An unhinged and super exciting theory that I’ve thinking about for over a year now: is it possible that Lilith Sorrengail was venin?

If you haven’t read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, please do so first as this post will contain a lot of spoilers. Let’s get started.

I’ve been thinking about Lilith being venin for a very long time. It all makes so much sense. The more you read the books, the more Easter Eggs fall into place that explain why and how Lilith became venin.

To top it all up, I recently got a theory submission from another fan, Naomi Rozen, who totally agrees.

Lilith Sorrengail was venin (and cured)

Let’s first read what Naomi has to say.

“After finishing Iron Flame, I was devastated by Xaden ruining himself and becoming Venin. So just like most of the other fans here, I had to reread Fourth Wing and Iron Flame in order to find those clues that RY hinted are scattered all over the book.
I came by this quote in Chapter 12 of Fourth Wing when Rhiannon and Violet were talking about Venin and Wyverns for the first time during presentation:
“He did, but it was after my mom had a really long night while we were stationed near the eastern border, and her eyes were *bloodshot red*, so I freaked out and started shrieking”.

Could this be a hint that Violet’s mom became Venin and somehow managed to get cured??
Now I know that it says here that it was after a long night that here eyes looked like that, but it is also mentioned that they were stationed near the Easter border – the border that was discussed during the first battle brief lesson in chapter 5 where there was an increasing amount of attacks!

Which means in my opinion that there would be enough danger there that might require Lilith to draw power and become venin out of desperation, like Xaden did.

Also, there is another theory regarding where Mira is, at the end of Iron Flame, after Lilith death. Brennan was there with Violet when Lilith died, and the speculation is that Mira immediately went to take or look for their mother’s belongings after she died. If Mira had indeed gone retreating Lilith’s belonging, could the cure to becoming venin be mentioned in something there?

After all, we learned that Lilith was a decent women, and cared deeply for her children and even sacrificed herself to re raise the words and save everyone in the end of Iron Flame.

So why would she keep the real threat of Wyverns and Venins secret from her children, especially if they were all riders, and she knew they might face these threats on the battlefield?

I believe it’s because she might have been venin herself at some point, and managed to get cured!”

My thoughts on Lilith being venin

Nice theory, right? And one I partly agree with. Here are my thoughts on this, with step by step Easter Eggs to support my theory.

“Her gaze siphons every ounce of my confidence down to the marrow in my bones. “It’s like that fever stole all your coloring along with your strength.” Grief flashes through her eyes and her brows furrow.”

Two things here. Her gaze siphons…interesting choice of words here. And yes, we’re talking about the fever, which we all know, it was no fever. It was something to do with venin given that Violet is all pale, her hair is partly silver like Aetos’ arm after being drained and she is more…fragile.

“Because only a rider and the roll-keeper know a dragon’s full name and she’s not certain I’m really his. That’s exactly what she’s implying. Like I’d be able to hijack Tairn.“

Oh, I think Lilith knows that one can hijack a dragon. That’s the beauty of it. We know that venin control their dragons instead of the other way around. Lilith knows…How else would have Lilith convinced her dragon to sacrifice himself? Something tells me that Lilith made Aimsir die for the wardstone.

“Mom,” I blurt, and her head turns, her eyes meeting mine. It’s been more than five months since I’ve seen her, and even though I want to be as composed as she is, as compartmentalized, I just can’t.

Lilith is composed, compartmentalized. You know who else is like that? Varrish. He is the definition of control. And that’s because Varrish was venin, we all know it.

We have tried every method we know of, as you requested. There is no cure. There is only control.

—MISSIVE FROM LIEUTENANT COLONEL NOLON COLBERSY TO GENERAL LILITH SORRENGAIL

We all remember the missive from when Nolon was younger and was just as lieutenant colonel. He tried to find a cure. But there is no cure, there is only control. Lilith is the definition of control, much like Varrish.

To me, this shows that we don’t have a cure yet and I don’t actually think Lilith was cured. This is the only part where I am not with Naomi.

But that’s not to say that we don’t have a cure…I just don’t think Lilith knew about it. If there was anyone who was researching the cure, that was Daddy Sorrengail, for his wife, Lilith. That’s why he became a recluse. And I do think Violet will find the research and use it for Xaden.

The final (BEST) Easter Egg

Hundreds of feet below, in front of the gates of Basgiath, my mother waits upon Aimsir, with her personal squad, including Mira and Teine, slightly behind her. She’s in front of us all, her three children and the place she’s sacrificed us—and her very soul—for.

Woaaaaah, thank you Rebecca Yarros for spelling it out for us. Lilith Sorrengail did indeed sacrifice her very soul for her own three children. I rest my case.

What about the venin dagger?

Something else I want to point out here, is about the dagger in Lilith’s desk. I imagine three reasons on why she kept that dagger there, given that they were under the protection of the wards:

1. Lilith kept it as a fail-safe for herself, against herself. Pretty grim, but I think she would have done anything to protect her children.
2. As a reminder of what she is. And what she’s been through to protect her children (Violet) during pregnancy.
3. Simply as a weapon against other venin within the wards. Although, of course, this is a simple explanation and now quite as romantic, right?

Why would Lilith turn venin?

The simple answer is, her three children. Rebecca Yarros told us this herself:

She’s in front of us all, her three children and the place she’s sacrificed us—and her very soul—for.

She was probably attacked when pregnant with Violet. Or something along these lines. And it makes sense because Lilith herself told Violet:
“When you have children, we can discuss the risks you’ll take, the lies you’ll be willing to tell in order to keep them safe.”

What are your thoughts? Do you agree that Lilith Sorrengail was venin?