The mayor is a bit of an enigma. On one hand he is clearly evil, self-centered, doesn't care who he kills, and is determined to become a demon but on the the other hand he cares about family values, stayed loyal to his wife as he remained young and she aged, and clearly feels for Faith as if she were his daughter. The mayor is our first real glimpse that even though someone is evil, they can feel.
Oh, we see Angel's family care for one another - but we also see them placing themselves first with everyone else second. And more importantly, they don't care if they hurt each other. They happily let others in and fall in love with them, but they also don't care if their actions hurt those they claim to love. But not the mayor. He is completely different. He cares very deeply about Faith. He wouldn't dream of hurting her and instead goes out of his way to care for her. His relationship with her mirrors Buffy's relationship with Giles. Both of them find a father figure who cares for them and guides them. But while Buffy's encourages her to think for herself and do the right thing, Faith's encourages her to obey completely and murder. And when the mayor spoke of his wife, he said that in the end she hated him because she was old and withered while he was still young. Yet despite this he stayed by her. He never left her for another.
For some back story, the mayor was a sorcerer who who pursued becoming a full blooded demon. The demons that Buffy normally fights are a bastardized version of demons - they are a mixture of human and demon. Vampires are actually a perfect example of this as they are humans turned demon. When they are turned they die and lose their soul but come back as a demon of sorts. We actually will see this expanded upon in season 7 with the release of the uber vampires, but for now all of Buffy's enemies are not pure-blooded demons. The mayor seeks to become a full-blooded demon, completely expunging any humanness in him. This plot has been hundreds of years in the making and culminates in his Ascension. Anya has actually witnessed an Ascension and the complete destruction and devastation it wrought hundreds of years earlier.
The mayor's plan is thwarted in the end in the first use of an army by Buffy. While what goes on in Sunnydale is never spoken of, everyone is aware of it. Buffy is even given an award by her classmates for going out of her way to protect them. When facing the mayor's Ascension she turns to her classmates for help and they become a makeshift army with the sole purpose of taking the mayor down and surviving graduation.
I will say that while the Mayor is very good at looking at all possible contingencies, he banked too much on everyone choosing to be oblivious. While he went out of his way to cover up any demonic activity people still knew what was going on. They might not have talked about it openly but it would always be hinted at. He banked on everyone choosing to look the other way and that was his undoing. Instead, everyone stepped up to fight him and his minions and put an end to his Ascension.
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
a character exits: principal snyder
Principal Snyder is a bit of an odd character full of contradictions. He hates children yet he is principal of the high school. He clearly knows what is going on in town and helps the police cover it up - usually by blaming drugs - but yet at the same time he seems to hate magic and demons. He is clearly on the mayor's team, yet is furious at the mayor's lack of respect for law and order.
Principal Snyder takes over after principal Flutie is eaten by the hyena pack. From day one he makes it clear he hates the students and has no respect for them. He functions more as a source of keeping order to the Hellmouth seal and covering up demonic activity then anything else. It is stated that he was specifically brought in for the job because of his unique qualifications (which were never discussed or named) for these types of situations. He is obsessed with the schools image and shows this obsession through the sports teams. Yet, he doesn't care about the students on those teams, just about the image of the school when they win. He is constantly terrified of lawsuits being brought up against the school and urges wounded students not to sue.
He hates Buffy and strives to make her life - and the lives of her friends - miserable. He even goes so far as to expel Buffy from school. He is forced to overturn this decision later on, which clearly makes him unhappy.
As much as he hates supernatural activity he is loyal to the mayor and helps to cover up his crimes. Yet, when the mayor does his ascension at the high school graduation this upsets Snyder, who lectures the mayor about order and discipline. The mayor rewards the years of Snyder's loyalty by eating him.
The last thing worth noting about Snyder is when he ate the candy that turned him into a teenager. He was nothing like his adult self. He was very laid back, nice, friendly, and thought Buffy and her friends were absolutely great and cool.
Principal Snyder takes over after principal Flutie is eaten by the hyena pack. From day one he makes it clear he hates the students and has no respect for them. He functions more as a source of keeping order to the Hellmouth seal and covering up demonic activity then anything else. It is stated that he was specifically brought in for the job because of his unique qualifications (which were never discussed or named) for these types of situations. He is obsessed with the schools image and shows this obsession through the sports teams. Yet, he doesn't care about the students on those teams, just about the image of the school when they win. He is constantly terrified of lawsuits being brought up against the school and urges wounded students not to sue.
He hates Buffy and strives to make her life - and the lives of her friends - miserable. He even goes so far as to expel Buffy from school. He is forced to overturn this decision later on, which clearly makes him unhappy.
As much as he hates supernatural activity he is loyal to the mayor and helps to cover up his crimes. Yet, when the mayor does his ascension at the high school graduation this upsets Snyder, who lectures the mayor about order and discipline. The mayor rewards the years of Snyder's loyalty by eating him.
The last thing worth noting about Snyder is when he ate the candy that turned him into a teenager. He was nothing like his adult self. He was very laid back, nice, friendly, and thought Buffy and her friends were absolutely great and cool.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
the brightest night: part four
Sunny convinces her mother to let her try and burn the lock off. She does so successfully. Thorn finds a paper in the library with her name on it. It is a letter from Stonemover asking her to meet him at Jade Mountain. Sunny points out that Stonemover never abandoned Thorn, but Thorn is furious that he never tried to reach out to her again. They escape and meet up with the Outclaws. Sunny tells her mother that she has to return to her friends.
Unable to reach the tunnel, Sunny goes to the mountains. A bad rainstorm causes her to take shelter so she heads for Jade Mountain. She follows a tunnel and finds her father. He is slowly turning to stone because he turned his animus magic against himself. He and Sunny talk and the conversation turns to the prophecy. She tells him she always thought she looked odd because of the prophecy, not because she was half NightWing. Confused, Stonemover tells her that the prophecy isn't real.
Stonemover realizes Sunny does know the truth. She tells him maybe Morrowseer was lying, however Stonemover tells her he was there when the prophecy was made up. She stays the night with him and dreams of Flower. She and Flower end up in another area (the burned out village) with a different scavenger who has a dreamvisitor. Sunny realizes she might be able to find the missing treasure with this scavenger.
Sunny goes to the village and waits until the scavenger from her dream arrives. She does, with another scavenger. Sunny captures them and is able to explain through a series of motions and drawings on the ground that she wants the treasure. The scavengers give it to her but the Eye of Onyx isn't there.
Sunny leaves the scavengers (even though she wants to keep them as pets) returns to the rainforest and heads to Starflight. She waits for all her friends to arrive before telling her story. She is a little a jealous of Fatespeaker, but she tries to let it go.
Sunny's father is a bit of a sad character, and Sunny feels he wallows in his personal drama a bit too much, but despite this she actually did pretty good in the parent department. Her parents want and love her. They aren't psychos who want to use her. All in all she did good.
On a different note, I can't wait to see how her friends react to the adventure she went on without them!!! Also, how are they supposed to end this war. I don't see a solution. Sunny's egg "hidden alone from the rival queens" always implied to me that maybe she was royal too. But this isn't the case. So if Sunny isn't going to be queen, and none of the other queens are worthy, and Smolder can't inherit the throne - how will the war end and who will be queen?
Unable to reach the tunnel, Sunny goes to the mountains. A bad rainstorm causes her to take shelter so she heads for Jade Mountain. She follows a tunnel and finds her father. He is slowly turning to stone because he turned his animus magic against himself. He and Sunny talk and the conversation turns to the prophecy. She tells him she always thought she looked odd because of the prophecy, not because she was half NightWing. Confused, Stonemover tells her that the prophecy isn't real.
Stonemover realizes Sunny does know the truth. She tells him maybe Morrowseer was lying, however Stonemover tells her he was there when the prophecy was made up. She stays the night with him and dreams of Flower. She and Flower end up in another area (the burned out village) with a different scavenger who has a dreamvisitor. Sunny realizes she might be able to find the missing treasure with this scavenger.
Sunny goes to the village and waits until the scavenger from her dream arrives. She does, with another scavenger. Sunny captures them and is able to explain through a series of motions and drawings on the ground that she wants the treasure. The scavengers give it to her but the Eye of Onyx isn't there.
Sunny leaves the scavengers (even though she wants to keep them as pets) returns to the rainforest and heads to Starflight. She waits for all her friends to arrive before telling her story. She is a little a jealous of Fatespeaker, but she tries to let it go.
Sunny's father is a bit of a sad character, and Sunny feels he wallows in his personal drama a bit too much, but despite this she actually did pretty good in the parent department. Her parents want and love her. They aren't psychos who want to use her. All in all she did good.
On a different note, I can't wait to see how her friends react to the adventure she went on without them!!! Also, how are they supposed to end this war. I don't see a solution. Sunny's egg "hidden alone from the rival queens" always implied to me that maybe she was royal too. But this isn't the case. So if Sunny isn't going to be queen, and none of the other queens are worthy, and Smolder can't inherit the throne - how will the war end and who will be queen?
Friday, October 25, 2019
the brightest night: part three
Sunny meets Smolder's pet scavenger, Flower. They talk about Flower and Sunny is shocked to discover that Flower is actually pretty intelligent and draws pictures to communicate with Smolder. The move up through the tower, passing all sorts of oddities. Eventually they reach a furious and chained up queen Scarlet, who boasts that she has friends who will help her. They pass her to go higher up. Smolder regretfully chains Sunny up but promises to take her out the next day so she isn't trapped in the tower all the time. Flower insists on staying with Sunny.
Smolder arrives earlier then planned to let Sunny out. He shows her the treasure rooms and asks her if she can solve how three tiny scavengers emptied the rooms without wagons. Sunny deduces someone else must have stolen the treasure while everyone was attending to Oasis. She suspects one of Oasis's daughters but Smolder tells her that would be impossible because the war wouldn't even be occurring if that is the case. He refuses to divulge any more but Sunny deduces that owning a certain piece of the treasure must determine who the queen is - therefore one of the scavengers must have it and not one of the sisters. A messenger arrives because they are under attack. Sunny convinces Smolder not to lock her up again by agreeing to a guard. Sunny races to see what is going on and discovers the Outclaws are here to rescue her.
As the battle goes on Sunny sees Peril sneak in. Realizing she is probably there to free Scarlet she and her guard go to confront her. Peril tells Sunny that she cannot let the dragonets stop her. She tries to ask after Clay without making it obvious. Sunny tells her that Clay thinks about her, but privately she realizes probably not the way Peril wishes him to. Peril tells her that Ruby kicked her out of the SkyWing Kingdom, which is why she is here for Scarlet. Sunny has to break the news to her that Kestrel is dead. Sunny convinces Peril to put an end to the battle. Smolder surrenders gracefully. Thorn wishes to kill Addax but Sunny talks her out of it. Thorn then inquires after NightWing prisoners and Smolder tells her of a stuffed NightWing his sister has.
