A speculative guide to Iron Flame & 15 exciting facts & theories
Iron Flame (The Empyrean #2) synopsis/blurb:
“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson
Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.
Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.
Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.
But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.
Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.
WARNING: The below article is filled with major spoilers for Fourth Wing. If you haven’t read that yet, definitely avoid reading this any further!
Iron Flame excerpt.
Read an exclusive excerpt of Iron Flame below (originally published here):
15 interesting facts and theories from Iron Flame.
In the lead-up to the launch of Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros, speculation, Fourth Wing theories, facts and far-out ridiculous conspiracies are rife. Here are some of the most exciting facts, coupled with plausible fan theories going around.
EDIT: With the release of the book, I’m going through and marking which ones have turned out to be correct, and which ones have been debunked!
Note: If you are trying to avoid Iron Flame spoilers, it’d be best to refrain from reading below.
1. Fact: Cath’s (Dain’s dragon) breath stinks.
Gross. No theory here.
2. Fact: Solas is a ruthless dragon who does not give AF.
Revealed in the exclusive Iron Flame excerpt.
3. Theory: Whose dragon is Solas in Fourth Wing?
The question on everyone’s lips is whose dragon is Solas in Fourth Wing? Speculation is rife that Solas is the new Vice Commandant’s dragon.
Edit upon book release: Theory confirmed! Solas is Vice Commandant Varrish’s one-eyed orange daggertail dragon.
4. Fact: Sloane (Liam Mairi’s sister) makes it across the parapet.
Revealed in the excerpt.
5. Theory: Sloane is hearing impaired.
There is a theory going around that Sloane Mairi is differently-abled and may be hearing impaired. This fan theory stems from the fact that Liam Mairi is fluent in sign language and that in the excerpt, Violet lunges to protect Sloane due to her being hearing impaired, from Solas, a dragon who doesn’t seem to care how many people they incinerate.
Edit upon book release: Theory debunked. Sloane is not hearing impaired.
6. Fact: General Lilith Sorrenail (Violet’s mother) knows about venin.
It’s revealed in the first book, Fourth Wing, that she owns a special specific dagger to kill them.
7. Theory: General Lilith Sorrenail’s motives.
Good, morally grey or evil? That is the question!
What are Lilith Sorrengail’s motives? Is she working to keep Violet and Mira as safe as possible? Is she aware of the revolution and on their side? Does she know Brennan is alive? Theories speculate that she might not be evil. After all, she did object to children of the rebellion leaders being forced to watch their parents’ executions.
Others theorise that she is a shady character and caused the storm on the parapet when Violet was crossing.
I guess all will be revealed!
8. Fact: Imogen & Violet are back in Basgiath safe.
Revealed in the excerpt.
9. Fact: Andarna aka Andarnaurrum is huge.
This was confirmed in the epilogue of Fourth Wing, in Xaden Riorson’s narration.
10. Theory: Andarna becomes one of the most powerful dragons in Navarre.
We already know as a small golden feathertail dragon, her gifted power to Violet to stop time is so powerful that it has to be kept secret, for fear of what that common knowledge of the ability of feathertail dragons to gift powers to riders would imply for young dragons (i.e. Feathertail dragons would be hunted.)
Additionally, fans, myself included, would love if sweet little Andarna might become one of the most powerful dragons with a coveted signet power. Theories stem from the fact that her colour is gold/yellow and is a clue to a rare and powerful dragon, and possibly even stem from royal dragon lineage if there is such a thing.
11. Fact: New characters, the Vice Commandant and Aaric.
There’s a new character, revealed in Iron Flame’s synopsis, referred to as the “Vice Commandant,” apparently making it his mission to teach Violet how powerless she is.
We also have learnt of a character named Aaric, in the pre-release Iron Flame excerpt.
12. Fact: There’s a revolution and Brennan Sorrengail is alive.
Revealed at the end of Fourth Wing.
13. Fact: Dain seems to be wingleader.
Revealed in the excerpt.
14. Fact: Violet Sorrengail’s dad gave her a forbidden book before he died: The Fables of the Barren.
In it, he left a letter reminding her about the importance of folklore being passed from one generation to the next. “It only takes one desperate generation to change history—even erase it. I know you’ll make the right choice when the time comes,” he wrote in the letter.
“He got a little… cryptic in the year after Brennan died,” Violet tells Xaden. “Losing my brother made my father even more reclusive.”
15. Theory: Violet’s dad was killed because he knew too much.
After finding out that Brennan is not dead, we might speculate that Violet’s father perhaps wanted to investigate what happened to Brennan. Being a scribe, he might have gone seeking more knowledge and truth, the truth about both sides of history, about who the real enemy is and the “revolution.”
This leads to greater questions about his death. Was he killed because he knew too much? Is there any chance he is alive?
FAQs about Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
If you haven’t read Fourth Wing, the first book yet, I would advise stopping reading here, as below you’ll find spoilers for the first book of the Empyrean series.
What is the release date of Iron Flame?
The release date according to GoodReads is the 7th of November 2023. You can pre-order Iron Flame here.
And if you get in quick, you might be able to snag yourself a copy of one with sprayed edges.
What is the reading order of The Empyrean series?
Reading Order:
Book #1: Fourth Wing
Book #2: Iron Flame
What are venin in Fourth Wing, and what should we expect in Iron Flame?
Venin are described in Fourth Wing as people who tap into a source of magic without a dragon or gryphon to channel and become corrupted by dark magic. They create flocks of winged creatures called wyverns. They scourge the land of all magic in the thirst for more power.
They aren’t able to attack Navarre because their wards make all non-dragon magic impossible.
We should probably expect to see a lot more venin in Iron Flame, knowing there’s a secret revolution.
What are wyverns?
Violet narrates that wyverns are “Kind of like dragons but bigger, with two feet instead of four, a mane of razor sharp feathers streaking down their necks, and a taste for humans. Unlike dragons who think we’re a little gamey.”
Fables also say that venin created them to compete with dragons, yet except channeling power from them, they channel power into them.
Who is Sloane in Iron Flame/Fourth Wing?
Sloane is Liam Mairi’s sister.
Obsessed with all things Iron Flame? You may also enjoy reading:
One Dark Window | Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig (Dark fantasy gothic fairytale, slow-burn rivals to lovers).
A Court of Thorns & Roses | A Court of Mist & Fury | A Court of Wings & Ruin | A Court of Frost & Starlight
Divine Rivals | Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross (Historical fantasy romance, slow-burn rivals to lovers).
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim (Fairytale fantasy retelling, yes it has dragons too!).
The Stolen Heir by Holly Black (YA Fantasy)
A Deadly Education | The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (Dark academia fantasy)
