The ending of his romance with Violet can be toxic at times, it delivers on many elements fans of the subgenre enjoy.
It's hard to avoid infusing conflict in Xaden and Violet's relationship, though, as the pair get together incredibly early in The Empyrean Series. Despite Rebecca Yarros planning five books, Violet and Xaden acknowledge their feelings for one another in the first one. This leads to Iron Flame using the miscommunication trope and Onyx Storm pushing other questionable issues on them, all in an effort to keep things interesting. But Onyx Storm's ending ensures that the next Fourth Wing sequel can restore one of the best elements of the series' central romance, which is exciting.
The Enemies To Lovers Aspect Of Fourth Wing's Romance Is The Best Part, But It's Over Too Quickly
Xaden & Violet Begin To Like Each Other Very Quickly
Part of the appeal of Xaden and Violet's relationship in Fourth Wing is that it falls into the enemies-to-lovers category. Unfortunately, it drops that concept very quickly after they meet. Violet and Xaden are only at odds at the beginning of the book, as it rapidly becomes clear that he doesn't truly intend to harm her. They start to appreciate one another before the halfway point, and by the end of Fourth Wing, they're together romantically.
Onyx Storm Hilariously Acknowledged Fourth Wing's Most Frustrating Romance Trend & It's A Larger Genre Problem
Miscommunication is an annoying romantasy book trope hardly restricted to Rebecca Yarros' work - but she treated it with humor in Onyx Storm.
Iron Flame's reveal that Xaden was always protecting Violet makes matters worse, leading to criticisms that The Empyrean Series doesn't deliver on a true enemies-to-lovers romance. That's certainly true for Iron Flame and Onyx Storm, but the latter's Xaden twist means that the next book can offer some semblance of one. After all, Xaden and Violet will no longer be operating on the same side of the series' conflict — at least, not openly.
Onyx Storm's Ending Means The Series Can Finally Revive This Aspect Of Xaden & Violet's Relationship
This Could Keep Things Fresh In The Next Fourth Wing Sequel
With Xaden becoming an asim at the end of Onyx Storm — and running off with the venin, potentially after killing dragon riders and stealing dragon eggs — the next book will pit him and Violet against each other to some extent. While book three establishes that Xaden's love for her is still there, even as he's fully turning venin, he's bound to have a darker nature in the sequel. Additionally, Violet will also have to act against him, as he'll be working with the venin, and she'll still be on the side of the rebels and Navarre.
Violet and Xaden probably got together too soon, but this could keep things interesting after Onyx Storm.
This means The Empyrean Series will return to the enemies-to-lovers dynamic established in Fourth Wing, and it could deliver a much darker version of it. This would actually be refreshing, as it would raise the stakes of the series' central romance and offer a fresh approach to it. Violet and Xaden probably got together too soon, but this could keep things interesting after Onyx Storm. Hopefully, Yarros is willing to really commit to the trope.
- Genre
- Fantasy
- Publisher
- Entangled: Red Tower Books
- Publication Date
- 2025/01/01
- Franchise
- The Empyrean Series
- ISBN#
- 1649374186
- Author(s)
- Rebecca Yarros
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