Defending Ivypool by Fernrustle

Fernrustle discusses why Ivypool is actually innocent

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Hey, warriors fans! This is one of my first articles, so feel free to give plenty of constructive feedback!

Today I will be defending Ivypool. She’s a pretty well-known character in the Omen of the Stars series, so a lot of you recognize her.

I’ve seen some fans commenting on how Ivypool was so annoying, mostly during her apprentice years. Is that really true? Let’s quickly analyze the series again.

A Review

Okay, so it all began happening in Fading Echoes. Dovepaw found out she had powers and she was destined to save the clans with Lionblaze and Jayfeather. Ivypaw, on the other hand, wasn’t anything special. I imagine she was feeling a bit jealous when Dovepaw began getting a lot of attention. (Remember, she doesn’t know anything about the prophecy.) She began feeling annoyed and unwanted. Then, Ivypaw meets Hawkfrost, and soon she agrees to be secretly trained by him, oblivious to the fact that she is being recruited to be one of the Dark Forest cats. In the beginning, Ivypaw wanted to tell Dovepaw about her secret mentor, but she got called away so many times that Ivypaw gave up. Hawkfrost begins training her different moves, and she becomes more confident in her abilities. Later, Ivypaw is introduced to Tigerstar but he deceives her in believing that he is actually good. She makes some bad decisions based on what she thinks is happening.

Later, she realizes that the Dark Forest cats are vicious, cold-hearted, and set on destroying the clans. She rethinks her loyalty to them, but she has no choice but to continue her training. Lionblaze, Jayfeather and Dovewing find out what’s been going on and Ivypaw, now Ivypool, is recruited as a spy. She tries to earn Tigerstar and the other Dark Forest warriors’ respect, all while trying to learn information to help the Three. During the battle in The Last Hope, Ivypool is seen trying to convince the cats who have been training in the Dark Forest to fight for the clans. She succeeds turning over Birchfall, Blossomfall, and Mousewhisker. She is attacked by the Dark Forest warriors for her treason, but Brambleclaw and Hollyleaf save her from certain death.

In the novella Dovewing’s Silence, which takes place after the Dark Forest battle and before Bramblestar’s Storm, it is revealed that the Thunderclan cats who previously trained in the Dark Forest are rejected and ignored by their clanmates. It is also revealed that there was a trick played on them as well. Bramblestar encourages the Thunderclan warriors not to look down upon Ivypool and the others, he knows that they were deceived by Tigerstar and the other Dark Forest cats.

In Bramblestar’s Storm, the book is from Bramblestar’s point of view, so Ivypool is seen as a loyal and fierce warrior. She pitches in to help Thunderclan recover from the flood that they just went through. In the beginning of The Apprentice’s Quest, Alderpaw thinks she is friendly and a good hunter.

An Accusation

Remember, in the beginning of the Omen of the Stars series, Ivypool didn’t know about her sister’s powers. How would you feel if your sister or brother (or best friend, if you don’t have any siblings) started getting more attention than you and you couldn’t figure out why she/he was better than you? A lot of people would feel confused and hurt if they were suddenly in another person’s shadow. I imagine I would doubt a lot, too!

Some people believe that Ivypool was super-annoying as an apprentice, but could it be because she was in her sister’s shadow and trying to prove herself to Thunderclan?

Shadowpaw from Blogclan had this to say about Ivypool:

“I actually liked seeing her being kind of rude. I like lots of characters who have lots of attitude or the wrong outlook on things, or a screwed perspective. I enjoy those characters POVs lots and the POVs of the characters annoyed by it. I don’t wish for it to happen. But I enjoy it. I think I like the tension and all that junk it creates in the book.”
The Dark Forest cats used this advantage to seduce Ivypool to join their side. And, since she believed the wrong thing for a while, this may be why a lot of fans find her “annoying.”
And I’m not saying this is Dovewing’s fault, for making her sister stumble. Dovewing had powers but she had to keep them a secret.

Well, I guess that’s all I want to rant about right now. I may do Hollyleaf next, but feel free to suggest another cat who doesn’t deserve all the hate they get.