Are the Empyrean dragons evil? Or are they using the wrong kind of magic?! There’s something really off about them.
We spent majority of Onyx Storm reading about the gods including how Violet’s partially dedicated to Dunne and how the first six riders and their dragons clearly, very obviously associated with a god (more on this particular crackpot theory later).
But one thing that’s been bugging my mind since the first book is how The Fables of the Barren is going to fit into all of this.
Who's your favorite Fourth Wing character?
Who's your favorite Fourth Wing character?
The Prophecy in the Fables of The Barren
The Fables of the Barren if you recall is a collection of short stories Violet’s dad, Asher Sorrengail (nee Daxton) has left her to clue her in to the real threat to their world. Violet describes the fables as a collection of dark children’s stories. Yes the book tells the children about dark wielders and their Wyverns, but one thing that has never been clarified is tidbit here.
Maybe it’s childish, just a collection of stories that warn us against the lure of magic, and even demonize dragons, but it’s all I have left.
Fourth Wing, Chapter 1 (p. 20)
The “demonize dragons” part of the fables have never sat right with me and it’s been driving me crazy to figure out why that tidbit matters. I never understood why the Empyrean dragons would not take action against the Venin from the beginning and even put “Some dragons are working with Venin” to my Onyx Storm bingo.
Then there’s these quotes from The Origin in the Fables of the Barren.
One brother bonded to gryphon, one to dragon, and when the third grew jealous, he drew directly from the source, losing his soul and waging war on the other two.”
Fourth Wing, Chapter 35, (p. 562)
But it was the third brother, who commanded the sky to surrender its greatest power, who finally vanquished his jealous sibling at a great and terrible price.
Fourth Wing, Chapter 37, (p. 604)
I always assumed Violet is the third brother who commanded the sky because of her lightning signet. But then in Onyx Storm Violet says:
My skin tingles as we slip down into the valleys through the Esbens, and I’m struck with the oddest urge to try and pluck strands from the very sky and weave runes.
Onyx Storm, Chapter 19 (p. 232)
That’s strange right? Why did all of the dragons lose communication with each other but Violet, Tairn and Andarna can still communicate? Why was all the dragons but Andarna is in pain outside the continent? Why can Violet clearly wield lightning while she’s fighting in the Isles? More importantly why is the magic so much more accessible to Violet in the Isles?
Originally I thought it was because Violet is just as close to Venin as Xaden ever was (Rebecca Yarros did say she wanted originally Violet to turn after all) or even the fact that this was another hint at Violet being the third brother.
But it wasn’t until I read this theory by emmyeggo on Reddit it clicked with me.
Source of Magic
In all three books of the Empyrean series, we’re told over and over again magic comes from the ground. Most Venin magic “power ups” are basically Venin touching the ground, sucking up the magic and draining the land.
When they leave the Continent and travel to the Isles, the dragons of The Empyrean can no longer channel magic, they can’t communicate, and they are in pain. But as I mentioned Violet and her dragons can still communicate and while Tairn is in pain, Andarna is not.
“Andarna shows no sign of trouble. I am inconvenienced, annoyed, and cut off from my source of power, strength, and my mate’s thoughts, but I am still Tairneanach, son of Murtcuideam and Fiaclanfuil, descended from—”
Onyx Storm, Chapter 26, (p. 315)
We’re going to need to talk about Rebecca Yarros’s recent comments about “How do you know the dragons give their actual names to record keeping” and Tairn continuously reciting his family line.
However for now, focus on the fact that Andarna seems to be doing okay while all the other dragons are cut off. Not to mention Violet can still wield lightning in Unnbriel.
I wrench her wrists behind her back as the metal of her chest plate scrapes stone, then sit, locking her arms in place with my thighs. Light flashes in the sky above us, and rain comes down in sheets.
Onyx Storm, Chapter 32 (p. 396)
Originally I thought this was because Violet’s is on Dunne’s island and she has her favor. However it doesn’t add with Andarna not feeling the burden of being away from the “source” of magic and Violet being able to communicate with her dragons while no other dragons are weird.
“It feels like there’s more power out here than usual,” I tell Tairn as we dive along a ridgeline.
“There’s actually less—the venin saw to that,” he replies. “But you grow more powerful every day, more capable of recognizing what once was entirely invisible to you.”
“I could recognize it,” Andarna chimes in. “If you ever let me come with you.”
Onyx Storm, Chapter 19 (p. 232)
Violet feels more power once she’s outside of the continent. Tairn thinks it’s less magic. There is even a bit about how Andarna could recognize it. I don’t think here Andarna knows what she can do, but Rebecca Yarrows loves leaving the truth in plain sight so I’m taking this as an easter egg. Either way… Strangely weird that Violet feels stronger while Tairn feels weaker.
Why?
Iridescent Dragons Channel From A Different Source
In addition to being pacifist assholes (sorry Leothan but your kin literally rejected a child), Iridescent dragons are extremely powerful. They seem to be able to communicate with all riders at once and they show some disdain to the Empyrean dragons during their interactions. They also clearly distance themselves from the Empyrean dragons
“Bonds are merely magical ties. You are irid. You are magic. Bend it, shape it, break it as you see fit.”
