So, just a quick post to point out something I've noticed in my last re-read of the books.
I always pictured King Jupiter as being white (cuz it made sense to me) but then I found out that he was actually brown. And then there's Lady Glen, who is black-furred, I believe, and so yeah there's that.
What are these kids that they're supposed to have?
There's Winslow, who is- what color is he?
I don't know, and I don't want to get up and find my book so I can find out. We'll figger it out later.
And then there's Smalls, who is pure white. And then Emma, who is, like, half white half brownish-red, and then Whit, the other brother, who is white and some black.
I don't know much about rabbit genetics, but, at least in human genetics, two dark-skinned people have basically no chance of having a very pale child. Unless, of course, albinism. But I don't think Smalls is albino, because his eyes aren't pink.
If, in human genetics, one parent is dark and the other is light, there is a chance (albeit a smaller one) that they could plausibly have a light child. This is why, when I first learned about Lady Glen being the Queen Mother, I'm like, "Oh, so her husband must be a white rabbit, because that's the only way it makes sense."
(Speaking of which, this reminds me of another crazy theory- what if Helmer is Lady Glen's brother? So Glen and Airen and Helmer would all be siblings? I think it doesn't sound implausible.)
Back to my other point. I don't think that Smalls, plausibly, can be King Jupiter's biological son. It just doesn't make sense. I suppose that there are, of course, things like mutations and recessive traits, but, across the board, none of King Jupiter's "children" look very much like him or his wife. Except for maybe Winslow, who we have yet to examine.
Now, I'm not saying that an adopted child is any less a person's son or daughter, or that an adopted person isn't truly part of a family, or anything like that. I am simply pointing out some interesting observations that I had.
Well, till the Green Ember rises, Causers! Or Green Emberites! Or New Seddletonites! Or all the O'Seddle Family! Whatever we decided!
It's not the same with rabbits and people. I've had a black rabbit breed with another black one and have brown babies, black, white, even blue. Rabbits are just different like that. It also depends on the breeds of the rabbits. But I doubt S.D. Smith is staying true to rabbit genetics anyways.
Oo, very interesting points, I've never thought of this like that. A few things to keep in mind would be that it's coat color, which would be then hair color for humans, which is more varied. From what I've seen with cats, and I've seen many generations of cats, what their litters looked like and how the coat colors came out through the genetics it's not as weird to have a child with a coat color unlike their parent. Jupiter's golden brown coat is stated to be rare, which means it's unlikely that his children would inherit his coat. So it could be that his parents and Lady Glen's were white coated, seeing so many of their children gaining that color. White, also seems to be a more normal color, grey being more so. But that's my thoughts on this. This is very interesting though, good thoughts on it. It would definitely be a twist of he was adopted.
In human genetics, the dark skin gene is strongest in the firstborn child, and dilutes slightly with every child after. For instance, if two very dark-skinned people had enough children, they could end up having some very light-skinned children. And maybe they do take after grandparents or something, like when a blue-eyed child is born into a family of brown eyes. Interesting theory.
I guess we need an expert on rabbit genetics. Do any of you know anyone?
Well, Smalls’ older brother Whit (and I think Winslow too?) is also white-furred. It may be that they take after grandparents or something like that. May not match up to human genetics...but they’re talking rabbits.
BTW, we've decided to stick with "Menders" as the term for GE fans.
hmm interesting thoughts. I think @Flynn-the-Gray-Warrior went into that a bit with Happier days.