| “ | In the dark the one guy with a candle is an easy target. | ” |
—Sam to Sanjit |
||
Samuel "Sam" Temple is the main protagonist of the Gone Series. Sam is a 14-year-old boy at the start of the series and is one of the oldest kids left in the FAYZ. He is known for his bravery, kindness, and strong sense of responsibility. Sam becomes a reluctant leader in the chaotic new world, trying his best to maintain order and protect the younger children.
Before the events of Gone, Sam lived in Perdido Beach, California with his mother. He remained under the social radar at school, not belonging to any clique, and having only one true friend, Quinn.
Sam is known as 'School Bus Sam' to the kids at school. This is because of an event when he was in the seventh grade. After the driver of the bus had a heart attack, Sam takes control over the bus and saves the lives of other kids by driving the bus safely to the side of the road.
Sam, like some other children in the FAYZ, develops a special ability. Sam's power involves light and heat, which he learns to control and use to his advantage throughout the first book. Sam's relationships with other characters, such as his love interest Astrid Ellison, his friendship with Quinn Gaither, and his complicated relationship with his fraternal twin brother Caine Soren, also play significant roles in his character development.
Appearance and Personality[]
Sam is of medium build (later described as 5'10" by Michael Grant[1]) with tanned skin. His hair is brown with streaks of blonde, presumably sun-bleached from spending time outdoors. He is also described as having striking sky-blue eyes. His personality was considered as a happy-go-lucky surfer but throughout the series he develops and becomes increasingly stressed and responsible. He remains loyal to his friends despite the challenges he faces, displaying a strong sense of camaraderie.
He displays a natural ability to lead, not just through authority, but also through empathy and understanding. He is known for his commitment to maintaining order and safety in the face of chaos, demonstrating a strong sense of responsibility. Despite the fear and danger, Sam shows courage in the face of adversity, standing up for what he believes is right and fighting to protect those who can't protect themselves. His bravery is not just physical but also moral, as he is willing to make tough decisions that might not be popular but are necessary for the greater good.
Sam also often finds himself in high-pressure situations where he must make decisions quickly and efficiently. Sam has a knack for devising effective strategies on the fly. His tactical skills are highlighted on multiple occasions when he comes up with winning battle strategies under pressure. He possesses the ability to assess situations quickly, consider the options, and choose the best course of action.
After the FAYZ it is said that he carries more weight in the shoulders and arms. He also becomes unsure of what to do with his life, after having such a large role in the leadership and combat. From the first book, he is Astrid Ellison's boyfriend and eventually marries her (between Monster and Villain).
Power and Abilities[]
Sam has the power of generating piercing green light from his hands. As Sam learns to control his powers he is able to use it in different forms and functions.
One form is a non-focused orb of light, known as a "Sammy Sun". These orbs can serve as sources of light. In a more focused and intense form, Sam can create highly focused laser beams with his power. These beams are incredibly destructive and are capable of incinerating almost anything in their path. The beams are so powerful that they can even penetrate the barrier of the FAYZ, especially after it turns transparent.
Sam is one of only two four-bar ability holders (the other being Caine). When Sam first gains his power, he struggles to control it. The intensity of the beams is often too high, which makes the power dangerous and unstable. However, as he gains experience and learns to control his abilities, Sam develops a very good aim. Eventually, he can control his power without trouble, making him a formidable presence in the FAYZ.
In Hero, his morph allows him to create transparent orbs that are impenetrable. These are hollow, very similar to the FAYZ sphere itself.
Appearances[]
Gone
After all the adults vanish, Sam, Quinn Gaither, and Astrid Ellison begin searching for their parents. Finding nothing, they go to the town square and Sam tries to save a girl from a burning building but fails because she attacks him with her power (shooting fire out of her hands). After this Sam, Quinn, Astrid search for Little Pete, initially arriving at Clifftop and learning about the FAYZ Barrier they then meet Edilio Escobar and continue the search , eventually finding Little Pete at the Nuclear Power Plant; after being attacked by Little Pete and using his powers to stop it, Sam reveals to his friends that he has a power of burning light and Sammy Suns.
Sam defeats Caine
After Caine, Diana and Drake as well as his crew take over the town, Sam is put in charge of the firehouse. Diana manages to capture a reading of Sam's power but chooses not to tell Caine how strong he is.
