I love how so many people are grossed out at Starflight for having a crush on Sunny (and immediately respecting her wishes when she said no) but no one is bothered that Tsunami used to have a crush on every young male in the cave.
@@blue--shellThat doesn’t change anything, all five dragonets see each other as siblings, especially Sunny And you don’t have to be related to someone to be considered as family
@@Littlefox1213 do you know *why* incest is taboo? because if two parents are too closely related, it increases the likelihood of birth defects. that's it. being related is the ONLY thing that matters. anything else is subjective ick that shouldn't have any generalized morals based off it.
I know The Dark Secret isn’t very popular among the WOF fanbase, but it’s easily my personal favorite from Arc 1. Starflight’s character arc wraps up phenomenally after three full books of well-paced development with him going all out using his clever mind and newfound bravery to play a major key role of saving everyone at the volcano. The traumatic and emotional scenes are so beautifully written and convey such strong feelings of loneliness and failure that are rarely included in any of the other books. Starflight himself, while not as outgoing as the other POVs, was such an amazingly observant and thoughtful protagonist being able to unravel the entire mystery of the NightWings’ true plan and understand the motive. Morrowseer is my favorite villain in the whole franchise because of how well he was able to craft and execute a master plan and get the upper hand on pretty much everyone he came into contact with by always being two steps ahead of them, and this is the book where we can finally figure him out! And his final performance before his death was so spine chilling with the twist climax that would shake the entire plot and set up the final entry in the arc with a bang! I know the book has its flaws. It feels a little empty without the other four Dragonets of Destiny. Fatespeaker can be a little overbearing at times (but she’s still an angel so nobody better dare say anything bad about her). There’s not as much action as usual and Starflight’s cautious personality isn’t as exciting as the others. But my gosh this book specializes in so many rare fantastic concepts that it completely nails and I was blown away from how much it had to offer. Magnificent entry in my eyes :)
Finally someone who I can agree on! Of course, Starflight’s book was a bit boring at times, but we actually got to see the NightWings, where they live, how they eat, and how they live their miserable lives. I actually kinda want more books, where we get to explore the tribe’s kingdoms, how they live, their hierarchy and so much more. It would be very interesting and a informative read overall.
@@MindkillerWoF a lot of others would coward away or mess up to get imprisoned. Starflight took the absolute best courses of action in his situation by being careful but taking the opportunities when they presented themselves. It could not have been done better!
I don't see why so many people don't like this book. Now having read the comic book adaptation, it's been 3 times i've read this story. I can safely say that The dark secret isn't near as bad as people tell. Firstly because this book actually shows starflight getting confident and acting both because he and his friends needs him. Prior to this, Starflight just wasn't that luch involved in the plot itself as much as he was dragged by it. On the island, he gets the opportunity to see his tribe for what it is, actually thinks he's risking more than with the other tribes because at this point in time he can't know nightwings don't have power anymore, and he does so much that he goes from a clever but passive dragon to an active person getting the job done on a clever bases. Secondly, because the romance stuff serves the devellopement growth of starflight. The thing about this guy is that although he is arguably the smartes and better educated out of the dragonets of destiny, he never had the strengh to do anything. The whole point is that sunny represents this barrier he can't cross but wishes to: fighting for what he wants, or here who he wants. And he's doing it in a sweet way too: he never expects sunny to back his feelings, he just wants to say it because that's at least what friends do. Regarding Fatespeaker, she serves the purpose of getting him out of his confort zone and helping him to dare and do things, which later on makes the two of them being a couple make sense since she isn't that different from sunny. Thirdly, the book shows the nightwings to be not only a negative version of the rainwings, but they also encapsulate what makes Pyrria be at war: arrogance. Nightwings go on and on to say they are the best kind of dragon, that they don't need anyone and that they are so special they can write history. But in truth they are slowly dying, devoured by hunger and the looming volcano over their kingdom, and they don't have any powers left. When you think about it, they are the most nationalistic tribe, and they suffer because of it. In this case, it makes sense that they lose everything: that's were Pyrria is heading towards. We've seen parts of the problem in other tribes, especially with queen scarlet, but seeing an entire race of