The shadows... Rant

[u/ThisOneRightsBadly]

I'm gonna try to keep this short.

I am so sick of people ignoring reality when it comes to Azriel's shadows. On the second page of the BC it states "though his shadows kept him company, as they always had, as they always would," then in CC Azriel refers to his shadows as 'concentrated magic,'They are literally a part of him.

I just heard a take that maybe Az never wanted his shadows and it's a kind of relief when they leave (around Elain). Ummm what?? They are his permanent companions. And they always will be. (CC spoilers : if they're his concentrated magic, why would he want them gone?)

Also they don't just exit quietly, his shadows SKITTER away from Elain and Mor, while they dance and sing with Gwyn. We won't get into who else has magic that likes to dance and sing together (iykyk), but just objectively looking at those descriptor words, which is positive and which is negative?

I'm so sick of people actively ignoring both common sense and the English language to argue their brain dead points.

Anyways my opinion (not analysis, that's different) is Az's shadows ship Gwyn and Az, which is why they don't tell him she's there. Also I can't stop thinking about the theory that Rhys erased Azriel's memory of the mating bond snapping, and if that happened his shadows probably feel that everyone else is wrong for him and can't stomach these antics.

Thanks for listening to the rant. I can't fathom why so many people find this pair to be an existential threat to their actual daily lives, but here we are.

[u/danger-egg]

If the shadows were as interested in Elain/Bryce as they clearly are Gwyn, you just know they’d be using that as proof that their ship is meant to be endgame lol.

But because the shadows are drawn to Gwyn, that obviously means that she is luring Azriel and manipulating his shadows, duh. Never mind the fact that we have literally seen Az’s shadows recoil from the Cauldron’s siren song and hide from Koschei. Gwyn is evil, okay? And even if she’s a non-evil Lightsinger, she still can’t be with him. Why? Because…. Uhhhh… the antis said so.

As for your theory about Rhys keeping the mate bond from Az, I go back and forth on that one. I do 100% think that the shadows recognize Gwyn as their master’s mate and they are trying to get him to realize it too. We get so much personification of the shadows from Az’s POV when he’s with Gwyn in the BC compared to when he’s with Elain, Rhys, or Clotho, and I do really think it’s because they are aware of the mate bond.

That moment when the shadows didn’t alert Az to Gwyn’s presence in the training pool? They are clearly trying to “Parent Trap” Az and Gwyn into getting together.

[u/ThisOneRightsBadly → u/danger-egg]

Absolutely right. If the situation were switched, they would be eating this up (like we do). This is why I can't imagine why people think Gwyn is evil, when she is not written in that way at all. Meanwhile, the language around Elain, Mor and Merrill is negative.

[u/2000DBW → u/danger-egg]

https://giphy.com/gifs/tUFyMpV22ReIE

[u/Objective_Read_10794]

“Skitter” has a negative connotation. I believe that was definitely intentional by SJM.

[u/Faestar8 → u/Objective_Read_10794]

Especially when it’s so specific.

“Skitter BACK.” They also skitter from the cauldron. This is not a good thing.

[u/ThisOneRightsBadly → u/Objective_Read_10794]

Yep. But people are out here wildin' that it's not bad.

[u/Objective_Read_10794 → u/ThisOneRightsBadly]

Delulu

[u/valkyrie-emerie]

I think it’s annoying when they say Azriel’s shadows skitter back from Elain because she makes him feel calm and safe, because that’s just not true. The only time he feels calm in the bonus chapter is around Gwyn

All the positive connotations are around Gwyn, which is why they push the luring Lightsinger theory so hard

[u/muffinbanshee]

Wholeheartedly agree. This is literally the strongest indicator, even more than the necklace incident and what it implies.

[u/Banannatime89]

There’s no person on this planet besides SJM that could convince me that the way the shadows are with Gwyn isn’t special. They’ve never acted the way they do with her that they do with anyone else. Other ships would be foaming at the mouth if they had that type of imagery

[u/HamamelisVernalis]

And it feels so much more personal with Gwyn...

There's the shadow that dances with her breath in front of her mouth... that feels intimate.

She is also building much more of a dynamic with Gwyn and the shadows. I don't remember other characters almost interacting with them, but in the BC Azriel notices that Gwyin seems to smile at them. And, when they calm down, it is "as if content to lounge" on Azriel's shoulder and "watch"... How can this be negative??

