Kaden Radcliffe

"The power of the pen is mightier than the sword, and if you misuse the pen—it becomes a deadly weapon."

- Kaden Radcliffe

Kaden Christian Radcliffe-Roux (or known simply as Kaden Radcliffe) [he/him] is a 2017-introduced and fanon-only character created and developed by  amatoresx . Even though is the son of commoners from the Village of Book End, Kaden is the successor of Karen from the Danish fairy tale The Red Shoes, written by Hans Christian Andersen. He is currently attending his Yearbook Year (otherwise known as his third year) at Ever After High in the Kingdom of Ever After and used to room with Everett Horn, but now currently rooms with Glaucio Pedroso.

Concerning the issue of the destiny conflict, Kaden aligns himself with the royals because his role as a successor is why he is attending Ever After High in the first place. He has some personal disagreements with his fate being set in stone by destiny, but at the end of the day knows that he's at Ever After High for a reason and he has a job to fulfill. He's rather critical of those who rebel against their destinies as well, especially towards his own peers who've already signed the Storybook of Legends. Despire his resignations, Kaden is ardent in his alignment as a royal.

Riddled with overwhelming guilt from a falling out with a friend gone missing, Kaden tries desperately to maintain his industrious work ethic as he strives to work hard to be at the top of his classes. He's a tad uptight and naturally worrisome, but his charismatic ability and intellectual mind manages to score him some likeability points from others, giving him a reputation of being a highly well-respected student among his fellow classmates and teachers. However, his charismatic ability doesn't seem to help him from being seen as slightly abrasive and brash, and his sarcastic tongue doesn't alleviate this problem either. Being well-respected is vastly different from being well-liked, after all.

Childhood & Preadolescence
On April 14th, 1998, Kaden was born to Eloise Roux and Helena Radcliffe in the Village of Book End, in the Kingdom of Ever After. He lived with his mothers in a small, rustic cabin close to the woods for five years and was raised by them until they separated a year later. Afterwards, he and Eloise moved in with her sister's family in a rather small but charming house in the center of Book End. He lived with his mother, Eloise and her family, where he was now being raised by Eloise and his aunt and uncle. He still often visited his other mother Helena, however.

Kaden lived a happy childhood for the most part. He was known by his neighbors and other residents of Book End for being a rather precocious child, as he often excelled in his studies at school. He was a charming boy as well, often engaging in riveting conversations with the customers in Eloise's bookstore whenever he would visit her store. He also garnered positive attention for always offering to help with his neighbors with their errands. The villagers of Book End regarded Kaden and the rest of his family positively, and would continue doing so after he grew into adolescence and started attending Ever After High. This would also be how his family became close with Everett Horn's family, and also how he befriended Everett in the first place.

Before he was a student at Ever After High, Kaden received his education from attending Book End Elementary School, then later attending Book End Middle School. He was a star student in every grade he attended at both schools, always excelling in his schoolwork and finding success in every academic-related area. He was an especially valued member of his middle school's bookball team and maintained his status as the president of his class for all three years of his middle school career.

TBC

Freedom Year
TBA

Legacy Year
TBA

Yearbook Year
TBA

Departure from Ever After High
TBA

Personality & Traits

 * See Tropes (because i haven't been able to write a proper personality for him oops) 

Physical Appearance
Kaden is an attractive yet mostly average-looking individual of English and French descent with fair skin speckled with light freckles and shoulder-length, strawberry-blond locks. His eyes are icy, bluish-grey in color with extremely heavy bags under them, which gives away his constant state of exhaustion. He's somewhat scrawny but still maintains a fit build due to being physically active. His height peaks at 5'9 feet.

While it's noted that he's mostly average and plain in appearance, the most striking detail about him are, interestingly enough, the dullness of his eyes. There's something so distinctively sad about his eyes which, as described by his intimates, "used to have so much life". It's safe to assume that the "lights" in his eyes left once his closest friend went missing one night.

