| “ | Actually, I don't care about that. I mean, the cards are very interesting and I don't want to discount what you do. But I didn't really come here to have my future told to me. I'm quite okay with finding that out myself. | ” |
—Gansey, after receiving the Death card in his reading | ||
Richard Campbell Gansey III, mostly referred to just as Gansey, is a student who attends Aglionby Academy. He is friends with Ronan Lynch, Adam Parrish, Noah Czerny, Blue Sargent, and Henry Cheng who are aiding him in the search for the supposedly deceased Welsh King, Owen Glendower.
Biography
As a ten year old child, Gansey — who has a deadly allergy to wasps — stumbled across a nest of them in the woods outside of the home of a family friend. He was viciously attacked, but, as he lay dying, he heard the words: "You will live because of Glendower. Someone else on the ley line is dying when they should not, and so you will live when you should not." Gansey miraculously survived this encounter—though it left him traumatized—and it sparked his intense desire to find the ancient Welsh king, Glendower.
Gansey went to a variety of different high schools during his teenage years; though, never for long. He leapt from place to place, often following the ley lines, continuing his research regarding Glendower. These travels lead him to various places around the world, including Britain, where he met Professor Malory, a supernatural enthusiast with a sensitivity to energy, who had already conducted his own research into the ley lines. He stayed in Britain for a fairly long amount of time; however, while travelling along a line with Malory, he would sometimes suffer panic attacks, triggered from the memory of his near-death experience. This event haunted Gansey and later he would get into a terrible argument with Malory and leave without a word. At some point, his travels took him to Poland, where he met a man who was able to follow the directions of the ley lines, as long as he was singing—a memory Gansey later recounts to Blue.
Eventually, Gansey came to Aglionby Academy, in Henrietta , Virginia. He purchased an abandoned building, Monmouth Manufacturing, converting it into his home.
There, he met fellow student Ronan Lynch, the son of the wealthy Irishman, Niall Lynch; the two became close friends, despite their seemingly clashing personalities. Later when Niall Lynch was killed by The Gray Man, Gansey helped Ronan survive the loss (which had changed Ronan largely) allowing the latter to move into Monmouth with him when he was forbidden from returning home. When Gansey left for D.C for a weekend in The Dream Thieves Ronan didn't really know how he would cope and found himself feeling very hurt. They part with Gansey telling Ronan "while I'm gone, dream me the world. Something new for every night." The two consider each other family— brothers.
One of Maggie Stiefvater's drawings of Gansey
Later, Gansey met Adam Parrish, a local boy who had gained a scholarship to Aglionby. The two first become friends when Adam passed by Gansey by the side of the road with his broken down Camaro and Adam, who has experience as a mechanic, taught Gansey how to fix it. They became good friends despite their contrasting backgrounds, though this remains a point of contention between the two. Adam and Gansey do fall out regularly for brief spots of time, generally concerning Gansey 'trying to buy Adam' or for 'unwanted pity', probably resulting from Adam's mentally and physically abusive upbringing. However, they consider each best friends, sharing a deep platonic love.
At some point, Gansey met Noah Czerny—who he assumed was a student—and befriended him; eventually, Noah moved into Monmouth with Gansey and Ronan, though neither can remember exactly when that happened. [Spoilers.........] In addition, Noah was murdered on the ley line at the same time Gansey was killed by hornets when he was 10 years old and Noah 17. It is later revealed that it was the voice of Noah's spirit who spoke to Gansey as he died and told him: "You will live because of Glendower. Someone else on the ley line is dying when they should not, and so you will live when you should not", making Noah responsible for not only Gansey's second chance at life but also his defining quest for Glendower. Gansey is quite haunted by the fact that the reason he survived his encounter with the hornets is because of Noah's brutal murder, and this in part leads to his determination to make his life meaningful.