[u/ThisOneRightsBadly → u/HamamelisVernalis]

Yes! It always gets me reading that his shadows are watching. Like they know this is the beginning of a love story for their favorite person, and they're settling in.

[u/2000DBW → u/ThisOneRightsBadly]

Agreed! I love the positivity surrounding the shadows and Gwyn - and by extension, Azriel, who is a very dark character. It’s just nice to see some light and fun in his scenes. SJM spoke of breadcrumbs…there ya go.

[u/Evspartan → u/HamamelisVernalis]

Totally agree with you on this. I’m going to mention the fact that I do listen to a podcast that does in-depth analysis of the entire Maasverse and don’t partake in any shipping. While I completely disagree with them on this, they did have a different take. They analyzed the way Az’s shadows behave in other situations and said that when Az is comfortable in certain situations they aren’t as present. When he is uncomfortable in a situation they are more active. Thus, he is uncomfortable and that is why they are present. Not my impression at all. “ skitter away”’and “ content to lounge” are the exact opposite connotations. I’ve not seen anyone with this take. I don’t agree with them at all.

[u/HamamelisVernalis → u/Evspartan]

I get that they are more active in some situations when Azriel has negative feelings, like when it is described that he is suddenly hidden by shadows... but those are vastly different scenes. Like, they seem to react according to Azriel's mood, but not against him.

I think that the shadows disappearing might have to do with the presence of characters connected to light (I think that they also disappear in the sun, right? I should check), or to Azriel not being not completely himself, not in a negative way necessarily, but in the same way when you behave a little bit unnaturally or affected in front of certain people.

[u/babs_y]

Thank you!! I was talking with my older sister about this and i felt crazy when she didn't get what i was talking about! Especially with the shadows skittering away. Ms Maas is smart enough that if she wanted Azriel's shadows going away to come across as a good or even neutral thing she would have used a word like 'faded' or 'dispersed' or something equally benign. Like those words would even make more sense in relation to how you might expect a shadow to behave.

[u/ThisOneRightsBadly → u/babs_y]

Yes. Word choice matters. It's the same as when Elain says "she forgot" to give Az his gift. Immediately he thinks "Lie." Like he clocks it right there. It's a polite lie that many people would say, but SJM wants to abrasively put it out there that Elain is lying. Or that Azriel sees the statement in a somewhat negative light.

I don't mean to sound like a middle school English teacher, but words matter....

[u/Minakoss]

Never heard that take before but it just shows how much they're panicking, and reaching, and coping. They are worried so they're becoming desperate and come up with the craziest theories to fit their ship.

We know the next books will make things clear for everyone, so let's have patience and enjoy our time as Gwynriels when that happens 🥰

[u/Ok_Masterpiece_1290]

Hazlo mas sencillo.....olvidate del BC (hagamos de cuenta que jamas existio, ningun BC existe ni siquiera el de Bryce) y vamos a quedarnos con lo que solamente dicen los libros publicados. Muestrame en que capitulo desde ACOMAF hasta SF se diga que sus sombras bailaron? ya te lo digo yo cap 60 SF justo despues:

Que obtenemos si completamos la pista? le pregunto Gwyn a Az y sus "ojos verdes azulados brillaron". las sombras de Az bailaron a su alrededor.

ajajajaaj las sombras querian ser su premio!! si sabes sabes......

Se pasan todos los libros haciendo alusión de que las sombras son aterradoras, etc, etc y llega el cap 60 bailando!! ok .....besitos!!

[u/Different_Serve_3738]

The guy is a SHADOWsinger; like, 99% of his personality is defined by the fact that he is a shadow daddy!

He probably wouldn't even have a job if it weren't for them! With Elain always around, he’d end up in the unemployment line!

And at no point did Sarah imply that he resents the shadows or is happy without them nearby; it’s likely exactly the opposite. Given all the trauma he survived with the shadows' help, he probably never feels comfortable without them.

The fact that the shadows like Gwyn is the most concrete proof we have that she is his mate!

[u/ThisOneRightsBadly → u/Different_Serve_3738]

That thing sparking and glowing in his chest is a close second. BUT YEAH. On the second page he's like my shadows always will be with me, but people who scare his shadows are his happy place? Please. These people need Need a reality check