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This was amazing to read😍😍😍. I still can’t wrap my head around all of the research and quotes you put together to create this💛

Is ACOTAR's ‘Koschei the Death God’ actually Fionn, the once - and, he likely hopes, future - High King of Prythian? A theory

Koschei Series, Part I

Please don't screenshot this post without credit.

Disclaimer: the following is a theory based on both real-world mythology, and excerpts from the text of the ACOTAR series. It makes no claims of accuracy, though the parallels are interesting at a minimum, and could potentially be on the right track (if I’m lucky). Only the next two books will tell. I apologise that this theory is out before Parts II and III of my Dusk Court series, but after reading into Fionnbharr while researching for my initial Dusk post, it was demanding to be written before the others, and I had a huge case of whatever the theory version of writer’s block is called. I promise I'll get back to them as soon as possible, and I hope that this is enough for the meantime.

This series of theory posts assumes that Azriel and Elain Archeron will end up together, as will Vassa and Lucien Vanserra, and relies on the Dusk Court theory being at least partially accurate. If Elriel, Vassien and the Dusk Court aren’t your thing, you’re welcome to keep scrolling, or read with an open mind, as this first part barely mentions them.

TW: mentions of events such as kidnapping and murder, both canon and from mythology.

Spoilers: the entire TOG series, the ACOTAR series to date (2021), and CC HOEAB.

Additionally, a massive thank you goes out to both @icedflames and @nikethestatue for your invaluable help with this monster; we’ve been talking in-depth about this crack theory for months, so this post belongs to all of us, as well as anyone else who was involved. 💜

The ACOTAR fandom is, by now, well aware of the origins of Koschei the Deathless in real-world Slavic mythology, and there are a some fantastic theories floating around as to how that could impact Vassa and Lucien’s story, such as this post from @mrspettyferr, as well as the overall plot for ACOTAR 5 and ACOTAR 6. However, given SJM has said she wants to blend more than one legend, or fairy tale, together in order to create a new, cohesive whole, I suspect that there could be more going on in Koschei’s story than Vassa and the other trapped women, who remain at his lake, and his wish for freedom; namely who is, or was, he really, and what are his potential motivations? It wouldn’t be the first time SJM gave a villain a backstory, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

In this post, I will attempt to analyse the following topics in a discussion of the ACOTAR texts to-date (ACOSF) that surrounds Koschei the death god - older brother to the Weaver and the Bone Carver - who was trapped at his lake by an ancient fae warrior, thousands of years ago.

Koschei the Deathless, from Slavic legend.

Fionnbharr (Finvarra), King of the Daoine Sidhe of Western Ireland, as well as the King of the Otherworld.

Gwyn ap Nudd, the Welsh equivalent of Fionnbharr, King of the Fairies and the Underworld.

Gwydion fab Don.

The history of the Tuatha de Danann and the Fomorians.

Erebos, Hypnos and Thanatos, from Greek mythology.

Hopefully in doing so we will be able to answer the following questions - and maybe more - in upcoming posts:

Has Koschei been meddling from the very first book of the series?

In what way(s) could Koschei be associated with Azriel, Shadowsinger and Spymaster to the Night Court?

What are Koschei’s ultimate goals?

Fair warning, this is once again a long post at over 8k words, so maybe make a cuppa first. If you have the time, read on...

TL,DR: Koschei was, theoretically, once known as Fionn, and his power was possibly tied to the land that would eventually become the Dusk Court, before he ascended to the throne of all Prythian. He was also, potentially, the original shadowsinger.

In addition to being Fionn, he was betrayed by his queen - was she Oleanna, or the god we now know as the Mother… are they the same person? - and his general - perhaps the fae warrior, or Enalius? - after they realised that he was planning to attempt to take over the world (or something equally sinister).

He did not truly die, though, as he was already ‘deathless,’ with his soul hidden away long before. Once he was trapped, the precursor to the Dusk Court began to stagnate, and eventually fell without a true High Lord to protect it.

What do we know about Koschei, the sole remaining death god in ACOTAR?

We first met SJM’s iteration of Koschei the Deathless in ACOWAR, and since then we’ve gleaned bits and pieces - enough to make educated guesses, but definitely not everything. There will almost certainly be some sort of twist to his character.

ACOTAR’s Koschei is an incredibly old and powerful death lord, perhaps a god of death, who is the older brother of both Stryga - the Weaver, who had spent millennia trapped in the Middle, before she met Feyre in ACOMAF - and the Bone Carver, also both death lords, who voluntarily went into the Prison to evade his more powerful siblings. They were “feared and worshipped” by the (apparently) pre-existing ancient Fae - long, long ago, before the Courts and High Lords were established - until such time as a clever fae warrior tricked them into separate confinements; Stryga at her cottage, and Koschei at his lake. However, even “contained and diminished,” the Bone Carver still considered his two older siblings so threatening that he preferred to remain hidden.

The Carver traced three overlapping, interlocked circles in the dirt. “You have met my sister—my twin. The Weaver, as you now call her. I knew her as Stryga. She, and our older brother, Koschei. How they delighted in this world when we fell into it. How those ancient Fae feared and worshipped them. Had I been braver, I might have bided my time—waited for their power to fade, for that long-ago Fae warrior to trick Stryga into diminishing her power and becoming confined to the Middle. Koschei, too—confined and bound by his little lake on the continent. All before Prythian, before the land was carved up and any High Lord was crowned.” Cassian and I waited, not daring to interrupt. [...] “She could not kill them in the end—they were too strong. They could only be contained.” [...] “To hide from my siblings.” I blinked. “Why?” “They are death-gods, girl,” the Carver hissed. “You are immortal—or long-lived enough to seem that way. But my siblings and I … We are different. And the two of them … Stronger. So much stronger than I ever was. [...] That I have no desire to remind my sister and brother that I am alive and in the world. Contained and diminished as they are, their influence remains … considerable.” - ACOWAR, chapter 23

In addition to Koschei’s status as a death god, he has an incredible proclivity for sorcery; he is capable of making a unit of fae warriors disappear, via winnowing, from across the sea, complex glamorous and spellwork, and placing a functionally unbreakable curse on Vassa. Koschei is also able to deftly manipulate both people and situations, and he keeps women/females trapped as white swans at his lake; why? I have a theory or two, and have heard even more. We know that his main goal is, and has always been, to free himself from his lake and regain whatever power he lost; any help he gives to his allies is purely out of self-interest, so it's curious that Azriel mentioned that Briallyn was aware of Koschei’s manipulative ways, and that she was allowing her strings to be pulled. Could this be because she knows he has done this in the past? To the late King of Hybern, perhaps?

Koschei is frequently associated with bodies of water (the sea and his lake) and the wind, as well as mists and shadow, which is likely based upon the real-world mythology (see below). However, despite his own cunning, he was once outsmarted; this could either mean that it will happen again, or that he will now be wiser to any tricks his enemies hope to play on him.

Interestingly, Vassa avoids talking about him, or providing any real, concrete information that we have heard - my assumption is that Koschei placed a spell on her, forbidding her to do so, before he let her go with Papa Archeron - but also, none of the Inner Circle, or peripheral characters, seem to press her. Could Koschei be responsible for this lack of interrogation, too? We know he is “no mere sorcerer,” but how far do those abilities extend? All Vassa was able to do was suggest that Koschei would take advantage of a politically weakened world… in addition to freeing himself, he would try to make himself its master once again. Once more, could this be because Koschei is a shadowsinger, and they have some form of daemati/luring magic?

Her voice hoarsened. “Koschei is no mere sorcerer. He’s confined to the lake only due to an ancient spell. Because he was outsmarted once. Everything he does is to free himself.” “Why was he imprisoned?” Cassian asked. “The story is too long to tell,” she hedged. “But know that Briallyn and the others sold me to him not through their devices, but his. By words he planted in their courts, whispered on the winds.” “He’s still at the lake,” Lucien said carefully. Lucien had been there, Cassian recalled. Had gone with Nesta’s father to the lake where Vassa was held captive. “Yes,” Vassa said, relief in her eyes. “But Koschei is as old as the sea—older.” “Some say he is Death itself,” Eris murmured. “I do not know if that is true,” Vassa said, “but they call him Koschei the Deathless, for he has no death awaiting him. He is truly immortal. And would know of anything that might give Briallyn an edge against us.” “And you think Koschei would do all of this,” Cassian pressed, “not out of sympathy for the human queens, but with the goal of freeing himself?” “Certainly.” Vassa peered at her hands, fingers flexing. “I fear what may happen if he ever gets free of the lake. If he sees this world on the cusp of disaster and knows he could strike, and strike hard, and make himself its master. As he once tried to do, long ago.” “Those are legends that predate our courts,” Eris said. Vassa nodded. “It is all I have gleaned from my time enslaved to him.” Lucien stared out the window—as if he could see the lake across a sea and a continent. As if he were setting his target. - ACOSF, chapter 7

In addition to learning about Koschei’s well-known wile, and his goal of freedom with a side of world domination, he appears to be after the Dread Trove, a group of three - or maybe four; Amren, funnily enough, cannot remember - Made objects of immense power, which may or may not be different to the objects of power from the Hewn City… It is potentially suspicious that nobody answered Feyre’s question.

Azriel nodded to Cassian. “What Vassa suspected is true. The death-lord Koschei has been whispering in Briallyn’s ear. He remains trapped at his lake, but his words carry on the wind to her. He is ancient, his depth of knowledge fathomless. He pointed Briallyn toward the Dread Trove—not for her sake, but for his own ends. He wishes to use it to free himself from his lake. And Briallyn is not the puppet we believed her to be—she and Koschei are allies.” [...] Nesta found herself asking, “What’s the Dread Trove?” Amren’s eyes glowed with a remnant of her power. “The Cauldron Made many objects of power, long ago, forging weapons of unrivaled might. Most were lost to history and war, and when I went into the Prison, only three remained. At the time, some claimed there were four, or that the fourth had been Unmade, but today’s legends only tell of three.” “The Mask,” Rhys murmured, “the Harp, and the Crown.” Nesta had a feeling none of them were good. Feyre frowned at her mate. “They’re different from the objects of power in the Hewn City? What can they do?” - ACOSF, chapter 20

In fact, Amren and Rhys continued on to inform Feyre and Nesta (ie. the readers) about the three known objects of the Dread Trove, which I would not be surprised to discover were Made by Fionn/Koschei himself, especially if he is the "dark maker" of the Cauldron, responsible for the "death" portion of its name: The Bowl of Life and Death.

