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emilystheories · 1 year
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Aelin Galathynius created Prythian. She is the Mother.
This theory contains TOG, ACOTAR and (slight) CC SPOILERS!
Many, many thousands of years ago, Amren recalled that a huge "rip in the sky" appeared in her home world. Out of curiosity, Amren flew through this rip, and landed in Prythian.
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This perfectly aligns with Aelin ripping a hole in the sky of the God's realm. This is the most concrete piece of evidence that Throne of Glass took place in the past (something I have already theorised about).
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However, and most interestingly, it is suggested that Amren entered Prythian when it was being made - when the world itself was beginning to form.
If Aelin indeed created the "rip" in the sky that Amren went into - the timing suggests that Aelin's actions led to the creation of Prythian.
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And, although subtle, we actually have proof of this.
Recall that Wyrd was described as the thing that "keeps the realms apart:"
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But, when Aelin shut the gates between worlds at the end of Kingdom of Ash, we have this VERY important (and often overlooked) clue:
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Aelin caused for all worlds to overlap.
I believe this is how Prythian was born.
The Cauldron.
According to the mural that Feyre observes, Prythian was created by a female with "glowing, slender hands," who tipped a fluid with "strange symbols" (wyrdmarks), from the Cauldron, onto the land.
I believe this was Aelin - perhaps not literally, but metaphorically.
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But this begs the question; what exactly is the Cauldron?
For starters, we know that the Cauldron has 3 "legs". These legs provide most of its power (and this is an important clue!)
This is very similar to the 3 wyrdkeys in TOG; the very 3 wyrdkeys that Aelin embedded into her arm (and subsequently her blood) when she sealed the gates.
Aelin then gave over the 3 wyrdkeys, and all of her fire power to forge the new lock. It is this very power that is the essence of the Cauldron. 
As evidence of this, when we see the Cauldron's power in ACOWAR, it presents as Aelin's own power; "raw fire power," capable of burning an entire army to ash within seconds.
The Dread Trove.
The Cauldron also created the Dread Trove - and this is another very important clue.
The Crown.
The Crown can control and influence people - just like the wyrdkeys (and subsequent wyrdcollars and rings controlled people in TOG).
The Mask.
The Mask can control the dead - just like the wyrdkeys could create armies of dead people; a power Erawan desperately wanted.
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The Harp.
The Harp can open portals to different locations, and potentially different worlds and realms. This is one of the key features of the wyrdkeys.
In fact, it was said the 3 wyrdkeys were needed to create a wyrdgate.
The Cauldron has 3 legs (that I believe are the 3 wyrdkeys Aelin yielded to seal the lock).
Thus, the Cauldron *IS* a wyrdgate.
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Cauldron = Wyrdgate.
As further proof of this, to "nullify" the Cauldron, Amren had to:
give up her current body,
forget about those she loved,
and unleash her power of "light and flame."
Which is just like Mala Fire-Bringer; who also had to:
give up her current body,
forget about those she loved, (in fact, both her and Amren both warned that they will no longer "remember" their loved ones),
and unleash her power of "light and flame", in order to forge the lock, and shut the wyrdgate.
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But, recall that when Mala's plan didn't work, Aelin (and Dorian) had to give all of their power to reforge a new lock, in order to seal and shut the wyrdgate once more.
This is just like Rhys in ACOWAR; in order to re-seal the Cauldron, he had to give over every inch of his power.
In fact, when Aelin and Dorian's power were used together, and in combination with the wyrdkeys, it was described as "creation and destruction," and the "beginning and the ending."
These are the exact same terms used to describe the Cauldron - and I'd argue the exact same *power* of the Cauldron (but more on that later).
And, as a side note - at one point, the Cauldron's power was even described as "fire and ice"... (ring any bells?)
The Lock.
Further, when Aelin and Dorian were sealing the wyrdgate shut, they had to make a "lock."
The lock they made was the Eye of Elena. This is perhaps the most important clue in this theory; that this very symbol and mechanism allowed for the creation of the Cauldron.