Everyone goes to the tower. Scarlet is cruel to Peril, but obeys her when Peril wants the stuffed NightWing body given to Thorn. It isn't who she is looking for, however. Smolder tells Thorn and Sunny that he has a paper with Thorn's name on it in the library. Peril stays behind (because she could accidentally set the library on fire) as he leads them on. Sunny asks why Thorn is trying to find the NightWing and Thorn admits it is because he is Sunny's father.
Thorn tells Sunny how she met Stonemover and how he is the animus who made the tunnel. She says one day he disappeared and Morrowseer arrived, telling her she would never see Stonemover again. Smolder brings then to the library where everyone starts sifting through the papers. A messenger arrives to tell Smolder someone is approaching. Smolder realizes it is his sister so he quickly locks Thorn and Sunny in the library (while apologizing) and leaves them.
So, not gonna lie, I really do like Smolder. I hope he gets declared king. I doubt that will happen, though. But I am convinced it won't be either of the sisters.
As for Peril, I am glad to see she is trying to change. But Scarlet is not the answer.
Smolder arrives earlier then planned to let Sunny out. He shows her the treasure rooms and asks her if she can solve how three tiny scavengers emptied the rooms without wagons. Sunny deduces someone else must have stolen the treasure while everyone was attending to Oasis. She suspects one of Oasis's daughters but Smolder tells her that would be impossible because the war wouldn't even be occurring if that is the case. He refuses to divulge any more but Sunny deduces that owning a certain piece of the treasure must determine who the queen is - therefore one of the scavengers must have it and not one of the sisters. A messenger arrives because they are under attack. Sunny convinces Smolder not to lock her up again by agreeing to a guard. Sunny races to see what is going on and discovers the Outclaws are here to rescue her.
As the battle goes on Sunny sees Peril sneak in. Realizing she is probably there to free Scarlet she and her guard go to confront her. Peril tells Sunny that she cannot let the dragonets stop her. She tries to ask after Clay without making it obvious. Sunny tells her that Clay thinks about her, but privately she realizes probably not the way Peril wishes him to. Peril tells her that Ruby kicked her out of the SkyWing Kingdom, which is why she is here for Scarlet. Sunny has to break the news to her that Kestrel is dead. Sunny convinces Peril to put an end to the battle. Smolder surrenders gracefully. Thorn wishes to kill Addax but Sunny talks her out of it. Thorn then inquires after NightWing prisoners and Smolder tells her of a stuffed NightWing his sister has.
Everyone goes to the tower. Scarlet is cruel to Peril, but obeys her when Peril wants the stuffed NightWing body given to Thorn. It isn't who she is looking for, however. Smolder tells Thorn and Sunny that he has a paper with Thorn's name on it in the library. Peril stays behind (because she could accidentally set the library on fire) as he leads them on. Sunny asks why Thorn is trying to find the NightWing and Thorn admits it is because he is Sunny's father.
Thorn tells Sunny how she met Stonemover and how he is the animus who made the tunnel. She says one day he disappeared and Morrowseer arrived, telling her she would never see Stonemover again. Smolder brings then to the library where everyone starts sifting through the papers. A messenger arrives to tell Smolder someone is approaching. Smolder realizes it is his sister so he quickly locks Thorn and Sunny in the library (while apologizing) and leaves them.
So, not gonna lie, I really do like Smolder. I hope he gets declared king. I doubt that will happen, though. But I am convinced it won't be either of the sisters.
As for Peril, I am glad to see she is trying to change. But Scarlet is not the answer.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
the brightest night: part two
Sunny spends time following the NightWings toward the SandWing kingdom. Along they way they pass by a burned out village. At first Sunny is confused by the size of the buildings, but then she realizes it is a scavenger village.
Sunny uses the mirror to discover the NightWings are going to go to the Scorpion Den and speak with the Outclaws. The NightWings are furious when the guard at the gate won't let them enter without paying. In the end he lets them pass, but only because of orders from Thorn. Afraid that the Outclaws will steal the mirror Sunny buries it then comes out of her hiding place - to find a guard waiting for her. Thorn wishes to see her as well. She follows the guard into Scorpion Den. She sees posters everywhere seeking information on Dune, Morrowseer, and another NightWing. Scorpion Den is a regular town only the Outclaws, instead of the queens, are in charge. The guard escorting her is named Six Claws and he tells her a little of their town. Another guard approaches them and appears to recognize Sunny, but says nothing. Six Claws takes her to Thorn's tent. She begs him not to let the NightWings see her. Thorn arrives and the NightWings try to negotiate with her, but she is uninterested. In the course of the argument (after discovering Morrowseer is dead) one of the NightWings attacks her and she kills him.
Sunny speaks up so Thorn won't attack the other NightWings. They, however, see an oppoyand sell Sunny out as one of the dragonets in the prophecy. Thorn inspects Sunny then asks the NightWings about a NightWing named Stonemover. All they can tell her is he went missing. Dissatisfied, Thorn orders them locked up. She then takes Sunny to private room where she admits that she has been looking for an egg, Sunny's age, of an unusual dragon and that Dune stole it. She tells Sunny that she is her mother.
Sunny is thrilled and she and Thorn get to know each other - but then a report comes of a dragonbite viper being spotted. Thorn goes to deal with it while Sunny takes a nap. She wakes up to find Six Claws. He goes to take her to her mother but they are stopped by the guard from earlier, Addax. He did recognize Sunny and he has Six Claws' daughter hostage. He wants Sunny so he can turn her in to Burn and go home. Sunny agrees.
Addax brings her to Burn's stronghold. Burn isn't there, but Smolder, Burn's rather nice brother, is. He allows Addax to come home and takes Sunny prisoner. Sunny is panicking but reminds herself to trust in the prophecy - despite a voice in the back of her head telling her it is all a lie. He brings her to a tower filled with oddities - and queen Scarlet.
I gotta say, I never figured Sunny's adventure to be a solo one. The others are all so convinced that she can't do anything on her own that I never saw her striking out on her own. I imagine they are tearing up the rainforest looking for her. Meanwhile she has thwarted a kidnapping, stole the obsidian mirror, met her mother, saved Six Claws's daughter, and now is a prisoner of Burn's. She is really getting around.
Meanwhile, Smolder seems nice. Too bad he can't be king. Maybe that is how the dragonets will solve everything - declare a king instead of a queen. That would be a nice change of pace.
Sunny uses the mirror to discover the NightWings are going to go to the Scorpion Den and speak with the Outclaws. The NightWings are furious when the guard at the gate won't let them enter without paying. In the end he lets them pass, but only because of orders from Thorn. Afraid that the Outclaws will steal the mirror Sunny buries it then comes out of her hiding place - to find a guard waiting for her. Thorn wishes to see her as well. She follows the guard into Scorpion Den. She sees posters everywhere seeking information on Dune, Morrowseer, and another NightWing. Scorpion Den is a regular town only the Outclaws, instead of the queens, are in charge. The guard escorting her is named Six Claws and he tells her a little of their town. Another guard approaches them and appears to recognize Sunny, but says nothing. Six Claws takes her to Thorn's tent. She begs him not to let the NightWings see her. Thorn arrives and the NightWings try to negotiate with her, but she is uninterested. In the course of the argument (after discovering Morrowseer is dead) one of the NightWings attacks her and she kills him.
Sunny speaks up so Thorn won't attack the other NightWings. They, however, see an oppoyand sell Sunny out as one of the dragonets in the prophecy. Thorn inspects Sunny then asks the NightWings about a NightWing named Stonemover. All they can tell her is he went missing. Dissatisfied, Thorn orders them locked up. She then takes Sunny to private room where she admits that she has been looking for an egg, Sunny's age, of an unusual dragon and that Dune stole it. She tells Sunny that she is her mother.
Sunny is thrilled and she and Thorn get to know each other - but then a report comes of a dragonbite viper being spotted. Thorn goes to deal with it while Sunny takes a nap. She wakes up to find Six Claws. He goes to take her to her mother but they are stopped by the guard from earlier, Addax. He did recognize Sunny and he has Six Claws' daughter hostage. He wants Sunny so he can turn her in to Burn and go home. Sunny agrees.
Addax brings her to Burn's stronghold. Burn isn't there, but Smolder, Burn's rather nice brother, is. He allows Addax to come home and takes Sunny prisoner. Sunny is panicking but reminds herself to trust in the prophecy - despite a voice in the back of her head telling her it is all a lie. He brings her to a tower filled with oddities - and queen Scarlet.
I gotta say, I never figured Sunny's adventure to be a solo one. The others are all so convinced that she can't do anything on her own that I never saw her striking out on her own. I imagine they are tearing up the rainforest looking for her. Meanwhile she has thwarted a kidnapping, stole the obsidian mirror, met her mother, saved Six Claws's daughter, and now is a prisoner of Burn's. She is really getting around.
Meanwhile, Smolder seems nice. Too bad he can't be king. Maybe that is how the dragonets will solve everything - declare a king instead of a queen. That would be a nice change of pace.
Monday, October 21, 2019
the brightest night: part one
Twenty years ago Oasis images she hears scavengers stealing her treasure. She races off towards her treasure rooms, running into Blaze and Blister. Oasis reflects on her daughters. Blister unsettles Oasis - she knows that this is the dragon who will kill her. Burn, the oldest, is bigger and stronger but Oasis actually gets along with her. Blaze is ditzy - an acceptable daughter but not a future queen. She tells her daughters she is just going to check on the treasure and leaves them. Blaze goes to bed but Blister follows her. Oasis is annoyed by this but decides to let her tag along. At the treasure room Oasis discovers some treasure missing - along with the Eye of Onyx. This news gets a reaction out of Blister but Oasis doesn't understand why. She tells Blister to go wake Burn so they can deal with the scavengers together. Blister asks why she cannot help her mother and Oasis cruelly dismisses her. Oasis follows the scavengers, wondering if Blister will really get Burn. She worries that there might be too many scavengers to handle on her own. She finds them and is relieved it is only three. She moves in to attack.
A panicked Sunny races away from Morrowseer. She leaves the tunnel and finds herself in the RainWing kingdom. Glory and Grandeur are speaking to the dragons, but all Sunny can think of is the prophecy and how it is all a lie. All her life she believed she was destined to fulfill this prophecy, and now it has been taken away from her. She feels Morrowseer must be lying - that is the only thing that makes sense - but she worries her friends will not believe her. As Sunny debates what to do there is a disturbance as some of the RainWings recognize Mastermind. As Glory debates what to do Clay and Fatespeaker burst through the tunnel with a badly wounded Starflight. Sunny moves towards her wounded friend but she is grabbed and taken into the rainforest.