Literature
TBA

History
TBA

Sports
TBA

Writing
TBA

How The Story Goes

 * Main Article: The Red Shoes 
 * Full Story: Here

How Does Kaden Come Into It?
As for as he and his parents know, Kaden himself isn't directly related to any character in the fairy tale, though he is in fact the successor to Karen, the protagonist of the fairy tale. In fact, Kaden and his family were simply normal residents living in the Village of Book End.

Normalcy for him and his family came to an abrupt end during a hot summer's day, when word spread that several children from the village were chosen to become successors to fulfill the roles of various fairy tale figures. This also meant the children who were chosen were also chosen to become students of the prestigious Ever After High. Among the chosen children was—you guessed it—Kaden.

His mothers felt honored to hear that their son had been chosen to become the next Karen in The Red Shoes. Kaden felt honored as well and would proceed to spend the rest of that summer preparing for his first year at Ever After High, in which he vigorously studied his fairy tale and other fairy tales. From his research, it was clear that Kaden had a tough role to fulfill, but he was willing to fulfill it if it meant he finally had a true purpose in life.

Opinion on Destiny
As one can tell from previous statements, Kaden is intent on fulfilling the destiny he is bound to, no matter the obstacles. Stemming from his desire to have any sort of purpose in life, Kaden, from the moment he found out he'd be the successor to Karen, was simply elated to have such an important obligation to fulfill. He always knew Ever After High to be a prestigious school for the children of important fairy tale figures, and he'd always envy them for having roles to fulfill in their lives. Never in his life did he believe he would be one of the kids he'd always envied for so long. Because of this, Kaden feels he's absolutely obligated to become the next Karen. He's fully aware of the problems that may stem from fulfilling his destiny, but despite that he's fully intent on becoming the next Karen, and he's intent on doing right. On some levels, one could say he's borderline obsessed with fulfilling his destiny.

Due to Kaden being a student at Ever After High pre-Rebel Movement as well as being a year older than the main cast (Raven Queen, Apple White, etc), he was already conditioned to the overall attitude of embracing your destiny due to Headmaster Grimm's insistent enforcement of such. Kaden embraced his destiny and insisted that others embrace theirs as well, so he was often quick to critique others who questioned it. Once the Rebel Movement gained prominence during his third year, Kaden was mortified. He's always held his destiny and the very concept of destiny in such high regard, so he couldn't fathom the very thought of even questioning both. He's very critical of the movement and its second year vanguards, but he is especially critical of his classmates who show support for the movement, and finds it "pointless" to rebel against destiny when he and his classmates have already signed their names in the Storybook of Legends during their Legacy Day.

After the events of Way Too Wonderland, Kaden felt absolutely heartbroken when he realized that all the work he put into becoming the best successor he could be was essentially pointless. After receiving the page with his name on it, all he could do was blankly stare at the page and crumple it up in frustration after he finally was able to register everything that happened. Truthfully, a weight had been lifted off his back and he could resume his normal life while still finishing his studies at Ever After High, even if he didn't have to fulfill his destiny anymore. Yet, a familiar feeling of guilt and hurt found its way to Kaden once again when he realized that his insistent embracement of destiny may have been one of the catalysts for the falling out that occurred between him and another individual...

Parallels

 * Kaden, after finishing his Freedom Year, would progressively become more obsessed with his image and put more focus into superficial things (such as his wardrobe), which would eventually be the catalyst for his failed relationships (i.e. his break up with Cybelle or his falling out with Everett). This is juxtaposed with the character Karen from The Red Shoes, who favored her material riches instead of going to church, which is the reason for why she has to repent for her sins (and then get her feet chopped off).
 * To further juxtapose him with his fairy tale, Kaden isn't religious and holds rather atheistic beliefs, so as a result he is opposed to the religious elements featured in the story.
 * The use of "red" in his surnames is a nod to his story  The Red Shoes  (see the name section below).

Name
Pronunciation: kai-DIHN kris-CHAN RAD-clif ROO (Kaden Christian Radcliffe-Roux)

The name "Kaden" is a name of complicated and mix origins. Its actual origin is that it was a name created by Modern American parents to match the popular trend of names rhyming with "Aiden", with similar names such as "Caden" and "Kaiden" among other names being created to go along with the rising popularity of names ending in the the "-aden" sound. "Kaden" can also be explained as meaning "fighter" or "battler". The name itself is also one letter off from being "Karen", which is the protagonist of The Red Shoes and the role Kaden himself is meant to fulfill.

