Does Graystripe have a personality?

[Lady Ten]

While tracking down a particular Erin Hunter quote, I happened to read the response to the next interview question and did a double take.

Question: How did you come up with Graystripe's personality?

Answer: KateCary: Graystripe was the friend Firepaw needed when he joined the Clan as Rusty. He sort of just developed as Firepaw needed him to, and Firepaw needed a loyal, warm-hearted friend he could always rely on

CherithBaldry: And without Greystripe we wouldn't know about how much loyalty Firestar is capable of.

This got me thinking. Does Graypaw/stripe even have a personality?

That is, of course he has a personality, but how would you characterize it? Friendly? Loyal? Y'all will have to refresh my memory, since I haven't read the books in so long, but I remember him being just kind of... there. Do you have any quotes that might suggest a particular personality trait? Is there any part of the canon plots where Graystripe does something more than be someone's friend?

Maybe he does, maybe I'm forgetting, or maybe he gets more character development in parts of the series I didn't read. What disturbs me, really, is how the authors handle this question. They came up with his personality by deciding that he is "the friend", and "he sort of just developed as Firepaw needed him to," and basically, Graystripe is the plot device for showing you why to like Firestar. It's as though he has no actual identity outside his attachment to others. Maybe Graystripe does exist as a character in his own right with his own distinct personality (and if so, awesome, tell me all about it), but the Erins themselves sure aren't aware of it.

[Grey]

but the Erins themselves sure aren't aware of it.

Can I please have this on a plaque or something? Because that sums up Warriors pretty well.

I'm afraid to say that it's been a long time since I've read the books and I can't remember anything distinguishing about anyone. However, Greystripe/Graystripe does have a rebellious phase and falls in love with Silverstream, later abandoning his clan for Riverclan (as they are in possession of his kits).

If I can remember correctly, Fireheart was peeved about this somewhat.

Of course, that's just Greystripe/Graystripe acting as a plot device again. Honestly, the number of times 'having babies' is a plot device in these series, it's like those terrible soap operas, ehehehe. I was actually counting how many medicine cats had 'fallen in love' over Thunderclan's history.

Every one bar Cinderpelt. That's alarming.

[CATION]

Sept 7, 2012 18:28:46 GMT -6 Grey said:

...it's like those terrible soap operas, ehehehe. I was actually counting how many medicine cats had 'fallen in love' over Thunderclan's history.

Every one bar Cinderpelt. That's alarming.

A soap opera that would star every TC medicine cat, plus Crowfeather. And heck, I think it was even hinted at that Cinderpelt had a crush on Firestar, although I suppose that if she didn't act on it, it doesn't count.

I think the only characters in the series that act independently are the villains, and even they start to fall short after a while. I think the only character growth portrayed is Ravenpaw, who goes from a frightened apprentice to a confident warrior.

But, in response to the OP, I think Graystripe has...something of a personality. He goes to be with his kits in RiverClan, and when he finally arrives at the lake territories, he has Millie in tow with him. Of course, I haven't read the Graystripe - manga spinoff, so maybe his personality is fleshed out more there where he's actually the main character, but as far as the main series goes, I agree that he seems to be kind of one-dimensional.

[Lady Ten]

That is how I've always recently thought of the Warriors series: as a soap opera. That's really what it is. That's half of why this stupid tvtropes page summary annoys me so much.

Those of you expecting sweet little stories about cats lazing about licking each other and falling in love are in for quite a shock (although that happens too, of course).

It's a soap opera. Cats go about their daily lives, have drama over love interests, have drama over kits, have other interpersonal drama vaguely related to social rank, there are a few dramatic threats of violence, and everyone keeps having children to perpetuate the next generation of insipid drama and characters talk and characters go up to other characters and talk behind the backs of those characters and nothing much happens overall.

Anyway.

Sept 7, 2012 18:28:46 GMT -6 Grey said:

but the Erins themselves sure aren't aware of it.

Can I please have this on a plaque or something?

Maybe some day.

I was actually counting how many medicine cats had 'fallen in love' over Thunderclan's history.

Every one bar Cinderpelt. That's alarming.

That is alarming. Could that get an article?

Sept 7, 2012 22:35:40 GMT -6 CATION said:

But, in response to the OP, I think Graystripe has...something of a personality. He goes to be with his kits in RiverClan, and when he finally arrives at the lake territories, he has Millie in tow with him.

So he switches from being attached to Firestar to being taped onto his kits and then Millie, but is he ever anything but someone else's supporter?

as far as the main series goes, I agree that he seems to be kind of one-dimensional.

Pretty much all the Warriors characters are one-dimensional. But with Graystripe, I'm wondering if he even has one dimension at all. Being nice to others, is that his one dimension?

[Grey]

That is alarming. Could that get an article?

I'm working on it. I have a few I'm working on, actually. There are some particularly interesting statistics and trends in the first arc, and I'm thinking I might also extend onto the second and third arcs if I have time.

[cinder]

He got a bit of characterization in one of the books, though I forget which one. It was maybe a paragraph long and included the fact that he liked to keep an eye on the progress of all the young cats in the clan. But it was never really used or mentioned before or after that. Graystripe was there for his kits, basically.

[Ash]

No. All I saw him was, was the comic-relief/main character's sidekick. He's just a unimportant character, hope he dies in that new SE coming out. (I sure hope that thing makes up for the recent books)

[leah]

the new SE is set around Tallstar, yeah? so it's in the past, before the events of Power of Three. Graystripe is still alive by the end of New Hope, i think. pretty sure. I think that he should have died in New Prophecy, however. It would've been more interesting.

[Ash]

The new SE coming out is actually Bramblestar's storm (2014)

[leah]

oh, that one. I thought you were talking about the Tallstar one. my bad.