Monitor Removal

Ender Wiggin, a six-year-old Third, has the monitor removed from the back of his neck. The procedure is painful and causes a severe reaction, but he is told it will not hurt. The removal marks the end of his constant surveillance by the International Fleet and the beginning of his life as a normal child, at least temporarily. He returns to school, where he is taunted by Stilson and his gang, who know he has lost his monitor. Ender, feeling vulnerable and isolated, responds with a brutal and decisive attack, kicking Stilson repeatedly even after he is down, to ensure he will not be bullied again. This act of violence is witnessed by the International Fleet, who see it as a sign of his potential as a military commander.