| “ | I'm the pack leader. Everyone says so. But mostly all I did was act like a meany craphead. A bully. It was my job to look after the rest of you, and I failed. | „ |
| ~ Darien to Ambrose, Fables #115 — "Teddy Bear: Chapter Two of Cubs in Toyland" |
Darien Wolf is a hybrid Fable (part wolf, part wind and part human) who is one of the seven children of Bigby Wolf and Snow White. He first appears in Fables #30 — "The Cruel, Hot Summer." Bigby has stated that Darien is the pack leader among his cubs. Initially something of a bully toward his brothers and sisters, he ends up sacrificing his own life to save his sister Therese.
History
Background
Darien was the fourth child[7] of Snow White and Bigby Wolf. He and his[4] six[5] siblings[4] were conceived when Snow White and Bigby Wolf had a one-night stand[8] whilst under the control of[9] a potion provided by Bluebeard.[10] Bigby's heightened senses informed him of this brief affair, but to ensure survival and minimize Snow's panic, he decided not to tell her. Unfortunately, Snow had been impregnated.[5]
Several months later, she gave birth to her children[4] after the battle against the wooden soldiers.[11] It was apparent from the start that her children had inherited the wolf traits from their father. This meant they could not live in New York City but had to move to the Farm in Upstate New York,[4] separating the cubs from Bigby.[4][12]
Because of their heritage, the children's natural default for travel was flight. Since Bigby was gone, and had never had that problem, their grandfather, the North Wind was given that responsibility. The children, under the tutelage of their grandfather, the North Wind, gained the ability to control their flight as well as change their forms from human, werewolf or fully lupine.
Inherit the wind
Darien in wolf form at the North Wind's castle
| “ | I'm Dare, the leader of the pack. Daddy only said it like a hundred million billion times. I'm the one who can do anything. | „ |
| ~ Darien to one of the North Wind's subordinates, Fables #109 — "Cardinal Virtues: Chapter Two of Inherit the Wind" |
After Mr. North passed away, one of the cubs was to become the new North Wind (since Bigby and his brothers were unfit for the position). Darien was excited with the idea, believing he would be chosen.[13] However, in the last test, his sister Winter managed to prove to be the rightful heir. Darien angrily attempts to lash out and even bully his older sister, to which she unknowingly proves her power and literally blows him up into the sky. Leaving both their parents shocked by Winter's power, Bigby then urges the other children to get Darien down.[14]
Afterward, Blossom is chosen to meet Santa and ask their question. Darien is very upset when Blossom explains she couldn't ask him anything. He rudely calls his sister names (ironically ignoring how his sister said their Aunt Rose Red disappeared) either to be mean, out of disappointment, or just to prove dominance again.[15]
Cubs in Toyland
| “ | The fourth will die to stop her. | „ |
| ~ The Summer Prophecy, Fables #109 — "Cardinal Virtues: Chapter Two of Inherit the Wind" |
One day, Therese is whisked away by her toy boat[16]
to Toyland,[17] a mysterious realm where discarded toys go.[18] Lord Mountbatten[19] and the Ranger Mike Danger toy are recruited by Darien to help find Therese. But just as they finally get close enough to find her, the other toys that tricked Therese attack Darien and the others. During the attack, Ranger Mike Danger is destroyed by the other toys to protect Darien, while Darien is separated during the fight from Mountbatten and gravely injured.[20] Therese, with her diminishing condition and the dark influence of the land, orders Mountbatten to be killed for her sustenance, savagely eating his raw flesh before ordering toys to be burned in order to cook her meal.[21]
As Darien wanders, he begins seeing visions of his father and an older Ambrose, and is informed of Therese's descending fall from grace. During his wandering, he appears to realize his fate and is distraught, wanting to live. As he travels he comes upon an old tattered stuff dog (Rex) and carries it as company and there finds the magic cauldron and cleans it, for Therese.[2]
Darien realizes that in order to save his sister, he must sacrifice himself to activate an old magic, and impales himself on a broken mini pool cue.[2] His blood goes into the magic cauldron and his body goes into the soil. Because of Darien's magical bloodline, his blood invokes an ancient magic. The grass begins to grown in Toyland, and the cauldron is restored and becomes filled up with food every day, always magically fresh and hot. Therese grieves over her brother for a long, long time, until a now older and more mature Therese decides it is time to put her brother's sacrifice to work and begin the restoration of her kingdom. Because of Darien's sacrifice, it helps Therese restore the land to glory and help the toys rebuild themselves. Afterward, an older Therese returns home to inform her family of Darien's sacrifice.[22]
Afterlife
Darien appears before Bigby in his personal heaven, his father was shocked to find out he has also died. They share a last father-son reunion, before Darien moves on to the afterlife and Bigby has to choose to return to life or stay out of the picture for good.[23]
Characteristics
| “ | I don't want to die. Please! Not yet. I'm still a little kid. Can't I grow up just a little more, first? I never even got to do anything yet. Please? | „ |
| ~ Darien while trapped in Toyland in Fables #120 — "Cubs in Toyland, Part 7: Beach Toys" |
Darien is shown as the leader of the pack. He takes a good resemblance to his father. Darien is the driving force behind the cubs, although often exerting it by teasing and pushing his siblings. However, he takes his father's lessons about how to be a good wolf to heart.
Darien is very confident in his own abilities, often verging on cockiness, and would take offense at not be deemed as the best, especially among his siblings.
