Darkness of Dragons

“Palm was only a year older, but she’d worried about the frightened dragonet. She’d shared her snacks and convinced Agave to play dragons and vipers until she calmed down.”

An early passage that establishes the motif of Kindness and Cruelty, Palm escapes from the Queen’s notice with a guard’s help. Though the guard recognizes Palm, she pretends that Prickle must be the dragon they are seeking, protecting Palm due to the kindness she showed the guard when they were dragonets in the palace. Kindness is rewarded, and cruelty is punished.

“Even though Sora was gone now, he couldn’t help thinking of the last attack and what might have happened without Moon’s prophetic warning.”

As a novel within a larger fictional universe, the story makes frequent allusions to previous events. These allusions allow the author to remind readers of important connections between novels. In this example, Qibli refers to characters that have featured in earlier novels and reiterates the importance of prophecy within the current arc and the Wings of Fire universe.

“Instead he’d have to watch other dragons, like Turtle and Anemone, use their power on frivolous things they didn’t even care about.”

Qibli demonstrates ambivalence to magical power thoughout the novel, fitting within two major themes: Power, Corruption, and the Abuse of Power and Identity and Self-Discovery. Qibli is insecure about his ability to positively impact the lives and events around him despite the obvious results he achieves by using his intelligence to good effect. He slowly comes to realize his strength and weaknesses only after he abuses animus-touched objects with near-disastrous results.

“‘Did you try asking it nicely?’ Peril asked. ‘Turtle would say try asking it nicely. He’s got a whole thing about how I’m terrible at that, or something.’”

Another example of the Kindness and Cruelty motif, Qibli is only able to use Turtle’s animus-touched bowl when he uses good manners. Peril points out how simple it is to get the results he wants with a bit of kindness.

“But I know it’s wrong when Darkstalker does it. And yet I still wish I could do the same spell myself.”

Major characters in the novel such as Darkstalker and Vulture require Qibli to confront uncomfortable truths about himself, juxtaposing their morally questionable and unethical behaviors with his own. Qibli notes that the main differences between his character and the villains’ are their motivations. These realizations figure prominently in Qibli’s final choice to reject Darkstalker’s offer of power and remain true to himself and his ideals.

“Would that be wrong? I wouldn’t abuse it the way Darkstalker has?”

Qibli recognizes similarities between himself and Darkstalker when reflecting on how he would use powers like those the NightWing possesses. Qibli is uncomfortable when he realizes that he could become just as corrupt as Darkstalker. His reflections allow the reader to interrogate the dangers inherent in power.

“I can tell you the exact wording of the spell: Enchant this earring to make the wearer immune to any spell Darkstalker has cast or will cast, whether past, present, or future.”

The emphasis on prophecy and spellcasting in the series draws attention to the importance of language. Qibli is careful to share the exact phrasing of the spell to reassure the adult dragons that it will work. The emphasis on wording and phrasing fits within the motif of prophecy and highlights the danger surrounding misinterpretation.

“‘You have a very complicated brain,’ Peril said.”

An example of characterization and irony, other dragons are able to recognize the value of Qibli’s intelligence while he cannot. The repetition of such sentiments eventually leads Qibli to accept himself, reflecting the theme Identity and Self-Discovery.

“A later memory: the hiss of snakes, their writing scales covering the floor as he beats his wings to stay above them, while his grandfather timed how long Qibli and his siblings could last before collapsing. He remembered the sharp sting of the snakebites as less painful than the disapproval on his grandfather’s face.”

Qibli’s memory simultaneously characterizes himself and Vulture. It reveals the abuse he suffered as a child, which continues to shape his perspective and sense of self-worth. It also reveals Vulture’s cruelty. The memory creates a juxtaposition between their perspectives on family.

“In his lifetime, there had always been two worlds in the Scorpion Den: the visible world, which Thorn ran with her ferocious strength and wisdom, and the underworld, which stayed out of her way and kept its more unsavory practices to a minimum as long as she was in charge.”

Reflections on life in the Scorpion Den reveal a hierarchy of power. The Scorpion Den is the criminal element juxtaposed to the legitimate power of Queen Thorn. Qibli’s perspective allows the reader to view a broad spectrum of power and observe how the different levels function.

“Qibli glanced at him sidelong. Maybe Winter had changed, and not only from Darkstalker’s spell. Maybe there was a reasonable, open-minded dragon in there just waiting to burst out.”

Qibli considers Winter, who has lived a sheltered life of privilege as Queen Glacier’s nephew. When he reflects on the character growth of other dragonets such as Winter, he also demonstrates his own biases, however.

