#acotar5

[fernwehreader]

So excited to come home from my family vacation time / social media hiatus to fantastic news from SJM herself about her ACOTAR drafting! 🎉

So what did SJM's post reveal? Not much! But we can certainly have fun theorizing and making some inferences. It's all subjective, but let's have some fun with it!

I think the fact that SJM is leaning into a pine/mountain area vibe seems intentional--very Terrasen coded for sure!

But, what do I think of the visuals we got from her "Decomposition Notebook" and the imagery from a location of a grassy valley surrounded by pine, among a mountain background?

My opinion?

FRIENDS. ILLYRIA IS CALLING OUR NAME.

The Illyria plot, Ramiel, and the aftermath of the Blood Rite are central to Azriel, Cassian, and our Valkyries . . . and this has me very excited.

Am I reading too much into it? Maybe. Again, it's all conjecture at this point. But I also don't think it's an accident that SJM chose to show a notebook (which states ACOTAR 6 on the cover) that matches a mountain and pine tree terrain which she also included in the background as she popped champagne.

Why do I think this may be an intentional Easter Egg? Well, for starters, pine trees are central to the Illyrian landscape--it's referenced repeatedly throughout the series, even before ACOSF. But it's worth noting how often these mentions and breadcrumbs are described in just ACOSF alone and how they are used in conjunction with topics such as Ramiel, the Valkyries, Eris, Gwyn, fire, or a specific feeling that the pine trees or the landscape itself invokes--not to mention how often these details are referenced during the Blood Rite.

Need convincing?

Let's turn to the texts:

FROM ACOSF:

"But even as she sat on that rock and stared at the swaying pines covering the mountains, she watched Cassian from the corner of her eye, aware of every graceful movement, the rasp of his steady breathing, the flow of his dark hair in the wind."

"But Cassian paused before a landscape painting of a towering, barren mountain, void of life yet somehow thrumming with presence. Snow and pines crusted the smaller peaks around it, but this strange, bald mountain … Only a black stone jutted from its top. A monolith, Nesta realized, stepping closer. Cassian murmured, 'I didn’t realize Feyre had painted Ramiel.'"

"Cassian hated to admit it, but for a spoiled, soulless asshole, Eris had his uses. Mostly one: the bubble of heat that warmed them against the chill winds wending through the pines of the Illyrian Steppes. Some fire magic to warm their bones."

"Eris winked before winnowing away. Alone in the howling wild, Cassian blew out a breath. Embraced the chill winds, the pine-fresh scent, and willed it to wash away his irritation and discomfort."

The wind murmured, wending between the peaks. Shadows slowly crept over the craggy sides of the mountains, the lingering sun casting their upper limits in gold, the chill deepening with each inch yielded to the rising dark. The river roared down the mountainside, a constant rushing that she’d heard throughout the day as they walked, its many rapids just barely visible from the outlook. Even here, with the light fading, the river’s colors shifted from slate to jade to pine as it wandered between the peaks along the valley floor. It was all so still, yet watchful, somehow. As if she were surrounded by something ancient and half-awake. As if each peak had its own moods and preferences, like whether the clouds clung to or avoided them, or trees lined their sides or left them bare. Their shapes were so odd and long that they looked as if behemoths had once lain down beside the rivers, pulled a rumpled blanket over themselves, and fallen asleep forever."

"Scents hit her. Male, varied, and so many— Hard, cold ground lay beneath her bare legs, pine needles poking through the thin material of her nightgown. Chill, blood-icing wind carried all those male scents above a tide of snow and pine and dirt."

"Slowly, silently, she twisted in place. Unconscious Illyrian warriors were strewn around her. At her back, at her head. At her bare feet. More surrounded her, at least two hundred, stretching between the towering pines. The Blood Rite."

"Nesta refused to consider it as she hurried through the pines, putting distance between herself and the sleeping warriors before she found a towering tree. She climbed, sap quickly coating her fingers, and when she cleared the canopy … Ramiel might as well have been across an ocean. It loomed straight ahead, with two mountains and a sea of forest and the gods knew what else between her and its barren slopes. It looked identical to Feyre’s painting."

"The magic recognized her as a person and not a thing. She hadn’t realized how badly she’d needed to be shown that distinction. She inhaled the pine and distant promise of snow. Alive. Even in this hellscape, she was alive."

"She pushed off the tree. Slipped to the next. And the next. Followed the river, her steps barely more than the whisper of water over stone. Through the pines, down the hills. The rapids increased, the rocks rising like black spears. A waterfall roared ahead. If Emerie had gone over it … "

"They halted behind two pines, surveying the terrain, the snow-heavy sky. Nesta consulted her charm. “That way,” she said, inclining her head to the left. “The fire is also in that direction—the wind’s carrying the smoke down from that ridge.” “It could be Gwyn’s fire,” Emerie suggested hopefully."

