Onyx Storm Theory: Imogen has a second signet

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Written by: Cory

Onyx Storm theory - Imogen has a second signet

I wonder if you might remember, but when I created this site, I had this working theory that all marked ones have two signets. It was later disproven because Xaden has two signets simply because his dragon belonged to his grandfather. So we sort of put that theory to rest.

You remember that Liam wielded ice during the Battle of Atherbyne so again, it reiterated my theory, but then many fans told me it was an editing mistake. Hmm…again, I put my theory to rest and moved on.

We’re moving into major spoiler territory so please, make sure you only continue if you’ve read Onyx Storm

But then, in Onyx Storm, we learn that actually, some marked ones DO have two signets. Garrick, while not the compass we initially thought, he is our distance wiedeler. Pretty badass signet to be fair. We now finally understand why Rebecca Yarros told us he’d be with him on an island. Because she could go back at any time. One single step it’s all it takes haha.

We also learn from Xaden that the dragons came searching for them. They wanted them to succeed.

Naturally, the question is: does everyone has two signets? According to Bodhi, he doesn’t. Just like Xaden. HA! But then if you remember, in Iron Flame, Xaden made it clear to Violet that nobody knows about his second signet. Not a single human soul. Just Sgaeyl. Either that was a pun intended and Rebecca Yarros is telling us that Bodhi is a type of inntinnsic, or he legit doesn’t have a signet. My money’s on the first one.

What does this have to do with Imogen? She must have two signets too, right? At the beginning of Fourth Wing we thought that maybe her being really fast is her second signet. But that’s not the case. Let me walk you back to the story so you get the same aha moment. You’ll love, I promise.

In Chapter 7, Sawyer tells Violet: “Then you’re fucked, because I can’t think of a single rock or earth wielder in our history.”

That immediately made me underline the sentence because this is exactly that Jack said about precognition and yet Aaric is our precog. So WHO is our rock or earth wielder?

Let’s go to Imogen’s point of view and read about it:

Get behind me!” […] We have seconds, so I flip the shield, then slam its flat top between the row of stones at our feet and drop behind it, keeping my hand on the leather strap.
[…] Heat surrounds us and the leather hardens in my grip as the shield turns to stone. Fire roars, blazes, flows around us. We are the rock in the river, demanding the water part.

He glances at the stone shield, then breaks into a run, and I follow, sprinting as fast as I can. “And we’re going to talk about whatever the fuck that just was later,”

Well hello there, rock wielder. Imogen is not just great at erasing memories. You know what doesn’t burn? Dragon scale and rock. Imogen might just about be an amazing badass with pink strands of her. And I think we love her more than ever.

What are your thoughts? Please let me know in the comment section below.

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19 responses to “Onyx Storm Theory: Imogen has a second signet”

  1. Am I the only one thinking that Violet’s dream walking ability will allow her to go back to the very first time Xaden has the nightmare and stop him from channeling in the first place and then use everything they learned from that point to turn the tables? Changing someone’s behavior through their subconscious in an effort to turn back the clock (maybe this is where the broken compass comes in) seems like “a most dangerous power of all” as the Irids mentioned on the beach and one that fully encompasses everything Andarna has given Violet.

    Unlike other spoilers out there I find your theories the most smart and plausible. Thanks for writing!

    1. I think that’s really beautiful, but I don’t think she can change the past. Unless, of course, she still has the gift of time from the Irid.
      I do think, however, that she will hone this signet so she can meet with Xaden in his nightmares. She needs to find him and communicate with him. Also, Xaden needs to be shown love because LOVE is the cure, right?

      I cannot express how much your kind words mean to me. Thank you so, so much!

    2. I love this theory so much and hope the next book brings this to life!

  2. Sloane should have a second one as well. I just don’t know if she’s willing to tell anyone when it manifest’s. Her brother had two as well if you remember? I still miss Liam and wonder if Violet might still have yet another signet because I’m still not convinced she can’t world walk as well as dream walk. We still have a few more books to go. I think they stopped her dedication at Dunne because it would have made her to powerful and they keep talking about balance. I do think Andarna has something to do with the cure, I think Sloane and Brennan will play a large part in it and I think Bodhi intends to sacrifice himself for Xaden and I think Garrick is protecting them both. I think he’ll be on watch because he can come and go faster than anyone else. Sloane is going to end up with Dain by the way I see things going, would love to hear your ideas on this… I thought it would be Aeric at first, because they were in the same classes and always seemed to be together and I really like him but now I’m wondering if he hasn’t always loved Violet from afar. R.Y doesn’t make his character pine after her but they’ve been friends a long time and he’s risked his life for her every time she’s asked him to. He saved her life this time. So I’m starting to wonder what that’s shaping up to be down the road… I might be totally off track but I’d love to hear your thoughts.

    1. Oh Sloane def has a second one. I don’t think we will know what it is for a bit, because she’s still a first year. And giving that she’s refusing to wield at the moment, it won’t be until Book 4 that we’ll find out hers.
      Liam had two as well: farsight and ice. It’s been confirmed as well in Onyx Storm which was amazing.
      Do you think Brennan is bad news? I don’t know why but I still have second thoughts about him.

      Sloane + Dain are end game 😛 I think so too!
      Btw, I also thought it will be Sloane and Aaric but there we are. She loves to surprise us.

