#HOSAB theories

[shallyne]

Updated Theory Post Part 1 kinda

1. Tiktok: Balthazar is Bryaxis

2. Nyx is born on Calanmai Tiktok Tumblr Post

3. The Weaver, The Bone Carver and Koschei are Valg

4. Feyre is a storyteller (like Emrys in Tog) Tiktok

5. Theia had a child with Aidas, Bryce is a descendent of that child Tumblr Post

6. Archeron sisters are witches/have witch blood

7. Feyre will be High Queen Tumblr Post

8. Feyre is a goddess (Deanna, Luna)

9. Mother, Maiden, Crone = Feyre, Bryce, Aelin

10. Mor will be High Lady of Dusk Court (starborn) Tumblr Post

11. Helion is a descendant of Theia -> Helion and Feyre have starborn gifts Tiktok Tumblr Post

12. Rhys, Ruhn and Dorian are related (Dorian = Feysands child? Tumblr Post)

13. Rhys is part Valg -> Witch? Tumblr Post

14. Tarquin and Feyre are Carranam

15. Archerons are descendants of the mortal queens (related to Vassa? Related to andromache?)

16. Bryaxis knows what's under Ramiel

17. Mor is playing a part in the crossover. Bryce will wield the starsword and Mor truth teller to defeat the asteri (ties in with Mor is starborn)

18. The Ouroboros Mirror is a Witch Mirror (Throne of glass)

19. Prythian is Hel (7 levels -> 7 courts) Tumblr Post

20. Apollion, prince of the pit, Illyrian? Leathery wings. Tied to Prythian is Hel theory, maybe

21. Cassian is a descendant from Enalius Tumblr Post

22. Hunt is a descendant from Enalius

23. Tying together point 21 and 22 -> Hunt and Cassian are related

24. Persephone and Hades -> Feyre and Rhys. Cerberus -> Bryaxis

25. Mother Archeron had intercourse with a demon/prince of hel -> Feyre is born, "princess of decay, princess of carrion"

26. Tying in point 25, Apollion is Feyres real father

27. "No King or Queen remained in these lands. No memory of their name, their lineage. At least amongst the humans. The Fae might know." - Acofas. Feyre talking about the southernmost part of Prythian. Archeron sisters = princesses with Fae lineage?

28. Rhys (and Nyx) is a worldwalker

29. Amren is a Valg Queen/Princess Tiktok

30. Fury is Sirius, the seventh Asteri

31. Syrinx is Sirius

32. Doranelle/Night Court castle similarities & Lorcan was in Velaris Tumblr Post

33. Brannagh and Dagdan were Berons illegitimate children - Beron is KoH brother

34. Feysand, Quinlar and Rowaelin are the same couple in different lifetimes

35. Enalius=Thurr

36. Lidia, Elain and Aelin are related

37. Feyre is a bloodhound. (found Ring, book of breathings and found out about Lucien and Helion.) Weaver called her little wolf. Called bloodhound in Chapter 32 of acomaf.

38. Mor is an acotar witch

39. Timeline of the universes are ACOTAR -> Tog -> CCity (based on Feyres powers)

40. Xian (acotar continent) is the southern continent (tog)

41. Bryaxis is Apollion

42. Baxian is the 7th Asteri

43. ⬆️ Or Baxian is from the dusk court

44. Rhys's last name is And

#acotar #a court of thorns and roses #throne of glass #tog #Crescent City #hosab #house of sky and breath #sjm #sjmaas #sjm theories #acotar theories #acotar theory #sjm multiverse #Tog theories #throne of glass theory #hosab theory #HOSAB theories #crescent city theories #crescent city theory #Throne of glass theories #Shallyne theories #Shallyne theory

[moondrawss]

—You remind me of the wind. —He tried to explain. —Powerful and able to cool or freeze with half a thought, shaping the world itself though no one can see you. Only your impact on things. 🔥

Lidia Cervos portrait

#lidia cervos #the hind #hofas #daynight #ruhnlidia #lidia x ruhn #lidia the hind #hoeab #cc #ccity #crescent city #hosab #cc hosab #cc hoeab #hofas spoilers #cc hofas #cc3 hofas #hofas bonus chapter #hofas theory #hofas thoughts #hofas memes #ruhn danaan #prince ruhn #ruhn crescent city

[offtorivendell]

My thoughts on the Bryce, Azriel and Nesta HOFAS bonus chapter...

Disclaimer: as suggested by the title, the following discusses the Walmart HOFAS bonus chapter featuring Azriel, Bryce and Nesta. I haven't read the main text, so it won't feature anything related to that, but there are massive Maasverse and HOFAS spoilers ahead regardless. Please beware.

These are just my initial thoughts, not expanded upon in any substantial way and, as usual, I could always be way off the mark.

Also, yes, fair warning that I'll be mentioning the ACOTAR characters a lot. If that's not your jam, and you'd rather avoid any of the possible implications of the crossover, then I'd give this post a miss. On the other hand, if you're interested in how CC/HOFAS may affect Prythian going forward, please read on.

Music:

The Stone Mother song has me 👀 especially as the stone and water were "talking" at the start.

@cassianfanclub and @wingedblooms have already posted about the Stone Mother (here and here); @ladynightcourt3 has found the Phrygian goddess Cybele, also known as the "Mountain Mother," who sounds very relevant.

That being said, am I crazy to think Elain could have been listening in? Is Azriel stone and Elain water? His stone siphons - which Elain called beautiful, did she hear their song, as kin? - and Elain possibly as water? Was she using salt water to boost her powers, or a reflection pool to scry, and keep tabs on her sister and friend?

Or is it the space between linking worlds? Are the old gods talking?

Alternatively, could stone be referring to Nuala and Cerridwen, who are capable of manifesting stone around themselves and others (ACOTAR).

Is this what SJM meant when she said we'd see Elain in "some form" in the next book?

@psychee92 said she wished that SJM had somehow included Mr Brightside, and now I wish the same; even a mention of indie rock. 😭

Josie and Laurel - "He/god will add/increase" "(laurel) trees/victory"? Elain? Lol sorry, but it's either giving gardener, or Elain killing Hybern.

Wraith-like harmonies? After the description of Josie and Laurel's voices? It's crack, but is it a metaphor for Nuala and Cerridwen?

The musical similarities between what Juniper dances to and Prythian's music?!

Azriel's humming/singing made the shadows dance, once more suggesting that shadows dancing is a response to power, not mate bonds

The music Az liked was death metal. Could this link to any sort of metal artefact, like an iron crown for grounding? Or wyrdstone jewellery?

The glass coffin?

"Nineteenth century literature presents the glass coffin as a prison within which sleeping women are frequently mistaken for dead or vice versa." (Source). It's giving Sleeping Beauty (credit to @elriell for the OG SB theory), and a little Snow White.

Check out this tale from The Brothers Grimm, which sounds... suspiciously relevant to Elain.

@cassianfanclub also suggested that it's giving necromancer vibes, and I'd love that for Elain.

