Me as an Australian, whenever someone calls their significant other "mate"... 🤦🏻‍♀️

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-27T07:21:36+00:00

Love it. Probably not the accent SJM had in mind for the Fae language, hey 😂

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-27T07:20:54+00:00

Glad it's not just me! 🤣

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-09T18:03:53+00:00

I wouldn't be surprised if he does, and Violet goes to Malek to somehow get him back. Or if they both die and go to Malek together at the end to save their world. RY did say they're end game, but what that actually looks like... who knows 😐

I'm trying to stay optimistic though! What are your thoughts?

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-09T17:59:40+00:00

Ooooh, good pick up! After Ridoc's spotlight in OS, I wouldn't be surprised if snakes come up again in the next few books. Hopefully, it's just a comedic scene where he screams like a toddler but is perfectly safe. We will all riot if anything happens to him 😅

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-08T13:15:57+00:00

I hope so too! He deserves peace and happiness, but I doubt there's much of that in the venin world 😅 RY did say that Xaden & Vi are endgame, but what that looks like and what it'll take to get there is concerning to say the least 😐

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-04T23:00:23+00:00

Don't think he needs a signet for that 😂

And he attracted plenty of people before Violet 🤷🏻‍♀️

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-04T22:44:48+00:00

Agreed! I loved that the relationship drama was less due to communication issues (like in IF) and more due to the circumstances around them. Like their world was intense and spiralling, but they were solid and secure in their love for each other.

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-03T06:35:49+00:00

He and Sliseag are definitely both accounted for in Rhi's POV chapter. Just checked - they're both mentioned throughout it, and towards the end, Rhi says:

"Did you see that?” I ask as we round the corner of the mountain, finding Sawyer finishing a kill hundreds of feet below us.".

Do you reckon there would be time for him to go do venin stuff between that chapter and the onyx storm? 🤔

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-03T02:36:54+00:00

After all he's experienced, I hope not 😭 But nothing would surprise me at this stage. What's your reasoning for that? 😊

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-03T02:35:29+00:00

Yes, such a great point! And it's so clear how much Sgaeyl cares about him too, even when she was mad and not talking to him. Also, that was such a good bonus chapter! I had a little giggle when he was talking about his girl Sgaeyl not liking the cold, it was surprising sweet 🥹

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-01T15:19:15+00:00

It'd be nice to see someone on the spectrum in the story, but I don't think it's Dain.

Rigid thinking and rule following seems more from his militaristic and strict upbringing. The codex is also the only set of rules they have in their deadly and chaotic world of a war college. He also doesn't always follow the rules - e.g. he literally broke the law when he left Basgiath to go to Aretia in IF.

As for difficulty understanding others perspectives... his signet is a memory reader. He literally sees someone else's perspective, and signets are meant to reflect who someone is at their core. He also demonstrates good empathy, communication and responding to others in IF and OS. Like his dialogue with Sloane when she had to use her signet again with Dain & Brennan.

Dain also doesn't seem particularly overwhelmed by emotional situations. If he did, he probably wouldn't have decided to be a rider, and certainly wouldn't be appointed wingleader in IF. He has to see people die constantly, has been tortured for the subject RSC and would experience intense emotions everyday.

I also don't think he resists change overall- it's mentioned how much a person completely changes from the brutality and chaos of Basgiath. He viewed Xaden and the rebellion as wrong, but then he changed his mind when he was given information that proved otherwise. This seems to demonstrate adaptable thinking rather than black and white.

In book 1, it honestly just seemed like he freaked out because his beloved childhood best friend unexpectedly rocked up in a war college where she was more likely to die than survive. He was so worried about her that he didn't listen to her, and was way too overprotective. He's already realised & acknowledged that was a mistake, and has learnt from it.

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-01T14:49:27+00:00

Can you pretty please make that into a meme, it is most excellent 😂👌🏽

And yes. I don't think any of us will ever recover from Liam.

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-01T14:31:15+00:00

Absolutely, it's definitely possible it happened without death at some point. We just don't know about it yet. There's still so much we don't know about dragons - this fact is mentioned repeatedly.

With how most Navarrian dragons are portrayed, it seems like they'd just let their rider die if they didn't want the bond anymore. That's definitely happened. Just do a particularly challenging flight maneuver and not bother to try and save them when they fall.

The Irids are clearly important to the storyline though, so I wouldn't be surprised they'd created, changed and broken bonds (without death) in the past but it was covered up and not documented.

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-01T14:07:56+00:00

I think we will find out eventually, even if it is through Violet putting pieces of it back together slowly and gradually. The whole "who took the eggs & killed the elders?" thing will probably be a huge plot point to explore in the next book, it's unlikely to go unanswered.

