Jerico Soberanis

art by distel.vink

> "People are vessels. They hold whatever’s poured into them." - Jerico Soberanis, *The Toll*
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**Jerico Soberanis** is the former Captain of the E.L. Spence.

## Biography

Jerico was born in Madagascar. They were previously a salvager and captain for the *E.L. Spence*, where they increasingly relinquished their captain duties.

Jeri was the captain of the crew who helped Scythe Possuelo pull up The Vault Of Relics from the ocean floor, where it had been for three years, after the sinking of Endura.

Jeri is genderfluid, as children in Madagascar are brought up genderless. Madagascan children rarely choose to just be one gender when they grow up, and Jeri chose to be both. Jerico explains that they "identify as a woman in the sun and under clear skies, and as a man under the cover of the clouds." After entertaining a concept coined by Scythe Anastasia, Jeri chooses to identify as a woman on land and a man at sea towards the end of the book, in honor of her. On the shore where the waves meet the sand, Jeri is both.

Jeri and Anastasia become friends and Jeri even decides to stay by her side to protect her, saying that it was Scythe's orders, when Possuelo had given no such order. Jeri accompanies her for the majority of the book. Jeri even renders themself deadish to save Anastasia as she clings to Jeri's arm as the ambudrone takes them off to a revival center. Jeri says "For you, Honorable Scythe Anastasia, I would die a thousand deaths at my own hand. But one will be sufficient." Author Neal Shusterman says this was one of his favorite moments of the book.

When asked about pronouns by Scythe Anastasia, Jerico says:

> "He, she, they, zhey—pronouns are tiresome and lazy things...I'd much rather call a person by name. But to answer your *deeper* question, I'm both male and female. It comes with being Madagascan."
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Jeri's main friends are Greyson Tolliver, Scythe Anastasia, Scythe Morrison, and Sister Astrid. Jeri was also associated with Possuelo, Tenkamenin, and Curate Mendoza.

The Thunderhead uses Jeri's body to fully complete its knowledge of humanity, thus the final ingredient to create Cirrus. Jeri wants to be mad at the Thunderhead but finds that they feel grateful instead, which Jeri doesn't like. Early in The Toll, it is mentioned how Jeri sees the Thunderhead as the servant, and it deserves to be put in its place.

When Jeri meets Greyson Tolliver they become fast friends, and by the end of the book, it's suggested that they might become more than friends by holding hands in their final scene. Jerico is described as charming and having many smiles. Greyson and Jeri also have a conversation to figure out where Scythe Alighieri is currently residing, Jeri compares this exchange to a game of chess. This is where Greyson first becomes interested in Jeri, and the Thunderhead notices this, saying "She had an effect on you". Jeri and Greyson also have in common that they have died for Scythe Anastasia to save her life. Jeri currently resides on the Atoll with Greyson, on the island with the resort built by Sykora. Neal Shusterman says that Greyson would be the only one to know Jeri's "plumbing", which suggests that they would become a couple.

## Appearances

* *The Toll*
* *Gleanings* (alluded to)
	+ Cirri (alluded to)

## Gallery

by distel.vinkby distel.vinkby distel.vinkby quetzzsart by subject0798
## Quotes

* “Some things simply made a person feel feminine; other things made a person feel masculine. Wasn’t that true of everyone regardless of gender? Or did binaries deny themselves the things that didn’t fit the mold?"
* "For you, Honorable Scythe Anastasia, I would die a thousand deaths at my own hand. But one will be sufficient."

## Trivia

* Jerico has been marked unsavory as a teenager because of shoplifting three times from a local grocery store.
* Jerico had a small crush on Scythe Anastasia, explaining: "I fell in love with the idea of falling in love with her".

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *The Toll*: Author Commentary in *The Toll* Barnes & Noble Limited Edition
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 *The Toll*