Sunny is unable to break free so she waits to see what happens. When the dragons get far enough away from the tunnel they stop and discuss their options for holding Sunny hostage to get Fierceteeth made queen. They decide to use the obsidian mirror, which allows you to spy on dragons, to find out what is going on back in the RainWing kingdom. Only they discover that the prophecy is a fake. Suddenly they have a new plan, one that involves selling Sunny to one of the SandWing queens. As they argue over their plan Sunny sees an opportunity to escape and takes it.
The dragons chase after Sunny but she knows the rainforest better then them so she is able to elude capture. She listens to them give up and decide instead to sell the dragonet location to the queens. Sunny debates what to do - follow them or go back and get her friends. She decides her friends won't listen to her anyway and resolves to follow the dragons.
Sunny decides to steal the obsidian mirror away from the dragons. That night as they sleep she succeeds and leaves a message for them, warning them to go back. She then uses the mirror to check on Starflight then spy on Burn. But her spying on Burn is interrupted when the dragons wake up and arguing breaks out over the missing mirror and the message. But Fierceteeth insists they go on so Sunny follows them.
Okay, first of all, I bet anything Blister fid not go and wake Burn. I bet she instead followed her mother either to make sure the scavengers killed her or to do the job herself while pinning it on the scavengers. But what is so special about the Eye of Onyx that Blister would be unsettled over the scavengers taking it? Is this why Morrowseer had her looking through scavenger dens? Wait a minute... Or, did Blister herself steal the Eye of Onyx and she was unsettled because she knew when her mother found the scavengers the Eye of Onyx would not be there? While the theft of it would not point immediately to Blister it would cause problems - problems that Blister would not want which is why she would have to kill her mother. Just what is the Eye of Onyx anyway...?
And good on Sunny for striking out on her own. However I don't see how she is going to solve the prophecy problem when all three sisters are awful, not without becoming queen herself.
A panicked Sunny races away from Morrowseer. She leaves the tunnel and finds herself in the RainWing kingdom. Glory and Grandeur are speaking to the dragons, but all Sunny can think of is the prophecy and how it is all a lie. All her life she believed she was destined to fulfill this prophecy, and now it has been taken away from her. She feels Morrowseer must be lying - that is the only thing that makes sense - but she worries her friends will not believe her. As Sunny debates what to do there is a disturbance as some of the RainWings recognize Mastermind. As Glory debates what to do Clay and Fatespeaker burst through the tunnel with a badly wounded Starflight. Sunny moves towards her wounded friend but she is grabbed and taken into the rainforest.
Sunny is unable to break free so she waits to see what happens. When the dragons get far enough away from the tunnel they stop and discuss their options for holding Sunny hostage to get Fierceteeth made queen. They decide to use the obsidian mirror, which allows you to spy on dragons, to find out what is going on back in the RainWing kingdom. Only they discover that the prophecy is a fake. Suddenly they have a new plan, one that involves selling Sunny to one of the SandWing queens. As they argue over their plan Sunny sees an opportunity to escape and takes it.
The dragons chase after Sunny but she knows the rainforest better then them so she is able to elude capture. She listens to them give up and decide instead to sell the dragonet location to the queens. Sunny debates what to do - follow them or go back and get her friends. She decides her friends won't listen to her anyway and resolves to follow the dragons.
Sunny decides to steal the obsidian mirror away from the dragons. That night as they sleep she succeeds and leaves a message for them, warning them to go back. She then uses the mirror to check on Starflight then spy on Burn. But her spying on Burn is interrupted when the dragons wake up and arguing breaks out over the missing mirror and the message. But Fierceteeth insists they go on so Sunny follows them.
Okay, first of all, I bet anything Blister fid not go and wake Burn. I bet she instead followed her mother either to make sure the scavengers killed her or to do the job herself while pinning it on the scavengers. But what is so special about the Eye of Onyx that Blister would be unsettled over the scavengers taking it? Is this why Morrowseer had her looking through scavenger dens? Wait a minute... Or, did Blister herself steal the Eye of Onyx and she was unsettled because she knew when her mother found the scavengers the Eye of Onyx would not be there? While the theft of it would not point immediately to Blister it would cause problems - problems that Blister would not want which is why she would have to kill her mother. Just what is the Eye of Onyx anyway...?
And good on Sunny for striking out on her own. However I don't see how she is going to solve the prophecy problem when all three sisters are awful, not without becoming queen herself.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
buffy the vampire slayer: part thirteen
Here it is, the end of season 3! A year later, but hey - better late then never, right?
Let's start with Faith. She has quite a few moments in "Choices" alone. Her relationship with the mayor grows as he fills a much needed void in her life. She has nothing in her life that isn't Buffy based. No matter where she turns everything is about Buffy. All of her Watchers have either let her down or died - with the exception of Giles, but he is clearly Buffy's Watcher. All of her friends are Buffy's friends. Even her love interest (Angel) is Buffy's boyfriend. Faith will always be second best to Buffy in Buffy's world. And she knows this. The mayor fills that void by being strictly Faith's world - and I really do think he cares about her. But Willow's words to her definitely hurt. When she mocks Willow saying it isn't too late, Willow responds with it is and Faith knows it. The look on Faith's face says it all. She knows she has turned her back on her family, and despite her loyalty to and love for the mayor she isn't sure she is making the right choice. Later she even saves Wesley's life when the mayor's box is opened. She and the mayor could have let the demonic spider kill everyone and then leave, but instead she kills it, saving Wesley in the process.
We also see some serious Xander/Cordelia growth/healing. While those two will never make up and get back together they do start to bury the hatchet. While exchanging insults Xander discovers that the previously rich Cordelia is now financially destroyed and her father is in jail. Instead of kicking her while she is down, Xander lies to keep her secret and even pays off her prom dress that she can't afford. Cordelia and Wesley do finally have their moment where they kiss, but it is an awkward kiss and they quickly decide remaining friends is better. While this is the end of Cordelia's story in the Buffy story line (she goes to L.A. where she meets up with Angel) she gets closure with Xander and is firmly established as a part of Buffy's circle. While Cordelia might have started helping for selfish reasons, in the end she stayed and fought because it was the right thing to do.
As for Giles and Angel, they have had their ups and their downs. They quickly became friends, bonding over the shared goal of protecting Buffy, but Angel destroyed that friendship when he lost his soul. It took a long time for Giles to get over Jenny's death and he did not immediately welcome Angel back with open arms. However, Giles did start to let Angel back in, bonding once again over keeping Buffy safe. But when Faith poisons Angel and only a slayer's blood can save him, Buffy makes Angel drink from her, putting a damper on their relationship once again when Buffy is hospitalized for blood loss. Ultimately Giles does accept Angel as a close ally, but their relationship is always rocky.
Lastly we return to Faith - by looking at Buffy and Faith. Determined to drag Faith - alive or dead - to Angel so he can be cured, Buffy confronts her former friend. She even openly tells Faith she will kill her if she has to. Faith is shocked by this vehemence - and is even more shocked when Buffy actually stabs her in the gut. But ever determined to deny Buffy the chance to win a dying Faith gets away. Buffy returns to Angel, under the belief that she has killed her friend and accepting this no matter how much it hurt her. After they both wind up in the hospital (Faith in a coma from their fight, Buffy asleep from blood loss) they share a dream. In this dream Faith gives Buffy a cryptic message about her sister Dawn coming. She also tells Buffy how to bring down the mayor, telling Buffy that all of her possessions are hers and to take what she needs. Buffy wakes up with the knowledge that Faith is the key to undoing the mayor. In life all Faith and Buffy did was butt heads but when it comes down to it, Faith has her moments where she picks Buffy. When she killed Mr Trick is a perfect example. When she gives Buffy the means to undo the mayor, that is another. Despite their rocky relationship, despite all of Faith's betrayals, she still cares about Buffy - and Buffy still cares about Faith. Perhaps it is because when Faith looks at Buffy she sees what she could have been if someone had loved her - and when Buffy looks at Faith and sees what she would have been if no one had loved her.
Favorite episode? "Choices." Buffy and Angel realizing they will never make it - but refusing to voice it. Faith realizing just how much Willow's words hurt and just how much she misses her friends. This episode is aptly named as everyone has to face the consequences of their choices.
The episodes:
Synopsis - Buffy decides to be proactive and take the fight to the mayor by stealing a box he needs for his ascension. But Willow gets captured in the process and Buffy must trade the box back to save her best friend.
Synopsis - The prom arrives and everyone finds out that someone is planning to attack it with hell hounds. Angel breaks things off with Buffy.
Synopsis - Graduation day is arriving and Mayor Wilkins will be the guest speaker as his ascension occurs. Faith also tries to take out Angel with a painful poison and Buffy finds out Faith's blood is the cure.
Let's start with Faith. She has quite a few moments in "Choices" alone. Her relationship with the mayor grows as he fills a much needed void in her life. She has nothing in her life that isn't Buffy based. No matter where she turns everything is about Buffy. All of her Watchers have either let her down or died - with the exception of Giles, but he is clearly Buffy's Watcher. All of her friends are Buffy's friends. Even her love interest (Angel) is Buffy's boyfriend. Faith will always be second best to Buffy in Buffy's world. And she knows this. The mayor fills that void by being strictly Faith's world - and I really do think he cares about her. But Willow's words to her definitely hurt. When she mocks Willow saying it isn't too late, Willow responds with it is and Faith knows it. The look on Faith's face says it all. She knows she has turned her back on her family, and despite her loyalty to and love for the mayor she isn't sure she is making the right choice. Later she even saves Wesley's life when the mayor's box is opened. She and the mayor could have let the demonic spider kill everyone and then leave, but instead she kills it, saving Wesley in the process.
We also see some serious Xander/Cordelia growth/healing. While those two will never make up and get back together they do start to bury the hatchet. While exchanging insults Xander discovers that the previously rich Cordelia is now financially destroyed and her father is in jail. Instead of kicking her while she is down, Xander lies to keep her secret and even pays off her prom dress that she can't afford. Cordelia and Wesley do finally have their moment where they kiss, but it is an awkward kiss and they quickly decide remaining friends is better. While this is the end of Cordelia's story in the Buffy story line (she goes to L.A. where she meets up with Angel) she gets closure with Xander and is firmly established as a part of Buffy's circle. While Cordelia might have started helping for selfish reasons, in the end she stayed and fought because it was the right thing to do.
