r/acourtofcanon

I've been seeing a lot of discourse today between Elriels and Gwynriels regarding theories about Elain vs Gwyn ending up as the High Lady of the Dusk Court.

I haven't seen much of the Gwynriel side of the theory, but from what I gather, the Elriel side of the theory seems to point to Elain being the one who will awaken the island where the Prison is, restoring it to the former glory of the Dusk Court.

I feel like I may be missing something, however. This storyline belongs to Bryce.

Most plainly put: 

>“This place, this Prison and the court it had once been, was Bryce’s inheritance. Hers to command, as Silene had commanded it.” (HOFAS 23)

But for the sake of thoroughness (as well as because I'm a masochist and I enjoy doing this), I'll break it down further:

The imagery tying Bryce to Dusk even starts as early and inconsequentially as her nail color in HOEAB: 

>Hunt glanced down at their hands, her dusk-painted nails contrasting with the deep gold of his skin. (HOEAB 35)

Night blooming purple flowers bloom for her, both in HOEAB and HOFAS, as remarked by Hunt:

>Tendrils of night-blooming purple flowers unfurled around her in answer, despite the daylight. Had it always been leading toward this? In the night garden, before they were attacked by the kristallos all those months ago, he could have sworn the flowers had opened for her. Were they sensing this power, the dusk-born heritage in her veins? (HOFAS 65)

Then, in the HOEAB epilogue, we learn that Bryce is the heir of Theia, the last Starborn Queen, and that she bears Theia’s starlight in a conversation between Jesiba and Aidas:

>“I thought Theia’s light was forever extinguished.” “So did I. I thought they’d made sure she and her power died on that last battlefield under Prince Pelias’s blade.” His eyes glowed with ancient rage. “But Bryce Quinlan bears her light.”

This is further confirmed by Aidas in HOSAB:

>Aidas’s eyes glowed like blue stars. “I remember the last Starborn Queen, Theia, and her powers.” He seemed to shudder. “Your light is her light. I’d recognize that luster anywhere. I’m assuming you have her other gifts as well.” (HOSAB 15)

Bryce's power is Theia's power, and she is Theia's heir.

In HOFAS, we learn that Theia was also High Lady of the Dusk Court prior to going to Midgard, as she bore the land’s power:

>"Thus the land’s powers became my mother’s. Dusk, twilight—that’s what the island was in its long-buried heart, what her power bloomed into, the lands rising with it. It was, as she said, as if the island had a soul that now blossomed under her care, nurtured by the court she built here." (HOFAS Ch. 19)

The Dusk Court land's power became Theia's power. And Bryce has inherited Theia's power. Bryce has the power of the Dusk Court.

The Dusk Court is Bryce’s inheritance as heir to Theia:

Silene says this of what she was told by Theia: "But more than that, she told me many times that she and her heirs were the only ones worthy of tending this island." (HOFAS Ch. 19)

And she also says a bit later: 

>"To leave this account for one whose blood will summon it, child of my child, heir of my heir. To you—I leave my story, your story. To you, in this very stone, I leave the inheritance and the burden that my own mother passed to me." (HOFAS Ch. 21)

>“This place, this Prison and the court it had once been, was Bryce’s inheritance. Hers to command, as Silene had commanded it.” (HOFAS 23)

Bryce is the one who can awaken the Dusk Court, and the island is explicitly referred to as Bryce's mountain.

>From far away, she could sense it: the things lurking within the mountain, her mountain. (HOFAS Ch. 22)

However, Bryce chooses at that time to not fully awaken the island, because then the prisoners would escape.

>Twisted, wretched creatures. Some had been here since Silene had trapped them. Had been contemplating their escape and revenge all this time. She’d let them out if she restored the mountain to its former glory. (HOFAS Ch. 22)

>And in that moment, the mountain—the island—spoke to her. Alone. It was so alone—it had been waiting all this time. Cold and adrift in this thrashing gray sea. If she could reach out, if she could open her heart to it … it might ***sing*** again. Awaken. There was a beating, vibrant heart locked away, far beneath them. If she freed it, the land would rise from its slumber, and such wonders would spring again from its earth. (HOFAS Ch. 22)

I highlight the word "sing" because people associate it with both Gwyn, a singer, and with Elain, who they tie to the "sing me" portion in the Book of Breathings prophecy.

>"Hello, sweet thing. Hello, lady of night, princess of decay. Hello, fanged beast and trembling fawn. Love me, touch me, sing me." (ACOMAF Ch. 57)

This also ties in with the "three mountains for three sisters" theory, where each Archeron sister will be tied to one of the three sacred mountains. Elain is speculated to be tied to the mountain where the Prison/Dusk Court is. But this particular mountain belongs to Bryce.

