Spoiler alert!

Scarlet Benoit is one of the main characters in the Lunar Chronicles. She is a mixed Earthen/Lunar human working as a self-employed farmer at Benoit Farms and Gardens along with her grandmother, Michelle Benoit.


Scarlet was born on August 17, 108 T.E. to Luc Benoit and an unnamed mother in Rieux, France. Her mother and father were constantly fighting, until one day Scarlet's mother just walked out on them and never returned. She lived with her father in Paris until she was seven years old, when she ran away to live with her grandmother Michelle Benoit on her farm in Rieux.[citation needed]

When Scarlet was thirteen, she went to visit her father in Paris, but came back early because she couldn't stand being with him; although her grandmother had been unhappy that Scarlet returned without sending her a comm first. When Scarlet came in from doing her chores, her grandmother was talking to a man from the Eastern Commonwealth, who later turns out to be Linh Garan, about the custodial arrangements of an unknown girl. Scarlet listened in on the conversation and thought the girl they were talking about taking to the Eastern Commonwealth was her. Her grandmother then caught her eavesdropping and Scarlet was sent to her room. The girl, however, ended up being Princess Selene, who was being hidden in a secret compartment in their storage house. Selene was later adopted by the man Scarlet saw under the name of Linh Cinder.[citation needed]

Recent events


At the beginning of Scarlet, Scarlet's grandmother is missing. After the police fails to find her grandmother for nearly three weeks, ultimately closing the case, Scarlet decides to find her grandmother on her own. Joining her is Wolf, a mysterious street fighter who wants to help Scarlet.

Scarlet first meets Wolf in a tavern where she is making produce deliveries. When patrons start ridiculing Linh Cinder from a news feed about the annual Commonwealth Ball, Scarlet comes to Cinder's defense. The patrons turn their scorn to Scarlet until a mysterious street fighter comes to her aid, later claiming that he didn't want Scarlet to have to pull the pistol she keeps concealed in the waistband of her jeans. Scarlet returns home to her estranged father, who had been missing for a week and was physically and mentally tortured by the men who took Scarlet's grandmother. He says that Scarlet's grandmother was hiding something for them and he had to find it. Wolf and Scarlet meet later at a fight ring, where Wolf, a newcomer, easily defeats―and almost kills―the champion. The next day, Wolf arrives on Scarlet's farm, claiming he did not harm Scarlet's father nor kidnapped her grandmother. When she questions him about his tattoo, the same tattoo her father noticed the men who tortured him had, he tells her that he is a former Loyal Soldier to the Order of the Pack, a lupine vigilante group, and they are the ones who have her grandmother. The Order were headquartered in Paris and Wolf tells Scarlet he will help her find her grandmother.

While on the train to Paris, Scarlet meets Ran Kesley while ordering a drink. Scarlet immediately loses her appetite for her drink and Ran buys her chocolate milk. After unwillingly chatting with Ran, Scarlet returns to Wolf in their private car. There, Wolf is able to smell Ran's scent on Scarlet.

Sometime later, a letumosis outbreak occurs on the train, and Scarlet and Wolf jump off. The two run into the woods and soon decide to rest and eat food. While eating, Ran comes across Scarlet and Wolf, claiming that it is the smell of the food that enticed him there. Scarlet introduces Ran to Wolf, unaware that the two already know each other. Later, Scarlet questions whether the two are familiar with each other, and it is revealed that Ran is a Loyal Soldier to the Order of the Pack. After Wolf tells Ran that he is no longer a Loyal Soldier to the Order of the Pack, the two begin to fight. Wolf is about to kill Ran when Scarlet stops him by shooting him in the arm, saying that he might be able to give them information on where her missing grandmother is but Wolf tells her it's no use. They hop on another train that is traveling to Paris.

