Who Is Xaden’s New “Brother”?
The ending of Onyx Storm additionally confirmed that Xaden isn’t the one acquainted face who’s turned venin and it’s somebody we clearly know. Yarros doesn’t reveal this particular person’s id, however Xaden’s response is a horrified one. He refers back to the unnamed venin as his “new brother” and might’t imagine that this new provoke might have ever chosen to show after having witnessed all the pieces he himself has gone by way of over the previous months. However who might it’s?
The obvious decisions are Bodhi and Garrick, Xaden’s cousin and greatest good friend, respectively. They’re his closest confidantes and the individuals, much more so than Violet, who’ve spent essentially the most time with him over the course of this collection. They’ve each witnessed each step of Xaden’s wrestle to cease his personal transformation and, conveniently, each are unaccounted for on the finish of Onyx Storm. Garrick is lacking, and whereas we catch a glimpse of a retching Bodhi throughout Imogen’s POV chapter, his absence when Violet awakens signifies he’s not precisely round to rule Tyrrendor in the meanwhile.
Of the 2, Bodhi is maybe the extra seemingly selection, provided that his shut bodily resemblance to Xaden (as in the event that they could possibly be….brothers, maybe?) has been talked about repeatedly all through the collection. However what if Yarros goes for a fair greater twist? The usage of male pronouns narrows down our decisions, in fact, however there are a number of intriguing choices that match the remainder of our recognized standards. Aaric has been revealed to be a precog, and all of us love fantasy tales the place somebody with the facility to see the long run realizes they need to in some way sacrifice themselves for the better good. However maybe essentially the most fascinating possibility of all is Brennan. Violet’s brother has already basically cheated demise as soon as, revived by Tairn’s earlier rider Naolin, a siphon like Sloane, who used his energy to avoid wasting Brennan and gave him a scar within the course of that’s been talked about a number of occasions over the course of the books. However when Sloane siphons energy into Brennan to assist save a dying Mira, there’s no scar left behind this time. Violet particularly talked about how bizarre that is, which seems like an enormous pink flag that one thing is off about Brennan.
Who Is the Venin Sage Berwyn?
After all, there’s additionally the query of Xaden’s mysterious mentor. We’ve been speculating concerning the id of the venin Sage since Violet first confronted off with him at Resson in Fourth Wing and don’t appear any nearer to the reply about who he’s or what he desires two full books later. There’s in all probability a purpose for that.
We all know he turned Xaden, that he’s a rival of Theophanie’s, and…that’s sort of it. However a secret that’s value conserving for 3 books might be an enormous deal, proper? Onyx Storm definitely by no means made it really feel as if Theophanie was anybody we knew—or notably wanted to know—on this means. However the identical can’t be stated for Berwyn, who appears to signify one thing greater than a easy venin doppelganger. His curiosity in Xaden feels private, as does his hatred for dragonkind. All of that is pointing towards the concept that one of many wildest Onyx Storm theories floating across the fandom may very well be true: Berwyn is Naolin.
For people who don’t bear in mind (or don’t have an in depth spreadsheet that tracks all this information), Naolin is Tairn’s earlier rider, and the thought is that as a way to basically convey Brennan again from the useless through the Tyrrish Riot, he will need to have siphoned energy from himself, his dragon, and even the bottom so as to take action. We all know nearly nothing about what occurred to Naolin after he saved Brennan—Violet’s brother gained’t discuss it, and Tairn is a brick wall on the topic. Did he flip, sufficient for Tairn to interrupt their bond? (It will clarify why Naolin’s “demise” nearly killed Tairn and why he gained’t discuss what occurred to his former rider—and even verify that he died!) Plus, there’s a sure symmetry to it, given Xaden’s personal shut relationship with Brennan’s sister.
