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WHY BOWEN AND EINON MAKE ME WANT TO THROW UP WITH GRIEF [SPOILERS!!] (a character/relationship analysis of a 90s adventure fantasy kids(?) movie)

be warned there's probably typos and missed words, if something doesn't make sense then thats why and i apologize, please lmk so i can fix it yaaay

i may be looking too much into this, i probably am, but that's what happens when i get a hyperfixation on something that has little to no fan content/nothing that quite suits my fancy and i just start gnawing at myself as a result.

Bowen loved Einon, he might have even seen Einon as a son-figure and himself a parental figure; he'd probably acted more like a father than Feryne ever was. But Einon may have only seen him as a means to an end, that much is stated in the film ("I took what I needed frm you" "you taught me to fight, that's all. you taught me to fight.")

BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'D HAVE YOU THINK! but you see, in the start of the film when Einon is a teenager, it seems like he's genuinely having fun with Bowen during their lessons. I don't think a prince would allow just anyone to push him face first into dirt and then tease him about it. or grab a fistful of his shirt and then playfully smack him/lovetap him (bowen does this while saying "fight with your head, not your heart" or something like that)

He doesn't seem actually upset with this, he just smiles and tries to get back at Bowen. They're play fighting. He must've at least had some fondness for Bowen outside of what the man could do for him, because you COULD argue that Einon only put up with it and led Bowen to believe they were friendly to get Bowen's lessons.

However, in the novelzation, as far as i'm aware; Brok was also going for the position of Einon's mentor and was also a skilled swordsfighter, but far more barbaric and underhanded than the chivillrous knight of the Old Ways.

if Einon was truly tired of Bowen's treatment of him, he very well could've gone to Brok. He was still around and nearby. But he didn't, maybe Einon believed Bowen was a better swordsman and that's why he didn't go to Brok, but he's smiling!! He's laughing, he seems happy to be doing this with Bowen in the old castle ruins.

When Brok comes to tell them that Feryne want's Einon to come see him fight the rebellion, Einon looks to Bowen. Maybe to get his opinion, or maybe to check if he's coming along-- or asking for permission. He obviously had to have looked up to Bowen in some capacity.

Bowen probably knew Einon from a young age, as princes (namely anglo-saxon princes) would start combat lessons young, but I imagine Aislinn may have to tried to shield Einon and shelter him for longer.

In my head, the two would've met when Einon was around 8/9 and Bowen was in his mid-late 20s, maybe even early 30s. Bowen never stopped seeing Einon as this small, sheltered child, and Bowen probably would've whittled a wooden practice sword for him.

When they go to observe the rebellion, Einon says "I wish we were down there," He's smiling as he watches people die and their houses burning. Bowen would look at this and think nothing of it, Einon was like 14/15, maybe 16, at the time, and Bowen would chalk it up to childishness that he would inevitably grow out of before he took the throne.

Bowen treats the situation with the gravity it should be given, "No you don't." He says, focusing on Einon. "You" not "We", Bowen has likely already seen war and destruction. Maybe been apart of it.

And I believe that Bowen was never sworn to Feryne, he obviously never agreed with Feryne's ways and was likely sought out by Aislinn to teach her son both combat & the old code. Bowen would be sworn to Prince Einon, he made a promise to himself not for the future ruler of the land; but for the little boy who looked up to him with such awe, that Bowen would make sure he wouldn't become another Feryne.

Going back to the conversation they were having, Einon then says "Yes I do! Just to see you in action, Bowen. Yours would be the finest blade on the field." so this definitely shows that he idolized Bowen, or at the very least Bowen's skills, to some degree.

Then Bowen goes onto scold Einon and make him promise that he'll be greater than his father. Bowen clearly means he'll be fairer, he will distinguish baseless slaughter from genuine battle.

Noticeably, Einon who has had no issues referring to Bowen by name up until now, refers to him as 'knight' almost like it was insult. Einon is childish, he's petulant and refuses to see Bowen's way. he thinks the old code is silly, but swore it because it made Bowen happy.

Or because that was a requirement for Bowen giving him lessons, but that may not be the case, despite what Einon might say or make himself believe.

Look at this!!! Bowen looks like he's telling his son off or something!! and his tone of voice if firm but not cruel. Einon seems dismissive, evidently because he's far more focused on watching the rebellion.

When Einon rushes in, he claims it's because the villagers have the king trapped. Bowen probably took that as Einon wanting to help his father-- but in reality, Einon hid until the coast was clear, checked if his father was dead, and then stole the crown.

Only for Feryne, still holding on by a thread, to grab his arm. Einon wrenches his arm away and screams "Die! It's mine!" but Bowen doesn't see this, if he did then maybe he could've realized just hwo covetous Einon was. That his behavior wasn't something able to be grown out of.

