Fan Articles
Oakpool defends Ashfur.
Many people are entirely against Ashfur, and I understand why. I don’t believe he’s totally misunderstood, I just think people don’t think about what he went through. First, we’ve never really seen couple angst in the books, even if it were about love triangles, no cat did ever lash out at the person they loved. Let’s look at it this way: Are warriors, trained to accustom to death, blood and war, really capable of dealing with an emotional issue between them and another cat? Most of the time, I’m pretty sure most of these warriors ignore it and focus on their tasks. Beside this, think of what romantic relationships are. We’ve all seen (as humans of course) people doing wild things for loved ones, and I’m sure you’ve done at least something crazy to please your crush/lover. Ashfur’s case is just one of many. He was really a cat who loved too much for his own good, which must’ve lead to personal issues, most likely self-esteem and depression. Some people, as I’m sure we’ve all seen, lash out instead of keeping it in. Ashfur really wasn’t insane, he just couldn’t keep himself quiet.
Now, let’s move onto why Squirrelflight leaving him would lead to personal issues. First, I think Ashfur really believed Squirrelflight loved him back, perhaps wanted to be more then friends; but when she left him without warning, it crushed him. It could’ve lead him to think he wasn’t good enough, that he wasn’t worthy of any kind of love. This could weigh on him with the death of his father and mother, most likely thinking he wasn’t able to save them, even if we did not see grief of any kind from him or his sister. All that results in self-esteem, which can go to darker places, like depression, anxiety and much, much more. Also, in the time he most possibly could’ve been experiencing all that I’ve previously anger, he could also be forming a dark rage, which depression can take a straight turn into.
So, yes, Ashfur was not the greatest character and he did not do the best things. Yes, he most likely did have mental problems. But this does not mean you should see him differently then you see Bluestar, for he did have most the reasons Bluestar had to fall into a spiraling depression. All that happened was he took a wrong turn and made a bad choice, while Bluestar dwelled alone.
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Not to be rude, but this topic has been covered before by many different articles, making the same points. Lets just get this out of the way first. Squirrelflight never left Ashfur. They were never anything more than friends. Squirrelflight said she was still his friend. So there fore, she never left him. I’ve seen many other warrior cats like Ashfur who have lost bother parents and siblings, and have been emotional scarred, but never have made their problems worse like Ashfur. Now, Bluestar had WAY to many bad things happen to her. She lost everything. While Ashfur still had his sister to confide to, he could’ve still talked to Squirrelflight but chose not to, and his friends. But Bluestar had no one. All her family was dead except for her nephew. All her friends were dead. She had been betrayed multiple times in her life and everyone relied on her to be the best leader she could. And because of this she went insane. But she didn’t try to kill anyone did she? He was mentally insane because his “girlfriend” dumped him. Also it was never confirmed that Whitestorm was the father of Brindleface’s kits. Even if it was, they didn’t know Whitestorm was their father. Case closed.
Sadly is was somwhow confirmed by Vicy’s helper. Despite Whitestorm never showing traits of a tom who would have two mates and leave one while she was still alive and even though Redtail could’ve easily been the father, he is.
I don’t think he left Brindleface in that way. It seems to me that some cats fall in love and have kits together, and some are just together because the queen wants someone to father kits for her to raise. If that’s the case, then there’s nothing wrong with Whitestorm having kits with her, then falling in love with Willowpelt later and having kits with her for that reason.
I feel like the Erins have different opinions on everything. One will say one thing while one says another. I wouldn’t really argue over his father because he didn’t know his father.
I don’t like him, but I don’t hate him. People think I’m anti Squirrelfur- I am. But that’s because of how he reacted. Of course, he had good reasons, and I completely agree with your article, Oakpool. But I will never be a S/A shipper… just, no… I can’t see them together, and happy.
Have a good holiday, guys!
Good reasons? What good reasons did he have for trying to kill four cats who never did anything wrong to him, just to punish someone for breaking up with him, when she has every right to choose who she wants to be in a relationship with?
No, not that he has good reasons to attempt to murder anyone, no, no… I am completely against that…
I mean he was depressed, and probably did have low self-esteem, and anxiety, so I understand why he is overly upset… I don’t agree with the whole murder thing, though.
🙂 Hope this cleared it up… (Even though I’m too complicated XD)
Gotcha. ^^
hey Jayfrost i have a quiestion. How long have you been reading warriors?
