Post by Fernstep on Oct 5, 2018 17:44:16 GMT -5
When one pictures the birth of Gray Wing and Clear Sky—when one pictures Quiet Rain giving birth to two sons, one dark, one light, one with eyes of gold, the other with eyes of blue—when one imagines their destinies stretching out ahead of them, these great cats who shaped their world through both the strength of the bonds between them and the fortitude of the walls that divided them—it is not seen as a double helix. Neither is it seen as two lines, reaching into infinity without ever touching. Rather, it is best visualized as a single, sky-blue line, unwavering in its path, constantly looped and re-looped by a single gray helix. One weaves with the other, while its brother never falters.
Clear Sky never once changed his path. He knew what he believed to be right, and he stuck to that belief come hell or high weather, against both the pleas and the threats of his allies and enemies. But Gray Wing is an adapter. He did not pre-determine his path, he changed and accepted every event that came his way. The birth of Turtle Tail’s kits, the arrival of Thunder, the emergence of Wind Runner, the many plans he conceived to deal with threats such as One Eye and Slash. All of these things he accepted without hesitation, allowing them to come into his life and change his actions. He rarely, if ever, complained about the reality of the situation, only asking what should be done to make good of the situation.
“Gray Wing is not a stubborn protagonist.” It is strange to think of him in this way. In many ways he is very similar to Fireheart. He is strong, courageous, caring, emotional, clever, and dedicated. These are all traits typical of a well-rounded, moral, noble character, and when such a character is the protagonist of a series, it is almost always assumed that they will be stubborn. They will know what is right, they will insist on doing it, and they will not compromise their beliefs. If rules stand in their way, they will be broken, and if tyranny stands in their way, they will defeat it. Fireheart and Graystripe giving prey to RiverClan. Fireheart brokering a truce between Bluestar and Tallstar. This is even present, later on, in Alderheart’s character, as he insists, futilely, that the will of StarClan is paramount, his arguments falling on Sparkpelt and Bramblestar’s deaf ears.
But Gray Wing is not such a character. He does not insist on what is right, and he does not make a big deal out of choosing to do what is right. For him, there is no choice at all. There is no good and evil, there is no right and wrong. There is simply what is best to do in the moment, not for the greatest good, but for the only good he can see. As Gray Wing sees it, there is no choice, there is no inherent moral code that he must follow: There is only what occurs to him to do, because he is inherently a good person. He is not a hero, not a chosen one in any sense, and that is what sets him apart, what makes him the uniquely wonderful character that he is amidst the rest of the Warriors series. He’s an ordinary cat, as common as the color of his pelt. There is no fire burning within him to save all that is good in the world, only the surety that he will do what he must to save those that he loves.
It is not so surprising, then, that he was able to form such a strong bond with River Ripple, by nature an isolationist. Gray Wing, too, is able to accept the changing tides of life as easily as the river flows.
Clear Sky never once changed his path. He knew what he believed to be right, and he stuck to that belief come hell or high weather, against both the pleas and the threats of his allies and enemies. But Gray Wing is an adapter. He did not pre-determine his path, he changed and accepted every event that came his way. The birth of Turtle Tail’s kits, the arrival of Thunder, the emergence of Wind Runner, the many plans he conceived to deal with threats such as One Eye and Slash. All of these things he accepted without hesitation, allowing them to come into his life and change his actions. He rarely, if ever, complained about the reality of the situation, only asking what should be done to make good of the situation.
“Gray Wing is not a stubborn protagonist.” It is strange to think of him in this way. In many ways he is very similar to Fireheart. He is strong, courageous, caring, emotional, clever, and dedicated. These are all traits typical of a well-rounded, moral, noble character, and when such a character is the protagonist of a series, it is almost always assumed that they will be stubborn. They will know what is right, they will insist on doing it, and they will not compromise their beliefs. If rules stand in their way, they will be broken, and if tyranny stands in their way, they will defeat it. Fireheart and Graystripe giving prey to RiverClan. Fireheart brokering a truce between Bluestar and Tallstar. This is even present, later on, in Alderheart’s character, as he insists, futilely, that the will of StarClan is paramount, his arguments falling on Sparkpelt and Bramblestar’s deaf ears.
But Gray Wing is not such a character. He does not insist on what is right, and he does not make a big deal out of choosing to do what is right. For him, there is no choice at all. There is no good and evil, there is no right and wrong. There is simply what is best to do in the moment, not for the greatest good, but for the only good he can see. As Gray Wing sees it, there is no choice, there is no inherent moral code that he must follow: There is only what occurs to him to do, because he is inherently a good person. He is not a hero, not a chosen one in any sense, and that is what sets him apart, what makes him the uniquely wonderful character that he is amidst the rest of the Warriors series. He’s an ordinary cat, as common as the color of his pelt. There is no fire burning within him to save all that is good in the world, only the surety that he will do what he must to save those that he loves.
It is not so surprising, then, that he was able to form such a strong bond with River Ripple, by nature an isolationist. Gray Wing, too, is able to accept the changing tides of life as easily as the river flows.