As for Giles and Angel, they have had their ups and their downs. They quickly became friends, bonding over the shared goal of protecting Buffy, but Angel destroyed that friendship when he lost his soul. It took a long time for Giles to get over Jenny's death and he did not immediately welcome Angel back with open arms. However, Giles did start to let Angel back in, bonding once again over keeping Buffy safe. But when Faith poisons Angel and only a slayer's blood can save him, Buffy makes Angel drink from her, putting a damper on their relationship once again when Buffy is hospitalized for blood loss. Ultimately Giles does accept Angel as a close ally, but their relationship is always rocky.
Lastly we return to Faith - by looking at Buffy and Faith. Determined to drag Faith - alive or dead - to Angel so he can be cured, Buffy confronts her former friend. She even openly tells Faith she will kill her if she has to. Faith is shocked by this vehemence - and is even more shocked when Buffy actually stabs her in the gut. But ever determined to deny Buffy the chance to win a dying Faith gets away. Buffy returns to Angel, under the belief that she has killed her friend and accepting this no matter how much it hurt her. After they both wind up in the hospital (Faith in a coma from their fight, Buffy asleep from blood loss) they share a dream. In this dream Faith gives Buffy a cryptic message about her sister Dawn coming. She also tells Buffy how to bring down the mayor, telling Buffy that all of her possessions are hers and to take what she needs. Buffy wakes up with the knowledge that Faith is the key to undoing the mayor. In life all Faith and Buffy did was butt heads but when it comes down to it, Faith has her moments where she picks Buffy. When she killed Mr Trick is a perfect example. When she gives Buffy the means to undo the mayor, that is another. Despite their rocky relationship, despite all of Faith's betrayals, she still cares about Buffy - and Buffy still cares about Faith. Perhaps it is because when Faith looks at Buffy she sees what she could have been if someone had loved her - and when Buffy looks at Faith and sees what she would have been if no one had loved her.
Favorite episode? "Choices." Buffy and Angel realizing they will never make it - but refusing to voice it. Faith realizing just how much Willow's words hurt and just how much she misses her friends. This episode is aptly named as everyone has to face the consequences of their choices.
The episodes:
Choices - Season 3, Episode 19
Synopsis - Buffy decides to be proactive and take the fight to the mayor by stealing a box he needs for his ascension. But Willow gets captured in the process and Buffy must trade the box back to save her best friend.
The Prom - Season 3, Episode 20
Synopsis - The prom arrives and everyone finds out that someone is planning to attack it with hell hounds. Angel breaks things off with Buffy.
Graduation Day (Parts 1 & 2) - Season 3, Episodes 21 & 22
Synopsis - Graduation day is arriving and Mayor Wilkins will be the guest speaker as his ascension occurs. Faith also tries to take out Angel with a painful poison and Buffy finds out Faith's blood is the cure.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
the dark secret: part six
Starflight, Fatespeaker, and Glory head to the hidden tunnel. The island suddenly seems unstable. They run into princess Greatness there, who tells them that every dragon is needed for the attack so they need to join the others. Glory, while invisible, speaks up saying that they are going to talk to the queen now. Terrified, Greatness leads the dragonets to Battlewinner. Starflight grabs the map tapestry on the way. They find Battlewinner arguing with Mastermind. He has special armor for her, armor that will completely encase her and be filled with lava, but he insists it will not work. Everyone interrupts this meeting so Glory can deliver her demands - mainly that the NightWings leave the RainWings alone and stop trying to interfere with the prophecy. She also informs Battlewinner that they have already freed the prisoners. Battlewinner refuses Glory's terms and says she will kill her. Greatness is desperate to find a new home for their people and Mastermind is confused as to why they can't take the rainforest away. Starflight has an idea. He tells Glory she should allow the NightWings to move into the rainforest so long as they accept her as their queen. Battlewinner is furious with this idea - and even more furious that Greatness is considering it. Battlewinner refuses the offer but Starflight points out that she doesn't have any say because she is going to die. To prove him wrong Battlewinner leaves her lava cauldron, but she rapidly starts to turn to ice and dies.
The volcano about to erupt, everyone races away. Glory and Starflight head for the dungeon (Starflight getting the key location from Greatness) and Fatespeaker and Greatness head to the NightWings to tell them of their new home. They break Deathbringer and Splendor out of the dungeon and race away. They reach the tunnel to see the RainWings guarding it to prevent the NightWings from entering.
Starflight tells the dragons of Battlewinner's death and Glory's acceptance of them so long as they swear to her. The dragons are shocked but Greatness backs him up. The NightWings race through the tunnel, swearing loyalty to queen Glory. Mastermind asks Starflight what he should do. Starflight tells him he should ask Glory for forgiveness and accept any punishment she hands down. Mastermind agrees and leaves with the fleeing NightWings - and the map tapestry that Starflight gives him. Everyone gets through and Starflight, Tsunami, Clay, and Sunny are left facing Morrowseer. Morrowseer is furious and believes that the NightWings will betray the RainWings. He then reveals that the entire prophecy is a lie that he made up.
Morrowseer proceeds to tell them how he and Battlewinner made up the prophecy after they realized they needed to move. Starflight thinks about the words in the prophecy and realizes it can also be all about the NightWings finding a new home. Sunny is devastated by this news. Tsunami tries to comfort her by pointing out they can all live their lives now but that just makes it worse because Sunny deeply believes in the prophecy and wishes to make it come true. She takes off down the tunnel, crying. Morrowseer moves to follow her but Starflight stops him, telling him he is unwanted. Tsunami and Clay back him up. Morrowseer can't believe they will actually stop him. Fatespeaker makes her presence known by saying she will help her friends. But before Morrowseer can attack the volcano explodes. Fatespeaker runs and Starflight shoves Tsunami into the tunnel. He sees the lava swallow Morrowseer and gets hit by it himself. Then Clay picks him up and carries him away. Starflight is badly wounded and feels when they exit the tunnel. He feels Sunny pressing up against him but is confused when he hears Fatespeaker's voice instead. Someone knocks him out with a sleeping dart and he sleeps.
Blaze and Glaicer meet to discuss the dragonets. Glacier decides she needs to meet them - and possibly kill them. Blister is at yet another scavenger den at Morrowseer's insistence and she doesn't understand why. Nautilus and Squid arrive for their meeting with Morrowseer. Blister is furious that she appears to be losing allies and she can never find Morrowseer when she needs him - he completely controls their relationship. Blister blames the dragonets for Morrowseer missing their meeting and swears revenge on them. Burn gets an update from her brother, Smolder. She is frustrated with her new ally, Ruby, who seems more worried about the SkyWing kingdom then Burn's war. Burn wishes to kill someone. Smolder suggests their prisoner, Scarlet, but Burn says she intends to do away with the dragonets and the prophecy.
Now that I know Morrowseer staged the entire prophecy it all makes so much more sense. Poor Sunny. This news really devastated her.
I do wonder why Morrowseer is sending Blister around to scavenger dens - is it to find the queen's treasure? And if so, why? That won't really help Blister gain the throne. Not unless there is something in the treasure that we don't know about. At least he is dead now. That is one good thing about all of this.
I wonder how badly Starflight was hurt. And I still have a feeling Sunny will end up queen.
The volcano about to erupt, everyone races away. Glory and Starflight head for the dungeon (Starflight getting the key location from Greatness) and Fatespeaker and Greatness head to the NightWings to tell them of their new home. They break Deathbringer and Splendor out of the dungeon and race away. They reach the tunnel to see the RainWings guarding it to prevent the NightWings from entering.
Starflight tells the dragons of Battlewinner's death and Glory's acceptance of them so long as they swear to her. The dragons are shocked but Greatness backs him up. The NightWings race through the tunnel, swearing loyalty to queen Glory. Mastermind asks Starflight what he should do. Starflight tells him he should ask Glory for forgiveness and accept any punishment she hands down. Mastermind agrees and leaves with the fleeing NightWings - and the map tapestry that Starflight gives him. Everyone gets through and Starflight, Tsunami, Clay, and Sunny are left facing Morrowseer. Morrowseer is furious and believes that the NightWings will betray the RainWings. He then reveals that the entire prophecy is a lie that he made up.
Morrowseer proceeds to tell them how he and Battlewinner made up the prophecy after they realized they needed to move. Starflight thinks about the words in the prophecy and realizes it can also be all about the NightWings finding a new home. Sunny is devastated by this news. Tsunami tries to comfort her by pointing out they can all live their lives now but that just makes it worse because Sunny deeply believes in the prophecy and wishes to make it come true. She takes off down the tunnel, crying. Morrowseer moves to follow her but Starflight stops him, telling him he is unwanted. Tsunami and Clay back him up. Morrowseer can't believe they will actually stop him. Fatespeaker makes her presence known by saying she will help her friends. But before Morrowseer can attack the volcano explodes. Fatespeaker runs and Starflight shoves Tsunami into the tunnel. He sees the lava swallow Morrowseer and gets hit by it himself. Then Clay picks him up and carries him away. Starflight is badly wounded and feels when they exit the tunnel. He feels Sunny pressing up against him but is confused when he hears Fatespeaker's voice instead. Someone knocks him out with a sleeping dart and he sleeps.
Blaze and Glaicer meet to discuss the dragonets. Glacier decides she needs to meet them - and possibly kill them. Blister is at yet another scavenger den at Morrowseer's insistence and she doesn't understand why. Nautilus and Squid arrive for their meeting with Morrowseer. Blister is furious that she appears to be losing allies and she can never find Morrowseer when she needs him - he completely controls their relationship. Blister blames the dragonets for Morrowseer missing their meeting and swears revenge on them. Burn gets an update from her brother, Smolder. She is frustrated with her new ally, Ruby, who seems more worried about the SkyWing kingdom then Burn's war. Burn wishes to kill someone. Smolder suggests their prisoner, Scarlet, but Burn says she intends to do away with the dragonets and the prophecy.
Now that I know Morrowseer staged the entire prophecy it all makes so much more sense. Poor Sunny. This news really devastated her.
I do wonder why Morrowseer is sending Blister around to scavenger dens - is it to find the queen's treasure? And if so, why? That won't really help Blister gain the throne. Not unless there is something in the treasure that we don't know about. At least he is dead now. That is one good thing about all of this.
I wonder how badly Starflight was hurt. And I still have a feeling Sunny will end up queen.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
a character exits: mister trick
I debated giving Mr Trick an entry since he really does not have much screen time. He might be a high ranking minion, but end of the day he is just a minion - and with very little screen time. But if Buffy's ex-boyfriend can get a post so can Mr Trick.
Not much is known about Mr. Trick. He arrives in town with his boss Kakistos, who is an ancient vampire. Kakistos is there to hunt down Faith, which upsets Faith since Kakistos is the cause of her Watchers death. Mr. Trick prefers the modern world, while Kakistos doesn't. Mr. Trick also doesn't care for Kakistos's desire to psychologically torture his victims, drawing out their pain before their death. Ultimately, these things do cause some conflict and eventually Mr. Trick abandons Kakistos to Faith and Buffy.
