Your favorite literary chaos agents Abby and Ronnie are back with “Onyx Storm: Mailbag #3 / The Epilogue” - answering all your burning questions about the ending of Onyx Storm! This mailbag-plus episode dives into your comments, theories, and the details we missed in our previous discussions.
We kick things off with a deep dive into the identity of "the brother" - examining your compelling arguments for Garrick, Aaric, and even some wild cards like Panchek! We bring receipts on the timeline discrepancies, chapter overlaps, and why we're still firmly Team Bodhi despite your excellent counterpoints. Could Imogen's chapter be happening in parallel with Xaden in the valley? We analyze every possible male character in the battle and whether they could fit the criteria!
Next, we tackle Xaden's mysterious plan and the stolen dragon eggs. Could they be gathering materials to fire another Wardstone? We break down the exact timeline for dragon maturation (only 3-4 years!), discuss whether they'd need an Irid's help, and question how anyone would know which color each egg would hatch since “only elders” know what color a hatchling’s scales will be.
Then we address the passionate debate about where Xaden and Violet got married - was it really Unnbriel or did they risk everything by returning to Aretia? We examine the evidence: the ceremonial dagger from Dune's temple in Aretia, the favor owed, and the practical challenges of a Venin walking into warded territory. Something doesn't add up!
We round out with our wildest theories yet - how will Violet find Xaden? Could it be the stupid broken compass? Could it be Cat's mind-blowing tracking runes? Or is it possible that the Irids can track each other the way Venin can?
In our most revealing Precog Corner yet, we get into evidence that Violet isn't just dreamwalking while people sleep - she's entering minds while they're fully awake! We also theorize that when Xaden writes "it is yours now," he might be giving up more than just his title - what if Venin lose their human names entirely when they turn? The implications are heartbreaking!
Spoilers for the entire Empyrean Series (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm)
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Time Stamps:
00:00 - 03:18: Intro and 90s food nostalgia
03:19 - 06:53: Announcements and episode overview
06:54 - 11:07: The Brother debate - Garrick timeline theories
11:08 - 18:16: Could Imogen's chapter be happening in parallel?
18:17 - 22:42: Arguments against Bodhi being the brother
22:43 - 31:08: Examining Aaric as a candidate
31:09 - 35:07: Wild card theories (Panchek, Sawyer, and secret sons)
35:08 - 41:05: Xaden's plan and the stolen dragon eggs
41:06 - 49:18: Dragon scales being hereditary and what it means
49:19 - 54:22: Where did Violet and Xaden get married?
54:23 - 59:57: How will Violet find Xaden?
59:58 - 1:05:16: Irids tracking each other and Leothan's mysteries
1:05:17 - 1:11:17: Precog Corner: Dreamwalking while awake theory
1:11:18 - 1:15:36: Precog Corner: Venin names and identities
1:15:37 - 1:19:00: What we're reading and outro