Kaden's middle name "Christian" is of Medieval Latin and English origins and means "follower of Christ". This name is a direct reference to Hans Christian Andersen, who authored the fairy tale The Red Shoes. It's also ironic because Kaden himself is an atheist.

Because of his two mothers, Kaden has two surnames from each of his mothers. He gets the surname "Radcliffe" from his mother Helena Radcliffe, which is of English origins and means "red cliff". His other surname "Roux" is taken from his other mother Eloise Roux, and it is a French surname meaning "red". The use of the color red in his surnames is a direct reference to The Red Shoes.

When introducing himself to others, Kaden simply introduces himself as "Kaden Radcliffe". He uses Helena's surname in practice instead of his full surname because he feels he has a deeper connection with her than with Eloise (though he still loves both his mothers equally). He also doesn't get to see Helena as often as he does with Eloise, who he lives with, so he feels more inclined using Helena's surname as a result. He signs his name as "Kaden Radcliffe-Roux" however, using both his surnames.

Education
Kaden has been able to maintain a very high fairy-point-average (FPA) for all the years he's been attending Ever After High, which is a 3.9. The only class he's genuinely not great at is Dance Class-ics, which is the main attribution to his FPA being one point-off from a perfect 4.0.

Bookball Team
TBA

Book Club
TBA

Royal Student Council
Despite not actually holding any status pertaining to royalty, Kaden's reputation among the students of his grade as well as his teachers has earned him a spot on the Royal Student Council for three years straight, from his Freedom Year to currently his Yearbook Year. He's the elected secretary for the Yearbook Year council, which is and has been the highest possible position the school were able to allow him to run for in all of his three runs, with his non-royal status kept in mind.

Kaden is perfect for the role of secretary, as he's able to utilize his extensive knowledge of writing to contribute to the meetings and assist with improving his grade's overall status and wellness. However, his duties as the council's secretary has caused him increasing stress, especially with the uprising of the Rebel Movement from the students currently in their Legacy Year. He's somehow able to manage.

