*SPOILER WARNING FOR BASICALLY ALL THE WOF BOOKS*

This is the first thing I wanted to talk about because its been on my mind recently (I've been reading Legends Darkstalker again.)

Animus magic. It's creepy, cool, and engaging. But it's also where I think the weakest part of WoF lies. Animus power is far too vague and unruly, and the way characters use it just doesn't make a lot of sense.

As I see it, there is only one limit to what animus power can do: it can't bring back the dead. But this doesn't appear to be confirmed anywhere in the books, it is only speculated. I honestly think Darkstalker came pretty close when he was experimenting on Fierceteeth in Book 10 (I'm pretty sure). The only reason Clearsight wasn't coming out right was that Darkstalker was trying to alter her memories and personality, instead of letting them be the way she was in real life.

So, if there are almost no limits on animus magic, then why does it always get used the same way, in such a small way? This is probably what confuses me most about this magic. Why don't animus characters explore its full potential? It seemed like Darkstalker wanted to explore it further, and yet his biggest spells were the immortality and invincibility he put on himself. Why not enchant literally everyone who would ever live to be unable to oppose him?

And what about Albatross? Wasn't he fed up with being Queen Lagoon's servant? Couldn't he just enchant her to care about him and bow down to him? What about his sister Sapphire? He could just enchant her to stop being insane and her claws to grow back. Oh, and don't even get me started on Chameleon. He could've literally made himself king of the world with an infinite amount of gold, but all he did with Darkstalker's scroll was give himself some new dragon forms. (Which, don't get me wrong, was pretty cool, I would do that too. And I think Chameleon didn't do more stuff because he didn't understand the scroll and he was kind of dumb, BUT...)

Theoretically, an animus dragon could warp all of reality in whatever way they choose, Wandavision style. So why are the tribes with animuses (animusi? animi?) always coming up with battle spells to use against the enemy when they could enchant the entire opposing army to disappear in the blink of an eye?

I completely understand why Tui didn't write it like this. There would be no excitement, no story, if these things happened. And the way she has used animus magic is very clever. (I also didn't talk about the whole losing-your-soul thing.) I just wish there were limits on it that made it so the things I just said weren't actually possible. But since book 11, animus magic is gone, so we don't have to worry about it!

(Also, Darkstalker isn't the most powerful dragon to ever live. He's just tied with every other animus, because animus magic can give a dragon mind-reading and prophecy abilities.)

Okay, thank you SO much if you read all of that! I guess I just had to get it out. And I'm sorry if I sound negative, Wings of Fire is still my favorite book series, it's incredibly amazing and wonderful.

Now I want to hear your thoughts! Do you agree with me, or not? What's your opinion? (Ohmygoshisoundlikeateachersorry)