Autonomy is stripped from several characters throughout The Stolen Heir through many methods, including imprisonment, mutilation, and the golden bridle. Wren’s autonomy has been stripped from her nearly her whole life, which influences her behavior and values throughout the novel. During childhood, Lord Jarel placed the golden bridle on her “when [her] will was an inconvenience to be cleared away like a cobweb” (41). She spent days feeling helpless and hopeless as the bridle sank into her skin. The idea that the bridle becomes a part of its wearer, leaving them under the owner’s control, represents its lasting impact on Wren even after its removal. The physical scars it leaves across her cheeks is further representation of this trauma.

In the eight years since her escape from the Court of Teeth, Wren continues to fear her autonomy being stripped away. When she discovers the golden bridle in Oak’s possession, she panics. Though she believes Oak to be kind, she remains wary, because “[she didn’t] want to be dragged along like an animal, worrying about being put on a leash” (84). Wren’s devotion to remaining free causes her to attempt to steal the bridle and save others who are trapped.