Why I Don’t Like Flametail by Ebonypaw

Ebonypaw explains their dislike of Flametail.

Artwork by CattyPasta

Honestly, I think Flametail is overrated. He’s good at his job, but not with being a good cat.

Flametail was a jerk to Lionblaze when he accidentally killed Russetfur. Russetfur took away one of Firestar’s lives, so of course Lionblaze would be angry at her! How Lionblaze acted made it obvious Russetfur’s death was a mistake. “Lionblaze scrambled to his paws. The she-cat [Russetfur] flopped, unmoving, onto the ground, her eyes wide open but clouded with death. His breath came in panicked gasps. “I d-didn’t do anything!”He hadn’t even scratched her. Only pulled her loose. How could she be dead?” -Fading Echos, page 295. Russetfur was too old to be fighting. She was older than Purdy (Mousefur is the same age as Purdy), of course she would die. Flametail should’ve known better, yet decided to bully Lionblaze for it. “Lionblaze swallowed against the rage that rose from his belly. ShadowClan arrogance! “Shouldn’t you be back at your camp, treating your wounded?” “My Clanmates are well.” Flametail fixed his gaze on Lionblaze. “Except for Russetfur, of course.” -Night Whispers, page 31. “Come to kill me like you killed Russetfur?” -Night Whispers, page 30.

Then Flametail decides to blame Jayfeather for his death, even though he was obviously trying to save him. Flametail saw Rock telling Jayfeather to let him go. “Then Flametail saw another pair of eyes. Bulging and white. There was a third cat in the water. A grotesque creature. Hairless and scarred. Flametail stared at it as it seemed to float beside them. A tiny part of his mind wondered if this was a StarClan cat he hadn’t met yet. But did any warriors, past or present, ever look like that? The ugly cat reached toward Jayfeather.Let him go! Flametail heard the voice in his head. It wasn’t speaking to him. It was speaking to Jayfeather. It is his time to die, not yours. Let him go! “- Night Whispers, page 281-282. And then Flametail tries to let Jayfeather drown. “Help me I’m drowning!” Flametail took a step forward, then stopped, his eyes burning. “I know how you feel.” “Can you reach me?”Jayfeather strained to see the ground behind him. Perhaps it was sold enough there to take Flametail’s weight. “Why should I?” Flametail’s mew was icy. “You didn’t save me” -The Last Hope, page 182. “It wasn’t fair,” Flametail snarled. “It was such a stupid way to die!” -The Last Hope, page 182. “Why should I believe you?” Flametail spat. “Thunderclan is full of murderers!” -The Last Hope, page 182. “Ivypool!” Flametail thrust his muzzle through the reeds. “I was looking for the path to StarClan and she tried to claw my throat out! She would have succeeded if Tigerheart hadn’t stopped her! Now I’m going to let you die instead!” – The Last Hope, page 183. Letting Jayfeather drown was stupid and ungrateful. Killing Jayfeather just because his clanmate almost killed him also didn’t make any sense. I don’t know what went through Flametail’s mind.

As a medicine cat, Flametail could go where ever he wanted, but the point of this rule is to gather herbs and go to the Moonstone. Flametail tries to use this to his advantage. “Flametail spotted a group of ThunderClan cats stepping gingerly onto the ice near their territory. He didn’t care. There were no boundaries on the lake. Anyway, he was a medicine cat. He could go wherever he chose.” – Night Whispers, page 279.

And finally,the hypocrite part. Flametail bullies Lionblaze by telling him he’s glad they’re not kin. “Flametail blinked at Lionblaze, ignoring Cinderheart. “Once I thought we were kin,” he spat. “Now I’m glad we’re not. I would hate to share blood with a murderer.” -Night Whispers, page 31. Not only is this rude, but Flametail’s grandfather is Tigerstar, a murderer and a traitor. His uncle Brambleclaw also killed Hawkfrost. Lionblaze and Flametail also are kin, they are third cousins, so you failed there Flametail.

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155 comments

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  • Since I haven’t read Night Whispers in awhile, I don’t have an opinion on Flametail, but you present a really compelling, well-thought-out argument for why he’s a bad character! 😀

  • I’m glad to see someone else doesn’t like him! I was never a Flametail fan. I thought he was petty and rude.

  • At first I thought I’d like Flametail, but now I understand that he was a jerk when I read the series. His death, how it was written, was sad but now he blames others for it. He heard Rock talking to Jayfeather! Flametail shouldn’t blame Jayfeather for letting him die. It was his time, Rock said so. And what choice did Ivypool have? Flametail should have been smarter than that. Besides he should have known that Tigerheart was talking to Brokenstar (I think) than Ivypool, though he was angry at Ivypool later (I think). Flametail should know that there are some risks that need to be taken and he should accept his future, not blame other cats for it. Love the article!

  • Yeah you are right. I was a fox-heart and while I used to be impartial, you’ve changed my mind. He was so self centered unlike Dawnpelt and I never really liked her. Who knew they were so similar?

  • I haven’t read PO3 or OoTS in a while, so I don’t have an opinion on him, but you present some good reasons ^^

  • Great article! While Flametail was a bit annoying, I think he made up for that when he told the other medicine cats that Jayfeather didn’t kill him. If he hadn’t done that, the clans would have lost the Great Battle.

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