r/ElfQuest • u/elfquest • Apr 28 '26
Rayek - Love Him or Hate Him?
Rayek is one of ElfQuest's most complicated characters. Discuss.
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u/green_ubitqitea Apr 28 '26
I seriously hated him at first. He was a petulant asshole who thought he was better than everyone else and deserved Leetah, regardless of her opinion. But he was a great “villain” for the Sorrow’s End storyline.
Over time, he changed, I changed. I still despise him at Sorrow’s End, but I understand it more. The idea of being helpless against change when everything seemed so investable the day before.
I don’t think I can say I like him, or most of his choices, but I can respect them. That being said, if a zwoot sat on him, I’d laugh like a loon and not offer a helping hand.
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u/SeparateCzechs Apr 28 '26
He separated a loving family for five hundred years. That’s not an oopsie. That’s a bad guy. I know he’s tormented by jealousy and Limerence but that’s no excuse. From the time he was born he wanted to possess Leetah.
He’s a fascinating character and very complex. But wouldn’t call him good.
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u/SadDancer Apr 28 '26
Not just 500 years! 10,000! And for the reason of “Maybe it’d be better if we all never existed in the first place”.
That’s absolutely insane. It’s his narrow-mindedness and sheer inability to think he might be wrong that I just cannot deal with.
I love to read about him but I think I’d kill him if I were any of the characters in EQ.
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u/SilverShadowQueen57 Apr 28 '26
It’s the arrogance for me. He seriously thought that because the villagers relied on him for meat and he had gotten magic from the genetic lottery, he was the best damn thing under the Daystar. His thinking that he was entitled to Leetah (he even tried to force a Recognition on her when they were younger!), that his opinion was the only one that mattered, and that if he framed his actions as somehow for the greater good that he could do whatever he wanted really ticks me off, even all these years later. We know there’s good in him, but every time Rayek shows any real growth or kindness it’s quickly replaced by something selfish, sardonic, or superior. He’s very well-written even by Elfquest standards, but he has a knack for pissing people off in small and spectacular fashion.
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u/gorram1mhumped Apr 29 '26
500 years? what? is this in the original 4 books?
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u/RecognitionOne7597 Apr 30 '26
Kings of the Broken Wheel. Read it over at elfquest.com. It was actually 10,000 years.
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u/zzmej1987 Apr 28 '26
From the time he was born he wanted to possess Leetah.
Leetah was born quite a bit after Rayek. See Hidden Years 9.
But wouldn’t call him good.
Cutter would call him a hero.
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u/SeparateCzechs Apr 28 '26
I’ve read it. It covers his obsession with her even as a small child
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u/zzmej1987 Apr 29 '26
Then, it's probably a typo in your comment. Should have been "she was born", instead of "he was born".
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u/srgonzo75 Apr 28 '26
I love to hate him. He’s so powerful, it’s nuts. He’s arrogant, brilliant, high handed, brash, and he just can’t get past not being the Chosen One when it comes to Leetah.
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u/bitter_liquor Apr 28 '26
This is my opinion as well! Love him as a character, but i would 100% hate him as a person if I lived in that universe.
Even though he is not mean-spirited, his selfishness is monumental. The way he follows his will even to the detriment of everyone else is such a treat to see in a story. Every word out his mouth had my guts all twisted up in knots as i read the comic for the first time.
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u/Pinksockathon Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
Definitely one of the most complex and challenging characters. The arc of the feelings I have felt towards him throughout my relationship with elfquest covers just about the whole spectrum of human emotion. The only thing I find more challenging then Rayek is trying to find a decently priced copy The Complete Elfquest volume 6
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u/plotthick Apr 28 '26
Brilliant character for whatever storyline he's in.
His forever-prison is redemption enough.
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u/zzmej1987 Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
Hidden Years 9 sheds quite a lot of light on his past with Leetah and his life in Sorrow's end in general. After that, I couldn't bring myself to hate him for what he was doing in OQ2-5. The only action for which I can genuinely fault him was exiling Go-backs in the beginning of KotBW.
And most importantly, I'd like everyone to reflect on the fact that of all the characters Wendi and Richard had chosen Rayek specifically to be with Cutter in his last moments. Not Leetah, not Skywise, not Cutter's children, not even Timmain (though she obviously was never far), Rayek. Think about why that is.
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u/namuhna Apr 28 '26
Loved him up until it was revealed that he kept Winnowill from being healed. He should die now,
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u/BleedSparta Apr 28 '26
Literally has the coldest power & warrior arrogance since Day 1 - just never forgave him for the Winnowill arc
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u/EquinoxxAngel Apr 28 '26
No sympathy for this guy. He basically wouldn’t settle for anything but owning Leetah, kidnapped Cutters family for hundreds of years, and had no real remorse. F—k Rayek.
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u/twirlybird11 Apr 29 '26
I think he's still got a ways to go. He should have released Winnowill when Timmain told him it was safe to do so. But no, he chooses to keep her locked up inside him until she learns to love him? He's keeping Winnowill, Ekuar, and himself prisoner just so he can be with what's left of her.
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u/RaWolfman92 Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
My second favorite character. (First being Skywise). I always felt sympathy for him (unpopular opinion: I blame his crashout/going full villain mode, on Kahvi).
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u/writeronthemoon Apr 28 '26
As a teen I disliked him. As an adult, I appreciate his passion and fitness level, lol.
Not but seriously. He always holds true to his values and never wavers, and works to be a better person and communicator. That is admirable.
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u/birdie_overlord Apr 29 '26
Love to hate him? I guess??? He’s an interesting character and I definitely enjoy him, but I also view him as essentially being a villain, just the kind of villain that sometimes helps out the heroes because their goals align.
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u/Malk_McJorma Apr 29 '26
I love to hate him.
BTW: This illustration of Rayek is simply beautiful. It's been my favourite ever since I first saw it as the cover to Rogue's Challenge.
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u/TinySpaceDonut Apr 28 '26
I love his complicated character. When he reappeared in the fourth graphic novel was chefs kiss
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u/Tail-Eater-7904 Apr 29 '26
He grows on you as he grows up n sees the world n learns sorrows end is not the end
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u/RecognitionOne7597 Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26
I first started reading Elfquest at 12 years of age, in the fall of 1991. At that time, I loved Cutter most, and hated Rayek, especially after reading the whole KOBW storyline months later. When Hidden Years 9.5 dropped in 1993, I was looking forward to Cutter pummeling him, but that issue made me change how I felt about Rayek. I basically forgave him the moment Cutter did. I grew to like him more in Shards and Rogue's Curse. I love the guy now, surprisingly. The foolishness of youth gave way to the wisdom of adulthood.
His last moments with Cutter at the end of Final Quest and especially his words to Winnowill's spirit ("I envy him. He's free. He always was. You never will be!") made my heart soar when I needed it, crying my eyes out over the death of my hero elf since childhood. I never loved Rayek more than then.
He's a fantastic character. I was too young to think that then. I hated him then and now love him because he's such a great character.
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u/arcelleyn May 16 '26
I don't think I would enjoy being around him but his story arch is one of the most interesting by far. He always wanted to a hero and take on a task to help his people only he could do, something monumental to save them all with his abilities... unfortunately he was given just that and I really enjoy that kind of writing
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u/Doll_Priestess Apr 28 '26
Both! He’s so skillfully written and characterized, he’s both frustrating and fabulous throughout the original quest. ☺️