"The fourth day brought sun, bright enough to make the snow blinding, even in the shadows of the pines. Gwyn had climbed their tree to its summit, then estimated that Ramiel lay days away to the northeast. Leaving them, should they make it, a day to climb its barren face."

"The males around them were down. Utter silence filled the snowy forest. Even the birds in the pines had stopped chirping. 'Valkyries,' Emerie said, eyes blazing bright. Nesta grinned through the blood she knew was splattered on her face. 'Hell yes.'"

But it's not just ACOSF.

In ACOMAF:

"We’d been flying over the most beautiful mountains I’d ever seen—snowy and flecked with pines—heading toward rolling steppes beyond them when I said, 'You’re training female Illyrian warriors?' 'Trying to.' Rhys gazed across the brutal landscape."

"Pines dusted with fresh snow blurred beneath us. 'What’s the Blood Rite?'"

In ACOWAR:

"Azriel’s wings spread, dark reds and golds shining through in the bright sun, and he opened his arms to me. 'The pine forest will be good—the one by the lake.' 'Why?' 'Because water is better to fall into than hard rock,' Cassian replied, crossing his arms."

Goodness--the Gwynriel imagery this invokes with the lake and it being "better to fall into." Lol. 🤭

There are even some references to pine in ACOMAF, ACOWAR, and ACOFAS, but I don't think it's necessary to include them all here. I mean, even the carpets at Griffin Antiquities in HOEAB are described as pine-green multiple times. So, I think it's clear that pine, rolling hills, snowy terrain, and mountain range descriptions are all reflective of what SJM chose to highlight in her "FIRST DRAFTS FINISHED" post. How exciting?!

Do I think this is a confirmation that Azriel's book is on its way? Kind of. I mean, I already believe that--and I don't see how highlighting overly Illyrian imagery in her post is going to dissuade me of that opinion. It also excites me because, in my opinion, Gwyn fits into an Illyrian plot for Azriel as the Valkyries have unfinished business in that regard.

The end of ACOSF tells us this:

"Gwyn laughed hoarsely. 'The Illyrians are going to be furious about our winning, you know. Especially because I have no intention of being called Carynthian. I’m content with being a Valkyrie.' 'Oh, they’ll be in hysterics for decades,' Emerie agreed, grinning. Nesta grinned back, slinging her arms around her friends again and sinking into the deep cushions of the couch. 'I can’t wait to see it.'

This directly connects the Valkyries to an Illyrian plot--which means it directly connects Gwyn to an Illyrian plot. I can't help but believe this is part of the fantastic foreshadowing we see throughout ASCOSF in regards to the foundation being laid for Azriel's story to be next.

Time will tell of course. But I'm ending today with an extra sense of excitement about what's to come with an official announcement down the road.

[leiaorrganna]

it’s their thing

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

[protectionelainsquad]

The most iconic thing SJM could ever do? Drop a book with a brand-new FMC—someone totally different from all the others. A romantasy that actually stands out from the sea of sameness we’ve got right now.

Like, imagine Sjm, the woman who basically created romantasy, who gave us Rhysand and literally invented the “shadow daddy” MMC trope and the blueprint that is Feysand—imagine her coming back with a fresh new female lead and a whole new ship.

Not another sword-wielding, warrior-in-training, save-the-world FMC. We’ve seen so many of those.

But a soft, feminine main character who finds peace and strength in gardening. Who sees the good in people. Who’s come out the other side of depression thanks to her friends and her family.

A girl who doesn’t want to fight—but still killed the King of Hybern with Truth-Teller. No training, no warrior title. She did it to save her sister.

Because just because she doesn’t want to fight, doesn’t mean she won’t if it means protecting the people she loves.

The most hated character in the fandom—someone people would legit burn the books over if she got her own. And SJM could completely flip the romantasy genre on its head by giving us Elain’s story. A stunning, meaningful book that isn’t about becoming a fighter or a badass warrior.

And she could send such a powerful message—especially for people like me. That there’s nothing wrong with being introverted or shy. That softness and kindness are strength. That we’re just as worthy, even if we’re not bold, snarky, or battle-hardened.

For someone like me, an autistic people pleaser, reading about a gentle, kind FMC who's strong in her kindness and still brave and resilient? That would mean the world.

[loudcollectorthing]

Can someone explain to me why everybody thinks the next book is gonna be about the spring court? I have nothing against it. I’m wondering, because after the events of Hofas I don’t see how it could be the spring court.

[shadowsatdawnx]

don’t let the people who have been screaming at us for the last four years that “elain can’t carry a book and has no buildup and therefore can’t have the next POV, but azriel has lots of build up and therefore it must be his book next!!” change their tune when the announcement comes.

if elain is announced as the next POV, and we all agree that azriel has been set up to also have the next POV, then logically they are the next POVs together.

don’t go acting like it’s suddenly going to be an el*cien book because we can ALL agree (and have agreed for four years) that that man has no set up to carry a book at this point, and it wouldn’t make sense for him to be the next POV.

ergo, 2 + 2 = 4..

