Original artwork, not a still
Ender's Game ‧ 1985
The enemy's gate is down.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
In zero gravity there is no up or down, so Ender gives his soldiers one by decree: the enemy's gate is down, which turns a baffling cube into a fall with a target. It is a lesson in changing the frame rather than fighting it, and it pays off when the gate itself becomes the winning move. Fans quote it as shorthand for a tactician's reframing trick.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Ender's GameShow the scene
Battle School's zero-gravity Battle Room has two gates at opposite ends, and the armies of children start from them. Wikiquote files the line under chapter 10 (Ender). In the Enderverse wiki's summary Ender, newly given command of an army of launchies and rejects, teaches his soldiers that the enemy's gate is down, along with freezing their own legs to use as shields. Later he faces two armies at once, sacrifices most of his soldiers and slips a few through the enemy gate to win, after which the teachers change the rules so all opponents must be frozen first.
Sources (3)
- Wikiquote: Ender's GameQuotes, Ch. 10: EnderReference checked
- Enderverse Wiki: Ender's Game (Novel)Detailed SummaryReference checked
- Enderverse Wiki: Battle SchoolBattle Rooms; The Game, RulesReference checked
Context reviewed