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However, we learn in later TOG books that this symbol isn't just known as the Eye of Elena, but also as the "Eye of the Goddess." This is because it was first a sacred witch symbol, created by Rhiannon Crochan.
Crochan means Cauldron.
Additionally, the Eye of the Goddess was named as such, as it is said to represent the Three Faced Goddess (that the witches worshipped), and her three counterparts;
The Maiden
The Mother
The Crone.
It's for this reason that I believe the Cauldron was created from the Eye of Elena, or the Eye of the Goddess lock, as it too follows the principles of Maiden, Mother, and Crone.
We see clear evidence of this when Elain, Nesta and Briallyn were thrown into the Cauldron.
Elain was made into the Maiden.
The Maiden often symbolises innocence, beauty and blossoming.
In TOG, the Maiden was represented by the Blueblood witches, who were the "oracles, mystics, and zealots."
Elain was made into a Seer.
The Bluebloods also required more iron (as it was said that they were the most powerful), and it is rather interesting that Elain (presumably) wears an iron ring.
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Nesta was made into the Mother.
The Mother often symbolises maturity, responsibility, and power.
In TOG, the Mother was represented by the Blackbeak witches, who were the warriors - known for their "obedience, discipline, and brutality."
Considering the multiple references to Nesta making a fine General in an army, as well as the parallels between Manon's thirteen, and Nesta's Valkyries - it makes perfect sense.
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Briallyn was made into the Crone.
She was, quite literally, turned into an old woman by the Cauldron.
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Creation and Destruction.
Knowing that that the Cauldron was made from the Eye of Elena/Eye of the Goddess, as well as the 3 wyrdkeys, as well as Aelin's own power that she donated to forge the lock, and seal the gate - this can explain Nesta's own power.
Nesta's power manifested as "cold" flame, one that seemingly burned without a trace.
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We have already seen this before;
Aelin's moon-fire,
and Kaltain's shadow-fire.
The commonality between these two? Both women were in possession of the wyrdkeys.
The same wyrdkeys that the Cauldron now possess; the same power that Nesta stole.
And, all in all, this makes perfect sense. The Cauldron is a wyrdgate. Wyrd is the "language of the universe," it is the power of both creation and destruction, life and death.
Nesta's power symbolises one half - Death.
And, it's for this reason that I believe that Elain's powers (that are yet to be revealed), will symbolise the other half - Life. Creation. (And, I also have an inkling that she will be the one to rebuild the Dusk Court with this very power).
We also know that the Cauldron loved Elain. If the Cauldron was indeed created by Aelin - that she is it's Mother - then perhaps it's no coincidence that "Elain" is an anagram for "Aelin"....?
A portal too?
If the Cauldron is indeed a wyrdgate - then recall that Feyre threw the Book of Breathings into it.
Now, Jesiba Roga possesses that exact book.
Does this tell us that the Cauldron is in fact a wyrdgate to Lunathion, and the Crescent City world...?
Knowing all the connections between the Cauldron and the witches - and Jesiba being a witch herself, it makes sense...
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mystical-blaise · 3 months
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Everyone's all like flexible Gwyneth Berdara is gonna be ruined by Azriel's giant wingspan, but no one talks about how a very tiny human Elide would be literally destroyed by her 7ft tall, hunky demi-fae male.
