Hey Guys I'm going on a Wings of Fire rant here about how the fandom treats Moonwatcher..
Content/trigger warnings!!!
Trauma(and trauma healing)
If any of these make you uncomfortable pls don't read this!! I do get very rude in this post than I normally am but this is the one time I just don't care.
Now onto this shit show of a rant..
Now I've been reading the Wings of Fire books for a long time, I've reread my favorites and second favorites.
Moonwatcher is my favorite character and I've noticed how disgusting the fandom is to her.
If you aren't a part of the Wings of Fire fandom You might be confused and wondering, "Why is Moon hated?" Well I'm going to break it down for you.
Reason 1: "Moon was friends with Darkstalker and didn't believe Winter"
Now I seriously want to know WHERE in that damn book, did Moon not believe Winter? Yes before she learned about the Icewing genocide, she was confused on why Winter didn't trust Darkstalker anymore.
Now keep in mind Moon didn't know Darkstalker brainwashed Winter, so this is a shock to her. When she learns of the genocide, she goes quiet and is upset at Darkstalker
Moon doesn't try to defend Darkstalker like so many people claim (I swear people who claim that are just talking out of their asses) she goes to confront him.
Now Moon has what I call a fatal flaw, she wants to see the best in others even when there's nothing there. Characters like Qibli genuinely wonder how, as Moon has mind reading but she has ZERO social skills from being alone in a rainforest most of her life.
Moon literally stood up to Darkstalker and said that the Icewings coming to kill them was HIS doing! She doesn't say "oh it's okay Darkstalker, a genocide is no big deal!"
I also want to mention how the fandom hates that Moon was friends with Darkstalker as if he didn't manipulate her throughout book six!!! Keep in mind Moonwatcher is a CHILD!! She is four years old (in human years she's fourteen) Darkstalker is thousands of years older than her, and has been shown to be a good manipulator!
Darkstalker was basically grooming her, (grooming doesn't always have to be for s$xual reasons) but the fandom just brushes it off as if grooming doesn't affect people's minds.
And to anyone who says "Well Moon should have known! She's a mind reader!" First of Darkstalker is shown to have powerful mind reading, and can shield his thoughts from Moon.
And while Moon even after learning of the genocide still though there could have been good in Darkstalker is literally just a show of how good Darkstalker was at manipulating Moonwatcher (and a mix of her fatal flaw)
As someone who has been groomed by someone wayyy older than me, yes it does mess with your head as you're left confused and not understanding why someone who was nice to you would do such awful things.
And ik this fandom doesn't excuse grooming, as people bring up that Darkstalker was grooming Anemone (which is perfectly fine and valid) but when it comes to Moonwatcher everyone is like "Well she should have read his mind" the way people in this fandom just go from "Oh she was groomed! Anemone didn't mean to do that!" (Which is valid) To just victim-blaming Moonwatcher just because they don't like her!
Reason 2: Moon was rude to Peril in book 8
Now this reason isn't as prominent as the first one and the next reason but I still just want to talk about it.
In book 8 Peril is thinking of ways she'd kill Qibli if he was in the arena, and Moon snapped back at Peril saying "I bet Qibli has thought of three ways to kill you!" Now many say Moon is being a hypocrite and yes I agree, she is but let's also look at context for why Peril and Qibli think that way.
Peril, when killing was in an arena by Queen Scarlet to kill for her amusement, she grew up thinking this way.
Qibli when thinking of killing is for survival, as he grew up on the streets and in a gang (yes the outclaws are a gang) but we also see how Qibli isn't always thinking of ways to kill, sometimes it's way to neutralize without harm (as we see him do in book ten with his siblings)
Qibli is in thinking of survival, Peril is thinking of how to kill him if he was in the arena. Both are conditioned that way but for completely different reasons.
Moon who as I've said before is a teenager, would snap at a dragon she barely knows, (she didn't talk to Peril in book 6) thinking of ways to kill her friend.
Yes Moon was being a hypocrite, and she should have been called out for it but honestly that shows she's flawed, and people in this fandom constantly bitch and moan about her being a Mary sue (she's not) but when she has flaws they still complain!
It's sad as Moonwatcher is just a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't. Moon can't win in any of these situations as the fandom won't like her.
Reason 3: Moon was rude/mean to Winter and Tui ruined Winters character for the Moonbli ship.
Now this reason is when I show some asshole-ish behavior in my frustrations so, you've been warned.
Now I see people in the fandom say Moon was cruel to Winter in book 10 and I don't understand how.
Yes she chose Qibli to go with her to confront Darkstalker but Moon knew Winter was upset and she was worried he'd try attacking Darkstalker who could easily kill Winter!
Moon was not the reason Winter was banished from the Icewing kingdom (that was Snowfall who didn't even remember she did that! But sure blame the dragon who isn't in control of that stuff) Moon doesn't have to choose Winter, who lets all keep in mind in book 7 he wished he had animus magic/go back in time to talk to an Icewing Animus, so he could kill all night wings and he faced zero consequences for that!
Yes Winter was unlearning his hatred but still, he felt no remorse or guilt for that thought, knowing he had a crush on Moonwatcher.
And I'm going to burst this fandom's fragile ass bubble but Winter is in no way ready for a relationship, he has to unlearn is tribal racism and learn to love himself before entering a relationship.
Moonwatcher is not his damn therapist, she's his friend, and in book 10 epilogue she still talks about him in a kind way by calling Winter strong and he can take care of himself.
I swear this fandom just wants everyone to kiss Winter's ass and worship him.
And no one in the jade winglet abandoned Winter, Kinkajou visited, and Qibli sent letters so Winter isn't the "uwu sad boy everyone mistreated"
Now while I don't like Winter but I hate how his fans honestly victim-blame him to.
Everyone in the fandom says Tui ruined Winter in book 10 because he lashed out at Moon when do people not remember he was BRAINWASHED for days, and only got free a few hours later! He was healing yes, but then he suffered another traumatic event which made him relapse on his healing!!
Healing isn't a one and done thing people! It's a journey and sometimes on that journey you get stuck back at the start!
Tui showed a good example that healing from trauma isn't easy and you can relapse but nope! I guess the fandom can't see that because Winter didn't end up with Moon.
Now I do want to say not all Winter fans are like this, I have friends who are Winter fans and I get to see their perspective as they see mine.
I'm not saying you have to worship Moonwatcher, but the shit people say, and the victim-blaming is just too much.
It makes me seriously hate this fandom and not ever want to engage with it (this might be one of the few times I actually do)
This rant was probably a mess, and I'm sorry if it was but I just had to voice what I've been feeling for the longest time now.
I guess that's all I wanted to say, thanks for listening.