[zenkindoflove]

Me when I finally get Elucien's book and I can free myself from the pit that is this fandom.

[nyxreads]

Okay.

Gwynriels casually attacking and bullying Elriels over harmless comments under BB post is not funny.

You love to talk about how you are above everyone in this fandom and how Elriels are so toxic but the moment Elriels enjoys something without harming anyone, you will instantly make a public call out on all social media platform, encouraging more hate to Elriels. All because of canon comments.

Noticed how the comments are filled with Feysand/Gwynriel/Elucien comments but only Elriels are getting attacked? Making fun of us and crashing on all social media platform? Yup, not your best moment while trying to maintain this "good side" image.

For someone who wants to say you're confident about your ship, you are so BOTHERED by Elriels.

I don't see any reason for Elriels to suddenly get dragged and shamed for liking a ship and providing a scene we loved. Did we ever made fun and crash out on all platforms when you commented a Gwynriel or Elucien scene? We didn't. We're too tired of this constant sh*t.

Bloomsbury asked for personal opinions and you started policing Elriels. Always making sure that we should just "shut up" while none of you made fun or called out your own side.

And this sudden fake Feysand love when none of you ever talked about them until this BB "issue".

Telling us to be normal when you are the one losing your mind over this is the perfect circus.

The "reddit reinforcement" with only 19upvotes btw, that these people cries about:

The hypocrisy of calling us out when:

I'm not saying y'all shouldn't comment your favorite scene, none of us did. I'm showing it here to make y'all see that every side is posting their favorite scene but only Elriels get attacked.

[azrielsbxtch]

Guys I won’t lie…. I’m beginning to lose hope that this announcement is happening anytime soon…

Like the complete silence from SJM…she’s not even posting about the 10th anniversary like that’s a new level of detachment….

[gwynethberdarasupremecy]

I have a feeling Azriels book will start with him at a pleasure hall. Or him torturing someone.

[silentmes]

At this point, the best thing we can do is try to enjoy our ships through content we create ourselves and the content that artists and writers make for us. The best thing we can do is to let go of the anxiety over an announcement, over anything minimal coming from the publisher or from Sarah.

It’s been 4 years and, as we can see, nothing has changed and the marketing remains the same. Our frustration won’t be heard — and if it is, it’ll be misunderstood. I don’t have the energy anymore, and I’m tired of feeling disrespected. The only thing SJM’s audience is going to get is this: the hope of a future announcement. Nothing else. So.. let us move on.

[fernwehreader]

"They Call You Shadowsinger": Parallelism and the Power of Being Seen

I’m currently doing a Crescent City re-read and am really enjoying spending time with this series at a slower and more deliberate pace. As a result, I’m seeing threads between Crescent City and ACOTAR that I didn’t fully notice upon earlier readings.  I think this is in part due to the fact that I spent a great deal of time with ACOSF and its bonus chapters immediately before returning to Crescent City.  

So, as I’ve just wrapped up HOEAB, there’s one topic that keeps rolling around in my head: parallelism!

Literary Parallelism

Hang with me for just a bit as I explain a little about what parallelism usually looks like--I promise this is going somewhere!  Parallelism can be a literary device where parts of a sentence/paragraph/stanza have the same grammatical structure, intended to emphasize or draw attention to something in particular.  When I teach parallelism in my high school literature classes, I often include it as part of a rhetoric unit because it’s not uncommon to see it combined with rhetorical devices such as antithesis or repetition--which are also meant to emphasize something in order to persuade or to draw attention towards a specific detail. 

When I teach my rhetoric units to highlight the effect of using these devices, I usually use Disney songs since there is a general level of familiarity with them.  For instance, when the Muses in Hercules sing the song “Zero to Hero,” they say:

He was a no one A zero, zero Now he’s a honcho He’s a hero Here was a kid with his act down pat Zero to hero, in no time flat Zero to hero, just like that!

Here, parallelism is achieved through repetition of the phrase "Zero to hero" and its variations, which emphasize Hercules’ dramatic transformation.  This repetition, combined with antithesis to show opposite meaning, is meant to draw the audience’s attention to the theme of personal growth for the story’s protagonist.  

So, we often see parallelism like this, used how it is in Disney songs, in notable speeches like MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech, or in dramatic moments like Mark Antony’s funeral speech in Julius Caesar.  But it can also be used in literature through mirrored scenes.  Instead of focusing on grammatical structure and patterns, it instead relies on parallel dialogue and imagery to highlight thematic connections or character development.  

In my opinion, this is exactly what we see upon closer examination of HOEAB and ACOSF, where SJM crafts deeply intimate character moments in two separate scenes--belonging to two separate books and worlds.  One scene occurs between Bryce and Hunt in HOEAB, and the other between Gwyn and Azriel in his ACOSF bonus chapter.

