Synopsis
Covers the whole plot, including the ending.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Pacing
- Fast
- Mood
- Action-packed, Suspenseful, Thought-provoking, Intense
- Read it if
- You enjoy dystopian YA with strong female protagonists, intense action, and a focus on self-discovery and rebellion against oppressive systems.
- Skip it if
- You prefer lighter reads or are looking for a story without morally grey characters and significant internal conflict.
Specials Plot Summary
Covers the whole plot, including the ending.
The Hunt for the New Smoke
Tally Youngblood, now a Special, is an elite enforcer for Special Circumstances. With other Specials like Fausto and Shay, she patrols city borders, keeping order and hunting threats. Their mission is to find and destroy the New Smoke, a hidden settlement of 'uglies' and runaways who refuse the Pretty operation. Tally is strong, fast, and has enhanced senses and intellect, making her a perfect weapon. She feels purpose and belonging among the Specials, largely suppressing memories of her past as a rebel. However, a faint doubt of her former self sometimes surfaces.
A Familiar Face and a Lingering Doubt
During a raid on a suspected rebel hideout, Tally meets Zane, her former boyfriend from when she was a Pretty. Zane, now an ugly again from the 'cure' they took, is part of the New Smoke. This reunion shocks Tally. Seeing Zane, and the emotion in his eyes, brings back more of her buried memories and feelings. The mental barriers Special Circumstances built in her begin to crack. She struggles to reconcile her current identity as a cold Special with the person she once was, who cared for Zane and fought the system she now upholds.
The Special's Code and Shay's Deception
Tally's unease grows as she watches Shay, who seems to act strangely and pushes Tally to remember their shared past. Shay reveals she has been using her enhanced Special abilities to subtly manipulate Tally, trying to break her conditioning and make her remember their time in the Smoke and their friendship. Shay explains that Specials' enhanced minds come with a strong urge to be 'perfect' and maintain order, which makes them effective enforcers. This manipulation, though meant to help, further complicates Tally's understanding of her own actions and their true origin.
Infiltrating the New Smoke
Special Circumstances, knowing Tally's past connection to the Smoke, assigns her and Shay to infiltrate the New Smoke as a two-person team. Their mission is to gain the rebels' trust, learn their defenses, and lead Special Circumstances to their hidden base for a final strike. This mission gives Tally a chance to explore her fractured memories. As she reconnects with Zane and other familiar faces, suppressed emotions and loyalties from her past become harder to ignore, creating an internal conflict that threatens her mission and her identity as a Special. Her Special programming slowly erodes.
The Truth About Dr. Cable
Inside the New Smoke, Tally learns more about Special Circumstances from its inhabitants. She discovers that Dr. Cable, the leader of Special Circumstances, was once a brilliant scientist who developed the Pretty operation. However, she grew unhappy with the mind-numbing effects of the Pretty brain lesions and sought to create a new, enhanced human: the Specials. Tally realizes that the Specials are not just enforcers, but Dr. Cable's personal experiment, designed for absolute loyalty and control, and that their 'perfection' costs them free will and independent thought. This discovery greatly shakes Tally's belief in the system that created her.
The Special's Weakness
Through her talks with the New Smoke's doctors and scientists, Tally learns that while the Special operation enhances physical and mental abilities, it also instills an intense need for self-preservation and an aversion to anything that threatens their 'perfection.' This flaw makes them vulnerable to certain psychological triggers and fears. Tally realizes this weakness could be used to counteract their conditioning. This discovery offers hope: a way to potentially free herself and other Specials from Dr. Cable's control, without fully reverting to their former, less capable selves. It presents a path to true autonomy.
A Desperate Gambit
With knowledge of the Specials' weakness, Tally forms a daring plan. She intends to use the New Smoke's resources and her understanding of Special Circumstances to expose Dr. Cable's manipulations to the wider Pretty population. Her goal is not just to save the New Smoke, but to offer all Specials a choice—a chance to overcome their conditioning and reclaim their free will. This plan requires immense bravery and risks her life, as she knows Dr. Cable will stop at nothing to maintain control. Tally must decide whether to fully embrace her past as a rebel or give in to her Special programming.
