The problem with forbidden romances
Apr 13, 2019 15:18:26 GMT -5
kinkajou, whiteflight, and 8 more like this
Post by Sea Drops by a Bird on Apr 13, 2019 15:18:26 GMT -5
Each arc brings us another forbidden romance, whether you love them, hate them, or just humor them so you can get through the story. They're basically a part of the warrior's storyline formula at this point. Yet somehow we never get to see why they're forbidden. Sure we know why; we know the warrior code. But what we know doesn't line up with what we've been shown time and time again. It's like being told not to stick your finger in a socket because something bad will happen, yet watching people do it time and time again and nothing bad happens. That's why you can't really blame readers who think that it's a stupid rule that shouldn't exist because everytime we're shown a new forbidden romance we never see the actual problems they cause- in fact what we've really been shown is that the most common issue is hurt feelings.
Now this is probably a blend of the Erin's not wanting to send the message that love is bad and their fondness for introducing storylines that have potential only to let them fall flat and die out on a vine (Ivypool the useless spy, the power of three that had no real impact on the 2 arcs it occupied, Blackstar turning away from StarClan to name a few) but if that's the case then maybe don't make forbidden romances a focal point of each arc? I mean if you have no intentions of telling the actual story then why do you keep retelling it? The interesting story isn't "two cats who aren't supposed to be together get together"; it's what happens after! It's the real problems that it causes the clans of the cats involved, and no that doesn't just amount to being disappointed and hurt feelings.
There are real problems that arise when you take a mate from another clan. You could have had Leafpool give birth and, before she is able to convince Squirrelflight to take them Crowfeather finds out. She tells Firestar and because they are his kin and the prophecy he refuses to give them up, taking TC to war with WC. All the while TC isn't feeling Leafpool, her kits, Firestar or this war. That's a good refreshing story! That makes another forbidden romance worth the read!
Dovewing could have been caught between her heart and her clan for real. TC could have been preparing to attack SC and because she loves Tigerheart she struggles between being loyal to her clan and trying to protect him. So she lobbies her clan to get them to call off the attack and when it looks like that won't work, warns Tigerheart. Except TC decides to back off, and right after they do SC launches a preemptive strike and as a result a TC cat dies. Now TC is trying to figure out how this all happened, she's scared and hurt and pissed that Tigerheart used the info she gave against him and it all comes falling down around her. Really show us why it's not as simple as falling in love, tell the whole story.
I just think forbidden romances are such a nuisance to read about because we only really see the romance part without getting the reason as to why they're forbidden which is the reason why we should care and it should take center stage. Showing us this will also up the stakes when you do introduce a forbidden love because we know first hand how bad things can get because of them instead of just hearing about it. We'll get excited and apprehensive at the thought of two cats from different clans loving each other instead of impartial or annoyed.
Now this is probably a blend of the Erin's not wanting to send the message that love is bad and their fondness for introducing storylines that have potential only to let them fall flat and die out on a vine (Ivypool the useless spy, the power of three that had no real impact on the 2 arcs it occupied, Blackstar turning away from StarClan to name a few) but if that's the case then maybe don't make forbidden romances a focal point of each arc? I mean if you have no intentions of telling the actual story then why do you keep retelling it? The interesting story isn't "two cats who aren't supposed to be together get together"; it's what happens after! It's the real problems that it causes the clans of the cats involved, and no that doesn't just amount to being disappointed and hurt feelings.
There are real problems that arise when you take a mate from another clan. You could have had Leafpool give birth and, before she is able to convince Squirrelflight to take them Crowfeather finds out. She tells Firestar and because they are his kin and the prophecy he refuses to give them up, taking TC to war with WC. All the while TC isn't feeling Leafpool, her kits, Firestar or this war. That's a good refreshing story! That makes another forbidden romance worth the read!
Dovewing could have been caught between her heart and her clan for real. TC could have been preparing to attack SC and because she loves Tigerheart she struggles between being loyal to her clan and trying to protect him. So she lobbies her clan to get them to call off the attack and when it looks like that won't work, warns Tigerheart. Except TC decides to back off, and right after they do SC launches a preemptive strike and as a result a TC cat dies. Now TC is trying to figure out how this all happened, she's scared and hurt and pissed that Tigerheart used the info she gave against him and it all comes falling down around her. Really show us why it's not as simple as falling in love, tell the whole story.
I just think forbidden romances are such a nuisance to read about because we only really see the romance part without getting the reason as to why they're forbidden which is the reason why we should care and it should take center stage. Showing us this will also up the stakes when you do introduce a forbidden love because we know first hand how bad things can get because of them instead of just hearing about it. We'll get excited and apprehensive at the thought of two cats from different clans loving each other instead of impartial or annoyed.