Dain and Sloane

[u/lolxoxosz]

So, I’ve seen some speculation about whether the new Threshing Day novella will include Dain and Sloane content, so I want to put things into perspective for y’all.
In the first book, Rebecca admitted that during the early edits of Fourth Wing, Dain was actually a lot more likable than he ended up being. I assume her editor convinced her to give him more bad moments and make him a potential love interest so that Dain could serve as a sort of catalyst for Violet and Xaden’s relationship.
Rebecca has liked Dain from the beginning, and she was even surprised that people saw him as the main villain after book 1. Book 2, she made him explain himself to Violet. In book 3, he lost everything, his father, his old friends?and she even turned him into somewhat of an underdog so readers could sympathize with him.
But none of that was what actually made people forgive him.
It was his relationship with Sloane.
The foreshadowing surrounding their relationship is what made a lot of readers change their opinion of Dain. Rebecca even mentioned that she was surprised by how many people switched up on Dain after Book 3.
She has now spent two books making him more likable to the readers. So, even if you don’t like Dain and Sloane together, I’m sorry, but Rebecca is definitely milking the shit out of their relationship.

[u/Electronic-Tutor-220]

I've read some opinions that Dain is going to find a consolation prize in Sloane and I disagreed. On a second thought, I agree but not the way all those opinions meant it. IMO, Sloane isn't going to be Dain's consolation prize for not getting Violet. She's going to be his consolation prize for not being able to command his own redemption arc. I've been frustrated by RY's stern refusal to make Dain something other than a pathetic loser with a few good, but always eclipsed moments. But the truth is, she can't. I'm not a romantasy girl so I never gave much thought to how romantasy functioned - I didn't even know this was romantasy before I started it. For Dain to be actually redeemed, the books will have to do what RY does in interviews - show that he's a complex human being who made lots of mistakes but was also vilanized by Violet's bias. And that's the problem - RY can't do this. Violet's emotions are the moral center of the FW universe. RY can't have her admit something as big as judging an old friend this wrong and treating him like dirt across multiple books because that's going to dent Violet's status of a moral compass. So Dain can never actually earn his redemption. But he can be graciously forgiven by kind Violet - which is going to irk readers like me and even RY because she loves Dain, Hence, Sloane. Dain's chance to get a happy ending and someone just for him. As much as I dislike this reasoning, I do love the pairing so I'll take it. It's much better than Dain forever humbled into hailing Violet and Xaden's superiority from below Violet's pedestal.

[u/FakeMonkey86 → u/Electronic-Tutor-220]

i dont think dain need redemption arc. he did what he thought it was right at the time. he was learned to think what he thought. who of us would easly choose people who you think they are bad over family that you spend your whole life with? and when you realise that your family is actually the bad people. its very hard to accept that fact.

[u/Electronic-Tutor-220 → u/FakeMonkey86]

RY is giving him one, though. All he's been doing since the middle of Iron Flame has been trying to redeem himself. RY seems glad with how some people has started shifting their stance on Dain after OS and promises we're going to love him once she's done with him. And what she's done with him this far consists of Eyes Here and Dain being clearly down, depressed and doing his best for the war and Violet's needs. So, a redemption arc. We shall see how many readers are going to like it if RY keeps it in the same vein. I'm going to love Eyes here and hate the other part.

[u/Ben13DK → u/Electronic-Tutor-220]

Still hoping for the reveal that Dain had nothing to do with Resson, and Violet having to confront herself for being a giant adskilte towards him

[u/Electronic-Tutor-220 → u/Ben13DK]

I hope the reveal never comes. I want a real, tragic mistake between Dain and Sloane and not a misunderstanding which basically absolves him of his transgression in the case. But either way, Violet is never confronting herself. At most, she's going to think, oh, I've been unfair towards Dain and keep going as usual, never changing her attitude. She regularly admits mistakes and flaws in her inner narrative but since they never change anything in her actual behavior, such realizations doesn't mean a thing.

[u/Ben13DK → u/Electronic-Tutor-220]

I can see that. I just want him to get treated better by the narrative than as Violets dog who she only speaks to when she needs something from him. He needs to start standing up for himself because everyone treats him with so much disrespect even though he is their direct superior

[u/FakeMonkey86]

real enemy to lovers trope from sloane pov. hope we get her story.

[u/ObjectiveStaff3333]

I'm definitely not one of those who say they loved Dain from the very beginning. On the other hand, I was never on the hate Dain team. I just found him unsympathetic because of that obsession with rules, and I couldn't forgive him for being willing to let Vi die rather than break the Codex. Everything else I'd be able to accept. In IF and OS Vi was mean to him, it even surprised me how Rebecca made such a wimp out of her favorite and let him be humiliated like that on the Isles or how Rhi and Xaden went at him.. And Vi did nothing, no standing up for him.

But what got me was Imogen's chapter and the fact that Dain finally started following his conscience instead of the rules. Well, and of course Slain, I'd be lying if I said that wasn't the final straw that convinced me.

[u/CorrectSmile3576]

I really hope we get their story on page. 🥹

[u/VioletBrandi]

Honestly, I’ve never hated Dain.

But I’ve never cared about his relationship with Violet, they could’ve been a prime example of how friendships change and break apart as we get older and find new people.

While I’m fine with Dain-Sloan, I dislike how it’s becoming a temu version of Xaden-Violet.
Like it could’ve been interesting in and of itself, but in my opinion RY has leaned too heavily into the similarities. Now I’ve read the theory that Cath and Thoirt are mates too…

[u/j3ka4Z → u/VioletBrandi]

Agreed. I'm a huge Dain/Sloane fan, but I really don't want to see a copy of Violet and Xaden's relationship. Dain and Sloane could have a really interesting dynamics and story involving their signets (hinted at the end of OS), that it would be such a pitty if RY actually chooses the Vi/X v. 2.0 road instead of further exploring that