Mr. Trick turns up later hosting "Slayer Fest '98." The idea was to have people compete to kill Buffy and Faith, only it was Buffy and Cordelia - and Buffy put a stop to it. During the Slayer Fest the police arrest him an bring him to the mayor. This leads to Mr. Trick working for the mayor, leading the mayor's vampire minions.
Ultimately Mr. Trick was killed by Faith. He tries to take out Buffy and Faith - who are in the middle of a massive falling out over Faith accidentally killing the deputy mayor. He is in the verge of taking Buffy out for good when Faith stakes him from behind. Both Buffy and Faith seem almost surprised by her decision and Faith goes on to fill Mr. Trick's position for the mayor.
Mr. Trick only appeared in five episodes, and while he was incredibly efficient and resourceful, he is never really elaborated on beyond that. However, despite this, his character is almost pivotal in Faith's development as a character. Abandoning Kakistos causes Faith to face her fears and kill the vampire that has tormented her - while allowing her to grow closer to Buffy and her friends. While he screwed up in targeting her for the Slayer Fest, Faith shows her loyalty to Buffy in that episode by destroying Scott's date. Even Mr. Trick's death is all about Faith. Faith could have let him kill Buffy - Buffy even feared that Faith would follow that path and Faith herself considered it - but instead she steps up and saves her estranged friend. She promptly turns to the mayor and takes Mr. Trick's job. Mr. Trick's entire story line is, indirectly, all about Faith. His every action causes her to react, helping to shape her into the person she ultimately becomes. When Faith kills Mr. Trick and leaves Buffy's side for the mayor's she still cares about Buffy and that is important. He was a minor player overall - high ranking minion or not - and he doesn't have much of a story line at all. But end of the day. his entire story (small as it is) is all about Faith.
Mr. Trick turns up later hosting "Slayer Fest '98." The idea was to have people compete to kill Buffy and Faith, only it was Buffy and Cordelia - and Buffy put a stop to it. During the Slayer Fest the police arrest him an bring him to the mayor. This leads to Mr. Trick working for the mayor, leading the mayor's vampire minions.
Ultimately Mr. Trick was killed by Faith. He tries to take out Buffy and Faith - who are in the middle of a massive falling out over Faith accidentally killing the deputy mayor. He is in the verge of taking Buffy out for good when Faith stakes him from behind. Both Buffy and Faith seem almost surprised by her decision and Faith goes on to fill Mr. Trick's position for the mayor.
Mr. Trick only appeared in five episodes, and while he was incredibly efficient and resourceful, he is never really elaborated on beyond that. However, despite this, his character is almost pivotal in Faith's development as a character. Abandoning Kakistos causes Faith to face her fears and kill the vampire that has tormented her - while allowing her to grow closer to Buffy and her friends. While he screwed up in targeting her for the Slayer Fest, Faith shows her loyalty to Buffy in that episode by destroying Scott's date. Even Mr. Trick's death is all about Faith. Faith could have let him kill Buffy - Buffy even feared that Faith would follow that path and Faith herself considered it - but instead she steps up and saves her estranged friend. She promptly turns to the mayor and takes Mr. Trick's job. Mr. Trick's entire story line is, indirectly, all about Faith. His every action causes her to react, helping to shape her into the person she ultimately becomes. When Faith kills Mr. Trick and leaves Buffy's side for the mayor's she still cares about Buffy and that is important. He was a minor player overall - high ranking minion or not - and he doesn't have much of a story line at all. But end of the day. his entire story (small as it is) is all about Faith.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
the dark secret: part five
Mastermind has been tasked by the queen to find a cure for Flame. He is annoyed with this since he needs to make the venom proof helmets for the attack in two days. As they talk Starflight realizes just how much his father doesn't know about the venom. He realizes that by keeping themselves separate the NightWings might be incredibly smart and mysterious but they are lacking basic knowledge. Mastermind wonders if they should ask Blister for information on curing Flame, but he knows that knowledge will have a high price. Starflight debates whether or not he should tell Mastermind the cure. Just as he decides to guards show up to bring Mastermind to the council chambers - capturing Tsunami was a failure. Starflight decides to follow and hopes no one notices him. When they reach the chambers everyone is arguing over when they should attack. Eventually Greatness speaks. The attack will happen that night.
Starflight dashes back to his room but finds the dreamvisitor missing. Panicking, he confides everything in Fatespeaker, who decided they need to act now. They debate how to get through the tunnel to the RainWings when an idea strikes Starflight. They go find Flame, convince him to leave, and head to the tunnel.
The three of them head to the tunnel where they convince the guards that Battlewinner sent them because Flame is about to die if they don't get him the cure. The guards let them through and they make it to the rainforest. Flame is taken to the medical dragons and Starflight makes his report to Glory. Sunny arrives.
Starflight is thrilled to see Sunny, but Fatespeaker is hostile. However, as they talk they quickly become friends. Glory finds the whole situation amusing but Starflight finds it uncomfortable - but he doesn't understand why. Everyone meets up to discuss possible battle attacks but neither Glory or Grandeur think the RainWings will use their venom as a weapon, even in self defense. Sunny has an idea but everyone keeps talking over her. She whispers it to Clay who loudly announces her idea to use the sleeping darts. Everyone loves her idea and a plan quickly takes form.
Starflight confesses his love to Sunny but she is unsure what to say or do. Starflight tells her that is okay then he leaves with the attack force which consists of RainWings, himself, and Fatespeaker. In the NightWing kingdom the invisible RainWings knock out everyone they see and rescue all the prisoners (except for Deathbringer and Splendor who are kept in another area). Glory then takes Starflight with her to confront queen Battlewinner.
I have to say I feel foolish. Sleeping darts never even occurred to me! Even after Glory tried to convince herself that they were a secret war weapon in the previous book! Sometimes Sunny has the best (non violent) ideas.
As for the Starflight/Fatespeaker/Sunny love triangle... I think it is pretty obvious that Fatespeaker is in love with Starflight and Sunny is not. I also think now that Starflight has finally confessed his love to Sunny he isn't in love with her anymore. I wonder when he will realize it is Fatespeaker he actually has feelings for? I suspect, however, that Glory might have figured all of this out.
Starflight dashes back to his room but finds the dreamvisitor missing. Panicking, he confides everything in Fatespeaker, who decided they need to act now. They debate how to get through the tunnel to the RainWings when an idea strikes Starflight. They go find Flame, convince him to leave, and head to the tunnel.
The three of them head to the tunnel where they convince the guards that Battlewinner sent them because Flame is about to die if they don't get him the cure. The guards let them through and they make it to the rainforest. Flame is taken to the medical dragons and Starflight makes his report to Glory. Sunny arrives.
Starflight is thrilled to see Sunny, but Fatespeaker is hostile. However, as they talk they quickly become friends. Glory finds the whole situation amusing but Starflight finds it uncomfortable - but he doesn't understand why. Everyone meets up to discuss possible battle attacks but neither Glory or Grandeur think the RainWings will use their venom as a weapon, even in self defense. Sunny has an idea but everyone keeps talking over her. She whispers it to Clay who loudly announces her idea to use the sleeping darts. Everyone loves her idea and a plan quickly takes form.
Starflight confesses his love to Sunny but she is unsure what to say or do. Starflight tells her that is okay then he leaves with the attack force which consists of RainWings, himself, and Fatespeaker. In the NightWing kingdom the invisible RainWings knock out everyone they see and rescue all the prisoners (except for Deathbringer and Splendor who are kept in another area). Glory then takes Starflight with her to confront queen Battlewinner.
I have to say I feel foolish. Sleeping darts never even occurred to me! Even after Glory tried to convince herself that they were a secret war weapon in the previous book! Sometimes Sunny has the best (non violent) ideas.
As for the Starflight/Fatespeaker/Sunny love triangle... I think it is pretty obvious that Fatespeaker is in love with Starflight and Sunny is not. I also think now that Starflight has finally confessed his love to Sunny he isn't in love with her anymore. I wonder when he will realize it is Fatespeaker he actually has feelings for? I suspect, however, that Glory might have figured all of this out.
Friday, October 11, 2019
the dark secret: part four
As Starflight and Fatespeaker work their way to the throne room to seek out the queen, they stop by the library. Starflight is thrilled by the wealth of knowledge but Fatespeaker won't let him get distracted. They reach the throne room and Fatespeaker speaks to the holes in the wall, but she gets no response. Frustrated, she decides they need to seek out the queen - especially after they hear a noise from behind the wall. Searching the surrounding area they find an empty room with a tapestry map on the wall. Starflight notices that scavenger dens are marked off on it and he wonders why. Fatespeaker discovers a tunnel behind the map and they follow it. It leads into a room that over looks the council room, the throne room, and a third room. There is also a cauldron of lava in the room - but no queen. Starflight begins to suspect there is no queen until someone rises from the lava.
Starflight speaks to the queen - though she makes him figure things out for himself because she can barely speak. But he realizes she was badly wounded by an IceWing and lives in the lava to combat the freezing damage. After talking she sends them away but Fatespeaker tries to convince her that Morrowseer needs to be stopped. But Battlewinner won't hear anything against Morrowseer because saving the tribe comes first. She returns to the lava.
Starflight and Fatespeaker return to their room. Starflight is desperate to go to sleep and warn someone that Tsunami will soon be attacked. He moves through everyone's dreams but they either don't realize he is there or think he is just a part of their dreams - until he reaches Glory because she realizes he has a dreamvisitor. At first he worries about betraying the NightWings as he tells Glory everything but he soon realizes she and their friends are his tribe, not the NightWings. He wakes up in his bed, worried that someone was spying on him. He hides the dreamvisitor and goes to sleep.
The next morning Morrowseer decides on battle training. He has Flame and Ochre fight until Ochre is too wounded. He pits Fatespeaker against Flame next, and Viper begs to be allowed to join the fight and kill Fatespeaker. Morrowseer allows it. Starflight argues against it, feeling two dragons against Fatespeaker is unfair. Morrowseer taunts him, telling him to help Fatespeaker then. Starflight joins the fight, pushing Viper away from Fatespeaker just as she is about to stab her. Instead, Viper's barb slashes across Flame's face. In pain, Flame pushes Viper away accidentally knocking her into the lava. Morrowseer immediately worries about Flame. Starflight and Fatespeaker worry about Viper. Starflight begs Ochre to save Viper since his scales are heat resistant but Ochre refuses. As they argue Ochre tells Starflight that he might not have heat resistant scales. Starflight realizes that the alternate dragonets are not real, they are fake. Viper dies.
