Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow

Wunder is a magical force in the series—“a mysterious energy source that powered the realm and had a mind of its own unless you knew how to wield it” (13). As a representation of Morrigan’s unique talents, Wunder demonstrates that Morrigan is capable of both creative and destructive acts.

For instance, when she creates the luminous net that keeps Barty from falling into the grasp of the Guiltghast, Morrigan saves him from harm and manages to soothe the creature for a while. When Aunt Margot asks her to perform some “splendid bit of magic” for the guests at Dario’s memorial (257), Morrigan creates a cloak of red and gold—the Rinaldi team colors—to please Aunt Modestine. Though she enjoys the admiration that these demonstrations of Weaving garner, Morrigan’s primary motivation is the desire to use her abilities in helpful, productive, or protective ways.

In fact, when Ezra Squall warns her that exercising her powers as Wundersmith might require her to engage in acts of destruction now and again, Morrigan rebels. She doesn’t yet understand that destruction can sometimes be necessary to protect or to make way for something better. This indicates that her worldview is transitioning from a childlike understanding of good and evil as clearly delineated to a more mature recognition that actions can be complicated.