Feyre once said she could sleep for a hundred years after coming back from the Prison, right before going to the Hewn City in ACOWAR. After Elain had left the room, and before Feyre went to check in on her to find her "asleep—breathing."

Let's not forget Elain's assistance in rescuing the human COTB, Briar, from Hybern's camp.

Will Elain prick herself while weaving?

I was tired enough that I could barely summon the breath to ask, “Do you think the Cauldron made her insane?” “I think she went through something terrible,” Lucien countered carefully. “And it wouldn’t hurt to have your best healer do a thorough examination.” I rubbed my hand over my face. “All right.” My breath snagged on the words. “Tomorrow morning.” I managed a shallow nod, rallying my strength to rise from the chair. Heavy—there was an old heaviness in me. Like I could sleep for a hundred years and it wouldn’t be enough. “Please tell me,” Lucien said when I crossed the threshold into the foyer. “What the healer says. And if—if you need me for anything.” I gave him one final nod, speech suddenly beyond me. I knew Nesta still wasn’t asleep as I walked past her room. Knew she’d heard every word of our conversation thanks to that Fae hearing. And I knew she heard as I listened at Elain’s door, knocked once, and poked my head in to find her asleep—breathing. - ACOWAR, chapter 27

Azriel specifically said Nesta "beheaded" Hybern, after looking down at Truth-Teller.

This is not Azriel giving Nesta credit for the assassination. If anything he's hiding Elain's involvement.

I've said before, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who has done so, but I would expect Azriel to protect his LI with silence, whoever they are.

He had to have been thinking about Elain, who I've theorised could now/soon be known as "The Shadowsinger's Knife" after she became the "knife in the dark" in Azriel's place at the end of ACOWAR.

The young girl sitting on the mushroom:

I'm still looking into the carving of the young girl sitting on the toadstool with the hound sprawled on the ground beside her, as I find it really interesting. My initial thought was that it seemed like a convenient place to drop a mention of a garden-like fairy carving with a hound right after Bryce had quizzed Azriel about his hypothetical mate, or lack thereof (Elain being both heavily associated with plant life, thanks to her "little garden," as well as dogs, after Nesta called her one in ACOSF).

I also wonder if it has anything to do with the Czech tale that amanita muscaria - while psychoactive/toxic - are said to protect from lightning and other ill fortune. If this is correct, it reminds me a little of the markings - wyrdmarks - on the Archeron cottage.

I don't know where Bryce and co were walking, as I have only read this bonus chapter and the prologue, but given it was carved on an underground wall, and I suspect that there are underground portals in at least the Hewn City and the Prison, and maybe the waterways... could it have been for protection against the invading lightning Asteri? Or did the Asteri (Daglan?) put them there to protect against Thunderbirds, or whatever Hunt is?

Miscellany

Maybe Bryce hadn't been sent there by Urd? Who then? Was @silverlinedeyes right all along?

The mention of pleasure halls seems like a call back to Azriel's bonus chapter, but it's also likely that they aren't all brothels (see Rita's).

Azriel listening closely about Nesta now liking being Fae; he could extrapolate her responses to Elain. Maybe she's no longer miserable, and in need of their pity. And maybe she's changed her mind from ACOFAS, when she said to Feyre "I don't want a mate, I don't want a male."

Azriel said "no" to whether or not he has a mate rather quickly. Hmm... the shadowsinger doth protest too much?

It's also potentially important that Nesta said "yes, WE are" curious about Azriel's mate status. Her, Azriel and most of the fandom! 😂

"Okay, okay," Bryce said. "But it'd be cool to know something about your world. Or about you." They were both silent. Bryce asked Nesta, "You have a mate, right?" She nodded to Azriel. "Do you?" "No." Azriel said quickly, flatly. "A partner or spouse?" "No." Bryce sighed. "Okay, then." Azriel's wings twitched. "You're incurably nosy." "I think that's the nicest thing you've said about me." Bryce winked at him. "Look, I just... I'm curious. Aren't you?" Azriel didn't answer, but Nesta said, "Yes. We are." - HOFAS, Bryce, Azriel and Nesta bonus chapter

All in all, while there were no overt mentions of Elain - and really, why would SJM do that in a series that wasn't Elain's own - imo we got the Elain-shaped holes in the text that I was hoping for, and I can't wait to see if there are any more in the full book.

#hofas spoilers #hofas bonus chapter #bryce azriel nesta bonus chapter #crescent city spoilers #hofas #hosab spoilers #acotar cc tog crossover theory #bryce quinlan #azriel shadowsinger #nesta archeron #elain archeron

[freyjas-musings]

Ruhn lidia commission of mine .... I have now become obsessed with them and I think people understand the why

Artist @Mikki_art

Characters belong to @SarahJMaas

Repost Not Allowed

#daynight #ruhn danaan #ruhnlidia #lidia x ruhn #hofas theory #hofas art #hofas #house of flame and shadow #Crescent City #house of sky and breath #hosab

[wingedblooms]

Flower of life

The flower of life is part of sacred geometry, which is the underlying form or geometry in nature (mindbodygreen). It symbolizes the balance of male and female energy in creation and contains the secrets of the universe.

The flower of life is another sacred geometric form. It is the symbol of creation. It is created by forming a circle then moving to the edge of that circle and forming another one. Each circle begins one radius away from the surrounding circles and is of equal size. (uoregon)

-

The striking visual is meant to represent creation, the sacred masculine and divine feminine, and cycles of life, death, and rebirth. Some believe the flower of life is also a key that can unlock hidden knowledge of time and space within its petal-like structures. (mindbodygreen)

-

“It is thought that the flower of life holds a secret within it—a circle, which in many cultures, is considered the 'zero point' or the 'origin' of us all," Dale says. "This is the Oneness that ties us together.”(mindbodygreen)

Sacred Geometry in the Maasverse

In the Maasverse, Sarah also uses sacred geometry to create balance between opposing forces and characters use this balance to channel power. Sometimes it’s a symbol, like the six-pointed star @silverlinedeyes highlighted in this post. She connected the six-pointed star to the three brothers and three sisters in theory because they bring together opposing forces—light and dark and female and male energy—and create balance.

“Ithan angled his head. “A six-pointed star,” he said. Like the one Bryce had made between the Gates this spring, with the seventh candle at its center.

“It’s a symbol of balance,” she explained, moving away a foot, but keeping the dagger at her side. Her crown of cloudberries seemed to glow with an inner light. “Two intersecting triangles. Male and female, dark and light, above and below … and the power that lies in the place where they meet.” Her face became grave. “It is in that place of balance where I’ll focus my power.” She motioned to the circle. “No matter what you see or hear, stay on this side of the candles.” (hosab)

When they come together, as we saw with Feyre and Rhysand in the original series, they may be able to channel their combined energies to achieve powerful creation or healing (e.g., reforging the Cauldron, creating a baby who’s named for a deity and is probably going to be unique, etc.). As Rhys said in acowar, the sisters are in his court for a reason, and Mor might have hinted this long before as @lesolehabitantdelalune pointed out in relation to the six-pointed star:

Mor stayed overnight, even going so far as to paint some rudimentary stick figures on the wall beside the storeroom door. Three females with absurdly long, flowing hair that all resembled hers; and three winged males, who she somehow managed to make look puffed up on their own sense of importance. I laughed every time I saw it. (acomaf)

The three Made sisters and the three winged brothers are all blessed by fate and seem to be even more important together. Six is a perfect number and seven—the point where they all meet—symbolizes completion.