The Confrontation at the City
Tally, now fully committed to the rebel cause, leads the New Smoke in a direct assault on the city, targeting a public event where Dr. Cable is expected. The goal is to publicly expose the truth about Special Circumstances and the brain lesions given to the Pretties. This is a high-stakes confrontation, pitting enhanced Specials against the ingenuity and determination of the New Smoke. Tally uses her Special abilities not for control, but for liberation, navigating city dangers and trying to reach the masses with her message, hoping to start a revolution of thought and freedom.
The Cure and the Choice
During the chaotic confrontation, Tally and the rebels distribute the 'Special cure'—a modified version of the mind-altering pills they once took—through a public broadcast system. This cure counteracts the worst aspects of Special conditioning, specifically the extreme self-preservation and loyalty to Dr. Cable. The cure does not revert them to uglies, but offers them a chance to regain independent thought and a moral compass. The Specials face a difficult choice: remain under Dr. Cable's complete control, or take the cure and risk the unknown, potentially losing their enhanced abilities but gaining true freedom. The city becomes a moral and physical battleground.
The Fall of Dr. Cable and the Rise of a New Order
The Special cure creates widespread confusion and rebellion within Special Circumstances. Many Specials, including Shay, take the cure, their minds slowly clearing from Dr. Cable's influence. Dr. Cable is defeated, her absolute control ended by Tally and the combined efforts of the New Smoke and the newly awakened Specials. While the future is uncertain, a new era begins, where people choose their own path. The old system of forced beauty and mind-numbing operations is dismantled, making way for a more diverse and truly free society, one that must now deal with the complexities of choice and responsibility.
Specials Characters
Tally Youngblood
Protagonist
A former ugly and pretty, now an elite Special torn between her past and present.
Tally begins as a highly conditioned Special, strong, fast, and intellectually superior, dedicated to upholding the system. Her past as a rebel and her love for Zane are suppressed, yet they constantly threaten to resurface. She struggles with her identity, questioning whether her enhanced abilities make her truly free or just a more sophisticated puppet. Her core drive is a desire for authenticity and freedom, both for herself and for others, even if it means fighting against the very people who made her 'perfect'. She is resourceful and resilient, capable of adapting to extreme situations.
Relationships: Shay (Best friend and fellow Special, initially a rival); Zane (Former boyfriend, a reminder of her past); Dr. Cable (Creator and antagonist, a complex mentor figure turned enemy)
Shay
Supporting
Tally's best friend, also a Special, who actively fights her conditioning.
Shay is Tally's closest friend among the Specials, but unlike Tally, she actively resists her conditioning from the outset. She is intelligent, rebellious, and fiercely independent, using her Special abilities to subtly manipulate Tally and help her remember their past. Shay serves as Tally's moral compass and a constant reminder of the freedom they once sought. Her determination to break free from Dr. Cable's control is a driving force, and she often pushes Tally to confront the truth about their existence. She is brave and willing to take risks for what she believes in.
Relationships: Tally Youngblood (Best friend and co-conspirator); Dr. Cable (Antagonist, the source of her conditioning)
Zane
Supporting
Tally's former boyfriend, now an ugly again, living in the New Smoke.
Zane is Tally's former boyfriend, now living in the New Smoke as an ugly due to the side effects of the original 'cure' for the Pretty operation. He represents Tally's past and the life she chose to leave behind. Despite his diminished mental capacity, he retains a core of kindness and a deep connection to Tally. His presence serves as a powerful catalyst for Tally's suppressed memories and emotions, forcing her to confront her true feelings and loyalties. He is a symbol of the cost of freedom and the damage inflicted by the system, yet he embodies hope for a natural, un-manipulated existence.
Relationships: Tally Youngblood (Former boyfriend, a strong emotional bond)
Dr. Cable
Antagonist
The ruthless and brilliant leader of Special Circumstances and creator of the Specials.
Dr. Cable is the primary antagonist, a brilliant but morally ambiguous scientist who created Special Circumstances and the Specials. She believes she is creating a better, more ordered society by enhancing humans and eliminating chaos. She is cold, calculating, and utterly convinced of her own righteousness, seeing the Specials as her ultimate creation and the key to maintaining control. Her motivation stems from a desire for perfection and order, having grown disillusioned with the mind-numbing effects of the Pretty operation. She is a master manipulator, using her intellect and the Specials' conditioning to maintain her power.
