Details You Missed in 'Fourth Wing' and 'Iron Flame' by Rebecca Yarros

Publish date: 2024-05-17

The much-anticipated sequel to Rebecca Yarros' "Fourth Wing" was published on November 7.

"Iron Flame" immediately became a New York Times bestseller, and fans are already eager for the next installment in the series, which is plotted for five books.

Yarros has yet to announce a publication date for the third book in the series, and her publisher, Red Tower, didn't respond to Business Insider's request for comment on when it may hit bookshelves.

The "Empyrean" series, which follows Violet Sorrengail's journey to become a dragon rider at Basgiath War College, is packed with action and romance. So much happens in both "Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame" that it's easy to miss small details that turn out to have huge significance for the story.

So while you wait for the next book to come out, take a look at some of the things you may have missed in Violet's story so far.

This article contains heavy spoilers for the "Empyrean" series.

The prologue is ominous

Rebecca Yarros wrote the "Empyrean" series. Rebecca Yarros/Red Tower Books

"Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame" both open with the same short prologue, which states that the book is a recounting of real events in the world of Navarre.

"The following text has been faithfully transcribed from Navarrian into the modern language by Jesinia Neilwart, Curator of the Scribe Quadrant at Basgiath War College," the prologues read. "All events are true, and names have been preserved to honor the courage of those fallen. May their souls be commended to Malek."

Some readers may have skipped the prologue, thinking it superfluous to the text, but the short paragraph offers important clues about the "Empyrean" series.

First, Jesinia is an important character in the series, as she is Violet's longtime friend who helps her translate the texts that contain instructions for raising the wards that protect Navarre. Her close relationship with Violet likely colors the text, and her role confirms that Jesinia survives at least long enough to translate the text, as does Basgiath.

But some fans fear the dedication indicates beloved characters — like Violet and her partner Xaden Riorson — could die before the end of the series, as it's written in part to "honor the courage of the fallen."

Both installments contain clues about Violet and Xaden's second signets

Signets are the unique powers riders manifest after they bond with a dragon in the "Empyrean" universe. The signet comes from the dragon's power, and Xaden's dragon Sgaeyl tells Violet in "Fourth Wing" that they "reflect who you are at the core of your being."

It's standard for riders to have one signet, such as Violet's brother Brennan's ability to mend or her mother's power over storms. In "Fourth Wing," Xaden reveals he can create and control shadows, while Violet manifests the ability to create lightning.

But Yarros introduces the concept of riders having two signet powers in the second book — and reveals that Xaden has a second signet he has been hiding.

In "Iron Flame," fellow riders Visia and Sloane ask Violet if she will develop a second signet since she is bonded to two dragons. Sloane then tells Violet that riders manifest a second signet "when a dragon bonds a rider in the direct familial line as its previous." It's common knowledge that Xaden is related to Sgaeyl's previous rider, though he reveals to Violet her rider was his grandfather, so she immediately realizes he has a second signet after Sloane's comment.

When she confronts Xaden, he tells Violet that he is a type of inntinnsic, or mind reader, who can read people's intentions. Inntinnsics are not allowed to live in the "Empyrean" universe because of the danger they pose to others, and Xaden has only stayed alive because he kept his power a secret.

Although the signet was secret, Yarros left clues about Xaden's ability throughout "Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame." For instance, in one of Violet's first encounters with Xaden, he keeps her hidden in shadows so other children of rebels don't notice she is there, as he knew at the time that she didn't want to betray them.

Yarros also confirmed Violet does have a second signet and that it had already manifested in "Iron Flame" in an interview with Variety's Jennifer Maas, though she did not say what the signet was.

There are several theories as to what her second signet may be, from distance wielding (more on that in a minute) to resurrecting the dead.

There were hints that Brennan was alive throughout 'Fourth Wing'

Violet believed her brother Brennan was dead throughout "Fourth Wing," but he was revealed to be alive and fighting for the rebels in Aretia at the end of the book.

Yarros left subtle clues in "Fourth Wing" that he was alive, though.

For instance, when Violet and Xaden meet, she tells him, "Your father killed my older brother. Seems like we're even," and he responds, "Hardly." At first glance, the comment seems like an offhanded remark of frustration, but it's actually a subtle indication they are not even because Brennan is alive.

"Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros. Red Tower Publishing

The most glaring clue that Brennan was alive came from an interaction between Violet and her friend Liam at the Reunification Ball, when she told him Brennan would hate the celebration.

"Yeah, sounds like…" Liam responds before stopping himself, nearly revealing he knows a very alive Brennan.

But Violet never picked up on the subtext, only discovering Brennan was alive after he mended her at the end of "Fourth Wing."