And I have seen theories that Elain will revive "the singing land", as in the Dusk Court.

But again, Bryce is the one to do that. "If she could reach out, if she could open her heart to it … it might ***sing*** again. Awaken."

At the point we're at in the timelines, post-HOFAS, the closest we get to the current status of the Prison/Dusk Court is this, while Bryce and Hunt talk about how she awakened Avallen, and how she may have also awakened the Prison/Dusk Court due to its suspected connection with Avallen:

>“I think it’s what the Prison—the island in the Fae’s home world—once was. When Theia ruled it, I mean. Before Silene fucked it all up. Maybe they’re linked in some way through being thin places and spilled over to each other a bit. Maybe back in that other world … maybe I woke up the land around the Prison, too.” (HOFAS Ch. 65)

Further, later in the book, a new island has emerged in Avallen:

>The surge of magic that had resulted had been intense enough that apparently a whole new island had risen in Avallen—as if the island was now bound to her very soul. (HOFAS Ch. 102)

**IF** Avallen and the Prison are connected, that could imply that it as well is bound to Bryce’s soul.

During Bryce's last visit to Prythian in HOFAS, Chapter 100, to retrieve her parents and return Truthteller, nothing about the status of the Prison/Dusk Court is mentioned. It is a relatively brief visit, however. 

What does happen is that Bryce gives the Starsword/Gwydion to Nesta.

>But Bryce began backing toward the portal, taking Hunt’s hand, and smiled again at the female, at her mate, at their world, as the Northern Rift began to close. “I think that eight-pointed star was tattooed on you for a reason. Take that sword and go figure out why.” (HOFAS Ch. 100)

So, here's what we're left with going into ACOTAR 6:

-Avallen was confirmed to be awoken by Bryce, and she speculates whether, since the lands may be linked as "thin places", that the island in Prythian may have been awoken too. (I'd be interested to see how that affects the prisoners. Are they loose in Prythian now?) 

-The island and mountain that hold the Prison and former Dusk Court belongs to Bryce.

-Theia's magic was the Dusk Court's magic, the High Lady of Dusk’s magic.

-Bryce now has Theia's magic as her heir.

-Bryce is, therefore, the rightful High Lady of the Dusk Court. 

-As it stands at the ending of HOFAS, Bryce seems disinclined to be a ruler herself. This is stated by her several times throughout the series, but most briefly evidenced by her abolishing the fae royal houses: Thus, with the stroke of the Autumn King’s golden pen, the royal bloodlines of the Fae were wiped from existence. (HOFAS Ch. 102)

*-*While Bryce's feelings may change in the future towards ruling, or perhaps she may have no choice, the title is rightfully hers as of this point in time.

-If anyone who isn't Bryce has ties to the Dusk Court, it would be Nesta, who:

1. Once bore a tattoo of the eight-pointed star, the symbol of the Starborn/Dusk Court.

2. Now carries the Starsword/Gwydion, which, as Aidas states: “That sword belongs to Theia’s female heir." (HOSAB 15)

3. Is encouraged by Bryce to "Take that sword and go figure out why" the eight-pointed star was tattooed on her.

4. Is tied to Bryce via their time together in Prythian, and is trusted enough by Bryce to leave her parents in Prythian with her.

None of this is intended as a slight to either Elain or Gwyn, both of whom I am very outspoken about adoring.

Could either of them get involved in the Dusk Court's return? Sure, absolutely. Anything is possible.

But as far as it stands now, a storyline leading to the reawakening of Dusk ties back to Bryce.

A final proposal, based on all that has been said here. While canon-based, this is pure opinion and speculation on my part:

ACOTAR 6, with its rumored dusky purple palette, would be the perfect time to explore Nesta’s connection to the Dusk Court. Given its shorter length compared to book 7, it would be a well-suited plot to serve as a bridge between all we learned in HOFAS and all we can expect in the next ACOTAR story arc. Like ACOFAS, it could have some familiar POVs as well as bringing in whatever new POV characters we can expect.
Please don’t yell, I’m not at all trying to take away Elain’s book. Elain WILL get her book and I can’t wait to read it. Again, this would be like ACOFAS leading into Nesta’s story in ACOSF.

Thank you for coming to my TEDTalk.

Art: renata.watsonn

Disclaimer: I love Feyre. I love Rhys. I love Tamlin. For me, two things are true at once: (1) Tamlin failed Feyre, and Feyre was right to leave him. (2) Tamlin was traumatized and suffering, and doesn’t deserve to be labeled a villain in the story.

