Onyx Storm Theory – Violet will find Xaden (he taught her how)

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Written by: Cory

Onyx Storm Theory Violet will find Xaden he taught her how

It comes as no surprise that the ending of Onyx Storm rattled us all. Don’t get me wrong, I love the series, but after waiting more than a year to get some answers about Xaden, things are only getting worse. And no doubt, they will get even darker (AND WORSE) in Book 4.

How are we supposed to breathe? But what’s even more stressful is that Xaden is gone. And I honestly have no doubt that he’s, like… gone gone! He wants to protect Violet from himself.

Let’s recap. Xaden has turned venin. Xaden has a weird bond going on with his Sage. Now that he’s progressed to the next step (Asim), he can no longer ignore the call of the Sage. They are very much connected now. Ugh, horrid.

To protect Violet and Tairn, the most logical thing here is to break the bond between himself and Violet and disappear. But something tells me Sgaeyl will help. And so, she might have broken the bond with Tairn and taken Xaden away.

We’re heartbroken. This is horrible. What’s even more tragic is that Violet is now a Duchess, married to an Asim, no less. We know that title outranks rank itself and that being a duke/duchess is the second most powerful title in Navarre. Violet only answers to the King now. That was a handy piece of strategy Xaden did there.

There’s a lot on Violet’s shoulders all of a sudden. Not to mention, I think her brother just turned venin.

But all is not lost. There is a way for Violet to find Xaden. And she will. Because he told her exactly how to. Will Violet need to find Xaden to kill him? That’s probable… she will be the death of him after all. Unless there’s another meaning to this quote that we haven’t quite uncovered yet.

“Don’t look for me. It’s yours now.”

We know what it means—Tyrrendor. Don’t look for me is literal here. But Violet won’t listen. She will go looking for him.

How will Violet find Xaden

My theory is that if he’s smart, Xaden will be on a non-magical island. However, that’s clearly not possible, given that his very dragon needs magic to not be in pain. Maybe he’s hiding at the Bay of Malek? I have many questions, but currently, not enough re-reads to be able to give you the answers.

Either way, it’s fair to assume that he cannot ignore Berwyn anymore and that he’s somewhere with Berwyn right now. Given how Berwyn wanted to kill Sgaeyl, though, something tells me she’s not around him if Xaden is with Berwyn.

If he’s trying to resist the Sage’s call and he’s still with Sgaeyl, ugh—where could they be hiding? No clue.

To find Xaden, Violet has three incredibly powerful tools.

She has Garrick, who can walk her anywhere she needs to go. Although, I assume there needs to be magic for Garrick to be able to step there.

She has a broken compass, which—let’s face it—we all know isn’t broken.

“Extending his hand silently, he offers me a black compass on a dark chain. I glance down as I take it and notice that the needle doesn’t point anywhere near north. It’s broken.”

Nope, love, that compass is anything but broken. It shouldn’t point near north. It should point… near Xaden.

“Use it wisely,” he replies, his eyes blatantly mocking me as he bows.

She just needs to learn about it from one of her books and then learn how to use it wisely. She’ll be grateful, you wait and see.

And the final, probably most important tool at her disposal, is Xaden’s previous lesson. Read this:

“I can wield from anything that casts a shadow, but no one knows the strongest threads are always my own. If you can sort through them, feel their difference, you’ll be able to track where I am in the darkness.”
“You have to learn the difference for both our sakes.” […] “Only you.”

There might not be a bond. Either way, she needs to learn how to follow his shadows—they will lead her to him.

“Because you’re the only one capable of killing me.”

Now that little sentence carries a lot more weight. She needs to find him so she can kill him with her lightning strike.

Will Violet have to kill Xaden?

You are not going to like this. It is highly possible that Violet may have to kill Xaden in the upcoming books. Several key pieces of foreshadowing in Iron Flame and Onyx Storm suggest that Xaden is on a dark path—one that could force Violet to make an impossible choice.

Ridoc explicitly states that when Xaden “progresses and turns fully,” someone with the wrong rank will realize what he’s become, and they’ll have to kill him​. Xaden himself acknowledges this, saying, “I’m making sure Violet’s capable of killing me when the time comes. If it’s between her and me, I choose her. Kill the other guy I become.”

