The reader's view of Leper is changed from one who was fierce and peaceful to that of a deranged and insane person. Even after this dramatic transformation, he still manages to retain his unique talent for delving deeper into life's questions. He is the one who is able to grasp Gene's true "savagery", while Gene's best friend either doesn't notice it or chooses not to notice it. No one can escape such icy tendrils, neither Leper nor any of his friends, so when one is touched by the virus known as war, no one can stop the pain.