Basically, I didn't create this post out of love or hate of any character. It is purely an exercise in objective analysis and a way for me to form a hypothesis about Tamlin's future in the story (spoiler: he probably won't be getting a happy ending).

Okay, onward! Sarah J. Maas has set Tamlin up as a pretty close representation of Aristotle’s archetype of the tragic hero. According to Aristotle’s Poetics, a tragic hero is a noble, virtuous character of high stature who falls from grace due to a tragic flaw (hamartia), specifically an error in judgment. His downfall brings about a reversal of fortune (peripeteia) and ultimately, recognition (anagnorisis) of their mistake. The tragic hero evokes (catharsis) pity in the minds of the audience. Let’s dive in!

1. High stature: a tragic hero is typically of high birth or high standing. As a High Lord, this is self-explanatory. Tamlin obviously has high standing within the narrative. He is not just an ordinary person.

2. Noble, virtuous character: tragic heroes must be inherently good. Despite his flaws, Tamlin has a good heart. He feels intense guilt over the cruelty and barbarism of his father and brothers.

Although Rhys's tone here is mocking, he does ultimately believe Tamlin has noble ideals, stemming from disgust of the brutality of his family:

>Thorns and Roses (chapter 39) “He never treated me like a captive— or a slave.”
“No— and how could he? Not with the shame of his father and brother’s brutality always weighing on him, the poor, noble beast.”

>Thorns and Roses (chapter 19) “A muscle feathered in his jaw, and I regretted the question if only for the pain that flickered in his eyes. “My father…” His claws gleamed at his knuckles but didn’t go out any farther. I’d definitely asked the wrong question. “My father was as bad as Lucien’s. Worse. My two older brothers were just like him. They kept slaves— all of them. And my brothers— I was young when the Treaty was forged, but I still remember what my brothers used to…” He trailed off. “It left a mark— enough of a mark that when I saw you, your house, I couldn’t— wouldn’t let myself be like them. Wouldn’t bring harm to your family, or you, or subject you to faerie whims.”

>Thorns and Roses (chapter 16) “But had I been old enough, I would have. Against slavery, against tyranny, I would gladly go to my death, no matter whose freedom I was defending.”

He also struggles internally with the fact that in order to break the course, he must manipulate and use Feyre:

>*Thorns and Roses (*chapter 12) “Tamlin turned away but whirled back a moment later, his teeth bared. “It was a mistake from the start. I can’t stomach it, not after what my father did to their kind, to their lands. I won’t follow in his footsteps— won’t be that sort of person. So back off.”

3. Hamartia (fatal flaw): According to Aristotle, hubris is not the only fatal flaw that defines a tragic hero. Aristotle actually emphasized hamartia (any fatal flaw) over hubris specifically. Tamlin’s fatal flaw is his desperate need for control. Tamlin, having just spent months Under the Mountain, is desperate to regain control. For Tamlin, control is masked as protection, fear of loss, and emotional repression.

>Mist and Fury (chapter 3) “We all heard your neck break. But you got to come back. And I doubt that he will ever forget that sound, either. And he will do everything in his power to protect you from that danger again, even if it means keeping secrets, even if it means sticking to rules you don't like.”

>Mist and Fury (chapter 7) “Training would draw too much attention," Tamlin said. "You don't need to train. I can guard you from whatever comes our way."

>Mist and Fury (chapter 10) “I couldn't save you before. I couldn't protect you from them. And when you said that, about ... about me drowning you ... Am I any better than they were?"

> *Mist and Fury (*chapter 11) “Protect, protect, protect—I could see the word in his eyes.”

4. Peripeteia- a reversal of fortune, or fall from grace, brought on by the character’s fatal flaw. At the end of A Court of Thorns and Roses, Tamlin and Feyre are revered. They are the saviors of Prythian, and their love has saved the world. They are about to ride off into the sunset for their happily ever after. Their cachet even drew ambitious, power-hungry Ianthe back to Tamlin’s side:

>Mist and Fury (chapter 2) “And who had taken it upon herself to worship me and Tamlin as if we were newly minted gods, blessed and chosen by the Cauldron itself.”

Yet within the course of less than two years, Tamlin’s fall from grace is staggering. By A Court of Silver Flames, he has basically shifted permanently into his beast form.

