What is Violet Sorrengail’s second signet? That has been the question bugging us for the past few weeks. We’ve talked about it in the comments of every other Iron Flame theory and even in the Iron Flame review. But are we actually closer to finding out Violet’s superpowers? I would say so. It looks like the majority of you are saying it’s either gravity or a chameleon type signet, similar to Andarna’s colours.
First of all, thank you so much to all of you who participated in the comments, coming up with new theories and ideas for her signet. It’s because of our discussions that it was possible to find new clues in the book.
Before we go any further, I must warn you, there are major spoilers ahead, so please proceed with caution. If you haven’t read Iron Flame, you’ve got to do it first (you’ll love it, I promise!).
Violet Sorrengail – Why does she have another signet?
In Fourth Wing, Violet Sorrengail bonded not one, but two dragons. She bonded a feathertail, a little golden dragon named Andarna. We found out that Andarna is still a hatchling, a juvenile dragon. Juvenile dragons possess a special gift, and in Andarna’s case, it was stopping time. The reason juveniles do not bond is that they can accidentally give their gift to humans. That would be problematic for power-hungry riders (and humans), so juveniles are normally kept secret until they reach adulthood.
In Iron Flame, we go through several stages with Andarna. She becomes what we initially think is a black teenage dragon. She then enters Dreamless Sleep to complete her growth, and we learn she’s lost her ability to stop time. This can only mean one thing for us: she can channel, and Violet reaches for her connection with Andarna on several occasions. We eventually learn that Andarna is a 7th breed of dragon and she is not black but iridescent, which makes her pretty spectacular.
Right, so back to Violet’s second signet. Why does she have two signets? Theoretically, two dragons, two signets, right? Well, while it hasn’t been confirmed in the book itself, luckily for us, the author herself confirmed this in an interview. Rebecca Yarros said that Violet’s second signet manifested in Iron Flame. Alright, so that left us super puzzled and in search of the truth. This is precisely how we started speculating and theorising.
Some of us have read the book three times already in search of the ultimate clues. But did we find it?
The answer, I’m afraid, is a little complicated.
What is Violet Sorrengail’s second signet?
The simple answer is that we don’t know for sure, and we won’t know until the third book in the Empyrean series is out. Luckily though, there are plenty of clues in Iron Flame that got us covered. I put together the ultimate list of potential second signets for Violet based on clues from the book. They are all backed by Violet’s needs and wants and who she is at her core. After all, this is how she tried to guess Xaden’s second signet, and she nailed it. So by that logic, we can do it too!
EDIT: I now have a new theory on why I think Xaden and Violet are gods. (yup, for real!) Which means that we are closer than ever to figuring out Violet’s actual second signet. Let’s get started. (I think the last one is the winner!)
Chameleon Signet: This unique idea posits that Violet’s signet allows her to adapt and gain abilities needed at the moment, much like how Andarna is capable of more of the same. The only issue with this theory is that it’s not technically the dragon that gives this ability, it’s who the rider is at her very core. Don’t get me wrong, it would be an excellent signet, just less likely.
Elemental Control: She’s been lied to by her mum, by her kingdom, and by her lover. Her brother is alive, and what she thought were fairy tale monsters, exist and are terrifying. From the confident, striving-to-get-better-at-everything woman in Fourth Wing, she lost her balance entirely. She didn’t have anyone to talk to; she didn’t know who she was in the context of this new world. Her emotions are all over the place, and it’s clear that her lightning strike is very much responding to her lack of control. She wields pure power and has no idea how to control it. In other words, she cannot yet control the skies. It’s more like the power simply responds to her very frantic emotions. What does Violet really need? To control herself, her emotions, her thoughts. Once she is in control, things happen well. She can wield well and even control her power, giving it the form she needs. After all, as Felix said, she can even wield Xaden, and now that we know Xaden is venin, all he needs is control…so maybe that’s precisely her superpower. Control.
This could also mean that she could control others and their signets. She could infuse some of her power to potentially amplify or subtract theirs.
Amplifying Others’ Signets: Another theory is that Violet could amplify or enhance the signets of others. This aligns with the fact that Violet really has so much love to give and wants her circle of family and friends to succeed. It could be that when in need, she amplified Rhiannon’s ability to wield summon through a wall. It could be that Mira did not manage to wield the ward around them in Poromiel, but she amplified Mira’s power. Generally, this would mean that she could infuse some of her power into others, being the opposite of a siphon because, at her very core, Violet is a giver. Violet would sacrifice herself for others, as she has proven over and over again when it came to trying to save Liam, saving her nemesis even, Catriona, and putting herself in danger to save Sawyer.
Truth Sayer/Type of Inntinnsic: This theory suggests that Violet’s second signet might be related to discerning or revealing the truth. She said it over and over to Xaden that in order to function, she needs the truth. She feels much like Xaden’s desire to know information. Note that Violet made it clear that she is a person that needs information to centre herself. The point above that Violet needs to be in control? Well, it might just be that information gives her control, which means she could be a type of inntinnsic. In the book, there is also a point that truth sayers are more dangerous than inntinnsics, yet they let them live.