He first hears the voice of Blue Sargent on a recording speaking to his spirit on St Marks Eve (April 25th). He actually meets Blue in person for the first time shortly after the beginning of The Raven Boys, when Gansey approached her at her workplace, Nino's Pizza, to try to act as a wingman on Adam's behalf. In the brief conversation they have, he managed to deeply offend Blue by offering to cover her salary at Nino's in the time it would take for her to speak with Adam, which she took to imply he saw her as a prostitute. As she briefly dates Adam, Blue and Gansey end up moving past their disastrous first impression and become friends. Near the end of Blue and Adam's relationship, Blue begins to realize she has feelings for Gansey and after the two break up, they enter a secret and cautious relationship, due to apprehension about Blue's curse and not wanting to hurt Adam. In the Raven King, Gansey, sick of hiding their relationship, tells Adam and Ronan that he and Blue are together and Adam, who had already figured it out, thanks him for telling him. Later, Gansey tells Adam that he thinks Blue is his true love, because something about her makes him feel quiet in the way Henrietta does and because Gansey, an insomniac, can sleep after he talks to her.
He also quickly befriends Henry Cheng in The Raven King, who he had previously been friendly with. The friendship really starts when both Blue and Gansey join Henry and the Vancouver crowd for a toga party, where then they proceed to making rough plans to travel together to Venezuela. Henry had shared and kept personal secrets with Gansey, strengthening elements of newborn trust. The two become close extremely quickly, surprising even them, and Henry describes the relationship as jeong, or blood brothers and instant friends.
Personality
Gansey is an intelligent individual. In terms of personality, there is noted to be—particularly by Blue—"two Ganseys". One is a fragile, slightly eccentric, passionate young man, who is dedicated to his dogged search for an ancient Welsh king, is an insomniac, chews mint leaves, drives a loud orange Camaro, and has a miniaturized model of Henrietta in his apartment. The other is a charismatic man who can socialize easily and manipulate others, ruling as a "king" of Aglionby Academy. This difference is said to be visible in his expression.
However, Gansey has shown himself to be a caring, loving friend. He did not desert Ronan when the latter became reckless and violent, after his father's death, and often covers for him and fixes his mistakes. He stands by Adam even when they argue bitterly over Gansey's money and Adam's abusive home life. He gives Noah his own room in Gansey's home, Monmouth Manufacturing, even though the former is rarely there.
Gansey is described as "very loud," along with Ronan and Adam, by psychics Maura Sargent, Persephone Poldma, and Calla, when they go for a reading.
Physical description
Gansey is described as handsome and “all-American.” He has a square build, tousled brown hair, brown eyes and a strong, straight nose. His school uniform, with its raven monogram, tie and chinos, is impeccable. At home, Gansey wears a different kind of uniform: khaki shorts, colourful collared shirts, and Topsiders. In Maggie Steifvater’s book trailer, Gansey is portrayed as white. He wears contact lenses to correct his poor vision and dons wire-framed glasses in private.
Special abilities
Gansey can command spirits. He brings a horde of decayed animal skeletons back to life in the caves below Henrietta, and exorcised Noah of the Demon by commanding he, “be Noah.” With the help of Gwenllian’s mirror abilities, he demanded to be shown the way to Glendower and was guided by a flock of ravens.
Possessions
- Camaro: Gansey has an orange 1973 Camaro, which he affectionately calls "The Pig"
- Journal: Gansey collects information about his search for Glendower in a leather-bound journal; bloated with glued-in book passages, maps, notes and doodles.
- Mint plant: Gansey keeps a mint plant on his desk. He stashes a handful of leave in his pocket to chew on.
Relationships
Romance
After Adam and Blue break up, Blue and Gansey begin to cautious relationship, careful not to tell Adam for fear that he would be jealous. It is later revealed that Gansey is Blue's true love.
Friends
Ronan and Gansey are close friends and consider each other to be brothers. Gansey helped Ronan get over his father's murder.
Gansey and Adam are good friends but they often fight about Adam's fiscal problems which Gansey insists on trying to fix.
Noah and Gansey are close friends and Gansey is horrified by the fact that he is only alive because Noah is dead.
Henry and Gansey are close friends and Gansey has admitted on several occasions that Henry is one of the few people who truly know him.
Family
While Helen and Gansey often bicker, they really care for each other and Helen offered to help Gansey cover up his bribery with Headmaster Child. However, when Gansey goes missing for a day Helen becomes angry at him and says (through text), "I suppose the king will always win, won’t he?"
Others
Appearances
- The Raven Boys (first appearance)
- The Dream Thieves
- Blue Lily, Lily Blue
- The Raven King
- Call Down the Hawk (only by phone call, by text, and by name)
Gallery
Maggie Stiefvater
https://theravenboys.fandom.com/wiki/Richard_Gansey_III?veaction