Evan changes his Ascension advocate

Evan’s decision to change his Ascension advocate turns a private shock into a consequential exercise of choice: rather than leave the selection to the panel, he asks Samas to represent him and then tells Poppy himself. The change does not erase his gratitude for Poppy’s help, but it marks a break in the trust between them and places his success, as he defines it, ahead of her feelings.

The encounter that unsettles him

Evan’s discovery begins as he explores his new home. Carrying his cane, he climbs the stairs to a corridor lined with a narrow Persian rug and small crystal chandeliers. Silver-plated Roman numerals mark the doors, but their sequence is irregular. Classical music comes from room 26 at the far end; Evan instead locates room 17 halfway down the opposite end of the hall and knocks, expecting to find Poppy.

A man opens the door, and Evan sees Poppy in a private sexual setting with several men. She appears calm and closes a brown syringe case as she looks up at him. Her composure contrasts sharply with Evan’s response: his blood drains from his face, his hand shakes, and he grips the door handle with the support of his cane before closing the door. He keeps his eyes shut and holds on to the handle, unwilling to risk the door opening again. The encounter supplies no explanation for Poppy’s circumstances, but it changes what Evan feels able to accept from her. His later decision to seek another advocate follows this rupture, even as he struggles to name his feelings about it.

From uncertainty to a choice

Evan raises the question of changing advocates with Samas during a conversation that also turns on faith. Although he admits that his faith is not yet secure, he recognizes that he has time. He then asks how a candidate can replace an advocate. Samas first asks whether Evan is angry with Poppy; Evan cannot give a definite account of what he feels. When Samas observes that Poppy will be put off if Evan chooses someone else, Evan makes the priority explicit: her feelings matter less to him than succeeding in Ascension.

Samas lays out two routes. Evan can ask the panel to choose a new advocate, or he can choose one himself, provided the candidate is accepted. Evan does not defer to the panel: he asks Samas directly to take the role. Samas agrees, but will not tell Poppy about the change; that responsibility will remain with Evan. The arrangement therefore gives Evan agency over the choice while requiring him to face its personal consequences rather than delegate the difficult conversation.

The decision is not free of doubt. After shaking Samas’s hand, Evan begins questioning it almost immediately. He acknowledges that Poppy deserves credit for the progress of his Ascension, alongside his own effort. At the same time, he explains his persistent fear of being kept in the dark: he has relied on staying ahead, and experience has taught him to expect surprises to harm rather than help. His caution is not presented as proof that Poppy has acted against him; it is the outlook through which he interprets the encounter and the uncertainty around her.

Telling Poppy

Evan does not let Samas break the news for him. When Poppy begins to press him about his mood, he interrupts her and states both sides of the decision: he is grateful for what she has done and unsure whether he can ever repay the debt, but he cannot continue with her as his advocate. He has asked for a new one. The exchange makes clear that he is not denying her contribution; he is ending the arrangement because he no longer wants to proceed under it.

Poppy shows no visible reaction. She coolly asks who will replace her, and Evan lights a cigarette before answering that it will be Samas. Her astonishment sharpens the distinction between appointment and choice: she asks whether Samas was assigned to him, and Evan clarifies that he chose him. His answer confirms that the change is his own decision, not a ruling imposed by the panel or a substitution arranged by Samas.

Significance

The change is both procedural and relational. Samas’s explanation makes an alternative advocate possible, but the decisive step is Evan’s willingness to exercise that option, accept Samas’s agreement, and assume responsibility for informing Poppy. In this moment, Ascension is not only a test of eligibility; it becomes the setting in which Evan asserts control over whom he trusts to guide him.

The episode also preserves an unresolved tension. Evan recognizes what he owes Poppy and does not dismiss the help she gave him, yet he places confidence and the prospect of succeeding above the preservation of their existing arrangement. His choice of Samas answers the immediate question of who will advocate for him, but the conversation offers no reconciliation with Poppy or evidence that his suspicions have been settled. The change ends one form of reliance while leaving its emotional cost in view.