When Einon is injured, he doesn't scream, he kind of just looks confused. (next to that amazingly fake looking bread(?)/cheese)

he holds onto the stand until Bowen comes and lifts him onto the horse, he reassures Einon, but also calls him "my king". He saw the crown. He doesn't question, not even to himself i'm sure, how Einon got a hold of it, short of prying it off his father's dead body because surely someone like King Feryne would never willingly give up his crown if alive.

And Einon smiles.

It might be the angle!! it probably is!! but Einon is smiling, either because he knows Bowen is going to help him, or because Bowen just spoke outloud Einon's new title. King. No longer prince, he's the ruler of this land; he's actively dying, but he still has it in himself to rejoice in the prospective power the position would grant him.

When Einon is brought into Queen Aislinn's room, he's screaming in agony, as Aislinn instructs everyone to leave he keeps screaming; but then she tells Brok to go (who hesitates but gives in) and tells Bowen to stay, who was ready to follow Brok out.

Then he quiets down, no longer screaming but just wheezing and whimpering, yelping as his mother packs the wound for him. It's probably not he was tired out, it's that he felt safe around those two. He had enough awareness to know when everyone else had left, when he had his mother and his mentor by his side.

As they're heading towards the Dragon's cave, Bowen is quizzing him on the old code as a way to keep him awake. Aislinn is in turn begging him not to fall asleep, because she knows he isn't likely to wake up.

But where is Bowen's eyesight? Is it on the face of this dying boy who he very clearly holds close to his heart? No! It's on the crown that Einon still refuses to let go of. He looks worried (as he should be) that Einon in this state is still clinging onto something like that, but with his thoughts scattered considering the life-or-death situation, it was probably nothing more than an uneasy feeling he didn't have the focus to put a name/source to.

After Draco gives Einon half of his heart, Bowen is grateful because Einon is saved. But then Einon enslaves the rebels and forces them to rebuild the castle ruins, presumably the ones Bowen and Einon would often train in.

He has some kind of emotional connection to those ruins, whether or not it's solely because he wants to be better than the Roman's who allegedly built them, or because he remembers the times he and Bowen would train there, isn't very clear because this movie is meant for younger audiences and is more focused on cool action & big CGI dragon. Not the inner workings of a hyperspecific snapshot of a character's life.

When Bowen realizes Einon's supposed 'change', he is insistent that the dragon heart corrupted the boy. Not once does he consider that Einon was always like that, even though Bowen would probably have spent so much time with him. Bowen was probably naive in the way he brushed off these concerns.

Writing them off as temporary, something that will fade with age and wisdom. If they didn't, that was fine, he swore an oath to Einon and would be there indefinitely to guide him, right?

But as we know, he broke some of the slaves free (though they were probably re captured soon after), defended them, and reminded Einon of the old code who says "The king is above the code!" and reaches for his sword.

He's clumsy with it, sure, and Bowen grabs him, but the sword is mostly out of the sheath. If Einon really wanted to hurt Bowen, he could have, but instead he lets it slid back in as Bowen yanks him off his horse and pins him to the ground of the quarry.

he's painted as an unwell, arrogant, and selfish boy; if he didn't care for bowen, he could'e threatened him to get off, or called on the guards that are probably with him, but he doesn't.

Because i'm sure he's fond of Bowen as well beyond what the knight could do for him in the way of mentorship. He would've spent so much time with Bowen that there's no way he stayed completely emotionally closed off.

When they reunite 12 years later at the waterfall, Einon says "Time's not been kind to you, Bowen. You never should've broke with me." He probably resents Bowen for leaving him!! Einon was so sure Bowen would be by his side forever, because that's what Bowen believed as well.

But then Bowen turned around and willingly outcasted himself in order to leave Einon's side. As a teenager (with a stil ldeveloping frontal lobe), who has known this guy for years and definitely had some sort of connection with-- and on top of that just DIED for a little and came back after a very painful injury, it's understandable that Einon would be bitter about this.

He stays bitter.

I think it would've been WAY cooler if the movie left it ambiguious if Einon was referring to Bowen or Kara as "the thing he had lost". homoerotic subtext yaaaaaaaay okay anyways

but as they duel, Einon is either grinning or snarling, there's not much inbetween. Bowen is focused but he looks regretful, he tries to get through to Einon, reminding him of the old code and that he believed it, but Einon smiles and shakes his head, playfully even, going "Never, never mine" and his cadence is different. His voice is higher picture and he's speaking faster in comparison to how he was with Kara, where he spoke slowly (probably to intimidate her).

They're both, in some kind of way, stuck in the past, but Bowen more than Einon. because when Einon exposes his back, and Bowen very well SHOULD HAVE gone for the kill (because there is clearly no saving Einon), what does he do?

