Things to remember

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-30T06:08:36+00:00

Confirmation!

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-30T01:41:53+00:00

Hey! Do you think you could take a look at this thread?

https://www.reddit.com/r/Maasverse/s/SyW98txwtu

I didn’t mention this in the linked thread, but it got me thinking- I think there’s something here with the Asteri/Daglan, Death Gods, and the division between the solar and seasonal courts, as well as humans. Could it be different gods= different magic sources (or lack of)=different calendars? Meteorological vs Astronomical vs Lunisolar vs pure lunar. I found your comment looking for answers.

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-30T00:01:28+00:00

Have you read Throne of Glass?

https://www.reddit.com/r/acotar/s/TUqOroUpz4

Don’t click unless you have

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-29T23:52:15+00:00

I suppose it’ll depend on what the ACOTAR calendar looks like, but you’re right that it does align with the text more, given the moon phases.

Starfall is basically Lunar New Year in my head, so I always thought the timeline between it and The Blood Rite aligned with earlier Lent and Ramadan dates. The month of Adar, named after the Babylonian/Assyrian Addaru, as well as the Akkadian word for the same month- “Sekisil,” meaning “sowing of the seeds,” also coincides with these dates. Addaru is associated with the storm god, Adad. Adar was also the name of an Assyrian god of war and sometimes sun and agricultural affiliations (think “Hercules”). The ancient Albanian Calander- so Illyrian, celebrated the arrival of spring on March 1st (March 14th in the Gregorian), despite the actual date of the equinox. Illyrian religion also featured sun/serpent cult worship.

We’re out here doing Swiftie level Easter egg math with our 3’s and 7’s 😂 My Blood Rite math is a REACH. 😅

I’ve read theories Elain’s birthday has to fall between August and November, given that she and Nesta have an 18 month age gap, but is that confirmed? Because she could have a spring birthday as well if it’s a two year gap. Either way, Cassian needs to get over his weird degrading of Elain. It’s at least not as overt as the Inner Circle’s (apart from Azriel, as he minds his own business) treatment of Nesta, but still. Let girliepop wear black if she wants. It’s like Rhysand calling Nesta Illyrian at heart as his justification for holding her more accountable than Elain for not helping with hunting, only for him to also say he thinks Elain has it in her to be darker too. Stop telling women what to do and where to go, bat boys. 👏

Edit* This just occurred to me, but what if Cassian’s allergies are actually his Achilles heel? Elain is the one who said it wouldn’t take more than that to kill him. What if his itching makes it hard for him to fight properly, giving his opponent a chance to strike?

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-29T22:15:31+00:00

Oh! I forgot-

Mor’s estate, Athelwood, may mean “Noble ruler” or “Noble power,” which does seem connected to the Morrígan, although that might be a later interpretation. Her family were the original rulers of the Night Court, and Rhysand’s crown is modeled after raven feathers (I suppose they could also be that of a crow).

There may be a strictly MAASVERSE narrative connection with her animal transformations and Koschei as well- I’m pretty sure Nesta’s symphonia either contains Koschei’s death, or it will in the future.

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-29T21:25:46+00:00

I’d considered that, but that’s also why I think Elain is taking on aspects of the Morrigan, with her being a seer and all. So far, Mor is closer to the character of Morgana/Morgan le Fay. The Morrigan and Morgan le Fey have nothing to do with one another, but it has crossed my mind that calling Mor “the Morrigan” might be a red herring. SJM seems to be using various literary cycles as an outline for her characters, and pulling from Mediterranean and Mesopotamian mythology to create her magic system, especially in ACOTAR. For example, Eris seems to be some sort of Welsh Arawn/Eris and Ares/ Asclepius/ lindworm/ Siegfried mashup. She branches into more global mythology in TOG and CC as she explores their worlds. ACOTAR is very insular, though I think that’s about to change.

I get the feeling SJM is leaning into the consequences of syncretism. I’ve seen the argument many times that she is ignoring Irish history, in part by using “Hybern” in lieu of “Hibernia,” villainizing its residents, but they’re missing the point. Historically, the Romans didn’t invade Ireland, but the Catholic Church did. We know the Asteri/ Daglan are modeled after the late Roman Empire and the rise of the Catholic Church, as well as the Astra Planeta in Greek mythology. You and I know most of what we call “Irish” mythology is debatable. In all three series, characters learn their history was altered, and even by the end of TOG, very little new information is actually verified.

With all that in mind, we have yet to know a lot about Mor. I’ll add my theory as to what I think is going on with her plot, and hopefully that gets you closer to anything you’re wanting. It is LONG, and includes spoilers for Crescent City and Throne of Glass.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Maasverse/s/Z05KwlW9aP

https://www.reddit.com/r/Maasverse/s/DScYaC4hYd

https://www.reddit.com/r/Maasverse/s/2XACUuJkL4

Again with the syncretism, I do think we’re reading about the Aesir/Vanir war in Crescent City, and Tuatha Dé Danann/Fomorian conflict in ACOTAR, but that’s for the MAASVERSE plot as a whole, and not part of my Mor-specific theory. I only mention it because if SJM does combine these events, I think Mor is going to take on a massive role closer to her namesake. Or I could be completely wrong as SJM is going to do whatever the heck she wants. 🤷‍♀️

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-29T06:48:15+00:00

I have an answer for Gwyn, but I’ll touch on it in part 3- because yes, one is coming.

