Fourth Wing Ending Explained - scissorcut.online

Fourth Wing‘s ending captures everything readers love about The Empyrean Series, delivering an action-packed battle, emotional stakes, and several surprising twists. It’s no wonder the book became such a sensation on BookTok upon its 2023 debut, leaving readers eager to get their hands on its follow-up, Iron Flame. Fourth Wing chronicles Violet Sorrengail’s first year in the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College. She and the other cadets spend much of the book preparing to defend their kingdom, Navarre, alongside the dragons they bond during the Threshing.

Although Violet believes gryphon riders to be the biggest threat to Navarre when the book opens, Fourth Wing‘s ending reveals that isn’t the case. A trip outside the wards during Fourth Wing‘s War Games upends everything Violet believes about her kingdom, unearthing deep corruption at the core of its government and military. Violet is forced to accept that venin and wyvern aren’t children’s stories her father told her; they’re real threats that Navarre has chosen to bury and ignore. She nearly dies facing them, and this conflict sets up the war to come in the rest of The Empyrean Series.

Fourth Wing’s Venin & Wyvern Twist Explained

Navarre Is Hiding Their Existence From Its Citizens

The paperback cover of Fourth Wing surrounded by two red dragons with a fiery background. — Custom Image by Simone Ashmoore.

The War Games set the foundation for Fourth Wing‘s ending battle, as Xaden and his team are assigned to Athebyne, an outpost outside of Navarre’s wards. Xaden brings a group of trusted Marked Ones and Violet with him on his mission, but they soon realize they’re facing a much bigger threat than anything Basgiath could come up with. The group runs into gryphon riders during their trip — riders Xaden and his friends have been supplying with weapons. This is a shock to Violet, as is their reasoning: the weapons are meant to protect those outside of Navarre from venin.

The covers of Onyx Storm and Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros with a fiery background

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One of the biggest theories about Fourth Wing’s venin Sage is incredibly convincing, but I hope Onyx Storm debunks it for multiple reasons.

Venin are mentioned throughout Fourth Wing, as Violet’s father leaves her a children’s book about the corrupted creatures. However, Violet initially believes they’re made-up beings intended to scare children. A note that Violet finds tucked into her copy of The Fables of the Barren is the first big clue that this isn’t the case. Her father’s letter tells her, “Remember that folklore is passed from one generation to the next to teach us about our past. If we lose it, we lose the links to our past. It only takes one desperate generation to change history — even erase it.“

Fourth Wing‘s ending reveals that venin channel their energy from the earth and into their wyverns, essentially making them the opposite of dragon riders.

As it turns out, Xaden is being truthful about the venin outside the wards and the fact that Navarre is hiding their existence. Just as the gryphon riders warn, the venin descend on Violet and her friends, attacking them with their wyvern. Fourth Wing‘s ending reveals that venin channel their energy from the earth and into their wyverns, essentially making them the opposite of dragon riders, who channel from their dragons. The venin have red eyes and veins, physical evidence of their corruption, and they’re incredibly powerful enemies on the battlefield.

Navarre is able to keep the venin a secret because they can’t draw on their power while within the kingdom’s wards. However, Navarre’s leaders are willing to sacrifice everyone on the borders and outside their kingdom to stay safe. This cowardice is what really sparked the Tyrrish Rebellion, as Xaden’s father and the other rebels wanted to secede from Navarre and join the effort against the venin.

Why Xaden Lies To Violet About The Venin & Trips To Athebyne

He Can’t Risk Dain Learning About Their Operations

Fanart of Violet and Xaden Fourth Wing — Fanart by @XenaFay

Violet is hurt that Xaden lies to her about the venin and his trips to Athebyne throughout Fourth Wing, but he has a good reason for doing so. The reason he doesn’t tell Violet about any of this for the majority of the book is simple: he can’t risk being found out. It would deem him and the other Marked Ones traitors, and their deaths would prevent those outside of Navarre’s wards from defending themselves against the venin.

Xaden points to Dain as a massive problem, as he’d be able to learn about Xaden’s operations from Violet and tell those in command.

Initially, Xaden doesn’t know if Violet will believe him or side with him — but even after he comes to trust her, she poses a risk. After all, Violet’s best friend has a signet that allows him to read memories. Xaden points to Dain as a massive problem, as he’d be able to learn about Xaden’s operations from Violet and tell those in command. Dain proves repeatedly throughout Fourth Wing that he has an issue with rule-breaking, even when it’s justified. And Xaden’s worst fears are realized when they reach Athebyne and realize Dain has, in fact, used Violet’s memories against them.

How Dain Betrays Violet & Colonel Aetos’ True Plan For The Marked Ones

Dain’s Father Sends Xaden & The Marked Ones To Athebyne To Die

Fanart of Violet from Fourth Wing — Art by @hachandraws

As it turns out, Dain does use his signet on Violet without her consent, learning about Xaden and Bohdi’s trips to Athebyne through her memories. Yarros pointedly notes when Dain touches Violet’s face or arm, though Violet never realizes he’s violating her mind when he’s “comforting” her. Dain tells his father about Xaden’s excursions, which is why Colonel Aetos sends the wingleader and the other Marked Ones to Athebyne. When they arrive at the outpost, it’s deserted, with only a note from Colonel Aetos left behind.

