Aptly named "Under Foot," this chapter expresses the overwhelming subjugation of humanity beneath the extra-terrestrial menace. In this part of the saga, our attention is drawn tightly to the intimate plight of our hero and the curate, isolated in a world smothered by the ominous Black Smoke, plagued by the anxiety for loved ones, and straining against the claustrophobia of their refuge.

The events that unfold under the suffocating pall of uncertainty reflect not only the overarching themes of interplanetary conflict and existential dread but also speak volumes of Wells' social commentary on the fragility of human society, the rapidly evolving technological landscape of his times, and the provocative idea that mankind might not be the apex of life's hierarchy after all.