Relationships: Tally Youngblood (Creator and manipulator, target of Tally's rebellion); Shay (Subject of her experiments, a rebellious subordinate)
Fausto
Supporting
A loyal Special and Tally's colleague.
Fausto is a fellow Special who works closely with Tally and Shay. He embodies the ideal Special: perfectly loyal to Special Circumstances, efficient, and devoid of the emotional conflicts that plague Tally. He serves as a foil to Tally, showcasing the 'perfect' outcome of the Special operation and the mental conditioning. He is a formidable fighter and a dedicated enforcer, representing the forces Tally must overcome. While not inherently malicious, his unwavering loyalty makes him an obstacle to Tally's burgeoning rebellion, as he cannot comprehend a world outside of Dr. Cable's design.
Relationships: Tally Youngblood (Colleague, later an opponent); Shay (Colleague)
Specials Themes
The Nature of Freedom and Control
The novel explores the tension between absolute control and true freedom. Special Circumstances, led by Dr. Cable, believes that by genetically engineering and conditioning citizens, it creates a perfectly ordered society. However, Tally's journey shows that this 'perfection' costs free will, genuine emotion, and individuality. Scenes where Tally struggles with her suppressed memories and ingrained Special loyalty (e.g., her internal battle after seeing Zane) show that true freedom is not just the absence of physical restraint, but the autonomy of thought and choice, even if that choice leads to imperfection or chaos.
“What made a person a person was the ability to make choices. Not just good choices. Bad choices, too. The worse the choice, the more human you were.”
Identity and Self-Discovery
Tally's story is about identity. She moves from an ugly, to a pretty, to a Special, each stage giving her a new identity. The core of the theme is her struggle to reconcile these different selves and define who she truly is, independent of outside forces. Her repressed memories of being an ugly and a rebel (e.g., her reactions to Zane and Shay's provocations) constantly challenge her Special identity. The novel suggests that true identity is not assigned or engineered, but discovered and chosen through personal experience and moral conviction, even if it means rejecting a 'perfect' existence.
“Maybe being ugly was a choice. Maybe being pretty was a choice. And maybe being a Special was a choice too.”
The Price of Perfection
The Specials represent the ultimate pursuit of human perfection—physically superior, intellectually sharp, and emotionally controlled. However, the novel shows the devastating price of this perfection. Specials lack genuine empathy, are capable of ruthless violence, and lack independent moral judgment, all to maintain an artificial order. Dr. Cable's creation of the Specials (e.g., the explanation of their enhanced but flawed minds) shows how attempts to eliminate all flaws often remove essential parts of humanity. The story argues that imperfection, with its challenges and emotions, is part of the human experience and that a truly 'perfect' society might be a dystopian one.
“Perfection was a lie. Freedom was messy.”
Memory and Truth
Memory is important in the story, acting as both a weapon and a tool for liberation. Special Circumstances suppresses the memories of their Specials to ensure loyalty and control. Tally's journey is a gradual process of recovering these lost memories, often painful and confusing, which helps her understand the truth about her past and the system she serves. Shay's efforts to trigger Tally's memories (e.g., through specific conversations and shared experiences) are key. The theme highlights that truth, even if uncomfortable, is essential for self-awareness and making informed choices, and that a society built on forgotten truths is unstable.
“Memories were like jagged glass, sharp and painful, but they were real.”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
The Special Operation
A surgical and genetic procedure that transforms individuals into highly enhanced, conditioned enforcers.
The Special operation is the central plot device, defining Tally's current state and the overarching conflict. It involves extensive genetic manipulation, brain surgery, and psychological conditioning, creating humans with vastly superior strength, speed, senses, and intellect. Crucially, it also instills an intense loyalty to Special Circumstances and suppresses past memories. This device creates the initial internal conflict within Tally and establishes the formidable power of the antagonist's forces. The 'cure' for this operation, developed by the rebels, becomes a key element in the climax, offering a path to free will for the Specials.
Suppressed Memories
The deliberate erasure or dampening of past experiences in Specials to ensure loyalty.