There, in Paris, Wolf brings her to the base where her grandmother is being held. Wolf turns her over to a thaumaturge and she is imprisoned. Wolf reveals he is not a Loyal Soldier to the Order of the Pack but a Lunar Special Operative, bioengineered lupine soldiers that serve the Lunar crown. In an attempt to learn how Michelle Benoit is able to resist manipulation and how Michelle was involved with the affairs of Princess Selene, Scarlet is glamoured into thinking she is seeing her grandmother and reveals what she knows about the Lunar princess.

Before the wolf-soldier attacks, Wolf gives her an ID chip by kissing her which Scarlet later used to escape and reunite with her grandmother, who was dying in her prison cell. Michelle reveals to Scarlet that Linh Cinder is truly Princess Selene and tells Scarlet to escape and find her but Scarlet refuses to leave her grandmother again. Ran appears and prevents Scarlet from escaping. However, Scarlet's grandmother provokes him in order for Scarlet to escape. After killing, and seemingly eating, Scarlet's grandmother, Ran chases Scarlet and eventually catches her, throwing her against a statue. At that moment, Wolf comes in and begins fighting with Ran to protect Scarlet, ultimately killing Ran.

Scarlet runs away, believing that Wolf is going to attack her next and Wolf catches up to her. Wolf is able to resist the manipulation of his thaumaturge and does not immediately attack her but Linh Cinder shoots him with a tranquilizer dart as she believed he was going to attack her. Cinder, Carswell Thorne, Scarlet, and Wolf all manage to escape to space. On Thorne's ship, the Rampion, Scarlet makes up with Wolf, becoming his "alpha female" in the process.


In Cress, the Rampion crew try to rescue the Lunar programmer, Cress, from a satellite by sending Carswell Thorne to rescue her. Sybil Mira, Cress's mistress and guardian, sends Carswell Thorne and Cress plummeting to Earth in the satellite and manages to dock on the Rampion. Her and her personal guard, Jacin Clay begin to battle with Cinder, Wolf, and Scarlet, resulting in Jacin being left with the crew while Scarlet is taken hostage by Sybil. When Scarlet is taken to Luna, she is interrogated by Sybil Mira and Queen Levana for information regarding Cinder's whereabouts. When Scarlet says she knows nothing, Sybil forces her to cut off her own left pinky finger with a hatchet and is kept in a menagerie cage as Princess Winter's pet.


In Winter, Scarlet is still in a cage in the menagerie. She enjoys playing with Ryu, the white wolf in the cage across from her, breaking off twigs from the tree above her cage and tossing them to him. Winter sees Scarlet as a friend, but Scarlet is detached, speaking to the princess in cool, sarcastic tones.

However, one day, Winter comes to tell Scarlet a piece of good news: Jacin has returned, and has told Winter that Scarlet's friends are alive. Winter also brings her a sour apple petite, which she informs Scarlet was her favorite delicacy. Hidden in the box, under the candy, is a note that said "Patience, friend. They're coming for you."

Winter and Scarlet have a long discussion about Scarlet's relationship with Wolf, and Scarlet denies that they are in love, just that they need each other. Nevertheless, Winter thinks otherwise.

Back on the Rampion, Cress provides news about Scarlet's farm. Wolf is really worried about it, stating that Scarlet really loves the farm.

Further ahead in the story, several Lunars are walking around the menagerie, and a couple is trying to get Scarlet to do something to amuse them. Scarlet decides to try to not react, acting very calm and indifferent. Angry, the man grabs the umbrella that his girlfriend had and pushes the end through the bars, jabbing Scarlet. Scarlet grabs the umbrella and slams the handle in the man's face. She then throws the umbrella out, knowing that the guards will take it away from her anyways.

After Jacin fakes Winter's death by sacrificing Ryu, Scarlet and Winter escape from the menagerie with Cress taking care of the security. Wolf and the Rampion crew, excluding Cress, happen to cross Scarlet and Winter's path in a junction, where Wolf and Scarlet are reunited. The Rampion crew ends up hiding with Maha Kesley in a mining sector. After a stirring speech from Princess Selene (Cinder), Aimery Park and several guards arrive to capture Cinder. The civilians refuse to give up her location so Aimery begins to randomly kill civilians until a girl confesses that Wolf's mother had been housing them. Maha Kesley refuses to give up Cinder, proclaiming she, as Princess Selene, is the true queen of Luna. Cinder sacrifices herself and as a result, Cinder and Wolf are captured and Maha is killed.

