Top 10 Best Warrior Cats Clan Leaders

Every leader in the world of Warrior Cats has a tale to tell. They've braved countless moons of adversity, clashed with formidable foes, and made difficult decisions for the welfare of their clan. Their bravery, wisdom, and even their shortcomings have played a crucial role in shaping the fate of their clans.

From the valiant leaders of ThunderClan to the crafty chiefs of ShadowClan, from the sagacious heads of RiverClan to the fleet-footed rulers of WindClan, and not to forget the tenacious commanders of SkyClan, each leader has etched an unforgettable legacy in the chronicles of Warrior Cats.

So, go ahead and pick your favorite. Bear in mind, there's no right or wrong pick here. Each leader, in their unique way, has demonstrated what it truly means to bear the burden of the clan, to make the tough calls, and to lead with honor and integrity.

So, who will it be? The decision is all yours! Relish the journey and may StarClan guide your path.
The Top Ten
Firestar (ThunderClan) Firestar is a character in the Warrior Cats series. He becomes the leader of ThunderClan after Bluestar. He is mates with Sandstorm and has two kits: Squirrelflight and Leafpool. Formerly a kittypet named Rusty, Firestar is killed by fatal wounds inflicted by the spirit of Tigerstar and a falling tree... read more

Good leader. I like him. He is very noble and strong and overall a good character. I ship Firestar and Sandstorm! So cute! Anyways, his death was very sad.

He killed Firestar, saving all the Clans. He lived up to his name and prophecy: "Fire alone can save our clan", except that he didn't just save ThunderClan, he saved all the clans! May the great Firestar reside in StarClan for many moons to come. May he find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where he sleeps. - Sapphirefrost, newly appointed medicine cat of TwilightClan

Bluestar (ThunderClan) Bluestar is a character in the Warrior Cats series. She was one of the leaders of ThunderClan. She broke the code by being mates with Oakheart of RiverClan and having her kits, Stonefur and Mistyfoot, and Mosskit. Stonefur and Mistyfoot live in RiverClan, while Mosskit died of hypothermia. She has a... read more

Bluestar was a great leader. She is the mother of Mistystar, one of my favorite characters. And yes, she broke the warrior code, but she also saved ThunderClan in turn. She gave up her kits to RiverClan to protect ThunderClan from Thistleclaw because she knew it was the right thing to do.

She suffered so much pain in life but finally found happiness in StarClan with her mate, Oakheart, and her kits, Mosskit, Stonefur, and now Mistystar. She was a great leader and may she reside in StarClan for many moons to come. May she find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where she sleeps. - Sapphirefrost, newly appointed medicine cat of TwilightClan

Crookedstar (RiverClan) Crookedstar is a huge, light brown tabby tom with green eyes and a twisted jaw.

Crookedstar was a RiverClan leader in the forest territories. He was born as Stormkit to Rainflower and Shellheart alongside his brother, Oakkit. Following an accident in which he broke his jaw, Stormkit was renamed... read more

By the way, his super edition, Crookedstar's Promise, is the best by a landslide. As Stormkit, he was loved, but then Rainflower completely changed her attitude. After his jaw broke, she renamed him CROOKEDkit. Just think about it: you're a baby, and your mom changes your name to emphasize your physical deformity.

Rainflower even went on to say heartless things about him, telling Oakheart something along the lines of why do you care about him? He'll never be as good as you when Oakheart became an apprentice. Crookedstar loved Willowbreeze deeply. Their relationship was incredibly sweet. The deaths of his kits and Willowbreeze were the saddest I've ever read.

Despite the hardship, he remains one of the strongest and most loyal warriors throughout the book. He doesn't become all muscle and no brain like Lionblaze. He made a promise to Mapleshade to be the strongest warrior he could be. Even after enduring so much sadness, he leads his clan exceptionally well. It's explicitly stated in Crookedstar's Promise that the warriors count their battles with reeds because they haven't lost a single one in moons.

Overall, even after the death of Silverstream (his daughter), I've come to understand his perspective. I used to think he was horrible for demanding the kits, but now I understand why he did it. Despite the tragedies, he was a great, sensible leader. He used his deformed jaw for humor but never let it take over his life.

