Moonshade letting herself get taken impressed me greatly as a child. Not just because of her devotion to Strongbow, but also because I thought it was real practical thinking on her part. Lifemate gets abducted by flock of giant birds? Better let myself be taken, too, so I won't lose sight of him. Better to be captive together and work on a joint escape, than lose time going on a long rescue mission.

(Although later volumes show us how it can be done, anyway.)

that other people have their own lives, their own problems

...their own cultures and customs. I loved that so much about EQ. It made me care so much about so many characters, even the ones that get presented to us as the antagonists in Cutters POV. Picknose and Oddbit and how to woo a girl - that was just precious!

they can be tiny silhouettes in the background of a panel and I'm still able to tell which character I'm looking at.

So true! *points at icon*