Russetfur: Why I Think She’s Overrated by Turtlepaw

Turtlepaw shares their opinion on Russetfur.

Art by ursiday’s warriors designs (tumblr)

*Warning: spoilers for the Tigerstar and Sasha manga, Yellowfang’s Secret, The New Prophecy, Power of Three, and Omen of the Stars are ahead! If you are not okay with receiving spoilers from those books, please do not read this article!*

Hello! My name is Turtle, and today I will be sharing why I think Russetfur is overrated!

The main reason I think she is an overrated character is because people always act like she’s super sweet and kind, when really, this is not the case.

In fact, the only times Russetfur is even remotely kind or sweet is in Yellowfang’s Secret, when she becomes an apprentice, and in the Tigerstar and Sasha manga, when she’s nice to Sasha.

The truth is, in The New Prophecy, Power of Three, and Omen of the Stars, Russetfur is quite snappy, and does a lot of questionable things.

For example, in Sunset, when Russetfur and her patrol see Berrykit stuck in a fox trap, they do absolutely nothing to help him- even though Russetfur is the deputy, and should absolutely follow the warrior code by helping Berrykit.

Yes, you read that: Russetfur didn’t help a kit in danger, even though she- and the rest of the patrol- could have easily helped him.

Here is another example of Russetfur not being as nice as people claim she is.

Russetfur killed Firestar in Fading Echoes. The warrior code says that warriors don’t have to kill to win their battles. So she broke the warrior code.

It’s not even like she killed Firestar by accident- it’s clearly mentioned in Fading Echoes that she continued to bite down on Firestar’s throat, and wouldn’t let go, even though the ThunderClan leader is literally surrounded by his own blood.

Russetfur was being way too violent when she did that. And I don’t understand why some people defend her for her actions, when in reality, she’s snappy, salty, and generally overrated.

Overall, I think that Russetfur is an annoying character, and I feel like people tend to forget about some of her questionable actions. Russetfur fans seem to only focus on the good part about her- her fierce loyalty to ShadowClan- and forget about the fact that she literally neglected a kit in danger.

I wouldn’t say I despise Russetfur, though, or even hate her. I just really dislike her, and I can’t understand why people love her so much.

What do you think of Russetfur? Do you like her? Why or why not? Do you think she’s overrated?

Feel free to tell me in the comments.

Goodbye, everybody!

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23 comments

  • I agree! Not only do your comments on her not being the nicest cat make sense, but she’s also a background character that some people give wayyy too much credit for the few simple acts of kindness she gave. Good job, loved the article!

  • Great article, Turtlepaw!
    I never did like Russetfur, and it made me so angry that she didn’t go help Berrykit, even though it says in the warrior code that they have to help all kits!
    You made amazing points, and you convinced me even more! Russetfur is overrated and she isn’t a very good cat.

  • Great points brought up Turtle!
    The only thing I disagree with you is that you believe that she’s overrated because she’s snappy and mean. Does that make Tigerstar overrated? Clear Sky? Even Ivypool?
    I like Russetfur because she is snappy and mean! She has this real ‘no-nonsense’ aura around her which is just so awesome, and her and Blackstar make this real power team when it comes to leadership! Cats don’t need to be good, kind, sweet, friendly, etc. to be a good character. Russetfur ignoring Berrykit just makes me love her more 😀
    How Russetfur is self-centred and a ShadowClan cat through and through is just amazing, and we need more characters like her! Most of the characters I like do things that may not always be morally perfect, like Honeyfern. I don’t always like characters that are kind, like Rainswept Flower. I don’t always like characters that never say a bad word about anyone, like Spottedleaf. I do like characters who have so many levels to them, even if they may seem one-sided, like Grey Wing, Clear Sky, Dovewing, Jayfeather, Ivypool, Firestar, Snowtuft, Tigerstar, Tallstar, Lilyheart Crookedstar and yes, Russetfur.

    • Do you know what overrated means?They are saying Russet’s overrated because people says she’s kind and sweet,when she’s really not. And i really disagree with you. I like snappy,mean but caring characters, but that doesn’t make me like Russet. I can understand her other actions,sure,but neglecting a kit in pain or danger isn’t being snappy,mean and salty,it’s just being empty-hearted,actually,almost evil. I respect your opinion,but neglecting a kit in pain or danger doesn’t make me love her even more.