So, how does this relate to the flower of life? The flower of life contains circles that create a six-pointed star (see below) and there is a circle in the middle where they all intersect.

Source: uoforegon

The flower of life also contains other symbols Sarah has used across worlds:

Throne of Glass Series

Aelin wore an amulet that warned and helped her when needed. It was called the Eye of Elena, which Manon corrects as the Eye of the Goddess. It is the symbol Blueblood prophets tattoo on their hearts to indicate that they are Goddess-blessed.

A large circle—and two overlapping circles, one atop the other, within its circumference. “That is the Three-Faced Goddess,” Manon said, her voice low. “We call this …” She drew a rough line in the centermost circle, in the eye-shaped space where they overlapped. “The Eye of the Goddess. Not Elena.” She circled the exterior again. “Crone,” she said of the outermost circumference. She circled the interior top circle: “Mother.” She circled the bottom: “Maiden.” She stabbed the eye inside: “And the heart of the Darkness within her.” (eos)

A Court of Thorns and Roses Series

The Bone Carver drew interlocking circles to represent the death-god siblings, two of whom were worshipped by the fae before they were trapped. Two out of three siblings helped Prythian in a bargain with Feyre and Rhys.

The Carver traced three overlapping, interlocked circles in the dirt. “You have met my sister—my twin. The Weaver, as you now call her. I knew her as Stryga. (acowar)

Crescent City Series

Bryce wears an Archesian amulet with entwined circles that keeps her hidden from those searching for the Horn.

Bryce zipped a tiny golden pendant—a knot of three entwined circles—along the delicate chain around her neck. (hoeab)

In the space between, I discussed all of these interconnected trios, including the sacred trio which I believe this all stems from (Mother, Cauldron, Fate) and the rose amulet chosen for Elain. Although it is not described in circles, Elain’s amulet glows with three colors—red, pink, and white—in the Faelight, mimicking Azriel’s observation that she glows like the dawn in the Faelight earlier in that scene. We don’t know if it contains any protective properties or whether it will even make a reappearance. But out of all the symbols we’ve seen with the divine number three, it is the only one in the form of a flower…except, that is, for the Cauldron.

The Cauldron as the Flower of Life

In hosab, the Under King hinted that Urd, the goddess of fate, might be Mother, Cauldron, and the Forces That Be all in one.

A pyre smoked atop a black stone altar in the center of the temple. A stone throne on a dais loomed at the rear of the space. No statues ever adorned Urd’s Temple—no depiction of the goddess had ever been made. Fate took too many forms to capture in one figure.

-

The Under-King rose, black robes drifting on a phantom wind. “I thought the Fae bowed to Luna, but perhaps you remember the old beliefs? From a time when Urd was not a goddess but a force, winding between worlds? When she was a vat of life, a mother to all, a secret language of the universe? The Fae worshipped her then.” (hosab)

As I’ve explained with help from @silverlinedeyes in this post, mother to all = Mother, vat of life = Cauldron, and a force = Forces That Be (which seems to be used interchangeably with Fate in acotar). Mother, Cauldron, Fate. Three interconnected parts of a whole.

If we’re to believe the Under King, the goddess of fate isn’t actually a goddess. It is the Cauldron, which moves like a force, is a mother to all, and possesses the secrets of the universe. The Cauldron is Sarah’s flower of life.

The Cauldron shattered into three pieces, peeling apart like a blossoming flower—and then she came. (acowar)

And it can be controlled through spells in the Book of Breathings. Those spells must be uttered by someone who is Made because like calls to like.

“When the Cauldron was made,” the Carver interrupted, “its dark maker used the last of the molten ore to forge a book. The Book of Breathings. In it, written between the carved words, are the spells to negate the Cauldron’s power—or control it wholly. But after the War, it was split into two pieces. One went to the Fae, one to the six human queens. It was part of the Treaty, purely symbolic, as the Cauldron had been lost for millennia and considered mere myth. The Book was believed harmless, because like calls to like—and only that which was Made can speak those spells and summon its power. No creature born of the earth may wield it, so the High Lords and humans dismissed it as little more than a historical heirloom, but if the Book were in the hands of something reforged … You would have to test such a theory, of course—but … it might be possible.” (acomaf)

The pieces of the Book seem to contain void, or cold cunning, and chaos.

Life and death and rebirth

Sun and moon and dark

Rot and bloom and bones

Hello, sweet thing. Hello, lady of night, princess of decay. Hello, fanged beast and trembling fawn.

Love me, touch me, sing me.

Madness. Where the first half had been cold cunning, this box … this was chaos, and disorder, and lawlessness, joy and despair.

Light and dark and gray and light and dark and gray (acomaf)

And these seem to be the same beings (forces?) that Apollion mentions in his own creation.

“Do you not know where I come from? My father was the Void, the Being That Existed Before. Chaos was his bride and my dam. It is to them that we shall all one day return, and their mighty powers that run in my blood.” (hosab)

If the Cauldron contains both Void and Chaos, which I believe it does as a bowl of life and death, then the Book of Breathings allows the wielder to control those forces. In the tog series, higher beings are forces that are part of the same consciousness. They are interconnected parts of a sacred whole. And we’re told early on, and repeatedly thereafter, that the Cauldron is the origin of everything.

Inside the Cauldron was nothing but inky, swirling black.

Perhaps the entire universe had come from it.

Azriel and Cassian tensed as I laid a hand on the lip. Pain—pain and ecstasy and power and weakness flowed into me.

Everything that was and wasn’t, fire and ice, light and dark, deluge and drought.

The map for creation. (acomaf)

Feyre put together the two pieces of the Book and as Amren predicted, there was a great, noticeable blast.

“You put the pieces together,” she clarified when Rhys gave her a questioning look, “and the blast of power will be felt in every corner and hole in the earth. You won’t just attract the King of Hybern. You’ll draw enemies far older and more wretched. Things that have long been asleep—and should remain so.” (acomaf)

So, it’s also probable an old and powerful enemy might come calling (ahem, Koschei and/or the Asteri). Does that mean someone might need to wield the Cauldron again, but to help and protect Prythian instead this time?

If so, that someone would need to be Made. All three sisters are Made, so I personally dream about all three of them wielding it together like the witches they are. But I also think it would make sense for Elain to wield it on her own or with her love interest. When she emerged from the Cauldron, Sarah described her appearance in detail—pale, delicate, beautiful, glowing.

