What IS a redemption arc to these writers, exactly?
Because the ONLY thing that Clear Sky has changed about his behavior, by A Forest Divided, is that he's not actively murdering people. He's controlling. He's a bully. He's misconstruing the words of the StarClan cats to create a justification for why he should be in power.
He's even physically abusive again when he gets upset, later. And that's not even counting his sadistic, self-absorbed behavior in sequel books.
We keep getting passages like this;
Which keeps turning his murder and abuse into "Just A Little Mistake," explicitly PART OF LIVING.
Ghosts are tumbling out of the fucking heavens to powder his ass, forcing his mom to forgive him for absolutely nonsensical reasons, saying that killing Rainswept Flower was "predestined" and "just an accident" and he had no control over it, anyway(???). And now, here is the hollowed-out shell of Storm, who was driven out of the Clan while pregnant because Clear Sky's actions were getting innocent cats MAULED AND KILLED, insisting her abusive husband's behavior never drove anyone away and they just had their own paths to walk.
So what IS a redemption arc supposed to be to these writers?
If Clear Sky was NEVER actually that bad, in the 5 books we saw where he's a controlling, power-hungry monster who constantly resorts to physical violence, that what IS the change he needs to make? If it's both a mistake he's totally learned from, YET ALSO he's never done anything wrong??
Do you SEE how these are contradictory ideas? They can't exist together. It's like the writers are just grasping at whatever insane bullshit they can think up and throwing it on the page, because at the end of the day, what they do is write Fundamentally Good and Fundamentally Evil characters.
Because Clear Sky is one of their Fundamentally Good cats, he has nothing to confront. They try to say "the guilt is the worst punishment for him!" and also "He shouldn't feel guilty for anything he did!" and it leaves us with absolutely nothing.
In the epilogue, Tav/Durge and Ascended Astarion are dressed in WEDDING OUTFITS. Dragons are masculine, phoenixes are feminine. The two together (plus red and gold colors) are often seen in Chinese weddings. Too much fits for it to be a coincidence, imo!
Some Enjoltaire scenes from the 2019 staged concert
Ok, so this is during Red and Black. Look how Grantaire is focused on Enjolras during his whole speech. Then Enjolras says ... do we fight for the right to the night at the opera now, and Grantaire laughs with the most affectionate look on his face. He's 100% buying everything Enjolras says. He even loves his dumb little jokes.
But then!!! Enjolras goes after him specifically with, Is it simply a game for rich young boys to play? And Grantaire isn't even angry for this. I think he's more like - of course you're right Enjolras. I'm useless. For a moment I was so lost in your words I thought I was as brave as you all, but I'm not.
And then!!!
Exactly at the moment Marius sings breathless delight, Grantaire bursts with laughter and comes over to TOUCH ENJOLRAS' NECK AND PULL HIM INTO AN EMBRACE. And I'm sure he's saying something along the lines - You see, I told you the same before. Won't you forget your stupid plans for a moment, just like Marius did?
Enjolras obviously has other ideas but he doesn't look like he's. Shocked or offended by Grantaire's excessive familiarity. He even looks at him fondly at the beginning and leans into his embrace.
And then, Drink with me. So Enjolras was sitting in the back while the other guys were singin, but when he hears Grantaire being distressed, he comes over to try and comfort him :(. He specifically gets up only to come to Grantaire.
And he whispers something to him. Probably telling him to stop drinking for now, as he takes his bottle to raise a toast with others. And Grantaire doesn't even care 🙃.
All in all, I really love how these little scenes show their relationship. They seem to be genuine friends! I specifically love how Enjolras clearly cares about Grantaire even though the two of them may argue and don't agree on many things. But he doesn't look down on Grantaire with disgust, he's more like trying to make Grantaire to get himself together.