Scarlet is later reunited with Wolf during the battle for Levana's castle. During his captivity, Wolf had been bioengineered to be more wolf-like, and Queen Levana is using him as a personal bodyguard. During the ensuing battle Scarlet is taken over by a thaumaturge, who forces her to almost kill a woman with an axe before Wolf immobilizes her, forcing the thoumaturge to release her in favor of an easier target. After sharing another tender reunion, the pair help the war efforts. When Jacin and Winter were being attacked by Aimery, Scarlet and Wolf come to their aid. Unfortunately, Aimery disables Wolf. Winter then forces Scarlet to murder Aimery before he gets another chance to hurt Jacin. In the final battle against Levana, Scarlet is controlled by the queen, who attempts to make her shoot Cinder. Cinder throws her against a wall resulting in Scarlet getting a concussion. Wolf soon rushes out the rest of his friends and shortly afterwards, Cinder kills Levana, resulting in the end of the revolution and Cinder's successful reclamation of the Lunar throne.

After the battle, Scarlet is staying in a suite in the palace, as opposed to hospital rooms like the rest of the Rampion crew, who suffered stabbings and bullet wounds. She then calls her friend Émilie to check on the farm. Émilie tells her that the farm is fine, and is amazed to hear that Scarlet is on Luna. After Scarlet tells her that her grandmother died, she tells her that she is dating the street fighter from the tavern. Émilie announces that Scarlet is a hero back in their town. After they hang up, Wolf comes in, hurt that Scarlet described their relationship as "dating". Scarlet tells him she said dating because it was too difficult to explain the alpha-mate system. When Wolf asks if Scarlet still wants him, even after his changes, she replies that she would be glad to take him back to the farm though "it might take a while for the neighbor's children to get used to him." They begin to embrace when they get interrupted by Iko who announces that Cinder was awake.

Afterwards, Scarlet and the rest of the crew are invited as personal guests to Cinder's coronation and later, Wolf and Scarlet return to France together.



Scarlet tries to make herself look bigger and stronger with folded arms, wide-leg stances, etc. She is frank and abrupt, and has a tendency to act first and think later.[1] She cares immensely for the people she loves, most notably her grandmother and Wolf, and can be short-tempered and reckless at times. Despite this, she is quite sympathetic, shown when she pitied Cinder at the beginning of Scarlet, but she is not without her flaws, such as her tendency to blame others for the faults that have happened in her life, and being slightly arrogant when it comes to this. She is shown to face life with a straightforward view.

Scarlet has shown to be a free spirit and acts independently on her own accord - she is witty and is not afraid to speak her mind when necessary. As such, she can be somewhat defensive and stubborn, but she is a very understanding person regardless. She is rather sensible, and portrays the ideas of a realist. Scarlet is honest and down-to-earth, which are traits that stand out more than her other aspects. Due to her mature way of thinking, Scarlet gets along well with most people.

Physical attributes

Coloring book character profile Scarlet

Scarlet is curvy and 5’6” tall. She has big brown eyes, full lips, curly, unruly ginger-red hair to her mid-back and lots of freckles on her face. In Cress her left pinky finger was chopped off, from the tip to her second knuckle. As a child she was described as chubby.

She usually wears a red hoodie with a black tank top underneath, torn jeans, and tennis shoes. The red hoodie was given to her by her grandmother and clashes with her hair color, which is part of the reason why she likes it.[1]


As a mixed Lunar/Earthen, Scarlet does not inherit any bioelectrical manipulation ability from her Lunar grandfather, Logan Tanner. When Jael tested Scarlet by manipulating her to see Ran Kesley as her grandmother, Scarlet was unaware of any manipulation until Jael weakened the manipulation. She has a permit to conceal a pistol and is a good shot. She also has good reflexes and some skill in unarmed combat. She also is a talented pilot, taught by her grandmother so she could deliver fresh produce from their farm.