More water than seemed possible dumped out in a cascade. Black, smoke-coated water. And Elain, as if she’d been thrown by a wave, washed onto the stones facedown. Her legs were so pale—so delicate. […] Elain sucked in a breath, her fine-boned back rising, her wet nightgown nearly sheer. And as she rose from the ground onto her elbows, the gag in place, as she twisted to look at me— Nesta began roaring again. Pale skin started to glow. Her face had somehow become more beautiful—infinitely beautiful, and her ears … Elain’s ears were now pointed beneath her sodden hair. (acomaf)

She has been described as wise, gentle, and kind, but doesn’t hesitate to do what is necessary to protect life and restore order, like a gardener whose glowing hands won’t hesitate to get dirty for a pretty result.

A Gardener’s Hands

It began with a cauldron. A mighty black cauldron held by glowing, slender female hands in a starry, endless night. Those hands tipped it over, golden sparkling liquid pouring out over the lip. No—not sparkling, but … effervescent with small symbols, perhaps of some ancient faerie language. Whatever was written there, whatever it was, the contents of the cauldron were dumped into the void below, pooling on the earth to form our world… (acotar)

Elain isn’t just connected to a flower amulet. She is a blooming flower in an army camp, a bloom of color and sunshine even in the middle of winter. She is Hope shining in the Void on the longest night of winter.

The River House had finally fallen quiet after the raucous Winter Solstice party, the Faelights dimming to cast little pools of gold amid the deep shadow of the longest night of the year. […] He knew he’d be swallowed by it if he went up to his bedroom, so he’d remained down here by the dying light of the fire. […] Soft steps padded from under the stair archway, and there she was. The Faelights gilded Elain’s unbound hair, making her glow like the sun at dawn. (Azriel’s bonus chapter)

Tell me, who is better positioned than the Cauldron-blessed gardener and seer to wield the flower of life? Sarah essentially set her up to defy Nesta’s command below, meaning she will not stay away from the Cauldron and might tend to a garden on a greater scale as a result.

“Why?” Elain demanded. “Shall I tend to my little garden forever?” When Nesta flinched, Elain said, “You can’t have it both ways. You cannot resent my decision to lead a small, quiet life while also refusing to let me do anything greater.”

“Then go off on adventures,” Nesta said. “Go drink and fuck strangers. But stay away from the Cauldron.” (acosf)

The issue, of course, is that the Book of Breathings is now in Midgard under the care of a sorceress whose past is a mystery and the name we know her under, Jesiba Roga, isn’t the only one she possesses. Now that the two worlds are connected, though, it seems like only a matter of time until the Book is (re)discovered. But will it find the right hands?

There are more immediate ways for Elain to defy Nesta’s order and engage the Cauldron even without the Book. In hosab, mystics combine energy from a male, female, and the space where they meet—both male and female—to achieve perfect balance. It is perhaps this balance of power that allows them to become the Eye of the Goddess, mapping the secrets of the universe and influencing others from afar. Mysticism involves achieving a higher level of consciousness and uniting with the divine. Similarly, the flower of life can be used as a tool for meditation and enlightenment.

Elain seems to have used mystic ability on her own when she located and appeared to the Suriel across the world, and it’s possible she could use Rhys’s orrery as to expand her map in future books. Since these are romance books, I think it’s important to mention that we’re told Azriel is fascinated by the orrery. And like a sacred vision as @offtorivendell, @merymoonbeam and @psychologynerd have pointed out, Feyre witnesses perfect balance between Azriel and Elain: her immaculate hand meets his scarred one in the space between where light and dark, life and death, and female and male combine.

Elain looked up at Azriel, their eyes meeting, his hand still lingering on the hilt of the blade. I saw the painting in my mind: the lovely fawn, blooming spring vibrant behind her. Standing before Death, shadows and terrors lurking over his shoulder. Light and dark, the space between their bodies a blend of the two. The only bridge of connection…that knife. (acowar)

Elain may not need anyone to navigate the space between with the Cauldron. But I have a feeling she will need something or someone to help keep her grounded as she expands her Sight and maybe even peers into Hel. If she does need to form a sacred trio to move beyond their world, then she, Azriel, and the Cauldron (which is both male and female), would suffice. As Feyre’s vision of the lovely fawn and Death seems to foreshadow, they would create perfect balance together. And maybe, just maybe, their bargain tattoo will represent that balance in the form of a blossoming flower where the Eye of the Goddess, her heart of darkness, remains half-hidden in the shadows with the secrets of the universe.

Read more about Elain’s arc and powers here.

#the cauldron as the flower of life #elain as its gardener #azriel as her groundskeeper #see what i did there? #😆😆😆 #elain archeron #azriel #elriel #hosab spoilers #crossover theories #maasverse theories

[nightcourtreader]

HOSAB SPOILERS!!!

So we know that SJM herself said that CC3 will set up the next acotar book.

I think it’s clear with the events of CC3, it’s going to have an impact on the next acotar book, it just makes sense. & I think that the events of acotar 5 will take place after the events of CC3. And we know it’s going to be a time jump from acosf to CC3, but Im not sure we know the exact timeline.

We know that with CC3, it picks up like almost right after CC2 and SJM has changed her stance on whether or not you should read acotar when it comes the CC series and she now has said yes, you will want to read acotar before CC. And if she’s saying that about CC then she might want readers to read CC before the next acotar book as well. Could be wrong tho, but we’ll see once we read HOFAS.

And I think that it’s clear that SJM wrote CC & acosf around the same time. She uses the same wording in certain parts of both stories and I think acosf directly connects to CC the most out of all her books so far.

With this recent teaser we see once again, Nesta and Azriel are being pushed in front when it comes to the acotar characters in CC3, especially since we’ve seen that Nesta and Azriel are a part of a bonus chapter with Bryce. But if you read acosf, I think it just makes sense why Nesta and Azriel are in the forefront. A lot of people keep freaking out about Cassian, saying where is he. He’s probably around but just not with Bryce, Nesta, and Azriel. That doesn’t mean any thing bad has happen to him.

It’s just that Nesta & Azriel’s plotlines are directly connected to CC already, more than Cassian. More than any other acotar characters in my opinion.

Nesta’s story arc is the one that really connects acotar to CC. We heard about the daglan from Rhys in acosf and SJM confirmed that the daglan and the asteri are one in the same.

In acosf Nesta went against a daglan/asteri, Lanthys, in the prison and killed him with her death sword. We also know that the sword gwydion in acotar is the starsword Bryce now has, which was dipped into the cauldron so I also think it’s considered a death sword since that’s where nesta got her power from.

We know that Nesta still has death magic in her. So I wonder if she can still create death swords to help Bryce in some way. Or maybe what if the asteri/daglan can be killed by death magic and that Bryce uses trove since they were cauldron made too and they are also death magic?

Also, the 8 pointed star. When Nesta & Cassian made a bargain, it appeared as a 8 pointed star on their bodies. The harp in the prison sat on top of a 8 pointed star when nesta went to go retrieve it. Bryce has a 8 pointed star on her chest. We got more about the star in CC2 but I think SJM will tell us more about it in HOFAS as well. But this is what Rigelus said about the star:

That star on your chest—do you know what it is?” “Lets assume I know nothing.” Bryce said grimly. Rigelus inclined his head. “It’s a beacon to the world from which the Fae originally came. It sometimes glows when nearest the Fae who have undiluted bloodlines from that world. Prince Cormac, for example.” “It glowed for hunt,” Bryce shot back. “It also glows for those who you choose as your loyal companions. Knights.” “So what?”Bryce demanded. So that star will lead us back to that world. Through you. They overthrew our brethren who once ruled there—we have not forgotten. Our initial attempt at revenge was foiled by your ancestor who also bore that star on her chest. The Fae have still not atoned for the deaths of our brothers and sisters. Their home world was rich in magic. I crave more of it.”

