#kalmar wingfeather

[toonydoodles]

back at it again with the greatest little dudes season 2 drops for guild members on april 5th! it'll be my first show credit and i'm so excited :D

[alfredfortnitejones]

"SOLDIER, POET, KING" BY THE OH HELLOS IS LITERALLY THE WINGFEATHER CHILDREN FROM THE WINGFEATHER SAGA BOOKS BY ANDREW PETERSON

[mayzi33]

******SPOILERS, SO MANY SPOILERS AHEAD.*********

I have so much to say I'm afraid my brain might explode. So I'll try to keep calm despite still being at the verge of tears.

When I first started this book series, I thought it would be the usual light, cutesy fantasy about friendship and family. And oh boy, OH BOY WAS I WRONG.

On a side note, something I'd like to point out I noticed, from the first book to the third, the lighting on the cover progressively gets darker. Of course, representing the story itself as the plot gets darker as well. On the last book, it's still dark, but there's a light coming from Janner, Kalmar and Leeli, like they finally reached sunrise after a long, ruthless night. Something i'm pretty sure was said at some point on the books themselves, about no matter how long the night is the day will always come.

Anyways. Back to the topic at hand. As the story progressed, I keep growing more and more connected to these characters, and each chapter I rooted more and more for the Jewels Of Anniera.

I'd like to add that I'm an only child, yet, somehow, I can tell Janner is one of the best eldest sibling characters ever written. My whole life I've only watched siblings around me and their relationship with eachother, especially on the eldest's side, and somehow, Janner reminded me of every friend, family member or random stranger I saw on the streets someday that have siblings.

Janner is such a complex character. He is by no means perfect, but he does have a golden heart. One of the things I was most impressed by was how the author described Janner's feelings, whatever it was the longing for his father, or just feeling burdened by his siblings. And yet, no matter what Janner is feeling, the narrator never invalidates his feelings or antagonize him. Janner is a child, a child who went through a lot. He is allowed to miss a father he never had just as he is allowed to sometimes be annoyed for always having to make sacrifices for his siblings. But one of the things I admired the most about Janner (along with everyone else I'm pretty sure) was his character development. At the first book, he'd roll his eyes at the mere thought of having to look after his siblings and saw them as a burden. At the second book, he learned the hard way how much Kalmar and Leeli matter to him, and how it hurts to be away from them. On the third book, he took pride on his title as Throne Warden and role as the eldest sibling, being devoted to protecting the High King and Song Maiden. And at last, on the last book, he leaves pride aside. He doesn't take care of Kalmar and Leeli because it's his duty, because it's honorable, neither because that's what he has always been told to do. He does it because he loves them above all else, because he finally sees how strong the bond the three of them share truly is, because he feels the blessing the Maker has gifted them, and how much stronger they are when they're together.

Janner is a kind, brave, clever, beautiful boy.

And I will forever believe that they managed to get him the water from the First Well to heal him. I will nor accept any other ending.

Kalmar. At first, the typical goofy, troublemaking sibling, more like a comic relief. But again, OHOHOHO BOY... DID THAT CHANGE.

I definetely did not expect for them to take the turn they did with Kalmar. I could tell that he would have some character arc mainly towards maturing and taking responsability, but I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO BE LIKE THAT. Seeing that bright, easy-going, smiley little boy loosing his usual joyful personality when he was fanged, slowly loosing his sanity and growing on his self loathing was really something painful yet beautiful to watch. Like Janner, he also had to learn his lesson on the hardest way possible. An extrovert kid like him, having everyone turning their backs on him and looking at him with hatred, and yet, he learned to keep his head high, like a High King. (the phrase "keep your head held high or else your crown will fall" is literally perfect for him.) And most of all, seeing him risk his life to aid a strange cloven, (that turned out to be his father) grant the Hollowsfolk his forgiveness despite everything they did to him, show mercy and compassion to the Fangs despite everything they did, all of these things make Kalmar an inspiring ruler, and leaves me assured that he will be a great king after all.

Now, Leeli, sweet, pure-hearted Leeli. I will be honest, at first I was afraid that they would make her the typical "overly nice and overly fragile female character", but again, BOY WAS I WRONG. (I don't know how many times I will repeat that, I apologize.) At some points in the books, she didn't have as much spotlight as her brother and I felt like she was kind of being thrown aside. But there's always a turn the books take that make her lack of spotlight at first worth it. So young, the youngest of the Jewels Of Anniera, yet she has seen and done so much. Has a bad leg, needed to use a crutch since she was little, yet that literally never stopped her. She strives to keep up with her brothers, and despite his kind personality she shows she can be festy and even scary when she wants to. (I will never forget that moment in the second book where she was yelling at the trolls and fangs and they were actually eager to obey her lol). She hates it when people assume she's weak and often refuses help, proving she's perfectly capable. But at times, she does need help, which shows us all it's okay to have someone to rely on. She was the link between Janner and Kalmar, no matter how much they argued nor how mad they were at eachother, she was always there for both of them and connecting them back together. She may not be able to fight like her brothers, but she found her own strenght. Her music, something that has always brought joy and hope to others turns out to be an ACTUAL weapon. She kicked a Green Fang to defend her puppy, she was the first one to see the pain and kindess through Peet, Nugget sacrificed himself for her showing how her strong her love for others really is, she stopped A FREAKING DRAGON from killing her grandpa, she led an army of dogs, she defeated countless fangs with nothing but her song. One of the best child female chracters I've seen in a while. She is feminine, has her weak points, but she finds her strenght, not in swords, punches or bows but on a whistleharp. I love her so much I can't describe it.

