[in the graphic novel art style, Mudclaw strikes an unsheathed paw forward in the mud with a snarl]

Was Mudclaw Really A Bad Cat? by Spiritflight and Breezeflame

Spiritflight and Breezeflame discuss Mudclaw’s actions.

[in the graphic novel art style, Mudclaw strikes an unsheathed paw forward in the mud with a snarl]
Official art by James L. Barry
[in the graphic novel art style, Mudclaw strikes an unsheathed paw forward in the mud with a snarl]

Spiritflight here, and today I am with Breezeflame <3 We are going to be talking about if our fellow Warriors character, Mudclaw, was really a bad cat. Do YOU think he was a bad guy? Or did he mean well? I can’t wait to get started! Let’s have Bree start us off here.

Breezeflame: Thanks for having me on here Spiritflight, and I believe that Mudclaw’s actions were not justified. Everything he did violated the warrior code and if he became leader he would have caused far too much bloodshed.

Spiritflight: I light heartedly disagree with you there, Breezo! I think Mudclaw is a justified character, and definitely should have been leader instead of Onewhisker. He’s aggressive, but he had other traits that the graphic novel chose to forget. Tallstar seemed to just misunderstand Mudclaw’s intentions every time, which were, from what I could see, putting WindClan above everything else. It didn’t necessarily mean he wanted to fight the other clans to accomplish that, though. What are some of your opinions on this, Breezeflame?

Breezeflame: You have a fair point on this, however, Mudclaw’s actions were very against the Warrior Code. Rule 6 of the Code specifically states that the leader gets to pick his or her own deputy and has the freedom to appoint whoever they see fit. Tallstar was not a dumb cat, and he still had a clear mind when he decided to make Onewhisker his deputy instead. He knew what he was doing and although he made it on his deathbed, it was a better choice than him not making it at all and possibly regretting his decision.

Spiritflight: I see what you’re saying. Nevertheless, I believe he was a true warrior at heart, not thinking about himself, but his clanmates and loved ones. He was quite a morally gray character, pretty harsh during the journey to the clans new home. Which makes sense if you think about it; He is surrounded by cats he usually only meets in battle or at the gatherings, not to mention he most likely feels the need to prove that he and Windclan are still strong even when Tallstar was seemingly dying. I’d be mad to if I was deputy for moons then last minute before I became leader was just pushed aside for another cat. I wouldn’t just be mad, I would also feel heartbroken.I put most of the blame about the rebellion on Hawkfrost’s shoulders. How do you feel about getting a little more in depth about that?

Breezeflame: That’s an interesting case you’re making, but Mudclaw could have easily chosen to ignore Hawkfrost and do what’s best for his Clan at heart. Hawkfrost is an evil, manipulative cat, and was well known for manipulating other cats, such as his own littermate Mothwing when he forced her to make a false vision to remove cats he didn’t like from RiverClan. Mudclaw had every right to listen to other cats who tried to warn him about the dangers of Hawkfrost, but he chose to ignore those warnings. Hawkfrost was an evil, manipulative cat who preyed on emotionally-vulnerable cats and would play them like fiddles so he could get his way in the end. And Mudclaw also had the freedom of choice here, he did not have to do everything Hawkfrost drug him into doing.

Spiritflight:That is true, what you say. But then, who was to tell him about the possible dangers of the dangerous RiverClan warrior that Mudclaw was associating himself with? WindClan was so busy mooning over Onestar, they forgot to show their kindness to Mudclaw. And knowing he had so much support from other clans but not his own? That is disappointing. He is fiercely loyal to his clan, and I don’t see how being quick to defend your territory is a bad thing. That could of came to good use one day. I honestly think he would of matured into a good leader, maybe hotheaded at first, but he could of tempered with experience. Especially if he had an older, senior warrior as his deputy. What is your overview about his potential as a leader?

Breezeflame: Those are all valid points, and although Mudclaw was well known for being one of WindClan’s strongest warriors, he’s also very impulsive and hostile towards others. He doesn’t have much tolerance for others and as I mentioned earlier, the Warrior Code specifically states that the leader gets to pick a deputy, and Rule 7 of the code adds on to that saying that the deputy succeeds the leader once the leader dies or retires. And before Tallstar died he specifically made Onewhisker his deputy because he thought that Onewhisker would be a better fit. Mudclaw’s actions broke two rules of the Warrior Code and although he believed that the action was in the best interest of his Clan, that doesn’t make it justified.

Spiritflight: Interesting. But then again, no cat had even told Mudclaw about Tallstar’s death. His loyalty to his clan was so clear, but all they saw in him was hostility. They look at the negative side and not the positive. Tallstar chose Onewhisker instead because he believed that Mudclaw would be to bloodthirsty and dive into battle too soon. Don’t judge a cat based on what YOU think about them. There is always a good side, thats what I believe. He is a devoted warrior, I can say. When he went to StarClan, he realized everything, and even gave Onestar a life. You can’t tell me he isn’t a good cat. For this article, what is your overall and final statement of this?

Breezeflame: My final thoughts are that you can’t deny that Mudclaw was a good cat and truly wanted the best for his Clan. However the ways that he chose to dedicate himself as a WindClan warrior broke many aspects of the code and led to his imminent death. StarClan also brought the tree down on Mudclaw to kill him to prove that Mudclaw wasn’t the right fit to lead his Clan. I agree with you that he was a good cat and had a good side, and although he wasn’t truly malicious or evil he chose to prove his worth in a way that led to much bloodshed and also his own death, and tried to get the other Clans in on it too. In the grand scheme of things, he’s a cat with good intentions that made rash, impulsive decisions that did not lead to his desired outcome. But yeah, that sums up all my thoughts about Mudclaw.

Spiritflight: You have made some phenomenal points there, Breeze! I utterly respect your opinions, and am fascinated to be sharing my final thoughts with you 🙂
My final thoughts are that Mudclaw was a good cat through and through and only let jealousy drive him toward doing what he thought was right, and jealousy isn’t a bad thing. To be honest, in my opinion, Onestar became exactly what Tallstar feared Mudclaw would become. I truly believe Mudclaw could’ve been a great leader. It all has pros and cons. If he was leader, I don’t think that much would of happened with Darktail, saving the clans from yet another treacherous threat. I think it is fair to say he would of been a good leader, but at the same time, maybe not. I thank you so much for being here Breeze! It took a bit to get this done, but I think it turned out fantastic. I’ll just let Bree say her final outro then we’ll be on our way. Love you all <3

Breezeflame: Bye guys! I’m glad that these could summon up some of my thoughts with Mudclaw! I really enjoyed writing this, but to be honest I mostly agree with Spiri on this one! 🙂 I wanted to write from an opposing view (different than what I already have) for the spice and dramatic aspects! I had a blast doing this with Spiri and I hope we can collab more in the future! Love you all, and may StarClan light your path! <3333333

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