Morrowseer is furious Flame is hurt and might die. Starflight confronts him for tinkering with the prophecy but Morrowseer brushes him off then plays on Starflight's worst fears by telling him how worthless he is. Morrowseer takes off with Flame, muttering about how he now needs Sunny as well as Tsunami. The remaining dragonets return to their room. Fatespeaker is devastated by what happened and Starflight tries to comfort her. She finds solace in Starflight's normalcy since that means he isn't anything like the other NightWings. He tells her maybe they are better because they were raised outside of the NightWing tribe. He thinks of his friends and realizes he knows no one else like them - except for Fatespeaker. She sleeps and Mastermind shows up to take Starflight to the library and talk.
Two things. One, I'm glad Morrowseer's meddling is backfiring so badly. Only two of the alternates are remaining - and Morrowseer (for reasons I don't understand) clearly prefers Starflight. Soon he will only have the original dragonets. Two, I think Starflight is beginning to fall in love with Fatespeaker - but I don't think he realizes this.
Starflight speaks to the queen - though she makes him figure things out for himself because she can barely speak. But he realizes she was badly wounded by an IceWing and lives in the lava to combat the freezing damage. After talking she sends them away but Fatespeaker tries to convince her that Morrowseer needs to be stopped. But Battlewinner won't hear anything against Morrowseer because saving the tribe comes first. She returns to the lava.
Starflight and Fatespeaker return to their room. Starflight is desperate to go to sleep and warn someone that Tsunami will soon be attacked. He moves through everyone's dreams but they either don't realize he is there or think he is just a part of their dreams - until he reaches Glory because she realizes he has a dreamvisitor. At first he worries about betraying the NightWings as he tells Glory everything but he soon realizes she and their friends are his tribe, not the NightWings. He wakes up in his bed, worried that someone was spying on him. He hides the dreamvisitor and goes to sleep.
The next morning Morrowseer decides on battle training. He has Flame and Ochre fight until Ochre is too wounded. He pits Fatespeaker against Flame next, and Viper begs to be allowed to join the fight and kill Fatespeaker. Morrowseer allows it. Starflight argues against it, feeling two dragons against Fatespeaker is unfair. Morrowseer taunts him, telling him to help Fatespeaker then. Starflight joins the fight, pushing Viper away from Fatespeaker just as she is about to stab her. Instead, Viper's barb slashes across Flame's face. In pain, Flame pushes Viper away accidentally knocking her into the lava. Morrowseer immediately worries about Flame. Starflight and Fatespeaker worry about Viper. Starflight begs Ochre to save Viper since his scales are heat resistant but Ochre refuses. As they argue Ochre tells Starflight that he might not have heat resistant scales. Starflight realizes that the alternate dragonets are not real, they are fake. Viper dies.
Morrowseer is furious Flame is hurt and might die. Starflight confronts him for tinkering with the prophecy but Morrowseer brushes him off then plays on Starflight's worst fears by telling him how worthless he is. Morrowseer takes off with Flame, muttering about how he now needs Sunny as well as Tsunami. The remaining dragonets return to their room. Fatespeaker is devastated by what happened and Starflight tries to comfort her. She finds solace in Starflight's normalcy since that means he isn't anything like the other NightWings. He tells her maybe they are better because they were raised outside of the NightWing tribe. He thinks of his friends and realizes he knows no one else like them - except for Fatespeaker. She sleeps and Mastermind shows up to take Starflight to the library and talk.
Two things. One, I'm glad Morrowseer's meddling is backfiring so badly. Only two of the alternates are remaining - and Morrowseer (for reasons I don't understand) clearly prefers Starflight. Soon he will only have the original dragonets. Two, I think Starflight is beginning to fall in love with Fatespeaker - but I don't think he realizes this.
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
warriors: omen of the stars
I have to mention that this series was just as clear cut as the first. The entire story arc dealt with one theme consistently as opposed to having two separate themes ("The New Prophecy") or having a theme that set up the next (this) series with the secondary theme suddenly taking over ("Power of Three").
This series also felt like a finale in many ways. Tigerstar, Hawkfrost, Brokenstar, and Darkstripe tried to make a comeback and were thoroughly defeated. Firestar became the fourth cat in the prophecy and gave up his life in the fight against the Dark Forest. The story ends with the next two generations (Brambleclaw's as well as his adopted children) taking over. One generation has ended and it is time for the heirs of Firestar and Tigerstar to step up and lead into the future.
I also really enjoyed the Dark Forest as the antagonist. It was very different then all the previous villains. Instead of having one or two cats seeking to conquer and destroy, all the cats that once felt this way - or, who had felt slighted and betrayed over the years - received a chance to step forward and get their revenge. It was an apocalyptic feel. The ultimate, epic battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil.
It was also a nice touch to have Hollyleaf find her redemption. And I was very happy to find out that Ashfur was safe with StarClan.
Now, I have no idea where the story line goes next. After all, I have not read series six. But while I imagine Firestar will make the occasional appearance (like Bluestar), the focus should be on his heirs (both by blood and by mentorship).
With all of this said, thus far this is my second favorite series.
Warriors: Omen of the Stars
Monday, October 7, 2019
the dark secret: part three
Since there is nothing there, Starflight and Fatespeaker leave. On the way out Starflight sees a dream visitor and snatches it. They head back to their beds and Starflight tries to visit his friends dreams. He fails but manages to visit Kinkajou - but she is having a nightmare. Watching Kinkajou sleep, he sees an older RainWing watching her (probably Grandeur) and Sunny and Tsunami arrive. He is unable to talk to them, but as he listens to them he discovers Glory thinks he might have betrayed them and Tsunami is having a hard time making the RainWings battle ready. Kinkajou wakes up and Starflight is expelled from the scene before him. Depressed, he goes to sleep.
Morrowseer angrily wakes up the dragonets. He leads them to the coast, warns Starflight not to try anything, and leads them away from the NightWing kingdom. Squid complains about the lack of food, causing Starflight to explain how long dragons can go without eating. The other dragonets quickly decide they dislike Starflight as much as Fatespeaker. They rest on an island at the halfway point, then reach the SkyWing kingdom. Starflight is upset to realize this means he cannot escape. There is a remote outpost and Morrowseer orders the dragonets to convince the SkyWings inside to switch their support to Blister. He keeps Fatespeaker with him, sending Starflight in her place. The dragonets are upset with their orders, feeling it is an impossible task and that they will probably be killed, but they go.
The rest of the dragonets are fine with bursting in, but Starflight is able to convince them to be smart about this. Inside the outpost the SkyWings do talk to them. Most of them are weary of the war and want it over and have their hopes placed on the dragonets. Flame takes over and tries to tell them to support Blister, which causes an uproar. Some are suspicious of the group before them - especially because of the presence of Squid when they have heard about Tsunami. Starflight quickly takes over and explains Tsunami's absence and Squid's presence. He calms the dragons down and tells them that neither Blister or Burn is the right answer, but that the dragonets are figuring it out. The SkyWings decide to take the dragonets back to the palace for queen Ruby to deal with. Starflight panics, not wanting to get taken prisoner again, when a bunch of NightWings burst into the room.
The NightWings kill the SkyWings. Starflight begs Morrowseer to stop them but it is too late. Squid angrily complains that the NightWings almost killed him and declares he quits. Morrowseer hates Squid and is fine with this. He feels that Tsunami, as much as he dislikes her, is the better candidate. He tells Squid to feel free to leave. Squid realizes he is just a child and deep in enemy territory. He wants to return to the NightWing kingdom but Morrowseer forbids it. Fatespeaker begs her so called friends for help in saving Squid but none of them will do it. Starflight comforts Fatespeaker as Squid leaves, probably to his death, and Morrowseer warns Starflight that he is running out of chances to prove his worth. Everyone returns and Morrowseer sends the dragonets off to their room. Fatespeaker tells Starflight that she has a plan to speak with the queen to stop Morrowseer.
Starflight dreams of Clay and empty scrolls that should hold all the answers he needs. Fatespeaker wakes him because Flame has snuck out of their room. They follow Flame, who is upset to discover them but he lets them tag along. He goes to the dungeon to speak with Deathbringer, wanting to know how to become an assassin. Deathbringer warns him that he cannot develop feelings for his targets and he must believe in his task completely - though he admits that sometimes it is best to question orders instead of blindly following them. Flame leaves and Starflight assures Deathbringer that everyone is doing okay. Fatespeaker tells Deathbringer of her plan to find the queen. He is opposed to her plan but he does give her what little information he can.
Morrowseer really is evil. I can't believe he killed those SkyWings just so they couldn't talk about the alternate dragonets. He really does have no regard for anyone else's life. However, these alternate dragonets really aren't good people either. None of them, except for Fatespeaker, stood up for Squid.
Morrowseer angrily wakes up the dragonets. He leads them to the coast, warns Starflight not to try anything, and leads them away from the NightWing kingdom. Squid complains about the lack of food, causing Starflight to explain how long dragons can go without eating. The other dragonets quickly decide they dislike Starflight as much as Fatespeaker. They rest on an island at the halfway point, then reach the SkyWing kingdom. Starflight is upset to realize this means he cannot escape. There is a remote outpost and Morrowseer orders the dragonets to convince the SkyWings inside to switch their support to Blister. He keeps Fatespeaker with him, sending Starflight in her place. The dragonets are upset with their orders, feeling it is an impossible task and that they will probably be killed, but they go.
The rest of the dragonets are fine with bursting in, but Starflight is able to convince them to be smart about this. Inside the outpost the SkyWings do talk to them. Most of them are weary of the war and want it over and have their hopes placed on the dragonets. Flame takes over and tries to tell them to support Blister, which causes an uproar. Some are suspicious of the group before them - especially because of the presence of Squid when they have heard about Tsunami. Starflight quickly takes over and explains Tsunami's absence and Squid's presence. He calms the dragons down and tells them that neither Blister or Burn is the right answer, but that the dragonets are figuring it out. The SkyWings decide to take the dragonets back to the palace for queen Ruby to deal with. Starflight panics, not wanting to get taken prisoner again, when a bunch of NightWings burst into the room.
The NightWings kill the SkyWings. Starflight begs Morrowseer to stop them but it is too late. Squid angrily complains that the NightWings almost killed him and declares he quits. Morrowseer hates Squid and is fine with this. He feels that Tsunami, as much as he dislikes her, is the better candidate. He tells Squid to feel free to leave. Squid realizes he is just a child and deep in enemy territory. He wants to return to the NightWing kingdom but Morrowseer forbids it. Fatespeaker begs her so called friends for help in saving Squid but none of them will do it. Starflight comforts Fatespeaker as Squid leaves, probably to his death, and Morrowseer warns Starflight that he is running out of chances to prove his worth. Everyone returns and Morrowseer sends the dragonets off to their room. Fatespeaker tells Starflight that she has a plan to speak with the queen to stop Morrowseer.
