Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros.Onyx Stormreverses its best Andarna decision almost immediately after it happens, and it’s a huge mistake — though I understand why theFourth Wingsequel does it. Andarna has a much bigger story inOnyx Stormthan she does inIron Flame.After all, she doesn’t spend most of the thirdEmpyrean Seriesbook in the dreamless sleep. Andarna really comes into her own in the latest addition to the series, as she’s forced to grapple with her place in the world as she and Violet search forFourth Wing’s seventh breed of dragon.
Andarna manages to find her people during a mission to the Isle Kingdoms, but the irids are far less welcoming than she hopes. They initially reject her, but one eventually decides to fire the wards at Aretia and take her under his wing. Because of Leothan’s offer, Andarna temporarily breaks her bond with Violet to spend time with her kind — but she returns bythe end ofOnyx Storm. The book doesn’t get intowhy Andarna returns so quickly, buther separation from Violet would have been stronger if it had continuedintothe nextEmpyrean Seriesbook.
Onyx Storm Reversing Andarna’s Decision So Quickly Was A Huge Mistake
The Empyrean Series Should Have Kept Violet & Andarna Apart Longer
Unlike the previousEmpyrean Seriesbooks, there’s no major death at the end ofOnyx Storm— but there are equally devastating emotional beats. Andarna leaving Violet is probably the most memorable, as it’s a surprising turn of events that suits herOnyx Stormstory well. Andarna struggles with who she is and where she belongs in this sequel, and it doesn’t help thatTairn and Violet make mistakesthat prevent her from reaching her true potential. While her decision is a shocking one,it adds depth to Andarna’s character, giving her a journey separate from Violet’s.
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Dragons and their powers are important details in the Empyrean series. What do all the color types and tail types mean in the Fourth Wing books?
And Violet’s reaction to Andarna leaving is heart-wrenching, as she’s forced to live through something no other dragon rider has: losing her dragon. Normally, this would kill a rider, but Violet’s continued bond to Tairn means she’s capable of severing her connection to Andarna and surviving. Of course, the impact this has on her is still profound. Violet can barely get out of bed when it first happens. Unfortunately,Onyx Stormdoesn’t have too much time to dwell on Violet’s upsetting circumstances.
As it stands, Andarna returns so quickly that it feels like a small blip in the greater story.
Arguably,Onyx Stormand the nextEmpyrean Seriesbook could have benefited from exploring the effects of Violet’s severed bond a bit more before she reunited with Andarna. As it stands, Andarna returns so quickly that it feels like a small blip in the greater story. While her absence packs a powerful punch right after it happens, the book quickly moves on to other things.It doesn’t give readers enough time to process Violet’s loss, and Andarna’s speedy return winds up feeling underwhelming as a result.
Andarna Being Gone Until The Next Empyrean Book Would Have Been More Powerful
It Would Have Made Her Return So Much More Emotional
Considering how devastating Andarna’s choice inOnyx Stormis, the book needs more time to sit with it — and ideally,it would have been more powerful if she remained with the irids until the nextEmpyrean Seriessequel. More time away would have offered additional opportunities to explore Violet’s grief, which could have been written in stages rather than just a few chapters. It also would have given Andarna more time to grow (though theOnyx Stormtheory that time passes differentlyfor the irids could still result in a changed dragon when book 4 arrives).
Andarna returning in the nextFourth Wingbook would also have made her reunion with Violet more emotional when it finally happened.
Andarna returning in the nextFourth Wingbook would also have made her reunion with Violet more emotional when it finally happened. There’s so much going on at the end ofOnyx Stormthat Andarna’s appearance barely registers as a big deal. She appears at the tail end of Violet’s confrontation with thesilver-haired venin, Theophanie— a fight that’s already over when she shows up. And the revelations in Xaden’s POV chapter and Violet’s final scene are so great thatAndarna and Violet’s reunion gets totally overshadowed.
10 Biggest Questions We Have After Onyx Storm’s Ending
Onyx Storm ends on a cliffhanger, just like the previous two books, and the newest Fourth Wing sequel raises many big questions in its final chapters.
By dragging out Violet’s separation from Andarna and allowing the irid to reappear in a more exciting manner, the nextEmpyrean Seriesbook could have made their reunion one of the strongest moments of the series. Unfortunately, its potential is wasted by having Andarna reverse her decision so quickly. And while it would have been stronger to keep Andarna away for a longer period of time,I also understand the need to have her return beforeOnyx Storm’s sequel.
Violet & Tairn Are Going To Need Support In The Upcoming Sequel
Although I would have liked to see Andarna and Violet separated for longer, I think Andarna will need to be around early in the nextEmpyrean Seriesbook. For one,both Violet and Tairn are likely to be struggling on the heels ofOnyx Storm’s climax. They’ll both need a more positive presence, like Andarna, to ground them. Violet isn’t going to take Xaden’s departure well, and Tairn won’t fare much better if Sgaeyl is gone. One theory even suggests thatTairn and Sgaeyl broke their mating bond, which lays the groundwork for even greater heartbreak in book 4.
With Violet and Tairn grappling with more huge losses in book 4, it would feel too bleak to keep Andarna away as well.
With Violet and Tairn grappling with more huge losses in book 4, it would feel too bleak to keep Andarna away as well. They’ll need to lean on her as they experience an all-new kind of grief. And there’s a chance that Andarna holds the answers to some of their most pressing issues, especially if her time with the irids is productive.
5 Great Onyx Storm Theories About How Violet’s Second Signet Will Be Used In The Next Empyrean Series Book
Onyx Storm finally reveals Violet’s second signet, and there are some great theories about how she can use it in the next Empyrean Series book.
Additionally, withViolet discovering her second signet inOnyx Storm, it seems inevitable that she’ll spend much of the next book learning to master her dream-walking power. While she seemingly taps into it when Andarna is gone, their connection is what fuels that ability.This makes Andarna’s presence essential if Violet hopes to fully evolve this abilityand turn it into something more powerful.
Another Fourth Wing Sequel Without Andarna Might Not Have Worked Very Well
Iron Flame Already Sidelined Andarna
Andarna is needed to moveThe Empyrean Seriesforward, but her narrative in previous books also makes keeping her away more difficult.Violet’s second dragon is absent for a decent portion ofIron Flame,as she enters the dreamless sleep at the beginning of the book. With Andarna finally feeling more fleshed out inOnyx Storm,it might feel repetitive and frustrating to cut her from anotherFourth Wingsequel — even if the payoff is worth it.
There’s no timeline for the nextEmpyrean Seriesbook’s release, but Rebecca Yarros confirmed she’s taking a break before writing it.
So, while I think Andarna’s speedy return is a mistake, I also see the challenges of dragging out her time with the irids. Hopefully, the nextFourth Wingsequel will find a way to deliver the emotional impact Andarna and Violet’s reunion should have had, even if it’s after the fact. Perhaps it will open with glimpses ofOnyx Storm’s ending and the moments immediately after, reopening the door to make Andarna’s comeback more exciting and touching.
