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Its so funny to me how prominent booksta accounts that preach about how we shouldn't fight over ship wars and how we should be all much nicer to one another because its all fiction at the end of the day blah blah blah... are the ones consistently inciting ship war behaviour with their posts and using the ship war to their advantage to gain more engagement 🤣 like, Ok with the hypocrisy!

#gwynriel supremacy #pro gwyneth berdara #gwynriel #pro gwynriel #gwyneth berdara #gwyneth x azriel #azriel berdara #azriel x gwyn #anti e/riel #gwyn berdara #booktok #bookstagram

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If you're a Gwynriel and you're not signed up to Artcraawl's patreon you're missing out on some top tier 👌 SMUT my friends 🥵🥵🥵🥵

#pro gwynriel #gwynriel #pro gwyneth berdara #gwynriel supremacy #gwyneth berdara #gwyneth x azriel #azriel berdara #azriel x gwyn #gwyn berdara #fanart

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"Nesta had never heard a voice like Gwyn's—by turns trained and wild, as if there was so much sound fighting to break free of Gwyn that she couldn't quite contain it all. As if the sound needed to be loose in the world."

This is how Sarah J. Maas writes artistic expression in her main characters. Aelin. Feyre. Bryce. Nesta. A description of them like this is in every one of their book arcs—where artistic expression originating from that character needs to be in the world.

I don't think SJM gifts this experience, this need to express artistically, to women characters if she doesn't plan to give them the space to tell their own story, where typically artistic expression is a key into who her main characters are and what they need.

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Nesta Archeron by renata_watsonn [instagram]

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I HATE the Gwyn is a lightsinger theory to discredit the interactions between Az and her in the bonus chapter. NOTHING in that scene was written with a hint of negative connotation. There is a certain tone that writers use when writing scenes that are supposed to show readers whether it is positive or negative. This is basic literary 101 that is taught in any highschool. That bonus chapter with Gwyn and Az has nothing but a positive tone to it. There is nothing written between the lines that point to Gwyn being some evil ancient monster that kills for sport. ESPECIALLY being that Gwyn is a SA victim. Do people even hear how crazy and problematic that sounds?

And why would she be a lightsinger in the first place? What would that do for the greater plot? NOTHING. “She’s working for Kochei”. Sure, SJM is going to break Nesta’s heart and make her possibly regress her healing journey by making one of her bestfriends turn out to be a villain.

There’s even others who say that she’s not evil but the interaction with Az is meant to show her powers. And again I ask why? What does that do for the plot if she has powers? Why would SJM emphasize that for a supposed “side character” as so many people try to make her out to be. What would SJM putting Gwyn in a bonus chapter that is “supposed” to highlight the future forbidden romance between Elain and Az have anything to do with that or anything else in the book? If SJM just wanted to show Gwyn had these super special powers she would have just kept it primarily in the main story of ACOSF but she didn’t. Do you guys not see how any of this adds up?

Whether she gets with Az or not, I just hate the Gwyn slander. She’s literally the least problematic character in the entire series and deserves nothing but the best after all the horrible stuff she’s been through.

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Debunking the "Lightsinger/Controlling/Luring" Language from the BC

I keep seeing this pop up from E/riels ending up on my TL or from some mutuals debating this. For my mutuals benefit and for my own sanity, I'm going to shut down the purposeful over-analysis of the language SJM used in the BC when Azriel brings the necklace to the library. These are the lines I've seen E/riels and/or anti-Gwynriels focus the most on.

"But when he returned from the cabin in the mountains, he didn't go to market square." "Instead, he found himself at the library beneath the House of Wind, standing before Clotho as the clock chimed seven in the evening." ... "For whatever reason...he could see it."

And they use this as a large indicator of Gwyn's lightsinger nature. While it's possible she may have some type of magic (most High Fae do, for which she is half) based on how Nesta's magic reacted to her energy, that doesn't mean she is a lightsinger.

And if you plan on using that language to bolster your theory, I'm going to have to disappoint you and say that's simply not enough. Because SJM actually uses those phrases a lot throughout the series, for a variety of reasons.

