The Red Rising Hierarchy Explained

Pierce Brown has said that the inspiration for Red Rising’s color-coded caste system came from Plato’s Republic and its idea that some people are born with “souls of gold, copper, iron,” each naturally suited to a role in society. In Plato’s ideal world, the “iron” souls labor while the “gold” souls rule, a structure meant to be meritocratic. Brown became fascinated with what would happen if that ideal became corrupted – when power, birthright, and control replaced merit – and he transformed this concept into a future in which humanity, after spreading across the solar system, becomes locked into rigid genetic castes known as Colors.

Originally, the Colors were simply markers of social role, little more than uniforms. Over generations, however, the ruling Golds reshaped the system through genetic engineering, designing each Color to be biologically suited for their assigned function. As a result, the hierarchy became not only social but physical, closing off the possibility of natural upward mobility.

For example, Obsidians are bred to be massive, strong, and physically imposing so they can serve as elite soldiers and bodyguards. Reds, the manual laborers, are engineered to be smaller, which means they require fewer resources and can fit easily into mine shafts. Golds are sculpted to be tall, hyper-intelligent, and incredibly strong, embodying the myth of their inherent superiority.

Each Color develops its own dialects, customs, and belief systems, further strengthening the divide. Social engineering reinforces these boundaries: Obsidians are raised to believe Golds are literal gods, ensuring obedience; Reds are conditioned to be heterosexual, family-oriented, and to reproduce at very young ages to maintain a large labor force. Throughout the series, some low-Color individuals remain loyal to Gold authority even when given a real chance to rebel, underscoring the system’s deep-rootedness.

By shifting the basis of discrimination from race or ethnicity to engineered caste, Brown examines inequality in different forms. Ultimately, the Color hierarchy becomes his vehicle for exploring themes such as revolutions, systemic oppression, and personal identity.

HighColors — The ruling and professional elite

• Golds: Rulers of the Society
• Silvers: Financiers and business leaders
• Whites: Clergy and judges
• Coppers: Administrators, lawyers, bureaucrats

MidColors — Skilled specialists and technical classes

• Blues: Bridge crews and pilots
• Yellows: Doctors and researchers
• Greens: Programmers and technicians
• Violets: Artisans and creatives
• Oranges: Mechanics and engineers
• Grays: Soldiers and police

LowColors — Labor, service, and enforced subservience

• Browns: Servants, cooks, janitors
• Obsidians: Elite soldiers and bodyguards
• Pinks: Pleasure slaves and social functionaries
• Reds: Laborers and miners

HighColors 

Golds are the rulers and military leaders of the Society, wielding absolute authority. They are tall, strong, and exceptionally intelligent, bred for command and unwavering loyalty to their Color. Golds were created to lead humanity’s expansion and were refined over generations to preserve their dominance over all other Colors.

Silvers are financiers, economists, and business leaders who control banking, trade, and the flow of resources across the solar system. Polished and risk-averse, they arose during early expansion, when interplanetary trade demanded a specialized caste to manage economic power.

Whites serve as judges, clergy, and interpreters of doctrine, overseeing the Society’s moral and legal order. Disciplined and highly logical, they evolved from early legal scholars and religious authorities and were charged with safeguarding the hierarchical values of the Society.

Coppers are administrators, lawyers, recordkeepers, and managers who sustain the Society’s vast bureaucracy. Meticulous and procedural, they descended from early colonial administrators and were tasked with maintaining the machinery of interplanetary governance.

MidColors

Blues are starship pilots, navigators, and bridge crews who guide fleets and maintain communication. Highly analytical and capable of near-perfect multitasking, they descended from early spacefarers and were refined into a caste specializing in navigation, orbital mechanics, and the piloting of complex vessels.

Yellows are doctors, surgeons, and genetic specialists charged with preserving the health and biological stability of every Color. Known for steady hands and emotional composure, they evolved from early medical personnel and were refined for trauma care, surgery, and high-stress research.

Greens are programmers, technicians, and system operators who maintain the Society’s digital and technical infrastructure. Optimized for logic and pattern recognition, they arose from early computing experts and were refined for data management, automation, and digital security.

Violets are artists, designers, musicians, and cultural innovators who shape the Society’s aesthetics. Imaginative and expressive, they originated from early cultural creators during colonization and were refined into a caste devoted to creativity and unconventional problem-solving.

Oranges are mechanics, engineers, and technical laborers responsible for maintaining machinery, starships, and infrastructure. Highly hands-on, they developed from early engineers and technicians and were refined to keep the Society’s technology operational.

Grays are soldiers, police, and security forces who enforce law and order across the Society. Disciplined, loyal, and pragmatic, they evolved from early colonial security units and were refined into a caste designed to maintain stability, standing as the divide between the LowColors and the rest of society.

LowColors

Browns are domestic workers, cooks, cleaners, and service staff who perform the essential labor that keeps households, institutions, and public spaces running. Reliable and unobtrusive, they descended from early support personnel and were refined into a caste meant to sustain the higher Colors without threatening the social order.

Obsidians serve as elite soldiers and bodyguards, tasked with warfare and the protection of the upper classes. Physically formidable and rigorously trained, their caste emphasizes loyalty, obedience, and martial skill. Obsidians were bred to survive extreme environments, then isolated from modern knowledge and indoctrinated to see Golds as divine.

Pinks are pleasure attendants, social companions, and entertainers for the Society’s elite, providing emotional and social fulfillment. Graceful and meticulously trained in charm, performance, and intuition, they evolved from hospitality and entertainment roles and were refined to serve the desires of higher Colors.

Reds are miners, laborers, and manual workers who form the backbone of the Society’s resource extraction and construction. Smaller in stature and bound by strong traditions of family, community, and endurance, Reds were engineered for grueling labor in harsh conditions, supplying the raw materials that fuel the Society’s expansion.