He is betrayed by Quinn, landing him in a fight with Caine during which Sam discovers that he and Caine are fraternal twins. Sam is saved by Quinn and they go into hiding with Astrid, Pete and Edilio. Sam and Astrid begin dating around this point. As they continue their journey, the group come across Hermit Jim's Cabin where they meet Lana Arwen Lazar and the coyotes and Pack Leader who corners them in the cabin. Lana saves Sam from dying by healing the wounds sustained by the coyotes. Sam manages to help the group escape by focusing his powers on the coyotes making them flee.
As they make their way back to Perdido Beach they run into a trap laid by Drake Merwin. They are taken to Coates Academy where Caine plans to encase their hands in cinder blocks as to block their powers. However, they and the other captives are freed by Pete and Sam burns Drake's arm off. Sam returns to Perdido Beach and begins planning for the inevitable attack by Caine which culminates into the Thanksgiving Battle. He becomes a full leader of the survivors of Coates Academy and the remaining people at Perdido Beach. he is elected as Mayor by the children. Albert and Sam have a discussion about celebrating Thanksgiving and Sam gives Albert the go ahead to prepare.
The battle takes place at the same time as Sam and Caine's birthday resulting in the poof happening, time slows for Sam and he sees his mother is pleading and encouraging him to go with her, when he doesn't she becomes monstrous and angry. Sam states he still has things to do in the FAYZ and manages to resist the poof. Time continues and the fight continues with Caine as he tries to threaten Sam with hurting Astrid. Diana distracts Caine and Sam, and Brianna, are able to get close enough to him which lets him win the fight. He refuses to hurt Caine and lets him leave Perdido Beach with Diana and Drake.
Sam and Caine become the first two people to resist the poof. After the battle, Sam and the children of Perdido Beach celebrate Thanksgiving. Sam and Astrid go to the Beach to relax.
- Hunger
Sam begins to suffer from PTSD and depression, mainly due to all the problems he has to solve including lack of food, kids deaths, Caine and Drake and many other things. Sam and Astrid begin to argue, although they pulled through in the end. He begins to suspect that Caine is planning something, and is proved right; however, he loses the ensuing battle. Sam is almost whipped to death by Drake but manages to make it to the Gaiaphage's lair with help from Brianna. After being healed by Lana, Sam becomes a part of the new Town Council.
- Lies
Sam discovers Jill
Sam discovers Orsay's cult and decides to keep it a secret. He also discovers a gagged Jill, who is in a hole where a now-living Brittany should be buried. Astrid discovers these secrets, which adds to the argument between her and Sam about how to govern the FAYZ, which soon reaches boiling point. They break up and Sam moves out of the home he, Astrid, Mary, and John had shared.
After the fire of Perdido Beach, which was started by the Human Crew during the The Human Crew rampage, Sam leaves town due to having encountered Drake. He is given advice by Hunter (who is now living in the woods) and is brought back by Brianna. He cannot bring himself to kill Brittany, who has become one with Drake (sometimes being Brittany and sometimes being Drake) so he locks her and Drake up. He then resigns from the council.
- Plague
Sam using his power to kill the bugs in Dekka's shoulder
Having gotten drunk to stave off loneliness and depression, Sam kisses Taylor on the bluff near Clifftop. He agrees to Albert Hillsborough's plan of finding Lake Tramonto and goes with Taylor, Dekka, and Jack to locate it. Early in the trip, Sam is forced to kill Hunter to spare him from the bugs that had eaten through his body. While incinerating Hunter's body, Sam is surprised to learn the bugs are immune to his light.
Sam's group continue around the north side of the FAYZ barrier and discover a derailed train and National Guard Base where Toto was being held. Toto tags along with the group and they continue west, eventually discovering the lake. Sam then encounters the bugs and Drake again at the lake. Sam and his group escape from the fight at the lake and hurry back to town. Sam figures out Dekka is being eaten alive by the bugs the same way Hunter was. He uses his light to cut open Dekka's abdomen to extract the bugs and save her life.
Astrid confronts Sam, and she feels overwhelmed with guilt after she threw Little Pete to his death, hoping to end the FAYZ. Sam tells her that he still loves her, but Astrid walks away into the woods. Sam is deeply saddened by this, but he still gives a speech. Sam, Jack, Edilio, Dekka, Brianna and Diana then move to Lake Tramonto, along with about one-third of the town. Sam looks for Astrid in his crowd of people, but she is not found.