'Fourth Wing' also contained clues that Jack Barlowe turned venin

In the "Empyrean" series, venin are humans that steal power from the land, sacrificing their souls in the process. They also create wyvern, evil versions of dragons, and Navarre's wards keep both creatures out.

Violet's nemesis Jack Barlowe revealed that he had turned venin in "Iron Flame," but Yarros first hinted at his transformation in "Fourth Wing."

Most notably, Jack used his venin power on Violet when he challenged her during their training at Basgiath, pushing his stolen power into her by holding her face and causing her immense pain.

"Agony fills every cell in my body as violent, vibrating energy rips through me with an intensity that makes it feel like he's cleaving ligament from bone, muscle from tendon," Violet describes the pain. The "violent, vibrating energy" is the power he stole from the land.

She goes on to say that it feels like Jack is "forcing his own power into" her body and notes that he has a "red rim around his eyes" as he attacks her. The venin are known to have red circles around their eyes, so looking back, it was obvious that Jack had turned.

Violet's mother was searching for a cure to turning venin

"Iron Flame" by Rebecca Yarros. Red Tower Publishing

At the top of the final chapter of "Iron Flame," there is a section of a note from Colonel Nolon Colbersy, a mender, to Lilith regarding the venin.

"We have tried every method we know of, as you requested. There is no cure. There is only control," it said.

The note indicates Lilith was looking for a cure to turning venin, but Navarre's officials weren't able to create one before she died at the end of "Iron Flame."

The note does not indicate when or why Lilith was looking for the cure, though fans have a few theories. Some think Lilith herself could be venin, while others think her husband may have actually turned, not died, as Violet believes.

Tairn's previous rider may not be dead

When Violet first hears of Tairn in "Fourth Wing," she is informed that his previous rider, Naolin, died trying to use "resurrection" to save Brennan. He was a siphon, which allowed him to take power from dragons and other riders, and he tried to use those powers to save Brennan, according to a Basgiath professor.

The Navarre government thinks Naolin's attempt was unsuccessful, but he was able to save Brennan — though Violet's brother never says Naolin died. In "Iron Flame," Brennan says "it cost Naolin everything" to save him. That cost could be death, but it could also be turning venin and losing his humanity.

Tairn also never tells Violet exactly what happens to Naolin. He comes up when Tairn warns her against using too much of her power in "Fourth Wing" during their battle with the venin.

"I will not watch another rider die because they do not know their own limitations," Tairn tells Violet, to which she responds, "I'm not Naolin." Tairn never said Naolin died because of his limitations, though Violet takes his comment that way.

Violet also offers Tairn condolences about Naolin in "Iron Flame," saying, "I'm sorry your rider died saving my brother."

Instead of confirming the nature of Naolin's supposed death, Tairn says, "We will no longer speak of the one who came before," again making what happened to Naolin feel less certain.

Some fans think Naolin is the venin Sage who has appeared in Violet and Xaden's dreams, using his defunct connection with Tairn to break into their minds.

There are multiple descriptions of dragons with bad breath

Throughout "Iron Flame," Yarros describes several winged creatures as having issues with their oral hygiene.

Violet says Baide, Jack's dragon, has "dank" breath; she wonders if Dain Aetos' dragon Cath has something "decaying" in her mouth because of how her breath smells; and she thinks Major Varrish's dragon Solas' breath is "fetid."

The wyvern are also described as having rotten teeth in "Iron Flame."

In both installments of the "Empyrean" series, Tairn, Andarna, and other dragons are described as having breath that smells of sulfur — which is also not a pleasant scent — when they breathe fire or smoke. But Yarros is specific with her language in those instances, making her deviation to more vague words like "decaying" notable.

Perhaps the descriptions mean nothing, but TikToker Lucies Library thinks the dragons with putrid breath are connected to venin somehow.

There could be a connection between Andarna and distance wielding

At the end of "Iron Flame," Andarna confesses to Violet that she is not a black dragon like Tairn.

Instead, she is a seventh type of dragon unknown to modern humans, and she tells Violet she waited 650 years to hatch so she could bond with her specifically.

Just a few chapters before Andarna's revelation, Violet asks Xaden if he is a distance wielder when she confronts him about his second signet, thinking to herself, "I've only read about two riders in all of history who could cross hundreds of miles in a single step."

"There hasn't been a distance wielder in centuries," Xaden responds before they move on to discuss his actual second signet.

The mention of distance wielding and how long it's been since one appeared feels intentional, particularly when Yarros reveals mere chapters later that Andarna had been waiting hundreds of years for Violet.

It's possible there's a connection between the lack of distance wielders and Andarna's decision to wait to hatch; distance wielding could even be Violet's second signet. Only the third "Empyrean" book will tell.

Buy "Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame" now at Amazon.

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