Onyx Storm Ending: Spoilers, Answers, and What’s Next for the Empyrean?

I’ve been huddled up in my goblin nest for the past two days, devouring Onyx Storm as quickly as I could. I finished it a couple of hours ago, and while I’m working on a full synopsis, a review, and updates to the epigraphs and character lists, I wanted to take a moment to talk about the ending.

I’ll also be adding a new post to the Empyrean world soon, full of theories and exploring where we go from here. So check back often to get your latest dose of Empyrean, because let’s be honest—the wait for the next book is going to feel eternal.

I loved every second of Onyx Storm. In fact, it’s my favorite book in the Empyrean series so far. So many of my questions were answered, and now I have a whole bunch of new ones to obsess over. This book has been nothing short of incredible.

This post is a quick follow-up for the book, recapping the ending and addressing a few questions the fanbase has been asking for quite some time.

If you’re looking for more Onyx Storm or The Empyrean Series content, you can check out the Fourth Wing Characters post and the world of The Empyrean map including new locations we discovered in Onyx Storm.

Finished Onyx Storm and looking to theory craft? Head right over to a complete collection of Fourth Wing, Iron Flame AND Onyx Storm epigraphs.

Or dive right into the Empyrean theories with the The Empyrean Theories posts starting with Who’s Xaden’s New Venin Brother with detailed quotes backing up each theory.

And lastly of course, you can head over to this guide to the certain chapters of Fourth Wing, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm. IYKYK.

Before you go further, one last warning: This post contains all the spoilers—literally every single one.

How does Onyx Storm end?

In the final stretch of the book, the Venin are headed toward Draithus, and Theophanie has taken Mira and Teine captive. The Riders and the Fliers rush to Draithus to save Mira and defend the civilians crossing into Aretia as refugees.

Violet is asked to prioritize a single objective by Brennan, as her repeated attempts to tackle everything are getting people killed. She chooses to attempt to kill Theophanie, the high-ranking Venin who has been after her and Andarna this entire time.

Upon their confrontation, Theophanie delivers an evil monologue, taunting Violet about how she will have to choose between saving Mira, Xaden, or the civilians. Violet refuses to make that choice, and Theophanie slits Mira’s throat.

A skirmish breaks out. While the dragons occupy the Venin, Brennan attempts to heal Mira. His power isn’t enough, but Sloane and Dain arrive just in time. Sloane siphons power from Dain into Brennan to amplify his signet, leaving a mark on Dain. This is when Violet realizes Brennan doesn’t have the marks Dain has from Naolin, who supposedly siphoned power to resurrect him, revealing there is more to Brennan’s resurrection than they thought.

Mira is healed, and Brennan takes her back to Aretia. However, Teine remains unconscious. Violet convinces Tairn to carry Teine to safety, and they part ways. She begins battling Theophanie, who has Bodhi on her side. Violet discovers that Theophanie isn’t a lightning wielder but a storm wielder, like her mother, Lilith. Bodhi can’t counter Theophanie’s signet as expected, and Violet tells him to flee.

Violet and Theophanie battle as Theophanie begins draining the ground around her. Violet essentially plays “the floor is lava” with the drained ground by jumping from Wyvern to Wyvern until Sgaeyl picks her up and delivers her to Tairn. Violet then opens the package Aaric gave her before the battle. Inside, she finds a dagger made from the rubble of the temple of Dunne, where Theophanie was once a high priestess. Violet realizes that Aaric’s signet is precognition and that it manifested months ago.

Violet strikes lightning around Theophanie, throwing her off balance during their fight. As Theophanie is flung, Andarna reveals herself by changing her scales’ color while hiding. Unable to see her, Theophanie slams into Andarna, giving Violet the chance to stab Theophanie with the marble dagger. Since Theophanie abandoned Dunne despite her dedication, the dagger, “imbued” with Dunne’s wrath, kills her instantly.

Meanwhile, Rhiannon, Ridoc, and Sawyer hold the pass during the battle. Imogen and her dragon, Glane, fight Venin in the sky until Imogen realizes Quinn is trapped in a tower, defending against Venin and Wyverns. Imogen arrives to help, alongside Dain. They vanquish the Venin and protect themselves, with Imogen revealing her second signet by turning a shield into stone. However, Quinn is stabbed in the chest and dies.