The suppression of Tally's memories, particularly those related to her time as an ugly and a rebel, is a major plot device. It creates internal conflict and drives much of Tally's character arc as she struggles to recall her past. These 'ghost' memories resurface, often triggered by familiar people like Zane and Shay, or by sensory input, acting as a constant undercurrent of doubt against her Special conditioning. The gradual return of these memories is essential for Tally to understand her true identity and to ultimately choose to fight against Special Circumstances, transforming her from a tool of control into an agent of liberation.
The New Smoke
A hidden settlement of 'uglies' and rebels who reject the city's operations.
The New Smoke serves as a crucial plot device, representing a sanctuary for freedom and a direct challenge to the authority of the cities. It is the target of Tally's initial mission as a Special, but also becomes the place where she reconnects with her past and learns the truth about Special Circumstances. The New Smoke provides the scientific knowledge and the moral support necessary for Tally to develop a 'cure' for the Specials' conditioning. It acts as a symbol of hope and resistance, demonstrating that an alternative, un-manipulated way of life is possible, even in the face of overwhelming power.
Specials Quotes
“The only way to make the world a better place is to improve yourself.”
“Being pretty isn't enough anymore. Now you have to be dangerous.”
“You can't fight the system from inside the system. That's what the system wants you to think.”
“The world isn't just a place to live in. It's a place to change.”
“Sometimes the only way to save someone is to let them go.”
“Fear is a tool. It can be used to control, or it can be used to motivate.”
“True freedom isn't about having choices. It's about having the power to make them.”
“The only way to know if you've gone too far is to keep going.”
“Love isn't about being perfect. It's about being perfect for each other.”
“The greatest weapon isn't strength, but adaptability.”
“You can't always choose your battles, but you can choose how you fight them.”
“Every secret has a price. And the biggest secrets demand the biggest payments.”
“Sometimes, the only way to find yourself is to get lost.”
“The future isn't something you wait for. It's something you make.”
Quiz
10 questions on the plot and the characters. Each answer comes with a short explanation.
Question 1
What is the primary function of the 'Specials' in the society depicted in the book?
- To entertain the Pretties with elaborate performances.
- To keep the 'uglies' down and the 'pretties' stupid, acting as enforcers.
- To conduct scientific research and develop new technologies.
- To manage the city's infrastructure and maintain order.
Show answer
B. To keep the 'uglies' down and the 'pretties' stupid, acting as enforcers. The book explicitly states that Specials are 'engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid,' making them the society's enforcers.
Question 2
What does Tally remember from her past that occasionally conflicts with her Special programming?
- Her training as a hoverboard racer.
- Her life as a Pretty in New Pretty Town.
- Something 'more' than her current existence, represented as a 'tiny corner of her heart'.
- The names of all the original founders of the cities.
Show answer
C. Something 'more' than her current existence, represented as a 'tiny corner of her heart'. The description mentions 'One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more,' indicating a lingering memory from her past life before becoming a Special.
Question 3
What is the 'New Smoke' in the context of the story?
- A new type of air pollution affecting the cities.
- A secret rebel settlement or hideout.
- A fashionable nightclub for Pretties.
- A new experimental drug used by the government.
Show answer
B. A secret rebel settlement or hideout. Tally is 'offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently,' indicating it is a location associated with rebellion.
Question 4
How does Tally primarily perceive her enhanced abilities as a Special?
- She finds them overwhelming and difficult to control.
- She feels they are 'better than anything Tally can remember' most of the time.
- She views them as a burden that separates her from others.
- She is indifferent to them, seeing them as merely functional.
Show answer
B. She feels they are 'better than anything Tally can remember' most of the time. The text states, 'The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time,' highlighting her positive perception.
Question 5
What is the core internal conflict Tally faces as a Special?
- Her desire to become a Pretty versus her identity as an Ugly.
- Her struggle to master her new Special abilities versus her physical limitations.
- Her programmed mission to suppress rebels versus a faint memory or 'heartbeat' urging another path.
- Her loyalty to her Special friends versus her family's expectations.
Show answer
C. Her programmed mission to suppress rebels versus a faint memory or 'heartbeat' urging another path. The central conflict is described as a choice: 'listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete.'
