Cosmiceyes takes a look at Hollyleaf’s actions and why she might have acted that way.
![[a painted bust of Hollyleaf surrounded by falling holly leaves]](https://blogclan.katecary.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/hollyleaf.jpg)
[a painted bust of Hollyleaf surrounded by falling holly leaves]
OK, so, Hollyleaf. We all love her, right? She’s one of the best-known and often loved characters in the Warriors fandom. But did she really have the heart of a true warrior?
Now, some of my opinions might be controversial, so I’d like to just say that I will accept disagreement of any kind. I have nothing against her. But here, I’m going to discuss why Hollyleaf was too fragile for the warrior life.
First of all, her obsession with following the warrior code. Psychologically, I’d suggest that this shows some fragility, a need for control, routine and order in her life. Perhaps it also suggests a subconscious fear of the unknown, so anything that seems to lie outside of the code, or breaks it, gives her a fear that she is spiralling out of control and she needs to regain it.
Two: She is fixated on her (later revealed non-existent) place in the Prophecy of Three. In either Long Shadows or Sunrise, she is shown to have a rage about the prophecy and Ashfur/Squirrelflight’s revelations, thinking she DESERVES it in an angry way. This is almost close to following the thought patterns of confirmed villains in Warriors. She longs to be a leader and to have more power than the stars–which brings me back to the control issues.
Three: The killing of Ashfur. Sure, Ashfur’s revelation would have hurt ThunderClan and the Three, but it technically wouldn’t have gone against the warrior code. Hollyleaf was so desperate to regain what she saw as a lack of control in her life, and set it back to hw it was before the storm, that she herself–the cat most obsessed with the warrior code–breaks it in the worst way possible: killing a Clanmate. What does this say about the state of her mental health?
Four: When she returns to ThunderClan, Hollyleaf is reserved, snappish and distant with her Clanmates, often shown to be sharp-tongued and short-tempered. She probably feels as if she has zero control whatsoever over what her Clan thinks of her, after they realize she was Ashfur’s murderer.
And finally, five: her reaction to Leafpool and Crowfeather. On learning that Leafpool is basically the source of all her misery, Hollyleaf tries to force Leafpool into suicide, saying: ”I’ve killed once; I can do it again!” By this point, her mental state is so shattered that she isn’t even thinking about the code she loved so much. She’s gone over the edge, and then she escapes Clan life and everything she’s done–”No one will ever understand.” She runs from responsibility because the consequences are out of her control.
I feel like I have to acknowledge that Hollyleaf did die saving Ivypool, so she must have nobility and a true warrior’s heart in her. But she may have been too mentally fragile to accept that sometimes being a warrior means having to break the code for the greater good. What do you think?
Great article! I never thought of it that way
I love Hollyleaf, and I very much disagree. It’s Ashfur, Squirrelflight, and Leafpool’s fault that everything with killing Ashfur happened, and her mental health at ONE time in the books doesn’t mean she is too fragile for Clan life. And about her being power-focused, wanting to be leader isn’t bad! You just have to control that ambition in a healthy way, so you don’t end up like Tigerstar I. And Hollyleaf did! And she wanted to be a part of the three to belong with her littermates, not for power! Also, being sharp-tongued and short-tempered doesn’t mean you’re too fragile for Clan life. Ivypool, Lionblaze, and Nightheart are those things too, but would you say they are not cut out for Clan life?
well said i soooo agree
Thanks!
Hi! I’ve been inactive for sometime
You make very valid points and I can see your argument
I’m just too attached to squirrelstar to blame her lol
I think you’re probably right. From the time she killed Ashfur until she disappeared into the tunnels, Hollyleaf was having a full-blown psychotic breakdown. Part of the trouble is that the clans have no process for dealing with mental illness. There are medicine cats to treat wounds and physical illnesses, but there are no therapist cats. A similar situation was when Bluestar descended into paranoia after Tigerstar betrayed her. There was no one in the clan who could help her, everyone had to tiptoe around here increasing madness.
i think this is an interesting perspective!
i haven’t read the books in a while, so maybe this is a sort of incorrect view, but i think it’d be an interesting if hollyleaf was able to get help, acknowledge her feelings towards the warrior code, and sort through them. though this never happened in the books.
Yeah hollyleaf needed a therapist 😛
id like it if that was a thing lol. i wish we could’ve seen hollyleaf gain strength and support 😭
i wonder if there is one nearby the lake
Yeah 😭
Wow! I never thought about it that way 😯
This article was a real eye opener. I loved it!
I agree! I think she was very noble and ambitious (the traits of a warrior), but overthinking rules and boundaries (too noble) gave her a kittypet style too.
Amazing article!!!
Awesome article!!! but i have to disagree just the tiniest bit; BECAUSE HOLLYLEAF IS JUST PURE AWESOMENESS and it was leafpools fault but anyways WEASOMO article!!
Nice article
I agree Hollyleaf was weak!😁 Great article.