It’s natural to ask: who exactly is Berwyn? Is he the Sage? Is he a general? Is there even a difference between a Sage and a general? Why is he so fixated on Xaden and Violet? And why does he want to kill dragons rather than use them for magic?
I’m going to attempt to answer all of these questions based on some of my theories. To make sense of it all, we need to go back to the beginning of the series and, step by step, search for Easter eggs about Berwyn.
In my mind, right now, there are two options: either Berwyn is some ancient ruler from Tyrrendor or Berwyn is Naolin. Let’s see both options in detail.
Could Berwyn be Naolin?
“Initiates have reddish rings to their eyes that come and go depending on how often they drain. Asims’ eyes fluctuate in degrees of red, and their veins distend when riled. Sages—those responsible for initiates—have permanently red eyes, their veins perpetually distended toward their temples, expanding with age. Mavens—their generals—have never been captured for examination.”
The first thing we need to understand is the difference between a Sage and a Maven. A Sage is someone who teaches initiates and asims. Nowhere does it say that a Sage cannot be a Maven, meaning there doesn’t necessarily have to be a strict distinction between the two. In fact, Jack himself tells us:
“I’m told it’s so we’ll be found and raised by an elder, usually a Sage, but in rare cases a Maven may take interest.”
Now, here’s where things get interesting. When we go back and forth between the books, we realize that what Violet and Xaden initially called The Sage is actually a general. We learn this in Fourth Wing when Tairn says:
“A general can recognize another general, and that’s their leader,” Tairn says.
And we get further confirmation in Iron Flame:
“Because you’re a Sage?” I spit, grounding my feet on that hillside in Tyrrendor and reaching for my power.
“A Sage?” He laughs. “I am a general.”
Now, I know there’s been a clever use of language here—“A general can recognize another general, and that’s their leader.” But something tells me that Tairn recognized this guy for more than just being a general.
Want to know my theory? I think Berwyn is Naolin.
“Naolin didn’t fail, but it cost him everything.”
Picture this: Brennan is severely injured and can barely mend himself. He even says that healing himself takes far more effort than healing others. He has an arrow in his chest from Fen Riorson. Ouch. That must be hard to mend, right?
But you know who else almost died? Mira, in Onyx Storm. And to save her, Brennan was walking the fine line of burnout. And what did he need? Extra power. Extra magic. Luckily, Sloane was there to help.
Now, when Brennan was dying, with not enough power to mend himself, Naolin was there too. So where did Naolin siphon power from in order to save Brennan? From himself. From his dragon (Tairn). And, eventually, from the ground.
“Naolin didn’t fail, but it cost him everything.”
“Knowing that she’s bonded to Tairn, whose bonds get deeper with each rider and whose previous bond was already so strong that Naolin’s death nearly killed him?”
But what if Naolin didn’t die?
Think about it: so far, no dragon has ever actually died in the series. Can you imagine Tairn—arrogant, mighty Tairn—dying just because his rider died? No. I don’t think that’s what almost killed him. I think Tairn nearly died because he had to do the unthinkable—he had to sever his bond when his rider turned Venin.
That would make someone very, very upset with dragonkind.
And it would also give them a personal vendetta against Fen Riorson, who almost killed his lover.
I think that’s exactly why Berwyn is so focused on Xaden Riorson. I’m also certain that’s why Berwyn killed the dragon in front of Xaden and was about to kill Sgaeyl. It felt personal. He went for Sgaeyl because Tairn is mated to Sgaeyl. A great way to kill him or cause him unimaginable pain.
What’s more, Berwyn knew exactly what needed to be done to replenish the bond lost between rider and dragon.
“You will turn for something much more dangerous…”
Who else turned for something more dangerous? Naolin.
Berwyn knows what it’s like to turn for love.
And here’s another key point: we know for a fact that Berwyn is Jack’s Sage. Why does that matter? Well, why would Berwyn specifically target Jack of all people?
Simple: because Jack wanted to bond with Tairn. Jack wasn’t happy when Violet bonded with Tairn. Jack wanted power and revenge against Violet. And Berwyn? Berwyn wanted revenge against Tairn. Boom—common enemy.
There’s more…
In Iron Flame:
“Shadows mark the gaunt hollows of his cheekbones on an eerily youthful face, and his lips are cracked and dry.”