The mask, which can raise and control the dead, was created for a long-forgotten king - could it have been made for Koschei/Fionn, King of the Otherworld?

The harp, which can open any door, “physical or otherwise,” potentially even those between worlds (which, for those who have read SJM’s Throne of Glass series, sounds suspiciously like a Wyrd key) - given Koschei and his siblings came from another world entirely, the Harp's ability to open portals sounds like a useful skill he'd appreciate in an object of great power, and perhaps one that he'd know how to impart.

The crown, which allows the wearer to control any living person, even those with strong mental shields - if, as I suspect, Koschei is the original shadowsinger, who may have some daemati-like abilities, then this is another appropriate sounding magic for an object of power.

Then, to really drive the point home, after establishing that this is another case of “like calls to like,” Rhys and Amren drop in the hint that Koschei may know something more about the “full scope” of the Dread Trove’s powers than they do. Why might that be, and how? Again, is it because he Made them himself?

“The Mask can raise the dead,” Amren answered for Rhys. “It is a death mask, molded from the face of a long-forgotten king. Wear it and you may summon the dead to you, command them to march at your will. The Harp can open any door, physical or otherwise. Some say between worlds. And the Crown …” Amren shook her head. “The Crown can influence anyone, even piercing through the mightiest of mental shields. [...] “And all Koschei wants is to be free from his lake?” Rhys asked Azriel. But Amren answered. “No one really knows the full scope of the Trove’s powers. Beyond freeing him from his lake, Koschei may very well know something about the Trove that we don’t—some greater power that manifests when all three are united.” [...] Feyre cleared her throat. “So they are trying to find this Dread Trove in order to track down the Cauldron for Briallyn, and likely free Koschei in the process. And launch a war, with Beron as her ally, that would grant them whatever territories they wish. Or give some to Koschei, depending on what bargain he strikes with Briallyn—probably one to his advantage.” “Again, Briallyn is well aware of Koschei’s insidious influence,” Azriel said. “If her strings are being pulled, it is only because she’s allowing it to achieve her own ends.” [...] Azriel shook his head. “Not as far as I could tell. The Dread Trove was last rumored to be here in Prythian. That’s all Koschei knows, apparently. - ACOSF, chapter 20

In ACOSF we learnt that Koschei appears to have an interest in Azriel; the following passage seems to describe him as answering Azriel’s query about Briallyn with the fact he had spent “so many months” preparing for him (though this is open to interpretation, of course). In fact, Koschei didn’t sound as though he was talking to Cassian until after Cass had demanded that Koschei let Eris go free. It was interesting that we didn’t actually learn whether Koschei sensed Nesta’s Made dagger or not; was he aware, but he chose to save that information away for a rainy day? One would assume that a death god, would be able to sense a blade with death power in it that was stolen from the Cauldron, as Lanthys sensed something about Ataraxia, unless this is a hint that Nesta imparted some sort of non-death magic into her trio of blades... what could it have been?

The being that stood atop the lake was a shadow. It must be a reflection, Cassian thought. Smoke and mirrors. “Where is Briallyn?” Azriel demanded, Siphons flaring like cobalt flame. “I spend so many months preparing for you,” Koschei crooned, “and you don’t even wish to speak to me?” Cassian crossed his arms. “Let Eris go, and then we’ll talk.” He prayed Koschei didn’t know of the Made dagger that Eris had again sheathed at his side, that the Crown’s aura of power had blinded even Briallyn to its presence. But if the death-lord got his hands on it … Fuck. Cassian didn’t let himself so much as glance toward the blade. - ACOSF, chapter 71

In addition to Koschei accusing Cassian of falling for his trick - he is known to be cunning and, if he was once known as Fionn, then he had a blade named for a legendary Welsh trickster, to boot - this could potentially link back to both the trap that was set for the Inner Circle in Hybern, and the fae that Nesta saw being trapped in the vision the Harp sent to her (quotes below). Personally, I think it’s safe to assume that, in addition to being linked with the theorised Dusk Court, Koschei has been meddling for a while - though of course I could be wrong - using any combination of his magical skills, contacts outside his lake, and manipulation.

The King of Hybern said, “The trap was so easy, I’m honestly a bit disappointed you didn’t see it coming.” Faster than any of us could see, Jurian fired a hidden ash bolt through Azriel’s chest. Mor screamed. - ACOMAF, chapter 63

Fae screamed, pounding on stone that hadn’t been there a moment before, pleading for their children’s sakes, begging to be let out let out let out – … It was a trap, and our people were too blind to see it… The Fae clawed at stone, tearing their nails on rock where there had once been a door. But the way back was now forever sealed… - Nesta’s vision, ACOSF, chapter 53

“You fell for it rather easily,” Koschei went on, “though you took your time making contact. I thought you’d rush in for the kill, brute that you are.” - ACOSF, chapter 71

Of note: in addition to Vassa, who has spent time with Koschei, Amren is also afraid of him. Amren, who was supposedly some sort of angel-assassin. Even Azriel and his shadows were terrified. For Vassa, this makes sense, as she has Koschei’s curse looming over her, with an unknown quantity of time left before he recalls her to his lake.

They could make out nothing of him beyond the shadows of his form. Even Azriel’s own shadows kept tucked behind his wings. Koschei laughed, and Azriel stiffened. Like his shadows had murmured a warning. His Siphons flared again. “Run,” Az breathed, and the pure terror on his brother’s face had Cassian spreading his wings, readying to launch— [...] Koschei said, “Tell my Vassa I’m waiting.” - ACOSF, chapter 71

What warning could Koschei have given Azriel?

What do we know about Fionn, the only High King in Prythian history?

The short answer is, we don’t know much at all. While we learnt the following information from Rhys and Amren throughout ACOSF, given the fact that history can become warped as it gets repeated over time, not to mention the fact that biased reporting can misrepresent what actually happened in the first place, I think - as with what we know about Koschei - we should keep an open mind when interpreting it for the purposes of theorising.

According to Rhys, Fionn was given the great sword, ‘Gwydion,’ by the High Priestess Oleanna, who dipped it in the Cauldron herself. Fionn was “one of” the fae heroes who rose up to overthrow the Daglan, the monstrous, godlike race who once ruled over and enslaved both fae and humans, millennia ago; he did so using Gwydion. This was followed by a thousand years of peace, during which the lands (plural) were divided into “rough territories that were the precursors to the courts.”

“The Fae were not the first masters of this world. According to our oldest legends, most now forgotten, we were created by beings who were near-gods—and monsters. The Daglan. They ruled for millennia, and enslaved us and the humans. [...] Fionn and Gwydion overthrew the Daglan. A millennium of peace followed, and the lands were divided into rough territories that were the precursors to the courts—but at the end of those thousand years, they were at each other’s throats, on the brink of war.” His face tightened. “Fionn unified them and set himself above them as High King. The first and only High King this land has ever had.” - ACOSF, chapter 55

Fionn was then “betrayed” by his queen, a female who had once led her own territory (a court "precursor," perhaps?), as well as his general, who had been his closest friend; they “killed him,” then absconded with some of “his bloodline’s most powerful and precious weapons.” This mayhem apparently resulted in the current structure of Prythian, with the seven High Lords and associated courts. Amren appeared to have been in the Prison the entire time, so had no relevant information to share.

“Fionn was betrayed by his queen, who had been leader of her own territory, and by his dearest friend, who was his general. They killed him, taking some of his bloodline’s most powerful and precious weapons, and then out of the chaos that followed, the seven High Lords rose, and the courts have been in place ever since.” Feyre asked, “Does Amren remember this?” Rhys shook his head. “Only vaguely now. - ACOSF, chapter 55

Interesting, though, is the fact that Fionn’s sword, Gwydion, “vanished” around the time “the last of the Trove” went missing, and has been “gladly missing” ever since. What could have happened to it? Personally, this gives me “The One Ring” vibes, from The Lord of the Rings - a powerful magical object, Made in a magical Cauldron, as opposed to Mount Doom, that will decide for itself when it wants to be found - perhaps Fionn’s great blade has its own plans? If you’re wondering where Gwydion may have been hiding all this time, here is an interesting Truth-Teller theory, written by @icedflames.

“No one has been able to create a magic sword in more than ten thousand years,” Amren said. “The last one Made, the great blade Gwydion, vanished around the time the last of the Trove went missing.” [...] “Gwydion is gone,” Amren said, a shade sadly, “or has been gladly missing for millennia.” - ACOSF, chapter 42

Mythology that could play a role in Koschei’s character

Koschei the Deathless

Many people have already written about Koschei the Deathless (or, ‘the Immortal’), an anti-hero from Slavic folklore, and how the related mythology could play into the story of the ACOTAR character of the same name, so I will try to keep this brief. For further reading, I highly recommend these two posts:

Koschei the Deathless/Three sisters and three brothers, @psychee92

Koschei, @silverlinedeyes

Koschei from Slavic mythology, sometimes considered a god of death, is known to hide his soul inside a series of nested objects (often a bone needle in an egg, which is then inside a duck, and then, in turn, inside a hare, trapped within a chest that is buried at the base of a tree on an island), thus rendering himself functionally immortal, as his soul needs to be retrieved before he can be killed. As an added incentive for him to keep his soul hidden away, whoever holds the egg can control Koschei himself.

According to some, the Russian spelling of Koschei's name hints that it could be related to the word “kost,” which translates to “bone” in English… which obviously brings to mind the following part of the Book of Breathings’ prophecy:

Life and death and rebirth

Sun and moon and dark

Rot and bloom and bones

Hello, sweet thing. Hello, lady of night, princess of decay. Hello, fanged beast and trembling fawn. Love me, touch me, sing me.

[...]

Light and dark and gray and light and dark and gray— - ACOMAF, chapter 57

If the association pans out, I think there are three options for the location of this hypothetical island:

The first is Hybern, an island which is potentially the home of the now-fallen Dusk Court, and frequently connected to "bone" in the text - the bone-white cliffs they fly over, the castle's walls were constructed with bones, and the throne itself is made from the bones of humans (ACOMAF, chapters 61 and 63).