These scenes possess deliberate literary parallels between their pivotal moments along with what they reveal about identity, emotional intimacy, and the quiet beginnings of a relationship found through deep understanding. It's also worth noting that these two books were published a year apart, with HOEAB released first. I always found it interesting that SJM didn't release ACOSF after the ACOFAS novella--so it's worth considering why we were introduced to Bryce and Hunt first before jumping back to Prythian to meet Gwyn and get Azriel's first (and only) POV.

Again, this is part of the narrative framing in which I’ve previously written about, as my contention remains that this is all to serve the purpose of character development (the romantic pairing of Azriel and Gwyn) and narrative continuity (establishing ACOTAR5 as Azriel’s book).  

I know that many readers have already made comparisons between Bryce/Gwyn and Hunt/Azriel.  I’m not sure what more I can add to that particular conversation.  However, I do have some very specific thoughts regarding how parallelism is being used by SJM to further establish the runway being laid for Azriel’s book--as well as to continue spreading the seeds for the romantic pairing of Azriel and Gwyn.  In these mirrored scenes, SJM uses parallelism to draw our attention to show how a single interaction can begin to redirect a protagonists’ narrative.

Parallel Structure & Phrasing: HOEAB vs. ACOSF

The literary structure and phrasing of the two interactions in question are strikingly similar--enough so to discourage an argument of pure coincidence.

In the HOEAB scene, Bryce is sitting alone on a bench overlooking the Istros River with a box of chocolate croissants to commemorate Danika’s birthday.  Hunt soon flies in to join her, and they share an emotional scene where Bryce laments how everyone else seems to have moved on from Danika’s death--yet, she cannot.  Hunt then shares details about Shahar, her death, and how it has impacted him over the years.  A realization then hits Bryce after Hunt’s admissions:

She looked to the river. “I never realized it,” she murmured. “That you and I are mirrors.” He hadn’t, either. But a voice floated back to him. You look how I feel every day, she’d whispered when she’d cleaned him up after Micah’s latest assignment. “Is it a bad thing?” A half smile tugged at a corner of her mouth. “No. No, it isn’t." “No issue with the Umbra Mortis being your emotional twin?” But her face grew serious again. “That’s what they call you, but that’s not who you are.” “And who am I?” “A pain in my ass.” Her smile was brighter than the setting sun on the river. He laughed, but she added, “You’re my friend. Who watches trashy TV with me and puts up with my shit. You’re the person I don’t need to explain myself to--not when it matters. You see everything I am, and you don’t run away from it.” He smiled at her, let it convey everything that glowed inside him at her words. “I like that.”

We will be comparing this scene to Azriel’s bonus chapter from ACOSF, shortly after he arrives at the training ring and unexpectedly finds Gwyn.  After Gwyn teases Azriel about needing his dagger to sleep and they exchange some pleasantries about celebrating Solstice, Gwyn has a surprising question for him:

She angled her head, hair shining like molten metal. “Do you sing?” He blinked. It wasn’t every day that people took him by surprise, but . . . "Why do you ask?" “They call you shadowsinger. Is it because you sing?”  “I am a shadowsinger--it’s not a title that someone just made up.” She shrugged again, irreverently. Az narrowed his eyes, studying her. “Do you, though?” she pressed. “Sing?”  Azriel couldn’t help his soft chuckle. “Yes.” 

The parallel structure of these interactions is not by accident.  For starters, both scenes are in the male POV, which gives the reader particular insight into their (albeit limited) perspectives.  Additionally, both Bryce and Gwyn are alone as these scenes begin--they are interrupted by Hunt and Azriel flying in:

Hunt landed quietly before sliding onto the bench’s wooden planks, the box between them.

Azriel landed in the ring a few feet from where Gwyn practiced in the chill night . . . 

Both Hunt and Azriel literally descend from the skies, landing quite near Bryce and Gwyn.  In my opinion, this isn’t just coincidence or logistical--this reflects a descent into emotional vulnerability.  These are male characters known for their emotional detachment, and their flights into these scenes could symbolize a movement downward from their hard shells into more intimate emotional territory.

Additionally, there is deliberate phrasing in both these interactions which supports the literary parallels taking place.  The male characters are both known by fearsome titles: Hunt is the “Umbra Mortis” (or “Shadow of Death”), and Azriel is the “Shadowsinger.”  These epithets reflect how the outside world perceives them--deadly and dangerous.  Both males are warriors, assassins, and instruments of power used by others.  Additionally, they bear the weight of countless deaths and trauma associated with their freedom being stripped away.  Their identities are often defined by others.  

Bryce and Gwyn then continue their conversations with Hunt and Azriel built around these monikers and identities.

After Bryce notes that she and Hunt are mirrors, Hunt says:

“No issue with the Umbra Mortis being your emotional twin?” But her face grew serious again.  “That’s what they call you, but that’s not who you are.”