If it was supposed to be apparent that Gwyn (unintentionally or otherwise) luring Azriel, why would SJM use the exact same language for things not even remotely manipulative or nefarious?

In fact, let's take a tally of those instances, shall we? I keyword-searched through all five books, and here's what I discovered.

"For whatever reason/for whatever strange reason":

ACOTAR-

"He shook his head. “Fortunately or unfortunately, they were all killed by the High Lord of an enemy court. I was spared for whatever reason or Cauldron-granted luck."

ACOMAF-

It had been marked and flagged and pinned,for whatever reasons I couldn’t tell, but my gaze drifted to the windows throughout the room... I didn’t want to think about his family, murdered by a rival court for whatever reason no one had ever explained to me.

I’d bet that they wouldn’t have handed over that book. For whatever reasons of their own, they wanted it. There were seven arrows in total: three in this wing, four in the other. They’d removed the ones from his legs, for whatever reason—the wounds already half-clotted.

ACOWAR-

The priestess who had let them in … for whatever reason, Hybern had left her alive. For whatever reason, he hadn’t chosen to wear the Illyrian leathers. Or the wings. “Four bones … for whatever reason the charlatans came up with that I can’t be bothered to remember.” I’d kill her for this, for betraying us for whatever reason—

ACOFAS-

The town house was still silent as we descended the stairs, my mate opting for Illyrian leathers—for whatever strange reason.

ACOSF-

Which meant they’d approved her presence, for whatever reason. Amren, for whatever reason, rarely stayed here long enough to see this room, so no chair had ever been held for her. For whatever reason, Nesta wanted to crow about her friend to anyone who’d listen.

"found myself/himself/herself/themself"

ACOTAR-

But the shining things had vanished, along with their sniffing and giggling, and I found myself facing a weathered statue of two merry, bounding lambs. Over the next three days, I found myself joining Lucien on Andras’s old patrol while Tamlin hunted the grounds for the Bogge, unseen by us. I found myself overlooking a rose garden, filled with dozens of hues of crimson and pink and white and yellow. After soaking in the bath for nearly an hour, I found myself sitting in a low-backed chair before my room’s roaring fireplace, savoring the feel of Alis brushing out my damp hair. As the afternoon shifted into dusk, I found myself again at the main crossroads of the house. I stumbled, blinking, and found myself standing at the edge of the ring of dancing. He smiled at me, and I found myself smiling back. Perhaps buried it a bit, but she was generous, loving, and kind—a woman I found myself proud to know, to call sister. I didn’t have time for tears of relief as I found myself in another passageway, and I launched farther into the labyrinth. I’d awoken from a fitful sleep and found myself burning hot. I carefully, slowly took a narrow set of stairs upward, up and up, until, to my shock, a trickle of sunlight poured into the stairwell and I found myself on a small balcony jutting out of the side of the mountain.

ACOMAF-

“I didn’t see you Under the Mountain,” I found myself saying, hating those last three words more than anything. But I found myself saying, “I’m sorry about the temple—and the priestesses.” Squinting at the brightness, I found myself standing in what was unmistakably a foyer of someone’s house. “She abandoned you?” I found myself saying. I found myself blinking back the blinding sun, arm still out, Rhysand still before me. After dinner, I wandered into the streets, and found myself eventually standing at the edge of the Rainbow, the night in full swing, patrons and artists and everyday citizens bustling from shop to shop, peering in the galleries, buying supplies. I was still in my dress—which felt vulgar in the light of Velaris—but found myself heading into the garden, as if the moonlight and chill might cleanse my mind. He went back to his pie, swallowing a bite before continuing. “And yet I found myself deciding that if you took his hand, I would find a way to live with it. It would be your choice.”

ACOWAR-

But as we dined, beats of silence going on longer than conversation, I found myself checking them over and over. Flint struck, and I found myself gazing at a makeshift camp of sorts “See if I’ve accepted my lot and found myself grateful for becoming one of them?” Which was why I found myself standing in the foyer the next morning, watching Lucien shoulder his heavy pack. "So I was reborn, and found myself surrounded by my old enemies—faces I had once marked to kill. I found myself on the wrong side of a wall, with the human realm poised to shatter beneath it.” It took all day, but by the end of it, I found myself in the wrecked foyer, Rhys and the others beside me, the chandelier a broken mass behind us on the cracked marble floor.