Since Dawn came out, in late 2005.
i don’t really think you can defend Ashfur at this point. You could argue that he was a good character before all the Squirrelflight stuff happened, but it happened and he showed that he is a lousy cat.
He tried to kill Firestar, Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze because Squirrelflight decided she wasn’t interested in him. They were never a couple, they were only friends though Ashfur perceived it as more, and when Squirrelflight picked Brambleclaw he perceived it as her betraying him.
I’ve said it before, Ashfur being bitter could’ve been tolerable I mean we see him pointing out in Sunset that Leafpool’s vision is awfully convenient for Brambleclaw who is Squirrelflights chosen mate. This and even getting a bit rough with Lionpaw while making him out to be a mean cat who’s bitter about being rejected, doesn’t make him a character that can’t be defended.
But then he committed treason against the clan by trying to kill Firestar, and tried to kill Leafpool’s kits and intended to hold their secret over their heads and torture them with it.
To be honest I feel like the only reason Ashfur’s not in the dark forest is cause his murder attempts were foiled. He’s not a victim, Squirrelflight decided she didn’t like him that way and didn’t advance their relationship PAST being friends, pretty much all of Ashfur’s actions are brought about because he’s bitter about being Friendzoned. There’s no real betrayal here, and it’s not like they’d decided to be mates and then Squirrelflight went to Brambleclaw, they were NEVER in a relationship period. So of all the murderous cats from jealous aggrieved mothers, to ambitious nut jobs Ashfur is just sad.
No it’s pathetic that being rejected by one cat, makes him push aside seasons of loyalty, hard work, and drive to commit treason and cling to bitterness endlessly for moons. He could’ve confided in Ferncloud, he could’ve found another cat who would love him as he deserved to be loved, instead he became obsessed with Squirrelflight and letting the fact she friendzoned him make him bitter and alone for the rest of his days.
Not to mention, even if they were in a relationship, he still wouldn’t be justified in what he did if Squirrelflightblegt him. You’re allowed to break up with someone/leave a relationship if you’re not happy in the relationship anymore, and it isn’t a betrayal.
Very true, it’s just that since they weren’t even in a relationship to begin with is why I find Ashfur to be sad and I feel we take his actions too lightly.
This isn’t just some cat who got his heart broken, this is a cat who became OBSESSED with Squirrelflight. I mean that’s like stalker levels of creepy. He tries to kill cats Squirrelflight loved for no reason other than for the fact Squirrelflight cares about them, he tries to use her secret about leafpools kits as blackmail holding it over her head, and he launches personal attacks against Leafpool and Lionpaw to lash out at Squirrelflight. The crazy thing is looking at it now Ashfur’s starting to look more and more like a controlling abusive boyfriend.
Had he succeeded with his efforts to kill Firestar with Hawkfrost, he could’ve blamed it on Brambleclaw and possibly gotten him thrown out of the clan and Squirrelflight would’ve lost two cats she loved, OR with the secret could you imagine if Ashfur had been able to use it as a weapon rather than Hollyleaf reveal it all in one overwhelmed outburst? Had he played his cards right, he could’ve sown seeds of mistrust that could’ve gotten Leafpool kicked out (Squirrelflights closest confidant), and Squirrelflight ostracized by the clan and her family.
His plans were to isolate Squirrelflight, hurt Squirrelflight and make her feel his pain, he wanted in a way to become the focal point of her world and since he couldn’t obtain that through her love, he wanted to be the source of her unending suffering, to make himself the thing that haunts her dreams at night like she haunts him. So in conclusion Ashfur doesn’t ‘love too much’, he’s not the victim of a broken heart, he’s an obsessed maniac who refused to move on from Squirrelflight.
Personally I’d like to see an article detailing how Ashfur got that way rather than trying to excuse his actions, Ashfur’s just like Tigerstar in a way. Only reason he’s not in the DF is cause he wasn’t able to kill any cat. But like Tigerstar Ashfur became obsessed with his own selfish desires, and refused to let things go and was willing to do just about anything to get what he wanted. In a way he should’ve been thankful Hollyleaf killed him, it brought an end to his obsession, it stopped him from doing something that would’ve put him in the DF,
Are all squirrelflight’s lovers related to her? Ashfur is related to her.so is Bramblestar.even Stormfur.