There’s discussion about an old Unnbrish priestess who warned that if Violet (or someone connected to her) made the wrong choices, they would “reach for unspeakable power and turn dark.” Xaden later confirms: “It’s not Violet. It’s me.”

And finally, it’s always been there:

“You’re going to be the death of me.”
“So you keep saying.” I try not to think about the other ways that statement can be interpreted.”

Violet may be the only one with the power to stop him—either by force or by finding a way to save him from himself (love is all we need theory). Will Rebecca Yarros lean into the tragedy, or will she subvert expectations and give them a way out?

I said it before, but I feel like the Gods are getting more and more involved here. We will learn about them and their powers very soon. I wonder if Violet is preferred by the Gods somehow, seeing as she’s been touched by one at the very least. Malek seems to listen to her. What if…she makes a deal with the Gods, to kill Xaden, kill the other guy he becomes, only for him to be brought back? Seeing how Mrs Yarros likes to roast us for fun, I have this feeling that the cliffhanger on Book 4 will literally be Violet killing Xaden.

What do you think? Will Violet find Xaden to save him? Or to kill him?

Share that Venin and Wyvern are real!


24 responses to “Onyx Storm Theory – Violet will find Xaden (he taught her how)”

  1. I think death…both deaths… one death is a definite probability.

    Everything you called out definitely implies that Violet will likely have to kill Xaden, but there’s a line in IF from the Book of Brennan that often sticks in my head “Everyone thinks most Rider cadets die from dragon fire. Truth be told, it’s usually gravity that gets us.” Xaden is Violet’s “gravity”. I might be over analyzing this one, but that’s just so easy to do with Yarros! This is stated in the epigraph of Chapter 31. And it’s in Chapter 36 that Xaden makes that incredible declaration we all remember. “My heart only beats as long as yours does, and when you die, I’ll meet Malek at your side.”

    Now the foreshadowing from that line sends my brain down a couple paths either we’re head towards a great sacrifice (like the brother from the fables of the barren) and they both die but the continent is saved, and that the resolution we get at the end OR they both die but they DO meet Malek at each other’s sides, and crazy things, and second chances can happen in folklore and mythology when mortals are granted audiences with a pantheon…

    1. Hi Poppy,

      First of all, I have your emails, and I promise I’ll go over them today—it’s just been a lot lately. Sorry about that!

      Right, let’s discuss. I think you’re absolutely right. They both have to die, don’t they? Xaden is Violet’s gravity, and I don’t think you’re overanalyzing it at all. Plus, if he dies, because Violet needs to kill “the other guy he becomes”, then Violet will die too (her gravity is gone). She will not continue without him. Which begs the question: what will happen to Tairn? “should you fall, then I will follow”…

      Malek feels like Violet’s old friend, and I have no doubt that we’ll meet the Gods. I’m convinced they’ll grant them a favor, but I think that’s something we’ll see in Book 5. Unfortunately, I have a feeling Book 4 is going to completely destroy us…

      Let me know what you think!

      1. Oh goodness, don’t apologize for that in the slightest! I’m just grateful to have a place to share and compare, and I hold no one to any expectation of response. It would be quite presumptuous of me to assume my Empyrean dissertations were everyone else’s top priority, lol. You’ve created and curated a wonderful community for all of us to lovingly obsess together. Nothing but thanks and gratitude over here!

        The more I re-read, the more I could not agree more that Book 4 is going to gut us. We already have confirmation that Yarros is going to kill off someone we love (NO!…and yet to be expected…) As for Tairn… Tairn will follow Violet wherever she goes. He’s stated as much, and I have no reason to believe his words are untrue. When I think about the meaning and symbolism that could potentially surround his death, I start to drift into some of my lesser formed theories around whatever the history between the gods and the dragons and the “the ancient kingdom that spanned ocean to ocean” is… I don’t know that I have enough of a continuous narrative thread to weave together all the loose pieces of yet, but I’m taking notes as I read! I just don’t see Tairn’s potential death as being strictly for emotional impact. A dragon of his status, who is bonded to a human favored by at least two gods surely leaves behind a legacy…

        I wish I had something more concrete to say on the matter, but that’s where my head is at for now.

