How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"You need to control a Grace," [Raffin] said. "Especially a killing Grace." (1.37)
What Raffin's essentially saying here is, "With great power comes great responsibility." Sound familiar? If it doesn't, you have some serious comic book hero lore to catch up on. And Katsa? Well, she's eight when Raffin tells her this, so yeah, she's got some work to do. But the more control she has over her Grace, the more she can use it the way she wants to use it. And that, dear Shmoopsters, would make her one powerful royal.
Quote #2
[At dinner, Randa] preferred to look down on his lady killer and call out to her, because his yelling brought the attention of the entire room to his niece, his prized weapon. And the guests would be frightened, and everything would be as Randa liked it. (7.57)
Randa gets most of his power by bullying and intimidating others and using their fear—mostly their fear that he might sick Katsa on them—to control them. It's not particularly admirable, but it's effective. Until Katsa refuses to follow his orders, that is.
Quote #3
Randa would send her on another strong-arm mission. He would send her to hurt some poor petty criminal, some fool who deserved to keep his fingers even if he was dishonorable. He would send her, and she must go, for the power sat with him. (12.27)
Sometimes people take power, and sometimes we give it away. Katsa gave a lot of hers away to Randa without even realizing it was hers to give in the first place. How do you think Randa managed to control Katsa for so long?