Fourth Wing book cover on orange glowing background

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The note is addressed to Xaden, revealing that his team’s mission is to survive if they can. “You have the choice of abandoning the village of our enemy or abandoning the command of your wing,” Aetos writes, a clear message that the Masked Ones must choose a side. If they stay to help Resson when it’s attacked, they’ll forego their duty to their wing. However, if they ignore the venin and make for Eltuval, they can continue the War Games. Naturally, Xaden and the others choose to fight for the people at Resson.

He’s hoping they’ll all perish in battle, since he suspects that Xaden and Bodhi went to Athebyne because of the venin.

It’s not entirely clear how Colonel Aetos knows that the venin will attack Resson when Xaden and the others arrive at Athebyne, but his intentions in sending them there are clear. He’s hoping they’ll all perish in battle, since he suspects that Xaden and Bodhi went to Athebyne because of the venin. Dain having one of the most powerful signets in Fourth Wing allows his father to lay this trap, though the book doesn’t make it clear how much Dain knows about the situation. Fortunately, Iron Flame sheds light on Dain’s involvement.

Who Wins Fourth Wing’s Final Battle & Who Dies During The Fight

Violet & Xaden Defeat The Venin, But It Comes At A Huge Cost

Fourth Wing‘s ending features a major battle between the dragon riders and venin, and although Violet and Xaden win, it comes at a cost. The book’s explosive ending sees two Marked Ones perishing: Soleil, who is a smaller supporting character, and Liam, who is arguably the most tragic death of Fourth Wing. Liam spends much of the book acting as Violet’s shadow — on Xaden’s orders — and the two become friends because of it. Liam’s dragon, Deigh, is killed by a wyvern after they swoop in to save Violet and Tairn. As a rider cannot live without their dragon, Liam perishes too.

Cropped cover of Onyx Storm: image of a dragon silhouette against a bright sun

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Fortunately, Violet and Xaden are able to prevent further deaths by taking out the remaining venin. They realize that killing the venin causes the wyvern they’re controlling to fall alongside them. Of course, defeating the last two venin is no easy feat, and Violet nearly dies in the process. Not only does she overextend herself using her lightning signet, but she is stabbed with a poisoned blade while fighting one of the venin on Tairn’s back.

This is the biggest twist from Fourth Wing‘s ending: that Brennan is both alive and aiding the rebellion.

It’s only because Xaden brings Violet to Aretia that she survives, as she’s mended by her brother, Brennan. This is the biggest twist from Fourth Wing‘s ending: that Brennan is both alive and aiding the rebellion. Prior to the final chapter, Violet believes her brother was killed during the Tyrrish Rebellion, blaming Xaden’s father for her loss. Brennan’s survival is yet another secret unraveled by her trip outside the wards, though Yarros waits until Iron Flame to explain how Brennan lived. Aretia being rebuilt after the rebellion is also news to Violet.

Why Melgren Can’t See The Outcome Of The Battle At Resson

Melgren Can’t See More Than Three Marked Ones Gathering

Custom image of the special edition Fourth Wing book with a silhouetted dragon and fire in the background. — Custom Image by Simone Ashmoore

One minor but important revelation from Fourth Wing‘s ending is that General Melgren can’t actually see the outcome of the battle at Resson, or any conflict involving three or more Marked Ones. Xaden hints that his rebellion relic is a “gift” earlier in the book, but he confirms it during Fourth Wing‘s final chapter. Despite Melgren’s powerful ability giving him insight into major conflicts, it doesn’t help him when it comes to the Marked Ones. This is why they’re barred from gathering, and it’s why he can’t know how Resson will play out.

Warning: The next section contains SPOILERS for Fourth Wing and Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros.

How Brennan Sorrengail Is Still Alive At The End Of Fourth Wing

Tairn’s Former Rider Saved Brennan’s Life

book-cover-of-Iron-Flame--and-Fourth-Wing — Custom Image By Yailin Chacon

The biggest twist of Fourth Wing is the revelation that Brennan Sorrengail is still alive, but Yarros waits until Iron Flame to give readers details about his survival. Violet is told that Tairn’s former rider, Naolin, attempted to resurrect Brennan on the battlefield during Fourth Wing — but she’s also told this is impossible. It seems Naolin did successfully save Brennan, though, as Violet’s brother tells her as much during Iron Flame. He also reveals that it “cost him everything,” though it’s unclear if this means Naolin is dead or if he turned into a venin.

Onyx Storm, the third book in The Empyrean Series, comes out on January 21, 2025.

Hopefully, Onyx Storm will shed further light on the details surrounding Naolin’s sacrifice, as it’s a major question heading into the next Fourth Wing sequel. Given that riders who use so much power can turn into venin — and considering Tairn’s and Brennan’s reactions whenver Naolin comes up — it’s possible Onyx Storm will continue The Empyrean Series’ trend of bringing back a seemingly deceased character. Fourth Wing‘s ending does it, and it sets up the revelation that Naolin turned. However, we’ll have to wait to see if Onyx Storm confirms this theory.