>Silver Flames (chapter 14) "Eris looked toward the hills beyond the orchard, green and gold and glowing in the sunlight. "They say a beast prowls these lands now. A beast with keen green eyes and golden fur. Some people think the beast has forgotten his other shape, so long has he spent in his monstrous form. And though he roams these lands, he does not see or care for the neglect he passes, the lawlessness, the vulnerability. Even his manor has fallen into disrepair, half-eaten by thorns, though rumors fly that he himself destroyed it."

A fatal error is often the catalyst for the character’s peripeteia. It is often just a simple mistake on the part of the tragic hero, stemming from his hamartia, and eventually leads to the final catastrophe. Tamlin’s final, fatal error is quite clear: locking Feyre up in the manor. This transgression was one that Feyre simply could not forgive, and puts the final nail in the coffin of their doomed relationship:

>Mist and Fury (chapter 13) “But he'd ... he'd locked me up. Either he so deeply misunderstood me or he'd been so broken by what went on Under the Mountain, but ... he'd locked me up.”

>Mist and Fury (chapter 12) "It was all I could do to keep from screaming, to keep from shattering into ten thousand pieces as I sank onto the marble floor, bowing over my knees, and wrapped my arms around myself.
He'd trapped me; he'd trapped me; he'd trapped me-
I had to get out, because I'd barely escaped from another prison once before, and this time, this time- Winnowing. I could vanish into nothing but air and appear somewhere else, somewhere open and free. I fumbled for my power, for anything, something that might show me the way to do it, the way out. Nothing. There was nothing and I had become nothing, and I couldn't ever get out—
Someone was shouting my name from far away.
Alis-Alis.
But I was ensconced in a cocoon of darkness and fire and ice and wind, a cocoon that melted the ring off my finger until the golden ore dripped away into the void, the emerald tumbling after it. I wrapped that raging force around myself as if it could keep the walls from crushing me entirely, and maybe, maybe buy me the tiniest sip of air— I couldn't get out; I couldn't get out; I couldn't get out—

5. Anagnorisis: The tragic hero’s actions result in an increase of self-awareness and self-knowledge. Here is where my argument is, admittedly, weakest. The tragic hero must admit to the mistakes that he has made, and take accountability for them. We have no canon in which Tamlin specifically acknowledges what he did wrong. However, Tamlin is part-way there. We do see evidence of remorse and regret:

>Mist and Fury (chapter 47) “Lucien’s mouth tightened. “It was a mistake. We all made mistakes. He’s sorry— more sorry than you realize. So am I.”

>Frost and Starlight (chapter 23) "Do you think she will forgive me?" The question was a rasp. As if he'd been screaming.
I knew whom he meant. And I didn't know. I didn't know if her wishing him happiness was the same as forgiveness. If Feyre would ever want to offer that to him. Forgiveness could be a gift to both, but what he'd done ...
"Do you want her to?"
His green eyes were empty. "Do I deserve it?"
No. Never.
He must have read it on my face, because he asked, "Do you forgive me—for your mother and sister?"
"I don't recall ever hearing an apology."
As if an apology would ever right it. As if an apology would ever cover the loss that still ate at me, the hole that remained where their bright, lovely lives had once glowed.
"I don't think one will make a difference, anyway," Tamlin said, staring at the felled elk once more. "For either of you."
Broken. Utterly broken.

We can also see Tamlin’s anagnorisis when he willingly acts against his own feelings of jealousy and possessiveness to bring Rhys back to life. His actions demonstrate that he won’t be the person to take anymore peace or happiness from Feyre:

> Wings and Ruin (chapter 77) "Be happy, Feyre," he said quietly.
And dropped that final kernel of light onto Rhysand.

6. Nemesis: the unavoidable, often deserved, retribution or punishment for the hero's hubris and actions. Again, we see Tamlin’s existence roaming his lands as a beast, as his punishment:

>Silver Flames (chapter 14) "Enough with the double-talk," Cassian said. "Tamlin's staying in his beast form and is finally getting the punishment he deserves. So what?"

7. Catharsis: the ultimate effect on the audience, who experience a release of pity for the tragic hero. The downfall must appear as a result of the hero's own actions rather than pure bad luck, yet the punishment should exceed the crime. I’ll let you all decide whether that is the case.

This is a response to the "Disproving Gwynriel Parallels" post from yesterday, but I didn't want to put it into the comments because whew... that was a mess lol

As a preface, I'm not a diehard Gwynriel, it's more of a vibes thing for me. That said, the original post was very thought provoking, so I looked into it.

For the love of God, please see this as the good faith counterpoint it is intended to be.

Apologies in advance for the wall of text. I went to look for a few examples and found way more than I remembered.

