Why Goldenflower is underrated by Lynxpaw

Lynxpaw discusses Goldenflower’s life and traits.

Hi! It’s Lynxpaw with another article. It’s been a whole month since the last one I wrote, so I decided to write another one. This article is about why I think Goldenflower is underrated. Let’s get started!

Goldenflower was born to Speckletail and Smallear alongside with her brother Lionheart. She later becomes an apprentice and gets Dappletail as mentor.
She becomes Patchpelt’s mate, and gives birth to his kits, Lynxkit and Swiftkit. But soon after, Patchpelt retires and becomes an elder. He didn’t even wait for his kits to grow up and become warriors! What we can see in Into The Wild, he never visits Goldenflower or shows that he loves her.

My theory is that Patchpelt was desperate to have kits because he was old and had never had it. So he thought that Goldenflower would be a good choice for a mate. He shows that he likes her, and Goldenflower is so happy that somebody wants to be her mate, that she instantly says yes. But after the kits are born, Patchpelt just leaves them. Goldenflower is probably really sad, and wonders why he doesn’t like her anymore.

Next tragedy: Lynxkit dies. One of Goldenflower’s kits dies, but she stands strong and focus on her remaining kit. That’s a thing I admire about her. Patchpelt isn’t seen being sad at all. Not long afterwards, Lionheart is killed in a battle against ShadowClan.

In the mist of these heartbreaks, a tom that is nice and friendly must feel like a gift from StarClan. Goldenflower doesn’t think twice of becoming Tigerclaw’s mate, she says yes directly. Who wouldn’t want to be the deputy’s mate? The problem is that Tigerclaw doesn’t really love her at all. He just thinks that she will be a good mother to his kits. And he’s right. When Tigerclaw is exiled she learns the truth. But she is the best mother a cat could possibly get. When Fireheart is hostile towards Bramblekit, she stands up for her son:

“I understand how you feel. Your eyes have always betrayed your heart. But these are my kits, and I will die to protect them if I have to. I’m afraid for them, Fireheart. The Clan will never forgive Tigerclaw—nor should they. But Bramblekit and Tawnykit have done nothing wrong, and I will not let them be punished because of Tigerclaw.”
— Goldenflower to Fireheart, vowing to protect her kits in Rising Storm, page 20

She also nurses Feathertail and Stormfur when they come to ThunderClan as kits. Even though she dislikes their half Clan roots, she is loyal and understands that the kits hasn’t done anything wrong.

At this time, Speckletail has a new litter, Snowkit and Mistlekit. But Mistlekit dies young and Snowkit is carried away by a hawk.
Shall we make a list of all the heartbreaks and deaths Goldenflower’s been through?
• Betrayed by Patchpelt
• Death of Lynxkit
• Death of Lionheart
• Tigerclaw’s betrayal
• Snowkit’s and Mistlekit’s, her brother and sister’s deaths

And it doesn’t stop there. Patchpelt is killed in a fire, and Swiftkit, now Swiftpaw, is killed by the dogs that Tigerclaw brought onto ThunderClan territory. Her former mate kills his own stepson! Then her daughter Tawnypaw joins ShadowClan to be with her father, who is now leader there. Goldenflower had four kits. Three left her. Only Brambleclaw stays with her. But then he goes on the quest to find Midnight, and Goldenflower, who is now an elder that helps out in the nursery, has no idea where he is. She probably thinks he is dead! Tawnypelt is also on the quest, and goes with him. Goldenflower must have been devastated! Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt comes back later and leads their Clans to their new home, and Goldenflower dies peacefully a short while afterwards. She later gives Bramblestar a life:

“Yes, my son, it is. I am so proud of you, my love. And so honored to give you this life. […] I give you a life for understanding the love of a mother. But then, you have already known what it is to love as a father. Keep that knowledge, feel its power, and use it to keep all your Clanmates safe.”
―Goldenflower as she gives Brambleclaw a life The Ultimate Guide, page 52

So, what do you think of Goldenflower? She suffered so many losses, but didn’t end up like Mapleshade and Ashfur (among others). She just accepted life the way it was, and came to peace in StarClan. She was a brave and loyal cat, but I don’t think that everybody notices her for it.

Well, that was the end of this article. Tell me what you thought of it.

Lynxpaw out!