Onyx Storm, Chapter 53 (p. 626)
Drumroll please… That is because the irid dragons channel from the sky and not the earth.
Violet is bonded to a dragon who can channel from the ground: Tairn.
She is also bonded to a dragon who can channel from the sky: Andarna.
That’s why Andarna isn’t in pain. That’s why Violet can still communicate with her dragons and can channel. And that’s the Venin want her because there is just so much more sky than ground and the magic is probably more pure. It is also why Andarna’s fire can kill Venin.
We always thought it was because Violet has a lightning signet the Venin wanted her. But Felix drills to us over and over again that Violet’s power is not lightning, it’s pure power.
You wield pure power that takes the form of lightning because that’s what you’re most comfortable shaping it as.
Iron Flame, Chapter 40 (p. 535)
Seems like a lot of trouble clarify that her signet does not come from the sky. But yet the Venin say:
“Such untapped power. No wonder we were called here. You could command the sky to surrender all its power, and I bet you don’t know what to do with it, do you? Riders never do. I’m going to split you open and see where all that astonishing lightning comes from.”
Fourth Wing, Chapter 37, (p. 606)
There are two things we find out from this quote.
It might sound like Venins do not know where Violet’s untapped power comes from, however Jack Barlowe knew about “feathertails” during threshing.
“It’s unrideable, a certified freak, and you know feathertails are useless in combat. They refuse to fight.”
Fourth Wing, Chapter 13 (p. 209)
Now I don’t think Jack was a Venin then, because we’re told only those who are bonded to dragons or gryphons can turn Venin. But I do strongly believe Jack entered the intentions of bonding with a dragon then turning Venin once he can access power. I think Jack’s been aware of the Venin because he’s Brewyn’s son. However if we operate under the assumption that Jack knew about Venin and was sent to the quadrant to bond and turn, it’s also seem strange that Venin know about the irids, and their power from the sky.
Theophanie even taunts Violet about Andarna.
“And yet, you seem to have lost your irid. How inconvenient.”
Onyx Storm, Chapter 53 (p. 672)
It does look like the Venin want the irid, however Theophanie does say
“Now tell me, which chose you first? The one who gifted you the power of the sky? Or the irid?”
Onyx Storm, Chapter 10 (p. 134)
This does feel like the Venin does think the power of the sky comes from Tairn, but they also want the irid as well. It’s a bit unclear whether Venin knows the irid can channel from the sky, but maybe they don’t and just want the irids to study them.
The Fables of the Barren: The Truth Hiding in Plain Sight
Not only the Fables talk about demonizing dragons and prophesizing about the third brother commanding the sky, it also tells us exactly what’s wrong with the Empyrean dragons.
Another talks about the dangers of wielding power from the ground instead of the skies, as one could easily start drawing magic from the earth and eventually be driven mad.
Fourth Wing, Chapter 31, (pp. 496-497)
ITS. RIGHT. IN. OUR. FACES.
Okay so what does it all mean? Well a bunch of things. First of all, why is the Empyrean divided amongst themselves against the threat of the Venin? Why wouldn’t they just band against the threat on the entire continent.
We’re now entering truly crackpot theory territory, but I think it’s because a dragon is responsible for creating or at least allowing one of the first riders to turn Venin. Maybe they allowed their Rider to channel from a different source the first time and a Venin was created.
Codagh gets a lot of screentime for not being very present in the story. We still haven’t seen a Maven Venin yet. Violet assumes Theophanie is a maven, but Theophanie still reports to someone, so I don’t think she is. Rebecca Yarros loves putting truth plainly on the page and waiting for us to catch up.
“I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if General Melgren ripped a mask off one day and revealed he was a terrifying venin. That man has always given me the creeps.”
Fourth Wing, Chapter 31 (p. 497)
What if Maven can hide their true nature and Melgren is the first brother who got jealous and channeled from the ground and Codagh allowed him. I’m not saying that’s necessarily the case but we know so little about the maven and the ranks of Venin.
Is this why the Irids left? Did they consider channeling from the ground an unforgivable act, they did call Xaden an abomination after all.
More importantly can The Empyrean dragons channel from the sky again? For example can Tairn change the source he channels from? If so, can his fire then kill the Venin?
Not to mention The Empyrean means the sky which is another interchangeable word for Heaven. You know what’s underground in all of folklore? Hell. It’s all very biblical, and a story we’ve read so many times.
And to take the metaphor further, if channeling from the earth turns you into Venin, can channeling from the sky cure you?
Sloane seems to be set up for a huge role in the series, and she’s a siphon. (You can’t convince me she’s the rider counterpart of Naolin, aka head Venin in my head, but more on that another time).
Can Sloane channel from the sky into Venin to cure them?
Can Xaden channel from the sky and heal himself? Can he bond with an irid and channel through them? Can Violet channel her power from the sky into Xaden?
The possibilities are endless, and the questions keep on coming. Thank you again emmyeggo for inspiring this post and sending me down a theory crafting rabbit hole just when I think I was getting over my Onyx Storm hangover and finally attaching a solid theory to what the “demonizing dragons” bit in the Fables meant.
Do you think the dragons are channeling from the wrong source of the magic? Does that make them evil? Do you think we can cure Xaden with the literal powers of the Heavens?
Let me know in the comments.
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