Xaden, who has been absent throughout the battle, is revealed to have been summoned by his sage, Brewyn. Tairn and Sgaeyl are captured mid-air with nets, and Sgaeyl is gravely injured by a Wyvern bite. Seeing Sgaeyl, whom he is most loyal to after Violet, hurt and in danger, Xaden stops resisting his Veninification and fully gives in, becoming at least Asim, the second stage of Venin initiation.

Xaden unleashes an onyx storm with his shadows. From his POV, it’s revealed his humanity is fading as he channels his power. He hears Violet, through their bond, telling him she loves him. He clings to his love for Violet as his last shred of humanity. His shadows free Sgaeyl and Tairn and kill all their enemies. Xaden also calls out a “new brother,” someone who understood what he was going through and still turned. (More on this person later.) At the end, he lowers his shields to Sgaeyl, revealing what’s left of him, and they devise a plan.

Violet wakes up in Aretia with Imogen by her side. She has no memory of how she got there, but her arm is broken from her battle with Theophanie. Andarna reassures her, saying she won’t let them burn her and mentions that Tairn needs to rest. This confuses Violet, as she remembers seeing Tairn just moments ago. Brennan rushes in to check on her, revealing that four Riders, their dragons, and six dragon eggs are missing, and three elders have been murdered.

It’s revealed that the wards in Draithus were extended fully during the battle, thanks to Imogen, Quinn, and the others, which secured their victory.

Violet realizes she can’t remember the past twelve hours. On her finger, there’s a gold ring with an emerald stone, the same stone missing from Xaden’s father’s sword. She also finds a missive certified by the temple of Dunne, stating she’s married to Xaden. Inside is a note that says: “Don’t look for me. It’s yours now.”

It’s revealed that Violet requested Imogen to erase her memories of the past twelve hours and the book concludes there.

Does Tairn, Andarna or Sgaeyl die in Onyx Storm?

No. Tairn, Andarna or Sgaeyl do not die in Onyx Storm.

• Andarna leaves with her ancestor Leothan for about a week and returns during Violet’s last fight with Theophanie.
• Tairn remains with Violet, however he is resting after the events of Violet’s missing twelve hours.
• Sgaeyl is with Xaden during his last moments as human. After Xaden turns, him and Sgaeyl make a plan however she is not seen after Violet returns to Aretia.

Is Xaden cured in Onyx Storm?

No. Xaden spends majority of the book as an initiate. When Sgaeyl is captured and wounded at the end by Brewyn, the Sage he’s fought at the end of Iron Flame, he fully breaks giving into the power. He progresses to at least Asim level if not further based on the onyx storm he unleashes which Violet describes as power that ends worlds.

After Violet returns to Aretia, Xaden is gone, Violet is married to him and Xaden is fully gone.

As of right now, there is no cure.

Do we find out about Papa Sorrengail’s research?

Yes. Dain steals Violet’s father’s research (Whom revealed as Lieutenant Colonel Asher Daxton who is also the author of A Guide to Excelling in Scribe Quadrant). The research is about the second uprising in the Krovlan region who tried to make alliances with multiple isles. The alliances fell through because the isles wanted dragon eggs which Krovlans cannot deliver.

What is Papa Sorrengail’s real name?

Papa Sorrengail’s real name is Asher Daxton. You might remember him from the epigraphs Colonel Daxton’s Guide to Excelling in the Scribe Quadrant. It appears he changed his name to Asher Sorrengail sometime around when he got promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

Why is Violet’s hair silver?

Yes. Papa (Asher) Sorrengail and Lilith tried to dedicate Violet to Dunne, the Goddess of War which results in her growing with silver tips. Violet discovers this when she visits the island of Dunne and sees other dedicates with her hair.

What is Violet’s second signet?

Violet’s second signet by Andarna is dreamwalking. She manifested in Iron Flame when she witnessed Xaden’s dreams of Brewyn, the Sage. In this book however she learns to somewhat control them. When she becomes lucid in these dreams, she stops seeing it from the dreamers perspective and gains “physical” presence in the dream. She can also take control of the dream. As an inntinnsic Violet can fully walk into other people’s minds while unconscious.

Who’s Xaden’s new Venin brother at the end Onyx Storm? Did Bodhi or Garrick turn Venin?

