| Henry Cheng | |
 By Dri Gomez | |
|---|---|
| Biographical Information | |
| Full name: |
Henry Cheng |
| Alias: |
Cheng |
| Status | |
| Status: |
Alive |
| Affiliation | |
| Kind: | Human |
| Occupation: |
Student (formerly) |
| Residence: |
Litchfield House, Henrietta, Virginia |
| Relationships | |
| Family: |
Seondeok (mother) |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender: |
Male |
| Hair color: |
Black |
| “ | It wasn't that Henry was less himself in English. He was less himself out loud. His native language was thought. | ” |
Henry Cheng is a Chinese-Korean student at Aglionby Academy, who is an acquaintance of Gansey's and later joins the group.
Biography[]
His mother, Seondeok, collects dream items and is an "international art dealer and small-time crime boss." When he was a young child, she gifted Henry with a robotic bee to keep him safe. This bee was created by Niall Lynch, who after meeting Henry, offered Seondeok a reduced rate. It is called RoboBee.
When Henry was ten, he was kidnapped by Laumonier partly for a ransom and partly because they wanted RoboBee. He was put in a small hole. His parents were at the time in two different countries and instead of paying the ransom right away, his mother bargained with his captors so other people might not kidnap her children again. He was released after five days. Henry considers the experience traumatic and can fall victim to panic attacks when put in triggering circumstances, such as dark, small, enclosed places.
Henry is sent to Aglionby Academy so his mother will be able to deal magical artifacts with Declan Lynch without suspicion. When she needs to buy something from Declan, she visits Henry first and then does her business. At Aglionby he is a part of the Vancouver crowd, a group of kids from Vancouver who lives at Litchfield House.
While initially Gansey is the only one who particularly likes Henry, Blue ends up warming up to him after she gets to know him, while Ronan and Adam make a few jokes at his expense, but ultimately are more disinterested in him than they are hostile. Eventually, even Ronan and Adam accept him as a friend. Henry has a seemingly endless fountain of nicknames and euphemisms for others, particularly Gansey.
He finds himself pretty infatuated with Gansey and his friends and wants to be part of that something more that they carry. Blue first meets Henry when she's on a date with Gansey. Henry needs help with his car, and Gansey stops to help him. Blue is upset by Gansey's behavior around Henry, she tells him that she doesn't "like it when your voice sounds like that... Your fake voice." Henry makes a joke about being "raped by the locals," which Blue reacts badly to, and starts an argument with Gansey over. Gansey is very confused by this and probably ends up offending Blue even more.
On later occasions there are more interactions between all three. Henry invites Blue and Gansey to a toga party at his place with his Vancouver crowd where Blue warms to him more and gradually "sheds her prickly skin." Bonds thicken, and Henry keeps and shares closely guarded secrets with Gansey, which builds certain walls of trust. He tells Gansey about his kidnapping while they attend Raven Day at Aglionby. Henry shows him RoboBee. In the end, Henry joins Gansey and Blue for their at least one year long journey.
Personality[]
Henry has a dramatic flair evident in his conversations and gestures. he is sarcastic and witty. He is good with words, as in long, complicated ones and clever ones, but has an issue being able to express himself. He tells Blue that he makes jokes about his race so he can get there before anybody else does. While Henry makes some less-than-savory comments that earn him Blue's ire, he is really a nice guy, just clueless. Henry never overtly makes a pass a people of any gender, some of his comments defiantly seem intended to make a person wonder. He also describes himself as "Henrysexual" and it is anyone's guess what that means. Henry is always looking for something more.
Physical Description[]
Henry is described as having “gloriously and enormously spiked” pitch-black hair, sharp cheekbones, and “wickedly cut” eyebrows.
Relationships[]
Blue Sargent[]
Upon meeting Henry, Blue was initially repulsed. However, after spending more time with him, Blue realizes that her perception of Henry may be off and that he may have many layers to him, which unsettles and intrigues her. The two discuss taking a trip to Venezuela together along with Gansey.
Richard Gansey III[]
Henry and Gansey are close friends. Gansey has admitted on several occasions that Henry is one of the few people who truly knows him.
Possessions[]
- Fisker: his electric car
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- Henry and the Vancouver crowd listen to K-pop, opera, hip-hop, and eighties power ballads.
- He owns a Madonna shirt and underwear.
Gallery[]
Maggie Stiefvater[]
Fanart[]