Tropes
(shout-out to spades for inspiring me to include this in the pages of my ocs !  🐸💕)
 * Academic Athlete - Kaden is both academically and athletically skilled, being apart of a couple of the school's sports team as well as being able to maintain a near-perfect 3.9 FPA.
 * The Ace - Kaden's perpetual drive for success causes him to be very skilled in various different areas, particularly with athletics and writing.
 * Adorkable - He's very passionate about his interest in history and literature, often making references to both in passing.
 * Affectionate Nickname - Kaden referred to Everett as "Pythias" while Everett referred to Kaden as "Damon".
 * On a less affectionate and more annoying degree, Glaucio occasionally refers to him as "Kadance" (as a reference to his destiny).
 * Appeal to Tradition - While not directly connected to The Red Shoes  or its protagonist Karen, Kaden is still dedicated to fulfilling his role as Karen's successor and is a staunch advocate of embracing destiny.
 * Big Brother Instinct - Towards his cousin, Peggy.
 * Bookworm - He enjoys literature and often spends his free-time reading.
 * Broken Ace - He's popular among his peers and well-respected by the students and teachers of Ever After High for his strong drive to succeed and academic success, but he's deeply troubled by the pressure of successfully fulfilling his role as a successor and his friend's disappearance, and he's become more cynical of other people's interactions and rude towards others as well.
 * Broken Bird - He's riddled with guilt from the circumstances surrounding Everett's disappearance, and is especially jaded from the insincere condolences his classmates gave him, which caused him to become cynical of other people's intentions whenever he interacts with them and has also caused him to become less kinder tho others.
 * Child Prodigy - In his youth, Kaden was considered a bright and precocious child who was always excelling in his studies.
 * The Confidant - His cousin confides in him (he also confides in her as well).
 * Crowd Pleaser - Kaden hates to admit this, but he's quite driven by others and their the positive opinions on him.
 * Due to his gradually declining reputation (as a result of being a Broken Ace and Broken Bird), he's become quite alarmed and frantic about his own self-image.
 * The Cynic - He's skeptical of other people's intentions whenever they interact and is rather pessimistic himself.
 * Deadpan Snarker - He has a rather sharp tongue that he often shows off, usually towards those he dislikes or casually in his everyday conversations.
 * Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life - Before attending Ever After High, Kaden was unsatisfied in continuing to live the rest of his life as a normal resident of Book End and desired to have a major purpose in life.
 * Dumb Blond - Inverted. Kaden is stated to be very intelligent, however he has his moments of uttertomfoolery from time to time.
 * Exhausted Eye Bags - He has an extremely prominent pair of these (makes sense seeing as he spends all night studying or doing schoolwork).
 * Fatal Flaw: Cynicism - Jaded from circumstances surrounding the disappearance of his friend, Kaden has found it increasingly difficult to trust others and see their interactions as sincere, which has also lead to his decline in kindess and compassion for others.
 * Flat-Earth Atheist - Anything is possible in the world of Ever After, but despite that, Kaden considers himself an atheist and doubts the religious aspects of his fairy tale.
 * The Foil - To Glaucio. Kaden is persistent in his dedication to fulfilling his destiny, but resents Glaucio's insistent rebellion towards his role. They are each other's intellectually equal, but feel they both are opposites in various areas; Kaden is serious, practical, and tends to rely on book smarts, while Glaucio is more playful, idealistic, and relies on his own instinct and thoughts.
 * To a further extent, he's also a foil to Everett. Both were childhood best friends and came from a similar background, and later attended Ever After High as successors of fairy tale figures. They were close-knit and possessed many similarities once they entered the school, but after some time they grow apart due to how much they've changed as a result of attending the school. Kaden is focused on being academically studious, becomes involved with the affairs of royal students, and embraces his destiny completely, but Everett has gradually become indifferent to his studies, develops resentment towards the royal students, and detests his destiny in every possible way.
 * Freudian Trio - With Cosmo and Ilari. Kaden is the Ego of the trio, balancing Cosmo's Id and Ilari's Superego.
 * Genius Book Club - Not only is he part of a book club, Kaden is also an avid fan of literature of all sorts and has a wide collection of novels in his repertoire.
 * Gray Eyes
 * Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold - Though he can come off as cold and cynical, Kaden genuinely cares deeply for the people who are most important to him, such as his close friends and family members. He also has strawberry-blond hair.
 * Hot-Blooded - Especially when concerning the destiny conflict; Kaden is very quick to critique and antagonize anyone who shows any bit of rebellion towards destiny. He's also rather impulsive.
 * Insufferable Genius - Despite being generally well-liked by his peers, his habit of showing of his book smarts can easily get on other people's nerves, especially Glaucio's own nerves.
 * Jade-Colored Glasses - His cynicism is a prominent trait of his.
 * Jerk with a Heart of Gold - Though he means well, Kaden can come off as rather callous and abrasive when he attempts to be genuinely compassionate with others.
 * Long-Haired Pretty Boy - He grew out his hair during his second year and it's become a mane of luscious, strawberry-blond locks. And yes, he is quite handsome.
 * Messy Hair - He has messy, strawberry-blond hair that is particularly untamed.
 * He adopted this style after Everett disappeared.
 * Motor Mouth - In both conversation and in writing, Kaden is wordy and tends to ramble, and speaks quite quickly when having verbal chats with others.
 * Noveau Riche - Upon his entrance into Ever After High, Kaden became closer with the royal students and was able to gain their trust and support. As a result, he later began dressing in fancier attire and adopting a more "posh" mindset.
 * How he obtained the money to dress in such a way is... a secret ;)
 * Red is Heroic - His associated colors are dark shades of red, which often appear in his attire. This also relates to his fairy tale  The Red Shoes, and as well as his surname meaning "red cliff".
 * Red Oni, Blue Oni - Kaden's pragmaticism, aloofness, and loyalty to his destiny (blue) to Glaucio's idealism, (faux) sunny disposition, and rejection of his destiny (red).
 * During their first and second year, Kaden was enthusiastic about his destiny and more energetic (red) compared to Everett, who is resentful towards fulfilling his destiny and is more laid-back (blue).
 * Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness - Mostly a front he puts up to appear smart; very apparent in his writing and sometimes his dialogue.
 * Sharp-Dressed Man - Once a fashion disaster, Kaden gradually began focusing more on how he dressed and put more thought into his outfits. His daily attire is rather formal, but still sleek and sharp.
 * School Idol - Alongside his pals Cosmo and Ilari, Kaden is popular among his fellow third-year peers.
 * This was a result of Kaden spending his first two years establishing himself as a successor that should be taken seriously—and it worked for some time.
 * However, his popularity amongst his peers has gone down a bit due to his increasing insolence and irritability (a result of being jaded from his friend's disappearance).
 * The Smart Guy - He's very intelligent and excells in school work.
 * Smart People Know Latin - Self-explanatory. Kaden is very book-smart and is fluent in Latin.
 * Sucks at Dancing - He's an absolutely graceless dancer. His poor coordination skills when it comes to dancing is the reason why he's barely subpar at best when it comes to his Dance Class-ics (which is why he has a near perfect 3.9 FPA).
 * Ironic seeing as his destiny involves him dancing...
 * Sweet Tooth - Has a soft spot for his mother's baked goods.
 * Teen Genius - Kaden prides himself in his intelligence and academic success, which is often noticed and praised by his peers and teachers.
 * Tragic Bromance - His friendship with Everett comes to a heartbreaking end when Everett goes missing the morning after the night both of them got into a heated argument pertaining destiny.
 * Even more heartbreaking is Kaden and Glaucio's search for Everett coming to an end when the two of them find Everett's remains.
 * What the Hell, Hero? - One of the major reasons for his falling out with Everett, and subsequently why Everett goes missing afterwards, was Kaden's adamant embracing of his destiny and hostility towards any opinion that showed rejection towards destiny. Let's just say that that a lot was said during his big argument with Everett te night after their Legacy Day.
 * Also, his breakup with Cybelle Vedma was particularly messy, mostly on his part.