The second option is the hidden island on which Drakon and Miryam live, where the Cauldron - the Bowl of Life and Death - currently resides.

The third is Ramiel, which, while not an island, is one of the sister peaks, with an unexplored interior. Ramiel also means "God's thunder."

In addition to waging war, the Koschei we know of from Slavic legends is also known for stealing women, frequently taking the wives of the hero of the tale - below, you will read that this parallels with Fionnbharr (Finvarra), the King of the Fairies and the Otherworld from Irish legend - which sounds appropriate for Koschei’s ACOTAR counterpart, given that he both has a group of women trapped at his lake in the form of white swans, and he orchestrated Vassa’s kidnapping and arrival at his lake before, we assume, he cursed her to be a firebird by day, and a human once more by night.

“There is … a lake. Deep in—in the continent, I think. Hidden amongst mountains and ancient forests.” Elain’s throat bobbed. “He keeps them all at the lake.” “Other women like her?” “Yes—and no. Their feathers are white as snow. They glide across the water—while she rages through the skies above it.” - ACOWAR, chapter 33

Other powers that are commonly associated with Koschei are:

Shape shifting

Manipulation of the elements

Spellwork

Flying as "vapor on the wind"

He has a "magic steed"

All of these sound like they could be used by SJM's version of Koschei, and hints have appeared already. Koschei is known for his spellwork - as Vassa said in ACOSF, he is “no mere sorcerer” - and he appears to be able to use the wind - an element - for his own devices, and perhaps even the sea, given his association with it.

“Koschei is no mere sorcerer. He’s confined to the lake only due to an ancient spell. Because he was outsmarted once. Everything he does is to free himself.” “Why was he imprisoned?” Cassian asked. “The story is too long to tell,” she hedged. “But know that Briallyn and the others sold me to him not through their devices, but his. By words he planted in their courts, whispered on the winds.” “He’s still at the lake,” Lucien said carefully. Lucien had been there, Cassian recalled. Had gone with Nesta’s father to the lake where Vassa was held captive. “Yes,” Vassa said, relief in her eyes. “But Koschei is as old as the sea—older.” “Some say he is Death itself,” Eris murmured. “I do not know if that is true,” Vassa said, “but they call him Koschei the Deathless, for he has no death awaiting him. He is truly immortal. And would know of anything that might give Briallyn an edge against us.” - ACOSF, chapter 7

In addition to the passage above, one of Mor's POV chapters in ACOFAS had her riding a horse, one of six, all "rare and coveted breeds," that she bought along with her personal estate, Athelwood, three centuries ago.

Early-morning mist hung between the bumps and hollows of the sprawling estate. Her estate. Athelwood. She’d bought it three hundred years ago for the quiet. Had kept it for the horses. Ellia took the hills with unfaltering grace, flowing fast as the west wind. [...] How far away the continent seemed, Rhys’s request with it. To go, to play spy and courtier and ambassador, to see those kingdoms long closed, where friends had once dwelled … Yes, her blood called to her. Go as far and wide as you can. Go on the wind. [...] Ellia’s ears went flat against her head. Mor stiffened, following the mare’s line of sight. [...] Even in these woods, ancient terrors had been known to emerge. But Mor scented nothing, saw nothing. [...] Nothing, except— There, between a snarl of thorns. A patch of darkness. - ACOFAS, chapter 24

"Vapor on the wind" could be represented by the early morning mist at Athelwood, and one of Mor's rare horses could be Koschei’s magical steed; maybe even Ellia herself, who was described as "flowing fast as the west wind." It is perhaps relevant that the name Ellia has a few meanings, including little cinders, truly foreign, bright one, and, interestingly, “goddess” in Hebrew; Koschei is regarded as a death god. I should also note that the Morrigan goddess of Irish mythology also has strong ties to horses, so this could be a nod to her, instead; whether SJM intended the association to extend to Koschei or not, we cannot say at this point.

There are many more hints in the text for the legendary Koschei's influence on ACOTAR, and where the story may go - many others have already written about them - but I'll leave them for another post.

Fionnbharr/Finvarra, King of the Fairies… and the Dead

Many of us have likely come to the conclusion that the High King Fionn we learnt about in ACOSF is based upon Fionnbharr, also known as Finvarra, who was the King of the Daoine Sidhe (fairies/elves) of Western Ireland, according to Irish mythology. However, in addition to his rule of the Sidhe, Fionnbharr was also sometimes known as the King of the Dead/the Otherworld.

Rhys said, “We will walk onto that field and only accept Death when it comes to haul us away to the Otherworld. - ACOWAR, chapter 69

Fionnbharr was not only associated with great wealth, good harvests and powerful horses, and known as a chess master, to boot - the wealth buried in the catacombs of the Hewn City, rebirth, the cycle of life, pegasi and strategy all sound like topics that could potentially be linked to Koschei and/or the Dusk Court as I tentatively understand it - but he was also known for his penchant for kidnapping women, which brings to mind Vassa, and the women (or females) who are trapped as white swans at Koschei’s lake. Unsurprisingly, much of this - horses, stolen women, cunning, association with death - marries readily with the real-world Koschei mythology that I mentioned above.

Furthermore, Fionnbharr was known for generously aiding those he favoured, which plays in to how I interpret Koschei’s hypothetical relationship with the former King of Hybern - I suspect Koschei was using the late King, while maintaining the appearance of helping him out, with the end goal being his death (what if he wanted the throne of Dusk, which is hypothetically Hybern, free for the taking); but more on that later.

The (potential) influence of Irish and Welsh mythology on both the Dusk Court and ACOTAR’s Koschei

But Cassian scanned the heavy gray sky, as if hunting for spying eyes. Then the moss and grass and rocks beneath our boots for listening ears below. “There was life here,” he said, answering my question at last, “before the High Lords took Prythian. Old gods, we call them. They ruled the forests and the rivers and the mountains—some were those things. Then the magic shifted to the High Fae, who brought the Cauldron and Mother along with them, and though the old gods were still worshipped by a select few, most people forgot them.” I grappled onto a large gray rock as I climbed over it. “The Bone Carver was an old god?” He dragged a hand through his hair, the Siphon gleaming in the watery light. “That’s what legend says. Along with whispers of being able to fell hundreds of soldiers with one breath.” - ACOWAR, chapter 22

I’ve briefly spoken before about the hypothetical link between the faeries of the fallen Dusk Court and either the Tuatha de Danann, or the Daoine Sidhe, from Irish legend, but if Koschei was once known as Fionn - and assuming that Fionn and his queen ruled over the land that was the precursor to the Dusk Court (now Hybern), before he became the High King of Prythian, then I suspect SJM could have been inspired by not only the tales of the Tuatha de Danann conceding their land to the Milesians, but also those of the Tuatha de's fraught relationship with the Fomorians, with a little addition of some Welsh mythology counterparts.

The following will be an attempt to fit what we know of ACOTAR-Koschei’s backstory in with Prythian lore, combined with suggestions for possible in-world history inspired by the Tuatha de and the Fomorians of Irish legend. For more comprehensive information on the Tuatha de Danann, read more here, or watch/listen here; for information about the Fomorians, check out this post.

To recap, the Tuatha De Danann, known as the Tribe of the Gods, or the People of the Goddess Danu, were considered a race of gods - or god-like, magical beings - possessed of a variety of powers, who inhabited Ireland in the 'fifth wave' of invasion recorded in Irish mythology. They are said to have arrived in Ireland from four cities, to either the north or the west (called Falius, Gorias, Finias and Murias), in one of two ways:

From the sky, in clouds of smoke/fog, or

They sailed across a sea, then burnt their ships on arrival, which created the clouds of smoke.

Legend says that the Tuatha de Danann brought with them great wisdom and knowledge, as well as four objects of power, known as their four ‘jewels’ or ‘treasures,’ from each of their four cities, which have been theorised as having been in the heavens, or lands from either the north or west of Ireland; claims range from Atlantis to Denmark to Greece (this could be important, as I think that Greek mythology may also play a role in Koschei’s story, as well as Elain and Azriel's hypothetical journey). As mentioned in my earlier Dusk post, I suspect that the hypothetical Dusk Court fae will have a similar background, as well as powers based around light and shadows (and Sight and Truth), and that they are likely trapped in some form in mounds - perhaps specific mountains, such as the Court of Nightmares in the Hewn City, or the Prison - around Prythian.

The Fomorians, on the other hand, had been battling to claim Irish soil long before the Tuatha de arrived. Said to have come from the sea - remember Vassa’s words? “But Koschei is as old as the sea—older.” - or descended from the cursed son of Noah, ‘Ham,’ they were described as monstrous beings, who commonly enslaved those they conquered, or demanded excessive tributes. Interestingly, Fomorians were also associated with fog, storms, winter and disease.

Upon arrival to the shores of Ireland, Nuada was the king of the Tuatha de; however, after losing a hand in their battle against the existing people - the Firbolgs - he stepped aside for Breas, who remained king for seven years, until Nuada was fitted with a prosthetic hand made of silver, and deemed able to take the throne once more. Breas was actually of mixed heritage, with a Tuatha de mother, but a Fomorian father. This is where we can start to - hypothetically, of course - blend our real-world legends with what we know of Prythian history (thanks, Amren), to create a potential backstory for Koschei and the hypothesised Dusk Court.

What if Koschei - and thus Fionn, if the theory holds - was actually a Daglan, and initially a god-like rival to the fae of Prythian's world, including what would have become the Dusk Court, if he and his queen had maintained power when the territories that became the current Courts did so. This could mean that the bulk of the existing Dusk Court fae were based upon the Tuatha de Danann, but Fionn/Koschei and the Daglan were inspired by the Fomorians. The resulting Dusk fae would then, hypothetically, be a blend of both. Given ACOTAR-Koschei's association with wind, fog/mist, shadows and the cold - and perhaps disease could be a stand-in for death - I don't believe this is too far-fetched.