Here is my alternate perspective on the matter:

The confirmed mated pairs do have the specific "soul" language. Not contradicting that at all.

Something that occured to me, however, is that the quotes used as examples only occur after the pair had forged some magical connection.

At this stage, assuming for the purposes of this post that they will be revealed to be mates, Gwyn and Azriel aren't at that point. If they have a mating bond, it has not yet snapped. And there is no other explicity stated magical bond between them. Hence the absense of any soul mentions.

But what Gwynriel does have at this stage, is another very common word choice/imagery that endgame couples have, some even before they are confirmed mates. Specifically, references to: sing/sang/singing/song, music, and dance/dancing/twining/twirling.

Gwynriel:

"How was the party?" Her breath curled in front of her mouth, and one of his shadows darted out to dance with it before twirling back to him. Like it heard some silent music."

"Azriel entered the warmth of the stairwell, and as he descended, he could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him. Could have sworn his shadows sang in answer."

Here are parallels from confirmed pairings, highlighting the same sorts of imagery:

Nessian:

“Your power is a song, and one I’ve waited a very, very long time to hear, Nesta.” (ACOSF Ch 15)

"For it was music between their souls. Always had been. And his voice was her favorite melody."

and "she couldn’t take it, the music between their souls" (Both from ACOSF Ch 58)

"And she had music in her heart. A song made up of Cassian’s voice..." (ACOSF Ch 61)

"Cassian let out a soft laugh, and Nesta’s blood again sang at the mastery of it." (ACOSF Ch. 62)

Ruhnlidia:

"Her voice was beautiful. Like a golden song. It stirred his Fae soul, made it perk up." (HOSAB Ch 22). [This is when Ruhn and Lidia have already established the "mental bridge" between them.]

"...that was before her breathy moans filled his ears like the most beautiful music he’d ever heard."

Feysand:

"We were a song that had been sung from the very first ember of light in the world." (ACOMAF Ch. 55)

"But now Rhys and I stood hand in hand—unflinching, a song without end or beginning." (ACOMAF Ch. 55)

"My own blood sang at the power that thrummed from him, at the sheer beauty of him." (ACOMAF Ch. 42)

"I felt his power beckoning to me long before he got near the house, a dark melody through the world." (ACOFAS Ch. 5)

Rowaelin:

“...though she could have sworn she occasionally felt their magic … playing together, her flame taunting his ice, his wind dancing amongst her embers.” (HOF Ch. 45)

"His magic had been a song, and she had been … He’d never had anything like her." (EOS Ch. 39)

"Her magic flared in answer, a ripple of power dancing through her. As if it had found a mirror of itself in the world, as if it had found the countermelody to its own song." (KOA Ch. 35)

"... the unbreakable song of her and Rowan." (KOA Ch. 114)

"Her heart sang, roaring, at the power that flowed from Rowan and into her." (KOA Ch. 114)

"Rowan made her magic sing. And maybe that was the carranam bond between them, but … her magic wanted to dance with his..." (EOS Ch. 2)

"The need to not only be near him, but to have him so deep in her she felt their souls twining, their magic dancing…" (EOS Ch. 44)

Quinlar:

"Bryce pressed closer to study the photo on his phone, the heat of her body a beckoning song." (HOEAB Ch. 41)

"Vengeance incarnate. Wrath’s bruised heart. She would bow for no one. Hunt’s lightning sang at the sight of that brutal, beautiful face." (HOEAB Ch. 81)

"His lightning flowed into her like a river, and he could have sworn he heard a beautiful sort of music between their souls..." (HOSAB Ch. 64) [This one actually quite closely mirrors Azriel's "could have sworn" line in the BC.]

"His lightning danced up her arm, tickling, but not hurting." (HOSAB Ch. 44)

"It was only them, would only be them, dancing together, souls twining." (HOSAB Ch. 59)

Suffice it to say, the music-related language is extremely common between pairings. It can often predate a known mating bond. The "souls" language and imagery is something they all have in common, but only after a magical connection is established. Not always the mating bond, but the "mental bridge" in Ruhnlidia's case and the carranam bond with Rowaelin.

The last point to address from the original post is the "mutuality" aspect. And that's a very fair point. Bonds are mutual. My main response to that would be that we have nothing from Gwyn's POV, therefore can neither confirm nor deny that her magic reacted as Azriel's had.

What it all boils down to is that I am not saying Gwyn and Azriel ARE mates. I am simply saying that the absence of "souls" imagery at this stage doesn't necessarily mean they ARE NOT mates.

The "souls" imagery is saved for mates who are already connected.