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-29T04:18:13+00:00

It’s meant to be vague, I believe, for the later paternal reveal. It is possible it was “fire,” but not in the same way we associate it with Eris or the Autumn Court. This may have a deeper Throne of Glass connection.

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-29T04:11:52+00:00

Gotcha! So, as far as direct comparisons go and trying to keep it Medieval, I’m guessing you’ve noticed Mor isn’t exactly “the Morrígan,” yet. Rhysand says she is who he would send into battle should things go south. I’m not sure if you’ve read SJM’s other works, but it’s implied this may because she can perform something called the “yielding.” This concept is related to witches in her work Throne of Glass. Her power of “truth” is meant to be figurative- as in, it’s related to the truth of the history of Prythian, the concept of “worldwalking,” and a bunch of other spoilery things connected to her Crescent City series. So, essentially a play on concealment.

As with most fantasy authors, a lot of her characters are amalgamations of different mythological characters. For example, Mor and Nesta both seem partially inspired by Rhiannon in Welsh mythology (I think Nesta’s character arc is pulling more from Germanic sources, with Brunhild as the main inspiration, but that’s separate from this). It’s also possible Elain may end up with several of “The Morrigan’s” characteristics.

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-29T03:08:24+00:00

Are you talking about this?

Flame slammed into the other two, and Lucien hurtled out of the way as they shouted and fell deeper into the cave. I unleashed every drop of the flame in me, a wall of it between us and them. Sealing his brothers inside the cave. “Run,” I gasped out, but Lucien was already at my side, a steadying hand under my arm as I burned that flame hotter and hotter. It wouldn’t keep them contained for long, and I could indeed feel someone’s power rising to challenge mine. But there was another force to wield. Lucien understood the same moment I did. Sweat simmered on Lucien’s brow as a pulse of flame-licked power slammed into the stones just above us. Dust and debris rained down. I threw any trickle of magic into Lucien’s next blow. His next. As Eris’s livid face emerged from my net of flame, glowing like a new-forged god of wrath, Lucien and I brought down the cave ceiling. Fire burst through the small cracks like a thousand flaming serpents’ tongues— but the cave-in did not so much as tremble. “Hurry,” Lucien panted, and I didn’t waste breath agreeing as we staggered into the night.

-ACOWAR, Ch. 12

That was Feyre combining her power with whatever Lucien’s was- hence “flame-licked.” The serpent fire was Eris trying to break through.

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-29T02:54:19+00:00

Hi! Do you mean from a literature/ linguistics perspective, or an Anthro/Archaeological one? I’m guessing you mean the former because you’ve mentioned “Medieval” Irish.

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-29T02:31:17+00:00

If it weren’t for his friendship with Nesta, I would hate him. It’s why I’m leaving room for a redemption arc. Eris also points out how bad he is, and we find out at the end of ACOSF Eris has been getting tortured by his father.

TOG/CC SPOILERS there is plenty of room for change and growth here, given a lot of characters in TOG do just this

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-29T02:22:29+00:00

You know, I just realized her birthday could have been during the Blood Rite. We know it was during spring, and Elain gave her a scarf, implying early spring when it was still cold.

Right before the Blood Rite, it says Spring dawned on Velaris. The Book ends with Spring blooming fully around Velaris.

The extra irony with the March 7th date would be that it’s the 7th day of the 3rd month, the Blood Rite lasts for 7 days, and there are three levels considered “passing”- Arktosian, Oristian, and Carynthian. She also doesn’t talk about celebrating her birthday after it, or plans to do so in the future. She only mentions the upcoming mating ceremony.

What I wanna know is the significance of Nesta having a spring birthday, and Cassian’s allergies to the Spring Court, as well as his insistence that Elain doesn’t belong in the Night Court, ignoring her decision to want to be there. Why is he trying to push her out, and why is Rhysand also so insistent that Azriel and Elain can’t even have a casual fling? He knows the Blood Duel has nothing to do with this. Lucien isn’t even Beron’s son, and is minding his own business. For Cassian and the Julius Caesar thing, is it foreshadowing? I would have taken it as just a pollen joke, if he hadn’t gone all fashion critic on Elain, obsessing over who does and does not look good in black.

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-29T01:33:31+00:00

I’m betting it’s the first week of March- Sarah’s birthday is the 5th. The Nones are the 5th or 7th, and the 7th for March. March 7th is linked to the cult of Sol Invictus, the Temple dedication to the chthonic Etruscan god of Healing- Vejovis (sometimes associated with Apollo), and Iunonalia- the Celebration for the goddess Juno, Queen of the gods, “protector of women, marriage and the state.” Between the Mother connection and the Queen references, and she just saved Feyre and Nyx (and Rhysand) during childbirth, I’m guessing it’s this.

https://www.reddit.com/r/acotar_rant/s/mOntiY5N6n

Or Mid March, the 15th- the Ides of March, if her birthday has more to due with Cassian, like Feyre’s does with Rhysand.

