. A big name makes for nothing more than a big target in this case.
- Cammellia Walker-Grimsley: I guess her outdoors knowledge is a plus? But she's basically a nonentity and I don't think that will change in the game. Friendly does nothing when paired with apathy.
- Caroline Ford: I've seen the mess she'll become right up close and personal. A disaster waiting to happen, the only real question is whether anyone else will be caught up in it.
- Charelle Chernyshyova: Charelle doesn't seem to have an ambitious bone in her body, and her closest potential allies aren't the sort to bring too much value to a group. I think she's a weaker link than Forrest, which is saying something since both her arms work.
- Christine Bright: Knowing your way around a fight does not help if you have major enemies. Meddling is a great way to make and maintain just that sort of foe.
- Clayton Barber: A lot of disabilities can be overcome with the right attitude and circumstances. Clay's is not one of these, barring near-miraculous luck. He can hold together alright up close, but he'll have to deal with a distance situation at some point, or moving quickly in unsteady terrain, and then he's in big trouble.
- Dane Lennox: Being widely-reviled makes it hard enough to survive even when all your peers haven't been given weapons and told it's in their best interests to find people they're okay with killing.
- Daniel Chamnanma: Jack of all trades, master of none except wishing he was the best at something. I foresee picking the wrong time and manner to try to make a name for himself.
- Dante Valerio: Playing peacemaker only delays the inevitable, and that's all Dante will be doing—pushing things back little by little until someone doesn't bite and ends his hopes permanently.
- Drew Woods: Putting yourself out for others is really only a particularly good idea if you're the sort of person who they'll like, which is to say not a clingy mess.
- Elisabeth Lebowski: The comedy girl with a history. Lizzie's problem is she's not quite as funny as she thinks she is, but she's absolutely caught up enough in her own image to be taken advantage of.
- Felix Rees: Another geeky magician, Felix lacks Nick Ogilvie's social acumen and array of potential allies but also Phillip Olivares' physical drawbacks and freaky-even-to-other-freaks vibe. Call it a net negative.
- Gervais Lambotte: Pissing off the geeks is vaguely funny when they have no power, but someone's never seen a movie from the 80s. Honesty is a major weakness when it's not employed strategically.
- Helena Fury: I don't see much room for success here. They'll most likely end up in a group, but I see few ways in which they have much to offer to such an alliance, and I have this strange hunch they're not quite self-aware in the ways necessary for this situation.
- Henry Sparks: Our space cadet here just isn't the sort to thrive in these circumstances. He's book smart, but that doesn't matter in a fight, and I doubt he'll be able to magic up any contraptions or concoctions to tip the scales.
- Joanne Coleman: Joanne is a lot smarter than she lets on. She's interesting and has real potential, but not for this sort of thing. It's unfortunate, but here she's in trouble, and I don't think she's equipped to navigate it.
- Juliette Sargent: Juliette is neither as put-together as half the school seems to think nor as much of a ticking time bomb as the other half believes. Unfortunate, as either extreme would leave her in decent shape, while the reality suggests any breakdown will be of the merely personally-disastrous variety.
- Justin Greene: Basically, a sucker who is prone to fall for any bait waved his way. Justin's only hope is leeching off more useful people, and he's too good-natured to do that in properly pragmatic fashion.
- Kayla Harris: Kayla is a force of chaos, but chaos on top of itself is not additive. I find it far more likely that her particular quirks and proclivities lead to a rash decision at precisely the wrong time.
- Katelynne Kirkpatrick: She's quirky, but that's something that recommends her more in the context of school than a death game. She's scattered and while the ability to make allies is good, if it's all you have going for you your potential is determined entirely by others, others who may not have your best interests at heart in the long run.
- Kyle Harrison: Tiny and far too nice are alright things to be around school, but in a killing game the only way they'll help Kyle is by convincing others to keep him around for his utility and apparent harmlessness. I think he's too guileless to leverage that sort of situation in any meaningful way, though, so he's doomed to playing support until he catches a stray bullet or intervenes at a bad time.
- Layla DeBerg: Book smarts mean absolutely nothing unless you've been reading the right books, and book smarts that aren't even strong enough to carry you through some tests despite a spell of procrastination mean even less than that.
- Liberty Wren: Small, suggestible, and a bit too willing to indulge her less intelligent impulses, poor Bert just does not have the makings of a real contender. Chance may favor her for a spell, but that's her best hope and that's a bad place to be.
