The Dauntless take the initiation process very seriously.There are three stages to Dauntless initiation: The physical, the emotional, and the mental.The Dauntless born initiates and the transfers are scored separately for the first stage, which is physical combat.
- In the physical stage, initiates learn how to fight and are pitted against each other to prove what they have learned. They are scored based on their victories and losses.
- In the emotional stage, initiates are put into a simulation where they face their fears, oblivious to the fact that it is a simple simulation, and have to calm themselves to get out. Members of Divergent seem to have a knack for this stage, as they are aware it is not real.
- In the final stage, the mental, initiates are put into their fear landscapes, which reaches for every fear within the person subjected to it and creates a simulation in which they must face each one. This time, they are aware that it is not real.
The choosing ceremony is a turning point in Tris' life, while the initiation witnesses the growth and change of her. The initiation makes her, to some extend, colder and tougher than before.