Mor leaned forward. “Do you know why the other queens cursed her—sold her to him?” Elain studied the table. “No. No—that is all mist and shadow.” Rhys blew out a breath. “Can you sense where she is?” “There is … a lake. Deep in—in the continent, I think. Hidden amongst mountains and ancient forests.” Elain’s throat bobbed. “He keeps them all at the lake.” “Other women like her?” “Yes—and no. Their feathers are white as snow. They glide across the water—while she rages through the skies above it.” - ACOWAR, chapter 33

But know that Briallyn and the others sold me to him not through their devices, but his. By words he planted in their courts, whispered on the winds.” [...] “Yes,” Vassa said, relief in her eyes. “But Koschei is as old as the sea—older.” “Some say he is Death itself,” Eris murmured. - ACOSF, chapter 7

The Daglan were a powerful, otherworldly, monstrous species - essentially gods - of an age long since past; they consumed the magic of the land, kept slaves, held the “Wild Hunt” to keep their fae and humans they controlled in check, and were known to possess beasts, which many in the fandom theorise could be linked with those of the Hewn City, or perhaps the naga. What if, and remember, this is just a theory, the hollow sister mountains pre-date the High Fae, and the Daglan were the original occupants of the Hewn City, Ramiel, and Under the Mountain? Maybe even the Prison mountain, or the mountain that holds the House of Wind and the library? In terms of crack theories, what if the Daglan’s beasts were originally from the world to which Aelin banished the deities of her world? Could that have been one of the Circles of Hel that we learnt about in the first Crescent City novel?

“The Fae were not the first masters of this world. According to our oldest legends, most now forgotten, we were created by beings who were near-gods—and monsters. The Daglan. They ruled for millennia, and enslaved us and the humans. [...] “Some strains of the mythology claim that one of the Fae heroes who rose up to overthrow them was Fionn, who was given the great sword Gwydion by the High Priestess Oleanna, who had dipped it into the Cauldron itself. Fionn and Gwydion overthrew the Daglan. A millennium of peace followed, and the lands were divided into rough territories that were the precursors to the courts—but at the end of those thousand years, they were at each other’s throats, on the brink of war.” His face tightened. “Fionn unified them and set himself above them as High King. The first and only High King this land has ever had.” [...] “Fionn was betrayed by his queen, who had been leader of her own territory, and by his dearest friend, who was his general. They killed him, taking some of his bloodline’s most powerful and precious weapons, and then out of the chaos that followed, the seven High Lords rose, and the courts have been in place ever since.” - ACOSF, chapter 55

What if, similarly to Maeve from SJM’s Throne of Glass series, Koschei/Fionn made a play for ultimate power and either tricked the High Fae/faeries that he was one of them, or made some sort of deal or bargain to share power with one of the existing rulers - perhaps his eventual queen? I believe it could be a combination of the two, where he tricked the existing fae that he was one of them, and married into a ruling family, thus sharing power with his queen, and weaving his genetics into the fabric of the land. There could be a clue in Fionn’s sword, Gwydion:

Gwydion fab Don, from Welsh mythology, was a known magician and trickster, who was named for his mother’s lineage. Koschei is known to be a powerful sorcerer.

Many experts acknowledge Don as the Welsh equivalent to the Irish Danu, the mother goddess of the Tuatha de Danann, while others consider Don a male ancestor.

Defender of the Kingdom of Gwynedd (more on this further down), he was both cunning and a skilled warrior.

He used his magic for anything, good or bad, including the shape shifting of others.

He created Blodeuwedd as a wife for his nephew, Lleu Llaw Gyffes. @wingedblooms has written a brilliant post about the legend of Blodeuwedd, and how it may pertain to Elain Archeron, and I plan to elaborate on how this could relate to Koschei and a potential use he may have for Elain in another post.

Given that High King Fionn's sword was named after a mythological trickster, could Fionn/Koschei have tricked his hypothetical Daglan brethren into being trapped, similarly to both the fae Nesta saw in the vision the Harp gave her, and the Inner Circle’s disastrous mission to Hybern - that is, they didn’t see it coming? Could the Daglan be the Prison’s original occupants, perhaps trapped in lead sarcophagi to contain their mighty powers? The following passage sounds like it packs one gigantic foreshadowing punch for ACOTAR 5 or, more likely, ACOTAR 6:

Amren swore. “Lead to keep its full force in, to preserve it. They used to line the sarcophagi of the great rulers with it—because they thought they’d one day awaken.” “If the King of Hybern goes unchecked with that Cauldron, they might very well.” - ACOMAF, chapter 36

Moving on, what if King Nuada partially inspired Fionn/Koschei’s character, and Breas, the temporary king of the Tuatha de Danann, with a Tuatha de mother and a Fomorian father, is the Irish mythology stand-in for the hypothetical child of Fionn/Koschei, a Daglan father, and a mother from the (precursor to the) Dusk Court, who likely ruled it herself before she married Fionn/Koschei - perhaps the Mother, or maybe the High Priestess Oleanna, who created Gwydion… What if they were actually one and the same?

I suspect that Fionn/Koschei and his Dusk-fae (for lack of a better term) wife may have ruled over the land that would one day become the Dusk Court, once Courts and High Lords came into being. This Dusk-fae wife, who likely ruled the land before she married Fionn/Koschei, would then become his queen, when he became High King of Prythian. But who could she have been? As I mentioned earlier, Gwydion fab Don’s mother was Don, who is theorised by some to be Welsh equivalent to the Irish Danu, a Mother goddess; we learnt in ACOSF that the High Priestess Oleanna “Made” Fionn’s great sword Gwydion, by dipping it in the Cauldron herself. In some ways, we could consider Oleanna to be "mother" to the blade Gwydion. While veering into crack territory, I posit that the High Priestess Oleanna may have been both the Mother goddess of Prythian, and Fionn/Koschei’s queen. If this is correct, then who was his general? I think we could learn that it was either the ancient fae warrior, who trapped him at his current lake, or perhaps Enalius, the renowned Illyrian warrior who died on Ramiel, protecting the Pass.

Alternatively, maybe none of this is correct - this is all hypothetical, after all.

Just getting back to Fionn's great sword Gwydion quickly, before we move on:

Firstly, please note I am NOT suggesting that Gwyn will be evil, just that she might be used - a victim - of Fionn/Koschei’s machinations, like everyone else. I am also not saying that this will definitely come to pass but, if Koschei was once known as Fionn, who had the great sword Gwydion, and his character was inspired by (amongst other myths and legends) Fionnbharr, Irish mythology’s King of the Fairies and the Otherworld, then I think this could be where a hint in Gwyneth Berdara’s name could inform what might happen with her character in the future (of course, this may not come to light in ACOTAR 5, it could potentially occur in ACOTAR 6, if it happens at all).

Gwydion fab Don was the protector of the Welsh Kingdom of Gwynedd, and a known trickster.

Gwyn ap Nudd is the Welsh equivalent to Fionbharr, as King of the Fair Folk, and their Underworld.

Gwyn’s full first name is Gwyneth, which is derived from Gwynedd, and her surname, "Berdara," means “bloody” in both Malay and Indonesian.

Given the naming similarities between the two Gwyns, the Gwydion link, as well as the association between Fionnbharr and Gwyn ap Nudd, and therefore, hypothetically, ACOTAR’s Koschei, these could be hinting that ACOTAR's Gwyn might be a tool - a "blade," say, or a "trick" - in Fionn/Koschei’s game plan.

Once again, this would not make Gwyn inherently bad - just as Kaltain Rompier from Throne of Glass was neither bad, nor wicked, simply used by an evil character - nor do I believe it would preclude her from being worthy of friendship or love; if SJM plans for her to end up with a romantic partner by the end of this trilogy, Gwyn being used by the Big Bad shouldn’t affect that endgame (same as any other character… it would actually create an obstacle - a plot point - for the pair to overcome), whether that be Azriel or Balthazar or Tarquin, or anyone else. If Chaol and Lorcan were given HEA’s in Tower of Dawn and Kingdom of Ash respectively, then Gwyn, with all of her bravery and self sacrifice, could certainly receive one, too. This is just a potential link that I’ve noticed in the pool of myths and legends from which SJM may be drawing her inspiration, so it might be a huge coincidence, that does not even come to pass; I just thought it was worth mentioning. If it’s not something you personally want to read, that's fine, please be kind.

Erebos, Hypnos and Thanatos

A throwaway line in ACOWAR, just after Feyre had asked Keir for the Ouroboros mirror, piqued my attention at the time, but it wasn’t until I had the thought that Koschei could have once been Fionn, when looking into the Sidhe, that it properly settled into place:

A shrug. “So it is yours, if you dare to face it.” Keir paused at the threshold as the doors opened on a phantom wind. He said to Rhys, perhaps the closest he’d come to asking for permission to leave, “Lord Thanatos is having… difficulties with his daughter again. He requires my assistance.” - ACOWAR, chapter 26

In Greek mythology, Thanatos is the personification of death; a son to Nyx, the goddess of night, and Erebos, the god of deep darkness and shadows, he was also the twin brother to Hypnos, the god of sleep. If there is a Thanatos present in the Hewn City, is the existence of a Lord Hypnos a given? The namesake of a god of sleep, existing in a, hypothetically, slumbering off-shoot of the Dusk Court would be very appropriate. The presence of a Lord Thanatos in the Court of Nightmares not only makes me more certain that Azriel will have a significant association with it in the end - and wonder whether the Thanatos in question could be Azriel’s ancestor - but it also reminded me of Erebos.

If ACOTAR’s Koschei is partially based on Fionnbharr, King of the Otherworld, in addition to his namesake, could he potentially have elements of Erebos and Thanatos blended in, as well?

The Thanatos of Greek mythology, god of death, was outwitted by King Sisyphus, who chained him in his own shackles; this could be indicative of how the fae warrior of whom the Bone Carver spoke tricked Koschei into his current predicament.

Perhaps significantly, the following passage was mentioned three times in ACOSF:

In the beginning

And in the end

There was Darkness

And nothing more - ACOSF, prologue, chapters 31 and 77

Erebos, the Greek god of darkness and shadows, was a primordial deity born out of the primeval void, Chaos. His powers included:

Unrivalled manipulation of darkness and shadows (sorry, Az), and the ability to embody darkness.

Death force manipulation, necromancy and erebo-geokinesis (power over “underworld walls”).

Telekinesis, emotional manipulation and teleportation.

Essence reading.

He was invulnerable… perhaps one could say “deathless”?

Rapid regeneration.

Immortality.

Leadership of the Underworld.

Enhanced power.

A lot of those powers sound like they could potentially belong to a shadowsinger, no? Specifically, those I highlighted in bold could fit with Rhys’ ACOMAF description of a shadowsinger’s powers, and a few other tracks we have gleaned about Azriel over the course of the series.

