Top 10 Biggest Things Wrong with the Warrior Cats Series
You love Warrior Cats. You've followed the pawsteps of Firestar, tangled in forbidden love drama, and probably cried over at least one dead medicine cat. The series pulls you in with its forest politics, Clan rivalries, and endless cat lore. But even the most devoted Clanmate has to admit... something smells like crowfood every now and then.
Maybe you've noticed ThunderClan hogs the spotlight like a cat who thinks every prophecy was written just for them. Or how some plotlines leap into action only to vanish like a shadow at sunrise. It's not about hating the series. It's about caring enough to point out the stuff that doesn't sit right, because you know it could be better.
This list is where you speak up. What grates on your whiskers? What moments made you flatten your ears in frustration? Vote for the flaws you think deserve attention.
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ThunderClan always being the hero while other Clans are enemies
ThunderClan doesn't always need to save the day. I mean, give some other Clan a chance to shine, especially ShadowClan.
In the books, they are known for their cruelty and brutality, but that reputation mostly comes from their leaders, like Brokenstar and Tigerstar. They still have feelings and hearts.
This is really annoying. Even though ThunderClan is my favorite clan, they don't always have to be the hero! There are lots of good cats in ShadowClan. Tawnypelt, Tigerstar (the son of Tawnypelt), Dovewing, Flametail, and many more! The good cats deserve to be the hero at least once. Even in The Ultimate Guide, it says that ShadowClan warriors are cold and heartless! That is so not true. ShadowClan cats have feelings, you know!
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Erin Hunter not giving Hollyleaf a power because they couldn't think of one
Yes, this is possibly the stupidest thing ever. What I want to know is, if you can think of a power for Dovewing, then why couldn't Hollyleaf get Dovewing's power, hmm? No offense, and I have nothing against Dovewing, but Hollyleaf is better and deserved the powers way more.
Between the three cats competing for the spot in the prophecy (Dovewing, Ivypool, and Hollyleaf), I like Hollyleaf the most, even though Ivypool's pretty great too. This doesn't make any sense! Like, give Hollyleaf Dovewing's power! Maybe she would actually USE IT for something useful instead of just whining about ShadowClan and rejecting Bumblestripe and Foxleap all day long.
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Too many forbidden couples
The forbidden couple is an annoying trope in general. What makes it even worse is how the cats never get any sort of punishment for it. A good example is Leafpool. She ruined the lives of other cats, and what happens? Nothing!
And that's just one example. It happens too many times to count. It's almost like the writers are running out of ideas, so they rely on the same thing over and over.
Yeah, it gets kind of predictable. But hey, without them, the warrior code wouldn't have been updated - a large step in clan evolution.
Besides, just because you're born a warrior doesn't mean you are one! Bluestar is right (the Ravenpaw thing): you get to choose what you do with your life and to whom and what you are loyal. Even if that loyalty is to yourself.
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Erin Hunter bringing Hollyleaf back just to kill her in the next book
This is so disappointing. Hollyleaf is such a great character. She was so smart, courageous, and hardworking, all to get lost under Hawkfrost's claws and die.
This was something I always hated. Why even bother bringing her back? Not to mention she's rarely seen in StarClan, with the exception of Squirrelflight's Hope. What irritates me more is the fact that Lionblaze and Jayfeather don't seem to even care that their only sister died. They just pretend she doesn't exist.
This pissed me off so much when I found out (through spoilers) that I actually refused to read the rest of the books. Why give her all of that development just to kill her off again? Lazy writing?
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The Warrior Code itself
The fifteenth rule is the worst. It is so hostile against kittypets.
Along with the rule that prevents you from being mates with someone outside your Clan or when you're a medicine cat. Seriously, you can't control who someone else loves unless it is non-consensual.
The ninth rule is pointless. It says to appoint a deputy before moonhigh. What if the former deputy dies, gets exiled, retires, or becomes the leader at moonrise? Then you would have a short time to decide on the deputy.
Some parts of the code I understand, and some I think are stupid. But this is just one that annoys me.
Medicine cats not being able to have a mate or kits. I can kind of understand the kits part because it gets to be a lot of work while you also need to take care of your clan, but I say if you have another fully trained medicine cat it should be okay to have kits. There is always the risk of the other medicine cat dying while you're already pregnant, but that doesn't happen very often. Also, once the kits can have prey, you can just let a queen take care of them.
And then the mates part. I don't see why a medicine cat can't find love. Kits could get in the way, but I don't see what harm a mate could do.