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lorcandidlucienwill · 6 months
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Chaorene vs Feysand Pregnancy
A lot of people have pointed out that Feyre’s pregnancy trope is awful, but I haven’t seen anyone compare it to Yrene’s yet and I think it would help a lot of people understand the countless problems with it. First let’s discuss Yrene’s pregnancy: Yrene's baby was a regular human baby so it carried minimal risk to her life. Actually, she hid her pregnancy initially because she didn't want Chaol to worry, but clearly, the baby was entirely her choice. But even after Chaol found out, it didn't stop Yrene from healing a bunch of people on a daily basis, including removing Valg from human bodies. Chaol had an insane amount of faith in her, so much faith that even though he was worried as hell, he trusted Yrene to take on the DEMON KING Erawan which she did and won because she is a baddie. Even Lorcan points out that he's "not sure Yrene is human" because she's such a queen. Clearly, being pregnant didn't stop her from taking action. Now let's discuss Feyre's pregnancy: Feyre was complaining about being seen as a "trophy wife" by Tamlin (I just don't see this at all but go figure), yet after being constantly objectified by Rhysand, being sexually assaulted, and playing his whore, she finds herself a year later isolated from everybody, forced to walk around with a heavy shield and unable to go anywhere without heavy protection, forced to hide her pregnancy from everyone until it was "deemed safe," and she was unaware of the fact that her baby will most likely kill her. Rhysand threatened Nesta into not telling and when she did tell her (as was in her right), he nearly killed her. Not to mention Rhysand was acting like a possessive asshole, antagonizing everybody who got anywhere near her. But canonically, Feyre is very powerful. So why the hell doesn't he trust her? Why does he isolate her? Yet I see Chaol get an insane amount of hate from this fandom and Rhysand doesn't get nearly enough. Yrene's pregnancy is inspiring. Feyre's pregnancy is the upholding of toxic masculinity and underlies the major problems with pro-choice advocacy. It's amazing that both are written by the same author. But it shows that SJM is capable of writing a proper story if she actually tries.
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gracie-rosee · 1 year
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You know something? Aedion gets so much hate for absolutely no reason. Yes, he has had some questionable behavior but not once was it ever actually misplaced. He had every single right to be mad at everyone in KoA for lying to him about something that would affect him for the rest of his life.
They reduce his entire character to his actions in a very small part of one book. Have you forgotten how loyal, strong, smart, caring, passionate, soft, optimistic, courageous, kind, brave, reliable, genuine, honorable, thoughtful, gentle, compassionate, and selfless he is? Please.
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nesta-attorney · 3 months
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Everyone: AELIN NO
Nesta: Aelin YES
Bryce: Aelin yesssssssss
Manon: Aelin YES AELIN YES
Gwyn: Aelin yes~
Emerie: Aelin yasssss
Lidia: Aelin yeSSSSSSSSSS
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the sjm love declarations are my roman empire
rhys: I would have waited five hundred more years for you. A thousand years. And if this was all the time we were allowed to have... The wait was worth it.
feyre: I see all of you, Rhys. And there is not one part that I do not love with everything I am.
rowan: I love you. There is no limit to what I can give to you, no time I need. Even when this world is forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will love you.
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sadiegirl2021 · 2 months
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Lucien: What does the tattoo mean?
Rowan: It's the story of how I failed the female I thought was my mate.
Lucien: Cool, cool, cool, cool... So, can I get your artists number?
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offtorivendell · 3 months
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Is an oily residue corrupting Azriel's hypothetical mating bond and making him feel off kilter? Is it related to Valg-type magic?
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Disclaimer: this theory is a continuation of a few of my others that I've been too lazy to post until now - first I was going to post it for Elriel Month 2023, then Azriel Week 2023... it never happened - but like everyone else I'm having massive FOMO before HOFAS, so here we finally go, even though I know I've forgotten something lol. As usual, this makes no claims of being accurate, it's just theorising for fun.
A massive thank you goes out to @wingedblooms, @tswaney17, @silverlinedeyes, @psychologynerd, @ladynightcourt3, @cassianfanclub, and anyone else I've forgotten (sorry!) for all of our discussions that finally became this post. Love you guys. 💜
Spoilers: this is a Maasverse post, and draws from the ACOTAR series, CC 1 & 2/HOEAB & HOSAB, and the TOG series. It is CC 3/HOFAS spoiler free, as I'm waiting to read it in its "original English" 🤓 on the 30th of January. Please be respectful of that if engaging in the comments before it's published!
Plenty of people, including @silverlinedeyes, @icedflames and myself, have posted our thoughts on mating bonds in the Maasverse, and this theory builds on those previously established - though again, as yet hypothetical - ideas. Specifically, this post about the use of “oily” throughout the ACOTAR series is recommended reading.
What we do know is that:
Mating bonds contain threads, and so do spells.