This line cuts to the heart of Hunt’s struggle with being defined by the darkness of his past and his violent role in a broken system.  Bryce, however, sees all of Hunt in this moment and does not hesitate to tell him.  What follows is an emotionally intimate declaration:

“You’re my friend . . . the person I don’t need to explain myself to—not when it matters.  You see everything I am, and you don’t run away from it.”

Similarly, in Azriel’s ACOSF bonus chapter, Gwyn presses Azriel about his title: 

“They call you Shadowsinger.  Is it because you sing?” “I am a shadowsinger--it’s not a title that someone just made up.”

There is an intentional parallel in the exact phrasing here by using the words “they call you”--that is not an accident.  SJM is relying on parallelism to do what it does in more typical contexts: to emphasize or draw our attention to these specific words.  Both Azriel and Hunt are often viewed through the lens of the outside world, and we can begin to see how that might weigh on each of them.

Interestingly, Gwyn immediately shrugs off the reply, irreverently.  Her casual dismissal of Azriel’s deadly title is a pivotal moment . . . very much so mirroring Bryce’s refusal to allow Hunt to be defined by his title.  Gwyn is unafraid, unfazed, and unmoved by Azriel’s reputation.  Like Bryce, Gwyn sees something more in the male before her.

Perhaps this is even why Gwyn proceeds to call Azriel “Shadowsinger” instead of by his name later in ACOSF--she is teasing him, almost as if to tell him: If you say this is what you are, then that’s what I’m going to call you.  

And, in these two scenes, Hunt and Azriel are not left unaffected by these comments from Bryce and Gwyn.  Hunt smiles at Bryce in response and “let it convey everything that glowed inside him at her words”--while the notably stoic Azriel “couldn’t help his soft chuckle” when Gwyn continued to ask if he sings.

Hunt opens up to Bryce in a moment of shared grief as they discuss Danika and Shahar.  Azriel, fresh from a painful confrontation with Rhys and his interaction with Elain, finds unexpected comfort in a late-night encounter with Gwyn.  Yet both males, defined by death and duty, find themselves smiling and laughing--softened by these females who refuse to fear them.  

Ultimately, in both scenes, the titles for Hunt and Azriel are named and then rejected.  Bryce and Gwyn see past the labels to what lies beneath.  This mirroring is a prime example of narrative parallelism and intertextual echoing.  The same emotional arc is achieved through different characters across different texts–but with identical purpose.  

Glowing Hearts and Emotional Intimacy

Another example of parallelism cements the lasting, emotional importance of these interactions: the mirrored imagery of something glowing inside both Hunt’s and Azriel’s chests.  After Bryce tells Hunt who he really is, he let his smile “convey everything that glowed inside him at her words.”  Likewise, at the end of Azriel’s bonus chapter, after Clotho agrees to give the necklace to Gwyn anonymously, Azriel buries the imagined image of Gwyn’s joy in his chest--where it “glowed quietly.  A thing of secret, lovely beauty.” 

The glow is not accidental; it’s symbolic of something dormant being awakened--compassion, hope, perhaps even the beginning feelings of something more romantic.  These descriptions are not just parallel in phrasing; they symbolize something profound.  Both Azriel and Hunt are males trained to bury everything--perhaps partly out of self-preservation.  So, these glowing sensations are not fireworks or passionate explosions, but quiet illuminations--a spark of something soft and sacred awakening inside them.  Maybe something they didn’t know they still had the capacity for.  It is the literary embodiment of intimacy, not lust.

These mirrored glowing moments also represent hope, potential, and the beginning of self-forgiveness.  Notably, in both cases, the glow is inside of Hunt and Azriel.  Both males are not ready to act on it yet, but they protect it.  It is a seed planted in their hearts by Bryce and Gwyn who have started to become the safe harbors that Hunt and Azriel didn’t realize they needed.  

“SO WHAT?”

My favorite literary question to ask my students comes last, as usual: SO WHAT? 

Why does this matter?  Why would SJM intentionally echo such specific literary structure, phrasing, and emotional beats across two different texts and series?

Because she is building a broader thematic through-line across her multiverse by juxtaposing Bryce/Hunt against Gwyn/Azriel.  These scenes are not throwaway moments--they are turning points.  They suggest that Azriel, like Hunt, is on the cusp of transformation.  The glow in the chest is symbolic of a soul rekindling itself, and the females who see these males are clearly not afraid. 

I believe that Bryce is trying to flash a neon sign indicating the importance of this parallelism.  She point blank says to Hunt: “I never realized it . . . That you and I are mirrors.”

Yes.  They are mirrors--to Gwyn and Azriel, setting up crucial parallels in anticipation of their own story together.