Question 6
Before becoming a Special, how did Tally perceive 'Specials' during her time as an 'ugly'?
- As revered celebrities and role models.
- As a sinister rumor, frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, and breathtakingly fast.
- As ordinary citizens who performed mundane tasks.
- She was unaware of their existence.
Show answer
B. As a sinister rumor, frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, and breathtakingly fast. The text states, 'Back then Specials were a sinister rumor -- frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast.'
Question 7
What is the significance of the phrase 'Special Circumstances' for Tally?
- It refers to a new type of weather phenomenon.
- It is the name of the governmental body that controls the cities.
- It's a term that has 'sent chills down Tally's spine' since her days as an ugly, associated with the Specials.
- It describes the unique environmental conditions of the New Smoke.
Show answer
C. It's a term that has 'sent chills down Tally's spine' since her days as an ugly, associated with the Specials. The opening line establishes, "'Special Circumstances': The words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly," linking it directly to the Specials and her past fear.
Question 8
What is the ultimate consequence Tally faces regardless of the choice she makes between her mission and her lingering memories?
- She will be forced to live as an Ugly forever.
- Her world will never be the same.
- She will lose all her Special abilities.
- She will be exiled from all the cities.
Show answer
B. Her world will never be the same. The final sentence of the description explicitly states, 'Either way, Tally's world will never be the same,' highlighting the irreversible nature of her decision.
Question 9
The description implies a societal structure where 'uglies' are suppressed and 'pretties' are kept 'stupid.' What major theme does this suggest about the society?
- The pursuit of individual freedom and self-expression.
- The importance of natural beauty and environmental conservation.
- Social control through enforced conformity and manipulation of intelligence/appearance.
- The celebration of diversity and unique talents.
Show answer
C. Social control through enforced conformity and manipulation of intelligence/appearance. The roles of Specials ('keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid') directly point to a system designed for social control, suppressing individuality and critical thought.
Question 10
What distinguishes Tally from 'ordinary pretties' even before she became a Special?
- She was born with a unique physical mutation.
- She possessed an innate ability to fly.
- She was described as a 'repellent, rebellious ugly' and stated she's 'never been ordinary'.
- She had a secret identity as a governmental spy.
Show answer
C. She was described as a 'repellent, rebellious ugly' and stated she's 'never been ordinary'. The text clearly states, 'Back then Specials were a sinister rumor... But Tally's never been ordinary,' and refers to her past as a 'repellent, rebellious ugly,' indicating her unique defiance.
Specials FAQ
What is Tally's primary conflict at the beginning of 'Specials'?
Tally has been transformed into a Special, an enhanced human designed to maintain order in the cities. Her primary conflict is battling the lingering memories of her past as a 'Smokey' rebel and her programmed loyalty to the Specials' mission, specifically the desire to suppress the New Smoke.
How does Tally's 'Special' upgrade differ from the standard 'Pretty' operation?
Tally's Special upgrade is a far more extensive genetic and surgical manipulation, enhancing her physical abilities (strength, speed, agility) and mental acuity to a superhuman level. Unlike the Pretty operation which dumbs down individuals, the Special operation sharpens senses and intellect, making them formidable enforcers.
Who is Zane and what role does he play in Tally's memories and motivations?
Zane was Tally's boyfriend and a fellow rebel from the Rusty Ruins. He represents her deep connection to her past as an Ugly and the fight for freedom, and his lingering memory is the 'tiny faint heartbeat' that occasionally breaks through her Special programming.
What is the 'New Smoke' and why is it significant to the story?
The New Smoke is a new settlement of 'uglies' and defectors who seek to live freely without the city's operations, much like the original Smoke. It is significant because Tally is tasked with eradicating it, forcing her to confront her past loyalties and the ethics of her new role.
What is the ultimate choice Tally faces regarding her mission and her identity?
Tally ultimately faces the choice between fully embracing her programmed Special identity and carrying out the mission to destroy the New Smoke, or listening to the faint echoes of her past and fighting against her programming to protect the rebels and her true self.
How do the 'cutters' within the Specials' society reflect their internal conflict?