He proved himself to deeply care about his family, and he selflessly sacrificed his life to save his sister, Therese.[2]
Killed victims
- Himself (in order to save Therese Wolf)[2]
- Wild pig[24]
Original source
Sources
Darien Wolf is based on the Fisher King, a character from Arthurian legend who is typically depicted as the guardian of the Holy Grail, the cup that collected the blood of Jesus Christ during the crucifixion,[25] and which is believed to have originally been a cauldron.[26]
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred vessel believed to have collected the blood of Jesus Christ during his crucifixion.[25] This is a distinct parallel to Darien's self-sacrifice for his sister Therese,[2] as particularly highlighted by the infusion of his blood into the cauldron.[22] Additionally, the Grail is often referred to as the cup utilized at the Last Supper, where Jesus invited his disciples to partake of wine in remembrance of him, with the wine representing his blood.[25] As the esteemed cup from the Last Supper, the Grail recognized for its magical attributes as a provider of sustenance,[27] much like the magic cauldron.[22] Fables makes a more direct reference to the Holy Grail through Darien's vision of Ambrose, who is depicted with a sword in one hand and a golden chalice in the other.[2]
The Fisher King
In the realm of Arthurian legend, the Fisher King is depicted as the guardian of the Holy Grail. Many versions of the legend portray the Fisher King as being wounded or maimed, typically as a result of being struck by a spear;[25] similar to the way Darien is injured by Therese's toy army,[18] before impaling himself on a cue stick.[2] The Fisher King, due to his severe injuries, is unable to guide his troops into combat or traverse his realm,[25] much like Darien is incapable of guiding his own "troops" to to victory over the toy army.[20] His only activity consists of fishing from a small boat on the river adjacent to his castle, which is the origin of his title, the Fisher King.[25] This echoes the depiction of Darien as he fishes in the ocean.[2] The King Fisher's land is frequently characterized as a barren wasteland where nothing will grow,[25] mirroring the characteristics of Toyland.[19]
From cauldron to Grail
While the Holy Grail is closely associated with Christ,[25] it is likely to have its origins in the magic cauldrons that are described in the myths of ancient Celtic mythology.[26] In these ancient narratives, the object in question is not a cup or chalice, but rather a cauldron, which served as the primary cooking vessel for the pre-Roman Celts, thereby linked to nourishment and and the power of life.[28]
Celtic mythology features numerous cauldrons, with the cauldron of the goddess Ceridwen being among the most renowned.[28] Some scholars propose theories suggesting that Cerridwen's cauldron, a vessel of knowledge and rebirth, may actually represent the Holy Grail for which King Arthur dedicated his life in pursuit: In the Celtic tale of Brân the Blessed, the formidable warrior-god Brân acquires a mystical cauldron from Cerridwen. He presents this cauldron as a wedding gift to his sister Branwen and her new husband, Matholwch. However, when war breaks out, Bran embarks on a quest to reclaim the precious artifact. Accompanied by a group of devoted knights, only seven manage to return home. Bran sustains an injury to his foot from a poisoned spear, a motif that resonates with the narrative of the Fisher King in Arthurian legend. Similar to King Arthur, only seven of Bran's companions make it back home. Following his death, Bran journeys to the Otherworld, while Arthur proceeds to Avalon.[29]
In the tale of Culhwch and Olwen, Arthur requests the cauldron of Diwrnach the Irishman from King Odgar. When Odgar refuses to part with it, Arthur's men seize the cauldron and return to Britain. Although Diwrnach's cauldron does not possess any special powers, the poem Preiddeu Annwn (The Spoils of Annwfn) narrates an expedition undertaken by Arthur and his companions in pursuit of a cauldron with magical properties,[29] namely the Cauldron of Annwn (Inspiration); a quest that might be one of the earliest known direct mentions of the Grail.[28]
In the poem Joseph d'Arimathie by Robert de Boron, Joseph of Arimathea is depicted as receiving the Grail from an apparition of Jesus, which he subsequently sends to Great Britain with his disciples. Expanding on this narrative, subsequent authors described how Joseph utilized the Grail to collect the blood of Christ during his burial and established a lineage of guardians to protect it in Britain. This legend appears to merge elements of Christian tradition with a Celtic myth concerning a cauldron possessing special powers.[29]
The Holy Grail can be regarded as the ultimate embodiment of the cauldron symbol, with its loss causing both the king and the land to suffer, while its restoration offers the hope of renewed life for both,[29] which is basically the story of Therese and Darien in Toyland, in a nutshell.[22]
Etymology
| “ | All the books and legends say the Fisher King has to make a perilous choice between one or the other. But what if that's not the case? What if the real choice is to take up both, or neither? That makes more sense to me. To choose nothing is indecision, the true enemy of daring. | „ |
| ~ The vision of Ambrose Wolf speaks to Darien, Fables #120 — "Cubs in Toyland, Part 7: Beach Toys" |
Darien's first name[1] is of Irani origin and means "a good wealthy protector."[30] This is a reference to Darien's position as pack leader, whose job is to look after the rest of the cubs.[31]
Darien's name is also a reference to the act of "daring," which is made explicit when Darien has a vision of a grown-up Ambrose holding a sword in one hand and a golden chalice in the other, telling him that although the the stories of the Fisher King state that the character has to make a perilous choice between one or the other, the real choice could be to take up both, or neither. As the vision explains, "To choose nothing is indecision, the true enemy of daring."[2]
Gallery
References
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