And these parallels are more than just fun literary hijinks.  It’s not SJM just showing us how clever she is (although she is very clever).  These are deliberate seeds of narrative intent.  Despite some fandom theories to the contrary, Hunt and Bryce’s relationship is established by the end of HOFAS and they are thematically framed as equals (perhaps another post for another time).  So, if we accept that these two scenes mirror each other in structure, tone, and function, then the bonus chapter between Azriel and Gwyn is not a throwaway interlude--it is a setup.  

And so, while Gwyn presses Azriel with questions while shoulder-shrugging, and while Bryce gently corrects Hunt by calling out the person beneath the helmet, SJM shows us a paralleled pattern: that the power exists to choose who you are.  To laugh again.  To let something glow quietly in your chest and not extinguish it.

"They call you shadowsinger" becomes not a question of power, but of identity.  And in that question--posed by a female who doesn’t tremble in his presence--Azriel, like Hunt before him, begins the slow process of reclamation.  Not of title.  Not of duty.  But of self.

[leiaorrganna]

It’s carnaval in brazil. 🎊🎉🇧🇷💃🌈🎭🎈

(Please, go and show llibiarts some love on instagram). 🩷

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[shadowsingcalore]

just establishing some facts for the record

[princessofmerchants]

"Nesta had never heard a voice like Gwyn's—by turns trained and wild, as if there was so much sound fighting to break free of Gwyn that she couldn't quite contain it all. As if the sound needed to be loose in the world."

This is how Sarah J. Maas writes artistic expression in her main characters. Aelin. Feyre. Bryce. Nesta. A description of them like this is in every one of their book arcs—where artistic expression originating from that character needs to be in the world.

I don't think SJM gifts this experience, this need to express artistically, to women characters if she doesn't plan to give them the space to tell their own story, where typically artistic expression is a key into who her main characters are and what they need.

[bookofmirth]

What could happen to the Prison in acotar5?

As a preview, this post is going to be hella long. It focuses on things we learned primarily on acosf and hofas. It also discusses the Illyrians and the Valkyries, Pegasuses, the 8-pointed star, and the fallout from Avallen being restored by Bryce. 

The tl;dr is that I think that the Valkyries (and potentially some Illyrians) could serve as guardians for the Prison, along with being a neutral political force and army in Prythian, not aligned with a specific court but rather being a balance between them all. 

Before you proceed, be aware that I tend towards analysis of the current content of the books, not theorizing about what will happen in the future, so this may not read like theories that other people in the fandom come up with. A majority of this is facts from the books, with me tying things together to think about the implications.

Part one: what we know based on HOFAS

First, it's helpful to get some context for what we know (for sure) about the Prison:

It was the land of dusk (not a Court in the way Prythian currently has courts).

After the events with Fionn, Theia, Helena, Silene, and Pelias, the land was mostly abandoned.

When Silene returned from Midgard, she created the Prison in order to hide the Harp, using the monsters she put there to deter anyone from looking for it. Silene decided if this place was seen as cursed, then let it be cursed.

We also find out that Silene left her portion of Theia's light under the Prison, which Bryce then took.

There is also a large cache of firstlight remaining under the Prison.

When Bryce used Truthteller and Gwydion/the Starsword to heal Avallen, Pegasuses appeared again.

Avallen and the Prison are in "thin" spots in the universe that make it easy to travel from one planet to the other (fwiw, this idea is not unique to sjm. See: Stephen King.) These spots are identifiable by the mists that surround them.

These thin spots are also on the nexus of ley lines, where energy flows.

It stands to reason that when Bryce "unlocked" Avallen, the energy and magic that it now experiences will flow to other places along the ley lines, IE the Prison. It's also implied that the land keeping the power imprisoned is one of the reasons it grew sick.

Bryce's actions in hofas have implications for Prythian. While the above is related to the Prison, we also have:

Nesta now has possession of the Starsword/Gwydion

Azriel's reaction to Truthteller and the Starsword being together

The 8-pointed star (more on that later)

Part two: what we know based on ACOSF

So based on this information, we need to go back to acosf and look at what sjm left for us. 

The main thing to keep in mind is that Nesta found the Harp in the Prison, and that it was laying on an 8-pointed star. 

One of the main dangling threads from acosf - that we know to be canon, that is not a theory or supposition - is that the Illyrians and the Valkyries are going to continue training together. We know that Mor is interested in training with the Valkyries. From hofas, we know that Nesta is every bit as well trained now as she was in the months since acosf.

Now, there are a couple of partially-fulfilled statements from acosf that I think are relevant here, in addition to Valkyries and Illyrians continuing to train.

The first is the wish that Nesta made on the friendship bracelets. 

"I wish for us to have the courage to go out into the world when we are ready, but to always be able to find our way back to each other. No matter what." (chp 59)

We know that in the Blood Rite, the second half of that wish was fulfilled. The first half has not been fulfilled yet. That gives us very good reason to assume that the first half will be fulfilled.

All three of them, Nesta, Emerie, and Gwyn, will go out into the world at some point in the future. 