HE GENTLY PRESSES THE FLAT OF HIS SWORD TO EINON'S BACK. JUST LIKE HE DID WHEN THEY WERE TRAINING, AND HE GIVES A TIP (never turn your back to anything but a corpse),

einon, understandably, looks shocked. confused. bewildered, befuddled even!! because he can't believe how sentimental Bowen is, Einon is clearly trying to maim Bowen but Bowen still can't bring himself to hurt Einon in any meaningful way. He still defaults to treating him like his protege.

Then he's smiling, realizing this fact. He has the upper hand, because maybe he isn't as skilled as Bowen but Bowen isn't using his full potentional. Bowen is distracted and he is emotional, he can't stop seeing Einon as that little boy he made a promise to. A promise Bowen never could've realistically kept because of the other part involved, but still feels guilt over it breaking.

He blames the Dragon who split his heart with Einon, using him as a scapegoat because he just can't come to terms that his perception of Einon was false, an ideal. He was never innocent or pure like Bowen thought, he always had those selfish tendencies that went beyond typical behavior of a child.

Aislinn on the other hand, knew of this and didn't ignore it-- as much as she just sat there because she knew she couldn't do much else but hope that Einon would have a chane of heart. Thats her son. She loves him. So muc hthat she'd do anything to save him, even though she had to have been well aware that Einon was following his father's footsteps.

AND DURING THIS SCENE, EINON (sort of) CONTRADICTS HIMSELF. A LITTLE I THINK. BECAUSE WHEN THE OLD CODE COMES UP, ONE TIME HE GOES "I vomited them up because I couldn't stomach them, because I knew that's what you wanted to hear." and then the other time he insists all Bowen did was teach him how to fight. That's all he was good for,

but evidently NOT. because I don't think Bowen would've had much choice in training Einon or not, it would've been under royal decree. he couldn't back out of Einon didn't accept the terms, which could've been swearing himself to the old code.

OR. Einon wanted Bowen's approval and 'vomited [the words]' because it made Bowen happy. Einon may also resent Bowen for this. Einon probably resents this guy for a lot of things to be honest.

and at the end!!!! the tower fight scene, right? he says "I'm immortal, Bo." like he's goading, and he is, but he says Bo. Not Bowen, not Knight, Bo. A nickname, maybe it's to piss Bowen off, but it seems to be spoken with affection.

and i'm definitely pulling things from thin air here, but what if Einon was seeking Bowen's approval in this moment. Maybe he wanted Bowen to back down, to realize the futility of it all. as far as I remember, Einon didn't strike. he stayed still, Bowen lunged with the battle ax in hand and Einon's smile turns to a snarl.

Maybe he expected Bowen to give in-- or he hoped that would happen, anyways, because despite the wikipage claiming he wants Bowen dead, I don't know if he does.

When Draco intervenes right before Einon threw that dagger, I noticed that it's not a dagger meant for throwing. it's too top heavy, even if he threw it by the blade it wouldn't end up where he wanted it.

AND AGAIN. MAYBE ITS THE ANGLE OF THE SHOT. but it looked to me like he might've been aiming for Kara. or if he was aiming with Bowen (probably) it looked like if it stayed to the trajectory he threw it at, it'd just hit his other arm.

Einon wanted Bowen unable to fight, he stabbed one arm with his sword and planned to throw a dagger at the other after making Bowen believe Einon was retreating. Then Draco stepped in and Einon fled with his lackies yadda yadda.

but like. the movie would be so good in the context that einon did care for bowen. it's VERY clear Bowen did, he's spent 12 years of his life outcast and hunting dragons for the honor of an idealized version of Einon that never existed. The little boy he saw when they first met.

Bowen has been using the same sword for 12 years also, I don't know where to put this but like, dude, get a new one GAH DAMN.

oh this is so long. i've just rambled so much and i'm not sure if anyone read this but PUH LEASE comment ro give me your thoughts or anything if you did. they make me SIIIIIIIICK.

bowen placing einon on a pedastal and believing the only way he could've got bad was with outside influences, meanwhile einon resents bowen for leaving him and not accepting him for thr way he was. The anger he must've felt knowing Bowen was so disturbed/disgusted with Einon that he REFUSED to believe anything but the idea that the dragon heart corrupted Einon.

Einon wasn't just like that!! it was an outside source. totally. imagine someone you look up to seeing your true personality and going "omg no that's not you, you're like possessed or something. the real you would never act like that."

i would say I sympathize with Einon a little bit but not really. he sucks. i wish they had therapy back in the 10th century it would've been so much easier vro.

also night night i'm so tired because I Worked today (gasps of horror) but i don't work tomorrow. mayhaps I will post another one of these.

MYKA OUT!!!!!!!!