- Fear
Sam decides that he needs to retrieve missiles that he found earlier in the derailed train wreck. He, Dekka, and Jack go to find them but discover that it's a trap and someone else already has them. Sam immediately suspects Caine. However, he discovers that the barrier is turning black, and writes a letter to Caine and Albert that Mohamed is given the task of delivering that proposes an alliance. Astrid returns to Lake Tramonto, and she and Sam sleep together. They both come to terms and agree that they still love each other and that they can't fight anymore. However, Mohamed returns, reporting Drake. Sam puts the lake on lockdown, but Astrid runs off to deliver the letter and Sam tries to get Brianna to bring her back. Dekka, knowing that Brianna most likely wouldn't survive running full speed in the dark, tries to stop him but fails. Edilio arrives at the lake and, after Sam tells him that because Edilio does not appear to be in a relationship, he wouldn't understand what it's like to care for someone else. Edilio snaps and reveals his increasing irritation in that Sam doesn't keep his personal business personal and is putting his relationship with Astrid before everyone else.
Sam (right) and Caine (left) preparing to fight Gaia)
Sam is stopped from trying to find Drake as he is the only person that can create light, and the entire FAYZ is going dark. After it becomes clear that no one else is able to do it, Sam eventually rescues Astrid from where she is stranded near fields of zekes. He joins forces with Quinn and Caine to defeat Gaia, Diana, Drake, and Penny. He does not succeed on his first attack but during the second attack, he prevents them from doing anything more than turning the FAYZ wall transparent. Gaia, Diana, and Drake flee.
- Light
Sam and Astrid regularly make love and are in love so much that it annoys everyone. Sam decides to hunt Gaia down, despite Astrid telling him that she loves him and doesn't want him dying. Astrid makes him promise to her that he will do anything to survive and that they would walk out of the FAYZ together. Sam proposes to Caine that Edilio should replace him as the leader of Perdido Beach. In response, Caine attacks him but the ensuing fight is stopped by Edilio. Caine reluctantly joins Sam and they collapse the mine shaft, and encounter Gaia on several occasions but keep losing. Eventually, Sam is badly injured and can barely move, but Taylor finds him and asks Quinn to save him. Sam learns that Gaia can only use his power if he's alive and so decides to confront her, content with the fact that he'll probably die. However, Gaia wraps him in chains, but Jack manages to loosen them and Quinn frees him completely. Sam tries to commit suicide but is stopped by Astrid and Edilio. When he discovers that Drake tried to kill Astrid, he tries to kill Drake but, as Gaia and Little Pete are now both dead, Sam cannot use his power. Luckily, Drake's body comes apart now that it cannot be held together, and Sam throws Drake's head into the fire. He is badly injured, and authorities find him on his knees in severe pain.
Sam in chains
He is brought to a hospital and treated for severe burns. His mother arrives and Sam confronts her about him and Caine. He escapes from the hospital with the help of Quinn to find Astrid. His mother emancipates him, and Sam, Astrid, and Diana buy a house, with Sam and Astrid sharing a bed.
- Monster
Sam becomes an alcoholic for two and a half years due to trauma, although he eventually stops with help from therapy. It is mentioned that he still lives with Astrid, but Diana has moved out. At the end of the book, he gives sanctuary to Aristotle Adamo and Dekka.
- Villain
Sam is now married to Astrid. At the beginning of the book, he is still housing Dekka and Armo, but they soon leave to go stop Dillon in Las Vegas. When Sam discovers Drake is still alive, he buys a shotgun in hopes that it will slow him down if he attempts to attack Astrid.
Hero
Sam finds undrunk ASO particles in an empty cup of orange juice. He realizes that Astrid has had a dose of the rock and has a talk with her.
Later in the book, Edilio brings Sam to the armory. Sam joins the the Rockborn gang, and it is revealed he has the power to create impenetrable hollow orbs.
Sam gets on a helicopter trying to catch up with a train Vector is on. Sam puts the train in an orb and the train crashes.
Afterward, Sam is transported to Site L, where Malik finds out the world is a simulation created by himself. Sam votes on whether to end the universe or not, but his answer has not been confirmed by any canon sources.
