Blackstar

Blackstar is a supporting character in Erin Hunter’s Warriors book series. He is ShadowClan’s leader after Tigerstar and before Rowanstar in the forest and in the lake territories.
Originally a villainous right-hand to Brokenstar and Tigerstar when he served as their deputy, he was clearly an enemy to Firestar and ThunderClan as a whole until the battle against BloodClan, during which he sides with LionClan. After succeeding to Tigerstar, he chooses to follow the warrior code and be a good leader for ShadowClan, the strength and reputation of which he rebuilds. From then on he becomes an anti-villainous rival to Firestar, acting alternately as an antagonist or an ally. He fights in the Great Battle against the Dark Forest and dies shortly after in the Great Flood.
He serves as a major antagonist in The Prophecies Begin arc, a minor antagonist in The New Prophecy arc and Yellowfang’s Secret, an on & off major character in the Power of Three and Omen of the Stars arcs, a minor character in Bramblestar’s Storm and the main protagonist of Blackfoot’s Reckoning.
== Appearance ==
Blackstar is a huge white tom with amber eyes and jet-black paws. The rim of his ears are also black.
== Personality ==
As a warrior, Blackfoot was brutal, harsh and enjoyed fighting, but he was fiercely loyal and attached to ShadowClan and his clanmates, even when he lived as a rogue following Brokenstar’s exile. He had been very admirative of Brokenstar ever since he was an apprentice and he quickly befriended him. His loyalty made him accomplish quite despicable deeds as ShadowClan’s deputy, however he always believed that he was acting as an obedient warrior and never came to regret his actions.
After becoming his Clan’s leader, Blackstar understood that he played a role in Brokenstar’s and Tigerstar’s violent actions and promised to atone for what he had done. He retained his pride as well as his stern and stubborn behavior, being especially hostile towards strangers and cats from the other clans, most notably Firestar, but he kept his honor and showed fondness for his warriors. Even though he was proud and wary of non-ShadowClan cats, often taunting them, he sometimes accepted to help them, yet often sought compensation for doing so. He was also often contented when other clans faced difficulties or internal conflicts, interpreting it as weaknesses to take advantage of.
Blackstar was very brave and eager to rush into battle, being able to fight as long as he was able to stand, despite being not very bright according to Yellowfang.
== History ==
=== Yellowfang’s Secret ===
Blackkit was born to ShadowClan warrior Hollyflower alongside his siblings Flintkit and Fernkit. As a kit, he didn't know who his father was and he was made to believe that he was a kittypet. After becoming an apprentice under the name of Blackpaw, he discovered the truth that his father was Blizzardwing, a warrior from his own clan who had to hide his identity as Blackpaw's father since he was already mates with another she-cat, Stormfeather.
Blackpaw later befriended Brokenkit, feeling compassion for his loneliness and relating to his lack of a parental figure as Brokenkit was ignorant of Yellowfang being his mother. As a warrior, Blackfoot supported Brokentail as ShadowClan's new deputy, so much so that Brokenstar, having become leader, named him his deputy as a reward for his loyalty.
As ShadowClan's deputy and Brokenstar's right-hand cat, Blackfoot accomplished all of his plans, from the conquest and exile of WindClan to the kidnapping of ThunderClan's kits to train them as ShadowClan apprentices. During a raid on ThunderClan, he murders Rosetail, an elder who was defending the nursery, but Yellowfang drives him off without him taking away any of the kits. When Brokenstar is overthrown and banished by a coalition of ThunderClan warriors and ShadowClan elders, Blackfoot follows him into exile and becomes a rogue.
=== The Prophecies Begin ===
Blackfoot is later part of the group of rogues that attacks ThunderClan at Brokenstar's command, but when the latter is blinded and captured, he flees once again. After Tigerclaw's exile from ThunderClan, Blackfoot becomes one of his rogue followers since Brokenstar is now dead, and he resumes his position as ShadowClan's deputy once Tigerstar becomes its leader.
Under Tigerstar's rule, Blackfoot executes his commands as he did Brokenstar's. When ShadowClan and RiverClan merge to create TigerClan, he serves as its deputy. He is ordered by Tigerstar to finish off Stonefur as Darkstripe, who was told to kill him for being born half-Clan, struggles to do so. Shortly after, he chases after Firestar, Ravenpaw and Graystripe as they rescue the latter's kits, whom Stonefur died defending, as well as Mistyfoot, but he is pushed back into water by Graystripe.