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Impossible genetics
Graystripe and Millie are both gray, yet Blossomfall is a tortoiseshell and Briarlight is dark brown. Technically, the Havana Brown is the only cat breed to be dark brown. Also, in the wild, it is pretty hard to come across a pure gray cat, yet warriors seem to have 1/3 of all cats be pure gray. For example, Dovewing, Cinderpelt, Mistystar, Stonefur, and Bluestar.
Bluestar is also impossible unless purebred. The Russian Blue is the only bluish-gray cat out there. Also, MALE TORTOISESHELLS! Whose idea was this? Spiderleg: black and brown can't both exist on a cat. Why does he have a brown chest? Sandynose has ginger legs. There are many white cats with blue eyes who aren't deaf, except for Snowkit, which thankfully the authors mentioned this genetic thing, but then, WHY do all of the white cats have blue eyes and aren't deaf? Plus, out in the wild, it is pretty hard to come across a pure white cat. I have a BIG problem with this. The Erins should have done some research before coming up with these bizarre ideas.
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StarClan being biased
Mapleshade: goes insane because her clan turns against her, her kits die, her "mate" not only says it's her fault but has already become mates with someone else, and she goes mad from grief, then kills the cats she blames for her kits' deaths.
StarClan: "You'll never be welcomed here after all that you've done! Burn in hell!"
Ashfur: goes crazy because his crush doesn't like him back, proceeds to try to burn her and her sister's kits alive, as well as plot with two of the most evil cats in the history of Warriors and kill his leader.
StarClan: "Oh, it's not your fault you loved too much little Ashy!"
The worst things about StarClan: Frecklewish and Ashfur!
Ashfur: Squirrelflight rejected me, and I wanted to kill her father and burn her sister's kits alive!
StarClan: Aww, you just loved too much. You can live a life in StarClan!
Frecklewish: Mapleshade killed me with an adder. I was so disappointed with how Mapleshade also lied to me. I miss my brother so much.
StarClan: Go to the Dark Forest now!
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Cats being able to talk within days of birth
Swiftbreeze: My kits opened their eyes the moment they were born!
Moonflower: My kits are taking their time!
Swiftbreeze: Honestly, there's something wrong with Bluekit.
Moonflower: No, there isn't.
Brightheart fans: YES, THERE IS!
This annoys me so much. It's so unrealistic! Why would they need to talk so soon? I mean, give them at least a month before they can talk!
Yeah, this is weird. They don't need to learn how to speak, walk, or anything.
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Too many cats in ThunderClan
The cats from the first arc lived WAY too long, and the Erins killed off all the new cats before I had time to know them. Now ThunderClan is ruined. I REALLY hope we get to know and love more characters better. That's probably just me, but who knows.
Yes, I mean there must be like 40 or so now. I'm hoping for a huge purge in The Raging Storm because it's getting ridiculous. I don't think the authors can keep track of them, let alone the readers.
In the beginning of the series, Bluestar was like, "We don't have enough cats," even though they had more than every other clan. To this day, they continue to have 50 cats! It's just annoying.
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The Warrior Code being broken frequently
Remember that rule about thanking StarClan for your prey? Remember that rule about no inter-clan romances? Remember that rule about keeping vigil after you get your warrior name?
Half the time the cats are all going to war because so-and-so put one toe across the border. The other half of the time, they are collectively trampling their precious code of conduct into dust, and everyone decides that it is okay.
In the beginning, I felt like the warrior code was respected, never broken, and sacred. Yet after that, it was broken time and time again. By now, to me, it's practically nothing.
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Too many solid gray cats
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Lack of diversity
There need to be more pinkish cats like Petalfall and Heatherstar. Are there any more hairless cats like Rock?
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Arbitrary Warrior Code changes
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A very repetitive plot
Every arc after Firestar's point of view feels repeated.
I feel like I'm reading the same plot in every new arc!
It's getting boring at this point.
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Excessive fanservice
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No gay couples
You guys say there are no lesbian couples, but what about Leafpool and Mothwing? But it's true, there are no openly gay couples. And if it's really obvious, it's one of those illegal ones like Jake and Tallstar or Leafpool and Mothwing! That's so homophobic. If cats can fight in wars, go to StarClan, and heal other cats with herbs, I think they're complex enough to have true feelings. If there are straight mates, then there should be gay mates!
Well, the Erins couldn't make a gay couple because the book series is worldwide and some countries don't allow gay marriage, and people might get offended. Though, Ravenpaw and Barley are obviously together, and Tallstar and Jake. But they couldn't make any official gay couples, as I said before.
