After the news hit last week that Allegiant is going to be split into two movies, one of the first things we wondered (besides “WHY?!”) was where the split would occur. So, we came up with a few theories of our own.
Sure, we’re still quite a few years away from Allegiant, Part 1 (and many of us are apparently going to be ancient by the time Part 2 comes out), but it’s really never too late to speculate. That’s what we do. We’re fans. We can’t help ourselves.
The difficult thing about Allegiant is that it doesn’t exactly have a clear splitting point like other novels or stories. But that’s also kind of what makes speculating fun! Below are our top three theories on where the split will occur.
Obviously, this goes without saying but if you haven’t yet read or finished Allegiant, be careful because there are major spoilers ahead.
Right after Tris and Tobias say goodbye. For good.
Why it would work: We like to call this the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows split. In this situation, the split would take place after a great deal of information has been conveyed and a plan has been put in motion, leaving the final climax to essentially take over the entirety of Part 2.
This would be a good split strategy for Allegiant because the first chunk of the novel is a huge information dump, just like the seventh Harry Potter film. The characters spend most of their time walking around and learning more about the Chicago experiment. Nita’s rebellion would probably serve as the action sequence of the first part.
Most importantly though, splitting the novel at this point in the book would make for a very emotional end to Part 1. Having the movie end after seeing the two lovers say goodbye would certainly leave audiences who haven’t read the books wondering if they both survive. FourTris is one of the strongest forces in the entire series, so splitting the book right after a FourTris moment would have quite an impact.
Why it wouldn’t work: If Allegiant were to be split in this spot, the two movies would probably be very uneven in both running time and plot. While Allegiant isn’t a short book in any way, it definitely isn’t long enough to support a split like this. Plus, the final mission is the only thing that happens in that part of the book. While it’s exciting, it doesn’t have enough depth to it to support an entire movie (even if the movie clocks in at only 90 minutes).
The biggest reason why the split couldn’t happen here, though, is because the two leads wouldn’t have a single scene together in Part 2. That’s practically unheard of in Hollywood today and we can’t see them starting a new trend with Allegiant. Plus, not having FourTris together at all would literally kill some fans, which wouldn’t be good.
The ‘Harry Potter’ Route: After the ‘blank slate’ intentions are revealed and the group decides to break into the weapons lab and save their city.
Why it would work: While they were never trustworthy or transparent to begin with, the Bureau and David shock everyone with their “blank slate” plan. If portrayed just right on the silver screen, this moment can potentially pack quite an emotional punch that would be perfect for the end of Part 1. This kind of last-minute crucial information drop and resolve to fight back worked well for another YA adaptation (Catching Fire, anyone?), so why not Allegiant too?
Splitting Allegiant in this spot allows for not only a strong ending of Part 1 but also a pretty solid start to Part 2. The movie would open right away into the rising action of the characters planning their mission, which is preferable to being immediately dropped into an action sequence like the previous prediction outlined.
Why it wouldn’t work: Instead of ending on the most dramatic moment possible, Part 1 would have a bit of falling action before it concludes (which would be slightly anticlimactic). There’s quite a lot of fighting and unnecessary tension in the chapters between the rebellion and the revelation of David’s plan that really doesn’t progress the plot or add to the drama. With this split, we could see the last twenty minutes or so being a bit of a drag before it suddenly climaxes in the final few seconds.
Besides, there’s still the question of uneven films. While this option isn’t nearly as one-sided as the previous option, it doesn’t add much to the length or overall plotline of Part 2. It’s not like the characters take all that long to work out their plan of attack (and rescue).
Tris stopping the rebellion and being told that Tobias has been arrested.
Why it would work: The rebellion enacted by Nita and her associates is one of the main plot highlights of the book, so, since it takes place in the middle of the book, it would make sense for Part 1 to end there. It’s a really charged plot point that serves as the culmination of the first half of the book, especially when it comes to all of the information that FourTris and their allies learn about the Chicago experiment. Not only is it action-heavy, but it’s also emotionally charged with Uriah’s fate and the fact that Tobias chose the wrong side.
Speaking of Tobias, while it would make the most sense (in this scenario) to end Part 1 after Tris squashes the rebellion, there has to be some sort of mention of Tobias right before the film ends. After all, he’s the second most important character. By having the film end the chapter after Tris stops the violence, the movie would maintain its momentum and adrenaline while still giving an idea where Tobias ended up.
Why it wouldn’t work: As we mentioned above, Part 1 would have to end with some sort of reference to what Tobias is doing. However, including this scene after the rebellion would make for a shift in tone. We’d go from an important conflict that revolves around the fate of hundreds of people to another conflict in Tris and Tobias’ relationship which has less of an impact. Yes, the scene is important because it shows that Tobias actually went through with aiding the questionable rebellion, but the movie would most likely focus most on their relationship.
Fortunately, this tonal shift can actually be easily fixed. If the filmmakers take a few liberties with the source material (like we know they probably will), they could easily show Tobias’ involvement with the rebellion and his arrest while also showing Tris stopping the rebellion. That way, they could convey Tobias’ position at the end of Part 1 without having that extra scene with someone telling Tris where he is.
In case you couldn’t tell, this is our top pick for where the Allegiant split will take place.