        1. Dear Poppy, Thank you for your kind words.
          No need to downplay your Empyrean dissertations—this is exactly the kind of deep-dive theorizing we live for! I love that you’re taking notes as you re-read because, honestly, the layers Yarros has woven into this world are wild, and I feel like we’re just starting to see the bigger picture.

          Oh, Tairn. His devotion to Violet is unshakable, and I think you’re onto something with the idea that his potential death wouldn’t just be for heartbreak—it would mean something. A dragon of his stature, bonded to a rider touched by two gods, surely leaves behind more than just grief.
          Is there any chance that you agree somehow that every dragon is somehow linked to a God? And if that’s the case. Is Tairn with Amari or Malek?

          OMG, you are right…he ancient kingdom that spanned ocean to ocean. The isles were once connected! And almost every isle is devoid of magic. And it looks somehow drained. Lacks any possible color. Why the separation?

          I wonder if the dragons are the messengers of Gods, like in Japanese mythology.

          1. I do think each dragon den is connected to a god. Right now the only connection I feel solid enough to voice is I think Oranges are connected to Zihnal.

            My gut leans Malek with Tairn, I’m trying to find other passages to support that, but the reality is I don’t have it yet.

            Now for the REALLY unhinged stuff (none of which is a hill I’ll die on)…

            Because I feel pretty confident in the 6 dragons/6 gods (and maybe even 6 provinces of Navarre?) connection, I keep trying to justify the introduction of the Irids. It’s no longer 6:6. So first I wondered for a moment “oh maybe there’s a forgotten god”…and…eh…maybe… but then I was thinking about all the color symbolism Yarros uses, and the Irids… aren’t ONE color, they get to choose a resting color but they change and blend. (This is the first time I’ve typed out this completely out of left field, unsupported thought) what if… what IF… all dragons were once Irids and something forced them to pair/bond/channel from the gods creating the 6 dens? That thought train sent me down some off-track theorizing more about that ancient kingdom… isn’t there a moment where Violet is helping Jesinia translate something from old Lucerish, and she helps her with the name of “an ancient king” but we never get that name. And I just re-read the IF chapter where Devera is covering history and there’s a whole in depth conversation about the cultures lost to unification…

            COMPLETELY UNHINGED, I KNOW!

            There’s something more to all of it, and there’s a couple connecting pieces I’m missing still…

          2. I agree with you 100%. Oranges – Zihnal. But then…Ridoc likes Zihnal. He’s bonded to a brown. We know that oranges are all over the place and chaotic. But what if Zihanl is about the browns instead?
            I also feel like the greens are def Hedeon. Green robes and all.
            I’m really happy that your gut tells you Tairn = Malek because I feel the same.

            I don’t feel like it’s that unhinged. Because there was only one continent at some point right? So it would make sense that once, there was Amari. The goddess of Gods. And then, there’s more. I also wonder if dragons are messengers of Gods somehow.

          3. Hello, I’d like to interject in your speculations about Violet’s relationship with the gods.
            I have the theory that Violet is touched by both gods. Somehow, Malek always listens to her.
            Now, in E1 or IF, Professor Kaori in the class where they introduce Tairn talks about how his last rider was Naolin, which we already know.
            Then, in E3 or OS (I don’t remember exactly), it’s mentioned: “A high priestess is the closest one can get to ‘touching’ the power of the Gods.” However, he mentions, “Reviving someone makes you a god.” And Violet is somehow connected to Dunne. Could she be turning into a god? There must be a sacrifice. What if she sacrifices her gravity, kills Xaden, and then becomes a god? As a god, she could bring Xaden back. Honestly, I’m thinking with hope and faith in this relationship, and especially in my heart and mental health.

            On another note, I also believe in the existence of “Malek’s island,” since in Imogen’s POV, she tells Quinn that she will meet with Katrina and her mother, who will recognize her and take care of her.
            So, if Xaden dies, maybe he’ll go there. And somehow (I hope) something like an event could happen where the souls of Malek emerge and might return.
            Now, I’ve seen that Rebecca mentions when someone dies, they die. They don’t come back. But what about Malek’s bay? Who are the ones there? The souls that go with him: Liam, Quinn, etc.