In Onyx Storm:
“The Sage pulls back the hood of his maroon robe, revealing the freakishly young face that haunts my—Xaden’s—dreams, and smiles, cracking the skin of his chapped lips.”
“Youthful face?” Sounds like someone in their twenties—someone called into service. Naolin?
This theory also aligns with my explanation at the end of Onyx Storm that it was Brennan who turned. Why? Because Brennan had seen Naolin and decided to turn.
Think about it—besides Tairn, no one who knew Naolin from before has seen him. No one. Brennan was mending the stone, never seeing the Sage, not even once. Xaden wouldn’t have recognized him because he was still young and not a rider when Fen Riorson almost killed Brennan (and Naolin). Violet has never seen him. Maybe Sgaeyl has?
“The bond between Berwyn and me is the kind that should never exist, and now that my Sage has another sibling he can use against me… I’m screwed.”
Brennan is the other sibling Berwyn will use against him. The first sibling is obviously Violet. She was called “the leash” twice.
So, is Berwyn actually Naolin?
I do think so. It makes a lot of sense.
But then… there’s one paragraph that throws me off.
“Fight me and die, or join me and live beyond the ages, but you will never escape me, not when I’ve waited centuries for someone with your power.”
This is from one of the shared nightmares between Violet and Xaden….Let’s have a look at all the quotes that point towards Berwyn being an old Tyrrendor ruler.
Naolin was, what, under thirty years old, right? So why would the Venin Sage say that he’d waited centuries for someone with Xaden’s power?
Could Berwyn be an ancient Tyrrendor ruler?
“He trails a single, elongated fingernail along my throat, revealing a stretch of tan skin beneath his robes. I flinch, my pulse quickening with fear.”
Tan skin. This man is not white. Just like Xaden.
“His dark, lashless eyes narrow.”
Again—dark eyes. Just like Xaden. Xaden has onyx eyes.
Now, let’s talk about General Daramor. His name literally translates to “For Love.” So… did he turn for love at some point? Is that how he knows that Xaden might turn for love too?
“The region of the Barrens—the arid, desert-covered peninsula in the southeast, abandoned by all dragonkind after General Daramor devastated the land in the Great War—is completely stained crimson. The mark extends into Braevick, past the Dunness River.”
“[…]it simply identifies the enemy as General Daramor and our allies as the isle kingdoms.”
That brings us to Xaden’s venin nightmares:
“Fight me and perish, or join me and live beyond the ages, but you will never escape me, not after I’ve waited centuries for someone with your power.”
Centuries. Just like Theo. And we know that the venin from Xaden’s nightmares is the same as Berwyn. How?
“Snapped whatever tether he had on me and killed him.”
Xaden believes he killed him.
“You’re dead. This isn’t real.” I repeat the phrases in my head when my lips won’t form the words. “This is only a nightmare.”
Xaden is certain he killed the venin.
Then there’s this:
“The Sage draws a sword from his robes, and the next flash of lightning glints off the emeralds set into the hilt. Wisps of silver hair flicker at the edge of my vision as the Sword of Tyrrendor hurtles toward my chest.”
Emeralds on the hilt? Hold that thought. Now, let’s revisit Deverelli:
“The dagger was mine to give,” Halden grits out, staring at the jeweled blade. “It looks antique, with a silver handle and emeralds the size of my fingernails encrusting the hilt.”
“No, it wasn’t.” Courtlyn shakes his head.
“It’s mine,” Xaden states, keeping his face unreadable. “Or rather, it should have been. It’s the Blade of Aretia, seized for the royal vault by Reginald during the Unification.”
The Sword of Tyrrendor. The Blade of Aretia. Both adorned with emeralds.
Xaden and the Sage? Both from Tyrrendor.
So… could this mean Berwyn was one of the original six? Could he have been among the first riders?
Xaden is the sixteenth Duke of Tyrrendor. Berwyn could have been any one of his predecessors.
We know Berwyn is from Tyrrendor. And we also know that Tyrrendor is… unique. Tyrrendor has always been home to dragons. It was designed for dragons.
What do you think? Is Berwyn Naolin or is Berwyn an ancient ruler from Tyrrendor?
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