What's the deal with prophecies??

[Bandido]

One of the most strange story telling tactics in the Warriors' series are the prophecies. Most of them are confusing and have no real meaning at the end. Like this "Before there is peace, blood will spill blood and the lake will red." The reader, will think "Oh wow, there must be an epic battle at the end and will define clan boundaries and forest wide changes!" But then, it really means that Hawkfrost needed to die... The prophecy was untrue and pointless. Yes, Hawkfrost did stir up a little trouble but nothing to make a real difference. To the point, Hawkfrost was plotting with the Dark forest after his death so the clans were more at peace before he died! Oh well, there are a few prophecies that are just stupid and don't do any real harm to the series. However, there are prophecies that do this. "Fire alone, will save the clan." This means that there is garunteed success for Firestar. No matter what mistakes he does, there will be no setbacks and he'll always rise to be a hero. In fact, he doesn't make mistakes! No matter what stupid actions he does, it ends with good intentions and outcomes. It never feels that he works hard, because he's always right no matter what. Then Spottedleaf gives him more prophecies to make sure of this! Those prophecies were never wrong, meaning he could sit back and he'd still save the day anyway. You can see this repeat, when Jayfeather, Lionblaze and Dovewing receive powers. Once again, they are set apart from the others and given a prophecy and not hard work. They are given everything they need for success. No hard work, no character development, its already done. Fortunately, Jayfeather escapes this for his power doesn't garuntee success and his blindness bounds out his usefulness. Ivypool is actually more special then Lionblaze and Dovewing. She has to overcome that she's lesser then Dovewing, not inheriting a prophecy. She has better character development, done hard work and did it herself and not without a prophecy, good job! The series is better without a prophecy hanging over their heads, and gives them a chance to act like cats! Or like humans...? I don't know. Greywing, Clearsky and Thunder were amazing characters and didn't have prophecies because there were none in the first place at that time in Dawn of the Clans. They suffer from actual emotions like fear, anger, greed, lust and not that common ambitious do gooder that does nothing. But I want to hear about your thoughts! I apologize if I went to different subjects, but its to make a point.

[Zan Partizanne]

I hated the kin of your kin prophecy because DoveWing is Firestars kin of his kin of his kin

[SuspiciousMindz]

One thing I will say about the blood will spill blood prophecy. You're thinking a little too much into it about the meaning. I'd say you have to think of the phrase literally. "Blood will spill blood" relates to the fact that Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost shared the same blood. Kin spilled each other's blood. Poorly explained because I simply don't really know how to, but then there's "then the lake will run red". Well Hawkfrost's blood did turn the lake red, I believe. His pool of blood spilled down into the lake {it's been a while since I read that scene} making it red. It's quite literal, but yes, overall a fairly pointless prophecy besides the fact it shaped Brambleclaw's character a little more.
Firestar's character, I will agree, was made a little too perfectly. However, even with good intentions behind everything, he did break the code a few times so those were mistakes. The punishment may not seem like enough in the end and that's perhaps why he kept doing it. Even if Firestar wasn't the one to do all of these, some cat would've and there's no mistake that we'd end up calling the same arguements to them. Unless they didn't get to become leader, then we'd be upset about it. I do have to relate Greywing to Firestar though. Greywing was always the one to do the right things, basically like Firestar, though Grey was forced to leave from the start. Had he not, the series would've been way different. To me, Greywing was like the Firestar of Dawn of the Clans. He had to do good and it always worked out for him, but there were consequences behind everything.

[savage scar]

I don't have anything to say about prophecies but I will say the title of this thread sounds like the start to a Seinfeld episode

Jerry: "What's the deal with prophecies! I mean you go to some strange lady, she tells you that you're children are gonna have magical powers and bam! One of your kids is blind, one is violent and the other is a dud!"

Actually, about prophecies I like the blood will spill blood one because, It's slightly vague, you don't know what it's supposed to mean, like a real prophecy.

[Bandido]

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