I’m going to need you to please help me with this one. Dust off your Fourth Wing book and come on a wild journey with me. I think I discovered something really odd in Fourth Wing and I’m not sure if this is real or a mistake. I have this feeling that Rebecca Yarros doesn’t actually make mistakes. I’m pretty sure, actually. What looks like a mistake is very much intentional, and it’s there to throw us off. This? This is BIG because it involves Liam. Did I get you? Yeah, me too…I’m still not happy that Liam is gone but I have this feeli …
Empyrean Series Theory: Did Liam master more signets than we initially thought?
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Written by: Cory
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23 responses to “Empyrean Series Theory: Did Liam master more signets than we initially thought?”
I 100% have thought about this too! Knowing how much his mom was well versed in runes it would only make sense Liam was taught more about them. He always kept wood on him for the carvings, but maybe to also make runes too. I wonder if he put runes in the dragon carvings too? Maybe something to protect his friends! There is definitely more to learn about Liam that’s for sure!
OH, the wood! You are so right!!!
This is brilliant!
I agree! It was such a great catch!
Waaaaait. WAIT. Does it also mean that little carved Andarna? Feirge? All the dragons he was carving? They are some sort of runes in them, I have no doubt. Protective runes of some sort. They have to be!
Yes!! I just feel like it’s something he would do! I love how his name means protector too so so fitting to be violets bodyguard!
It really is fitting!
Diana, hi, could I please send you an email using the email address you input for the comments section?
Hear me out because the ice welding confused me unless it’s a lesser magic & different from Ridoc’s signet. In IF when Xaden is tellin Vi about the significance of the protection runes Liam’s Mom created & says
“It was designed to COUNTER the signet of the rider whose dragon would kill them.” He swallows. “But it could only activate when killed by dragonfire.”
I took this as his Liam’s far sight is actually tied to Melgren’s ability to see the outcomes of battles since his dragon was the one who burned the parents which would also align with the marked ones having mind-related signets in some form. We still don’t know Garrick’s & know Bodhi can flat out counter signets. This also makes me wonder if Xaden will actually have another signet…..so 3 total.Ok, Ok, This is not what I understood from the statement. Wait, wait. Am I reading this wrong?
“It was designed to COUNTER the signet of the rider whose dragon would kill them.” He swallows. “But it could only activate when killed by dragonfire.”
Given that Codagh killed them, I thought the kids (with the protective runes) all benefited from the counter signet of the rider whose dragon would kill them (Melgren). Which is why when marked ones are together, Melgren cannot see the outcome anymore. The protective rune resulted in the mark on their skin, hence countering Melgren’s signet. Do you reckon there is more to it than this?Garrick…what is Garrick is some sort of God. Honestly…at this point…And I wonder if ice wielding is some sort of lesser magic, in which case it would explain why Liam was using it. Unless…there is so much more to him! Also, they are not wielding lesser magic, are they, they are performing it, this is the word Rebecca Yarros is using for it? They are wielding magic, usually. ARGH, this is getting me so confused here.
Understandable I was looking at it as a verb “ to defend yourself against something” vs actually countering something. I looked up in FW ice wielding is one of the more common signets, so was that an error on the authors part or do the marked ones have additional signets?!
I am so curious. I don’t think it was an error. I think there’s more to that ice wielding situation.
If Liam’s dragon had ANY OTHER NAME, I would consider the ice wielding being a mistake. I bounce back and forth on it being a rune secret that his mother taught him, or that we’re in for a big reveal that the marked ones have MORE signets. (But I kind of hate the idea of Xaden having 3 signets?? Feels overkill.)
Hi Alison, I agree with you. 3 signets does feel like an overkill now. I think it’s enough that Violet has two signets, plus (IMO) the gift of slowing down time. I wonder if with runes they can somehow just use signets. Ultimately, in Iron Flame, Suri does say that learn runes and you can compete with a fair number of signets. So chances are, Liam was just exceptional with runes and using other signets because of his runes. Right? But yes, I do love that his dragon’s name is Ice.
Hi,
Somehow Sloane knows that riders who bond dragons in family lines get two signets. Violet learns that information from here. So how would Sloane knows but Violet, our clever girl don’t. So I think as with Xedan that was happening with Liam. He bonded a dragon in his family line an so he got a secound signet, witch he diden’t told anyone but then uses in the battle in Resson. Violet herself said when she finds out about Xadens secound signet, that if it would be an element wilding signet it would have been seen in Resson. So back to Sloane, I thinke she knew because Liam told her in his letters, that he has two signets. I think we will learn much more aout Liam trough the letters he wrote to Sloane.Hi Rahel, that is an interesting take. It’s possible, of course. Which would also mean that Imogen is also bonded with such dragon. After all, she also has two signets.
I slightly edited the comment as you can see. You can get in touch with me directly about it if needed. It’s just that I don’t the support the business you mentioned, they stole a looooot of my initial theories from this site 🙂 sorry^^^This — Two signets – farsighted and ice wielding — makes the most sense.
Imogen though, speed is a lesser magic – Dain and Cath are quoted – Lesser magic channeled ‘cranks up his speed’. And that Cath is particularly powerful, which could just mean that Imogen’s dragon is also particularly powerful.
Xaden is as fast as Imogen, but he isn’t quoted to have this as a signet, so I am pretty sure it is just a lesser magic, and we know that Sgeayl is powerful.
It also explains how Violet becomes so shockingly fast while channeling both her dragons.Possible. But I wonder if Liam was just using runes. Given that he must have been the best in the world, knowing who his mother was
Hi! I haven’t got a theory on this but just wanna say i love all of your posts and literally stalk this page for more theories and ideas because they are literally the only thing keeping me going until onyx wing! Also is it just me or would Luke Eisner make a perfect liam?
He’s a very beautiful man. But I imagine Liam more… American? I don’t know how to explain. Like a young Chad Michael Murray or a very young Brad Pitt (90s).
Yeah I definitely can see what you mean. Can’t wait to see who does play him in the movie!!
A thought…
How different do you think sight enhancement is from hearing enhancement with runes.
Is it likely, Liam pretended his signet manifested sooner so he could keep up with Violet’s schedule (Violet was removed from archives duty), by making runes for enhancing sight – farsightedness. But later developed Ice wielding as his dragon’s name intended, but kept it hidden to avoid suspicion from Carr.
Maybe we have it the other way around.I think Liam was using so many runes it’s unreal. I think he only had one signet! But the rest were all runes.
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