If you could change anything about the council in terms of the book, what would it be. Also I'm just sitting here being sad because in theory they sound really cool and like, my favourite kind of character/character group! Intimidating and powerful with an air of refinery and grace that you don't really see anywhere else! When they walk into a room, everyone quiets down and are both enamoured and terrified! They could be described as having eyes as hard as ice! Cold an unforgiving! Especially bronte! But (in the context of bronte) slowly, ever so slowly, we as the audience see that they are in fact human. They aren't good, not at all, but you get to see their opinions and where they stand, and they might slowly warm up to the protagonist and consider their opinions and possibly make some changes. From what I'm hearing, some of them did a complete 180 without any warning whatsoever, and that doesn't sound like any fun at all.
I got a bit off topic there but! You can see what I'm trying to say, right? Or at least get the vibes?
-Heathen
heathen! hello! that's a good question. I don't think about the council often, so give me a sec to think of something I'd want to change about them. Okay got it.
I think I'd want them to be adults, emotionally and behaviorally speaking. Physically, they are adults and have graduated and several of them are thousands of years old, but they don't act like it! And that irks me personally.
They are immortal leaders of an inhuman world and yet they act so childish! I hate it! I think the most obvious example is Councilor Alina, who seems to have a personal vendetta against the crew. When she was still Dame of Foxfire she literally complained about Keefe in his records, which is incredibly unprofessional in any setting but for someone who became a councilor??
There's also Oralie who couldn't stay resolute or sacrifice something for her position so she broke the law and had a child (that she had no contact with for 12 years) because she wanted to but couldn't give up her position. It's understandable to want a child to an extent, but I disagree with her actions and think they're naive.
There's Clarette who was stubborn against accepting her part in Fitz being stabbed in the chest if I'm remembering right. I'd have to look through the book to see exactly how she responded, but she wasn't exactly guilty over what happened.
Those are just a few examples. I've said it before and I'll say it again but the adults don't feel like adults in this series, not to me at least. And I think it's a shame when the council has so much potential to be intimidating and these powerful leaders!! Instead they're insolent school children who lower themselves down and engage in petty arguments and talk down to children. It's...not what I would've personally wanted.
You're right! They do sound like fun in theory. Like I said, they're an immortal group of leaders ruling an inhuman species for millennia with powers and control that's basically "what we say goes." That has so much potential to impact the world. They could be ruthless, see themselves as gods, exercise unfair control and be a fascinating government! They have so many rules I'd love to see them adhere to a strict moral code, follow it to a t, really become leaders instead of members of society.
And i think a great step towards that (because while it would be cool I don't know if it would fit the vibe that keeper has going on. would contradict a few guidelines they set and priorities of the council) would be taking them away from the petty, trifling, stubborn attitudes they have with the characters and turning them into responsible adults. People who understand that they're talking to children and as such try and keep them out of things, speak respectfully but firmly, things like that. They're elves !! Elves live forever!! They shouldn't be bothered with things as easily as they are and they shouldn't be treated children (especially ones thousands of years younger) the same as they treat adults.
I guess I might be saying I want to dehumanize them a little, make them more observant and detached. It's their interactions with the group that annoy me, so maybe I'm trying to take them away from that.
To summarize: I don't like how childish and unprofessional the council can be at times, so I'd like them to be responsible adults and use their power and influence in a better way.
