Strawberries and Darkness

Character Facts #10

Sludgesnout...let's begin.

1. He is surprisingly rational in survival, he knows what dragons to not mess with and what dragons he can be calmer with. He got this from the Scorpion Den as he had to develop the needs to be able to survive like being able to identify when someone is worth stealing from.

2. Sludgesnout is an orphan with at first his father being killed in the Sandwing Succession War by Blister in a sudden invasion of a base then later his mother abandoned his egg before he hatched. He has no idea what happened to her nor does he care anymore.

3. Sludge has high respect for Queen Thorn as she and the Outclaws pretty much saved him from starving in Book 5, the Outclaws deliver free meals to dragonets with the majority being Sandwings but sometimes other tribes as well. Sludgesnout was one of those dragonets.

4. He secretly thinks Qibli is funny but he never wants to admit it.

5. Sludge has problems with keeping every other dragon at a distance emotionally as a young dragonet in the Scorpion Den, he developed the idea that everyone was eventually out to get him(this included Thorn but he's mixed in his feelings). A lot of the time, he keeps emotionally detached from anyone in the winglet so he wouldn't care as much if they betrayed him. He hates being vulnerable.

6. Similar to Qibli and Thorn, he is a little bit moved by the Dragonets of Destiny and their heroic story though this too, he never wants to admit it. It specifically is about Clay as he struggles to understand the role of the Bigwings and how Clay could continue the role as an older brother even if it's completely different tribes as "siblings".

7. Despite eggs coming in clutches, Sludge hatched alone. He has no idea about his siblings either and again, he stopped caring.

8. Even without other Mudwings around, Clay still has Bigwings instincts. Sludge never had any instinct so he isn't sure in what placement he is in his siblings. It also doesn't help he doesn't know if he even had siblings or if they are alive or not.

9. Due to the Scorpion Den, he too developed a lack of trust in anyone. And because the majority of dangerous dragons were from other tribes, Sludgesnout also developed the idea that not only others are willing to betray him if he becomes vulnerable but it specifically is going to be dragons from other tribes. It doesn't help with the fear of the unknown as he doesn't know much about Pantala dragons.

10. Sludge has the bad idea that in order to ensure other dragons won't try anything on him, Sludge is going to make sure he's in the higher power(it's like how a bully try to make themselves feel better or bigger than the victims). 

11. He's a little afraid of Venuswing as the moment he saw her and her several weapons like daggers and such, he decided that staying away from her was for the best.

12. He developed a small bond with Drytail through his school days when he was alive as they both empathized with each other about their experiences in the Scorpion Den.

13. Out of everyone in the Jade Winglet, Sludgesnout would be by far the least interactive with Peacemaker as he doesn't care nor bother with whatever is happening with the hybrid.

14. If he partook in the truth-telling game, the secret he'd probably reveal after being pressured/threatened would be about him being an orphan which to his surprise would be something that Bumblebee and Dusky could relate to.

15. During his death, he'd describe it as insanely painful as the dagger continued to stab him, each thrust in and out would leak more innards and his organs would shift and blend.

16. He is ashamed that his last moments before his death were once again targeting Dusky.

17. Sludgesnout doesn't enjoy being hated but he'd prefer being hated than being laughed at for actually trusting somebody and regretting it.

18. He'd say that the worst part about his death was that it seemed like not many cared if any did, and even if someone told the Secret Assassins that murdering him was wrong he knew it wasn't his name they were referring to, it was just the number of deaths. He didn't matter but the crime did and the number did as well.

19. He got the scar on his neck from a Sandwing barb in the Scorpion Den, it nearly killed him but surprisingly, a stranger saved him. That stranger went away before Sludgesnout ever got to know who they were.

20. As a ghost, he definitely was eating snacks and cheering as he watched Peacemaker and Clay rock the Secret Assassins during the Dragonflame Graveyard Incident.

Now that was 20 facts about Sludgesnout. For his character I have to say, I think his character is my personal experience with what happens when you write a character specifically made to die. It's one of those instances where that character is developed less than any of the others because the writer knows that there is not a big plan for them besides their deaths. I think during the first sight of the Secret Assasin, I wanted him to appear as a threat by killing someone off, and who not to kill off but the bully of the book so far. Someone not many would care about but it would still show that the antagonist means business.

You know in a horror movie where there's a bully in it or someone generally not likable and they find themselves involved with the threat and everyone knows what's going to happen to them? Yeah...Sludesnout was so dead....sorry pal. Ironically enough, someone I knew reads Peace and Its Shadow. They surprisingly liked Sludgesnout and were quite upset when he died so hey, there's a fan of him at least.

I think if he managed not to die, I'd develop him in a way similar to how Venuswing and Drytail were developed. During the Dragonflame Graveyard, he would start cutting the crap and focus on the safety of himself but also others. Then at a critical moment, he would finally act selfless and protect at least one other dragon such as a winglet member with the potential danger of his own life. 

Afterward, as previously mentioned he would reveal about being an orphan which Dusky and Bumblebee could empathize with and he would start trying to consider them more as dragonets who also struggled a lot in their lives especially at the start of their lives like he did. Granted, there would have been some sort of redemption arc or at least an apology to Dusky for the bullying.

At his best, he'd have the role of the older brother like Clay but doesn't have the same kindness, and instead, he's going to try and make sure the others don't die from stupidity or threats. In his head, he'd think, "The only one that can mess with them is me."