Distance Wielder: Some believe that Violet’s signet could be related to controlling distance. This signet has been mentioned in Iron Flame when Xaden says there have only been two distance wielders in the past century. But given how rare Violet’s first signet is, it wouldn’t be surprising if this is her second signet. During the Battle of Basgiath, she does tell Tairn that he couldn’t be in two places at once. So maybe, she can?
Communication with the Dead: A few theorise that Violet could communicate with the dead or have visions involving them, as seen in her encounters with Liam. However, I honestly think this has nothing to do with her second signet. First of all, because during her time in the torture chamber, she was under the influence of the elixir, without access to her signets. I believe her seeing Liam was just a way to get some closure. He was her protector and he continued to be after death too. I think it was all a beautiful metaphor but nothing to do with her signet. I also think that Malek really did send Liam as a kindness. Because, as you already know, I firmly believe that Violet is a God. So that statement would actually make sense.
Dream Walker: Violet seems to be able to experience Xaden’s dreams as if there are her own. Coincidence? Their bond? Or is that part of her signet? Is this a type of inntinnsic or is she a sort of dream walker? The only issue that I have with this is that this particular signet doesn’t seem very useful. Also how would this tie to who Violet is at her very core? How could we use this particular signet in the long run to fight venin? I’m not seeing it, but I acknowledge that this was no coincidence. So maybe there is a lot more to it.
Time Manipulation: It’s probably what we’d most desire, isn’t it? The ability for Violet to manipulate time in one way or another. In ‘Iron Flame’, she often measures time in heartbeats. There are instances where she perceives time as slowing to sluggish heartbeats. She mentions to Felix the necessity of this power; without the ability to halt time, her aim falters. While the concept of time manipulation is enthralling, I ponder whether this is not her signet from Andarna. Perhaps Andarna inadvertently transferred her gift to Violet after the Battle of Resson. At that time, Andarna was deliberately slowing time for Violet’s survival. This might imply that Violet possesses two signets and one incredibly useful skill: the ability to decelerate or even halt time.
Gravity: Again, this is from the glorious comments. She does seem to reference that A LOT. Also at the very beginning of the book Violet does say “Gravity, logic whatever it is that keeps me grounded shifts.” So what does she need so much in Iron Flame? She needs to stay grounded because she’s not finding her “feet”. Also, indeed, she can’t really bounce from dragon to dragon (as we saw at the end of Iron Flame) because she can easily break. By that logic, gravity is something she truly needs and at her core describes her because it keeps her grounded.This is one of my favourite signet options for Violet but my mad scientist friend kinda went into why her current pure power signet also includes gravity. Which means…she has that as a default, so it’s not a second signet!
Healing or Mending Souls: Given the series’ focus on soul mending and Violet’s compassionate nature, I do believe her signet could be related to healing or restoring the souls of venin or others. In Fourth Wing, she kept saying that she is just a weapon, meant for destruction. How Brennan mends and Mira protects, yet while she has so much love to give, her signet is not reflective of this. If you pay close attention, you notice that in Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, almost everyone but venins do eventually bend to Violet and her kindness. Xaden, Imogen, and even Cat. Now, if
Will Power: This is another signet suggested in the comments, and I believe it should be added here. This theory comes from the idea that Violet needs a will of Iron to survive. It is indeed on the back cover. Here is what one of the readers, Megan, picked from Iron Flame that would suggest Violet has will power as a second signet “Loosen your grip on his throat..” re Tecarus (page 400). “Two lines appear between Xaden’s dark brown and his grip eases”. The idea is behind this is why is Xaden frowning. Did he feel her power to will him to stop? Then the other noticeable example was in the cave “Survive. Survive. Survive. I push the demand down every mental bond I have….Kiralair and Sloane fly into us next, swept in by an unseen force..”. Our reader proposes that Violet willed them (physically) to her.
Shields (this is it!!!): Violet was best at shielding from day 1. It feels like a natural talent which became more and more needed as time passed. First, mental shields to be able to protect her secrets from Dain and others. Now, that Xaden is venin, she will need to be able to shield even more. There are some discussions in the comment that suggest Violet’s ability to shield goes beyond mental to physical. She is able to even shield herself from harm, with the most proeminent way of shielding her body is when she jumps from Tairn’s back to Sawyer’s dragon without breaking any bones. Even more so, at the beginning of Iron Flame in Chapter 3, Violet tells Tairn “Guess we should have worked on rolling dismounts earlier in the year,” to which Tairn replies: “A rolling dismount would tear you limb from limb on impact”. But then, interestingly enough, it is Andarna who counters: “You don’t know that“. Judging by the fact that Andarna obviously can predict some things (eg. she knew on Violet’s 18 bday that she will become a rider in 2 years) I reckon Andarna might already know her rider’s signet. Coincidence? I’ve got to say…so far, this is the winning theory for me.
I also wanted to add, in Fourth Wing Xaden tells her “You won’t ever be able to block them (as in, the dragons) out completely, and sometimes they forget to block us, like tonight.” Then in Iron Flame “And I’d better be quick, because Tairn is almost here. I can feel him dismantling my shields. No rider can keep their dragon out for long if they want in.” Excuse me, how the hell did she just keep TAIRN of all dragons, out? She blocked him!