Tallstar (WindClan) Tallstar is a large, black-and-white tom with a very long, thin, black tail with a white tail-tip, powerful shoulders, amber eyes, strong paws, short, thick fur, and a white muzzle and paws.

He was amazing! Tallstar has been my favorite cat from all the warrior books. His death was tragic, but he was the wisest leader I knew. His choice of Onestar becoming WindClan's new leader wasn't a wise choice. Battles raged across the new moors of WindClan. Mudclaw was full of depressing ambition with Hawkfrost by his side.

Strong and wise, Tallstar was determined to do the best he could before his ninth life slipped away. Jake had inspired him to find kindness even in the midst of battles when it came to generosity. If Jake was a clan cat, he would be one of my favorites. He knew there was kindness in everyone, even the most ambitious leader. He helped Tallstar through the bumpiest roads to find his true destiny. Tallstar was wise and thoughtful just because one cat made a difference to him.

Mistystar (RiverClan) Mistystar is a lithe, pale blue-gray she-cat with thick, sleek fur, a pink nose, a plumpy tail, and wide, ice-blue eyes. Her mother was Bluestar and her father is Oakheart. Her adopted mother was Graypool and her adopted father is Thrushpelt. Her sister is Mosskit and her brother is Stonefur, her adopted... read more

Daughter of Bluestar of ThunderClan and Oakheart of RiverClan, sister to Stonefur and Mosskit, she is an amazing leader. She is simply an amazing leader. Kind, forgiving, and noble - that's who Mistystar is. She is kind in many ways and was a good leader for RiverClan. I admire and respect Mistystar even though she isn't my Clan's (TwilightClan) leader.

But from tales, I know that Mistystar served her clan well. She forgave Bluestar even after she gave her away to RiverClan, which I think is very kind because she understood what Bluestar had to do to save the Clans and she understood the price. She forgave Leopardstar, understanding that everyone makes mistakes, even when she was grieving Stonefur's death.

She even became Leopardstar's deputy, knowing that was the best way to honor Stonefur and knowing she was helping RiverClan. Best leader I know, and her death was of old age, defending herself for her mistake and apologizing. Yes, she joined the impostor's side and got cats killed, but Leopardstar did the same. As soon as she realized she was on the wrong side, she immediately switched.

She also believed that Bramblestar could come back and sided with Squirrelstar (Squirrelflight at the time) to help bring Bramblestar back. She believed he had a chance. Mistystar was even a "Light in the Mist," a cat who helped greatly with Bramblestar's rescues. She was bombarded with questions and while defending herself, collapsed and died of old age. Sudden death. She had a long life and lived it well.

May she reside in StarClan for moons to come. May she find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where she sleeps - Sapphirefrost, newly appointed medicine cat of TwilightClan.

Sunstar (ThunderClan)

He was the best deputy and mentor to Bluestar! He's so good! If he wasn't leader imagine what would happen in the time that he had only 8 lives, Pinestar went to be a kittypet, and he fought for Sunning Rocks.

I think that battles for Sunning Rocks were only Erin's way to get out cats who weren't so essential, but Sunstar should be higher!

He's not a very major character, but he's definitely worth the vote. Why? Because he helped Bluestar a lot whenever she was upset, even though at first Bluestar didn't like that. He also had the good sense to choose Bluestar for deputy and NOT Thistleclaw.

Imagine if he'd chosen Thistleclaw, who was much more experienced than Bluestar. ThunderClan would have turned into a living disaster.

Leafstar (SkyClan)

Very good leader, in my opinion. Very kind and compassionate leader. She is an amazing cat. She saved SkyClan when they needed her to be leader. StarClan knew she was the right leader, and Leafstar agreed, even though she could've said no because she was a loner and couldn't take the responsibility.

But no, she knew she had to take care of the cats she'd now known as warriors. So she did it. And she excels at her job. She keeps her cats safe, avoids conflict if she can, and is a great leader overall. She suffered so much losing Billystorm, her mate, and Firefern and Stormheart, her daughters. May they all reside in StarClan for moons to come.