ACOFAS-

My knees buckled, and I found myself beyond words. Beyond anything but him. Just as I found myself somehow leaning against the wall near the doorway, as if he’d winnowed us.

ACOSF-

She often found herself wishing the Cauldron had ripped those memories away just as it had her humanity, but his face sometimes sullied her dreams. She scrambled to regain any sense of control, of sanity—found herself wanting to hand it all over to him, to let him touch and touch and touch her, lick and suckle and fill her— Nesta found herself asking, “What’s the Dread Trove?” Cassian wanted to have a word with Rhys about the Illyrian legions, so Nesta found herself walking to the front entry of the river house alone. Without doing extra training between the stacks, Nesta found herself less exhausted when she left the library. So she found herself in the doorway of the dining room. “You’re going up to Windhaven?” Nesta found herself asking Cassian as Gwyn bade them farewell at the end of their lesson. She debated ignoring it, but found herself opening a small door through the steel, spiked barrier she kept around herself day and night. So they trained, and between their exercises they talked about books, and Nesta woke on the fourth morning and found herself … excited to see them again. She found herself answering Azriel with a slight smile of her own. Found herself free-falling into his darkened eyes, his beautiful face. Cassian’s attention slid elsewhere, but with each curl upward, Nestafound herself reining in the urge to gaze his way. She told herself to focus on the count, on timing each breath and keeping a tally of how many she’d taken, and yet she found herself thinking of the couch cushions, her cooling tea, her still-damp hair— Didn’t feel anything but that molten rage as the stairs suddenly stopped and she found herself before a door. Nesta heaved a breath, shoving upward, and found herself free to move as she wished. So full of life and motion that she always found herself wishing she had another hour or two of lessons just to hear it again and again and again. She didn’t know why she found herself on the verge of tears as the cinders smoldered. Two hours later, Nesta found herself fully clothed in a bathtub in the middle of the private library, the entire thing filled with bubbles. Only, she found herself looking up. He was so exquisite that if Nesta hadn’t already been panting from the climb, she’d have found herself unable to breathe. She found herself asking, “Does it undermine my image as a warrior to be with you?” Nesta far preferred caves to trees. But as night fell and no caves revealed themselves, she found herself with no other option but to scale one behind Emerie and Gwyn, the latter revealing how she’d managed to rest while up one: a long stretch of rope. Yes, he almost said. But found himself hesitating. Lucien cringed, and Cassian, while inclined to smirk at the thought of the asshole suffering, found himself frowning. When Nesta remained by the doorway, Cassian found himself saying, “I’ll make a bargain with you.” Cassian found himself tensing as Helion stepped into the room, and Nesta rose. Nesta angled her head as Cassian found himself near-breathless, waiting for her reply. A pinprick of it, courtesy of Truth-Teller, had done the job, and Cassian had found himself tensing at the sight of that little bead of red. They both groaned this time, and he found himself saying, “Please.” Nesta let out a sound somewhere between a moan and a scream, and he found himself echoing it as all her silken, blazing heat gripped him.

That's a lot of instances of using those phrases, isn't it? Moreover, the only instance of something nefarious being related to "for whatever reason" was when Amren "betrayed" the Inner Circle during ACOWAR. And then that was resolved by her freeing herself and becoming her true form to help in the war.

In every other instance, "for whatever reason" just meant...something unknown. That's literally it. Which, if someone is developing a potential fondness for someone, platonic or otherwise, without being aware of it, it kind of makes sense that phrase would be used.

And with "found myself/herself/himself", there was not an instance it being used in circumstances of manipulation, where someone was not fully in control of their own body, or by magical effects.

Not even when Cassian was under the control of the Crown. Instead, we have instances of him and Nesta "finding themselves" saying, feeling, or reacting to sex, of all things. Instead, we have instances of several characters doing things without really thinking, feeling things, wandering, or reacting to circumstances happening around them.