The 'cutters' are Specials who intentionally self-mutilate, often in patterns, as a way to feel something beyond their heightened senses and programmed existence. This detail subtly hints at the psychological toll of their 'perfection' and their struggle to maintain a sense of individuality.
What is the significance of the pendant Tally carries, and how does it connect to her past?
The pendant is a piece of jewelry Tally received during her time in the Rusty Ruins with Zane. It serves as a tangible link to her past, a reminder of her 'ugly' life and the love she shared, and it subtly helps to trigger her memories against her Special programming.
What role do the 'Crims' play, and how do they differ from other Specials?
The 'Crims' are a particularly aggressive and sadistic faction of Specials who enjoy their role in hunting and punishing 'uglies.' Their existence highlights the spectrum of moral degradation possible within the Special ranks, showing how some fully embrace their destructive programming.
How does Tally's enhanced perception as a Special contribute to her internal struggle?
Tally's enhanced perception means she experiences everything with extreme clarity and intensity, making it harder to ignore the faint echoes of her past or the moral implications of her actions. This heightened awareness amplifies her internal conflict when her programming clashes with her conscience.
What psychological impact does the 'Special' operation have on the individuals, beyond physical changes?
Beyond physical enhancements, the 'Special' operation instills a profound sense of superiority, detachment, and a programmed loyalty to the system. It often erodes empathy and individuality, making it difficult for Specials to connect with 'uglies' or question their directives.
How does Tally's relationship with Shay evolve and reflect the psychological toll of their transformations?
Tally and Shay's relationship becomes strained and competitive as both are transformed into Specials. Shay often embraces her Special identity more readily than Tally, showcasing how the operation can create a divide even between close friends, altering their values and loyalties.
Discuss the theme of 'perfection' versus 'humanity' as explored through the Specials.
The Specials embody a dystopian vision of 'perfection' – physically flawless, intellectually sharp, and utterly obedient. However, their struggle with individuality, the 'cutters,' and Tally's internal conflict suggest that this 'perfection' comes at the cost of genuine humanity, emotional depth, and moral autonomy.
Is Tally's eventual choice truly her own, or is it still influenced by external factors and past conditioning?
This is debatable. While Tally actively fights her programming, her choice is undoubtedly shaped by her past experiences, her love for Zane, and the influence of the Smokies. It's a complex interplay of free will emerging from deeply ingrained conditioning and external pressures.
How does the author use the concept of 'beauty' in 'Specials' to critique societal values?
The author uses the 'beauty' of the Specials as a critique, showing how extreme physical perfection can mask profound moral and psychological corruption. Their beauty is a tool of control, making them desirable yet dangerous, highlighting society's superficiality and its willingness to sacrifice substance for aesthetics.
What is the ultimate message about rebellion and fighting against the system that 'Specials' conveys?
'Specials' conveys that rebellion is a continuous, arduous struggle, even when one becomes part of the system they once fought. It suggests that true freedom requires not just physical escape but also a constant battle to maintain one's identity and moral compass against powerful forces of conformity and control.
How does the setting of the 'Rusty Ruins' contrast with the advanced cities, and what does this signify?
The 'Rusty Ruins' represent the remnants of a past civilization, a world before the current dystopian cities. This contrasts sharply with the technologically advanced, sterile cities, signifying the cyclical nature of human ambition and destruction, and offering a glimpse of an alternative, albeit ruined, way of life.
What role does Dr. Cable play in the creation and deployment of the Specials?
Dr. Cable is a key figure in the creation and command of the Specials, representing the scientific and authoritarian power behind the city's control. She is a ruthless pragmatist who views the Specials as necessary tools for maintaining order, embodying the cold logic of the system.
How does the concept of 'mind-rain' affect the Specials, and what does it reveal about their design flaws?
'Mind-rain' refers to the overwhelming sensory input and heightened emotions that Specials can experience, sometimes leading to mental instability or breakdowns. This reveals a fundamental design flaw: while aiming for perfection, the creators inadvertently introduced a vulnerability that can be exploited or cause internal chaos.
About the author
Scott Westerfeld is an American author known for his contributions to young adult fiction. His notable works include the Uglies series, which comprises Uglies, Pretties, Specials, and Extras, as well as the novels Goliath and Peeps. His writing often explores themes of identity and societal norms.
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