In the future, when an alien race called the Formics nearly destroy Earth during an attack, mankind must find a new way to fight this adversary should they return. They begin training children from a very young age, hand-picking them for their gifts as leaders and preparing them to command a fleet in the event of the Formics' return. Ender Wiggins is one such young cadet, the youngest in his family, whose brother and sister both enlisted but disappointed. He is selected by Colonel Graff to continue his training in space at a facility known as Battle School. Ender learns how the military games work, begins to earn the respect of his peers, and quietly impresses his superiors. He engages in a virtual reality game on his computer, in which he controls a mouse, confronted by a giant offering two drinks, one of which is poisoned. Once he learns both glasses are poisoned, Ender has the mouse jump into the giant's head via the eye, instantly killing him. This bowls over the Colonel, who immediately promotes him. After a conflict with a fellow cadet leaves the cadet nearly dead and leaves Ender seriously shaken, he heads home for a brief visit with his family before heading off deeper into space to prepare for Graduation, a series of highly complex battle virtual simulations against the Formics.
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