[a fluffy full-body design of Mapleshade]

Opinion On Mapleshade by Riverstorm

Riverstorm shares their opinion on Mapleshade.

Artist unknown (Source: Warriors Amino)

Hello!!!!
So i wanted to talk about Mapleshade. This is a very hot topic inn the warriors fandom. Is she evil or good? I believe she is neither, here is why.
Mapleshades Vengeance is a Novella about all that she went through. Mapleshade did kill three cats. But wouldn’t you? She was alone. Her kits drowned. Everyone she trusted turned their back on her. Im not saying what she did was ok. Lord knows it wasnt, but i understand why she did it.
In Crookedstars Promise Mapleshade played a big part in this Super addition. She introduced Crookedkit to the dark forest. She started training him. Made him promise to put nothing above his clan. The reason she took interest in Crookedkit was because he was a decedent from her traitorous ex mate Appledusk. Mapleshade knew of the sorrow and death that would happen in Crookedkits future. She convinced Crookedkit it was her who caused this.
Mapleshade has done many things she shouldnt have. But i understand it. I feel Oakstar, Frecklewish and Ravenwing were more in the wrong than Mapleshade. Greystripe had kits with Silverstreaem but was not banished. How come Oakstar Banished Mapleshade yet Bluestar did not Banish Greystripe. In reality Frecklewish and Oakstar broke the warrior code. The warrior code clearly states ¨No warrior can neglect a kit in pain or danger, even if the kit is from a different Clan.¨ Frecklewish watched Mapleshades kits drown and did nothing. Oakstar banished Mapleshade and her Innocent kits who had nowhere to go. Appledusk should not have blamed Mapleshade for the death or their kits when it was clearly Thunderclan and Frecklewish´s fault. Hollyleaf killed Ashfur for no reason yet ended up in Starclan. I believe Mapleshade should have gone to Starclan. I understand this is an Unpopular opinion but its true. The facts are all there. Why did Oakstar go to Starclan for inderectly killing three kits?? Yes Frecklewish went to the dark forest and serves her right, but Mapleshade is not the only Villian in this story. I dont believe Mapleshade is a true Villian like TIgerstar or Brokenstar. But I would love to heard your opinions in the comments.

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24 comments

  • Good article! Although I would like to point out that Hollyleaf did NOT kill Ashfur for no reason. I would also like to point out that although Frecklewish and Oakstar are completely in the wrong here and broke the warrior code that it is in no way excusable to carry on her grudge to their ancestors (Or to murder anyone), she should no better than anyone that it’s not fair to judge people on who their parents are. All in all I would say she is a villain that deserves the dark forest although I like her as a character and I think that a lot of these points are pretty valid 🙂

  • I agree with everything but I think Mapleshade should have went to the dark forest for at least a little while and then go to Starclan. As for Frecklewish we don’t know if she enjoyed watching the kits drown , Nettlepaw only said that Frecklewish watched the kits drown. However remember when Firestar and Greystripe rescued Riverclan kits from the Flooded river? Why didn’t Frecklewish?

    • We don’t have any proof that Frecklewish even saw the kits drown, as the only thing Nettlepaw tells Mapleshade is that Frecklewish saw her fall off the the stones, not the kits.

      Additionally, we have to take into account that Mapleshade is burdened by grief and a tunnel-vision-fueled need to blame someone, even though her kits’ death is her fault.

      During the first arc flood, I’m pretty sure that it wasn’t raining, so it would be easier to see. Also, Firestar and Graystripe were the only ones there [in Mapleshade’s Vengeance there was a RiverClan patrol that was trying to save the kits]

      Through a roaring river [that is at least large enough to hold boats], and storming, it’s very unlikely that Frecklewish saw [or enjoyed] the kits drowning.

      • Mapleshade sat up with a hiss. “Frecklewish was watching?” The apprentice looked scared. “Y-yes. She followed you to make sure that you left. She..she said you fell off the stepping stones.”

        1 .Frecklewish said that Mapleshade fell off the steping stones to make it sound like an accident

        2. Mapleshade travels on the Riverclan side to get to the Moonstone because she doesn’t want to attract attention , there was no bridge.

        3. The stepping stones were only half submerged in water allowing the kits to stand belly deep in the water without having to constantly swim.

        4. A good mother will let her kits go first just in case they fall or in this case start to drown. Only when the kits reached the safety of the first submerged stepping stone did she wade her way in.

        5. Before Mapleshade could reach her kits the giant wave came and separated her from her kits

    • I so agree. Except that maple shade was extremely innocent. Yes she killed. But ashfur killed in love much like maple shade. He killed 9 cats or more. Mapleshade killed also. if you had payed attention it says “As freckle wish appears she stood there silently as the kits drowned” but.. Freckle wish wasn’t really wrong. Maple shade didnt correct her. It was rude of her to assume but still. She was so happy. Also re read the page it says that maple shade told oak star they were birch faces kits. Freckle wish may have heard them. Raven wing is.. Slightly not innocent. He got a sign she was lieing not a sign to get her in trouble. Although he didnt know oak star was gonna exile her. He probably thought the sign he got was to tell the clan but it wasn’t. And apple dusk. He’s completely innocent.. JUST KIDDING. he was abusive and a jerk. He watched his kits die. Didnt even seem sad, flirted with another cat in front of mapleshade and blamed their death on her. Fact:There was a storm, and she didn’t know a wave would happen. Reedshine.. Idk how I feel about her. She was cold and bitter and insulted maple shade and her kits, but…. She was scared,cold and was still in shock. Perch paw. He had no idea what apple dusk did. He would have helped mapleshade calm down if he knew. Perch paw is completely innocent. Dark star. She is wrong and right. She didnt let mapleshade keep her dead kits. She insulted her. And didnt even let her watch her kits get buried. EXCUSE ME? THOSE KITS ARENT YOURS. THEY ARE MAPLESHADES.

  • Great article! All great points 🙂 though I do think murder is really big crime, and she committed it three times. Personally, I don’t think any cat should be condemned to be in a dark, creepy forest with other murdering and crime committing cats until they fade away no matter what they’ve done.