Rhys said, “This is Azriel—my spymaster.” Not surprising. Some buried instinct had me checking that my mental shields were intact. Just in case. [...] Shadowsinger. Yes--the title, whatever it meant, seemed to fit. “Like the daemati,” Rhys said to me, “”shadowsingers are rare--coveted by courts and territories across the world for their stealth and predisposition to hear and feel things others can’t.” - ACOMAF, chapter 16

And the rest sound like powers that could be appropriate for Koschei as we know of him. What if Azriel has untapped powers, or powers that he, or his hypothetical future child, is/are yet to inherit, because they are still being held by the invulnerable-yet-contained ruler of a long-forgotten precursor to the Dusk Court (post coming soon)? I also suspect that shadowsingers, lightsingers and the daemati are closely related, that perhaps shadowsinging involves some level of the daemati skill - the “emotional manipulation” that I mentioned above. Could Rhys’ accusation of Azriel “seducing” Elain (ACOSF, Azriel’s bonus chapter) be a hint that, just like lightsingers, fully powered/trained shadowsingers can also lure?

Could Koschei - once known as Fionn, High King of Prythian - be the original shadowsinger?

I can't wait to find out.

If you enjoyed this, please consider reblogging. 💜

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juusworld5728 · 3 years

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WOW! You have outdone yourself OP💛💛💛

"What if the Cauldron was wrong?"

Or, why I believe the Cauldron gifted Elain and Lucien to each other at Hybern, so they could BOTH have a second chance at a Mate.

Do not screenshot this post.

Disclaimer: all opinions are my own, and make no claims of being canon. This post is not anti any character, but it aims to discuss the underlying dynamics of the following relationships.

Many readers of the ACOTAR series have noticed not only the natural chemistry between Elain Archeron and Azriel, ever since they met in the human realm, way back in ACOMAF when Elain was still a human, but also the distinct lack of chemistry between Elain and her Cauldron-gifted mate, Lucien Vanserra; Azriel and Elain also appear to display much stronger examples of SJM-style “mate behaviour” than do Elain and Lucien, which has, understandably, led to some confusion within the fandom.

Given Lucien didn't react as a mate would on seeing Elain restrained and threatened at Hybern - as Cassian did with Nesta, and as Rhys did Under the Mountain with Feyre - until Elain was released by the Cauldron, I think it is safe to assume that his bond with Elain did not predate her being turned fae.

Why would the Cauldron choose Elain for Lucien, when she is so different to his first love, Jesminda? Jesminda, whom he thought was his mate, and with whom he was just waiting for the bond to snap…

Why not choose Azriel, when Feyre herself said how well matched he and Elain would be?

What sequence of events happened at Hybern that led the Cauldron to so royally screw up?

This post is pro “all the involved characters,” as well as being pro Elriel, and pro Vucien, but anti El*cien - please don’t read any further, if you aren’t open to a twist on the multiple mates theory.

TW: for mention of canon violence, kidnapping, murder and other mature themes and events.

Jesminda and Lucien Vanserra

Jesminda was Lucien’s first love, their story ending in tragedy thanks to his abhorrent father. Back in ACOTAR, Tamlin told Feyre about Lucien’s past, and included the fact that Lucien had actually suspected that Jesminda was his mate, though no bond had ever snapped into place for them. While this appears to shut down any chance of them having been mates, a closer read of the text demonstrates that it may have actually been the case that they were.

“Lucien fell in love with a faerie whom his father considered to be grossly inappropriate for someone of his bloodline. Lucien said he didn’t care that she wasn’t one of the High Fae, that he was certain the mating bond would snap into place soon and that he was going to marry her and leave his father’s court to his scheming brothers.” A tight sigh. “His father had her put down. Executed, in front of Lucien, as his two eldest brothers held him and made him watch.” - Tamlin, ACOTAR, chapter 18

Then, early on in ACOMAF, Lucien relayed his own story to Feyre in a misguided - at best - attempt to explain Tamlin’s actions to her (Lucien’s role in Feyre's trauma is a complex subject that involves his own trauma, and would deserve a whole post on its own by someone able to expertly discuss the topic - I am not a mental health professional, so I won't elaborate). As we have come to expect from SJM's mated couples, there are often parallels in stories, behaviours and phrases used that become obvious during a re-read; the following passage informs us that Lucien heard Jesminda's heart stop beating, and that he heard Feyre's neck snap when Amarantha killed her Under the Mountain - but there is no mention of him hearing Feyre's heart ceasing to beat. We know that it did, because Rhys felt her die.

“I was forced to watch as my father butchered the female I loved. My brothers forced me to watch.” My heart tightened for him—for the pain that haunted him. “There was no magic spell, no miracle to bring her back. There were no gathered High Lords to resurrect her. I watched, and she died, and I will never forget that moment when I heard her heart stop beating.” My eyes burned. “Tamlin got what I didn’t,” Lucien said softly, his breathing ragged. “We all heard your neck break. But you got to come back." - Lucien, ACOMAF, chapter 3

Firstly, how strong must Lucien be, to have gone on after losing Jesminda, whom he loved like a mate, even if she wasn't one? Although, as I mentioned, I suspect that she was. Feyre and Rhys found the experience so terrible that they made a pact to go out together, rather than experience it again - and they only felt the loss for a fraction of the time that Lucien has known without Jesminda. Secondly, why then, if Lucien could hear Jesminda's heart beating, was he unable to hear Elain's heartbeat, his supposed Cauldron-gifted mate, as she sat next to him in the iconic scene in chapter 24 of ACOWAR (that I will discuss later)? Contrast this to Rhys' experience of the events Under the Mountain, when Feyre, his then-human mate, was killed by Amarantha. Like everyone present, Rhys heard Feyre's neck snap, however, he also felt her die.

"If you were going to die, I was going to die with you. I couldn’t stop thinking it over and over as you screamed, as I tried to kill her: you were my mate, my mate, my mate." “But then she snapped your neck.” Tears rolled down his face. “And I felt you die,” he whispered. Tears were sliding down my own cheeks. “And this beautiful, wonderful thing that had come into my life, this gift from the Cauldron… It was gone." - Rhys, ACOMAF, chapter 54

The wording isn't identical, possibly because it would make the link too obvious, and SJM wants to keep us guessing, but it can't be a coincidence that Rhys and Lucien, whose stories with Feyre and Elain have such strong parallels (Rhys' bond with Feyre snapped when she was already in love with Tamlin, as did Lucien's bond with Elain when she was engaged to Graysen etc.), each mention that they felt or heard the moment that Feyre and Jesminda died.

There are also small analogues between Elain and Azriel, who many suspect were intended mates, until the unfortunate series of events occurred at Hybern, and Jesminda and Lucien. Elain has, to date, not uttered Azriel's name once that we've heard, in the entire ACOTAR series - and here we have Feyre mentioning that Lucien hadn't "spoken her name" before, when he was telling her about Jesminda… and this was only after the Cauldron (we assume) mated him to Elain. Both males have also said that they "didn't care" that there were reasons why they shouldn't pursue a relationship with their respective partners.

“After Jesminda, they would.” Jesminda. He’d never spoken her name. Lucien slid between the swaying, bobbing stalks. “She was one of them.” The words were barely audible over the sighing barley. “And when I didn’t protect her … It was a betrayal of their trust, too. I ran to some of their houses while fleeing my brothers. They turned me out for what I let happen to her.” Waves of gold and ivory rolled around us, the sky a crisp, unmarred blue. “I can’t blame them for it,” he said. - Lucien, ACOWAR, chapter 11

One theme that seems to reoccur among ACOTAR's males is that, after meeting their mates, and realising that they're mated, they tend to stop seeking out partners for sex, and find it hard to "stay away" from their respective mates - we saw both Rhys and Cassian go through this with Feyre and Nesta, Lucien was unable to stay away from Jesminda, despite the wishes of his father, and Azriel is in the middle of this struggle now (assuming, of course, that he and Elain are "true" mates). The point is, that mated males tend to be loyal to their mates, even before the bond has been accepted, and Lucien demonstrates this devotion to Jesminda yet again when decades - maybe even centuries - after her death, he still feels like his bond with Elain is a "betrayal." On the other hand, Lucien does seem to be able to stay away from Elain, and Feyre notes that he doesn't seem to be interested in "bridging" the gap between them (ACOFAS).

He just wanted a walk—and a few books. It had been an age since he’d even had free time to read, let alone do so for pleasure. But there she was. His mate. She was nothing like Jesminda. Jesminda had been all laughter and mischief, too wild and free to be contained by the country life that she’d been born into. She had teased him, taunted him—seduced him so thoroughly that he hadn’t wanted anything but her. She’d seen him not as a High Lord’s seventh son, but as a male. Had loved him without question, without hesitation. She had chosen him. Elain had been … thrown at him.

She was the most beautiful female he’d ever seen. Betrayal, queasy and oily, slid through his veins. He’d said the same to Jesminda once. But even as shame washed through him, the words, the sense chanted, Mine. You are mine, and I am yours. Mate. - Lucien, ACOWAR, chapter 24

In addition to Lucien being able to sense Jesminda's heart as it stopped beating, the loyalty he still holds for her - and everything else that I have mentioned - the events that occurred as he fled to the Spring Court after Jesminda's murder also hold some parallels to the actions of Rhys' father after his mother and sister were murdered. Rhys' father - and Rhys - killed Tamlin’s father and two brothers, who were responsible for the deaths of his mother and sister, though Rhys' father also murdered Tamlin’s mother, despite her innocence (as Rhys said later, he could be cruel). While Lucien is obviously not to blame for the circumstances, as he was defending himself, the end result was that he - and Tamlin - killed two of his own brothers, who were there when Jesminda was murdered. This makes me wonder if Lucien will play a role in the death of Beron, whom he assumes is his father - perhaps in partnership with Eris, the only brother who seems to care for him?

So, it could be a big stretch, but given the textual evidence, I don't think it's completely implausible to consider that Lucien and Jesminda may actually have been "true," or "original" mates, just as Elain and Azriel were intended to be (theoretically, at this point), before Beron had her killed. As to why this hypothetical mate bond didn't snap between Lucien and Jesminda: we know that two fae can know each other for years and not even realise they were mates until they slept together, even if they were in love - such as Kallias and Viviane. We also know that two mates can have a lot of sex and, even if both suspect they are mates, the bond wouldn't fully snap into place until they were emotionally ready - such as Nesta and Cassian. Given the stress Lucien and Jesminda must have felt, with regards to Beron's approval of their relationship, I don't think it's too out there to assume that their bond might not have snapped into place because either (or both) of them were not in the right place to allow it to do so.