Anyways, she is a very good leader, and may she live for moons to come. Long live Leafstar! - Sapphirefrost, newly appointed medicine cat of TwilightClan

Bramblestar (ThunderClan) Bramblestar is the leader of ThunderClan. His mate is Squrrielflight and his kits are Dandilionkit, Juniperkit, Sparkpelt and Alderheart. Bramblestar sister is Tawnypelt, his parents are Goldenflower and Tigerstar. Bramblestar is a huge and muscular dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes, he has sleek... read more

Go ThunderClan! Bramblestar is amazing! By the way, who inspired Erin Hunter to create him? I can't believe he stepped down as leader and Squirrelstar (Squirrelflight) took his place.

The only flaw is that Bramblestar didn't talk to Squirrelflight for ages after Hollyleaf revealed that he wasn't Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather's father. Go Bramblestar!

Bramblestar, it was unkind of you to get angry with Squirrelflight for lying to you about Leafpool's kits and for saying Hawkfrost was suspicious. Squirrelflight did both for your own good! Other than that, you have been a good leader, and ThunderClan is lucky to have you.

You were very kind to all the cats and took great care of your Clan, especially during the flood in Bramblestar's Storm. When the imposter took over your body, it was quite frightening, but I'm glad you were injured in that battle so Squirrelflight could become the temporary leader because she is the best! I want you to die so Squirrelflight can become the leader, but that means Squirrelflight will probably still want to save you because she isn't ready for you to die.

So, if you return to ThunderClan alive and Shadowsight doesn't listen to any strange visions about killing you, everything will go back to normal.

Thunderstar (ThunderClan)

Very strong and noble leader. He had a very mentally hard life with his mother dead and a father who rejected him. He was strong and noble, a good leader.

Son of Storm and Skystar, he was amazing and suffered much with the death of his best friend, Lightning Tail. His mate was Violet Dawn and he had four kits with her. He was a very good leader, may he reside in StarClan for moons to come. May he find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where he sleeps - Sapphirefrost, newly appointed medicine cat of TwilightClan.

Leopardstar (RiverClan) Leopardstar is a golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes.
Leopardstar was a leader of RiverClan in the forest and in the lake territories. Leopardkit was born to Mudfur and Brightsky alongside three unnamed kits; however, Brightsky and her littermates died during the kitting. Mudfur gave her the name... read more

Leopardstar was a noble leader. And she didn't get it on the first try, like Firestar. No, no, she had to work for it. She made mistakes like joining TigerClan, but she then apologized and fought in the darkest hour with LionClan. And don't we all make mistakes sometimes? Yes, she got Stonefur killed but that was an accident and she felt very bad for it.

In Leopardstar's honor, you get her point of view and how she lost her best friend, Sunfish, and how she lost her mother, Brightsky, and three sisters as she was born. She lived a hard life with cats bullying her for "killing her mother" even though it wasn't her fault. Daughter of Brightsky and Mudfur, she was an amazing cat. May she reside in StarClan for moons to come. May she find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where she sleeps - Sapphirefrost, newly appointed medicine cat of TwilightClan.

The Newcomers

? Harestar (WindClan)

He's so underrated. Not many people probably know about him since he's in the newer books, but I think he is a really smart and fair leader of WindClan.

He's one of my favorites.

I don't know why I like him. He's just nice.

At this point, I'll settle for a leader that isn't a mass murderer, a terrible mate, or lacking common sense - you get the idea.

I haven't gotten to Harestar yet, but I've seen that he's just... just... uh, hard to explain. I just liked him the instant I saw him!

? Graystripe (ThunderClan) Graystripe is a cat in a series Warrior Cats. He is named after the grey stripe that goes down his back. In the second book he falls in love with a cat named Silverstream. He is also friends with his childhood friend Firestar. He became mates with Millie who gave birth to their kits Blossomfall, Bumblestripe... read more

Okay, Graystripe never got the position of leader, but he was a leader in his own way. He was independent, loyal, smart, quick-witted, and fierce as well. The other Clans could easily respect him, but his strength would be something worth fearing.

Too bad Brambleclaw became deputy after him. It's also a shame he was so old by the time Firestar died. I think it's so lame that they had to shove both Mistyfoot and Graystripe out of the way so two new deputies could give more plot to the series.

It bothers me when the book wants to make you agree with Firestar (for example, they make it seem like his relationship with Silverstream is a bad thing) because apparently, he's always right. UGH!

The Contenders
Windstar (WindClan)

She was fast, lithe, stubborn, and wily. I like her a lot because she had unique leadership qualities and she cared for the cats that she'd known.