After Tigerstar is brutally killed by Scourge, Blackfoot retreats to RiverClan territory alongside Leopardstar and the rest of TigerClan and waits for BloodClan to take over the forest. When Firestar meets them to ask for their help against Scourge, Blackfoot first rejects him but, upon seeing that Leopardstar is eager to fight, he decides to lead ShadowClan into battle.
Once BloodClan is defeated, Blackfoot, now leader of ShadowClan, announces to Firestar that he is going to bring his Clan back home. Firestar warns him about the ways of his predecessors, which has Blackfoot feel guilty about the part he played in Brokenstar's and Tigerstar's schemes. Blackstar receives his nine lives through a ceremony during which he meets again with his parents and is faced with his crimes (especially the murders of Rosetail and Stonefur), and he promises to atone and to be a fine leader, not wanting to repeat the mistakes of the past.
=== The New Prophecy ===
Moons later, when Tawnypelt leaves ShadowClan to find Midnight, he contemptuously believes that she went back to ThunderClan. When it appears that Twolegs are destroying the forest, Firestar comes to see him in order to discuss what to do, but Blackstar turns him down, adamant that it is no important matter. Later on, upon the return of the cats that went to see Midnight, he rejects the idea of leaving the forest to find another territory. However, when Twolegs are actually ravaging ShadowClan's territory, he asks for ThunderClan's help and evacuates with his whole clan. He then leads ShadowClan through the Great Journey.
As the moons passed, Blackstar retained his proud and taunting behavior but started doubting StarClan upon considering ShadowClan's hardships on the lake territories. He grew tired as he believed that the clans were not supposed to settle there.
=== The Power of Three ===
During the battle that takes place just before the eclipse, Blackstar chooses to help ThunderClan against WindClan and RiverClan in order to maintain the balance of strength between the Clans. Soon after he meets Sol, a loner who conforts him in his doubts over StarClan and who convinces him to turn away from their authority. Blackstar reverts to his old warrior name, Blackfoot, and announces at a Gathering that ShadowClan will not take part in clans' ceremonies anymore. He abandons his way of life, allowing his warriors to hunt for themselves, refusing to consult Littlecloud or to enable him to go to the Moonpool and not bothering to give mentors to new apprentices. During this time, Sol gains a lot of influence over ShadowClan cats and manages to have many of them turn their back on StarClan too. Eventually, Jayfeather, Hollyleaf and Lionblaze, with the help of Tawnypelt's kits and StarClan themselves, are successful in restoring Blackfoot's faith. He takes back the name of Blackstar, banishes Sol and snaps back from his depression.
When the lake is completely dried out during the following greenleaf, he accepts to send two ShadowClan warriors with a patrol of cats from every clan to investigate upstream from the river running through ShadowClan's territory. Some time later, during a skirmish against ThunderClan, his trusted deputy Russetfur is accidentally killed by Lionblaze, which has Blackstar grow extremely resentful. He names Rowanclaw his deputy as a replacement.
=== Later Life ===
Despite feeling his age, Blackstar participates in the Great Battle against the Dark Forest, that is to say against the very cats he served under as a warrior. He defends ShadowClan's camp against a patrol led by Shredtail and he kills Redwillow, his own warrior, when the latter claims his loyalty to the Dark Forest and threatens to kill Blackstar.
After returning victorious from the Great Battle, Blackstar, having grown noticeably old, is very eager to honor the name of the fallen, so much so that he is criticized by the other leaders for being unable to let it go. Soon after, the lake territories are flooded following a storm and he drowns, losing his last life. He ascends to StarClan and Rowanstar succeeds him as ShadowClan's leader.
== Trivia ==
* Blackstar has six toes on one of his paws.
** It is said that he comes from a long line of polydactyl cats.
* Russetfur is probably the cat whom Blackstar had the strongest affection for, and she may be one of the only cats whom he had affection for overall.
* In Tigerclaw's Fury, it is revealed that Blackstar (then Blackfoot) shows actual respect to Firestar (then Fireheart), being impressed by his fighting abilities despite the fact that he was born a kittypet.
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