Starflight dreams of Clay and empty scrolls that should hold all the answers he needs. Fatespeaker wakes him because Flame has snuck out of their room. They follow Flame, who is upset to discover them but he lets them tag along. He goes to the dungeon to speak with Deathbringer, wanting to know how to become an assassin. Deathbringer warns him that he cannot develop feelings for his targets and he must believe in his task completely - though he admits that sometimes it is best to question orders instead of blindly following them. Flame leaves and Starflight assures Deathbringer that everyone is doing okay. Fatespeaker tells Deathbringer of her plan to find the queen. He is opposed to her plan but he does give her what little information he can.
Morrowseer really is evil. I can't believe he killed those SkyWings just so they couldn't talk about the alternate dragonets. He really does have no regard for anyone else's life. However, these alternate dragonets really aren't good people either. None of them, except for Fatespeaker, stood up for Squid.
Saturday, October 5, 2019
the dark secret: part two
Mastermind works in a lab and is delighted that Starflight is his son. He excitedly shows Starflight around, with Fatespeaker following. At first Starflight is thrilled to meet his father, thrilled that his father wants him, and thrilled that they are so alike. But then Mastermind tells him about the RainWing prisoners and his experiments on them. Starflight is horrified, and accidentally gives away information on RainWing venom by mentioning seeing it firsthand kill dragons. Mastermind is thrilled by this new information. He then shows the dragonets the RainWing that he is currently torturing.
Starflight is horrified. Fatespeaker, too, is appalled. She insists Starflight get the dragon water. He does, asking her her name. He discovers that she is Orchid. Eager to give her hope, he tells her that Mangrove is coming to rescue her. Orchid is thrilled, turning a pink color, and he realizes he said too much in front of Fatespeaker. When Mastermind sees Orchid pink he asks how Starflight did that. Fatespeaker lies for him, saying that Orchid is just grateful for the water. Strongwings arrives to take Orchid away, and Mastermind talks to Starflight about the need for venom resistant armor. Mastermind ushers them out so he can return to work. Starflight confesses to Fatespeaker that he too is a dragonet of the prophecy. Morrowseer arrives and they ask how they can both be in the prophecy. Morrowseer responds that prophecies are tricky and they are unsure which is the correct dragonet. Starflight points out that he can't do the correct thing if he doesn't know the plan. This causes Morrowseer to think, but in the end he decides that the dragonets cannot be trusted. As Morrowseer leads them away Starflight realizes he does know the plan - or at least part of it. The NightWings intend to take the rainforest from the RainWings and Blister will help them.
Morrowseer takes Starflight and Fatespeaker to the other alternate dragonets of destiny - Flame, Viper, Ochre, and Squid. Starflight is upset to learn they have a real SkyWing. Starflight realizes that Deathbringer was there for all of them but Morrowseer corrects him. He tells Starflight that Deathbringer was there to eliminate Glory then Tsunami - the rest of the dragonets still being "negotiable." Starflight quickly realizes these other dragonets are not very nice - and they clearly hate Fatespeaker, though she thinks they are all friends. Morrowseer orders the alternate dragonets to kill Starflight. They wish to kill Fatespeaker instead, but they do as they are told. Starflight, meanwhile, is told to stay alive - so he runs.
Starflight knows he has to lose the alternate dragonets and fast. He goes to where the RainWings are being kept, startling the guard. He tells the guard that he is there to observe the RainWings for a school project and the guard accepts that. When Flame and Viper follow him in the guard thinks they are under attack and calls for help. In the commotion, Starflight hides in a dark tunnel. Fatespeaker seeks him out. She hangs out in a RainWing cell and talks into the tunnel to coax Starflight out. She succeeds and they return to Morrowseer. Morrowseer tells Starflight that he did good, but he implies that Starflight succeeded accidentally. Flame and Viper have been arrested and Morrowseer needs ro figure out how to get them back. He takes all the dragonets back to the room Starflight woke up in. Exhausted and missing his friends, Starflight goes to sleep wishing he had a way to tell them everything he has discovered.
Starflight dreams of a memory, of him and Sunny looking over a new scroll Webs got him. The scroll theorizes who the dragonets of destiny are. Starflight is skipping around, reading sections, looking for clues when Kestrel shows up and destroys the scroll. Fatespeaker wakes him up. She is unable to sleep and wants to explore. Starflight goes with her and she leads him to the lava destroyed section of the fortress. They enter one of the tunnels to explore and as they talk Starflight discovers that Fatespeaker knows nothing about the animus made tunnels and that she flew to the island. They enter an abandoned room and find two dead dragons.
Well, in the parent department Starflight is doing about as good as Tsunami. Their parents are cruel and manipulative, but their parents do love them and are very tame by dragon standards. However I think Glory has them beat. Even though she doesn't know who her parents are she does have the former queen, who surrendered her throne to Glory.
As for Fatespeaker, she is not like the other NightWings at all. Actually, neither she or Starflight seem like them (Starflight's similarities to his father aside). I have to say, pretty much none of the dragonets are good representations of their tribes. Perhaps because they were raised apart from them? She actually reminds me a bit of Sunny. But Sunny similarities beside, her dragonets are not very nice. I can't believe they actually wanted to kill her - or tried to kill Starflight.
Morrowseer, as always, is awful. Actually, I think he has surpassed awful and moved on to evil. I can't wait for him to get his comeuppance. What I can't figure out, however, is why he is playing with the prophecy. What does he gain from that?
Starflight is horrified. Fatespeaker, too, is appalled. She insists Starflight get the dragon water. He does, asking her her name. He discovers that she is Orchid. Eager to give her hope, he tells her that Mangrove is coming to rescue her. Orchid is thrilled, turning a pink color, and he realizes he said too much in front of Fatespeaker. When Mastermind sees Orchid pink he asks how Starflight did that. Fatespeaker lies for him, saying that Orchid is just grateful for the water. Strongwings arrives to take Orchid away, and Mastermind talks to Starflight about the need for venom resistant armor. Mastermind ushers them out so he can return to work. Starflight confesses to Fatespeaker that he too is a dragonet of the prophecy. Morrowseer arrives and they ask how they can both be in the prophecy. Morrowseer responds that prophecies are tricky and they are unsure which is the correct dragonet. Starflight points out that he can't do the correct thing if he doesn't know the plan. This causes Morrowseer to think, but in the end he decides that the dragonets cannot be trusted. As Morrowseer leads them away Starflight realizes he does know the plan - or at least part of it. The NightWings intend to take the rainforest from the RainWings and Blister will help them.
Morrowseer takes Starflight and Fatespeaker to the other alternate dragonets of destiny - Flame, Viper, Ochre, and Squid. Starflight is upset to learn they have a real SkyWing. Starflight realizes that Deathbringer was there for all of them but Morrowseer corrects him. He tells Starflight that Deathbringer was there to eliminate Glory then Tsunami - the rest of the dragonets still being "negotiable." Starflight quickly realizes these other dragonets are not very nice - and they clearly hate Fatespeaker, though she thinks they are all friends. Morrowseer orders the alternate dragonets to kill Starflight. They wish to kill Fatespeaker instead, but they do as they are told. Starflight, meanwhile, is told to stay alive - so he runs.
Starflight knows he has to lose the alternate dragonets and fast. He goes to where the RainWings are being kept, startling the guard. He tells the guard that he is there to observe the RainWings for a school project and the guard accepts that. When Flame and Viper follow him in the guard thinks they are under attack and calls for help. In the commotion, Starflight hides in a dark tunnel. Fatespeaker seeks him out. She hangs out in a RainWing cell and talks into the tunnel to coax Starflight out. She succeeds and they return to Morrowseer. Morrowseer tells Starflight that he did good, but he implies that Starflight succeeded accidentally. Flame and Viper have been arrested and Morrowseer needs ro figure out how to get them back. He takes all the dragonets back to the room Starflight woke up in. Exhausted and missing his friends, Starflight goes to sleep wishing he had a way to tell them everything he has discovered.
Starflight dreams of a memory, of him and Sunny looking over a new scroll Webs got him. The scroll theorizes who the dragonets of destiny are. Starflight is skipping around, reading sections, looking for clues when Kestrel shows up and destroys the scroll. Fatespeaker wakes him up. She is unable to sleep and wants to explore. Starflight goes with her and she leads him to the lava destroyed section of the fortress. They enter one of the tunnels to explore and as they talk Starflight discovers that Fatespeaker knows nothing about the animus made tunnels and that she flew to the island. They enter an abandoned room and find two dead dragons.
Well, in the parent department Starflight is doing about as good as Tsunami. Their parents are cruel and manipulative, but their parents do love them and are very tame by dragon standards. However I think Glory has them beat. Even though she doesn't know who her parents are she does have the former queen, who surrendered her throne to Glory.
As for Fatespeaker, she is not like the other NightWings at all. Actually, neither she or Starflight seem like them (Starflight's similarities to his father aside). I have to say, pretty much none of the dragonets are good representations of their tribes. Perhaps because they were raised apart from them? She actually reminds me a bit of Sunny. But Sunny similarities beside, her dragonets are not very nice. I can't believe they actually wanted to kill her - or tried to kill Starflight.
Morrowseer, as always, is awful. Actually, I think he has surpassed awful and moved on to evil. I can't wait for him to get his comeuppance. What I can't figure out, however, is why he is playing with the prophecy. What does he gain from that?
Thursday, October 3, 2019
200 books: september 2019
Of course on day two of this month I finished not one, not two, but THREE books. At least I finally made 100. This month has a very small book count. I'm suspecting we forgot to record some things. If this is the case then October will be super long. Or maybe we just didn't read much this month.