            Let me know if you’d like me to adjust anything!

          4. YES Isadora! I agree. Violet was touched by Dunne and Malek.
            I’m with you on this one.
            I believe she can get reacquainted with Malek very soon…

            It’s very hard to believe that Violet will have to kill Xaden but I’m certain of it. And yeah, once they die, they die. So how will that work. Will they both die to be together?
            I do think there is Malek’s island. But it might be just off Malek’s bay. Maybe underwater somehow?

  2. Hi Cory, to your first question where Xaden could hide, he could go to the isles and change between isles with and without magic. The first isle with magic seems to be Zinhal. Although he wouldn´t like to be at Hedotis where his mom lives.
    Why should he change the isles? Sgaeyl can´t be without magic for too long. He should not be on an isles or continent with magic all the time. But if we are honest, Xaden ist not the type of guy who hide himself.

    In the story it would make much more sense if he stays for some time at Berwyn. He could try to destroy the venin from inner like a spy.

    Perhaps Xaden is like Harry Potter and the venin part like a hocrux. If Violet “kills” him by lightning only the venin part could die. Is this what you meant?

    Violet married him after he is already an Asim. How could this work if Xaden had forgotten nearly all of their love?

    I cannot imagine that Xaden is away the whole time. In the beginning of book 4 he might be away and communicate with Violet via dreams. Book 3 ended in May, Violets birthday is in July, if there is enough left of himself he would arrange something for her to remind her that he is still fighting for them both.

    We don´t even know if Violet or Xaden are able to hurt each other in a physical way. They never really tried.

    Ridoc asked Violet where the limit is that she would let Xaden go or give up to cure him.
    She told him, if Xaden would hurt her. So can we really imagine he would hurt her?

    1. Hi Mirja,

      I am armed with more quotes. I’m working on a theory on where Xaden is/where they took those eggs.

      So we know how he feels on the isles: There’s no magic here.” He tugs me against him. “No power. No lure. No taunting reminder that I can save everyone if I just reach for it and take what’s offered. It’s only…peace.

      All the dragons are, I think, not that they’ll admit it, but I don’t think they can survive—or at least thrive the way they do at home—away from magic. I could never cause Sgaeyl pain.

      One does not just…deal in dragons, let alone take babies to isles that don’t have magic. Not when you risk the wrath of the Empyrean.
      —-
      I’m hunting for more. I know it in my heart that I will figure it out haha.
      I agree, that it would make sense for him to stay with Berwyn. But if that’s the case, I wonder if he lost his bond with Sgaeyl? Sgaeyl is in danger around Berwyn as we know and he would never put her in danger again right? And if the bond was severed, did he keep his signet? Like many others…?

      As for your hocrux comment, that’s kinda what I mean. He does say “kill the other guy I become”. But I honestly think we do have to kill Xaden somehow. It’s just too much foreshadowing for that, in all three books.

      I have a small little quote underlined that shows that even asim, Xaden is still HERS. T”hat’s good. Bad. Fuck, I don’t know. What even am I? Hers.” He still loves her above all else.

      RY always separates them one way or another. I think Book 4 will be them being separated all the time. They will def communicate via dreams. This has been done in a previous fantasy book before and RY did say she was inspired by that author 🙂 so I think this was done on purpose for them to be able to talk to one another via dreams.

      thank you for the timeline. I’ve been trying to pin down when exactly did the book end. Ugh…so do we think we will wait until May 2027? for the next book? Or will they be kind to us and do may 2026?

      If we are to believe that they are bonded and soul mates, much like the dragons, they cannot hurt each other. But can they break a magical bond? Can love ever be broken? I feel like this is the theme of the book here.

      Again, honestly, RY always drops these little bombs in convo, right? I think Xaden will attempt to hurt her? That would be very dark. This is a romance story. I take it back. Xaden would never hurt her. right? I feel like I should write a theory about this.

      1. I think Xaden still loves Violet. There is a line in chapter 65 and he describes there is a bond between both which is not of the dragons but of magic/love. Will mean magic=love. He still loves Violet after channeling. I fear Xaden can’t stay fully away of Berwyn. He can’t stay away from Violet all the time either. I suppose Sgaeyl and the new brother will be with him.