However, she was distrusting and hostile toward the cats that she never met and believed could possibly be a threat to her Clan. Overall, she's a good leader who cares for her Clan and family above all else.

She's awesome. She saved one of my favorite characters, Jagged Peak, and she was a good leader. She and Gorse took new names to prove that they really wanted to be in Tall Shadow/Grey Wing's group. She is just plain awesome.

- Lindenheart, proud deputy of ForestClan

Blackstar (ShadowClan)

I feel really bad for him, and I also kind of ship him with Leopardstar for the same reason! He had to rebuild his entire clan after Tigerstar and Brokenstar destroyed it while being hated by the other clans.

Why is Blackstar down here? He was ambitious but had pride in his clan. He made the wrong decisions sometimes, but it was for the good of his clan. It's wonderful how he tried so very hard to redeem ShadowClan and to make them powerful again. I believe he succeeded!

Blackstar makes mistakes, but every leader does. Don't tell me I'm wrong! He killed Stonefur only to prove loyalty. All cats would follow their leader. And that's what Blackstar did. All in all, he's a great leader.

Cloudstar (SkyClan)

Poor, poor Cloudstar. I'm so glad that he finally believes again in StarClan. He was a good cat, to say the least. But he reminds me of a hapless, middle-aged version of Firestar. Birdflight is like Sandstorm, totally. Cloudstorm is an amazing name, too. But that's not the thing. He's an overall great cat. Very sad, though, near the ending. I don't like how he denied believing in StarClan, though. I pity the fool!

I cried so much when I read how Cloudstar was kicked out of his territory. I blame it all on Redstar and ThunderClan! If they had stopped attacking SkyClan when they knew it was weak, maybe SkyClan would have recovered.

Cloudstar was forced to leave his home and his kits. Why give them to ThunderClan?

Onestar (WindClan) Onestar is a fictional character from the book series "Warriors" by Erin Hunter. He is/was a WindClan leader, and is mottled, small, brown tom cat.

Even though Onestar is sometimes snarky like Jayfeather (ThunderClan medicine cat), he is a good leader. As Firestar's former friend, he used to ask him for help as deputy.

He was a brave and capable leader, helping WindClan live up to its name. He accepted Tallstar's judgment in making him leader and kept his Clan strong against Mudclaw's rebellion. I think he deserves credit for that. He even earned the respect of his Clan, so he definitely deserves recognition.

I hate Onestar because he is rude, but he is still a great leader.

He is bold and gets into fights more often than Tallstar did, which can be good. He always protects his clan and sometimes does things right.

Riverstar (RiverClan)

Calm, wise Riverstar. Flowing like a river, his name suits him. He adapts. He survived. Amazing cat.

And he became the best of the first leaders, in my opinion. Very nice cat. May he reside in StarClan for moons to come. May he find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where he sleeps - Sapphirefrost, newly appointed medicine cat of TwilightClan.

River was such a calm cat! He led RiverClan well and was the best founder of the clans. He was kind-hearted, intelligent, and more! He should be in the top 5 instead of number 17.

Firestar was boring after The Prophecy Begins, so I don't really like him anymore. Just my opinion, River was an awesome leader!

Raggedstar (ShadowClan)

To be honest, Brokenstar deserves to die twice, and Raggedstar should have lived. He and Yellowfang had something special. Yellowfang, as a kit, was the only one in her litter who didn't call Raggedstar a kittypet. She actually took him to find his father. Raggedstar did kill him - Hal deserved to die. Raggedstar led his clan well for the short time he lived and was the reason Sol left ShadowClan. He was one of the best leaders ShadowClan ever had.

I feel like all ShadowClan leaders aren't good, but Raggedstar was better because of Yellowfang. I think he should've listened to her instead of being dumb and not listening to his former mate.

Nightstar (ShadowClan)

I think he was going to go back to moonstone to get his nine lives after Brokenstar died. I really think the lives he would get, would turn him into such a great leader. Understanding, loyal, ambitious to the clan's strength and health.

I could see him fighting a horde of badgers, by himself, for the protection of ShadowClan.