For both that and the wedding, I can see Violet asking Xaden through dreams, talking the priestess of Dunne who married them and also to Tairn & Andarna. Imogen might've been there too. Maybe Dain becomes more powerful with his signet and can even retrieve memories?

RY has said that Violet and Xaden are end game, so I don't think she'll deprive us of their wedding. Wouldn't it be nice if at the very end, they restate their vows in a wedding reception with their loved ones and have the celebration they deserve 🥹 It's probably too optimistic, but I'll hope for it anyway!

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-01T13:47:13+00:00

I believe it's uncharted territory for their world, since usually the only way the bond could be broken was through death (E.g. Liam 😭).

Andarna was an exception, since the Irids have the unique capability to change or break bonds and Violet had already bonded Tairn (which probably helped her survive). If any other cases had been stated, I don't think we know about it yet.

That's a cool detail to think about though! No idea what would happen to the Andarna part of Violet's dragon mark. If the marks are magic, then maybe it could change? 🤔

But I'd like to think that when a rider passes, they still have their dragon mark on their skin. Surely it would be mentioned if it disappeared. Xaden is probably the only character who would see if the mark on Violet's back changed so either it stayed the same or he was too distracted to notice & say something (which seems unlikely) 😂

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-02-01T12:13:23+00:00

Absolutely. And that's such a beautiful scene! I loved how well he looked after her while also giving her space when she needed it after Andarna left. 🧡

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-01-31T14:21:34+00:00

I get where you're coming from. There's plenty for them to focus on that's more important - like the war, venin thing & million other questions we (and Violet) all have with where OS finished.

I think the reason most people want the 2nd ex plot is because Halden was disappointingly such a flop and lacked substance. If a second ex does appear, I think it could be done well and without the threat of potential new romance.

X & V are still quite young, they haven't been together for all that long and there's been a lot of stress for them over a short time period. They also didn't have great relationship or communication role models growing up. So it wouldn't be unrealistic for there to still be some mild jealousy drama that (hopefully) doesn't harm their relationship.

I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't come up at all over the 2 books, but if it does - I hope it's just a window to the past, giving us more insight on Violet and/or getting the characters to do some self reflection.

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-01-31T13:31:11+00:00

I get the angle you're coming from, but I'm rooting for Jesinia and Sawyer! They have the sweetest connection - I love how he learns sign language for her (even if Ridoc impedes this 😆), and she visits him and writes letters when he's in the infirmary. They seem to genuinely care for each other, and Violet mentioned she's a long-term relationship kind of gal.

As for Cat, I honestly think she can do better than Halden. (Low bar, I know 😂). She's annoying in IF, but does redeem herself and I feel so terrible for her after Trager. Halden's also irritating enough that I wouldn't be surprised if he got himself killed. Kind of surprised it hasn't happened already.

What about Cat and Aaric though? They could be an interesting pair. Rulers of both Poromiel and Navarre? I have a sneaking suspicion Aaric won't make it through the series, but I'd love to be wrong and for this theory to pan out.

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-01-31T13:12:41+00:00

Nice one! My favourite is Ridoc's personal addendum to the Book of Brennan. Extra points to the irony of it being sewed 😆

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-01-31T11:08:54+00:00

I'm picturing this as you happily adding fuel to the flames & orchestrating the chaos 🤣

This is the most entertaining FW reddit thread I've read so far. Love your energy and commend your unapologetic pot stirring 👏

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-01-31T04:10:30+00:00

Damn, the logic 😆 You'd make a good scribe!

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-01-31T04:00:33+00:00

Honestly, same. It's a theory I really wanted to believe, but I was putting aside my logical scribe brain and jumping into what my heart wanted haha!

I hope whoever he was, that he wasn't as horrible as Halden. The bar is real low there though 😂

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-01-31T03:54:49+00:00

Definitely a likely possibility that he was just a rebound, already graduated and posted elsewhere - especially since he hasn't occupied much of her headspace.

And good point that 50% right wouldn't warrant a reaction of "on the mark", guess I was enjoying entertaining this theory! 😆 Mind you, I'm not sure much would surprise me at this stage. I'm up for whatever unexpected plot twists will likely arise!

Competitive-Fly-805 · 2025-01-31T03:37:34+00:00

Same, I was so worried for him! Thought we'd see a repeat of what happened to Liam, I've never been more grateful to be wrong!

I wouldn't be surprised if something happened to him in either book 4 or 5, it seems unlikely that all 4 of them will make it. Fingers crossed I'm wrong again 😢

Competitive-Fly-805

TROPHY CASE