foolish and agonizing patriots who in the face of destruction were too proud to even consider a compromise really encapsulate what needs to change on the continent. And it all starts with accepting the truth and being humble about it. I can see why it's not the best book in the serie. In fact, i can site multiple books that do a better job. But none come close to this thematic analysis of Pyrria, were in Pantala books 11 to 14 serves to explain what is very wrong about all components of their world (14 being an analysis through snowfall of what the royal hivewing family is). All of that while managing to stay interresting after all the plot twist (wich imo can't be said about Tallons of power per example) and having one of the most radical character devellopement in any wings of fire book. Edit: another point we HAVE to mention is the absolute trauma that goes on with this plot and the fake dragonets. Sure, they seem like useless characters, but i feel like it's the point. They only are here to show how far nightwings are willing to go even after deciding to murder or enslave an entire race. The scene with viper's death was to me really shocking both in it's description and how their supperior do not even react. He's more concerned with having a skywing touched than a kid burned alive because he asked them to fight each other. That plus it's the moment everyone shouts at Fatespeaker that she's essentially garnage and that everybody would be happy if she was dead. Now THAT is how you both traumatize an audience while making it empathize with characters we shouldn't be caring of. And it's for me the moment Starflight goes from he's obedient but quetsioning phase into full on plan makers to save everyone he loves, that now includes Fatespeaker. (Help me i really like both Sunflight and StarSpeaker lmao. I've never felt weong about either of them)
Excellent points all around. I've nothing to add, but I would like to mention that it's fine to be into unpopular ships. Heck, I'm a strong Glorybringer shipper, and that's about as controversial as you can get while still being legal. When it comes to the arc 2 love triangle, my favorite ship is Qinterwatcher. Sometimes we just want everyone to be happy, because we love this series and we love its' characters. Be you, man!
@@yosefzanerva806 thank you! I've only really came to appreciate this book after a 3 read. Mostly because when you know there is no thelepathy it loses a lot of tension. But in the end, this book is the pinacle of Pyrria analysis and i'm glad we had the chance to see it to move on. To a brighter future in the next book. I'm glad in the end one of the ship at least went canon. It makes a bit more sense if the dragonetsbreally are like siblings. Also i like Glorybringer too lol
@@yosefzanerva806 You think you're into unpopular ships? Mine are Winter x Turtle, Hailstorm x Peril, Carnelian x Peril, Hazel x Mandrake and Tsunami x Cobra Lily. Seriously though, I agree, and omg the Glorybringer drama is probably the main reason all my ships are so overly niche, because I don't want to get involved in ship wars 💀
@osheridan I'll be completely honest, I only recognized the first pair. The rest i could only recognize one of them. Still though, you do you. A little note on that last bit, don't bother caring about what others think of your favorite ships. This is fantasy, bru! Who cares if you like an unpopular ship? The only opinion that really matters is yours!
I think people go a little hard on Mastermind. While he committed unforgivable acts comparable to some of the experiments conducted by the Natzis during WW2 and the Holocaust, when forced to view his former test subjects as fellow dragons and equals rather than guinea pigs, he feels genuine remorse. He accepts his punishment and even vows loyalty to Queen Glory. While this doesn't make him a good guy by a long shot, I think that it makes him not as much a villian as he is a victim of his own tribe's propaganda, far less than the evil mad scientist that a lot of people portray him to be.
@user-yu6wt4id6g No, those who refused to pledge loyalty were allowed to leave and do as they wished. Also, he was apologetic well before the Glory was questioning him. Remember his conversation with Starflight while everyone was escaping the island?
@@yosefzanerva806 vengeance (the character)remember He was thrown in for annoying the queen if mastermind released the prisoners or didn’t do expirments he would have been killed
Because the first arc was about a war. I think Tui realized that to emphasize the consequences of war, she needed someone to carry a wound, both physically and mentally. Starflight was the only one to be out in the trenches. Not everyone was going to come out of this alive or in great shape.
Honestly I really like The Dark Secret as it was really important to the First Arc's story. Even if Starflight wasn't that important to that he still did have some moments where he stands up and for me that makes up for him sitting down for like half the story. I mean come on it's Starflight of course I'm gonna be biased on him. Who isn't? And also I like supporting things that aren't that popular.
Idk I loved this book maybe I’m just a starflight stan and I also ship sunnyflight and LOVE fatespeaker idk why she’s so unpopular SHES SO CUTE I WANT HER!!
