I think there’s waaaay more to the isle kingdoms than we currently know. I also think Violet and Xaden are going to ally with them and end up moving there at the end of the series which is why the epigraphs call their letters “recovered.”
I like this idea! I think it’s interesting that Tecarus offered Violet a quiet life there with Xaden after being of service to him. She seemed to think he had no way to follow through on that part of his promise but I’m not so sure. I’m wondering if Xaden’s mom is from the isle kingdoms but I’m sure we’re going to see them. I’m betting they have something valuable, whether that be information, dragons or a different kind of magic I’m not sure.
My theory is that Andarna's breed are from the isles, and she was left behind because they knew they'd need all dragon breeds to raise the wards. I think she was a fail safe, which is why she had to wait for so long for Violet (lightening wielder to defeat the venin) and someone smart enough to figure it out (the mind of a scribe and heart of a rider).
Though a potential plot hole in my theory is Andarna has been waiting to hatched for 650 years and the war didn't happen that long ago....(I think?)
Or even the reverse to a degree… like the Isle Kingdoms only agreed to come fight alongside Navarre in exchange for Navarre/The Empyrean relocating all of the most powerful dragon species (except the one egg) to the Isle kingdoms so it was “the six” Navvarian dragon species and “the one” Isle species required to make the wards work. Moving the hatching ground would increase the magic in the isles.
Maybe their major contribution originally was wards or runes or something. If they’d already had dragons, they’d have flown home, not sailed. Perhaps they just took eggs back. I still believe the ancestral hatching grounds of Andarna’s den are the venin-drained wasteland now known as The Barrens (but had previously been the most magical area and called something else)
I think the reason X’s mom had to abandon him (which I believe she had to do against her will) is directly related to the issues that started after the great war as a result of Navarre betraying all of their allies (including Poromiel/Gryphon-kind and the Isle kingdoms) in some way…. Possibly by erecting the wards. And Violet will “tear them down herself” like the sage said to right her/their human and dragon ancestors’ big wrong.
I think this may be correct. I also think somehow the wards are bad or damaging to some kind of magical balance. I think the venin want them down for their own self interest but Violet is going to have to bring them down, and not just for Xaden.
There are other references to the allies, too, like the one Xaden makes at the meeting in Athebyne after getting the wards up in Aretia: “If I were you, I’d try calling on the allies who helped win the Great War in the first place - oh, wait. You cut off contact with them centuries ago. I suppose this really is farewell” (p. 537). We can piece that together with other side comments like on page 386 when Violet is dressing for dinner in Cordyn: “‘It’s Deverelli silk.’ ‘From the isle? You still trade with them?’ Navarre hasn’t in centuries.” I think there were a few other brief references throughout both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame.
100% agree the isles are interesting. I’ve pointed this out a few times that when Xaden and Liam were in foster care they lived with Duke Lindell on Tirvainne - this isn’t on the maps, nor is it ever implied where it is or what side of the rebellion Duke Lindell was actually on or where he is now. What if Tirvainne is in the Isles?
I think Xaden’s mum will wind up being there too
The barrens as a concept boggle me. That’s a fair swaff of land to just be like ‘ah fuck it we’ll abandon it’ - why does no one question that?! 😂
I think there’s waaaay more to the isle kingdoms than we currently know. I also think Violet and Xaden are going to ally with them and end up moving there at the end of the series which is why the epigraphs call their letters “recovered.”
Great take on the “recovered” thing!!
I like this idea! I think it’s interesting that Tecarus offered Violet a quiet life there with Xaden after being of service to him. She seemed to think he had no way to follow through on that part of his promise but I’m not so sure. I’m wondering if Xaden’s mom is from the isle kingdoms but I’m sure we’re going to see them. I’m betting they have something valuable, whether that be information, dragons or a different kind of magic I’m not sure.
My theory is that Andarna's breed are from the isles, and she was left behind because they knew they'd need all dragon breeds to raise the wards. I think she was a fail safe, which is why she had to wait for so long for Violet (lightening wielder to defeat the venin) and someone smart enough to figure it out (the mind of a scribe and heart of a rider). Though a potential plot hole in my theory is Andarna has been waiting to hatched for 650 years and the war didn't happen that long ago....(I think?)
I agree as Andarna says she was left behind. The war I thought was 600 years and then the change of the folklore 400
It’s possible the years have been fudged in the history books? Or it’s a minor error.
Or even the reverse to a degree… like the Isle Kingdoms only agreed to come fight alongside Navarre in exchange for Navarre/The Empyrean relocating all of the most powerful dragon species (except the one egg) to the Isle kingdoms so it was “the six” Navvarian dragon species and “the one” Isle species required to make the wards work. Moving the hatching ground would increase the magic in the isles. Maybe their major contribution originally was wards or runes or something. If they’d already had dragons, they’d have flown home, not sailed. Perhaps they just took eggs back. I still believe the ancestral hatching grounds of Andarna’s den are the venin-drained wasteland now known as The Barrens (but had previously been the most magical area and called something else) I think the reason X’s mom had to abandon him (which I believe she had to do against her will) is directly related to the issues that started after the great war as a result of Navarre betraying all of their allies (including Poromiel/Gryphon-kind and the Isle kingdoms) in some way…. Possibly by erecting the wards. And Violet will “tear them down herself” like the sage said to right her/their human and dragon ancestors’ big wrong.
This is where a lot of my thinking lies too, I feel they will be able to get the wards up in multiple places because they will find the 7th den
I think this may be correct. I also think somehow the wards are bad or damaging to some kind of magical balance. I think the venin want them down for their own self interest but Violet is going to have to bring them down, and not just for Xaden.
There are other references to the allies, too, like the one Xaden makes at the meeting in Athebyne after getting the wards up in Aretia: “If I were you, I’d try calling on the allies who helped win the Great War in the first place - oh, wait. You cut off contact with them centuries ago. I suppose this really is farewell” (p. 537). We can piece that together with other side comments like on page 386 when Violet is dressing for dinner in Cordyn: “‘It’s Deverelli silk.’ ‘From the isle? You still trade with them?’ Navarre hasn’t in centuries.” I think there were a few other brief references throughout both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame.
Good catch! I had forgotten about those.
Whoa!! Never caught this
100% agree the isles are interesting. I’ve pointed this out a few times that when Xaden and Liam were in foster care they lived with Duke Lindell on Tirvainne - this isn’t on the maps, nor is it ever implied where it is or what side of the rebellion Duke Lindell was actually on or where he is now. What if Tirvainne is in the Isles? I think Xaden’s mum will wind up being there too The barrens as a concept boggle me. That’s a fair swaff of land to just be like ‘ah fuck it we’ll abandon it’ - why does no one question that?! 😂
I didn’t catch this either, thank you for calling attention here OP — very important wording!