This is why the Cauldron deemed him an acceptable choice for Elain. Not only is Lucien a decent male at heart, with strong powers to rival her own - from both his mother, and Helion's suspected Day Court magic - but he no longer had a mate of his own in existence. Lucien was a safe choice for the Cauldron to make for Elain, as Elain was for him, as Azriel had been struck with a faebane coated ash arrow, and the Cauldron thought him dead, when it gifted Elain with both her powers and a new mate.

Elain Archeron and Azriel

Many people have outlined the individual instances in which Azriel and Elain display the typical attraction, trust and defensiveness of successfully mated couples from both the ACOTAR and TOG series; there are many, so I’ll be as brief as possible (Reader, I'm sorry; I truly tried, but this is not short), but the running joke - that Azriel and Elain have consistently behaved in a more “mate-like” manner towards each other than any canonically mated pair in ACOTAR - exists for a reason.

From their very first meeting, when Elain's dress matched the blue of Azriel's cobalt siphons, Feyre noticed that Azriel closely observed Elain; she saw that he noted the anxiety that Elain couldn't quite hide, the tight grip on her fork giving her away. This behaviour was then mirrored in the way Cassian watched Nesta as she ate; it's subtle, but both couples were demonstrably drawn to each other from the start.

A faint smile bloomed upon Azriel’s mouth as he noticed Elain’s fingers white-knuckled on that fork, but he kept silent, focusing instead, as Cassian was subtly trying to do, on adjusting his wings around a human chair. - ACOMAF, chapter 24

Elain, in turn, was able to read Azriel, and she trusted what she saw. When it looked as if the discussion about sleeping arrangements might be heading south, Elain looked to Azriel to gauge the situation, and relaxed when she saw that he wasn’t too stressed.

Rhys chuckled, Cassian’s wrath slipping enough that he grinned, and Elain, noticing Azriel’s ease as proof that things weren’t indeed about to go badly, offered one of her own as well. - ACOMAF, chapter 24

Azriel then showed a huge amount of trust in Elain when they shared tea in the townhouse garden, early on in ACOWAR, where he was both relaxed and comfortable enough around her to sun his wings in her presence. I have discussed this scene before but, for an Illyrian, who would have been taught from childhood to protect his wings at all costs, making himself - his wings - so vulnerable demonstrated the inherent trust that Azriel has for Elain, and mirrored the same trust that Rhys had for Feyre, when he allowed her to see his wings - and told her of his love of flying - towards the end of ACOTAR. Aside from the vulnerability, this wing-display could also be classified as peacocking, though Azriel, unsurprisingly, was much more discreet than Cassian, who not-so-subtly showed off his wings to Nesta, in chapter 29 of ACOWAR.

Elain sat silently at one of the wrought-iron tables, a cup of tea before her. Azriel was sprawled on the chaise longue across the gray stones, sunning his wings and reading what looked to be a stack of reports… - ACOWAR, chapter 24

One of the underlying themes that SJM uses between her mated characters is that they inherently tend to seek each other out. As Rhys said to Feyre in chapter 54 of ACOMAF, and Cassian said about Nesta in chapter 17 of ACOWAR - the only two examples of this phrase being used in the first three books and novella - they couldn't "stay away." We then have Azriel, in his bonus chapter of ACOSF, thinking that he had been right to "stay away." While this may initially sound like Azriel admitting to being able to keep away from Elain, unlike Rhys and Cassian ultimately being unable to avoid Feyre and Nesta, we know that Azriel is struggling with it, and it mirrors both Rhys and Cassian living through periods of separation from their mates, before they eventually came back together.

Additionally, before the events of solstice in ACOSF, Elain and Azriel did seek each other out; the time they spent together was most likely where the small touches and glances that Azriel mentioned in his bonus chapter occurred. Of course, for the rest, we only have the snapshots that we saw narrated through Feyre, Nesta and Cassian's eyes, but there were mentions of Azriel choosing to spend time with Elain from ACOWAR onwards, culminating first in their lengthy late night chat at solstice in ACOFAS, then in their rendezvous after everyone else was asleep at the next winter solstice, in ACOSF.

Azriel and Elain remained in the sitting room, my sister showing him the plans she’d sketched to expand the garden in the back of the town house, using the seeds and tools my family had given her tonight. Whether he cared about such things, I had no idea, but I sent him a silent prayer of thanks for his kindness before Rhys and I slipped upstairs. - Feyre, ACOFAS, chapter 22

Azriel might not care about gardening - or he may, we have no idea - but what is certain is that he does care about Elain, and I think we might find out that winter solstice in ACOFAS was when he started to fall for Elain as more than a friend; it may have even been when their touches and glances began.

Touch is another theme that ACOTAR's mates have in common, and it's something that Azriel often seeks from Elain, perhaps without even knowing he's doing it in the beginning. For a list of all the times Azriel sought Elain's touch in ACOWAR, look no further than this heartwarming post, but perhaps the most iconic example is when Azriel carried Elain, bridal style, in through the front door of the townhouse; this has led many to suggest that Elain and Azriel will eventually live in the townhouse, given Nesta - and Cassian - were gifted the House of Wind.

Azriel arrived first, no shadows to be seen, my sister a pale, golden mass in his arms. He, too, wore his Illyrian armor, Elain’s golden- brown hair snagging in some of the black scales across his chest and shoulders. He set her down gently on the foyer carpet, having carried her in through the front door. - ACOWAR, chapter 24

In addition to mates seeking "touch" from each other, terms such as wanting to “taste” and “smell” them are also common. Cassian's bonus chapter in ACOMAF, Wings and Embers, held strong parallels to Azriel’s bonus chapter from ACOSF, in that both Cassian (and Nesta) and Azriel (and Elain) began with the woman/female initiating contact, followed by the male wanting to beg on his knees to touch, smell or taste her.

... there was taunt enough in it that she placed a brazen hand on his chest. - Nesta, W&E

Slowly, Elain pivoted into his touch. Until his palm lay flat against her neck. - ACOSF, Azriel’s bonus chapter

Every instinct in his body came roaring to the surface, so violent he had to choke them with a brutal grip or else he’d find himself on his knees, begging her for a touch, for anything. - Cassian, W&E

He’d beg on his knees for a chance to taste it, but Azriel just stroked her neck again. - ACOSF, Azriel’s bonus chapter

Cassian breathed in the smell of her into his lungs, stirring his c*ck as it latched onto some intrinsic part of him and sank its talons deep. - Cassian, W&E

Her arousal drifted up to him, and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head at the sweet scent. - ACOSF, Azriel’s bonus chapter

A low laugh broke from those lips, which he’d been fully prepared to taste, to devour— - Cassian, W&E

Just this taste (kissing Elain) in the dead of the longest night of the year, where only the Mother might witness them. - ACOSF, Azriel’s bonus chapter

The brief Lucien POV from ACOWAR demonstrated that he also ran through these instincts, upon seeing Elain for the first time since Hybern and, finally, we saw that Rhys also touched, smelt and tasted Feyre when they were acting as Keir's distractions at the Hewn City, when Azriel was stealing the Veritas in chapter 42 of ACOMAF, though the instances are too spread out to quote concisely.

Touch her, smell her, taste her— The instincts were a running river. He fisted his hands at his sides. - Lucien, ACOWAR, chapter 24

In addition to the instincts I just mentioned, mates also act to protect and defend each other. Feyre rescued Rhys from Hybern's soldiers in chapter 49 of ACOMAF, not long after Rhys had vowed to tear the world apart to rescue Feyre if Lucien had taken her against her will, in chapter 48.

I sipped from my wine. “And if he had grabbed me?” There was nothing but uncompromising will in his eyes. “Then I would have torn apart the world to get you back.” - ACOMAF, chapter 48

These words are then repeated, in a fashion, by Azriel in ACOWAR, after he realised that the Cauldron had captured Elain. At this point, they had only been friends for a few months, and both were still dealing with their past loves (Mor and Graysen). This always struck me as too strong of a reaction to Elain’s kidnapping, when her own sisters were not nearly as enraged; concerned, upset, angry - yes, but not enraged… nor did their eyes glow golden.

And what Hybern would do to Elain, might already be doing— From the shadows near the entrance to the tent, Azriel said, as if in answer to some unspoken debate, “I’m getting her back.” Nesta slid her gaze to the shadowsinger. Azriel’s hazel eyes glowed golden in the shadows. Nesta said, “Then you will die.” Azriel only repeated, rage glazing that stare, “I’m getting her back.” - ACOWAR, chapter 64

Elain also acted to defend Azriel in turn, when, in the middle of their escape, as Hybern’s hounds were attacking Azriel as he attempted to fly them to safety - as well as coaching Feyre to fly! - she used her bare feet to kick them off Azriel’s back and wings. This demonstrates that the instincts to protect and defend go both ways between Azriel and Elain.

Azriel’s roar echoed off the rocks as the hound slammed into him, dragging those shredding talons down his spine, his wings— The girl screamed, but Elain moved. As Azriel battled to keep them airborne, keep his grip on them, my sister sent a fierce kick into the beast’s face. Its eye. Another. Another. It bellowed, and Elain slammed her bare, muddy foot into its face again. The blow struck home. - ACOWAR, chapter 65

Many people have analysed the following scene, but it is so quintessentially Elriel, that here it is again. Azriel gave his knife, Truth-Teller, that he never let anyone else handle, to Elain; then Feyre the Prophet used mate-like language to describe it acting as a “bridge” between the two of them. If this was just Azriel being generous, why not give Elain any other knife? This scene also parallels the moment that Rhys armed Feyre, in chapter 19 of ACOMAF, before they visited the Weaver’s Cottage. It seems that mates instinctively protect their partners, but also arm them as well, as a contingency plan.