There is another, much larger implication that was made in acosf:

Nesta smirked. “If we are to be Valkyries born again,” she said, “maybe we should combine the Illyrian and Valkyrie techniques.” She’d meant it in jest, but the words rumbled through the space, as if she’d spoken some great truth, something that made fate sit up. Azriel turned to them fully this time, eyes narrowed. Like those shadows had whispered something to him. A chill breathed down Nesta’s spine. Cassian stared into their faces. Like he beheld something he hadn’t seen there before. (chp 44)

And the later on:

Gwyn whispered, “I am the rock against which the surf crashes.” Nesta straightened at the words, as if they were a prayer and a summons. Gwyn lifted the blade. “Nothing can break me.” Cassian’s throat tightened, and even from across the ring, he could see Nesta’s eyes gleaming with pride and pain. Emerie said, “Nothing can break us.” The world seemed to pause at the words. As if it had been following one path and now branched off in another direction. In a hundred years, a thousand, this moment would still be etched in his mind. That he would tell his children, his grandchildren, Right then and there. That was when it all changed. Azriel went wholly still, as if he, too, had felt the shift. As if he, too, were aware that far larger forces peered into that training ring as Gwyn moved. (chp 60)

SJM used similar phrasing in the same book for which we know the consequences: 

Strike after strike, and Cassian could have sworn the world paused as she unleashed herself with the same intensity she brought to training.

This is when Nesta is Making the weapons, which we find out later is actually a significant moment, not just Cassian being hyperbolic about how great his mate is. Then, when Nesta is using the Mask and Harp to heal Feyre, the world also pauses. This phrasing is used when something important is happening - even if we don't know what the implications are, yet.

Given that we know for sure that the Illyrians and the Valkyries are going to continue training, and there are loose threads because we don't know the implications of fate/the world standing up at Nesta's, Emerie's, and Gwyn's statements and/or actions, there is a very, very good chance that the Valkyries will continue being a big part of acotar. 

My final point about the Valkyries is that in myth, they rode horses through the sky - not Pegasuses because those are from Greek myth, and Valkyries are Norse. But they fly through the sky on horses nonetheless. (This is literally the only piece of evidence I have coming from outside the books.) Pegasuses are connected to Avallen and likely the Prison. We know that Helion keeps some, but they are struggling to breed/thrive. (We also know that sjm loves to take what she wants from myth, so it’s not a stretch to think she’d shrug at the Greek/Norse distinction.)

All of this together tells me that the Valkyries have more story coming, and it is connected to the Illyrians'.

Part three: The 8-pointed star

A common thread between both series is the 8-pointed star. There are a few ways in which it is used:

Nesta and Cassian's bargain tattoo in acosf. They both had this tattoo on them - an Illyrian and a Valkyrie. 

Bryce also has the 8-pointed star on her chest that glows when she is near people who will aid her or who are part of the Starborn line. When she took the piece of Theia's light, it went into her star and powered her up.

The Harp was resting on an 8-pointed star in the Prison, where Silene left it.

In HOFAS, Bryce put Truthteller and Gwydion into the slots of an 8-pointed star in order to revive Avallen.

When training, Cassian teaches the Valkyries the 8-pointed star sequence. This is a series of moves that they make with a sword, and is an Illyrian technique. 

Cassian walked her through eight different cuts and blocks. Each was an individual move, he’d explained, and like the punches, they could be combined. (chp 38) “I’d thought today would be a good day to integrate the eight-pointed star, but if you’re already complaining, we can wait until next week.” (chp 44) Nesta lifted the sword and executed a perfect arcing slash. Her weight shifted to her legs just as she flipped the blade, leading with the hilt, and brought up her arm against an invisible blow. Another shift and the sword swept down, a brutal slash that would have sliced an opponent in half. Each slice was perfect. Like that eight-pointed star was stamped on her very heart. (chp 50)

And finally, at the end of HOFAS, Bryce gives Gwydion to Nesta and tells her to explore the 8-pointed star:

“I think that eight-pointed star was tattooed on you for a reason. Take that sword and go figure out why.”

Note that it’s not just a matter of the star, anymore. Both Cassian and Nesta were tattooed with it; Bryce used Gwydion and Truthteller to activate the star in Avallen. And now, Nesta is in possession of Gwydion with knowledge about the Prison and a connection to the star. There are elements coming together, and those elements are connected to both Illyrians AND Valkyries. 

My thinking is that the 8-pointed star is the symbol of the dusk land, the Starborn Princes in Midgard (Theia) and in Prythian, of the first and only High King. If that land is where the Valkyries will be reborn and where Starborn power is from, and we know it is the source of a huge cache of firstlight, then that star is a symbol of what has been lost - and what is about to be revived.

So now the question is - what part will the Valkyries and Illyrians play?

Part four: What might happen to the Prison?