      My thoughts are that Brennan has to mend the land. Sloane has to imbue it with magic. An agrarian will have to plant on it. I’m not sure if Andarna is the cure. I think she might be the weapon and Violet is the cure. Wait I have a theory about it:https://www.empyreanriders.com/articles/onyx-storm-theory-violet-knows-the-herbal-remedy-for-venin/

      What do you think?

  3. Can I just say, I’ve been thinking a lot about the relics and the signets… but i think the more interesting conversation is not wha the signets ultimately end up being, but where they are channeling magic from. It is established that dragons transfer their magic through the relics the apply to their riders. The rebellion relics are a result of runes crafted by Colonel Mairi and were personalized to each child of a rebellion leader. We know that they counter Melgren’s signet and Codagh’s magic…so what type of magic would BALANCE (key theme in the series) the magic of a dragon and channel new powers to the riders. My unhinged answer that doesn’t have a ton of support has to do with similarly to how venin trade their souls for power, what if their parent’s souls and Malek are somehow involved. Imogen says that she “floods her body with HER power” when she turns the shield to stone. Her being her mother, or her sister? Thoughts?

    1. I understand where you are coming from.
      I have several theory threads about this. One of them being that the power comes from Gods somehow.
      RY is so clever the way she writes, she gives us nothing. “HER power” could be Glane. Could be her mother, her sister. Could be Mairi’s thanks to the relics?

      Also we need to dig into the theory that dragons are not the good ones. The continent was all theirs and we were simply allowed to live on it? That’s the Gods. Humans were allowed on it, and dragons channeled and STOLE magic from the Gods.
      Much like how venin STEAL magic from the ground. Also the GODS.

      Why am I seeing all these? Because I do think magic requires balance. To have two signets without two dragons? There’s a price to be paid for it no?
      Btw, I have three theories about the Gods and I can see now that I was slightly wrong about it. Violet might not be a God, but touched by two: Dunne and Loial right?
      So maybe the marked ones are touched by Malek thanks to the runes (aka marked relics)

  4. Went back re-read the passage, and I think i got overexcited on the source of power, it’s through the dragons, but i still feel like the personalization of the runes for each marked one means something beyond just countering Melgren… maybe not.

    1. So we know that the runes on the marked ones, when in group of 3, they counter Melgren’s signet. But Mairi was a smart woman and the best with runes right? Something tells me there is more to it indeed. The markings are MORE.

  5. There is a comment in Onyx Chapter 7 when Violet is asking Sawyer for help with the wardstone. Violet says, “Mira found a way. It involves altering the very material a rune is tempered into without destroying it.”

    Saywer responds, “Then you are fucked, because I can’t think of a single rock or earth wielder in our history.”

    — Based on the description of what Imogen does, she may be just that, a rock or earth wielder! Right?

    1. She is 😀 I wrote a theory about it separately. I will link it in the post as well. But that’s a huge Easter Egg for later.

      There are two things we know of that don’t burn: dragon scale and stone.

  6. I feel the need to point out that in chapter 8 of Fourth wing there is a line that says “He attempted to use that power to revive a fallen rider – which didn’t work because there’s no signet capable of resurrection- and depleted himself in the process.” This is in reference to Naolin trying to save Brennan.

    It stood out to me because it seems every time someone says that a signet doesn’t exist or a signet hasn’t been seen in ages it seems to manifest. Could resurrection be Bodhis’ second signet?

    During Imogens chapter in Onyx Storm (chapter 63) Cuir suffers some pretty nasty injuries – deep laceration to chest and a hole in the wing. Could they have been fatal, causing Bodhi to have to use his resurrection signet? Likely he would never have used it on something so big before hence the retching/ having to channel from the earth to save his Dragon? I don’t personally think its Bodhi who is venin now but its a theory.

    Maybe I’m massively reaching because I want Liam to be alive and Violet didn’t see what happened to his body… but I think it’s an interesting theory.

    1. I mean if resurrection is Bodhi’s second signet this is insane! And really freaking handy.
      And just about the signet we need. But my money’s on Sloane. I think it will be Sloane because Dain told her “she is LIFE”

      Also Bodhi must be able to read minds I think “he has no second signet…like Xaden” I think that’s our cue.
      Did you check my theory on who turned at the end? I don’t think it was Bodhi either. It was Brennan!

      1. For sure think it was Brennan also!!

    2. This. Man I hope you’re right! I as thinking about Bodhi, it was to be right 🫡🙏

  7. Hmmm, I have been re-reading Fourth Wing and I now have a question about Imogen’s signet(s).
    During her first sparring session with Violet she is chastised for wielding.
    “ I hit the mat with a thud, and she’s already above me, so damn fast. “You can’t use your powers in here, Imogen!” Dain shouts.”
    To me this appears like Imogen’s “power” is speed.
    Am I misreading this or could it just be an error of sorts?

    1. Hi Ross, I read that over and over as well. I honestly thought that being fast was her signet. But I think she was just using lesser magic. Many of them are very fast by using lesser magic, right?

      1. Thanks Cory,
        Yes, further reading has shown that the lesser magics are also ‘weilded’.

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Hello! This site is dedicated to the Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros. I’ve made this place to explore the rich world of Empyrean, full of characters, theories, and places. Each post is carefully researched and updated with the newest details from the series. This site is also a great spot for discussing theories about the Empyrean Series. 🐉
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