Now, I know Azriel tends to do things with purpose, but I don't think he's immune to spacing out, doing things without thinking, feeling things, wandering, or reacting to circumstances happening around them.

And if he was under some sort of control, wouldn't it make sense for SJM to use even remotely manipulative or nefarious language or vocabulary? Would she really use the same language she uses to describe Cassian and Nesta fucking for a potential magical power maybe being misused? Especially nefariously?

There's no mention of any villain in the above. No Amarantha, no Briallyn, no Hybern, no Koschei. Not even Ianthe! There's nothing remotely malicious, mysterious, or mystical related to these instances.

It doesn't follow SJM's writing patterns at all.

If you find yourself asking "How can I not view this as SJM setting up Gwyn to be a lightsinger/manipulating/luring Azriel?" Here's your answer.

Because that isn't how she's written for all of ACOTAR thus far.

Again, I will reiterate, that there's nothing wrong with shipping things that aren't canon. You don't have to bend over backward to try and remove an obstacle from your ship. That certainly hasn't stopped anyone shipping any non-canon ship, popular or otherwise.

SJM isn't going to personally come to your house and threaten to take away your books if you ship something that she didn't make canon. So can we please stop with these ridiculous over-analyses that are clearly just intended to make people more confident/validated in their ship?

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Priestess Services/ Azriel arriving at 7

Idk how some people can't grasp this but.....

Bells ringing out 7 times to signal the priestesses to come to the service DOES NOT equal bells being used to tell the time in ACOSF, nor does it equal 7 being the time the priestess services start.

Sarah specifically uses clocks in ACOSF to tell the time. Pictured for reference here:

Gwyn specifically mentions the services being performed at Dawn and at Dusk, but no specific time mentioned at all.

And Azriel arriving at the library to stand before Clotho is even noted with a clock chiming seven in the evening.

You can not equate bells ringing out 7 times to that being the time the priestesses services start when Sarah makes it clear what she *actually* uses to tell the time in ACOSF, and it's not bells.

Do I think the time is significant though of Azriel showing up when he did to give the gift to Gwyn? Yes. I have a few posts about it and why I believe it's significant to them.

But it's not because I think it's tied to Gwyn to being a 'lightsinger' and Azriel being lured there to give the necklace to her, nor do I twist canon facts to make it seem that way.

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Us, Az and Gwyn shippers, are aware of the following things (most of us, at least):

1. We know there’s attraction between Azriel and Elain. We’ve read it. They ARE attracted to each other…for now. But we don’t think he loves her. If he loved her, he would’ve told Rhys about it and the story would’ve been different. We don’t think they’re mates either (See point number 2).

2. We also know that Elain has a mate. Elucien is not a fantasy we fabricated: this is canon, not a crackship. We ship Elain with Lucien because they are mates. Could this change? Sure, Sarah can do whatever she wants, but she has strongly hinted at these two being endgame. I guess we’ll see.

3. We know the bonus chapter is what solidifies Gwynriel for us. Why? because we read the banter, we read about Azriel laughing, something in him calming down, the spark in his chest, his shadows being playful with Gwyn. But most importantly: we read the phrasing that Sarah uses for all her mated couples being used for Az’s interaction with Gwyn. This is not something we made up: it’s there in black and white (or SJM’s Bloomsbury gray ink). However, even if the bonus chapter didn’t exist, Gwynriel was still a possibility for us and all the bonus chapter did was just confirmation. We know the bonus chapter has not changed anything from the story yet. It’s placed in the middle of ACOSF and the story ended the way we know it. BUT the bonus chapter IS a little sneek peak of what’s to come next. A preview of what Sarah has planned for Az. Why do you think Gwyn is even there? She did not need to be included in that chapter at all. Sarah did it to steer us towards where she wanted us to look. That bonus chapter is like “he likes Elain now, but look at where this could go. Here’s Gwyn. Here are some “mate-coded” phrases for this interaction with Gwyn. Keep an eye out for this in the future”.

4. We know Sarah can change a character’s love interest throughout the story at any moment. We have seen this before in ALL of her work. We are not crazy for thinking this could happen again. Az likes Elain now…but that CAN change.

