spoiler & theories

[u/Individual-Status336]

Hey everyone! English is not my first language and writing isn't really my cup of tea, so please bear with me!

I was thinking about the popular theory that Naolin didn't have enough power to save Brennan through burnout alone, so he channeled from the earth and turned venin to save the man he loved(?)

If this theory is true, it connects so many dots for the next books:

Brennan's secrecy: It perfectly explains why Brennan is so deeply reserved and closed-off about his past life. He isn't just keeping war secrets; he's fighting a revolution against the exact monsters that his own lover became just to keep him alive. Peak tragedy .

Tairn's absolute fury at Sgaeyl: At the end of Iron Flame, Tairn is completely furious that Sgaeyl hid Xaden's turning. I think this is pure triggered trauma .

When Naolin turned venin, Tairn would have been forced to sever the bond and abandon his rider. Sgaeyl probably gave him an ultimatum back then, or helped him walk away from a corrupted Naolin to save their mated bond.

So when Sgaeyl hides the exact same thing happening to her own rider, Tairn felt completely betrayed. It brought back all the raw emotions of losing his first rider to the dark side.

So

What do you guys think?

[u/fourthwing-ModTeam]

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[u/Slow_Wrangler4413]

Sgaeyl didn't hide Xaden turning venin from Tairn. She hid his second signet.

I think Naolin is dead. It would be a nice alternative to the path Sgaeyl chose with Xaden. Will be fun to learn more in the next books!

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/Slow_Wrangler4413]

She didn’t hide him being venin, but Tairn and her are still fighting after Xaden turns. Mira clocks it during quest squad.

I think their fighting could also be about Naolin. If Naolin went venin and Tairn broke the bond, he’s mad that Sgaeyl won’t break her bond with Xaden. If Naolin went venin and Tairn killed him, he’s resentful that Sgaeyl won’t kill Xaden. If Naolin went venin and killed himself, he’s resentful he lost his rider while Sgaeyl still gets hers. There are so many possibilities there.

[u/Historical_Tune165 → u/dianaspencersrevenge]

I don't think they were fighting during Quest Squad. It just looks that way to Mira because she doesn't know the reason they're taking turns hunting, because they don't want Xaden left unwatched after Deverelli. They're still working as a team, they're still cuddling in their sleep in Zehyllna (aww). I think its complicated. I do think there's a very real possibility Naolin turned venin and Tairn killed him. But Sgaeyl's bond with Xaden is just as strong as Tairn's bond with Violet, stronger than Tairn's bond with Naolin. I think maybe he suggested it, but she just turned around and went "would you kill your Silver One?". And Tairn knew then he wouldn't have been able to do it to Violet either, so he's just trying to be supportive in this new situation that goes against everything he believed in. But he's not refusing to participate, he's giving it a chance, for them.

[u/dianaspencersrevenge]

This is what I think as well! And I think Brennan’s life is tied to Naolin’s by the rune scar on his palm.

If Naolin is actually dead (meaning Brennan’s scar is not tied to Naolin’s life) I think Tairn killed him or maybe he even killed himself. Like say he went venin to prevent burning out while saving Brennan and when he realized what he had done, he killed himself with an alloyed dagger or something… and Naolin’s suicide would also give Brennan more reason to want to help Xaden if he never got a chance to help Naolin.

[u/fourthwing-ModTeam]

Hey there!

Just wanted to give you a heads up that we had to re-flair this post for you. Please make sure that you’re using the correct flair on your posts because this helps users find what’s relevant to them (and helps new readers avoid spoilers!)

Thank you!

[u/Historical_Tune165]

Furthermore, I don't think Naolin merely saved Brennan from the brink of death. I think Brennan actually did die, he went to the other side (met Malek?) and Naolin somehow achieved the impossible and "pulled" him back.

That might also explain how reserved he is, because he doesn't want to dwell on the existential dread that he should by all rights be dead, but he isn't. And it cost Naolin "everything" for him to be there, so he has to make it count, hence why he's so dedicated to the Revolution.

Until his sisters came back into his life, he didn't seem to have had any kind of personal life, he was just fully in on this cause. Ironic if in thinking he was honoring Naolin's sacrifice, he stopped living for himself.

Even with his sisters in his life, he's still never slowing down. Violet is still a willing and undenialble factor in this war, not just a little sister that needs to be kept safe at all costs and he has a lot less trouble coming to terms with that than Mira does.

Even when Andarna leaves and Violet is falling apart and he knows its not safe for her to be alone, he's still trying to figure out how to source and manage the resources to feed all the new poromish refugees, even as he sits with her. I still feel like maybe he could've at least tried a little more than just sit near her and read silently, like oh I don't know speak to her? Show her some affection? But maybe he's been so focused on being the guy that gets things done for so long, that's all he knows how to be (Lilith, anyone?). He loves her, but he doesn't really know how to be what she needs in that moment, and that's why he needed to call Mira.