      • Thornfeather, I entirely respect your opinion, and in my experience in that realm, I’ve picked up that overrated mean a character who is liked too much for what they are 🙂 Please correct me if I’m wrong 😀
        Overrated characters aren’t always snappy and Underrated Characters aren’t always kind. Being evil doesn’t automatically make you overrated, if anything, it makes you less likely to be loved.
        I like Russetfur for being Russetfur. Her absolute love and loyalty to ShadowClan, even to the point for watching a ThunderClan kit struggles in a fox-trap, breaking the code, doesn’t stop me from loving her. I enjoy fandom Russetfur, but I like real Russetfur more. Fandom Russetfur is extremely overrated (in my opinion) but the real Russetfur? She’s neither overrated nor underrated. I feel that people love this real Russetfur enough for what she is. Some may hate her for being empty-hearted, snooty and narcissistic, and others will like her for exactly the same reasons. And that’s fine.

        Sorry if that was too long Thornfeather, I just love debates 😛

        • yes overrated means liked or be considered better or more important than they really are,but i mean some people likes Russetfur because she is ‘kind and sweet’ ,but she’s really not. I personally think she’s not that good,but well,just my opinion!
          And the next part,i didn’t say she was overrated because she was mean. I was just saying she was mean,or empty hearted. I was just pointing out the wrong part of your paragraph. And here’s the wrong part again : having an absolute love and loyalty to Shadowclan doesn’t mean being empty hearted and evil in some ways. Cats can have an absolute love and loyalty to their clan with helping another clan cat. Neglecting Berrykit isn’t showing Shadowclan absolute love and loyalty,it’s being empty hearted. Your opinion is entirely your opinion,of course,but i think ‘watching a Thunderclan kit when it’s in pain or danger and neglecting it means absolute love and loyalty to Shadowclan’ is wrong. That’s a thing DF cats do in my opinion .Not that she deserves the DF .

          And it’s ok lol ,i’m really an ENTP myself.

          • I’m an ENTP too, so I guess we both enjoy talking haha
            Of course cats can be loyal to their Clan by helping other cats. Russetfur just chose not to, and that seems like a very ‘Russetfur’ thing to do 😛
            I think the people who like because she is good and kind probably need to rethink why exactly they love her 😛

            • Well,that is true 🙂 ,but i still think neglecting a kit in pain and danger is a very bad thing to do. It’s like just going on it’s way when a child is hurt gravely next to it

              • If Russetfur was a person, I’d really hate her, and the things she did weren’t that great.
                But Russetfur is a fictitious cat, and I find her character really intriguing, so I love her.
                The characters I like aren’t always good and kind 😀
                We all have different opinions, and I do love kind characters, I just love characters that are morally grey and who you can really analyse 😀
                I hope that I cleared up things a bit!

                This is a great debate, by the way 😛

        • I never really thought of Russetfur as overrated or underrated. I think she’s in between those sides. But she was a good character who never really got any action in The New Prophecy or Power of Three. I completely agree, Ospreymist. But I never liked Berrynose anyways heh

        • Gosh! You two were very good debaters! It’s a shame that I missed out the fun, since I’m pretty good at debating too! Hope to see you next time!

  • I really agree! Everyone in the internet is being like ‘i just love her she is so kind and she is so underrated and i ship black x russet!!’ but i disagreed with them! Finally a Russetfur’s overrated artlcle!

  • Great article!
    You bring your points forward clearly and this is very effective for your argument. I agree with you, I never found Russetfur kind, I mostly liked her because I like her name, she reminded me a little of Squirrelflight, with her fierce attitude.

  • This was very interesting! I personally didn’t realize anyone loved Russetfur. I find her mildly interesting and would like to know more about her in a novella or something.

  • I like her, but not that strongly. I think she’s a good warrior, even if she and Boulder rougues in the beganning. Russetfur would not ever be on mt favorites list, but I definately don’t hate her. Out of all the Shadowclan minor characters in Yellowfang’s secret, I really like Hollyflower, Rowanberry, and Brightflower. Also, I’m reading Crookedstar’s Promise and I LOVE Ottersplash.

  • Russetfur might have been sassy just to show her Clanmates that she wasn’t soft like a kittypet since her father, Hal, was one.