5. We know there is no romance between Az and Gwyn…YET. The romance will develop later in his book. Sarah included Gwyn in this bonus chapter for a reason and also drew a clear and obvious contrast between Az’s interactions with Gwyn and his interactions with Elain (and all the drama around it).

If you ship Az and Elain, that’s ok. That could very well happen too. This is just to explain (again) why us thinking Gwyn and Az will be endgame is NOT an illusion. It is very possible.

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If Elriels were vampires, THIS would be their garlic...

#cry about it #gwyneth berdara #gwynriel #pro gwynriel #pro gwyneth berdara #gwynriel supremacy #gwyneth x azriel #azriel berdara #azriel x gwyn #anti e/riel #gwyn berdara #pro gwyn #antielriel #anti elriel #Antielriel

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Our insomniacs finally getting some sleep😴

Art is by the wonderful @: romantasy_artworks

Link to the artist’s post

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All of the E/riel fan art with Elain wearing the infamous necklace is so funny to me.

Elain gave the necklace back to Azriel!

Azriel could have returned it, but he gave it to Gwyn!

What? Is Azriel going to go up to Gwyn and ask for it back?

“Um hey… Can you hand over that rose necklace??? Oh it’s not important, I just need it for something.” 🥺

WHAT THE FUCK!?!

It was in her possession for less than 24 hours!

It’s not part of the E/riel narrative anymore!!!

*screams into the void*

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the shit I have read about Gwyn...

Lmfao!!!!! ELRIELS ARE LITERAL COMEDIANS 🤣 loooooord!

#gwynriel #pro gwynriel #pro gwyneth berdara #gwynriel supremacy #gwyneth berdara #gwyneth x azriel #azriel berdara #azriel x gwyn #anti e/riel #gwyn berdara

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Right....so....you're saying that Gwyn's lightsinging, (that wouldn't be classed as magic anyway as they're a species) is proven because of 👆? Ooooookaaaay then. 🫡

But my question is, how is Gwyn's presence in the bonus chapter *not* meant to be a red herring?

Az and Gwyn getting together would be a huge deviation from the setup Az has with Elain in the actual books. SJM isn't going to completely change the direction of the plot in a bonus chapter the majority of readers won't see. That simply doesn't make any sense.

Seriously, when has a bonus chapter ever had an effect on the direction of the plot? Their whole purpose is to fill in some gaps/give extra context/offer some fluff.

I would also like to point out the similarities between Nesta's thoughts/feelings towards Gwyn in SF and Azriel's in the bonus chapter.

"The priestess drew up to her full height, which was slightly taller than average for Fae females. A crackling sort of energy buzzed around her, and Nesta's power grumbled in answer." - ACOSF ch. 9

"Azriel entered the warmth of the stairwell, and as he descended, he could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him. Could have sworn his shadows sang in answer." - Az BC

"She honestly didn't know why she wished to see Gwyn." - ACOSF ch. 14

"A bell rang seven times somewhere nearby. (...) Gwyn sang, a faint glow seeming to radiate from her. (...) She'd never heard such music. Like a spell, a dream given form. (...) Something beckoned in Gwyn's song, in a way the others' hadn't. Like Gwyn was calling only to her, her voice full of sunshine and joy and unshakeable determination." - ACOSF ch. 52

"Instead, he found himself at the library beneath the House of Wind, standing before Clotho as the clock chimed seven in the evening. (...) Something sparked in Azriel's chest. (...) For whatever reason, he could see it." - Az BC

THIS is why so many Elriels think that the bonus chapter doesn't set up another couple, but instead gives more weight to the lightsinger theory.

There are too many similarities between how Nest and Azriel both react to Gwyn for this to be a coincidence.

And the fact that Azriel gets to the library at 7, which is when Gwyn sings (singing being the source of her power), it explains why he has these strong but seemingly inexplicable reactions. It's not a mating bond, it's Gwyn's lightsinging.

(However, I do want to add that I don't think this is being done purposefully on Gwyn's part.)