Even though Nightstar didn't live too long, and he wasn't actually accepted properly, I feel like he would have been one of the greatest ShadowClan leaders. He was really caring and protective, willing to put himself before his clan. He was also reasonable and fair and avoided causing trouble so the clans could be at peace. Nightstar really proved his loyalty in Exile From ShadowClan.
Ripplestream

Skystar (SkyClan)

Hang on, haters. This is the cat who lost two mates, almost all his kits, the trust of everyone, his medicine cat, and his brother and mom. Just because he did terrible things doesn't mean he's terrible. In fact, he's probably the best leader because of how many mistakes he's had to learn from. Skystar is the best leader. Firestar is bossier than 10 Tsunamis from Wings of Fire. He should be, like, 8.

He was evil at first, but it was just because he lost everything he loved. I'm sure if I were put in Clear Sky's shoes, I would do the same thing!

Shadowstar (ShadowClan)

My absolute favorite cat! She suffered so much, seeing the loss of her brother, Moon Shadow, and then Sun Shadow. She stepped down from her leadership position to care for her brother, and when she couldn't save him, she was absolutely devastated.

I felt so bad for her when her brother died, and then her deputy, Sun Shadow. But she was an amazing cat, clever, and she advised Gray Wing while he was leader. She felt comfortable in the darkness and night, as well as in the marshy land of the pines, and had sharp senses. Sometimes, she wasn't very sensitive to the other cats' feelings.

Hailstar (RiverClan)

I love Hailstar's way of leading. He doesn't judge Crookedkit once he returns from the barn and allows him to begin training soon after.

Unlike some other leaders I've seen, he has personality and is willing to battle other clans, but is not reckless and quick to attack. For example, when he reclaims the sunning rocks. A strong and smart leader, I say.

Hailstar wasn't in too many books, but I loved his unbiased way with Crookedstar. He was a good leader, and it was sad when he died from the rat attack.

I really like Hailstar because he's kind of unpredictable, and I feel like he rushes things for his Clan, which makes him pretty relatable.

Pinestar (ThunderClan)

He was a brave and loyal leader, until he decided to turn into a poor, dependent kittypet! But come on, folks, that cat was wise and courageous, and made a lot of good decisions.

Pinestar is one of my favorite characters. He was a wise and peaceful leader, but he could not turn the tide against the endless cycle of bloodshed.

People think Pinestar is bad just because he spent his last life as a kittypet. He had done so much for his clan, he deserved to be able to relax after helping his clan so much.

Ivystar (RiverClan)

She should become a leader because she was very loyal to her clan and was only spying in the Dark Forest, not joining.

Morningstar (ThunderClan)

Morningstar led his Clan through a harsh time. He tried to keep peace and unite the Clans, but they were not ready for his wisdom.

I just like him. He gave Rabbitstar what he deserved. By the way, he is from Battles of the Clans.

Squirrelflight (ThunderClan) Squirrelflight is a dark ginger she-cat with forest-green eyes. She has one white paw, short legs, a torn ear tip, glossy fur, and a long, squirrel-like, bushy tail. She has a scar running from her chest to the top of her hind leg along her right flank. She is a cat in the series called Warrior Cats... read more

If you've read the Starless Clan: Thunder, then you know that Squirrelflight is now Squirrelstar, and she is a better leader than Brambleclaw, who was ruined by his experiences in the Dark Forest and wasn't fit to rule anymore. But Squirrelstar was.

I don't know how she'll rule, but I do know that she'll live by her code. Doing the right thing, no matter what. And Squirrelstar has a nice ring to it. Anyways, daughter of Firestar and Sandstorm and sister to Leafpool, she was great as deputy and I hope she'll be an amazing leader. Long live Squirrelstar! - Sapphirefrost, newly appointed medicine cat of TwilightClan

Cedarstar (ShadowClan)

Cedarstar is so unknown. If you're wondering which book he was in, it was Yellowfang's Secret. He was a good, fair, yet strong leader and very underrated.

Not only that, but like Bluestar, he actually let rogues join the clan (Boulder, who didn't change his warrior name, and Russetfur, who did). Great leader, reminds me of Bluestar a lot!

One of my favorite ShadowClan cats. He allowed Russetfur and Boulder in, but not for free, which I always found rather fair.

He's also very kind and a fair leader but has his flaws too! My second favorite ShadowClan leader, besides Blackstar.

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