Azriel, still limping, merely nudged aside Cassian and extended another option. “This is Truth-Teller,” he told her softly. “I won’t be using it today—so I want you to.” …

Elain’s eyes widened at the obsidian-hilted blade in Azriel’s scarred hand. The runes on the dark scabbard. “It has never failed me once,” the shadowsinger said, the midday sun devoured by the dark blade. “Some people say it is magic and will always strike true.” He gently took her hand and pressed the hilt of the legendary blade into it. “It will serve you well.” “I—I don’t know how to use it—” “I’ll make sure you don’t have to,” I said, grass crunching as I stepped closer. Elain weighed my words … and slowly closed her fingers around the blade. …

I saw the painting in my mind: the lovely fawn, blooming spring vibrant behind her. Standing before Death, shadows and terrors lurking over his shoulder. Light and dark, the space between their bodies a blend of the two. The only bridge of connection … that knife. - ACOWAR, chapter 69

As Nesta said in chapter 1 of ACOSF, “Most males bought their wives or mates jewelry for an outrageous Winter Solstice present,” and what do we have Elain receiving from both Lucien and Azriel? Jewellery. From Lucien, a pair of pearl earrings - the meaning of which was discussed in this post - that don’t bode well, and from whom she shrank away… and from Azriel, a personalised necklace, which she asked him to put on her, and then leant into his touch. Let me make it clear that I don’t think Lucien is “bad” for getting Elain a gift; I think he is stuck in this bond as much as she is, and that is what pains him, but I will elaborate further down. What I do find interesting is that Elain seems to lose her identity around Lucien; Lucien rarely refers to her by name, and even Cassian labels her as Lucien’s mate.

He and Lucien did not exchange gifts, though the male had brought a gift for Feyre and one for his mate, who barely thanked him after opening the pearl earrings. - Cassian, ACOSF, chapter 58

But tonight, here in the dark and quiet, with no one to see.. . He pulled the small velvet box from the shadows around him. Opened it for her. ... "It's beautiful," she whispered, lifting it from the box. The golden faelight shone through the little glass facets, setting the charm glowing with hues of red and pink and white. - ACOSF, Azriel’s bonus chapter

The ability to communicate without spoken words is something else that we have seen SJM’s mates have in common; Rhys and Feyre were doing this well before Feyre knew that they were mates, a prime example being at Feyre’s intended wedding to Tamlin, when she panicked and sent it down their bond, “help me, help me, help me,” unintentionally calling Rhys to her “through whatever magic was between” them (ACOMAF, chapters 4 and 5). Azriel and Elain, apparently, are no different; in his bonus chapter, Azriel let us know that he doesn’t need his shadows to “read” Elain, and Elain, in turn, instinctively knew the reasons behind Azriel choosing to avoid her.

Elain's large brown eyes flickered, well aware of all that. Just as he knew she was well aware of why Azriel so rarely came to family dinners these days. - ACOSF, Azriel’s bonus chapter

Azriel’s apparent ability to both see and smell the mating bond between Lucien and Elain should not, as far as we know, exist - mating bonds that haven’t been accepted should not be detectable by anyone other than the pair of mates in question - and I discussed this further in an earlier post. The fact that Azriel can sense it, and it’s enough to make him so uncomfortable that he had to stay by the door, is a massive hint that something more is going on, and we will have to wait for their book to find out.

Are Elain and Azriel carranam? Mates? Both? Something else entirely?

Because her mate had been in the family room and Azriel had needed to stay by the door the whole time because he couldn't stand the sight of it, the scent of their mating bond, and needed to have the option of leaving if it became too much. - ACOSF, Azriel’s bonus chapter

And finally we get to my favourite of Az’s lines in ACOSF, when Cassian was - understandably - at risk of spiralling down into his worry about Nesta, and Azriel reassured him that even though Nesta was at risk in the Blood Rite, she was still alive.

He tapped his brother’s chest with a scarred hand. "Right here - you'd know, Cass." - Azriel, ACOSF, chapter 68

This line, when first read, was a beautiful example of Azriel comforting his brother through his concern about Nesta (and Emerie and Gwyn). Azriel rarely opens up emotionally - according to Rhys, he typically only does so once Mor has pestered him past the limits of his patience - so it is significant that he'd talk about so vulnerable a thing around Cassian, to help ease his mind. However, once the emotional dust from the final few chapters had settled, it stuck in my mind, as I know it did for many others.

What does it mean, as far as mating bonds go? How did Azriel, who has had no mate of his own mentioned throughout the entire series, know what it would feel like when a mating bond goes silent? We know from Feyre’s perspective, in chapter 77 of ACOWAR, after Rhys - temporarily - sacrificed himself to repair the Cauldron, that she felt an emptiness in her chest and soul, “at the lack of that bond, that life.”

I believe that Azriel may have felt the same thing when Elain was captured by the Cauldron, then “contained” by the steel chains that glowed violet, even if he could not identify what he was experiencing at the time. I would love to know the point at which he realised what that feeling, or lack thereof, truly meant.

It was Azriel who asked softly, “What about Elain?” and let her sisters know that she wasn’t accounted for; it was Azriel who vowed, with rage in his stare, that he was “getting her back;” it was Azriel who could, I suspect, no longer feel what Elain was feeling, so rage rippled off his invisible form when he couldn't tell whether or not the screams from the tortured humans were Elain, why he asked her if she was hurt; it was Azriel who did not put Elain down as they walked back into the camp, even though he was bleeding out - I assume he needed the physical comfort of her presence; and, finally, it was Azriel who made sure everyone knew that removing the spelled chains that Elain still wore was a priority, before he finally let himself be taken to a healer, only once Elain was back in the arms of her sisters (ACOWAR, chapters 63 to 65).

I suspect that the faebane coated ash arrow that Azriel took to his chest in chapter 63 of ACOMAF, when everything at Hybern went south, along with the containment spells that the King of Hybern had in place at the time, spells that blocked Feyre from sensing Rhys through their own bond, led the Cauldron to assume that Azriel - despite the fact that he shouted, back arching, when Elain was selected to go first into the Cauldron (chapter 65) - was either dead, or close enough to being so, that it no longer considered him a viable option for a mate, and he was replaced by Lucien.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Elain Archeron and Lucien Vanserra

From the moment they met, which we can safely assume to be one of the worst of Elain's life - and not high up on Lucien’s list, either - Elain and Lucien were thrown at each other. Neither expected it, or even appeared to want each other very much (despite Lucien’s cultural investment in the bond, he has never been very emotionally enthusiastic about Elain herself), and the situation between them hasn't got any better since.

Lucien told Elain that she was his mate in a moment that Elain will (probably) forever associate with her trauma. Lucien was not to blame for the bond snapping into place, or for inadvertently blurting out that Elain was his mate - I'm sure he was as shocked as she was - but we cannot blame Elain for not moving past this association. Contrast this with when Rhys and Feyre's bond snapped, once they were free of Amarantha - he managed to leave before he said anything.

“I almost told you then, but … You were so sad. And tired. And for once, you looked at me like … like I was worth something.

I couldn’t force the bond on you. I couldn’t try to seduce you into accepting the bond, either. Even if it gave Tamlin license to wage war on me. You had been through so much already. I didn’t want you to think that everything I did was to win you, just to keep my lands safe. But I couldn’t … I couldn’t stop being around you, and loving you, and wanting you. I still can’t stay away.” - ACOMAF, chapter 54

Despite Lucien’s claim that Elain was his mate, he didn't react as a mate typically would upon first seeing her restrained, when Hybern's soldiers brought Elain and Nesta out in chains. Cassian, though battered and bleeding out from his shredded wings, reacted whenever Nesta was threatened so, if Lucien’s bond with Elain existed before she was Made, he should technically have done the same.

Before Elain went into the Cauldron, after an unconscious, magically isolated Azriel still managed to give a shout as the king of Hybern selected her to go in first, Lucien and Tamlin both responded in a similar fashion to each other - with Tamlin actually reacting first each time - and were then bound by the King of Hybern's spells for their troubles. Lucien wasn't even fully focused on Elain here, as he kept glancing at Tamlin. This is reflective of the relationship that existed between Lucien and Tamlin until this point; Lucien took his cues from Tamlin, no matter his own opinion - and I am not faulting Lucien for this, as his friendship with Tamlin was inherently imbalanced.

Tamlin said, “Stop.” The king did no such thing. Lucien, beside Tamlin, again put a hand on his sword. “Stop this.” …

Tamlin spat at the king, “This is not part of our deal. Stop this now.” “I don’t care,” the king said simply. Tamlin launched himself at the throne, as if he’d rip him to shreds. That white-hot magic slammed into him, shoving him to the ground. Leashing him. …

“That is enough.” Lucien surged for Elain, for the Cauldron. And the king’s power leashed him, too. On the ground beside Tamlin, his single eye wide, Lucien had the good sense to look horrified as he glanced between Elain and the High Lord. - ACOMAF, chapter 65

Lucien, in fact, did not solely respond to Elain's distress until after she came out of the Cauldron, at which point a secondary mating bond could have been superimposed over her theorised "true" or "original" bond with Azriel. The following scene, though, in which Lucien breaks free of the king's spells, is just as much a hint that he is Helion Spell-Cleaver's son, as it is that he is now Elain's mate, and reacting to her situation.

Elain was still shivering on the wet stones, her nightgown shoved up to her thighs, her small breasts fully visible beneath the soaked fabric. Guards snickered. Lucien snarled at the king over the bite of the magic at his throat, “Don’t just leave her on the damned floor—” There was a flare of light, and a scrape, and then Lucien was stalking toward Elain, freed of his restraints. - ACOMAF, chapter 65

Now Lucien, who grew up respecting the mating bond, as all fae did, and who we know felt its pull once it did exist - evidenced by him snarling first at the King of Hybern, going to Elain's side, claiming she was his mate when the bond snapped, then snarling at Tamlin to "get her back" after Rhys and Mor had winnowed Azriel, Cassian, Elain and Nesta out of Hybern (ACOMAF, chapters 65 to 67) - still didn’t feel drawn enough to Elain to go after her, even once he, Tamlin and Feyre were back and settled at the Spring Court. He was clever enough to realise that Elain was in no immediate danger, as Feyre wasn't panicked about her safety but, as he said to Feyre:

“I want to see her. Just once. Just—to know.” “To know what?” He hitched my damp cloak higher around us. “If she is worth fighting for.” - Lucien, ACOWAR, chapter 12

None of this sounds like Rhys, or Azriel, who in similar situations vowed that they would get back their respective Archeron sister. Lucien actually snarled at Tamlin to get Elain back, not that he would do so himself, and this was before he realised that she would be safe in the Night Court. While Lucien did take Feyre leaving the Spring Court as motivation to travel with her to Velaris, to Elain, his thoughts strayed to Jesminda along the way and, once he was situated at the House of Wind, his internal monologue when he unexpectedly ran into Elain showed that he'd just wanted a walk, and wasn't necessarily thinking about her, even though she was now living under the same roof.