I'd say that The Dark Secret isn't as bad as most people make it out to be, but it is one of the less impressive entries in the series for me. Aside from Fatespeaker, none of the false dragonets were likable (this includes Flame, seriously I don't understand why people like him, I want to punch him every time he appears) the NightWings are extremely hate-able despite having a good reason why they're doing what they're doing, and there was some severe wasted potential with Greatness. Tui could have given her some great development by making her stand up and become a real leader for her people, but nope, Greatness doesn't hesitate to cast the role aside in favor of Glory, and we never see her again from there. It feels lazy and rubs me the wrong way. - Despite this, I did like what the book had to offer. Starflight's perspective, despite him being my least favorite of the original dragonets (he's extremely relatable, but I just can't connect to him like I did with the others), was fun to read about, his relationship with Fatespeaker was cute (though I think it would've been better if they stayed friends), I actually liked exploring the volcano and the areas around it, Battlewinner and her situation was haunting to read about, and the big reveal, the Dark Secret's namesake, was done very well and is still shocking even if its obvious. So yeah, it's definitely not one of my favorites, far from it, but I'd still take it over some of the other books in the series.
The false dragonets all around were a waste of space and plot potential. They were literally all just dollar tree dragonets of destiny, with no impact or compelling traits. And if they get compelling traits (like Flame), they're never used or brought up again.
Okay I actually think Viper and Flame were kinda funny. I find Fatespeaker annoying, so I liked it whenever Viper and Flame snapped at her. I do genuinely think that like Flame, Viper could’ve been more interesting if given more development Also, I don’t think The Dark Secret deserved a 4.5. You gave The Flames of Hope a 5, and that book’s my least favorite in the series. At least there were some interesting parts, whereas in Book 15 the solution was literally cutting a f*cking vine. And Luna’s entire personality is just complaining that no one, except for maybe Sundew, is as good as her boyfriend🙄
Okay, that was a little more harsh than I thought really necessary. Putting myself in Starflight's talons I don't really think anything would be different. He was scared, miserable, unsure of what was going to happen. The hunting scene was obviously there to set up exactly what the Nightwing's themselves were struggling with during the war and what the motivation was. Yea, it didn't do much to further Starflight's growth, but it gave us context. And give Fatespeaker some credit, at least she had a reason to be there as the friend Starflight needed.
While I don't agree with the harshness of some of the criticism myself, I do realize protagonists like Starflight aren't for everyone: pasive characters will always be less interesting than active ones for the general public. Even if a character is on the good side, they can still be agravating for a lot of people. I tend to see a lot of either love or hate for characters like Fatespeaker and Kinkajou, since too much energy can be annoying for some people. And lastly, while I like learning about the culture and lifestyles of the tribes, I don't think we needed that many pages going into excrutiating detail on how Nightwings hunt for food, a few lines and showing nightwing dragonets suffer from illnesses would've been enough.
@@lk_3099 It is a good point, yes. My point still stands though. Fatespeaker was annoying, but she was also friendly, and for that reason was not badly written. She was still there for Starflight when he needed her
The blinding thing is worse than you realized. He was going to be first through the tunnel but decided to not enter it, as if holding the door for the others, waited until the last moment, and then got burned. He had ample opportunity to escape but lost his sight because he was an idiot. Also, I was not a big fan of Starflight in general. He was treated like an outdated nerd stereotype where everyone hated him whenever he opened his mouth and gave him no respect. But also, he was pretty passive for most of the series, as far as I could tell at least. I was surprised Tui managed to make his PoV as interesting as it was.
@wingsofcharcol I think the the promote is to put in clays telling to protect his friends in book five love enough to die for his friends that's what I thought about it just a idea
@@TrickyTalon23 She almost killed scarlet, making her even angrier. Like bro you could have shot twice my guy. Then, scarlet sent icicle to kill starflight in witch she ALMOST succeed. Her fault.
Starsper basicle Dustin icsisd decus image that you get blind did by a volcano and you are un cochise who wouldn't chrie to help you uuuuuuu!!!!! now the Fandom 🙄 thinks that starlit and fatspecr have a relationship uuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!!! This just's is sooooooo unoring
