The Battle of the Wills

I've recently read three great books that I thoroughly enjoyed, all featuring a boy named Will. The name itself means 'Protector' which makes this even more fitting. Going up against each other in a battle to see who the most swoonworthy, ideal boy is are the Wills from Courtney Moulton's Angelfire, Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel, and Sophie Jordan's Firelight. Though I know there are other books with Wills in them, I am focusing on these three because they all can contend well. Not to mention, their names are linked which means its fated (Clockwork Angel Angelfire Firelight. Yeah. Awesome).

And before any of you say it, I did not judge them based on looks. They are all hot, from their facial structures to their builds to their eyes. Looks don't count as much here as their actions and personalities do. So without further ado, I bring you my analysis in the Battle of the Wills:

First Impression:

Angelfire: 2, Creeper. Hot, but a creeper. He might stalk Ellie. But he has good reason, and not because she smells good. And it isn’t technically stalking. But he’s mysterious. And creepy. And Ellie was a little freaked. So was I.

Clockwork Angel: 4, His perfect timing definitely gives points, even if he didn’t know the timing was right. Peril always adds something. Then one of the first things out of his mouth is witty. Will spikes the intrigue and makes a girl do a double, or triple, take. He also has hints of a twisted sense of humor. Oh look, there’s the quadruple take.

Firelight: 5, Oh hey. Cute boy. Hunter boy. Ohh…. Hot, wet hunter boy…. Awwww. He let her go! That is about what my thoughts were. Will nailed the first impression. Mystery. Maybe a nice side? A sympathetic boy! I mean, think of if that was a hurt puppy. He would have saved it. Yeah. You just melted.

Humor:

Angelfire: 4, He has his comments and he can banter. He’s sarcastic and a smartass and delivers the lines at the perfect times. Much of this, however, comes from his interactions with Ellie herself who puts even the snarkiest of people to shame. Subtract her, and Will loses a little of that humor.

Clockwork Angel: 5, He has a witty comment for everything. Everything rolls right off his tongue and its clear he doesn’t try. He just happens. Of course, he takes it too far and is unable to be serious it seems, but he is great for banter and humor and laughs.

Firelight: 2, Admittedly, this Will isn’t especially funny. He has more of the general humor that the vast population has. Everyone has their funny moments. He can banter but he doesn’t particularly excel at it, at least not in comparison to the others. This is, however, proof that a guy doesn’t have to be a sarcastic, cocky jerk to still be hot. Thank you, Firelight Will.

Social Interactions:

Angelfire: 4, He still might be a creeper. He’s also awkward and lingers on the edges. But he’s a gentleman and respectful. Maybe no one knows, and he’s quiet, but it’s there all the same.

Clockwork Angel: 5, Most defining for this Will is his friendship with Jem. For someone who puts an emotional barrier to the world, he’s close with Jem. He also shows the majority of his caring side when it comes to things with Jem. He comes off as a sarcastic player. He knows how to pique interest in people and he knows how to put on a good show. In the eyes of others, there’s a lot here.

Firelight: 5, The typical bad boy. The girls want him. Maybe a guy or two does as well. They’re curious. He keeps a distance, however, sticking to his cousins. He’s smooth, suave, a little endearing. He knows what to say, when to say it, and how to deliver it.

Badassery:

Angelfire: 5, He has a six foot broad sword and he knows how to use it. Did you just drool? I did too. Because yes. I said six feet of long, smooth, straight…. Oh Sorry. Ahem. Apart from being fully….equipped… He has some rockin’ tats on his arms. And face it, any guy who can get impaled and still look hot? He hits it off the charts as being a badass. A guy who also is okay coming in second to a chick fighter? That’s pretty darn badass too.

Clockwork Angel: 4, He has teeth and he isn’t afraid to use them, consequences be damned! He’s also got some swift moves, a quick thinker, and has some crazy awesome weapons. Sure, he’s been trained as a Shadowhunter and badassery is inherent in his kind. But this Will is still someone I’d want between me and the beasties.

Firelight: 4, I admit, this Will doesn’t get to show off his fighting skills too much. But. He hunts draki for a living. Yeah. Draki as in dragons as in huge and can fly. Hi hunny, how was your day? Oh, you know. The usual. Passed my math test. Knocked a fifteen foot dragon out of the sky. You? Yep. That’s a good man. Also. He drives a hummer, equipped for heavy artillery. We don’t get to see said artillery too much other but the boy knows how to use it.

Fierceness:

Angelfire: 5, Without spoilers… this one is hard to explain. But take it from a chick who devoured this book in a day. This guy is fierce and maybe even a little scary. What? Giant reaper? It’s okay. Will won't mind jumping in the way. Who needs a sword when you have hands to keep an angry reaper from eating the girl you're guarding? Besides, reapers aren’t always considerate enough to accommodate a six foot sword. Back ups are needed.

Clockwork Angel:4, This guy is pretty fearless. He goes into a battle unafraid to die and willing to protect those going with him. In the right situation, he’ll go alone even if it’s more dangerous.

Firelight: 2; I admit, while he has his moments, this Will seems more… cuddly teddy bear to me. There isn’t too much to explain, it comes out in other categories… but he’s a tortured little ball of angsty cuteness. I get the image of a kitten playing with a yarnball on this one. Remember that puppy he saved? Yeah. There went his fierceness.

Sweetness:

Angelfire: 4, It’s in there. You have to look for it. It takes awhile to bring it out and find it. But he’s got a sweet side. As enticing as the sugar on his lips after a root beer float, this boy knows some of the best things to say, when to say it, and how to look when he says it. And even better? Its genuine. He’ll hold you while you cry and won't even judge.