He just wanted a walk—and a few books. It had been an age since he’d even had free time to read, let alone do so for pleasure. But there she was. His mate. She was nothing like Jesminda. - Lucien, ACOWAR, chapter 24

I absolutely understand that Lucien was being respectful of Elain's space here, and leaving her be, as Feyre had asked; however, in saying that, I would imagine Rhys' thoughts upon seeing Feyre in a similar situation would have been much more focused on Feyre, and having wanted to see her before then. Sadly, I do read this as indicative of Lucien's future actions, where he appears happier away from Elain, with Vassa and Jurian, his Band of Exiles, than when he is near her.

He shook off my grip and headed for the door. “I can’t stand to be in the same room as her for more than two minutes. I can’t stand to be in this court and have your mate pay for the very clothes on my back.” - Lucien, ACOFAS, chapter 18

This sentiment is repeated in ACOSF, when Lucien told Cassian that he wasn't always in Velaris for Elain - the words "my mate" literally demonstrating his discomfort with her and, I assume, their bond.

“Why are you here?” Cassian asked, unable to help the sharpness. “Where’s Elain?” “I am not always in this city to see my mate.” The last two words dripped with discomfort. “And I came up here because Feyre said I should. I need to kill a few hours before I’m to meet with her and Rhys. She thought I might enjoy seeing Nesta at work.” - ACOSF, chapter 40

Other people have considered this scene between Cassian and Lucien, and some have suggested that, after Mor said, much earlier in ACOSF, that Lucien could no longer be fully trusted - a sign, perhaps, that his allegiance is changing to the Band of Exiles, instead of Elain - Feyre had sent Lucien to see Nesta train, to witness her power, and remind him of the strength of the Night Court, for whom he is supposed to be working.

Mor took another bite from her pastry. “Lucien can’t be entirely trusted anymore.” Cassian started. “What?” “Even with Elain here, he’s become close with Jurian and Vassa. He’s voluntarily living with them these days, and not just as an emissary. As their friend.” - ACOSF, chapter 4

The following scene is often touted as an indication of romance, or romantic potential, between Elain and Lucien, but the fact that we are told that she looked away, then angled her head as if searching for an answer among the city view, led many to believe that Elain was never talking to Lucien, and even if she was, he could not hear hers in return.

She looked away—toward the windows. “I can hear your heart,” she said quietly. He wasn’t sure how to respond, so he said nothing, and drained his tea, even as it burned his mouth. “When I sleep,” she murmured, “I can hear your heart beating through the stone.” She angled her head, as if the city view held some answer. “Can you hear mine?” He wasn’t sure if she truly meant to address him, but he said, “No, lady. I cannot.” - Elain and Lucien, ACOWAR, chapter 24

Lucien could, however, hear Jesminda's heart beating, which I discuss in full in the Jesminda and Lucien Vanserra section of this post. Not only that, but he remains emotionally loyal to Jesminda, to the point that he felt acknowledging Elains beauty is a betrayal of her memory - this is one of the (many) points that made me think that Jesminda may have been his mate, as well as his true love.

Poor Lucien; he thought he'd lost his chance at a mate for decades at least, maybe even centuries, and when Elain did come along, his mating bond wasn't all it was supposed to be.

What is interesting, however, is that although Lucien feels "queasy" with betrayal for Jesminda around Elain, he appears to be drawn to Vassa, comfortable with her, well before it became completely obvious that Elain was less than interested in him, and despite the fact that she still lives. The following scenes hint at Lucien’s enthusiasm towards Vassa as early as ACOWAR, and Vassa's own comfort with Lucien. This is in direct contrast to Lucien’s unease and discomfort around Elain, which I mentioned above.

“The human queens are still out there,” I said. Maybe I’d hunt them down. “Not for long—not if Vassa has anything to do with it.” “You sound like an acolyte.” Lucien blushed, glancing at Elain. - ACOWAR, chapter 78

Jurian leaned against the opposite door frame. “Queen Vassa offered me a place within her court.” Indeed, Vassa still remained inside, chatting with Lucien animatedly. I supposed that if she only had until dawn before turning back into that firebird, she wanted to make every minute count. Lucien, surprisingly, was chuckling, his shoulders loose and his head angled while he listened. - ACOWAR, chapter 80

“He’s keeping everything running. I think he’d have been crowned king by now if it wasn’t for Vassa.” A twitch of the lips, a spark in that russet eye. “She’s doing well enough. Savoring every second of her temporary freedom.” - ACOFAS, chapter 18

Both Jurian and Lucien stared at her, the former’s face utterly unreadable, and the latter’s pained. - ACOSF, chapter 7

Despite Lucien's apparent interest in Vassa - he gushed about her, blushed when Feyre called him on it, and his body language when chatting with her was described for a reason - he has continued to make a token effort towards Elain. Some readers believe that this is because he wants Elain herself (and that is a perfectly valid interpretation) especially as Cassian mentioned the pain and longing he saw in Lucien’s face at solstice in ACOSF, but I suspect that Lucien is anxious about the bond itself, rather than Elain specifically.

He and Lucien did not exchange gifts, though the male had brought a gift for Feyre and one for his mate, who barely thanked him after opening the pearl earrings. Cassian’s heart strained at the pain etching deep into Lucien’s face as he tried to hide his disappointment and longing. - Cassian, ACOSF, chapter 58

Given that the fae regard mating bonds with such reverence, I imagine that there would almost certainly be some level of shame involved with being a rejected mate, especially for the males, given they are still a patriarchal society. Lucien is, I assume, making this effort because it is what is expected of him, and is likely confused at his possibly-developing feelings for Vassa… just as Azriel is probably confused at his feelings for Elain, and his mate-like instinct towards her, given she is technically mated to another.

Again, please do not read this post as anti Lucien, it absolutely is not; he's a complex character who has experienced a variety of different traumas, none of which he deserved - to be clear, no one, not even a villain, ever does. What Lucien does deserve, though, is to be chosen by someone who loves him unconditionally, who matches his personality. Unfortunately, I doubt that this person is Elain.

Going Forward

What will happen in the future books is currently a hotly debated topic, and we will have to wait for SJM to release the information - or the book itself - to know for sure, so this is purely conjecture, but I personally think that Elain (and probably Lucien, too) will ultimately want to reject their mating bond. Unhappy mated couples, and the fact that the bond can be rejected, have been mentioned since the beginning of the series - I suspect that we are about to see one play out in real time.

Will we find out if there was a deeper reason behind the Cauldron-gifted bond between and Lucien? Was the King of Hybern working with Koschei, and did he have orders to shoot Azriel specifically with the poisoned ash arrow, in order to prevent the three brothers from falling for the equally matched Archeron sisters? Why would Koschei want Azriel to remain unmated? Is it because he wants Azriel, and maybe Elain, too, so isolated that they are easy pickings when he is ready for them? Did the Cauldron give Lucien to Elain to counteract the interference with fate, so that Lucien would leave the Spring Court for Velaris, then finally be sent on his way to get Vassa and the human army? Is the bond between Elain and Lucien even real?!

I suspect that, while there is some sort of bond - mating or otherwise - between Elain and Lucien, we may find out that the bond itself is made up of different components. If the mating bond consists of both thread/s and a bridge, then one of the threads between Elain and Lucien is there - the "thread" that Lucien referred to in chapter 29 of ACOWAR, but the "bridge" is not, because the bridge from Elain's soul/heart already went to Azriel; perhaps the other threads did, too. The idea of mating bonds and bridges is discussed further in this fantastic post.

My feeling is that when Azriel didn't die at Hybern, after the Cauldron gifted Elain and Lucien to each other assuming that he had (or would), but Lucien beat Azriel, who was unconscious at the time, to helping Elain, the new bond between Elain and Lucien snapped in a moment of heightened stress, but it couldn't snap fully, because the path to Elain's soul was not free. This is why Elain acts with suspiciously mate-like behaviour towards Azriel; it's why Azriel can sight and scent the bond between Elain and Lucien, and why he knows what the lack of a bond feels like; and it's why Lucien still felt loyal to Jesminda's memory - if the theory that she was actually his mate holds true - despite his new bond with Elain.

When it comes to bond rejection, I believe that Elain, or perhaps Nesta, will Unmake the single bond thread between Elain and Lucien, and that one of them will Make a new bond between Lucien and Vassa a bit further down the line, if that's what they choose… we only have small hints at their feelings so far, and while I think they're both attracted to each other, there's a long way to go between new love and accepting a lifelong mating bond. That being said, the little we know of Vassa makes her sound much closer to Jesminda, in terms of personality, so on paper she appears to be a better match for Lucien, mating bond or no. I also suspect that Vassa, the firebird, may either end up being Made herself, or could have phoenix-like rebirth/renewal properties, so that she is able to live a long, long life with Lucien.

As for the bond between Azriel and Elain, will it snap fully the moment that her bond between Lucien is Unmade, or will Elain (or Nesta) need to re-Make the parts that the Cauldron gave to Lucien in ACOMAF? While I'm keeping my hopes low for a full and complete detailing of mate-bond lore - SJM does have a plot to deal with, after all - I would love to find out the intricacies of which parts exist from both parties being of age, and which parts require the perfect storm of meeting and emotional availability to snap.

Could a faerie have a fully realised mating bond with a human, but because Elain was in love with Graysen at the time, and Azriel perhaps still in love with Mor, their bridge formed when they met, but the threads didn't snap? Or, could the threads not snap fully until Elain was Made?

Either way, both Elriel and Vucien serve poetry:

The lovely fawn, blooming spring vibrant behind her. Standing before Death, shadows and terrors lurking over his shoulder.

A bird of flame... and a lord of fire. I wondered if they'd found each other yet.

Reader, they have.

#acotar #acomaf #acowar #acofas #acosf #acotar 5 predictions #acotar theories #elain archeron #azriel #azriel shadowsinger #Elriel #vucien

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