Mates are the song/music of the soul, and their laughter is likened to music.
Different fae, and magics, contain different scents, be that personal or regional
First, let's go back to ACOWAR, when Feyre described the Ravens' entrance into the library as being like an off-kilter chord:
I felt it at the same moment she did. The ripple and tremor. Like … like some piece of the world shifted, like some off-kilter chord had been plucked. We turned toward the illuminated path that we’d just taken through the stacks, then to the dark far, far beyond. - ACOWAR, chapter 30
Initially, I had wondered if the King of Hybern had had Jurian use the Harp to infiltrate Velaris, but it was @merymoonbeam (I think) who theorised that the Cauldron might be mimicking the Harp, and maybe not doing the best job of it. Which made me wonder, could it do the same with mate bonds?
He left the rest unspoken. Because her mate was here, sleeping a level up. Because her mate had been in the family room and Azriel had needed to stay by the door the whole time because he couldn't stand the sight of it, the scent of their mating bond, and needed to have the option of leaving if it became too much. - ACOSF, Azriel's bonus chapter
Looking at her now … She was pale, yes. The vacancy still glazing her features. But he couldn’t breathe as she faced him fully. She was the most beautiful female he’d ever seen. Betrayal, queasy and oily, slid through his veins. He’d said the same to Jesminda once. But even as shame washed through him, the words, the sense chanted, Mine. You are mine, and I am yours. Mate. - ACOWAR, chapter 24
What if the Elucien bond, as either a spell or piss poor Cauldron-Made approximation of a bond, causes Azriel - and maybe Elain, possibly Lucien - nausea when Lucien is around because it's constantly changing, or reverberating over the top of, what remains of a hypothetical Elriel bond?
What if it's making the Elriel bond off-kilter, out of whack, imbalanced?
Does this make Azriel feel sick, nauseous, or simply overwhelmed/overstimulated?
When people are feeling off-balance, for whatever reason, they can feel sick or nauseous. It's one of the symptoms of vertigo, which can be triggered by severe headaches such as migraines. And guess who rubs their temples? Azriel!
Alternatively, certain chords played loudly enough on a string instrument can really mess with your chest - and where do mating bonds attach - if you're standing close enough for them to vibrate through you (at least, they do for me haha). It can be weirdly disconcerting, and I'd imagine that if Azriel or Elain feels something like this, no wonder he describes such severe discomfort that he needs to leave, and she shrinks away from Lucien, the unintentional cause of her pain.
Same with the smell; if the magic of the Cauldron, in whatever way, is messing with the smell that should be there? Contaminating it? Unbearable.
Is this too crack for you? Well, let's get even crazier.
I have previously suggested that the Cauldron's actions throughout the series could be tracked, in part, by SJM describing a feeling or quality as “oily,” and I've also wondered if the dark maker of the Cauldron - Koschei? - could have hijacked it in some way, as the Book of Breathings being made from leftover iron gave me “One Ring” vibes. I still stand by that, but with a clarification (and here is where the TOG and CC spoilers come in, FYI). I think it's only half of the magic belonging to the Cauldron that is "oily":
Throughout TOG, the Valg are heavily associated with “oiliness,” in terms of their blood and magic. The smell “reeks” and always results in the involved characters experiencing extreme revulsion, including headaches. Sound familiar?
Wyrdstone has an oily, hideous aftertaste.
Even in CC 1/HOEAB, Danika was described as oily when she came into Griffin Antiques.