It makes way more sense narratively for the bonus chapter to make it look like Az may have another love interest when, in actuality, it's giving more evidence of another character's power, something already heavily hinted at in the main story.

You simply cannot convince me that there is any romantic tension between Az and Gwyn when the two don't even exchange any words until 80% of the way through ACOSF and she showed no interest in him romantically. And we are not going to see that tension for the first time in a bonus chapter that most people won't read.

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Now I know you don't understand what it means to have facts put in front of you but there's no need to lie and say I'm putting words in other people's mouths? That's called gaslighting.

And as I said in my previous reply, this debate ended on a fact which sadly, again, you have failed to read and comprehend correctly. Which is funny, since y'all spout how WE Gwynriels are the ones with low comp skills 🤔...

But my question is, how is Gwyn's presence in the bonus chapter *not* meant to be a red herring?

Az and Gwyn getting together would be a huge deviation from the setup Az has with Elain in the actual books. SJM isn't going to completely change the direction of the plot in a bonus chapter the majority of readers won't see. That simply doesn't make any sense.

Seriously, when has a bonus chapter ever had an effect on the direction of the plot? Their whole purpose is to fill in some gaps/give extra context/offer some fluff.

I would also like to point out the similarities between Nesta's thoughts/feelings towards Gwyn in SF and Azriel's in the bonus chapter.

"The priestess drew up to her full height, which was slightly taller than average for Fae females. A crackling sort of energy buzzed around her, and Nesta's power grumbled in answer." - ACOSF ch. 9

"Azriel entered the warmth of the stairwell, and as he descended, he could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him. Could have sworn his shadows sang in answer." - Az BC

"She honestly didn't know why she wished to see Gwyn." - ACOSF ch. 14

"A bell rang seven times somewhere nearby. (...) Gwyn sang, a faint glow seeming to radiate from her. (...) She'd never heard such music. Like a spell, a dream given form. (...) Something beckoned in Gwyn's song, in a way the others' hadn't. Like Gwyn was calling only to her, her voice full of sunshine and joy and unshakeable determination." - ACOSF ch. 52

"Instead, he found himself at the library beneath the House of Wind, standing before Clotho as the clock chimed seven in the evening. (...) Something sparked in Azriel's chest. (...) For whatever reason, he could see it." - Az BC

THIS is why so many Elriels think that the bonus chapter doesn't set up another couple, but instead gives more weight to the lightsinger theory.

There are too many similarities between how Nest and Azriel both react to Gwyn for this to be a coincidence.

And the fact that Azriel gets to the library at 7, which is when Gwyn sings (singing being the source of her power), it explains why he has these strong but seemingly inexplicable reactions. It's not a mating bond, it's Gwyn's lightsinging.

(However, I do want to add that I don't think this is being done purposefully on Gwyn's part.)

It makes way more sense narratively for the bonus chapter to make it look like Az may have another love interest when, in actuality, it's giving more evidence of another character's power, something already heavily hinted at in the main story.

You simply cannot convince me that there is any romantic tension between Az and Gwyn when the two don't even exchange any words until 80% of the way through ACOSF and she showed no interest in him romantically. And we are not going to see that tension for the first time in a bonus chapter that most people won't read.

#gwynriel #pro gwynriel #pro gwyneth berdara #gwynriel supremacy #gwyneth berdara #gwyneth x azriel #azriel berdara #azriel x gwyn #anti e/riel #gwyn berdara #antielriel #anti elriel #antie/lriel

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Ahhhh, the old, I don't get embroiled in debate but here you are...debating. 🙄 you almost did what e/riels love to always do which is FORGET what's been written.

So, going off your own reply, How do you KNOW Gwyn is a lightsinger if you only know that they exist and there's negative connotations?

Or is it the fact that it's a negative connotation with potential for it to be pinned to a character that has been hinted at having off page and on page interactions with a certain male?

Because that's the ONLY reason why you'd put Gwyn next to a Lightsinger theory at the end of the day isn't it? Because then you could make your dislike for the potential between her and az as valid? And let's not forget how absolutely abhorrent of an idea and a morally bad move for Sarah to make an SA victim a creature that lures and controls unsuspecting people to their deaths?? Really?? I think not.

