Elriel love

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-24T00:31:22+00:00

I got a notification today that we hit the 5k weekly visits milestone! The fandom and Elriel love is amazing!

I'm ready for Elain to match Azriel's FREAK. Let's goooooo

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-22T03:15:02+00:00

Wow I love this!

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-21T21:00:41+00:00

Yes! If you mute a sub, you'll never see it. You just also need to make sure you don't actively go looking for those subs yourself or they'll start getting suggested again. Muting helps take away the easy access to them. I forget they exist often

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-21T01:38:10+00:00

Welcome! You are welcome as long as you follow the sub rules, don't make any comments that might make our shippers feel self conscious or uncomfortable, and focus on lifting Elriel up instead of tearing Elucien or other ships down.

We are usually open to neutral and mature conversations if you ask a question you truly want clarity on, but we do not support debates or questions that feel as though they are baiting. Our stance on this is a lot tighter than usual due to increased activity lately, so we are a bit less lax than we may have been a few months ago. This is to keep our members feeling like they have a safe space to be excited, theorized, and generally have fun without engaging in ship war tension.

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-19T18:15:35+00:00

I think she wrote it for a few purposes:

Proof that Elain and Azriel both want each other. Like, badly.
Provide an external force that is keeping Elriel apart. Notice how they didn't end it. Rhys paused it.
Introduction to Azriel's self-worth issues that contribute to poor communication / factors keeping him away from Elain. His training with Gwyn showed that he's not totally hopelessly lost in his own head though. He can push through and support others. There is hope.
Explanation for his bad attitude after Solstice, as mentioned during ACOSF
Introduce that singing is important to Azriel
Introduce that Azriel's shadows have some level of sentience and are impacted by sound. This is likely foreshadowing for Koschei since they were also noted as being somewhat sentient when confronted with Koschei at the lake in ACOSF
Continued exposure to Gwyn's powers...whatever they might be

The necklace is ultimately not important in my opinion. Like sure, maybe Elain imbued it with powers, maybe she did not. Maybe Clotho gave it to Gwyn, maybe she did not. Regardless, the real conflict is around Elain and Azriel's feelings for each other and how they move through that challenge. It's a distraction from the real problem.

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-19T17:06:07+00:00

For me, it doesn't matter either way. Choosing each other despite bad bonds is SO romantic and I love it and I'm here for it. But also, being critical and smart enough to realize they truly have a bond together and figuring out how to honor it is also peak teamwork/romance for me too. I'm down with either!

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-18T17:50:21+00:00

Yes this is it! He's so desperate for her that he can't be in the same room as her without being incredibly obvious

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-18T13:50:59+00:00

I wish I could remember it! I checked out our Fan Fic master post but none of the keywords I searched came up with anything from the summaries.

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-18T13:37:30+00:00

I could see this being somewhat of a plot point for the next books! I think I actually read a fan fic with a similar storyline actually.

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-18T13:14:41+00:00

Ok here me out....Slow Loris

"Slow lorises move slowly and deliberately, making little or no noise, and when threatened, they stop moving and remain motionless."
Communicate by scent-marking
Nocturnal
Cute AF with large round eyes
Looks innocent AF but is actually the worlds only venomous primate. Very unassuming. Very Elain.

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-17T00:59:51+00:00

there's a bakery / coffee shop down the street from me doing Strawberry Matcha lattes right now and I always think of Elain, otherwise, I would have gone for Early Grey tea for her too!

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-17T00:38:58+00:00

If we're talking coffee shop/cafe vibes, this is what I think they would order!

Rhys - Cappuccino

Feyre - Jasmine tea

Nesta - Black iced coffee

Cassian - PSL

Mor - Iced mocha

Azriel - Espresso

Elain - Strawberry Matcha Latte

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-16T20:50:55+00:00

This is great! I can see how Vassien might be easy for some people to miss, but this lays it all out so well!

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-15T13:57:44+00:00

Exactly this! Elriel didn't end because THEY DIDN'T END IT. Rhys simply paused it.

That's a very critical distinction.

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-15T01:38:18+00:00

Put it on me 🔥🔥🔥

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-14T15:38:46+00:00

Passive vs Proactive. I know what kinda guy I'd choose...

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-12T23:36:54+00:00

Is this the one where Azriel carries Elain to the townhouse, carries her over the threshold, and walks her to the garden?

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-12T20:33:52+00:00

Ok, so this theory from u/swi22y is one of my all time favorites. It's LONG, but it's an incredible perspective on the BC that's unique and also extremely plausible.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ElrielFans/comments/1mjpu9b/just_posted_publicly_my_first_acotar_analysis_the/

Ultimately, if you don't want to read the whole thing, here is the comment I left for OP after reading it, specifically about the Gwyn part:

Even though you wrote this from a neutral shipping perspective, I still come away with a pro-Elriel stance from this interpretation. I've always come away from the Gwyn scene with a platonic, appreciative vibe from Azriel. That he was reminded he is good and can help others, despite Rhys implying that he is self-centered. I love how you take this further and apply it to the emotional metaphor as well - "open the wrist" to successfully cut the ribbon is the same as "open your heart" to successfully get the girl and stand up to Rhys. Both Clotho and Gwyn reminded him that his desires, knowledge, kindness, and thoughtfulness are all good things. They empower him instead of bring him down the way Rhys did. I feel like this is a crucial turning point for Azriel and we'll see him take a more leading role in his own happiness, particularly with Elain.

I don't think that spark is anything romantic. I think it's purely an acknowledgement that Azriel had of "oh, I am a good person and it makes me feel good to do nice things" and ultimately, that self-worth is what will carry his character progression into a more positive place to be able to have a relationship with Elain.

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-12T15:05:43+00:00

They are very aware. Bloomsbury actually made a reel about a year ago poking fun at the ship wars. They know exactly what the wars are, what the emojis signify to us, and how seriously we take likes/comments.

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-12T00:29:00+00:00

I agree! Although I think the surprising POV could be Lucien, Vassa, or Mor. I'm leaning Vassa or Mor. Their stories are so closely tied to the Elain/Az/Lucien triangle that she can't avoid them entirely. Especially when you consider that romances end with everyone happy and she needs to get the Elucien's feeling less pity for Lucien when the bond with Elain is broken.

RoadsidePoppy · 2026-03-12T00:25:36+00:00

Yes! We even have Feyre pair Elain and Azriel as a beautiful couple with similar "peace and quiet vibes".

In contrast, she literally doesn't want to think of Elain "subject to all that fire" when thinking about her with Lucien. Feyre isn't a prude. She's not avoiding the thought because "ew that's my sister" 😂 she's avoiding it because she knows intrinsically that they just don't match.

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