Celaena looked at the sealed door, her stomach turning. A half-dried pool of blood lay at the base of the door, so dark it looked like oil. She crouched, swiping a finger through the puddle. She sniffed at it, almost gagged at the reek, and then rubbed her finger against the pad of her thumb. It felt as oily as it looked. - COM, chapter 45
“What the hell is that?” Rowan demanded, kneeling beside her, sniffing her outstretched hand. He jerked back, snarling. “That’s not dirt.” No, it wasn’t. It was blacker than night, and reeked just as badly as it had the first time she’d smelled it, in the catacombs beneath the library, an obsidian, oily pool of blood. Slightly different from that other, horrific smell that loitered around this place, but similar. So similar to— “This isn’t possible,” she said, jolting to her feet. “This—this—this—” She paced, if only to keep from shaking. “I’m wrong. I have to be wrong.” There had been so many cells in that forgotten dungeon beneath the library, beneath the king’s Wyrdstone clock tower. The creature she’d encountered there had possessed a human heart. It had been left, she’d suspected, because of some defect. What if … what if the perfected ones had been moved elsewhere? What if they were now … ready? - HOF, chapter 45
The overseer roared, thrashing as her magic swept into him, melded with him. But there was nothing inside to grab on to. No darkness to burn out, no remaining ember to breathe life into. Only— Aelin reeled back, magic vanishing and knees buckling as if struck. Her head gave a throb, and nausea roiled in her gut. She knew that feeling—that taste. Iron. As if the man’s core was made of it. And that oily, hideous aftertaste … Wyrdstone. The demon inside the overseer let out a choked laugh. “What are collars and rings compared to a solid heart? A heart of iron and Wyrdstone, to replace the coward’s heart beating within.” - EOS, chapter 15
* Side note, it's giving Tamlin and his stone heart.
Danika didn’t just look like she’d been rootling through the garbage. She smelled like it, too. Wisps of her silvery blond hair—normally a straight, silken sheet—curled from her tight, long braid, the streaks of amethyst, sapphire, and rose splattered with some dark, oily substance that reeked of metal and ammonia. - CC HOEAB, chapter 1
The Hind held Ruhn’s gaze as the game began. She was the spitting image of Luna, with her upswept chignon, the regal angle of her neck and jaw. As coldly serene as the moon. All she needed was a pack of hunting hounds at her side— And she had them, in her dreadwolves. How had someone so young risen in the ranks so swiftly, gained such notoriety and power? No wonder she left a trail of blood behind her. “Careful now,” the Harpy said with that oily smile. “The Hammer doesn’t share.” The Hind’s lips curved upward. “No, he doesn’t.” - CC HOSAB, chapter 33
I think the dark maker of the Cauldron could have been Valg, whether that's Koschei or someone else I don't know though Koschei currently makes the most sense. I also don't know when the dark maker would have had the chance to influence the Cauldron; was it always made from dark and light, or - as @fawnandshadows theorised a while back - did Koschei bastardise it after the fact? Where the Valg would fit in with the Daglan and the Asteri is also a mystery, though my current train of thought is that they could be family names or allegiances, like different clans of the same parasitical species, thanks to the description of Danika in HOEAB.
But, back to Azriel and his severe reaction to the Elucien bond.
I know I'm not the only one who wonders at the very Valg-ish themes with which Rhys and Azriel's powers have been described - maybe one day I'll post my thoughts about the possible link between lightsingers, shadowsingers, daemati and the Valg (but it is not this day lol) - and how that may have come about. For example, are the Valg interwoven, genetically, with the Avallen people, or is it because the Princes of Hel are also involved, and have similar magics? Are the Princes of Hel a similar species as the Valg, Asteri and Daglan, or completely different? Ugh, let's stop this spiral here.
Oily: the obvious train of thought being that oily things are slippery, which can lead to an imbalance… ie. becoming off-kilter.
Sounds like Azriel could be suffering from some sort of vertigo, of which symptoms can include nausea; severe headaches, such as migraines, may trigger an episode… and who rubs his temples enough that Elain noticed it?
Maybe Azriel can sense the corruption in the bond, either the current Elucien bond, or the hypothetical original bond between Elain and himself; if like calls to like, and his shadows are Valg-ish, maybe it is because his OG bond was fucked with. So, what if:
Azriel's shadows can slip away from spells and binding magic (Slippery > oily > Valg).
The guards at the prison know what he is.
Valg magic making Azriel nauseous and Elain sourcing/making a healer's powder for him? It's giving Chaol and Yrene. Especially since Elain (and Mor) make his shadows brighten.
