A Gray Wing Analysis: A Dive into his Character by Rosegaze

Rosegaze takes a closer look at Gray Wing.

Gray Wing is the first POV character we are introduced to in DOTC. He was a mountain cat during the pre-clan and pre-tribe era. He left the mountains after his little brother, Jagged Peak, snuck out to follow the cats leaving the mountains. He ends up becoming a savior and a leader in the forest territory and becomes a wise cat that all could depend on. Gray Wing is actually a deep character, and I’m going to break him down.

Let’s get this out of the way first, Gray Wing has flaws. In many places, he is portrayed as a gentle soul and is very compassionate. This is not wrong, but there is more to him than this. Gray Wing needs a sense of belonging to be his true self. We all saw what happened when he believed he was useless. He had a little intervention at River Ripple’s camp, as he pondered his purpose. This sense of belonging assures Gray Wing that he is not useless. He desperately needs this, especially after he develops asthma. He doesn’t want to be useless or seen as weak, he wants to be the leader all can depend on.

Another thing to mention is that he can be jealous, or even cold when he feels like his efforts are in vain. There is not a good way to explain this, but Gray Wing is seen getting upset after Sparrow Fur is injured, blaming not only Clear Sky, the person who let One Eye do that to her, but Jagged Peak as well, for letting her leave camp. While talking with Owl Eyes, the latter expresses a desire to meet his birth father, much to Gray Wing’s sorrow, as he believed he was a good father to them. Gray Wing feels as if he was not enough for them to be satisfied.

Gray Wing was put into a position of power during Thunder Rising, and he obviously struggled. He wanted to do what was best for his group, but he started getting crushed under the pressure.

Despite all of this, Gray Wing was a faithful and compassionate person. When Clear Sky rejected his kit, Gray Wing assumed the duty of being his father, same with Turtle Tail’s kits. Gray Wing is an amazing character, and an even better father.