It’s also in Iron Flame, where Xaden tells her: “The day you can successfully block me all the way out is the day I’m dead. We’re both dead.” And it’s just a few chapters later that he then tells her “If you hadn’t blocked me out all evening, I would have told you sooner.”
Violet’s second signet as a god
Please, please, please, take 5 minutes to read my theory on Gods. I promise it makes a looot of sense, and you will see why Violet is basically Zeus. Or, at the very least, the equivalent of his daughters Persephone or Atemis.
Supposing Violet mirrors Zeus, she’d possess lightning powers and shapeshifting abilities. Yet, realistically, shapeshifting is not feature in the Empyrean Series. Now, consider this: Zeus also wielded Aegis, his formidable shield symbolising his might. Famed as unbreakable and instilling dread in foes, THINK ABOUT IT – A SHIELD. And Violet’s forte? Shielding, indeed. Hence, Violet’s second signet could be potent shields.
Should Violet echo aspects of Artemis, we can expect her to exhibit impeccable archery skills and the power to transform herself and others into animals. Again, the archery thing might just be that she can finally fine tune her lightening into precision weapons and let’s face it, we on’t be turning anyone into animals, as it’s not that type of book. Artemis is also renowned for her control over disease and healing, which could entail that she is can cure venin somehow. Hmm…I like the shields idea better.
Alternatively, aligning Violet with Persephone could suggest enhanced strength, durability, and disease resistance. But isn’t she already immune to turning venin, as per the theory of her resilience stemming from being “drained” in Lilith’s womb?
My verdict: Violet Sorrengail’s second signet is shields. She was epic at shields from day 1, she was excellent at shielding everyone, including her dragon, which she shouldn’t be able to do. She even shielded Xaden even though he told her she cannot. I am not as certain of it as I was when I predicted that Xaden was an inntinnsic.
Who is Violet Sorrengail at her core?
Violet Sorrengail is a kind woman with a lot of love to give. She is fair and honest and seeks honesty from others too. She is a protector (hence, shields!!!), as she would rather sacrifice herself than put others in danger. She would rather distance herself from her best friends than put them in any danger. While her body might be weaker than others, her mind is not. She is incredibly smart and brilliant and comes up with fantastic ideas and loopholes on the spot. She believes her mind is her best tool, and she uses it at every opportunity to help herself, her dragons, and others.
She loves fiercely, and she missed her father. Even though her signet is powerful, she is not hungry for power. She lacks control, and she is working very hard at finding it, especially in Iron Flame, when she seeks to overcome insecurities, jealousies, and other negative feelings. She straight out states that she is the sort of person who needs information to centre herself.
What do you think Violet Sorrengail’s second signet is? Did you find something I’ve missed? I would love to hear it. Please let me know in the comments below. And if you are feeling a little crazy like me, join me as I’m beginning my ninth reading of Iron Flame.
Other Iron Flame Theories
- Fan Iron Flame Theory: Xaden’s mother is venin
- Iron Flame Theory – Violet’s second signet is dream-sight
- Iron Flame Theory: Violet and Xaden are mates
- Iron Flame Theory: Does Violet have venin in her? Or is she immune to venin?
- Iron Flame Theory: Violet can predict the future
- Iron Flame Theory: Thoughts about Violet’s box
- Iron Flame Theory: Parallel between Iron Flame characters and the Pantheon
- Iron Flame Theory: How come that Violet and Xaden share dreams?
- Iron Flame Theory: Bodhi is Xaden’s brother
- Iron Flame Theory: Violet and Xaden are Gods
- Empyrean Series Theory: Xaden Riorson is a morally grey character.
- Iron Flame Theory: The physics of Violet’s signet (and why gravity is not her second signet)
- Iron Flame Theory: General Daramor is more important than we think
- Iron Flame Theory: Venin live forever
- Iron Flame Theory: The Isle Kingdoms’ Rift and the Unseen Alliances
- Iron Flame Theory: Are the Gods among us?
- Empyrean Series Theory: Did Liam master more signets than we initially thought?
- Iron Flame Theory: There is something off with the Sorrengail family dynamic
- Iron Flame Theory: The elixir developed by the leadership is not new
- Iron Flame Theory: We will have a new General in Book 3
- Iron Flame Theory: Smells are crucial clues (eyes too!)
- Iron Flame Theory: Tairn and Sgaeyl might have had hatchlings
- Iron Flame Theory: Why are dragons so afraid of hatchlings being discovered by humans?
- Iron Flame Theory: Varrish was venin
- Iron Flame Theory: The Barrens will be restored with Sloane’s help
- Iron Flame Theory: We will unite the continent and have a modern language
- Iron Flame Theory: Did Naolin really die saving Brennan?
- Iron Flame Questions and Answers – What do we know so far?
- Iron Flame Theory: Aaric’s blue clubtail to become Andarna’s mate
- Iron Flame Theory: Violet’s second signet
- Iron Flame Theory: Mr Sorrengail is General Venin
- Iron Flame Theories – A complete collection
- Iron Flame Theory: Andarna knows how to kill venin
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