Clockwork Angel: 2, I am sure that somewhere, deep down, there is a grain of sugar in this boy. But we don’t see it very much. There are moments where he shows something and lets his façade down, but they aren’t rampant. While he will throw a bucket at your head and make sarcastic comments…. Oh, wait. Yeah. This sweetness is buried.

Firelight: 5, He saves puppies. Or in this case, fire breathing dragons. He skips school to stalk, er… spend time with a girl he likes and is intrigued by. He isn’t even ashamed to be caught stalking, er.. spending time with her. Okay, he doesn’t really even stalk. He’s curious. He follows it. He says screw it to certain things for said girl. He’s persistent. He understands things others don’t, particularly for Jacinda. Also. He cooks. Without burning down the house.

Angst:

Angelfire: 4, No matter your definition of angst, whether it’s tormented, battling two sides, or troubled in love… this boy hits it. He is fighting battles in more ways than against the beasties. His personal struggles are muted, given its Ellie’s POV, but it’s there. It’s strong. It’s breathtaking. You might even want to pull him into a hug and say everything will be alright. This another that’s hard to explain without spoilers so just trust me. This boy is a deep sea of angst.

Clockwork Angel: 2, While this Will does create quite a bit of angst for others, he himself doesn’t come across as especially angsty. At least, in the way that makes girls swoon and want to console him. I imagine consoling this Will is much like cuddling with barbed wire. He’s closed off and locked in himself. Whatever is in there, at least in the first book, the reader doesn’t see too much of.

Firelight: 5, If Angelfire Will is a sea of angst…. This one is an ocean. Or maybe all the oceans. He’s a hunter by birth. His family hunts. His family enjoys. He doesn’t. As if his struggle against what he was born to do isn’t hard enough, then he meets Jacinda, the very thing he hunts. There’s sparks, there’s passion, there’s flames, and no they aren’t all from her mouth, and then there’s Will struggling with it all. You want to smack him and say just get over it and hug him and console him for having to endure it.

Romantic Side:

Angelfire: 4, His level of angst tones down his romantic side. It’s there. It’s clear. But he avoids it. This Will is an intricate character… leading to a bit of a blender effect on his romantic side and his duties. Where does one end and another begin with this boy? It’s hard to tell. Courtney herself might not even be entirely sure. Okay, I lie. She made this hottie. She knows. But I’m not her, even if I am envious of her brain for making this world. Suffice it say, this Will has his faults but at the end of the day, I wouldn’t mind having him by my side. Not to mention, he’s the quiet, brooding, uptight, highly controlled type… so when that slips because of his feelings…. Wow. Oh, and his kissing skills? Pucker up, ladies.

Clockwork Angel:1, I’m not entirely convinced this boy would know romance if it threw him on the bed, tied him down and… okay, he might know that kind but, the kind the girls go for? It’s buried somewhere with that sugar grain we talked about. You know, the one’s that hidden deep inside a fortress that’s better armed and protected than the Institute? There’s implications of girls in his past but nothing serious. Again, there’s glimpses and a few scenes that give credence to him having a romantic side but… you know. This is, of course, being judged based on this book alone but so far, this boy isn’t a romantic.

Firelight:5, We already talked about how he cooks. He fights against he is and what he does. He’s compassionate and caring and understanding. He goes out of his way for the girl he likes. He even accepts that she can breathe fire despite the potential detriment to his person should he anger her. Face it, any guy who stands by the chick filled with fire is a true romantic. Not to mention, this boy is one fantastic kisser. No, that isn’t only Sophie’s writing ability. That’s just the way he feels and it pours into his kisses.

Loyalty/Devotion

Angelfire: 5, He is loyal to what he does, loyal to Ellie… he’s just loyal. He’s determined to protect her, to make her happy… he will do anything for her. Literally. Anything. He doesn’t just say that to get into her pants either. While I am sure he wants to tap that… he hides it. He is loyal like a dog- you know, the awesome regal kind that scream awe? Or maybe like a lobster or penguins. The ones that mate for life. That’s this Will.

Clockwork Angel:4, He’s loyal to his friends and he’s loyal to the Shadowhunters. For all his faults and closed off ways, he can be counted on. Sure, he has a good time doing it… but he’ll do it. He works fantastically will Jem and his level of loyalty comes out especially strong with this friendship.

Firelight:4, Okay so technically, he’s shaming his family by letting a dragon go… wanting to date said dragon… resisting their ways…. But that doesn’t make him not loyal. This Will, rather, is more loyal to himself which sounds like such a line but it means a lot and it’s true. Besides, his loyalty to himself versus his family battles adds to his title as angsty, tormented yarn ball.

Reliability:

Angelfire: 5, No matter what, this Will is going to be there for Ellie. Whether it’s because of something normal teens go through her because a beastie just did some major damage, he is there. Even if she doesn’t see it right away, everything he does revolves around her. This goes beyond loyalty. He is loyal, but she count on him no matter what without question.

Clockwork Angel: 4, In terms of a girl, he isn’t particularly reliable. For the Shadowhunters, however, he will answer the call. He might do something stupid along the way and he might mess up, but his intentions are there.

Firelight: 4, His ties to his family and his struggle to figure things out make it hard for him to put Jacinda completely first. While he tries, he cannot guarantee he will be there. He is as reliable as he can be, but in contrast to some other hottie Wills, he can't quite measure it up.

The Much Awaited Results:

And the winner of this epic Battle of the Wills is, by one point, Angelfire Will!

Coming in second, and putting up a very good fight is Sophie’s hot little Will creation in Firelight, followed up Clockwork Angel’s Will. Though Angelfire Will didn’t give up the best first impression, particularly through Ellie’s eyes, he came to be something intense and strong by the end and leaves a very lasting impression.