We see that Bryce’s bloodline hails from prythian. And the fae are originally from there. And the asteri want to use Bryce to get back to prythian. Rigelus is also speaking on the war that went on when Enalius, the Illyrian in acotar who fought against the daglan to protect that black stone on top of ramiel. The asteri wants to go back to Prythian to slay the illryians and the fae.

I personally believe that Bryce, Nesta & Azriel are in the prison in the teaser. I could be wrong because obviously illryia can come into play because the Asteri/daglan wanted to get to that black stone so bad during the war for some reason. But here’s why I think they’re going to the prison:

“Danika realized that the shifters are Fae.” Bryce blinked. “What?” “Not your kind of Fae, of course—your breed dwelled in a lovely, verdant land, rich with magic. If it’s of any interest to you, your starborn bloodline specifically hailed from a small isle a few miles from the mainland. And while the mainland had all manner of climes, the isle existed in beautiful, near permanent twilight.” (CC2, 762)

Rigelus is talking about the prison isle. It’s an isle away from the mainland of the night court. We know that the prison isle was there before high lords existed. And we learned that the daglan/asteri were in control before the high lords became a thing until they were slayed by both the fae and illryians. I’m pretty sure Bryce would want to go there to get some answers.

“You are Starborn, and have the Horn bound your body and power. Your ancestors wielded the Horn and another fae object that allowed them to enter this world. Stolen, of course, from their original masters—our people. Our people, who built fearsome warriors in that world to be their army. All of them prototypes for the angels in this one. And all of them traitors to their creators, joining the Fae to overthrow my brothers and sisters. A 1000 years before we arrived on Midgard. They slew my siblings.” (CC2, page 761)

So I wonder if the other fae object is the harp that helped them into this world. We’ve seen that it has many strings and can open doors to places. It makes sense for the harp to be used for them to get into the CC universe. And I of course think that Bryce’s horn is the fourth dread trove. And we see here that rigelus says that they created fearsome warriors that were prototypes for the angels in CC, who are fearsome warriors that already have wings in acotar? The illryians.

Now with Azriel, we know that truth teller is the twin knife to Bryce’s sword. Just for that alone he’s connected to CC. I now believe that Azriel would permanently give Bryce the knife. I just don’t see any acotar characters leaving prythian to go to Bryce’s world. They would literally be out of their element and the knife completes the prophecy in Bryce’s world.

Especially when at one point SJM said HOFAS was split in between prthyian and CC (and I know that could be subjected to change) and I don’t think the acotar characters need to take up many more page time in this story with so many open plot points from the other 2 CC novels that need to be solved.

But anyway, Azriel is an Illyrian. Rigelus (the asteri) himself stated that he and the other asteri bred fae & the demons from Hel in CC to make the illryians. We see that the demons in Hel had leathery wings and so does Apollion, the 7th prince of Hel and that’s why Bryce thought she was in hell when she saw Azriel because of his leathery wings.

We see that the illryians were the prototypes for the angels in CC. And that the asteri want to go back to Midgard and pretty much slay the illryians because they turned against the daglan/asteri in the war and aligned with the fae to take the daglan/asteri down. And the daglan/asteri were trying to get to the top of ramiel for that black stone, which is sacred to the illryians.

The illryians & Illyria are obviously a plot point for CC & could be for the next acotar book. The asteri literally created them. I might be wrong, but I could have sworn I saw some where that SJM pushed back the illryian storyline in regards for Azriel’s story, I could be wrong, but it’s clear that is in unrest in illryia with what happen with the war in acowar and how they’re not happy. Then Cassian and Azriel having illryians come and watch the valkryies in the blood rite qualifier and we know how they feel about women being warriors, and then the valkryies being thrown into the blood rite, the illryians aren’t going to be too happy and I can see a rebellion happening with them.

And if CC3 sets up the next acotar book then to me it’s just seem more likely that’s its Azriel’s, especially since he’s literally going to be in it with nesta, helping Bryce.

#Azriel #azriel spymaster #azriel shadowsinger #hofas #hofas theory #hosab spoilers #hosab #cc hofas #cc2 spoilers #cc hosab #acotar #acosf #nesta acosf #acotar 5

[yazthebookish]

I haven't made a fancy theory post on this because I'm not in the mood for it these days so I'll share it here until then.

Sangravah is at the Land of Dusk

Is there strong evidence for it? No.

But let's entertain it for a second.

We already got a confirmation in ACOMAF that only one temple out of the three that had the piece of the Cauldron's feet was in the Night Court—which is Cesere.

We don't know anything about Itica but we do get a mention of Sangravah in ACOWAR

It seems to be a place Lucien is also familiar with and Rhys owns a Sangra(vian) carpet.

The events of Sangravah were retconned to include Rhys and Mor because they were not involved—now why would SJM need to retcon such a minor detail? Unless she forgot.

A common question about this is:

If the temple is at another Court, How did Rhys, Azriel, and Mor bypass a Court's border or why would they even bother without informing the High Lord of that Court to also spare some of his soldiers to defend the temple?

That's a logical question readers have asked unless SJM made a special exception for them, but that doesn't make sense to me because in ACOMAF she made sure Rhys stays at the border of Spring while Mor rescued Feyre because a High Lord just can't come and go as he pleases into another Court.

And because of Gwyn's backstory, many readers including myself assumed that the temple has to be somewhere in those Courts, but again why wouldn't Rhys alert the other High Lords of an attack and none of the High Lords during their ACOWAR meeting mentioned anything about their temples being attacked (same goes for Itica).

So what if Sangravah is on a neutral land that does not belong to any Court or Kingdom (perhaps it once did).

That's why Azriel and co had to not worry about any political implications because it's not a land under any Court's jurisdiction.

So there's this little piece of evidence that I think could make this theory make a little sense (HOSAB spoilers ahead):

The popular theory is that the Land of Dusk (Dusk Court) could be the Prison Island, which is a popular theory that could be true because it was likened to an 8th Court.

But here is something I thought of:

What if the Land of Dusk is the isle between Day and Night? The location makes sense given the name and if it exists in a near permanent-twilight the way the Night Court has the most beautiful night sky.

And after the Starborn left, there might've been something left of it if it wasn't completely destroyed. They might've had temples and palaces.

It's also a safe assumption that Sangravah's temple is located in the mountains since Gwyn says they were so remote up there and she told Hybern's soldiers the children took the mountain road to get help.

This isle also has mountains (or maybe they're hills but they look like mountains to me).

And Gwyn mentioned something interesting.

She enjoys the Dusk services, not here (in Velaris), she means in Sangravah.