“‘Let’s just say she hasn’t exactly been the same since you abandoned us,’ Rattlesnake hissed with a little smile.”

Qibli returns to the Scorpion Den with a clear understanding of himself and where he fits within the criminal underground. Yet, his siblings hint that his previous departure is regarded as a betrayal and a demonstration of his lack of loyalty to his family. Qibli is surprised that there is loyalty or any moral code amongst his family of criminals, adding a layer of complexity to the meaning of loyalty in the novel.

“It was a little maze, Qibli realized, drawing closer. And inside were two scavengers, running in a panic from one dead end to another.”

The appearances of scavengers, or humans, are limited in The Wings of Fires series, which focuses on anthropomorphized dragons. Moments like this that highlight the anthropomorphic status of the dragons, or their human behaviors, are examples of situational irony.

“War broke out in Qibli’s mind. Play along! Find out what you can! Stay alive! Shouted one half, while the other roared, No, no, no, never, I will NOT betray her.”

Divided loyalties are an important dimension of the theme Loyalty, Family, and Friendship because Qibli must decide which group’s values he identifies as part of his growth toward adulthood. The reader is made aware of Qibli’s internal debates through the novel’s limited third-person perspective.

“All your old friends, your family, happy and wealthy and running the world. We’ll kick out everyone who’s not a SandWing and crackdown on troublemakers.”

Vulture’s comments demonstrate the danger of loyalty. While loyalty is generally a positive characteristic, the tribes often demonstrate the dangerous moral dilemma that loyalty can present. Tribal loyalty is exclusive and leads to violence and a lack of harmony across the continent. These passages develop the theme Loyalty, Family, and Friendship.

“‘Sometimes your brain makes my brain hurt,’ Winter observed.”

Qibli and several other dragons are quick to disregard the value of his cleverness. Other characters such as Thorn, Vulture, and Darkstalker recognize his intelligence as a type of power that gives Qibli importance within the prophecy and the major events in the Wings of Fire universe. This character trait reflects the themes: Identity and Self-Discovery and Power, Corruption, and the Abuse of Power.

“‘He knows how to play tricks with words,’ Winter said, nodding. ‘Kind of like you.’”

Part 2 begins with a comparison between Darkstalker and Qibli. While Qibli is interested in Darkstalker’s ability to craft dangerous spells, Winter sees it as ability as a mastery of language rather than magic. This foreshadows Qibli’s carefully phrased spell to create empathy between the tribes at the climax of the novel.

“It startled him to see how normal Darkstalker looked in reality—bigger than everyone else, yes, but not cackling with power or dripping with blood or glaring dangerously down at his subjects.”

Qibli is surprised that Darkstalker looks average rather than monstrous while seated on his throne. Darkstalker represents the repressed desire for power and control that Qibli harbors throughout the novel.

“Underneath the brainwashing genocidal murderer is a very lonely brainwashing genocidal murderer.”

This sentence is Qibli's response to Moon's concern for Darkstalker. This sequence deepens Darkstalker's character by showing his grief over losing Clearsight. It also reveals the breadth of Moon's sympathy and Qibli's sarcastic but increasingly mature outlook.

“But would it be right to magically compel them? Is that any better than bewitching dragons to like you, or Anemone’s love spell, or Darkstalker’s manipulation?”

An example of the motif of free will, Qibli’s reflects on the right to coerce other dragons. He also considers the moral question of whether the ends justify the mean. Darkstalker’s primary justification for controlling others is that he believes he will make the correct choice.

“Does he sense the storm retreating? Does he know I stopped myself from using the bracelets? Did he know that was part of the prophecy?”

Qibli lists a series of questions that fit into the Prophecy and Interpretation of Prophecy motif. Qibli’s concern demonstrates how much the dragonets rely upon prophecy to understand what is happening and what might happen, while also demonstrating how unreliable this method ultimately is.

“What if the way to change other dragons isn’t a spell that forces them to like you or makes them do what you want? What if it’s opening them up to other minds and letting them decide for themselves?”

This passage illustrates the importance of Qibli’s reflections during his journey toward Identity and Self-Discovery. It reveals his acceptance of his limitations and recognition of his worth. This is a key moment within the theme Power, Corruption, and the Abuse of Power, since Qibli realizes that his cleverness gives him the power to positively impact other dragons without using magic to take their free will.

“‘You have the brains to be a great animus dragon, but Turtle has the power instead,’ Darkstalker observed. ‘I know that frustrating for you.’”

As a shadow character archetype, Darkstalker has insight into the insecurities that plague Qibli. He uses his insight to tempt Qibli in the final stages of the hero’s journey.