- Mackenzie Baker: This is the time to lay low, be sensitive, and get selfish. Barring maybe that last one, these things are the opposite of what Mackenzie brings to the table.
- Madison Springer: She's a mess, inconsistent, dreaded by half the school but without the air of respect that tinges so many others of her ilk. Her only chance is to swing a boost from Connor, but I find it more likely she drags him down unless he cuts the ballast.
- Megan Summers: One of the lurkers, the under-the-radar kids, but in Megan's case it feels more than anything else because she's incapable of putting herself out there. That wouldn't be a huge problem, but everything else about her screams "easy prey."
- Mercy Ames: I thought cheerleaders needed good teamwork. Mercy is just not the right sort to persist; she fades into the background, but not in the way where that works to one's advantage.
- Morgan Dragosavich: Morgan is much like his friend, Michael, but trades some of the explosive potential for a more well-rounded social proficiency. I actually think he's the one of the pair less likely to impress; he's taken me off guard once or twice, though.
- Princess McQuillan: I get the suspicion that she's actually not holding it together all that well. There's just something about her that screams one serious, early mistake.
- Rhonda Lawson: How did following work out for the rats dancing behind the Pied Piper? If you can't play the social game, the least you can do is avoid being played by everybody better than you.
- Ronald Kiser: If you're desperate enough to be loved that you get half of the school to hate you, you need to make sure the other half's feelings make up for it. In Ron's case, they don't.
- Sapphire Waters: She's focused, but in all the wrong ways. I get the feeling there's something off about her—not necessarily dangerously so, more in the way where she's unlikely to adapt or function well in her new environment.
- Shauna Cooke: Waffly and spineless, Shauna's only hope is that whoever runs all over her decides she'd be a useful meat shield or minion and decides to keep her around for a while instead of simply robbing her and then killing her or kicking her to the curb.
- Stephanie McDonald: Being well-liked and well-known is good, but it's better if you have actual personal qualities to back it up. Sex appeal only goes so far, and is likely to be transient after a bullet or two and a week without showers.
- Stepney Cruz: Mr. Con Artist here is going to wish he hadn't messed with quite so many people when he needs to count on them to survive and can barely tell them apart. Unless he's been lying about that whole face thing for half a decade or whatever. I wouldn't put it past him.
- Terra Johnson: A perfect storm of religious and busybody, I can see almost no way she doesn't immediately land herself in very hot water indeed.
- Tirzah Foss: Tirzah's off in her own world to such a point that it won't be a surprise at all if she fails to properly interface with the real one. That's a dangerous trait to have, especially when one slip-up is all it takes to fall apart.
- Tonya Collins: If Tonya had good judgment she wouldn't be a mom at eighteen. If she had a solid ability to work with others, she wouldn't be doing it solo.
- Willow O'Neal: This girl always seems to be on the edge of completely losing her shit. That's unlikely to change with the addition of stress, and the stakes are now far higher. She may make a brief splash, and it wouldn't be a huge surprise if she spills some blood, but at a glance she lacks staying power.
- Zachary Beck: Zachary's known for being an irritation, and beyond that it feels like much of the time he's all talk. That's a perfect combination for an overall disappointment.
Highly Unfavored:
Roughly the bottom five percent of the class, there's something dragging these students down that even a good weapon pull or a fortuitous alliance probably can't salvage, at least not for long. These are the ones for whom going out on the first day will not be a surprise. If they hold on past the halfway point, it'll be against the odds, and should one of these students ultimately win it would be a major upset.
- Alexander Brooke: What puts Alexander in a worse spot than, say, Clayton is that he's reliant on a coping mechanism I doubt he'll be allowed to keep and he's also got numerous other personal and physical deficiencies to drag him down.
- Bryan Merryweather: Power without will behind it is no power at all. Meddling with nothing to back it up is just honorable suicide.
- Cheridene Williams: There's "potential on paper" and then there's reality and the reality is that Cheridene is just not going to do very well.
- Garren Mortimer: Being abjectly loathsome is not a particularly valuable talent in this sort of situation.
- Phillip Olivares: An obnoxious clown-obsessive wannabe magician with asthma. Totally fucked.
- Tristan O'Hara: What do you call someone known for being a good actor and also a two-faced little bitch? A bad actor. Sleeping with half the class may catch him some sentimental mercy, but that's the bulk of what he has going for him.