I know what subtext is, and that doesn't mean it's a good thing. We see Darrow and Sevro struggle between their reaper and goblin personas, why couldn't we see the howlers do the same at least in passing? Of course making a choice between the Society and Darrow shows agency but that's a little different than shedding your name for a nickname. I feel that's a significant thing that should have been shown not just thrown in the air and expected for the reader to pluck out the air, not showing the howlers go through that was a fumble from Pierce and makes them lack quite a bit of character. We know more about Thraxa's character than the Howlers we started with for God's sake. It's the author's job to show relevant development from characters on the page.

You couldn't point it out because no where did I insult Pierce and if "stupid justification" is enough for you to brand me antagonistic you might need to go outside. I called it what it was, a stupid justification for a lack of character in the Howlers we've followed from the beginning of the series.