Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

David is the protagonist and point-of-view character of Firefight. Because he lacks Epic abilities, he represents the power of regular, everyday people to fight against oppression. After his father’s murder at Steelheart’s hands, David spent most of his youth alone studying Epics, and he has therefore become one of the foremost experts on how Epic powers work. This intense interest also left him with a degree of social awkwardness, as demonstrated by his use of odd metaphors when he explains new concepts and confuses his teammates. In Newcago, David’s closed-off attitude served him well because it kept Steelheart from noticing him. Once he arrives in Babilar, however, David’s paranoia contrasts with the citizens’ carefree attitude. As David observes, “I mixed with ordinary people about the same way that a bucket of paint mixed with a bag of gerbils” (29). As a Reckoner, David is a point man who is often out in the field fighting Epics directly. He is not afraid to take risks or deviate from the team’s plan, especially when he believes in his own success, and this trait often allows him to see threats that his teammates overlook.