Now why would she prefer Sangravah's Dusk services over Velaris's? It could just be because they're mostly under a mountain but I do pause at any mention of Dusk/Twilight now to think twice about it meaning.

That's a small theory for today 🤍

#acosf #acotar #acotar theory #crescent city #hosab #house of sky and breath

[lexicologically]

Aelin can “rattle the stars”

The asteri are stars

That’s all

#throne of glass #crescent city #tog spoilers #sjm #hosab #hofas #hofas theory #not really a theory #just an observation

[shadowdaddies]

GUYS ⚠️CC2/HOSAB SPOILERS⚠️

I need to talk about the SJM live from tonight. She recanted her earlier statement saying that ACOTAR and CC could be read as stand alone series. I have a lot of thoughts on this but the major one that is my Roman Empire is Rhys and Feyre’s “death pact.”

The verbiage of the bargain isn’t that they’ll die together, it’s that when they go to “that place,” they’ll go together. Like I’m just so convinced that they’ll travel to Hel together with Bryce in CC3 which will fulfill the bargain.

Idk if this is already established but I haven’t seen anything about it and I think about it daily. I NEED to discuss

(also will we get any answers about Elriel vs Elucien bc I am so tired of the tension)

UPDATE w/ spoilers:

DAMN I was off. My new guess is that they’ll use Truth-Teller to cleave the deal or something lol

#SCREAMING #crescent city #cc3 #cc2 #hosab #hofas theory #hofas #feysand #acotar #a court of thorns and roses #ACOSF #a court of silver flames #acotar theory #acotar thoughts #HELP #Elucien #I also have thoughts about them #my adhd is showing

[silverlinedeyes]

Are HOFAS and ACOTAR5 going to be a tandem read ala ToD and EoS?

I know a lot of us have speculated that ACOTAR 5 might overlap some with HOFAS. But the more I think about it, the more I think HOFAS and ACOTAR5 are going to be essentially a(n unrequired) tandem read like EoS and ToD.

Sarah has said that you do not need to read CC to read the rest of the ACOTAR series, and vice versa. And that you won’t need to read HOFAS as an ACOTAR reader. But how would this work in practice?

I think the best and most logical way to do it is have ACOTAR 5 and HOFAS essentially overlap. That way she could show us what happens in HOFAS that’s relevant to the ACOTAR plot in ACOTAR 5, and she can show us what’s relevant to the CC plot in HOFAS, while Bryce is in Prythian. Doing it this way would not require her to spend large chunks of ACOTAR5 giving us the backstory of what happened while Bryce was in Prythian during HOFAS—instead, we’ll see what we need to see for the purposes of ACOTAR actually on the page in ACOTAR5.

Now, I do think that ACOTAR5 will start before chapter 78 in HOSAB (especially since things happened after ACOSF but before chapter 78 that are eluded to in chapter 78, like Az knowing where to find bryce and elain maybe moving to the townhouse) and likely will end after bryce returns to Midgard in HOFAS. But I expect that all of Bryce’s time in Prythian will be within the timeline of ACOTAR5.

Now imagine that at the beginning of HOFAS Elain is sent on a mission to find the fourth trove (to help get Bryce back) or to find the third trove weapon, or even to find out information to help contact Hel or Midgard. And Az insists on going with her to protect her. And a big part of acotar5 is going to be following them on that mission……(and that’s how Sarah unofficially confirms elriel 🤣🤣🤣)

I COULD SEE IT

#cc hofas #cc #acotar 5 #crossover theories #HOFAS #hosab spoilers

[avilyquinlan]

Interesting 🤝

#hosab theory #crescent city #bryce quinlan #hunt athalar #throne of glass #sarah j maas #hofas #aelin galathynius #feyre archeron #rhys acotar #acotar fandom #acotar #nessian #shadowsinger #azriel #acotar theory #crescent city theory #acowar #acomaf #acosf

[shallyne]

Hehehe we love theories

#acotar #a court of thorns and roses #Crescent city #Hosab #cc hosab #hosab theory #acotar theory #acotar theories #HOSAB theories #house of sky and breath #theories #sjm theories #cc theories #Shallyne theories #Shallyne theory

[biggestqiblifan]

Lidia braids Ruhn hair.

That's all I'm going to say.

#crescent city #cc3 #sarah j maas #sjm theory #sjm universe #sjm multiverse #sjm fandom #sjm books #sjmaas #sjm #lidia x ruhn #ruhnlidia #ruhn danaan #hofas #lidia cervos #maasverse #house of flame and shadow #hosab #house of sky and breath

[offtorivendell]

The Asteri, the Daglan, and Prythian's Court System

Disclaimer: this is a stupidly massive crack theory that could end up being disastrously wrong. Oh well.

Spoilers: the ACOTAR and CC series to date (I'm halfway through HOFAS right now, slowly plodding along, so nothing beyond that).

Image from ACOSF, Kindle edition.

Buckle up for some more of my nonsense! I think I could have discovered why Prythian's land has the Court and High Lord Systems. This theory still has a couple of wrinkles to iron out, but it's plausible, so I figured I'd share what I've got.

A massive thank you goes to @ladynightcourt3 and @psychologynerd for our chat yesterday morning, which led to this post. I love you guys! 💜

Full warning that this will A) be absolutely cracked, and B) contains Maasverse spoilers, including from HOFAS (up to around 40% I think), but I was mulling over what I'd read so far and this popped into my mind.

Part 1 - The Court System

Bryce made, I think, one hell of an assumption when she said the following in HOFAS:

Vesperus, the only Asteri left on this world, lay dead. - CC HOFAS, chapter 26

@wingedblooms and I have previously theorised that some of the barren regions in Prythian may be so because the death gods were trapped there, drinking the magic of the land, rendering it spent - lifeless - and possibly unable to power up a gateway to an interstellar rift. We both also think it's very interesting that one Elain Archeron was referred to as “a rose bloom in a mud field,” but I digress.

However, in HOFAS, we learnt that there was a Daglan/Asteri, called Vesperus (who considered herself the Evening Star and their god), trapped in a crystal coffin far below the Prison, which was once a land of Dusk.

The female’s long nails scraped along the lid of the coffin. She didn’t look at them as she tested the lid for weaknesses. “I am your god. I am your master. Do you not know me?” - CC HOFAS, chapter 24

It's interesting, no, that the region was named after the Daglan who ruled it? Was this common practice? Because we just so happened to learn, in Feysand’s ACOSF bonus chapter, that there was once an ancient Night Court goddess named Nyx.

You know, their son's namesake? Yikes. 🫣

“You may call me Vesperus.” The creature’s eyes glowed with irritation. “Are you related to Hesperus?” Bryce arched a brow at the name, so similar to one of Midgard’s Asteri. “The Evening Star?” “I am the Evening Star,” Vesperus seethed. - CC HOFAS, chapter 25

Silene, Theia's second daughter, who “escaped into the night,” gave us further information that appeared - to me, at least - to be incomplete. Or perhaps inaccurate? She had been taught by her mother, so she could have been fed certain things as facts. For example, was the land of Prythian really divvied up into seasons and times of day before the Daglan came to town?

