Will Stanton

Character Analysis

He might just be eleven years old, but Will Stanton knows how to hold his own against the vicious powers of the Dark. Well, he does by the end of the novel, anyway. Let's take a look at his journey to see how this one kid transforms from crossing his fingers for snow on his birthday to pretty much saving the world.

Will the Sign-Seeker

When Will first finds out that he has the magical powers needed to save the planet, he's in shock. Which is really the only appropriate response to such a discovery. He is told:

"You are the Sign-Seeker, Will Stanton. That is your destiny, your first quest. If you can accomplish that, you will have brought to life one of the three great forces that the Old Ones must turn soon towards vanquishing the powers of the Dark, which are reaching out now steadily and stealthily over all this world." (3.59)

Okay… Will's not sure what to make of this news. He wants to believe it, but it's a lot to take in and make sense of. Old Ones? The Dark? The Sign-Seeker? What the heck? Will homes in on the magical component, though he uses his magic too soon and risks the Lady's life in the process. Oops. Call it a rookie mistake. Will is always well-intentioned, but he's new to the whole magic game and only a kid, so he makes a lot of mistakes as he figures out how to use his powers simply because he's immature and inexperienced.

In other words, he might be able to start fires just by thinking about them and the fate of the Old Ones' fight against the Dark might be dependent on him, but Will's still just a kid.

Wanted Will

Before too long, Will figures out the magic part, but instead of this making his life easier—being in control of your powers is usually a good thing—he soon realizes that his status as the Sign-Seeker isn't just about collecting Signs and kicking some Dark butt. He also has to keep his family safe from the Rider. When he learns of his fate, the Lady tells him:

"He was chasing you. I'm afraid the guess that is in your mind is right, Will. It isn't the Sign they want most of all. It's you." (3.25)

Man, and we thought we had problems. Will's eleven years old and already running away from one of the most powerful forces on earth. It turns out the Rider can't directly harm Will at home, but he can kidnap or hurt Will's family. It's not cool and it makes Will's work as Sign-Seeker a lot more personal. Instead of cowering from this responsibility, though, Will accepts it. Looks like someone's growing up…

Wise Will

Before long, Will goes head-to-head with the Rider, manages to collect all of the Signs, and still makes it home in time for dinner with his family. Check out how much he's grown:

He had, too, the knowledge to use the Gift of Gramarye: a long lifetime of discovery and wisdom, given to him in a moment of suspended time. He was not the same Will Stanton that he had been a very few days before. (7.143)

In addition to pretty readily stepping into his responsibilities as an Old One, which shows maturity in its own right, Will also knows so much more than ever before. He is "not the same Will" we first met in the book.

As much as he learns about the Old Ones and the Dark, though, where Will arguably makes the biggest strides is in his ability to think for himself and problem-solve. While at first he waits to be told what to do—be it start a fire or get on the Old Way—by the end, Will thinks and acts for himself, figuring out how to keep his family safe (like saving Mary) and save the world from the Dark without waiting for someone else to tell him how. Is he still only eleven? Yup, but insofar as he's confident in his identity as the Sign-Seeker, he's really come into his own.