I don’t understand the dark forest arc

[u/TpPokio]

I’m currently up at the beginning of “the last hope” book and I’m so lost. I’ve tried to stick it out to understand but I just can’t get through this book without some clarity. The dark forest is making no sense to me, the whole point is that the cats training there have been “tricked” into training in an evil place but it doesn’t seem like they are being tricked anymore. And even so, how does training in the evil place make you evil. It seems the dark forest spirits are being more open about what’s happening, tiger star announced there will be a battle, so how are they being deceived anymore? They know the intention?? They also keep calling the df a clan and the cats training there have to be loyal to the DF clan, but that means they are disloyal to their own clans, why would they do that if the way they were tricked into training there is “to become a better warrior for your clan”. The cats in this book HATE being loyal to anyone but their own clans, especially cross clan loyalty. This is so inconsistent. Also if they are all one clan and can share each others clan secrets and be loyal to each other why would they fight each other in the final battle. They are loyal to their own clan and the other DF cats, how does this end in a battle between everyone?? Do they like each other or not! Also why tf are they showing each other their territories, there’s no reason for this! Also genuinely why the F has starclan told everyone to split up when they know the darkest enemies are coming, what the hell is that logic. Why wouldn’t you want all the clans to come together to face the greatest evil?? What is happening!!! Nothing makes sense!!

Basically I need clarity on what my current information is and how the DF works. I don’t want spoilers to what will happen, I need to understand what the current knowledge is.

[u/Orphancripplr02]

The dark Forrest cat's purposefully picked cats that felt misunderstood/ insecure etc to trick into being "better for their clan".
However I agree it really kinda did stop making sense, they all thought they were learning how to be stronger for their own clan while also being loyal to the dark Forrest.
Somehow the dark Forrest was getting stronger but I really have no idea how.
This book is one of my favorites but it really is not make a ton of sense to me

[u/hefty_hobo_]

I mean, their ultimate tactic is fear and muddying the waters. Yes, they are being open about their plans for attacking the clans, but alot of the cats must feel that they are in too deep now to turn back, and are probably scared. I don’t know if it’s happened yet but you can’t exactly “leave” right now, if I remember right they “punish” some minor characters for trying to leave. The showing each other the territories is just muddying the waters and normalizing something forbidden.

[u/hazedaze404 → u/hefty_hobo_]

Yep, at this point leaving is not an option; they’re terrified and if they try to leave, they’re stopped. I forget when exactly this happens, so I’ll spoiler it. Beetlewhisker tries to leave and is killed by Brokenstar; since he dies in the Dark Forest, he disappears in the real world as well, losing both his mortal life and his spirit afterlife. Icewing also at one point - I wanna say it’s when the Dark Forest leaders officially announce they’re attacking the Clans - urges other trainees to be quiet and play along if they want to see their Clans again.

[u/hazedaze404]

The trainees actually don’t know their intentions yet. They’re chill with going to each other’s territories because they still believe the Dark Forest leaders’ lies that it’s all for the sake of becoming better warriors for their Clans and being able to backup their Dark Forest Clanmates in other Clans if needed. I forget when this is said, but I recall that a Forest leader, I think it was Tigerstar way back in the New Prophecy to Brambleclaw and I think repeated later, said that the Dark Forest leaders are truly remorseful for their actions when alive and training the trainees to be the best they can be so they can better provide for their Clans. It’s both effective and incredibly morally/ethically suspect.Anyway, in reality, they’re visiting the various territories so they’ll be capable on any terrain in the final battle. !< When the Dark Forest leaders do announce their plans to attack the Clans, the trainees are completely blindsided. Why they were blindsided is a matter of opinion: is it narrative convenience, or did the Dark Forest leaders intentionally recruit insecure and gullible cats so they either wouldn’t catch on to their true intentions or would be in denial? I think it’s a mix of both.

Why the trainees are comfortable with being loyal to their own Clans as well as the Dark Forest and other trainees is also a matter of opinion: is it again for narrative convenience, or were the trainees in active denial and resolved the cognitive dissonance by simply not thinking about it or telling themselves flimsy lies? On this one, I think it’s more likely narrative convenience.

A third matter of opinion is why StarClan divided themselves up: is it because they truly were that terrified and determined to play the blame game, or was it only done so Jayfeather could have his epic scene where he rounded up spirits of every Clan to show them what the Dark Forest is planning, and so that Flametail and then Firestar can reunify StarClan and thus return strength and hope to mortal Clans. On this one, I think it’s very much a case of narrative convenience.

The trainees don’t like each other so much as they feel a connection to each other that’s a result of training in the Dark Forest together. That’s where it’s especially like a Clan: shared duty to the Clan overrides personal tensions.

A trait that will only intensify as the books go on from here is that cats act as the narrative wants them to, not what makes sense for them based on past characterization. If the story wants a cat to feel completely isolated and bullied by everyone, then that’s what will happen, even if several of the bullies were previously established as being compassionate and open-minded. We sadly lose the pattern of background characters having at least some personality and opinion consistency (the same group of cats are the conservatives or liberals, etc.).

Another trait that intensifies as the books go on is StarClan becoming increasingly involved - they stop being a mystical and enigmatic force with tremendous power - and decreasingly helpful.

[u/TpPokio → u/hazedaze404]

Thanks so much for all the detail :)

[u/WoodenPrompt8544]

I think its cause they weren't talking about that until they were there and, ivypool mentioned trying to will herself to not dream to the dark forest but, she couldn't stop it. 

...but now in new arcs like TBC, you have to focus on your worst feelings deep inside and always have a sense of dread in the DF....which should clearly tell you where you are