So, we have in-text mentions of Azriel feeling overwhelmed due to the proximity of the Elucien bond, as well as Elain shrinking from Lucien - an action that parallels Azriel hanging out in the doorway, and even Lucien retreating to the human lands, if he feels any bond-related discomfort around Elain. But what about his initial response to seeing Elain, and thinking she was the most beautiful female he'd ever seen? The quote that sent me down the “oily” rabbit hole to begin with?
Looking at her now … She was pale, yes. The vacancy still glazing her features. But he couldn’t breathe as she faced him fully. She was the most beautiful female he’d ever seen. Betrayal, queasy and oily, slid through his veins. He’d said the same to Jesminda once. But even as shame washed through him, the words, the sense chanted, Mine. You are mine, and I am yours. Mate. - ACOWAR, chapter 24
Well, Aelin felt oily disgust at the thought of marrying someone who wasn't Rowan:
“There are no allies,” Darrow said. “Unless Her Highness decides to be useful and gain us men and arms through marriage”—a sharp glance at Rowan—“we are alone.” Aelin debated revealing what she knew, the money she’d schemed and killed to attain, but— Something cold and oily clanged through her. Marriage to a foreign king or prince or emperor. Would this be the cost? Not just in blood shed, but in dreams yielded? To be a princess eternal, but never a queen? To fight with not just magic, but the other power in her blood: royalty. She could not look at Rowan, could not face those pine-green eyes without being sick. - EOS, chapter 5
This example from Aelin could describe Azriel and Elain’s potential future if Elain accepted a theoretically Cauldron spelled bond to Lucien, but also for Lucien and Jesminda, if they were originally true or fated mates before she was murdered.
Some final thoughts:
We know from TOG that healing light is known as the Valg executioner. In a parallel to Yrene killing Erawan with her healing light in KOA, Elain killed the King of Hybern - who I suspect was possessed or assisted by a Valg, as Feyre described his magic as a “galaxy” in his palms - with Truth-Teller, which had recently devoured the (her?) sunlight; does this mean that Elain could heal or purify Valg possessed things, with or without the magical, Made dagger? Could this be extrapolated to Azriel's magic, the Dread Trove, or even the Cauldron (possibly with Feyre and Nesta for the bigger ticket items)?
If the Asteri are the same species as the Valg, and the Valg somehow had a hand in making or twisting the Cauldron, it could follow that they used the Cauldron to create offspring bonds for a more powerful food source. If this pans out then Elain, bright light, could hypothetically heal the Cauldron. Maybe that is why Azriel describes her with purity language? Not because SJM wants to display Azriel's apparently toxic thoughts about her (🙄), but because she, along with her sisters, will be his/their salvation? Rhys once said as much to Feyre!
@mrspettyferr has suggested that Azriel's shadows ability to hide him from binding magic - see: the High Lord's meeting in ACOWAR - could have prevented his true bond from snapping with Elain when she came out of the Cauldron. This could be supported by any Valg/shadow link.
Thank you for reading! Please don't mention any CC HOFAS spoilers in the comments or reblogs until after it has been officially published. 💜
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l14099l · 2 months
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Apparently we have to clarify the obvious, so here we go.
> Elain and Nesta are the female leads of their respective spin-offs/novels.
> Feyre is the FMC of the Acotar saga!
It doesn't matter how many spin-offs, novels or povs there/be part of Acotar, Tog and CC. Feyre, Aelin and Bryce will always be the fmc's of their respective sagas.
Main characters are those who, without them, there is no plot.
Funny how this only need to be said when is about Feyre, never see no one saying that Aelin and Bryce aren't the fmc's of their saga even with the multiple povs in tog and cc and a book for Chaol, Yrene etc in tog.
Put some respect on FEYRE ARCHERON name!!
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FACTS.
