ThunderClan! A Meowsical Comparison by Eaglefrost

Eaglefrost compares Warriors to the musical, Oklahoma!

Today I’ll be comparing a musical and Warriors. The musical I’m choosing is Oklahoma!, which is one of my current musical obsessions. I even rewrote a couple of Oklahoma! songs to fit the world of Warriors, one of which I will post at the end. Hope you enjoy my ramblings, even if they might not make sense. 😛

In Oklahoma!, the main character is a cowboy named Curly (who was once played by Hugh Jackman…). Curly is in love with a girl named Laurey, but there is also another man in love with Laurey and that’s the mysterious, slightly dangerous Jud Fry. In a confrontation between Curly and Jud, Jud is killed and Curly and Laurey get married, and the territory of Oklahoma is about to become a state.

In a way, this is basically the plot of The New Prophecy arc of Warriors. As we all know, Twolegs are destroying the forest and four cats are chosen to go on a quest to find Midnight. On that quest Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight grow close and fall in love. However, also in love with Squirrelflight is Ashfur, who becomes more dangerous as the Warriors saga continues. After a confrontation with Squirrelflight and her “children,” Ashfur is killed.

Brambleclaw is like Curly, pining for the girl who may or not love him back. In “People Will Say We’re In Love,” Laurey tells Curly several things not to do so that people don’t gossip about them, even though they’re clearly in love. While Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight don’t really try to hide their love from others, Squirrelflight does try to ignore the fact she’s in love with Brambleclaw until StarClan tells Leafpool that they’re destined to be together.

Ashfur is like Jud Fry, the mysterious and possibly dangerous farmhand. Both are in love with their respective female leads- Squirrelflight and Laurey- even though the women they’re in love with don’t love them back. And when both are rejected, they turn dark and attempt to harm the women. Both Jud and Ashfur are unsuccessful at harming Laurey and Squirrelflight, and instead, both actually end up dead. In the end, Squirrelflight ends up with Brambleclaw and Laurey end up with Curly. Oh, and for funsies, the “brand new state” mentioned in the titular song from Oklahoma is like the Lake Territory.

“Pore Ashfur is Daid”
Brambleclaw: Pore Ash is daid. Pore Ashfur is daid. All gather ‘round his body now and mourn. He had a heart of gold and he wasn’t very old. Why did such a warrior have to die? Pore Ash is daid. Pore Ashfur is daid. He’s lookin’ all so peaceful and serene.”
Ashfur: And serene!
Brambleclaw: He’s all laid out to rest, with paws acrost his chest. And his fore claws have never looked so clean.
Oh, oh, an’ our leader’ll get up and he’ll say: Folks, we’re gathered here to moan and groan over brave Ashfur, who died attackin’ ShadowClan. There’d be weepin’ and wailin’ from some of the she-cats. Then he’d say: ‘Ashfur was the most misunderstood cat in this here territory. The cats used to think he was a mean, ugly feller and they called him a stinky fox and an ornery prey stealer. But the cats that really knowed him, knowed beneath his anger and gruff demeanor there beat a heart as big as all the forest.’
Ashfur: As big as all the forest.
Brambleclaw: Ashfur loved his feller cat.
Ashfur: He loved his feller cat.
Brambleclaw: He loved all the kittypets and the sheep of the field. He loved the dogs and the badgers in their sets. He treated the rogues like equals, which was right! And he loved the smallest of kits. He loved everything and everyone in the whole wide world, only he never let on, so nobody ever knowed it. Pore Ash is daid. Pore Ashfur is daid. His friends’ll weep and wail for miles around.
Ashfur: Miles around.
Brambleclaw: The daisies in the dell will give out a different smell because pore Ash is underneath the ground.
Ashfur: Pore Ash is daid. StarClan lights his haid. He’s lyin’ near the Giant Oak.
Brambleclaw: Oak.
Ashfur: And folks’ll be feelin’ sad, ‘cause they useter treat ‘im bad. But they know their friend’s death inn’t a joke.
Brambleclaw: Joke.
Brambleclaw and Ashfur:mPore Ash is daid. StarClan lights his haid. He’s lookin’ oh so purty an’ so nice. He looks like he’s asleep, but it’s a shame he won’t keep. ‘Cause it’s summer so we’ve got no snow. Pore Ash, pore Ash.