September books:
The breakdown:
Vampire Kitten: 5
Lone Wolf: 1
Little Legs: 5
Wandering Falcon: 9
Family: 0
Total:
Vampire Kitten: 95/50
Lone Wolf: 42/25
Little Legs: 42/13
Wandering Falcon: 108/100
Family: 13/12
September books:
- The 91 Story Treehouse - Vampire Kitten
- The 104 Story Treehouse - Vampire Kitten
- Binder of Doom: Brute-Cake - Vampire Kitten
- KleptoDogs: Who Let the Pups Out - Vampire Kitten
- Mighty Jack and Zita the Space Girl - Vampire Kitten
- Wings of Fire: Escaping Peril - Lone Wolf
- Scooby-Doo and the Ghostly Gorilla - Little Legs
- Scooby-Doo and the Deep-Sea Diver - Little Legs
- Binder of Doom: Brute-Cake - Little Legs
- Scooby-Doo and the Headless Horseman - Little Legs
- Scooby-Doo and the Virtual Villain - Little Legs
- Welsh Fairy Tales - Wandering Falcon
- Halloween - Wandering Falcon
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel - Wandering Falcon
- The Tain - Wandering Falcon
- Warriors Dawn of the Clans: The Blazing Star - Wandering Falcon
- Mrs Jeffries and the Three Wise Woman - Wandering Falcon
- Princess of Fire - Wandering Falcon
- Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Fabulous Life - Wandering Falcon
- Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So Popular Party Girl - Wandering Falcon
The breakdown:
Vampire Kitten: 5
Lone Wolf: 1
Little Legs: 5
Wandering Falcon: 9
Family: 0
Total:
Vampire Kitten: 95/50
Lone Wolf: 42/25
Little Legs: 42/13
Wandering Falcon: 108/100
Family: 13/12
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
the dark secret: part one
Reed and his siblings are out with some SkyWings when some IceWings attack. They fight but when a retreat is called they fall back. They hide in the Forest until long after they are sure the IceWings are gone. Privately, Reed wonders if he is doing right. He wonders if his siblings wish they had Clay instead. As everyone starts talking his siblings begin to voice their disbelief in the war, and their wish that Clay will end it soon. Some even wish to join the Talons of Peace. Reed realizes he needs to make a decision about their future, but they assure him he doesn't have to make it yet.
Starflight drifts in and out of consciousness - wondering about Sunny and listening as some dragons discuss him. Eventually he wakes up and finds himself in a room filled with young dragonets like himself. Some are friendly while others are hostile. Looking around at the other dragonets, Starflight realizes they all look unhealthy and smell of decay. Someone realizes Morrowseer is coming and they all scatter. Morrowseer enters the room and commands Starflight follow him to meet the queen.
A hostile Morrowseer who refuses to answer any of Starflight's questions leads him to a chamber filled with dragons. Everyone is talking about attacking but they fall silent when the two dragons enter. Starflight looks around, scared that all these hostile dragons might be able to read his mind. He also realizes the lava everywhere and that these dragons don't look to healthy either. He notices a circle with holes on one wall, with a weak looking dragon in front of it. He feels this cannot be the powerful NightWing queen. He then realizes the circle behind her with the holes is where the queen is - hidden from her own tribe but watching all. Everyone starts talking about the escaped RainWing and the MudWing that was with her. Everyone starts talking over each other until the dragon in front of the queen speaks for the queen. She announces that queen Battlewinner wishes Starflight to explain everything. Starflight is placed in an awkward position of protecting his friends while appeasing his tribe and saving his own life. He admits that he thinks the RainWings might be planning an attack. A new dragon arrives, interrupting the meeting. His name is Vengeance. He feels the RainWings are no threat. He also has Deathbringer prisoner, accusing him of treason. Princess Greatness, who speaks for the queen, reminds Vengeance that he is in trouble for disobeying Deathbringer and hunting in the forest while the dragonets were there. Vengeance throws Deathbringer into the room, next to Starflight, calling him a pet of princess Greatness, and announces he was conspiring with the enemy. Deathbringer tries to silently ask Starflight something, but Starflight cannot figure out what. Deathbringer says Vengeance has no proof - Vengeance states that he does and accuses Deathbringer of not killing the dragonets. Deathbringer looks to Starflight, and Starflight realizes what the dragon wants. He silently tells him that the dragonets are alive. Deathbringer looks relieved, and he and Vengeance go back and forth in their argument. Princess Greatness interrupts to pass sentence on Vengeance. For disobeying orders, endangering the tribe, and irritating the queen he is sentenced to death. Four guards grab him and before Starflight realizes what is happening they throw him into the lava.
Starflight doesn't leap back in time (Deathbringer does) and gets hit with the lava. Deathbringer grabs him and lifts him up as Vengeance tries to escape the lava, splashing it everywhere. Starflight looks to Deathbringer, who looks somber. He realizes this might be Deathbringer's fate as well. Deathbringer thanks Greatness, but she orders him returned to a cell to be dealt with later while the charges are investigated. As Deathbringer is led away he looks back at Starflight, but Starflight doesn't know what he wants. Greatness dismisses everyone until tonight. She tells them to hunt if they are allowed and she orders Morrowseer to see if he can get more information from Starflight. Morrowseer takes Starflight hunting. Starflight realizes that the NightWings don't feel like his tribe. He also learns that Morrowseer is so indispensable to the queen that he has permission to always hunt, even though there is not much prey on their island. Starflight asks so many questions - especially when he finds out that NightWings eat carrion food - that Morrowseer deduces who his father is.
Starflight asks after his parents and Morrowseer tells him that his father is alive but his mother is dead. Morrowseer grills Starflight on the RainWings but he misunderstands Starflight's answers and assumes Glory is the same as the rest if the RainWings. Starflight doesn't bother to correct him. Morrowseer takes Starflight to see his father, Mastermind. Starflight hears someone following them. It is the alternate NightWing, Fatespeaker. Morrowseer is furious that Fatespeaker has followed them but allows her to continue with them. Fatespeaker is friendly to Starflight. She tells him that their destiny lies together. As they talk Starflight realizes just what Fatespeaker is - a dragonet to replace him.
Starflight drifts in and out of consciousness - wondering about Sunny and listening as some dragons discuss him. Eventually he wakes up and finds himself in a room filled with young dragonets like himself. Some are friendly while others are hostile. Looking around at the other dragonets, Starflight realizes they all look unhealthy and smell of decay. Someone realizes Morrowseer is coming and they all scatter. Morrowseer enters the room and commands Starflight follow him to meet the queen.
A hostile Morrowseer who refuses to answer any of Starflight's questions leads him to a chamber filled with dragons. Everyone is talking about attacking but they fall silent when the two dragons enter. Starflight looks around, scared that all these hostile dragons might be able to read his mind. He also realizes the lava everywhere and that these dragons don't look to healthy either. He notices a circle with holes on one wall, with a weak looking dragon in front of it. He feels this cannot be the powerful NightWing queen. He then realizes the circle behind her with the holes is where the queen is - hidden from her own tribe but watching all. Everyone starts talking about the escaped RainWing and the MudWing that was with her. Everyone starts talking over each other until the dragon in front of the queen speaks for the queen. She announces that queen Battlewinner wishes Starflight to explain everything. Starflight is placed in an awkward position of protecting his friends while appeasing his tribe and saving his own life. He admits that he thinks the RainWings might be planning an attack. A new dragon arrives, interrupting the meeting. His name is Vengeance. He feels the RainWings are no threat. He also has Deathbringer prisoner, accusing him of treason. Princess Greatness, who speaks for the queen, reminds Vengeance that he is in trouble for disobeying Deathbringer and hunting in the forest while the dragonets were there. Vengeance throws Deathbringer into the room, next to Starflight, calling him a pet of princess Greatness, and announces he was conspiring with the enemy. Deathbringer tries to silently ask Starflight something, but Starflight cannot figure out what. Deathbringer says Vengeance has no proof - Vengeance states that he does and accuses Deathbringer of not killing the dragonets. Deathbringer looks to Starflight, and Starflight realizes what the dragon wants. He silently tells him that the dragonets are alive. Deathbringer looks relieved, and he and Vengeance go back and forth in their argument. Princess Greatness interrupts to pass sentence on Vengeance. For disobeying orders, endangering the tribe, and irritating the queen he is sentenced to death. Four guards grab him and before Starflight realizes what is happening they throw him into the lava.
Starflight doesn't leap back in time (Deathbringer does) and gets hit with the lava. Deathbringer grabs him and lifts him up as Vengeance tries to escape the lava, splashing it everywhere. Starflight looks to Deathbringer, who looks somber. He realizes this might be Deathbringer's fate as well. Deathbringer thanks Greatness, but she orders him returned to a cell to be dealt with later while the charges are investigated. As Deathbringer is led away he looks back at Starflight, but Starflight doesn't know what he wants. Greatness dismisses everyone until tonight. She tells them to hunt if they are allowed and she orders Morrowseer to see if he can get more information from Starflight. Morrowseer takes Starflight hunting. Starflight realizes that the NightWings don't feel like his tribe. He also learns that Morrowseer is so indispensable to the queen that he has permission to always hunt, even though there is not much prey on their island. Starflight asks so many questions - especially when he finds out that NightWings eat carrion food - that Morrowseer deduces who his father is.
Starflight asks after his parents and Morrowseer tells him that his father is alive but his mother is dead. Morrowseer grills Starflight on the RainWings but he misunderstands Starflight's answers and assumes Glory is the same as the rest if the RainWings. Starflight doesn't bother to correct him. Morrowseer takes Starflight to see his father, Mastermind. Starflight hears someone following them. It is the alternate NightWing, Fatespeaker. Morrowseer is furious that Fatespeaker has followed them but allows her to continue with them. Fatespeaker is friendly to Starflight. She tells him that their destiny lies together. As they talk Starflight realizes just what Fatespeaker is - a dragonet to replace him.
So something is going on here. I thought at first that the NightWings were invading RainWing territory to expand their knowledge, but now I no longer think that. The NightWings are living on a dying island and they are running out of food. But what makes Morrowseer so special that he gets to eat extra? And just why is queen Battlewinner hidden from her own tribe? As for Morrowseer's alternate dragonets of destiny, prophecies don't work that way. At least, not usually. Why is he so dead set on manipulating the prophecy he had?
Fatespeaker at least seems nice. As for Deathbringer, I hope Starflight is able to take him with him when he escapes. Though, the more I think on Deathbringer and Glory, the more questions I have.
Clay has feeling for Peril, but I'm not sure they fully extend to love (though, she clearly loves him). Deathbringer is clearly in love with Glory - and Glory at least returns some of those feelings. But do dragons normally mate outside their tribe? If they do they can't really produce a half breed dragon. There are no half RainWing/half NightWing dragons running around. So do they favor one parent over the other? Like perhaps the mother (since she is the one to birth the egg)? Does one bloodline win out or do you get a mutt? And if the answer is mutt then why haven't we seen one? Glory and Deathbringer can't be the first two dragons from different tribes in the entire history of Pyrrhia to fall in love...
Fatespeaker at least seems nice. As for Deathbringer, I hope Starflight is able to take him with him when he escapes. Though, the more I think on Deathbringer and Glory, the more questions I have.
Clay has feeling for Peril, but I'm not sure they fully extend to love (though, she clearly loves him). Deathbringer is clearly in love with Glory - and Glory at least returns some of those feelings. But do dragons normally mate outside their tribe? If they do they can't really produce a half breed dragon. There are no half RainWing/half NightWing dragons running around. So do they favor one parent over the other? Like perhaps the mother (since she is the one to birth the egg)? Does one bloodline win out or do you get a mutt? And if the answer is mutt then why haven't we seen one? Glory and Deathbringer can't be the first two dragons from different tribes in the entire history of Pyrrhia to fall in love...
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