The Clans are groups of 20-30 cats who have existed for many generations with strict rules against breeding outside of the Clan. /Everyone/ is related. 😛
yeah, no thanks to Ferncloud and Dustpelt XD
😛
EVEN SHREWPAW.
Or Willowpelt and Patchpelt 😛
Do you think anyone could defend Tiggerstar? i can think of reasons for villians like Scourge or Mapleshade but not Tiggerstar
Everyone seems to forget that Ashfur suffered a lot of trauma in his life. His mother’s murder, his friends’ maulings, the battle of BloodClan, the fire, being kidnapped by Brokentail… This cat has been through a lot, more than most other cats.
Put yourself in Ashfur’s paws. How would you feel if the son of the guy that killed your mother swooped in and nabbed the person you love? How would you feel looking at that guy every day, the guy that’s identical to your mother’s murderer? You wouldn’t be happy at all.
And on top of that, you’re forced to train the cat that was supposed to be that guy’s son? *shakes head*
Ashfur didn’t deserve this. He was a good man.
Plenty of cats have had traumatic lives. And yes, everyone reacts to trauma differently, and I’ve definitely made that argument in the past. But no amount of trauma justifies trying to murder four innocent cats to try and punish someone for making a choice about their own life.
Uh, Brambleclaw didn’t “nab” anyone. O.o Squirrelflight is a person with a brain and an ability to make choices about her own life. It was her choice, not Brambleclaw’s, to leave Ashfur. And she had every right to do so, because everyone has the right to choose who they want to be with in their life (as long as the feeling is reciprocated. Squirrelflight didn’t owe Ashfur her love – he doesn’t own her. And even if your argument were right, it’s pretty awful of Ashfur to blame Brambleclaw for his father’s actions. :/
He was not a good man. He was one of those creepy men you hear about who feel so entitled to a woman’s love, that so feels that women /owe/ him something just because he’s nice to them, that he stabs or shoots her when she refuses to fall in love with him. He tried to murder her father and children for StarClan’s sake, and they had never done anything wrong to him. He doesn’t own Squirrelflight, and he had no right to try and punish her for not wanting to be with him.
i completely agree. i really can’t think of a way of how to defend Ashfur. Mapleshade sure. she had a bad life, forbidden love, kit deaths, going insane. and Hawkfrost just wanted a parent to be proud of him. Scourge is explained in his manga. Tiggerstar…. well not just Ashfur. but i agree. Tiggerstar for life. i smell Ashfur hater.
Other than Mapleshade at the begining at least, I don’t think the others are any more defendable. Hawkfrost tried to murder a leader to gain power, Scourge outlawed cats living together and had cats killed just for living with family, and Tigerstar murdered more cats than the rest of them out together, and had cats killed for being halfClan.
Great article! Couldn’t have loved it more! Go Ashfur! *Mutters* Ashfur supporters…* But really, great article. Yet I still think him and Thistleclaw should take a little home-swap… #ThistlexSnow
Yep. GO TO THE DARK FOREST ASHFUR
I’m new here, and never commented before, but whatever! I’m going to comment anyways! So Oakpool, you have really good points, but I don’t agree with you. Just because Ashfur and Squirrelflight were FRIENDS, I repeat, FRIENDS for a while, it caused him to go crazy. It’s true he lost lots of people, but Bluestar lots of people too. Yellowfang lost her whole Clan! Did they go crazy? A little bit, but not in a *takes deep breath* CREEPY STALKER OBSESSION MURDERING DESTROYING RAGE!!!!!!!! Plus, Ashfur still has his Clan and a million friends behind his back to help him with his mental state. He does not need to resort to murdering. If he was human, for 4 attempted murders he would go to prison – for 25 to life! Probably more, because that’s the charge of 3 attempted murders! Plus, he obviously cares more about himself than ThunderClan. I mean, if Ashfur had revealed that Leafpool was the mother of the original Three, it would ruin ThunderClan’s reputation! But that is minor compared to the KILLING OF ALMIGHTY FIRESTAR!!!!!! Sorry, I just needed to get that out there 😛. If this is too loud or too aggressive, I’m just a rigorous Ashfur hater. Sorry.
I hate Ashfur. Squirrelflight totally let him down slowly, and he had to attempt to kill four cats. WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHY?
Follow the Yellow Brick Roadfinally… a fellow ashfur defender