I love all of these kids so much. I am *proud* of them. I know it's a weird thing to say about fictional characters, but these books just make me feel this way. I can't name a single character I didn't connect or feel empathy with.

Nia, such a strong, independent woman, raising her children having lost her husband and kingdom, yet keep her head held high like the queen she is.

Podo, a man who has sinned, takes shame on them, yet shows that sinners can still be good people. Loves his family above all else, protected and took care of them until his last breath, might have been a little rough around the edges, but always showed a soft spot for his daughter and grandkids.

Artham, a broken man, haunted by the shame of loosing his brother, slowly, but surely, healing. Learning to move on by protecting his nephews and niece, making what was once a weakness a strenght.

Oskar, an old man that was always sitting on the library, letting go of his peaceful life and risking his life to accompany the Wingfeathers through thick and thin.

Sara, who was taken from her family, abused and had all her hope crushed, finding her courage back after meeting Janner and taking after him, being a sisterly figure, leader and queen ti billions of orphan children, and helping them find their strenght and fight for their freedom.

Maraly, a rude strander girl who was raised horribly her whole life by her abusive father, finally finding true love and a true father figure.

Everything about this story has touched me. A broken world taken by an evil monarch who turned to be just another broken soul, filled with hopeless people, people who had surrended to the darkness... Saved by three children, who brought light everywhere they went. A boy with scars, a boy inside a wolf, and a girl with a crutch. Kids who one day were mere peasants, the other were the Jewels Of Anniera, and a year later, heroes of Aerwiar.

I've smiled, I've laughed, I've been shocked, I've been scared, I've been mad, I've cried. I have red lots, and I mean LOTS of books. Different stories, different worlds, different characters. Yet none of them has touched me half as much as The Wingfeather Saga.

It has war, tears, bloodshed, betrayals, sacrifices and sorrow. But it also has love, joy, hope, laughter, wonder and light.

This story definetely deserves way more fans and recognition. I hope that with the new animated series (which I'll definetely watch later) it begins to gain more love.

Anyways. I really love this in case y'all couldn't tell already. Have a good day/afternoon/evening.

[isavitarts]

Spoiler warning!

“The Throne Warden protects more than the High King’s flesh. He protects his soul by reminding him at every turn what is good and noble and true in the world.” — North! Or Be Eaten

[skynapple]

Honestly what's really interesting about this story too is yeah it's coming of age and a hero's journey, and Janner may be the main character but he isn't the chosen one! he's not the future king, his rash little brother is, and he's constantly struggling with "oh thank God" and "God I wish that were me"

It's just a very different perspective!

Like hey- what if the main character wasn't the chosen one but had to put up with an incorrigible one?

Especially when you have the actual future king saying the whole "I never wanted this I never wanted to be the chosen one" trope and poor Janner has to stand there like "Excuse me????" 😭

[raywhite28]

hey!!! so i've been at theater arts camp so i havn't drawn much digital stuff but heres the Wingfeather saga in an over the garden wall AU

obviously Janner is Wirt and Tink is Greg, I think Leeli is the frog? Because Artham is both the woodsman and Beatrice (becus Adelaide is the stone keeper and the beast is Gnag) he's trying to both; keep Esbin's soul alive with the lantern, and get the scissors to turn himself back into a human. Both at the expense of Janner, Tink and Leeli whom he learns to love and protect (cause he aint related to them in this au)

[cupcakegalaxia]

I am so excited for season 3

[viathatoneartist]

So like excuse me but when was someone gonna tell me about WingFeather Saga? Like sure it starts out a little slow but boy the soup got THICK in book 2 HeLLO?

[pospoets]

Headcanon !!

So basically I think it makes sense that Kalmar would be feared and hated by the people of hollows now that he's a fang, BUT what the people of hollows SHOULD be worried is Janner Wingfeather, he's a Throne Warden and it gives him more power (physically, not politically) than Kalmar could have, also instinctively he would scare more people than Kalmar ever could too even as a Fang. I also think Artham proved it by how impatient he is when Kalmar didn't know who he was in the end of book 2, he almost implanted fear into the king.