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gabilina · 4 months
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Sarah J Maas and her beloved Rowaelin
So… long time ago I was sitting in my room relaxing, when I found an interesting post on Instagram. The creator of this post goes by a nickname @yaz.the.bookish
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nyxowl16 · 3 months
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Unpopular opinion: TOG >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ACOTAR>>CC
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freyjas-musings · 1 year
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The Leading Ladies of SARAH J MAAS
All characters belong to Sarah J Maas and Repost is not allowed across any Media Platforms
Artist - Guilia Art
Aelin from ToG
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Feyre from ACOTAR
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Bryce from Crescent City
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lorcandidlucienwill · 5 months
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The fact of the matter is that Sjm could’ve ended Chaolena in a perfectly amicable way. Rather than the Nehemia shit and the delightful bit of intimate partner violence from Celaena, we could’ve had Chaol see Celaena butchering people and realize he could never be with someone who didn’t value life like him; bc no matter how much he killed or how bad the person was, he’d never be desensitized to that sort of thing; not like Celaena was. And we could’ve had them depart as friends without the false promises of Celaena always choosing him and a story where there’s no vilification of a past lover. But SJM loves bringing down one love interest to pull up another. Maybe they’re just not RIGHT for each other and it has nothing to do with how good of people they are.
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loveyazy · 2 months
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wanna post my theory before Elain's book is here
I know people say Feysand is Hades x Persephone, but NO. Wrong. They're Beauty and the Beast as well. Rhys is literally described as having a beast mode/version/side. People are scared of him. He's misunderstood, etc. And because these are retellings, some things are changed. Like for instance, Rhys teaches HER to read, the way Belle taught the Beast to read in the Disney version (I can't recall if they do that in the original fairytale).
I think Tamlin x Feyre were the BatB fairytale retelling, and Feysand were more the Disney BatB retelling.
Hades kidnaps Persephone in the original story. Rhys tells her he wants her to come to the Night Court as part of her deal. You know who else makes a deal to stay with them? Belle and the Beast.
And yes, Rhys takes her away from Tamlin, but that's literally the only similarity to Hades x Persephone they have. Feyre was never spring-like to be Persephone, but who is?
ELAIN.
Elain is actually going to be the Persephone retelling. She is SPRING and where is she? In the Night Court, aka The Underworld, and ope, who is the male she likes? Azriel. Hades kidnaps Persephone and makes a deal to keep her in the Underworld. I don't think Az is obviously going to "kidnap" Elain, he doesn't need to, but I do think some sort of deal will be made, finally ending any sort of tie of her to Lucien and breaking the mating bond (because let's be honest, everyone and their mate getting together is boring af and is honestly why I'm kinda eh about all the mate reveals in her books now but I digress). Also Az's personality fits Hades much more than Rhys did. Hades has been written as a quiet, reserved introvert who likes to stay in the "shadowy darkness of his realm". Does that sound like Rhys or Az? I mean. It's right there, really.
Now the other retelling was Snow White and The Seven Dwarves, and other than a total crack explanation that Nesta went through several men before finding her prince, aka Cassian, (they did say her mother wanted a prince for her and Cassian was referred to as the Prince of Bastards so....?) it's hard for me to really place them as Snow White, but there wasn't another retelling in the first three.
People say oh three brothers, three sisters, so boring. And everyone and their mate getting together is what? Not boring? Not easy? I would LOVE for someone to finally break the mating bond and say yeah no, I don't want you.
Possibly hot take: Nessian would have been 100000000x better if they didn't turn out to be mates. The reveal at first was like WHAT. And then like five seconds later, I was like, "ope, wait. I hate this."
*spoilers up to cc2, all acotar, and tog 7 in the tags
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mogitz · 11 days
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Golly, I’m almost done with the first TOG and our lovely heroine already has TWO potential love interests and - spoiler alert - she doesn’t end up with either of them. Because her real love story will come later after lots of world building, character development, and story telling.
Kind of like a particular High Lord and his High Lady.
It’s almost as though SJM doesn’t just throw her main character at the first person she has an attraction to / chemistry with. It’s like she actually likes her characters to take the long road to one another for a better payoff.
Weird.
I’m just sayin I haven’t once seen her write MAIN love interest storylines where the two characters hit it off immediately and lived happily ever after. And no, the shallow “they have to choose each other despite not being mates / they are actually secret mates / forbidden love 💕” theories do not track here, either. Not the way SJM writes.
Be mad about it.
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