To sum up the above, and adding on a couple of small points that don’t fit elsewhere:

We know that the Illyrians and Valkyries will continue training

We have very heavy-handed phrasing around the world/fate paying attention to the idea of the Valkyries being reborn and working with Illyrians.

We have the connection between Valkyries, Illyrians, and the 8-pointed star because it is also an Illyrian sword technique that is being taught to the Valkyries.

We know that the Prison is going to go through some changes akin to puberty.

In addition, we have Gwyn being allowed to write the Valkyries into the books she is researching. 

SJM has also said that Nesta’s story is going to continue.

Since we know that the Prison is going to change and there are these characters and groups poised for action - I haven’t even touched on Ramiel and the Illyrians being created by the Dagsteri, Azriel and his connection to Truthteller and Enalius, and his reaction to the TT/Gwydion, and will do that in a separate post - we can make some predictions about how that might look. If it’s going to make sense, sjm has to think beyond the magic system that she has… sort-of established, and past the involvement of individual characters. There are a few things to take into consideration with the Prison.

It is very likely that Pegasuses will return to the island as it is suffused with magic and energy again. 

There are also other, unforeseen magical consequences as the magic flows back into it, thanks to the ley lines being “unblocked” by Bryce. 

It may become easier for people/creatures to travel between worlds, given that it is a thin place that has been "unlocked". 

The Prison is still full of prisoners! They are monsters that Silene gathered to hide the Harp, but... does that mean they just get released? Get slaughtered? Do they now have access to the power of the island? What is going to happen with them? 

The High Lords cannot all be trusted to stay within their own courts, minding their own business. Beron is the most obvious example, as he has his eye on Spring while Tamlin is Suffering. 

If there were another court established, one that sits on a huge reserve of firstlight, that could be a huge point of contention amongst the courts. Even if the High Lords don’t want it for themselves, they wouldn’t want anyone else to have it on the chance that one of them would use it against the others. In acomaf, Rhys explains that the Prison is keyed to his blood and that he has jurisdiction of it; however:

“Do all the High Lords have access?” My words were so soft they were devoured by the dark. Even that thrumming power in my veins had vanished, burrowing somewhere in my bones. “No. The Prison is law unto itself; the island may be even an eighth court. But it falls under my jurisdiction, and my blood is keyed to the gates.” (chp 18)

We don’t know yet what that reserve of firstlight is going to mean for the island.

To me, it makes sense for us to have a more neutral third party come in. One who doesn’t have ties to a specific court, but could act in all of their interests. 

Enter: the newly reformed Valkyries. 

I have had a personal headcanon that the Valkyries, once fully established, could create another political/martial entity in Prythian that can help balance the power between all the courts, and provide support when needed. This is how they worked before, which Cassian talks about in acosf: 

“The Valkyries fought when even the bravest males would not. The Illyrians tried to forget that. I fought against males who were my superiors, arguing to help the Valkyries. They beat me senseless, chained me to a supply wagon, and left me there. When I came to, the battle was over, the Valkyries slain.”

Valkyries and Illyrians don’t have the best history, but given that Cassian tried to help them, and that they are working together now, this could be a way of righting a wrong. It could help to explain why fate/the world is taking note. 

The Valkyrie ethos makes sense for this sort of neutral position, too:

“A clan of female warriors from another territory. They were better fighters than the Illyrians, even. The Valkyrie name was just a title, though—they weren’t a race like the Illyrians. They hailed from every type of Fae, usually recruited from birth or early childhood. They had three stages of training: Novice, Blade, and finally Valkyrie. To become one was the highest honor in their land. Their territory is gone now, subsumed into others.”

An improved Valkyrie force, especially if they continue learning Illyrian techniques and recruiting from women across Prythian, could be a big factor in upcoming conflicts with Kochei or any other villain sjm comes up with. They would ensure that the firstlight would be used fairly, so that no court is advantaged or disadvantaged unfairly. It would continue the threads that sjm has left for us, while also giving us space to explore questions that have yet to be answered (such as Azriel’s connection to Truthteller and Enalius). While I think that Nesta would keep her home in the House of Wind, the Prison island would be a good place from which the Valkyries can work - both guarding the monsters that are there, and keeping the firstlight safe.

I believe that Nesta will be the most important character when it comes to reviving the island; while it is heavily implied that the island is already going to have access to its powers thanks to being impacted by Avallen's healing - it is likely already on its way to healing - Nesta with her connection to the 8-pointed star, the Harp, possession of Gwydion, and the Valkyries can help bring stability to the place.

Thank you a million times to the people who helped me fact check and keep things straight, or just listened to me rant about this: @hellacioushag @lily-thesuriel @elains @aionuel @yazthebookish @fracturedarkness and @/michaelanoelreads on TikTok :) @highqueenmorrigan (Mary I forgot you brought up the sword technique thank you for that!)

[slytherhys]

"What if the Cauldron was wrong?"

We are SO back. 🌸🦇