ThunderClan’s Next Deputy — A Theory On A Minor Character’s Potential by Anonymous

An anonymous BlogClanner shares a theory on who ThunderClan’s next deputy could be.

Hello! I’m sure anyone who has finished Shadow has the same question as me — will Squirrelflight receive her nine lives and who will serve as her deputy? Perhaps Thunder has released already and these questions are already answered, but I would still like to suggest my theory on one of them anyway.

I’ll be addressing the latter topic and after seeing common theories on well-known characters, mainly Ivypool, Cinderheart, and Lionblaze, I would like to suggest another character who (I believe) should be considered as a serious candidate.

So who is this character, you may ask?

Whitewing.

Here’s why:

1. Apprentices
Whitewing has trained three apprentices, which is more than the average warrior. This shows her experience and also meets the requirements set by the warrior code.

2. Balance
Whitewing is very calm and levelheaded, which would balance out Squirrelflight’s more fiery temper. She is likely to offer her two cents (or mice, I suppose) on an idea, but obedient enough to not go so far as to undermine her leader, which is something an unstable Clan such as ThunderClan really needs right now — an obedient deputy.

3. Personality
Whitewing definitely has traits, but because her personality isn’t very defined, what with being a side character, the Erins are less likely to butcher a beloved favorite. In fact, this is an opportunity to see a stronger side of Whitewing and develop her further. I did some research and a lot of people said they wanted to like her, but were neutral on Whitewing purely because she didn’t have a lot of page time. Many fans also stated that she had wasted potential.

4. Controversy
Whitewing isn’t very controversial (the only instances being theories about Ashfur and a comment she made in Dovewing’s Silence) and as I said earlier, most people are neutral on her. While some people may be disappointed that she gets chosen over a character like Cinderheart or Ivypool, I doubt that anyone will be super mad about it.

5. Senior Warrior
Whitewing is a senior warrior, showing that she has served the Clan long enough to deserve the role and know how to use it. In addition, since she’s a senior warrior, she doesn’t have to stay as a deputy. She might retire, giving a younger character a chance again. Whitewing would be a good, reliable deputy for Squirrelstar to start her leadership on, even if she doesn’t keep the role forever.

6. Fan Opinions
A lot of people want to see a female leader-deputy duo, which is partially why many people are cheering for Ivypool and Cinderheart. Whitewing would satisfy this as well.

7. Foreshadowing..?
Finally the very thing that first made me wonder about Whitewing’s potential is this: at the end of A Thief In ThunderClan, Brightheart and Cloudtail speculate that maybe one day Whitewing will be leader. This line stood out to me, and struck me as strange. While canonically this is probably just the daydreaming of fond parents, it could also be something more, especially considering the graphic novel’s close release to Shadow (similar to how Thunder and Riverstar’s Home are having close releases). Perhaps this is hinting that Whitewing will have a position in leadership one day, even if it’s only as deputy.

So what do you think? Have I convinced you? Should Whitewing be considered as a possible candidate for deputy?

NOTE: I’m submitting this twice in case one gets cut off. Please delete this note from whichever one you publish. Thanks and have a good day! 🙂