        1. YES! He does say “what even am I. HERS”. He’s 100% still in love with her.
          I don’t think Sgaeyl can be with them. Berwyn, the asshole, wanted to kill Sgaeyl. She would be in danger, right?

          1. Asshole or not.. after Xaden saving Sgaeyl, Sgaeyl won´t leave him

          2. Do we think? I think we need his shadows either way, so my money’s on Sgaeyl staying either way.

    2. Horcrux – of course, that crossed my mind too. BUT – venin has something extra. Venin is missing something, a part of their soul. So it won’t be about killing a horcrux, but rather collecting their soul.
      Where are the souls?
      “May we recommend their souls to Malek.”
      … They will have to meet Malek. Literally or figuratively?

      However, Violet wrote: “I will save him.”
      So I believe she will. That’s why I believe in a symbolic meeting with Malek, not death (because that wouldn’t fulfill her mission, in my opinion).

      1. I don’t love the idea, you know. It feels too familiar.
        I do prefer the idea of trying to capture Xaden’s soul. And I know just how they will be able to collect the pieces 🙂
        I think the pieces will have to be stored in that empty box given to Xaden by “Zihnal”

        I am certain they will meet with Malek. She’s been saying that she’s not ready. But she will be. I cannot wait.

  3. Hi again!
    I don’t think Xaden will hide too. He is not that type. And when Berwyn was uncounsious Xaden said ” he has something I need.” So it may suggest that at least for a while he will be with him. I think he will be a secret agent and collect inside informations for Vi because he is the only one who can get them. And no, I have no idea where Sgaeyl will be to stay safe but close to him 😀

    And I am wondering, if we will see Xaden only through Violet’s dreams or more Xaden’s POVs will be in the book?

    1. I think we will only see very little of Xaden in the coming book, yes. And towards the end when perhaps he turns to be…evil? Something like that?
      In general, I feel like we see very little of Xaden. We need more of him 🙁

      I think he will turn full on evil btw 😀

  4. I think Andarna severed Xaden and Sgaeyl’s bond.

    Xaden doesn’t want to hurt Sgaeyl. Breaking the bond between Sgaeyl and Tairn will hurt her. She does not want to be a part of Venin stuff. Also, she can’t go to an isle without magic because it would hurt her. Additionally, Venin don’t need dragons.

    Xaden isn’t going to send shadows to her so she can find him via the strand of his power. So I think she is going to have to be able to use shadows elsewhere in order to find him. Is it going to be Lynx or is there something to do with Sgaeyl that does it?

    Brennan – if he turned Venin, would he still be able to mend? I don’t think so and I don’t think he would take that away from them.

    I also think all the gifts were more important than I realized.

    And where the heck is Aaric?

    At any rate I’m going to go start re-reading Onyx Storm because there is so much stuff in between the lines that I’ve missed.

    1. I like this theory a lot.
      And technically, Xaden can cast shadows without Sgaeyl right?
      Brennan – I think they get to keep their signets you know…
      All the gifts are super important!!!

      Aaric is a mystery. But I don’t think he turned!

  5. Perhaps we should look for everything about souls in the books. There were some hints and we should analyse if the hints give us a big picture. I remember a scene when Xaden talked to Violet. He said something like “you have my soul already and now you want to take my pain?” It was in Hedotis. In chapter 65 he sees his soul leaving like ash. How does this all fit together?

    1. There was about souls. I read it yesterday. Btw, sorry for the delay, I was out with work and only just back homeee.
      “I’ve got you,” he promises, his voice hoarse. “My power, my body, my soul—it’ s all yours.”

  6. Hi again, noticeable to this theory ist, not only in OS Violet is fighting in the darkness of Xadens shadows. So far we have the fight in Reason one Tairns back with the female venin. Only in the dark Violet is able to kill her cause she knows every part of Tairns back. Then in OS we have the lessons in the arena. In the end she kills Theophanie in the shadows. During the prolog

    1. Do we think we will have to kill Xaden? In the shadows? Or do you think it will to kill Berwyn?

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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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