Never tell me the odds

Never tell me the odds is a phrase that crystallizes the novel's central spirit of defiant hope. It first appears at a moment of private discovery and public declaration, when Alex, overwhelmed by a public mural celebrating his relationship with Henry, types the words into a tweet. The phrase, borrowed from the Star Wars universe, becomes a personal motto that rejects the seemingly insurmountable obstacles facing their relationship and, by extension, the political and social forces arrayed against them. It is a declaration that love and hope can triumph over calculation and probability, a sentiment that echoes through the novel's climax and resolution.

Origin and First Appearance

The expression enters the narrative at a pivotal moment of revelation. Alex, having just seen a two-story-tall mural of himself and Henry, is struck by its beauty and the speed with which it was created. The mural depicts the two of them as Han and Leia from Star Wars, facing each other, haloed by a bright yellow sun. Henry is rendered in all white with starlight in his hair, while Alex is dressed as a scruffy smuggler with a blaster at his hip. The image of a royal and a rebel with their arms around each other is a public, artistic acknowledgment of their relationship. In that moment, with his fingers shaking, Alex snaps a photo and types out the tweet: Never tell me the odds. The phrase is a direct reference to a famous line from Star Wars, where Han Solo, facing impossible odds, refuses to be discouraged. By adopting it, Alex claims that same defiant spirit for himself and his relationship.

A Motif of Defiance and Hope

The phrase functions as more than a single exclamation; it becomes a thematic touchstone. It encapsulates the novel's argument that love is indomitable, a force that cannot be calculated or defeated by political maneuvering, public opinion, or the weight of tradition. The odds against Alex and Henry are immense: they are the First Son of the United States and a British prince, their relationship is a diplomatic and political minefield, and they are both closeted. To say "never tell me the odds" is to reject the very framework of probability that would deem their love impossible. It is a conscious act of faith, a choice to believe in a future that seems statistically unlikely.

Resonance in the Aftermath

The phrase's resonance extends to the novel's conclusion, where its spirit is realized in the public sphere. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, Alex returns to his hometown of Austin, Texas, which has been transformed by a wave of celebration. The streets are overflowing with people yelling his mother's name, wearing his own face on their chests, and waving Texas flags, American flags, Mexican flags, and pride flags. Music echoes through the streets, and fireworks explode against the thick clouds. This scene is the tangible fulfillment of the defiance expressed in the tweet. The odds that seemed so insurmountable—a Democratic victory in Texas, a public and accepted same-sex relationship—have been overcome. The phrase, once a private act of hope, is now reflected in the public jubilation of a city and a nation. The image of Alex gliding past the Capitol on his bike, leading Henry to his childhood home, is a quiet, personal victory that mirrors the public one, suggesting that the odds, indeed, were never the point.