Abby and Ronnie are back with a WILD deep dive into our favorite foxy red head, Lucien Vanserra! Get ready for some mind-blowing theories about everyone's favorite emissary as we explore his mysterious past, questionable loyalties, and potential future.
We kick things off debating whether Lucien and Elain are truly mates (spoiler: it's complicated!). While there's definitely a physical bond between them—Elain even feels that famous "tug on her rib"—something seems off about this pairing. Unlike our other mated couples who were instantly drawn to each other, Elain literally cringes away from Lucien when they first meet! Plus, when Nesta was thrown into the Cauldron, Cassian was crawling through his own blood to reach her, while Lucien just... staggers forward a step? Something seems off with these two.
Then we jump into the Spring Court spy saga and bring receipts that Lucian knew Feyre was deceiving Tamlin within MINUTES of her return. That metal eye sees EVERYTHING! But instead of exposing her, he plays along with her scheme, even helping create the illusion that he's vying for her affections. Is this Lucien's fox moment, or is he just done with Tamlin after the Hybern disaster? We explore why his loyalty to the Spring Court was finally starting to crack.
We dive deep into the tragic day Jesminda died and uncover some shocking revelations about what really happened. What role did Eris play? How did he anonymously get word to Tamlin? And why does he say “we know nothing” of what happened that day?
We theorize that Jesminda might be connected to Gwyn's grandmother—the river nymph who "seduced a high fae male from the Autumn Court." The timing works, the description matches, and Lucien has been to Sangravah! Could Lucien actually be Gwyn's grandfather? And what if Jesminda didn't actually die that day? The possibilities are mind-blowing!
Our investigation of Lucien's powers leads us to some jaw-dropping connections between his abilities and his parentage. That spell-cleaving white light? Definitely from Helion! But what about his fire powers? We explore the possibility that his mother's line traces back to something far more ancient and powerful than we've been led to believe.
We round it out with a look at why Lucien didn't save Feyre from the Naga. Was he playing matchmaker, intentionally setting up Tamlin to be her hero? Or was he still harboring resentment over Andras's death? Either way, this fox is definitely keeping secrets!
Spoilers for the ENTIRE Court of Thorns and Roses series, plus Massverse spoilers in the latter part of the episode!
Follow us on social media:
Email us your questions and theories at dragonsinthedetailspod@gmail.com - we love hearing from you!
Please remember to rate, subscribe, and review! We really appreciate it!
#acotar #sarahjmaas #lucien #lucienvanserra #elain #elainarcheron #azriel #tamlin #feyrearcheron #rhysand #jesminda #eris #helion #gwyn #fantasy #podcast #bookstagram #romantasy #booktok #bookpodcast #bookpodcasts
Time Stamps:
00:00 - 04:55: Intros and Sara Bareilles concert tangent
04:55 - 10:09: Episode overview and announcements
10:09 - 17:03: Corrections, omissions, and social media shout outs
17:03 - 37:01: Are Lucien and Elaine truly mates?
37:01 - 42:23: Could Calanmai magic be affecting Lucian and Elaine?
42:23 - 49:14: Did Lucian know Feyre was spying on the Spring Court?
49:14 - 56:23: What happened the day Jesminda died?
56:23 - 1:04:06: Is Jesminda connected to Gwyn's grandmother?
1:04:06 - 1:12:08: Why didn't Lucien save Feyre from the Naga?
1:12:08 - 1:22:02: Will Lucien become a High Lord?
1:22:02 - 1:30:31: Massverse discussion: Are Lucian and Elaine truly mates?
1:30:31 - 1:36:50: Where do Lucien's abilities come from?
1:36:50 - 1:39:21: Is Lucien hiding more than we think?
1:39:21 - 1:42:42: What we're reading and outro