# Hands Up! explained — The Master Mind of Mars

> Chapter companion for The Master Mind of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

## What happens

Vad Varo gets his first view of Toonol and learns about its unique lighting and architecture. Gor Hajus, Dar Tarus, Hovan Du, and Vad Varo use equilibrimotors to fly through the city, but Vad Varo struggles with the controls. They are confronted by Bal Zak, who reveals he knew of their stowaway plan but chooses to help them out of gratitude to Gor Hajus. Later, an air patrol challenges them, and Gor Hajus kills the warrior. They attempt to escape into the gardens of Mu Tel, but Vad Varo has difficulty descending and fears being spotted.

## Themes in this chapter

### Alienation and Belonging

Vad Varo feels out of place and struggles with the unfamiliar equilibrimotor, highlighting his alienation on Barsoom.

### Love and Sacrifice

Bal Zak helps Gor Hajus out of gratitude for a past kindness, demonstrating sacrificial loyalty.

## Character check-ins

### Gor Hajus

Leads the group using equilibrimotors, kills an air patrol warrior, and reveals past connection with Bal Zak's father.

### Dar Tarus

Assists Vad Varo with equilibrimotor control and follows Gor Hajus during the flight.

### Vad Varo

Struggles with flying the equilibrimotor, describes the city of Toonol and its lighting, and fears being caught by air patrols.

### Hovan Du

Follows Gor Hajus during the flight and is part of the group escaping to Mu Tel's gardens.

### Bal Zak

Confronts the group on the landing stage but reveals he knew of their presence and helps them out of gratitude to Gor Hajus.

### Mu Tel

Mentioned as the Prince of the House of Kan, whose gardens are the intended escape destination.

## Key lines

> The light waves leave the lamp, pass along a prescribed circuit and return to the lamp. There is no waste nor, strange this seemed to me, are there any dense shadows when lights are properly installed and adjusted; for the waves in passing around objects to return to the lamp, illuminate all sides of them.

Barsoomian lamps direct light along a closed path so it returns to the source, eliminating waste and shadows by illuminating objects from all sides.

_Vad Varo marvels at the advanced lighting technology of Toonol._

> I rose beautifully for about twenty feet, floating out over the city which lay hundreds of feet below, and then, quite suddenly, I turned upside down. I had done something wrong⁠—I was quite positive of it.

Vad Varo initially rises smoothly but then flips upside down, realizing he made a mistake with the equilibrimotor controls.

_Vad Varo's inexperience with the flying device causes a dangerous situation._

> There are in the breasts of honorable men, forces that rise superior to the lust for gold, and while Toonolians are supposedly a people free from the withering influences of sentiment yet I for one am not totally unconscious of the demand of gratitude.

Bal Zak explains that even in Toonol, honor and gratitude can outweigh greed, as he repays Gor Hajus for sparing his father's life.

_Bal Zak reveals his motive for helping the group despite the reward._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/chapters/viii-hands-up
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/chapters