Idk i really like making main characters feral

[mozart-the-meerkitten]

girl i feel like Artham and the wingfeather kids would absolutely love boops

okay this conjured a series of hilarious images in my mind, but by far the best was Maraly throwing boops like knives. She expected hers to be black but nah they're white ghosty ones because of how she flits in and out of the night like a ghost when she's on Shadowblade shenanigans with Gammon. xD

Kal has black paws for obvious reasons. Leeli's are white. Janner and Sara's are both orange and they match <3

Kal and Janner finally have a worthy use for their Durgan training oh boy

Artham won't stop appearing randomly, booping one of them 153 times and then vanishing. His are probably also white for that reason xD

and then Arundelle gets involved and it just becomes her and Artham chasing each other around the castle and popping out of increasingly unlikely places to smack each other with giant cat paws

No one thinks Nia is playing until she darts out of a shadow, smacks someone in the face with a black cat paw and disappears again (never forget she married Esben, prankster of Anniera)

[undercoverossifrage]

The Sea Turned Red

The sea turned red is one of my favorite chapters in the whole series. Everything about it is just phenomenal! Janner finally accepts his role, takes joy in protecting his brother and finds his courage. The act truly fulfills so much of what the story was building to in the first and second books, and really it's the end of Janner's first character arc. His acceptance of the call if you will. Its his actions here that kind of inform how he tries to act and who he eventually becomes in the third and fourth books. I love trying to draw this scene and have attempted to do so once a year for five years. I'm finally happy with how I captured it this time!

[waiting-makes-me-antsy]

okay um is there a wing feather saga community here (may contain spoilers?- it's fanart)

I read the books when I was around kalmar's age uhhhhhh I recently reread them and forgot how good they were

Just remember SOBBING my eyes out at midnight when I read the ending

[mayzi33]

****THE WARDEN AND THE WOLF KING SPOILERS****

Do you ever stop to think about how *guilty* Janner, Kal and Leeli must have felt after the war?

We all know Janner's whole journey has him feeling Older Sibling Guilt™, Tink experienced unspeakable self-hatred at the age of 11 for allowing himself to be turned to a fang, and Leeli, bless her heart, as if loosing Nugget wasn't enough, she also lost every. Single. One. Of her hound dogs during the war, having no choice but to send them out in the battle field.

Just- they're 12-13. 11. And 9. They're babies. They grew up longing for a father, and overnight they found out their father was a king, that they're the so called Jewels Of Anniera Gnag is after, and now they have to live on the run after watching their cottage burn down in flames. Just-

These kids have been chased, kidnapped, tortured, enslaved, bullied and neglected all through the series. Had to grow up faster by force. All of Green Hollows was constantly at their necks for something they had no control over. And when one of the fangs invades Green Hollows in the fourth book to warn them to either hand over the kids or a war is coming, said fang tries to turn the hollowsfolk agaisnt them AGAIN by putting the blame on those innocent kids.

They didn't ask to be Jewels Of Anniera. They didn't ask to have that power. They didn't ask Gnag to be obsessed with them.

Yet they've experienced a war. A war that even though it was entity Gnag's and Bonifer's fault, the **jewels of Anniera** were the cause. Because they didn't surrender.

These kids lived on the run, were contantly on the edge and unsafe for over a year. And when they finally thought they found a home, safety in Green Hollows, they were forced to see people they knew, people who had learned to accept them, their friends, die. Die defending them. Die protecting them.

Their father died protecting them. Their grandmother died protecting them. Nugget died protecting them. Rudric died protecting them. Podo died protecting them.

They're the ones who defeated Gnag. They're the ones who led the war. Janner is the one who saved all the clovens and fangs. Kalmar acted like a king and took responsability. The Hollowsfolk wouldn't have lasted a day without Leeli.

They're the heroes. Yet at what cost?

Just imagine how traumatized these kids are. Imagine how many nights they'll go without sleep. Imagine how much these children blame and hate themselves for something that I was out of their control and nowhere their fault. Imagine how tired they are.

Just- imagine.

[wings-dings-and-iggyfings]

Wingfeather episode 5 "The Sundering" is out!

... and I forgot it was Friday again. 😅 It's fine, it's fine, you can watch episodes 4 and 5 on the livestream if you missed 4 last week. Episode 5 is a super important one (if you couldn't tell by the title), so definitely watch it if you can! It's available until 7:30 ET on Saturday!

Youtube Link

Angel Studios link

Janner and Kal snuggling:

finally got the screenshot without the pause button on it!

[cyclonestudios-alt]

MONSTER BY SKILLET IS ABSOLUTELY FANG! KALMAR CODED AND YOU CANT CHANGE MY MIND ITS OH MY GOSH ABSOLUTELY HIM WHAT THE HECK HOW DID I NEVER MAKE THIS CONNECTION BEFORE

[chrisdillustration]

Badges? We don’t need no… Oh! Actually those are neat. Hand ‘em over. Marketing badge illustrations for #WingfeatherSaga S1!