Could be multiple people but current guess is that it’s Bodhi. For more in depth analysis check out Who Turned Venin Alongside Xaden for detailed quotes containing backing evidence.

Xaden sees someone alongside him when he confronts the Sage. It’s someone he notes as having seen him go through resisting turning Venin the past couple of months, and is in disbelief they would follow his footsteps. There are two logical options for who turned alongside him.

• Garrick
  • His distance wielding is waning at the beginning of the battle and he mentions finding any way to be useful
• Bodhi
  • He feels helpless most of the book
  • Theophanie taunts him to turn
  • His signet cannot counter Venin signets
  • At some point during the battle Imogen sees him with hands on the ground vomiting.
  • If Bodhi, who is the heir to the Tyrrish throne is gone, it would leave Violet to rule as the Duchess of Tyrrendor.

Does Mira or Brennan die in Onyx Storm?

No. Neither Mira nor Brennan die in Onyx Storm.

Brennan is practically never in danger in Onyx storm.

Theophanie captures Mira to lure Violet out. When Violet arrives she slits Mira’s throat, however Brennan with the aid of Dain’s power siphoned into him by Sloane is able to mend Mira and she survives.

Does Rhiannon, Ridoc or Sawyer die in Onyx Storm?

No, everyone from the original Iron Squad survives Onyx Storm.

Does Dain die in Onyx Storm?

No, Dain gets power siphoned from him into Brennan to help mend Mira but he does not die.

Who dies in Onyx Storm?

There are two major deaths in Onyx Storm.

• Trager and his Gryphon: They die at the island of Zinhal after Trager receives “an arrow” as a present from Zinhal in the heart.
• Quinn, at the top of the tower when they’re trying to extend the wards with a stab in her chest.

What did Violet ask Imogen to do?

Violet asked Imogen to erase her recent memories. There is a 12 hour gap between when Violet can feel Xaden turn and when she finds herself back in Aretia. This is the 12 hour gap Sgaeyl, Xaden, Tairn and Violet planned their next move, got married and did something with the six missing dragon eggs. I have my thoughts on what happened here, but more on this later!

What kind of dragon is Andarna?

Andarna’s breed is called irid (short for iridescent), a breed of dragons that can change the color of their scales to whichever color they want.

Do they find the seventh breed of dragon?

Yes. They are found by the seventh breed of dragons after they burn Trager’s body. The irid breed of dragon are pacifists, and they left Andarna behind for her to observe whether humans can learn not to kill each other. Andarna is not aware of this of course. The irid dragons are disappointed at Andarna becoming a scorpiontail and being active in the War on the continent.

They reject Andarna until the very end of the book Leothan, one of the iridescent dragons whom they met earlier returns and orders Andarna to leave with her. We learn that iridescent dragons are “magic” on their own, a fact that’s a bit unclear what it means but they’re the only kind of dragon who can bond to a human who’s already bonded. That’s how Andarna was able to bond to Violet after Tairn chose her.

When Leothan returns and he breathes the wardstone in Aretia.

Andarna leaves with Leothan for about a week, seemingly breaking her bond with Violet who can survive thanks to Tairn. However Violet can still dreamwalk during this time, so it’s unclear whether Andarna actually broke the bond or she hid it somehow as she can manipulate her bond.

She returns at the end by herself and stands beside Violet.

What is Garrick’s Signet?

Garrick is revealed to be a wind-wielder and a distance-wielder. His second signet comes from his rebellion relic.

What is Aaric’s Signet?

Aaric’s signet is precognition. This signet has not been seen before in any of the riders we’ve known in Fourth Wing, even surpassing General Melgren’s. I imagine Aaric knows everything that is going to play out and him and Xaden planned the ending events together.

When is the fourth book of Fourth Wing coming out?

We don’t know. Rebecca Yarros has been working hard the last couple of years, and she’s nearing burn out. (Her magic has limits too you know!) As of right now, there is no concrete release that, but my guess would be we’re at least looking at mid-to-late 2026/early 2027 for the next book.

That’s it for me today! These is just a quick recap of the ending. Stay tuned for a full synopsis and review alongside updated epigraphs and characters.

Do you want more Fourth Wing/The Empyrean content? Checkout all the epigraphs from the series or brush up on the characters !

Or check out the Onyx Storm Theories collection!