Warning! Spoilers for The Empyrean Series!
Fans of The Empyrean Series have crafted many genius theories, including the darker but no less intriguing idea that Violet Sorrengail’s father may have turned venin. The series follows Violet in the fictional world of Navarre as she attempts to survive the Rider’s Quadrant at Basigath War College. Many issues complicate her adventures, including her growing relationship with her boyfriend, Xaden Riorson, and the evolving revelation that not everything she was taught about her world was the truth.
In the series, Violet mentions that her father passed away shortly after the death of her brother Brennan, who is revealed to be alive and leading the revolution against Navarre in Iron Flame. As a scribe, her father was the one assisting Violet in her studies so that one day she could follow in his footsteps, enlisting in the Scribe Quadrant. However, after his death, Violet’s mother decided that she would enlist in the Rider’s Quadrant instead. Readers learn later that this was her way of giving Violet the tools she needed to find the truth about the venin.
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Evidence That Violet’s Dad Became A Venin
Most of the evidence can be found in Fourth Wing
Violet’s father may have guided Violet to a book on the venin in order to confess to being one. During the events of Fourth Wing, Violet finds a book of folktales discussing the venin her father left for her, learning later that he was researching the venin in secret as Basigath would have censured or destroyed his research after his death. This, paired with the mysterious circumstances of his death and his reclusive nature toward the end of his life, has led many fans to believe Violet’s father had turned venin and could have potentially almost drained General Lilith Sorrengail.
Nolon’s letter to the General in Iron Flame stating that there was no cure for being a venin labeled him as a Lieutenant Colonel, which is a lower ranking than his current one, implying the letter was sent before the book’s events. Nolon could be referring to Violet’s father, who may have attacked Lilith, forcing them to move to Basigath where the wards were strongest. This is corroborated by the fact that Lilith had a fever while pregnant with Violet, which sapped Violet’s hair and body. This could be a possible consequence of her father’s unwilling attack.
Another smaller detail is that Violet remembers her mother being warmer before her father’s death. This could give audiences further insight into Lilith’s character than previously seen in The Empyrean Series, as she had to watch the love of her life transform and could do nothing to save him. This could have led to her colder demeanor in the books and could possibly hint at how Violet’s father may have died at Lilith’s hand in order to save him and Navarre as a whole.
What Violet’s Dad Being Venin Would Mean For The Empyrean Series
The discovery of her father being a venin could send Violet into a spiral, as her mother may have had to kill her father and she might need to make that same choice with Xaden. Now that Xaden has become a venin, the Fourth Wing characters and dragons will face new problems, including what to do if Xaden gives in. As there may be other venin inside the wards, the remaining riders may need more information on the venin, which could lead back to Violet’s father’s notes.
If her father became a venin, Violet may also learn that her mother killed him to save him from his weakening resolve, as his heart “failed” twice, which could be code for him giving into his hunger. This could create a dark mirror situation as Violet contemplates how she may need to kill Xaden to protect Navarre if he spirals too far. This could force her to decide what is more important to her and how she and Lilith may have been more alike than she first realized.
However, Violet could choose to reject such an idea, turning the storyline from a dark mirror to a breaking of the cycle as Violet and Xaden strengthen their bond despite the circumstances. This could also lead to Violet finding a cure using her father’s research, perhaps finding a fact or idea that he missed with Andarna’s aid. This could make sure she avoids the same fate as her mother and possibly give the riders an advantage over the venin, as they can strip the venin of their power using Violet’s father’s notes.
Would Violet’s Dad Being Venin Actually Be A Good Twist?
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Violet’s father being a venin could either hinder or help The Empyrean Series, depending on how it is used. On one hand, considering that the series already had two venin twists with Xaden and Jack Barlowe, adding Violet’s father may make this Fourth Wing twist predictable if done again. Xaden and Jack already work as mirrors of each other when it comes to being a venin: Jack views it as a gift, Xaden a curse, as seen in Iron Flame. Having Violet’s father be a venin would be repeating Xaden’s current arc as he fights his new hunger for power.
Conversely, this could give Violet’s father further character development posthumously as well as be a way for Yarros to introduce more information on the venin’s plans organically. Violet’s father has had little development besides the few glimpses into Violet’s memories of him fans have seen. Including this could further showcase his devotion to his family and the truth through his research and control. It could also elaborate on his thoughts and emotions through his notes, filling out his character. Lastly, it could also give Violet a glimpse into a side of her parent’s story she previously did not know about.
This reveal could also give Violet more information about being a venin as well as what her father could gather about their motivations and plans. Perhaps, like Violet, her father dreamed about the venin through his connection to them and gathered clues to their plans that he left in his research, which Violet could piece together. Those notes could also allow Violet to learn why the venin seem to be targeting her and Xaden and how to identify the venin who are in Basigath’s walls before they take the wards down, leaving Navarre defenseless.
