I have never read the graphic novels but I stumbled upon this image and omg it's actually so sad.
He looks so sad and confused as to why any dragon would have a toy that is just for fun and to make them happy. What's even sadder is that he thinks it serves no purpose but he doesn't understand that the purpose is to make a dragonet happy and since he doesn't understand that he sees the toy as having no value. Tui and Milke Holmes why must you do this to me I can't I can literally see him reflecting on his own childhood and wondering why he never had something like this.
The following is an alternative retelling of the final scene from Wings of Fire: Winter Turning, based on my own feelings and thoughts while reading the book.
I vividly remember getting to this part in the book. I listened to the explanation that an animus curse was keeping Foeslayer trapped in the Diamond Trial cavern and a lightbulb went on in my head.
"Oh, the curse is probably phrased in a way to specifically target Foeslayer, and Winter has an item on him right now that can obscure a person's identity," I thought with glee, "the author deliberately set that up as a Checkov's Gun, this is so brilliant! I can't believe how well this all fits together, oh my god!"
Then that never happened. Really, the Pyrite necklace never comes up again; Winter probably still has it on him today, forgotten in his pouch thingy. It felt a bit deflating.
I thus spent the better part of the last two weeks writing and illustrating this comic because I wanted to see how that scene would play out with the Checkov's Gun triggered. I think it still largely hits the same beats as the original narrative and ends in roughly the same place.
It's very possible this is all very silly and my perception of a smoking gun in the narrative is a huge delusion. Whatever it may be though, I hope you'll find this entertaining, or at least interesting as a thought experiment.
Outside the Ice Kingdom, the surface of an Icewing will usually be cooler than the ambient temperature. Therefore, water condenses on their scales in the same way it does on the surface of a cool glass on a hot day. This has led many dragons to the misconception that Icewings are literally made of ice and can melt.
This also depends on the ambient humidity. You don't see it so much in the Kingdom of Sand, because the air is so dry. On the other talon, when Winter visited the rainforest in Winter Turning, he left a puddle behind anywhere he stood for more than a minute.
you're telling me there's a dragon Jekyll and Hyde and no one is talking about it!?
i love Hailstorm, im only halfway through Book 7 but i would give everything for Hailstorm, the fact that he's such a....tragic character. like the torment of being an ENTIRELY different dragon. it would do numbers on her and i know it. this is existentialism incarnate. imagine being two people, but at the same time, only one. there are two sets of memories and feelings and.....man. i love you Hailstorm/Pyrite.
i was also thinking of Alex G's song Mary and how the lyrics are:
"i am real and you are not."
and i feel like that's how she feels about herself, but there's no bitterness despite how conflicted the feelings are because he doesn't hate himself. in fact i think she loves herself in both of its entireties.
so anyway Hailrite [Pyrstorm?] might be my new favorite character.
also some doodles of the Jade winglet [except Moon bc i got tired im SORRY.]
the haters will get me for this but i kinda like Winter/Kinkajou. 🫶
Still very into my old Wings of Fire fanart of Winter & Qibli!
Since artfight has started, I've pondered making a WOF sona I can use to draw dragons more! Maybe a Sand/Sky Hybrid? Either way I was glad my first WOF fanart ever happened to be Qinter lol
And the rest of the Jade Winglet!
I def didn't forget to draw them, just lost the steam I was running on to finish em :,)