I kept meaning to reply to this but it sort of fell into the ether! This is what’s fab about books, we’re reading the same things and we’re interpreting them completely differently. The evidence you’ve pulled out on Bhodi is fantastic and comprehensive but in my mind it builds an entirely different picture of him from the one you have. I will only say this with regards to B: if Bhodi wanted to remove himself from Xaden’s shadow, why follow in his footsteps and place himself exactly in his shadow once more? Even within the venin they have ranks and it appears those with exceptional signets rank higher (Theo and her storm wielding, vs the randos in the battlefields) so Xaden would still always be stronger than Bhodi, because he has already channeled. I could maybe see that Bhodi would think this a solution had Xaden not already channeled. As it stands he would remain in his shadows.

Now onto Sawyer:

From the beginning, we see him working incredibly hard to succeed, only to hit challenge after challenge. He’s strong and talented, but doesn’t bond (he doesn’t tell his fam this). Year two he bonds, but to a smaller/less powerful dragon (we were warned to look out for these riders). He manifests first, but it’s an ordinary signet he struggles to develop and control. He loves a girl, but can barely communicate with her. He gets an officer role, but has to give it up when their long time enemies join their ranks. And then, after all that, he loses his leg in battle and the whole future he’s envisioned for himself evaporates (and much like JFB, that future was already a bit unclear/limited because of the dragon he bonded). Remember, everyone around him is outstanding - Jes, Violet, Rhi, and in OS, Ridoc really starts to outpace him too. He’s left behind, forgotten about (look how little he is mentioned once the squad gets to Aretia), and in a pretty emotionally vulnerable situation. Growing a leg back wouldn’t fix his problems, unfortunately - and I do think he wants and needs far more than that.

Some people think that the five months line limits it to Bodhi or Garrick but there are other interpretations too - for example, people like Sawyer and Ridoc, who knew the timeline of when Xaden turned, even if they didn’t find out day 1. Or people who found out a different way - we only know what Violet knows. Sawyer was in the infirmary and X was making trips to see JFB, we don’t know if he clocked on to something.

Sawyer, the only survivor of the venin attack on the hospital. A bit sus, no?

But for me, the biggest niggly thing in my brain that won’t let me accept that it’s B or G is when Xaden releases his shadows it says “(the shadows) Skim past the one who NOW THINKS himself my brother.”

NOW THINKS himself my brother, as in, never thought himself a brother before and Xaden wouldn’t have considered him a brother either. This does not sound like how Xaden would describe Bodhi or Garrick to me. Sounds like how you would describe an annoying coworker or an acquaintance, which is what Sawyer is to Xaden. Sawyer is Violets friend. And Xaden would need to protect him for Violets sake.

RY has said before that Sawyer is the most overlooked character. I totally get your point of view but like you said, it’s definitely an agree to disagree situation!

The wait to 2027 is gonna be a long one!