Relationships[]
- Astrid Ellison
Sam first has a crush on Astrid before the FAYZ but was too scared to talk to her. After the first poof, they begin to grow closer until they become a couple. Astrid and Sam share a deep connection, supporting each other through the challenges of living in the FAYZ. However, their responsibilities, and the moral and ethical dilemmas they face often create tension between them. Astrid struggles with Sam's role as the leader, and Sam grapples with the burden of his powers and the expectations placed on him.
When Sam is the mayor and when the Town Council governs the town, they argue increasingly about what is best for the town, until they break up and Sam moves out. They eventually get back together, much closer than before. Sam moves in with Astrid after the FAYZ and it mentions that they got married in Villain.
- Quinn Gaither
Quinn Gaither is Sam best friend at the beginning of the series. They're both surfers and share a close bond. When the FAYZ begins and adults disappear, they start trying to figure out what's happening together. Their relationship becomes strained as the series progresses. The stress of the FAYZ and the power dynamics within the new society created by the kids start to pull them apart. In particular, Quinn struggles with jealousy and fear due to Sam's powers and his leadership role, which leads him to betray Sam by revealing his powers to Caine and his group from Coates Academy. They manage to patch things up throughout the series. Sam saves Quinn from a dangerous situation, and Quinn comes to accept Sam's powers and his role as a leader. After this, Quinn starts contributing more to the community, especially by helping with food supply management.
- Caine Soren
Initially, Sam has a strong dislike for Caine. This only intensifies after the reveal that they are brothers, coupled with Caine's ambition to assert dominion over everyone else. The shared hatred between the two is palpable and mutual throughout the series. However, their dynamic subtly shifts when they join forces to defeat Gaia. A small amount of respect emerges from this alliance, although it falls short of making them like each other more. Notably, Sam does not exhibit any signs of grief upon Caine's death.
- Connie Temple
Sam and his mother, Connie, shared a good relationship until the moment she vanished. Following her disappearance, Sam starts grappling with feelings of resentment towards her. This stems from the realisation that she was aware of his power yet chose to not tell him anything or support him with it. When faced with a spectral image of his mother beckoning him, he firmly refuses to join her.
When they finally meet again post-FAYZ, their interaction is tense. Sam confronts her, demanding answers for her silence about Taegan and Caine. After this, Connie emancipates Sam, marking the end of their relationship as mother and son. This results in a silence between them, as they sever all communication.
Edilio Escobar
Sam and Edilio share a close friendship and have a strong bond throughout the series. They trust and rely on each other, often working together to navigate the challenges they face. Edilio is not only a loyal friend to Sam but also serves as his right-hand man, supporting him in various endeavours and helping maintain order. Sam values Edilio's leadership qualities and often turns to him for advice and assistance in making critical decisions.
Dekka Talent
Sam views Dekka as a close ally and a strong support system. Both Sam and Dekka are private individuals who find a unique bond in their shared understanding of each other's complexities. This bond is so strong that Sam considers Dekka as one of the potential leaders if anything were to happen to him or Edilio, reflecting his high regard for her capabilities and strength.
Dekka seemed comfortable playing the role of Sam's "strong right arm", providing him with unwavering support. However, as events unfold, there appears to be a shift in their dynamic, with Sam now seeming to be the one offering support to Dekka.
Notes[]
- Sam is three minutes older than his fraternal twin brother Caine.
- He is an elite class surfer and, prior to the FAYZ, valued surfing over practically anything else in his life.
- He surfed on a Channel Islands MBM shortboard.
- He is the only character to appear on every original book cover.
- According to Astrid, Sam has 23 different uses for the word "dude".
- He likes the band Agent Orange; especially their song "A Cry for Help in a World Gone Mad".
- There is an error in Hunger when Sam says he was responsible for 332 people before E.Z.'s death. This is actually the number of kids originally in the FAYZ, not the number Sam was responsible for at the time. Sam should be responsible for 310 people, as 19 people died in Gone and 3 more died in between Gone and Hunger.
Gallery[]
- Trailer images
- Cover images
References[]
- ↑ Goodreads question - Sam Temple is a creature of his DNA (tall, blonde, athletic, moderately smart)
| Town Council |
|---|
| Sam Temple | Astrid Ellison | Albert Hillsborough | Edilio Escobar | Dekka Talent | Howard Bassem | John Terrafino | Ellen |