The guardians with their stern faces had no creative power. But they had strength and cunning, and they had found a way to steal and harness other people's powers for their own needs. They were forcing the children to describe the future they wanted, not the one that could be.
In "Gathering Blue," the guardians are depicted as figures devoid of creativity, leading to a reliance on strength and cunning rather than innovation. They manipulate the abilities of others, particularly the children, to fulfill their own ambitions. This approach highlights a significant imbalance of power, as the guardians exploit the talents of the young to create a future that aligns with their desires rather than embracing a more authentic vision.
The children, in turn, are coerced into articulating their dreams within the confines set by the guardians. This dynamic not only stifles creativity but also suggests a critique of authority that imposes rigid definitions of what the future should look like. The guardians' actions serve as a representation of how those in power can distort individual aspirations for their own ends, ultimately denying the potential for a more genuine and diverse vision of the future.