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Dovewing being the third cat of the prophecy despite doing almost nothing
All she did was whine! "Poor me, I'm in a relationship with Tigerheart that breaks the warrior code in so many ways, while my sister is risking her life for the clans every night, and I have to yell at her about it! Life's so hard!" Her power did almost NOTHING! But everyone goes, "Oh, Dovewing, what could we do without you?" All she did was waste her powers on spying on Tigerheart!
Yeah, Dovewing's a traitor. First, she fell in love with Tigerheart. Then, she left the clans to be with him. Third, she left ThunderClan and betrayed them to join ShadowClan! I hate Tigerstar and Dovewing, and I strongly want Dovewing to be mates with Bumblestripe instead.
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Firestar being part of almost every prophecy
His arc was okay, but after it, he lost all personality as a leader and became Bluestar the 2nd. Condescending, disgustingly self-righteous, and a bit, no, a LOT biased. Of course, in his arc, he had to be the hero every time. If you think of it from a narrator's view, Firepaw was just an apprentice who happened to be an orphan and a kittypet. Alright, interesting, but not so tragic and unique that Bluestar had to favor him for everything!
Firestar is a fat, lazy Gary Stu. He walks in camp, and all of a sudden he's everyone's hero. He has three she-cats going after him. Not that he can control that, but he hurts Sandstorm's feelings when he mopes about missing Spottedleaf. I felt so bad for Sandstorm when Firestar kept mentioning Spottedleaf in front of her. Firestar sucks.
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Ashfur being accepted by StarClan
That is really stupid. Ashfur is such a jerk!
I mean, Squirrelflight doesn't love you. Get over it! Just because someone doesn't love you the way you love them doesn't mean you threaten their lives and their sister's children. If Ashfur had tried to kill Lionblaze, he would have been ripped to shreds.
And I honestly wouldn't care. Lionblaze is my favorite character.
Ashfur is such a big jerk! Like, bro, you don't have to hate her just because she chose Bramblestar, and honestly, I'm glad that she did! You don't deserve her or StarClan.
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Too many books and not enough story
The first few books were great, but the Erins are just repeating the same old storyline over and over. Quit adding extra pointless books! And yes, read Wings of Fire! It is a great story! #Glorybringerrules
Visions of Shadows was a main victim of this in my eyes.
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The plot being too predictable
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Obvious writing
I mean, why do you have to write something that is obvious?
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Firestar dying
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Spottedleaf stalking Firestar despite being dead
Spottedleaf really learned some lessons from Thistleclaw. She was 5 years old when she died! 5 - 0.6 = 4.4. She was 4.4 years older than Firepaw, and in cat years, that's like 34 years older. A 40-year-old cannot date a 7-year-old child! It is absolutely disgusting and horrifying! Spottedleaf even continued stalking Fireheart all the way throughout her death, even after Fireheart grew up and got married!
I agree with you, Featherstream. I believe Spottedleaf isn't stalking Firestar, but they are meeting each other.
It's creepy. I mean, Spottedleaf is like 40 moons old, and Firepaw is just six moons when it starts. Clearly, Thistleclaw gave her some lessons.
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Nonsensical names
Names don't really matter, but I wish we started getting some normal names again. I mean, in ThunderClan we had a Thriftear. I know thrift is a type of tree, but I feel like the first thing you think of is a thrift store. I wish they brought back some new ideas. I feel like they are running out of name ideas.
So many of these names don't make sense. It's so confusing. Who had the idea of making Bristlefrost? I don't like to read all the warriors' appearances, so the first time I read The Broken Code, I seriously thought she was all white. My OC is named Gingersnap, which I think is canon, and it makes a lot of sense because she has a ginger pelt and green eyes.
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The Erins being inconsistent with colors
YES! Dovewing has eyes that change from amber to yellow to blue to green, and it won't stop. I understand that all cats are born with blue eyes, so obviously they start like that, but their eyes don't change twenty times.
Scourge is always drawn with a purple collar, so let's just keep him with that. It doesn't make sense to picture him with anything else. Bone's collar is always drawn as rainbow, which also makes no sense! This inconsistency needs to stop. It doesn't make sense, and I don't understand how it's even physically possible for a human being to be this stupid.
Just pick one, people! Is color picking that difficult!? Just close your eyes and point at one, or use a spin-the-wheel. Just choose, people!
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Excessive walking in The New Prophecy
OMG YES! They literally spend the first four books of The New Prophecy walking, and then we get more walking because Leafpool finds the Moonpool. Then Leafpool and Crowfeather leave and come back, and we get about one book of story and plot, and that's it. The rest is just... walking. And that's it. It's so boring, definitely my least favorite arc!
Lol, love this one. Walking is annoying, fully agree, though I liked the walking in Dawn because it was fun to see the clan evolution.