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khalyesi · 23 days

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ELUCIEN | GWYNRIEL — MAASVERSE SPOILERS

I tend to see posts and videos from a multitude of people who seem to be reluctant to accept foreshadowing in the ACOTAR books—specifically regarding the endgame couples to finish out the overall series. As this post is simply beating a dead horse down, I find that it is very much needed as a specific group of people lack the capacity to understand the books.

Foreshadowing is not meant to be obvious. There are, of course, cases where it is relatively obvious, but only within the parameters of back-to-back scenes. Foreshadowing is meant to be picked up on, but to be fully understand later on in the story when everything comes to fruition. Examples of foreshadowing include color descriptions, specific use of language, emphasis on certain scenes, emphasis surrounding specific objects, etc cetera. If something happens obviously and you can read the scene as-is, it is not foreshadowing.

I see many people who ship Elriel claim that there is buildup across the entire series that foreshadows why they will be endgame. As the books do not support that claim, it is outlandish and a spread of misinformation. Allow me to disprove this theory using the books alone:

ACOTAR: Zero interactions between Elain and Azriel as Azriel had not been introduced as a character yet. This book highlighted Feyre surmising that Elain would thrive within the Spring Court, that her sister enjoyed typical emissary work, and instead introduced Lucien as a character.

ACOMAF: This is the first book where Elain and Azriel met, as is this is where many Elriels like to claim that the Elriel build-up begins. However, this book says otherwise. Elain and Azriel’s first meeting is neutral, quiet conversation to ease a tense situation as Nesta/Feyre/Cassian/Rhys were creating an uncomfortable situation and Elain meant to ease it. This book highlighted how in love Azriel was with Mor and how Elain was engaged to Grayson. Many Elriels also claim that the color of Elain’s dress in this first meeting—being cobalt—is indicative of endgame between she and Azriel. However, cobalt is also the signature color of Grayson’s family crest. There interactions die out after that first meeting and instead focus on Feysand again. The throne room scene in Hybern also showed the beginning of Elucien and their mate bond, while Azriel was on the floor reaching for Mor. (I go more into this on my Tik Tok page: @oristian)

ACOWAR: When Feyre returns to the Night Court after her month in Spring, she finds that Elain has been within a catatonic state for the entirety of that month and has shown no signs of recovering—that is, until Lucien came along. Elain began eating and moving around once he came and after tugging on the mating bond, her visions started showing. Everyone likes to credit Azriel for most of this, but all that Azriel did (take her to the garden) was suggested previously by Lucien. Lucien, who was not able to be alone with her due to Nesta and Feyre. Next, everyone tends to say that Azriel “saw” Elain when he named her power. “What we need is …” Contradicts such a thing. Naming a power does not cure someone of their trauma. Lucien is also canonically the first character to take Elain’s visions seriously and went in search of Vassa, ultimately finding Papa Archeron and creating an even deeper connection into the Koschei plot arc with Elain. This is also where we get the iconic half-step on the stair scene.

Elain is now kidnapped by the cauldron portraying itself as Graysen—Elain wanting so badly to be with her previous lover. This is a scene where many Elriels claim that it is supportive of Elriel being endgame. However, it is within character for Azriel. Certainly, Elain being appreciative of being saved and kissing him on the cheek is cute, but that is not enough “foreshadowing” for an endgame. Next, Azriel hands her Truth Teller after Elain refused weapons. Elain is hesitant and only agrees to take it once Feyre chimes in that she will not have to. Juxtapose this with Elain immediately giving it back after the battle is over, not saying a word, and instead falling into conversation with Lucien.

ACOFAS: This is the buffer book that was meant to do two things: Establish Nessian as the next couple, and establish a clear love triangle between Azriel/Elain/Lucien. Elriels use this book to drive the idea of an Elriel endgame. While this book has scenes between Elain and Azriel, there is unfortunately no foreshadowing present enough to support that claim. This novella emphasizes, from a conversation between Rhys and Feyre, that Azriel may be inclined towards Elain due to her having traits that may remind him of his mother (Freud). We also have Solstice where Lucien brings Elain a gift, Elain brings Azriel a gift, but Azriel does not bring Elain a gift. Elain’s gift being superficial and more of a joke than anything truly meaningful to them as a relationship.

ACOSF: The book that ended Elriel. We have this book set up as PRE-BONUS CHAPTER | BONUS CHAPTER | POST BONUS CHAPTER. In the pre-bonus chapter, we have a few scenes between Elain and Azriel that is a glance, or a very small interaction. The infamous scene that Elriels like to use that his shadows actually like Elain is the scene where Cassian says that Nesta upset Elain and his shadows seemed poised to strike. His shadows reacted to his anger, not to Elain. The Solstice scene where Azriel refused to be within the room due to the mating bond between Elain and Lucien and Nesta seeing that he was interested in Elain—which is never brought up again, however we do get a scene post bonus chapter of Nesta encouraging Gwyn and Azriel by calling him the “new ribbon.”