I also would like to point out that I have NEVER read TOG past the 1st book so how would a 'casual' sjm reader know about the shifters variables in that series when it isn't relevant to acotar if they're solely reading acotar?

Which leads me onto the concluding statement that my answer to the op post was FACTUAL, given that nothing WRITTEN implied a physical change in Gwyn's behaviour or appearance to suggest her being a lightsinger at all throughout acosf.

But my question is, how is Gwyn's presence in the bonus chapter *not* meant to be a red herring?

Az and Gwyn getting together would be a huge deviation from the setup Az has with Elain in the actual books. SJM isn't going to completely change the direction of the plot in a bonus chapter the majority of readers won't see. That simply doesn't make any sense.

Seriously, when has a bonus chapter ever had an effect on the direction of the plot? Their whole purpose is to fill in some gaps/give extra context/offer some fluff.

I would also like to point out the similarities between Nesta's thoughts/feelings towards Gwyn in SF and Azriel's in the bonus chapter.

"The priestess drew up to her full height, which was slightly taller than average for Fae females. A crackling sort of energy buzzed around her, and Nesta's power grumbled in answer." - ACOSF ch. 9

"Azriel entered the warmth of the stairwell, and as he descended, he could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him. Could have sworn his shadows sang in answer." - Az BC

"She honestly didn't know why she wished to see Gwyn." - ACOSF ch. 14

"A bell rang seven times somewhere nearby. (...) Gwyn sang, a faint glow seeming to radiate from her. (...) She'd never heard such music. Like a spell, a dream given form. (...) Something beckoned in Gwyn's song, in a way the others' hadn't. Like Gwyn was calling only to her, her voice full of sunshine and joy and unshakeable determination." - ACOSF ch. 52

"Instead, he found himself at the library beneath the House of Wind, standing before Clotho as the clock chimed seven in the evening. (...) Something sparked in Azriel's chest. (...) For whatever reason, he could see it." - Az BC

THIS is why so many Elriels think that the bonus chapter doesn't set up another couple, but instead gives more weight to the lightsinger theory.

There are too many similarities between how Nest and Azriel both react to Gwyn for this to be a coincidence.

And the fact that Azriel gets to the library at 7, which is when Gwyn sings (singing being the source of her power), it explains why he has these strong but seemingly inexplicable reactions. It's not a mating bond, it's Gwyn's lightsinging.

(However, I do want to add that I don't think this is being done purposefully on Gwyn's part.)

It makes way more sense narratively for the bonus chapter to make it look like Az may have another love interest when, in actuality, it's giving more evidence of another character's power, something already heavily hinted at in the main story.

You simply cannot convince me that there is any romantic tension between Az and Gwyn when the two don't even exchange any words until 80% of the way through ACOSF and she showed no interest in him romantically. And we are not going to see that tension for the first time in a bonus chapter that most people won't read.

#gwynriel #pro gwynriel #pro gwyneth berdara #gwynriel supremacy #gwyneth berdara #gwyneth x azriel #azriel berdara #azriel x gwyn #anti e/riel #gwyn berdara #antielriel #anti elriel

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Does it not?? Because if we read the same book, then you'd quickly realise that if Gwyn was a lightsinger it would have been extremely apparent in that scene in the cave on ramiel.

Lightsingers are supposed to TRANSFORM into their true selves, horrible monsters, when in close contact with ANYONE seeing as their sole drive is to KILL ANYONE as Cassian described and they do it for SPORT. If Gwyn was a lightsinger she wouod have been slaughtering the illyrian males on that mountain without the need to hide in tree tops and get animals to chase her because it would've been EASIER for her to use her lightsinger abilities. But she has none because she ISNT one.

But my question is, how is Gwyn's presence in the bonus chapter *not* meant to be a red herring?

Az and Gwyn getting together would be a huge deviation from the setup Az has with Elain in the actual books. SJM isn't going to completely change the direction of the plot in a bonus chapter the majority of readers won't see. That simply doesn't make any sense.

