Five Things About Finn O'Connor in THE FORGOTTEN GUARDIANS Series

So you want to know more about Finn? I love talking about this character. Probably because watching him evolve from reluctant college student to confident Guardian leader was one of the most satisfying character arcs I've ever written.

Here are five things about Finn that show different parts of his journey through Guardian Borne:

1. His Mother Could "Talk" to Water (And That's Just the Beginning)

When I was developing Beth O'Connor's character, I knew Finn's abilities had to come from somewhere real. Beth had this incredible relationship with water. Finn's grandfather, Patrick, describes it as her being able to "feel the water talking to her," and she could hold her breath longer than anyone he'd ever known.

That overwhelming first practice session where Finn can sense every swimmer around him without looking? That's all Beth's gift coming through. But here's what I love: by the end of the book, Finn doesn't just inherit his mother's abilities, he learns to understand and control them in ways that become uniquely his own. Watching him go from "what the hell is happening to me?" to actually mastering those abilities was fun to write.

2. When His Powers First Manifested, the World Became Unbearably Loud

The morning Finn's Guardian abilities fully activated is one of my favorite scenes. Bird chirps separated into distinct voices. A car door three houses down sounded like a gunshot. Even dust particles became trackable objects in beams of light.

For someone who processes everything through logic and analysis, suddenly having every sense amplified to supernatural levels isn't just disorienting—it's terrifying. "What the hell?" becomes his mantra for weeks.

I wanted to show that superhuman abilities aren't just about the cool factor. Sometimes it's overwhelming and scary, making Finn want to hide. And then, gradually, he learns to filter it, control it, and eventually use it strategically. The sensory overload that nearly breaks him in chapter two becomes one of his greatest tactical advantages by the end.

3. His Energy Synchronizes With Liam's in Ways Neither of Them Expected

Early in training, Finn and Liam can barely stand each other. Liam's this disciplined, by-the-book Team Leader, and Finn's a reluctant, sarcastic guy who'd rather be anywhere else. Their initial training sessions are full of tension, sarcasm, and Finn's signature "Look, I'm not saying you're wrong, but..." deflections.

Then something shifts. During a training exercise, their energy manipulation fields cross paths, and instead of interference, their powers synchronize in perfect harmony. Neither of them can achieve alone what they create together. The air between them literally hums with blue-white energy, weaving patterns that defy explanation.

That moment changes everything between them. And watching their relationship evolve from antagonistic to something much deeper (while they're both trying very hard NOT to acknowledge what's happening) was one of my favorite dynamics to write.

4. He Experiences His Father's Memories Through Touch

One evening, Finn is looking through an old photo album with his grandfather. When he touches a picture of his father diving from a cliff into Lake Tahoe, he suddenly experiences a rush of vertigo so intense he has to grip the table. The smell of pine and sun-warmed stone fills his nostrils, even though he's sitting in a kitchen that only smells like beef stew.

For just a moment, Finn experiences memories that aren't his own, sensations that belonged to his father.

I included this scene early because it's the first hint that Finn's abilities go beyond just physical strength and energy manipulation. It's foreshadowing something bigger about Guardian abilities and connection. And like most things in Finn's life, nobody warned him this could happen. He just has to figure it out as he goes.

5. By the End, He's the One Coming Up With the Strategy

One of Finn's defining struggles throughout the book is his feelings about his friends getting involved in the Guardian world. Early on, he keeps them completely in the dark, trying to protect them from the supernatural conflict he's been thrust into.

But standing in the Remembrance Hall, surrounded by memorials to fallen Guardians, Finn has a realization: "Keeping his friends in the dark wasn't protecting them; it was leaving them vulnerable."

So Finn makes the choice to tell them everything—and then he carries the weight of that decision. There's a moment late in the book where he's wandering Guardian headquarters at night, unable to sleep, thinking: "His friends were entangled in a centuries-old conflict because of him."

By the end, Finn stops seeing them as connections to his normal life that he needs to protect and starts seeing them as "essential allies in his new reality." The boundaries between his worlds don't just blur; they dissolve completely, creating something better: a team that bridges Guardian tradition with human innovation.

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Ready to Meet Finn?

If you want to experience Finn's complete journey from overwhelmed college swimmer to confident Guardian leader, Guardian Borne is waiting for you. Watch him discover abilities he never wanted, navigate complicated feelings for his impossible instructor, bring his human friends into a supernatural war, and figure out that sometimes becoming who you're meant to be means accepting the parts of yourself you've been running from.

Finn's story is about what happens when everything you thought you knew about yourself turns out to be wrong, and discovering that the person you become might actually be pretty extraordinary.

And for me, that’s the most exciting part. Not just where the story is headed, but how much more there is to uncover.

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So That's Finn.

Five snapshots of a character I spent months living with while writing Guardian Borne. There's so much more I could tell you—the moment he realizes he can't keep running, the first time he and Liam's powers sync, and they both just stop and stare at each other, the conversation with Patrick where everything changes. But honestly, those moments deserve to be experienced, not summarized.

If you liked getting to know Finn through these glimpses, come read his full story. Watch him figure out how to be both the college student who makes terrible fashion choices and the Guardian who changes everything. Click the link below to join my newsletter and be the first to know when it's available for preorder.

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