The bonus chapter ended Elriel officially as endgame. The chapter is told from Azriel’s POV and documents his lustful thoughts of Elain and how he wants a mate, hurt and confused why his brothers had two of the Archeron sisters and the third was given away to another male. Rhysand even asking Azriel what his plans are after seducing Elain and Azriel having none “past the fantasies he pleasures himself to.” This is also a chapter where Elriel like to claim that Elriel is a forbidden romance. ACOWAR Rhys clearly objects to this being the case. (I have a video on my Tik Tok going over this @oristian) The bonus chapter then moves to Azriel finding Gwyn, his shadows not warning him of her presence at the HoW. His shadows are curious about her and dance with her breath. Azriel then finds out that Elain rejected his necklace and the next morning finds him re-gifting such to Gwyn. Azriel can picture her eyes lighting up at the gift and he smiles—this is also where mate language is used to describe the spark in his chest at the thought and the glow of the thought. “A thing of secret, lovely beauty.”

Post bonus chapter has zero interactions between Elain and Azriel. The interactions between Azriel and Gwyn are charged and witty. Energetic. This is also where we see Azriel’s siphons glowing darker at the thought of the Valkyries in the Great Rite—the first instance that this has happened.

Next, we go into the last two remaining plot arcs: Koschei and Dusk Court. Both ACOSF and HOFAS have set Nesta up as the driver for the Dusk Court arc, with Azriel as the character to follow. With SJM’s Bloomsbury contract slating her to have two more main books with dual POV romantic interests, the Dusk Court arc book would only make sense having Gwyn and Azriel as the FMC and MMC of that arc. The Koschei arc has been carefully crafted for Elain and Lucien to be the FMC and MMC of that book, with both of them being set up for this since ACOWAR. Elain with her visions of Vassa, the lake, and Koschei’s black box, and Lucien being tied to Papa Archeron and Vassa and the mortals. (I have a video on my Tik Tok that goes more in depth with this @oristian)

SUMMARY: Elain and Azriel do not have multiple books of foreshadowing, a Gwynriel and Elucien endgame is not fanservice, and the remaining two plot arcs do not support an Elriel endgame. If you have any problems with that, take it up with SJM.

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khalyesi · 6 months

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Why i’m 99% sure Azriel’s (and gwyn) book is next.

I genuinely think she heavily set up his storyline in acosf, he was one of the characters that was most heavily involved in acosf (beside nesta and cassian obviously), and sjm genuinely seemed to highlight things about him and delve into more personal things about him (more than we’ve ever seen before in any other book). Azriel has always been the mysterious one that we know nothing about, the quiet one, etc.. but i’ve realized starting acosf, sjm has been slowly making the readers aware of his personal struggles and genuinely just throwing out more random info about him.

i also think sjm is setting up a heavier and deeper valkyrie storyline. it was made clear by the end that their journey wasn’t over. as well as adding lingering questions here and there ( “nesta wondered if they’ll ever see battle”), nesta telling cassian that she’s thinking about leading the valkyries, introducing pegasus to the story (where pegasus are known to be heavily prominent in valkyrie’s mythology as they used to ride them into battle) and already connecting the pegasus to gwyn, nesta, and emerie. (and also confirming that we’ll see more pegasus in the next book and future books!!)

and then gwyn expressing her want to leave the library but by the end of the book she ends up going back there. the illyrians being pissed and are threatened by the fact that gwyn and emerie won the blood rite. her own personal storyline, and the storyline of the valkyries AND illyrians is clearly not over. but not just that, sjm made those topics heavily mentioned and prominent in acosf, (imo) clearly setting them up for the next book. like i’d be genuinely surprised if she threw those topics aside for the next book and then going back to them after, when they’re already set up and fresh in the readers head.

what i think really sealed the deal for me and what convinced me that azriel’s book is next is when sarah said that to her, it was “obvious” who the next book is about AFTER READING ACOSF. like that told me EVERYTHING. she was practically screaming who it was.

like when she said that how can you not think of azriel. she specifically said “after reading acosf”.

he literally got his own bonus chapter. he was one of the most heavily involved characters in acosf.

im sorry but elain was barely involved at all, and that’s quite surprising considering how nesta and elain’s relationship was even closer than nesta and feyre’s in previous books but elain was barely even present. so it would not be “obvious” at allllll if elain was next. and when sjm was asked if we’ll see elain next book she literally said

“we’ll see SOME of elain” ?? does that seem like the next main protagonist to you? yet she was gushing about how excited she was to write azriel’s journey

and to counterargue the argument about “azriel’s bonus chapter doesn’t matter”, i remember when steph (sarah’s best friend) was first reading acosf back in 2021. sarah SPECIFICALLY told her to read azriel’s bonus chapter before she gave her any thoughts about the book. that bonus chapter is clearly important to sarah.

and also another fun fact, steph was a hardcore el/riel before acosf, and after she read acosf and the bonus chapter she switched to gwynriel (then she was bullied mercilessly by e*riels so she just stopped talking about ships)

i just think when sjm said it was “obvious” who the next book is about, it really told me all i needed to know, especially also with the continued comments of her saying she’s excited to write his journey.

i just wanted to make this post because i know people are still going back and forth with who they think the next book will be about (even with some eluciens still believing elain will be next), but i just wanted to clarify my opinion and why i think the way i think!

also my first language isn’t english so i’m sorry if i said something wrong in grammar or spelling or whatever :)

also i want to make a more detailed post with more information about this!! this is just the gist of it and what i can think of at the top of my mind rn

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