Seriously, when has a bonus chapter ever had an effect on the direction of the plot? Their whole purpose is to fill in some gaps/give extra context/offer some fluff.

I would also like to point out the similarities between Nesta's thoughts/feelings towards Gwyn in SF and Azriel's in the bonus chapter.

"The priestess drew up to her full height, which was slightly taller than average for Fae females. A crackling sort of energy buzzed around her, and Nesta's power grumbled in answer." - ACOSF ch. 9

"Azriel entered the warmth of the stairwell, and as he descended, he could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him. Could have sworn his shadows sang in answer." - Az BC

"She honestly didn't know why she wished to see Gwyn." - ACOSF ch. 14

"A bell rang seven times somewhere nearby. (...) Gwyn sang, a faint glow seeming to radiate from her. (...) She'd never heard such music. Like a spell, a dream given form. (...) Something beckoned in Gwyn's song, in a way the others' hadn't. Like Gwyn was calling only to her, her voice full of sunshine and joy and unshakeable determination." - ACOSF ch. 52

"Instead, he found himself at the library beneath the House of Wind, standing before Clotho as the clock chimed seven in the evening. (...) Something sparked in Azriel's chest. (...) For whatever reason, he could see it." - Az BC

THIS is why so many Elriels think that the bonus chapter doesn't set up another couple, but instead gives more weight to the lightsinger theory.

There are too many similarities between how Nest and Azriel both react to Gwyn for this to be a coincidence.

And the fact that Azriel gets to the library at 7, which is when Gwyn sings (singing being the source of her power), it explains why he has these strong but seemingly inexplicable reactions. It's not a mating bond, it's Gwyn's lightsinging.

(However, I do want to add that I don't think this is being done purposefully on Gwyn's part.)

It makes way more sense narratively for the bonus chapter to make it look like Az may have another love interest when, in actuality, it's giving more evidence of another character's power, something already heavily hinted at in the main story.

You simply cannot convince me that there is any romantic tension between Az and Gwyn when the two don't even exchange any words until 80% of the way through ACOSF and she showed no interest in him romantically. And we are not going to see that tension for the first time in a bonus chapter that most people won't read.

#gwyneth berdara #gwynriel supremacy #pro gwynriel #gwyneth x azriel #pro gwyneth berdara #anti e/riel #azriel x gwyn #anti elriel #antielriel #did we read the same book

[buttoncup]

No but how stupid is it that ppl are trying to convince themselves that Gwyn is a lightsinger still, especially after close physical interactions with Nesta, Emerie, Az and Cassian throughout acosf?

As well as on ramiel where IF Gwyn was a lightsinger it would've been the PERFECT opportunity for Sarah to have written it after already mentioning the creatures in the bog scene??

How dumb to assume a romantic relationship between 2 side characters would be focused on more so than the 2 main characters of their own book?! No but the set up between Az and Elaine... I'm sorry what?? What set up? There has been not a SINGLE foreshadowing textual piece of evidence to support this pairing, when you look at the parallels between the wording used in scenes with Az and Gwyn with scenes written about Hunt and Bryce and Lidia and Ruhn, are you REALLY that obtuse?

THE BONUS CHAPTER IS IRRELEVANT...

Then why are you soooo hung up about it huh?? Is it because the chapter started with Elain and ENDED with Gwyn, you know, who's irrelevant, but has ties to the plot lines established in HOFAS? With links to the multiverse and Azriel because she's training to become a Valkyrie with Nesta?? Let me see how Elain ties in with that?? Yep, nowhere unless she's going to suddenly overcome her disgust of violence and blood, put those sneaking away from the river house visits to good use and join up with Az on his spymaster missions without any training and or skill we've read about on page? Sure, sure..

To not recognise that Sarah has a particular pattern, where set up, foreshadowing and how she chooses to write scenes using very similar wording to one's she's written hinting at and confirming mate relationships?? Come on because I can't with you guys now it's getting silly 😹

#gwynriel #pro gwynriel #pro gwyneth berdara #gwynriel supremacy #gwyneth berdara #gwyneth x azriel #azriel berdara #azriel x gwyn #anti e/riel #gwyn berdara #antielriel #anti elriel