The land strengthened. It returned to what it had been before the Daglan’s arrival millennia before. We returned to what we’d been before that time, too, creatures whose very magic was tied to this land. Thus the land’s powers became my mother’s. Dusk, twilight—that’s what the island was in its long-buried heart, what her power bloomed into, the lands rising with it. It was, as she said, as if the island had a soul that now blossomed under her care, nurtured by the court she built here. - CC HOFAS, chapter 19

The Cauldron was of our world, our heritage. But upon arriving here, the Daglan captured it and used their powers to warp it. To turn it from what it had been into something deadlier. No longer just a tool of creation, but of destruction. And the horrors it produced … those, too, my parents would turn to their advantage. - CC HOFAS, chapter 19

My sister and I grew older. My mother educated us herself, always reminding us that though the Daglan had been vanquished, evil lived on. Evil lurked beneath our very feet, always waiting to devour us. - CC HOFAS, chapter 19

Reading between the lines, I think it's just possible to link the powers of each land with the Daglan who once ruled over them. Perhaps each region - each “precursor” to a modern day Court - had a Daglan/Asteri buried underneath a barren peak, or in a body of water? Is this why the lands have frozen seasons, pools of starlight*, or powers based upon the light of the time of day? Because of a monster buried far, far below the surface?!

*Is there a Daglan entombed in a crystal coffin far below the surface, or is it a cache of firstlight, one that may be refuelled each Calanmai? Or, as @psychologynerd has suggested, is there a Made object of power that will draw Elain to the Spring Court?

Our home had been left empty since we’d vanished. As if the other Fae thought it cursed. So I made it truly cursed. Damned it all. - CC HOFAS, chapter 21

Despite my efforts to hide what this place had once been, a terrible, ancient power hung in the air. It was as my mother had warned us when we were children: evil always lingered, just below us, waiting to snatch us into its jaws. So I went to find another monster to conceal it. - CC HOFAS, chapter 21

I left, wandering the lands for a time, seeing how they had moved on without Theia’s rule. They’d splintered into several territories, and though they were not at war, they were no longer the unified kingdom I had known. - CC HOFAS, chapter 21

As a quick aside, I still suspect that Fionn may have been a Daglan - or similar, perhaps an Under King - who tricked Theia into thinking him a normal faerie and used her to overthrow his peers in order to gain more land for himself. It seems exactly like something a rogue Asteri would do.

Like I suggested earlier, could each region be named for its ruler? Because the names of at least one of the Midgard Asteri was, shall we say, coincidentally similar to the Daglan of Prythian, and others appear to match at least the solar courts.

Solar:

Dawn - Eosphoros

Day - Rigelus

Dusk - Hesperus

Night - Sirius

Seasonal (incomplete/unsure/probably incorrect):

Spring - Austrus?

Summer - Octartis?

Autumn - ?

Winter - Polaris?

As I said, the Midgardian Asteri don't perfectly match up to the seasonal Prythian courts, but it's too close to not consider as a possibility, imo.

Perhaps the lands of Midgard were broken up into solar regions and something else that wasn't seasonal? But given the Vesperus/Hesperus competition... maybe whatever species Asteri and/or Daglan are are strongest when travelling with a full complement of powers? And each "clan" (for lack of a better word) that travelled together had dawn, day, dusk, and night “lights,” as well as spring, summer, autumn and winter lights? Could it weaken them to be without a full cohort of powers? As @ladynightcourt3 said, it would explain why they were so upset about Sirius. Could Rigelus be hoping for a replacement to find them and return them to full strength, and that's why he keeps an empty throne?

Part 2 - The High Lords

No one knew that the infant who sometimes glowed with starlight had inherited it from me. That it was the light of the evening star. The dusk star. - CC HOFAS, chapter 21

An Asteri being buried under each Court could explain the high lord magic as well.The HLs are “a different breed,” per Lucien. Did the Asteri/Daglan need a Starborn Fae who is predisposed to holding, or withstanding, their magic? If this is the case, it would explain why the next in line to inherit the power - or who the magic chooses - isn't always a direct descendant of the previous high lord. Does it pass to the Fae with the strongest Starborn blood? And why the mountain shook when Mor got her first period. There has to be a Daglan/Asteri buried under the Hewn City.

That being said, why is it only men who can inherit the magic, and not women, especially when we now know that high ladies used to exist? Did Theia's betrayal made them distrust females in general, or was it something Seline did? Or is it because the women have the most/purest/strongest, starborn power, so did the men keep them down to use them as “breeding stock” in order to legitimise their rule, similar to what Pelias did with Helena?

Part 3 - Further Thoughts

I still wonder how Hybern and Hel could come into play here, because I think those lands are linked. A Valg/Hel Prince population on a different island?

@psychologynerd noted that we’ve previously connected the solar and seasonal courts, such Dawn = Spring, Day = Summer etc., and that it would track for Autumn and Dusk - an appropriately matched pair - to migrate together to Midgard. As an aside, this could tie in with the parallels shared by Azriel and Lucien, who may be/are linked to Dusk and Autumn. What if their power was connected via their “stars”?

@ladynightcourt3 wondered if Hesperus may have changed her name, hence Vesperus’ anger.

I can understand how a Daglan's presence may impart their magic into the land, especially if they're left buried - steeping? - in the soil for millennia, but how would that magic shape the faeries living there? Is it like I suggested in this post, that prolonged exposure to a powerful object allows a tie to be forged?

A bonus crack theory for fun - what if Merrill is a trapped Asteri? Either Nyx or Sirius, whom Apollion ate, and perhaps she escaped the pit of Hel through the base of the House of Wind library; nobody knows where she came from, she's descended from Rabbath of the Western Wind… her room is described as a cell and she called Nesta “girl” like Amren - an ancient - did. I dunno, but there's something about Merrill.

As always, thank you for reading! 💜

#hosab spoilers #hofas spoilers #acotar cc tog crossover theory #acotar theory #the dusk court #dusk court #the night court #night court #prythian #acotar #sjm books #maasverse #feysand #feyre archeron #rhys acotar #crack theory

[aelinfireheartgalathynius]

Remember when Aelin ripped open a portal to a hell-realm to punish the gods?

I have a feeling this is about to be extremely relevant. I know a lot of people are suggesting that the Asteri are the same as the Valg, and that may be true, but what if they're actually some (or all) of the gods from TOG? Gods that Aelin doomed to a "hell-realm"?

The princes of Hel in HOSAB already knew the Asteri and wanted to save others from them. Maybe they met when Aelin threw their worlds together?

Maybe I'm wrong about why Aelin's actions are important, but I have a feeling the moment she traps the gods is going to play a role in the greater multiverse. HOFAS can't come fast enough.

#throne of glass #sarah j maas #sjm #tog #aelin ashryver #sjmverse #crescent city #hosab #hoeab #hofas #hofas theory #aelin galathynius #asteri #valg #mine

[psychee92]

Why Elain giving back TT is significant [ACOSF & CC Spoilers] 

In ACOFAS, we learn what happened after Elain used TT to stab (or kill) Hybern.