Quotes
"The power of the pen is mightier than the sword, and if you misuse the pen—it becomes a deadly weapon."

- Signature

"Truly, the prospect of having to question everything you were taught as being "correct" is awfully horrifying at its worst, and wildly inconvenient at its best."

- Kaden, musing about the Rebel Movement.

"Dear Everett, you've wounded me terribly. I could've sworn you were supposed to be my Pythias?"

"You've accused me of "building" a fictitious wall made of "eloquence and cynicism" around myself, yet I'm very capable of accusing you of the same crime, Pedroso."

- Kaden addressing Glaucio, presumably during one of their heated debates.

Trivia

 * Kaden grew up speaking English but understands the rudiments of French enough to hold small conversations with individuals like his mother, aunt and uncle (who are all of French descent)
 * He's also fluent in Latin (because of course he is).
 * He is English from his mother Helena's side and French from his mother Eloise's side—overall, he is broadly European (and also just a white dude).
 * His personality type is ESTJ.
 * His temperament is the Choleric-Melancholic combination.
 * While he's more inclined to writing letters, Kaden does use messaging apps on his phone to hext others, though he isn't as eloquent when corresponding over hext messages.
 * His favorite drink is Fay-Torade™ (Gatorade™).
 * His favorite season is either spring or summer.
 * Kaden's earliest iteration was mentioned in an extremely old blog post from August 2015 as a concept idea alongside a concept idea for a different original character (who would soon become Iolanta Feyanova).
 * In a meta sense, Kaden's character is often used a stock character because I tend to recycle his personality when creating characters for other fandoms.
 * His signature quote is obviously a variation of the phrase "the pen is mightier than the sword", however the exact wording is lifted directly from an English translation of a post made by the father of the South Korean professional Overwatch player Hyeong Hwang (also known by his battletag "EFFECT").