Michelle Benoit

Scarlet was very close with her grandmother ever since she left her father when she was seven. It is shown how much Scarlet cares for Michelle when she is kidnapped. When Michelle went missing, Scarlet sought after her and ended up being led to the kidnapper's place as well. When Scarlet turned up, Michelle, although worried about Scarlet being there, was relieved when she knew that Scarlet was well.


At first, Scarlet is wary and feels adverse to the prospect of searching for her grandmother with him, but at the time, he is the only one who could help her find her grandmother. As the story progresses, they become closer and eventually share a romantic bond. After finding out that he, at first has the intention of betraying her, she becomes very hurt, and although her personality is not someone who shows physical pain, she shows that she is hurt when he tries to talk to her. After they are taken by Thorne and Cinder, they have a flirtatious conversation and discuss the prospect of her being his 'alpha female'. In Winter, their relationship keeps advancing, and it is stated by Wolf's mother and the rest of the gang that he is clearly in love with Scarlet. They share kisses throughout Winter and their relationship grows. In Something Old, Something New (from Stars Above) they get married.

Linh Cinder

Progressively, Scarlet and Cinder become very close and often support each other as shown when they hug and cry as Maha Kesley is killed. They are both headstrong, like-minded people who do not always like to show their emotions to others. They both are known for having their feet firmly planted on the ground in the concept that they have a lot of common sense and keep to reality unlike Winter. Furthermore, they both have a fierce sense of loyalty and will to avenge and protect those they love. This is shown in most strongly in Scarlet's relationship with her grandmother and Cinder's relationship with Peony and Iko in the first book.

Winter Hayle

In contrast to Scarlet, Winter is a dreamy, imaginative, and idealistic person. Scarlet's initial impression of Winter is that she considers Winter to be "crazy" and even gives Winter an alias as such. However, over time Scarlet begins to acknowledge Winter's true, kind nature and their relationship resembles that of a sisterly connection.

Émilie Monfort

Scarlet has been friends with Émilie for a part of their lives. She trusts Émilie enough to manage her family's farm when she is away, and they get along well despite their different personalities. It is unknown when they first met each other, however it is implied that they met a long time ago.

Family tree

Logan Tanner
Michelle Benoit
Luc Benoit
Unknown ♀
Scarlet Benoit


  • According to author Marissa Meyer, Scarlet was born on August 17, 108 T.E., making her warmhearted, open-minded, and faithful, but also a bit bossy and arrogant. Being born in August, Scarlet is a Leo.
  • Scarlet, with her scarlet hair and red hood, is inspired by Little Red Riding Hood.
  • The fight announcer calls Scarlet a “tender morsel,” which is a reference to the original Little Red Riding Hood story.
  • Scarlet and Winter seem to act like sisters on occasions, Scarlet as the older and more mature one and Winter as the younger and more playful one.
    • This could potentially be a nod to the lesser-known fairytale by the Brothers Grimm, Snow-White and Rose-Red. While it is unknown who the older sister is in said tale, Scarlet and Winter appear to share similar character traits to Snow-White and Rose-Red - Scarlet, as Rose-Red, is "outspoken, lively and cheerful, and prefers to be outside."[2]



See also: Images of Scarlet

Start a Discussion Discussions about Scarlet Benoit

  • Scarlet on Luna

    23 messages
    • Me toooo
    • OH MY GOSH I'm on page 199 and I can't put this book down I wish I could read it 20 times faster than I am right now... SOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD
  • Scarlet's physique

    3 messages
    • I relate to that, but the book describes her as having curves, so thats just the way she is. Regardless of how you picture her - everyone sees ...
    • in this photo she is very slender copy and paste this URL.