“You honestly think he’d ever give up Truth-Teller?” “He gave it to Elain,” Mor said, admiring a moonstone necklace in the counter’s glass case. “She gave it back,” I amended, failing to block out the image of the black blade piercing through the King of Hybern’s throat. But Elain had given it back—had pressed it into Azriel’s hands after the battle, just as he had pressed it into hers before. And then walked away without looking back. Mor hummed to herself.”

I have seen many people using this argument against Elain having a connection to TT—when, in fact, it means the opposite, especially considering what we learn in both ACOSF and (most importantly) HOSAB.

But first, let’s recap what we know about Elain’s (alleged) connection to TT:

Azriel had never before let another person touch that knife—until Elain.

Elain, who had never used a weapon, accepted it, despite having rejected other options before (remember, Cassian had offered her a weapon prior to her accepting TT from Azriel).

Elain actually used it—and by using it, answered Feyre’s plea for help, thus saving Nesta and Cassian’s life.

When using TT, Elain stepped out of a shadow, something we have only ever seen Azriel do.

And by using TT, Elain ultimately changed the course of the war.

What is also interesting is that we see this scene through Feyre’s eyes—and the Cauldron’s, so we get a glimpse of how the Cauldron feels about Elain.

Now, at the end of HOSAB, we learn that TT is connected to the Starsword.

And what do we know about the Starsword?

That it actually answers to two people, not one. It recognizes and chooses both Ruhn and Bryce.

Yet Cormac glowered at the Starsword peeking over Ruhn’s broad shoulder. “Rumor has it that the sword sings for my bride, too.”

Ruhn seemed to force himself to look at Bryce as he said, “It’s true.” So he’d seen her glare, then. “The sword’s as much yours as it is mine.”

The Starsword deemed Ruhn worthy, and recognized Bryce as kin.

“That your son, not you, retrieved the Starsword from the Cave of Princes in Avallen’s dark heart. That your son, not you, stood among the long-dead Starborn Princes asleep in their sarcophagi and was deemed worthy to pull the sword from its sheath.”

Her sword—it was her sword, and Ruhn’s. And with that light in her veins, with the star that slumbered inside her heart, the Starsword had recognized her not as a royal, worthy Fae, but as kin. Kin to those who had forged it so long ago. Like called to like.

So we now know that TT can also have two owners: one deemed worthy, and one it recognizes as kin.

Because what else do we learn about these weapons?

“That sword belongs to Theia’s female heir. Not the male offspring who corrupted her line.”

These weapons are passed down the female line, not the male.

I am still surprised when I see readers connecting Bryce to Azriel through TT, when we know from HOSAB that the weapons belong to the female descendants of Theia, NOT the male.

Also interesting to note: Bryce does not want the Starsword—does not want to claim it.

“I don’t need a fancy sword to add to it.” “But I do?” “Honestly? I think you don’t know how special you are, Ruhn.” His blue eyes flickered. “Thanks.” “I mean it.” She grabbed his hand, and light flared from her chest. “The sword came to you first for a reason.”

The sword came to Ruhn first—just as TT came to Azriel.

And even more interesting: the scene where Bryce uses the sword.

The Starsword sang with light, her power flowing into it. Activating it. And nothing had ever felt so right, so easy, as plunging the blade into the bony chest of the wounded Reaper. It arced, bellowing, black blood spurting from its withered lips. The others screamed then. So loud she thought the sewer might come down, so loud she nearly dropped the blade to cover her ears.

Which mirrors the scene where Elain uses TT:

But as a black blade broke through the king’s throat, spraying blood, I realized someone else had. Elain stepped out of a shadow behind him, and rammed Truth-Teller to the hilt through the back of the king’s neck as she snarled in his ear, “Don’t you touch my sister.”

The Cauldron purred in Elain’s presence as the King of Hybern slumped to his knees, clawing at the knife jutting through his throat. Elain backed away a step. Choking, blood dribbling from his lips, the king gaped at Nesta.

Unlike with Bryce, however, we do not have Elain’s POV of the events leading up to this scene, or how she felt during it, so we do not know if the knife responded to her in the same way.

But it does make you wonder: did it feel as right to her, as it did to Bryce? Given how afraid she had been up until that point—vomiting from terror—she appeared as an avenging angel in this scene, almost as if she’s done this before, almost as if it felt right.

Also similar is the return of the sword and knife to the men who found the weapons first, who were deemed worthy to possess them. Despite Bryce using the sword, it returns to Ruhn, and stays with him until he asks her to take it with her.

Similarly, Elain returns TT to Azriel after using it. Will TT find its way back to her? Will Azriel, like Ruhn, offer it to Elain again?

Remember: when Azriel picks up the sword in HOSAB, it does not react to him. We do not see a change in him when he touches it, nor do we see any change in the sword when near the other IC members.

The male’s face didn’t soften as he picked up the sheathed Starsword, then gestured for her to step closer.

Elain is, of course, absent, and I am 99.99% sure that Sarah hinted at her being somewhere nearby (bread and roses) for a reason. Could this be it? Will the sword react to her the same way it reacts to Bryce? The same way the Cauldron reacts in Elain’s presence?

Could Elain activate the Starsword? Did she activate TT the way Bryce did, the way Nesta infused other swords with her power?

“Yes,” Amren said. “Only the Great Powers could do that—Gwydion was given its powers when the High Priestess Oleanna dipped it into the Cauldron during its crafting.” Cassian’s blood chilled, waves rippling over his skin. “One touch from Nesta’s magic while the blade was still hot …” “And the blade was infused with it.”

I still think that Nesta losing most of her powers at the end of ACOSF was done on purpose, to make Elain take center stage in future events. At this point, she is the only being alive who has Cauldron-given powers, similar to the Starsword and TT.

“You stole from the Cauldron,” I said to Nesta, who seemed ready to jump between all of us and Elain. “But what if the Cauldron gave something to Elain?”

And what does Bryce need at the end of HOSAB?

And she had no way to get home. Unless Aidas or Apollion knew how to use the Horn. Had magic that could charge it.

Bryce ends up in Prythian because she is looking for someone who can help. Sarah mentioned during one of her interviews that her ending up in Prythian while looking for help is not a coincidence—help is in Prythian.

With Nesta’s Cauldron-stolen powers mostly gone, Elain is the only one who can both use the Horn and the only one who has the power to charge it.

“Once, the High Fae were more elemental, more given to reading the stars and crafting masterpieces of art and jewelry and weaponry. Their gifts were rawer, more connected to nature, and they could imbue objects with that power.”

“When Briallyn was Made, it likely removed from her the Dread Trove’s glamour, for lack of a better term. Recognized her as kin. Where she might have glanced over a mention of the items before and never thought twice, now it stuck. Or perhaps called to her, presented itself in a dream.” All of them, all at once, looked at Nesta. “You,” Amren said quietly, “are the same. So is Elain.”

#elain archeron #elriel #hosab #maasverse #maasverse theories #acotar 5 #pro elain