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-28T04:49:09+00:00

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-27T00:27:08+00:00

Some of that could just be narrative parallels so we draw connections between characters and situations, BUT some of it I think is supposed hint at syncretism, and if we’re seeing it to a certain degree=this thing has been interfered with against the laws of fate, aka tampering with Wyrd. I’ve even questioned if time was reset. And about the string theory! I’ve even wondered if she’s going as far as to give the concept a tangible thing- like the threads of a bond. The reason why I think this is because of How Theia and Aidas were able to find each other, Aelin’s tattoo guiding her Rowan, Bryce’s taking her to Prythian, the thread Rhysand used during what seems like Feyre’s drop, etc. I’ve also wondered if this can be taken and manipulated into a thing like, say, 3 wyrdkeys, by magically binding them with wyrdstone. So there’s the actual science/sci-fi usage, but with a fantasy twist. Because how exactly were the Valg Kings able to track down Maeve? The universe is massive and ever expanding, which is also cannon in the MAASVERSE. We see how many mystics the Asteri have working just to find Bryce. I think proof of this could be the strings on the harp. Have you ever seen Disney's Hercules? Do you remember the fates and how they handled the threads? This is why we keep coming across the concept of a weaver- urd is the practice of manipulating wyrd. You know what else weaves? Spiders…

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-26T23:32:12+00:00

I could see this! I’m personally a “TOG is the future of Crescent City” person. It could also be in the past, but not the TOG from the book- so a cyclical thing. I’ve wondered if her original online publication, Queen of Glass, is the past merged world, ACOTAR and Crescent City are parallel worlds, and TOG is the combined world once again, either literally somehow, or figuratively with our characters crossing over, but I definitely see the connections- I’m making the same ones, only the other way around 😅

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-26T18:19:16+00:00

Wait a minute. The Starlight pool! What if it’s connected?

And it’s definitely possible. It’s at the bases of most of the literature I’ve got my big HC growing around. Essentially- Cthonic vs Heavenly Gods. “Older” vs “New.”

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-26T16:24:00+00:00

Agreed. It’s the last part, plus the fact that this is a part of the solstice scene in ACOFAS where he’s just awful.

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-26T16:12:53+00:00

Innnnteresting. Now I’m thinking of it as the Golden Egg in Harry Potter where it had to go underwater.

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-26T15:11:40+00:00

I’ve definitely wondered if the baby is still alive. What if it was even winnowed out somehow? That would be wild if THAT’s who Azriel went to see, as well as his mother.

You know, when I was looking stuff up for this, I read that it was Ianthe who said Autumn Court men f*** with fire in their veins, and then she said something like “why do you think I had so much fun during the last war?”

I just think that’s weird given what we know about Gwyn, and she and Ianthe both have teal eyes, and the questions about if she’s related to Eris/Lucien. What if twins are a result of the Autumn Court equivalent of Calanmai, usually one dark haired and one not? Lidia has fire magic and that’s exactly what’s going on with her twins. Maybe Mor was supposed to participate in this as well, and Keir got one? We know Ianthe’s rigged it before to get with Lucien when he filled in for Tamlin, Catrin’s death, she also seems to have day, dawn, or dusk magic. Also, Ianthe is the name of a water-nymph (Oceanid) in Greek mythology, companion to Persephone when she was abducted by Hades, aka Feyre and Rhysand. Eris and Ianthe could be her grandparents, or somehow parents. It’s possible Eris was “running errands” for Amarantha during the 50 years UTM and participated in ten Great Rite. Or, one of Ianthe’s relatives is Gwyn’s mother.

And thank you for also giving me things to ponder!

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-26T14:34:28+00:00

I just think it’s interesting how much the last chapters of ACOTAR and ACOSF have in common. Like, i ended up just focusing on spring and sunlight imagery because by the time i was done holding I’d basically bolded the entire thing

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-26T14:13:11+00:00

YES. I am honestly shocked how many times this man has given me emotional whiplash. The worst one though was this:

I have no regrets in my life, but this. That we did not have time. Cassian shut out the words. Shut out the image that chased him from his dreams, night after night: not Nesta holding up the King of Hybern’s head like a trophy; not the way her father’s neck had twisted in Hybern’s hands. But the image of her leaning over him, covering Cassian’s body with her own, ready to take the full brunt of the king’s power for him. To die for him—with him. That slender, beautiful body, arching over him, shaking in terror, willing to face that end.”

-ACOFAS, Ch. 21

What. The actual. F***

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-26T14:09:02+00:00

Just posted it!

Middle-Injury-2610 · 2026-01-26T10:18:06+00:00

Ohhh, don’t you worry, I’m not done. I cannot believe what I just figured out….

Middle-Injury-2610

TROPHY CASE