The Iron Squad Fantasy Draft!!

Your favorite literary chaos agents Abby and Ronnie are back with a FUN twist on their usual deep dives - it's IRON SQUAD FANTASY DRAFT time! We're taking a break from our usual theory-heavy episodes to play a game where we draft members of the Iron Squad for different categories. Some of it's serious, some of it's silly, all of it's fin.

The concept is simple: for each category, we each get to pick one Iron Squad member, but we can't pick the same person. Our draft pool includes Dain, Rhi, Ridoc, Aaric, Sawyer, Maren, and Cat (sorry Violet, you're excluded from this one!).

First up: Who's the most powerful member of the Iron Squad? Abby makes the shocking choice of Cat over the obvious Aaric, bringing receipts about Cat's emotion manipulation powers being way more terrifying than we've given credit.Meanwhile, Ronnie defends Aaric's precog abilities and reminds us that we've barely scratched the surface of what Molvic (Aaric's blue dragon) can do.

Things get juicy when we debate who's most likely to betray Violet. Ronnie picks Ridoc (but only because he'd think it was for Violet's own good), while Abby makes a compelling case for Maren, whose parents were killed in a trap meant for Violet. We also tackle the most unlikely couple in the Iron Squad (Rhi and Ridoc give major sibling vibes) and whose signet would be the ABSOLUTE WORST to accidentally wield during sex (freezing your partner mid-moment? No thank you, Ridoc!).

The laughs start coming when we pick whose signet would be the BEST to accidentally wield during sex (Cat, obviously - emotion manipulation has its perks!), who will play the biggest role in upcoming books, and who our personal favorites are. Poor Sawyer barely gets any picks throughout our draft, confirming Rebecca's admission that she hasn't given him enough attention!

In our wildest Precog Corner yet, Abby dives into the fascinating mythology behind our Iron Squad members' names. Did you know that Aetos means "eagle" in Greek and refers to Zeus's childhood companion who was later the object of Hera’s jealousy? The parallels to Dain, Violet, and Xaden are too eerie to be a coincidence.

Ronnie counters with a theory about the cure for Venin that might just change everything: What if there IS no cure because channeling from the source is simply a choice that Venin have to stop making? What if the entire series is actually a massive allegory for addiction? The implications are chilling!

We wrap up with our current reads - Abby's loving "This Is How You Lose the Time War" (a tight, dense novella about two beings on opposite sides of a time war falling in love through letters), while Ronnie's rereading A Court of Thorns and Roses and discovering all the hidden gems she missed the first time around.

Spoilers for the ENTIRE Empyrean Series (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm)

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The End Of Onyx Storm Part 2 - Violet’s Version

Your favorite literary chaos agents Abby and Ronnie are back with their deep dive into the final chapter of Onyx Storm! Buckle up for "The Ending of Onyx Storm (Part 2): Violet's Version" where we dissect every shocking detail of that cliffhanger ending that left us all shattered!

We kick things off with the an unusual question: how did Violet get to Riorson House ? We discuss distance wielders, siphons, and why Garrick might NOT be Venin after all (or is he?). Then we tackle what that mysterious "shape moving in the shadows" really is—spoiler alert: it's probably not Xaden!

Next, we dive into why Brennan's eyes bulged when he saw Violet. Is her hair fully silver now? Does she have a tattoo? Or is something even more dramatic happening? We explore why Andarna is so confident she can protect Violet from being burned, and what that means about her time with the Irids.

Things get wild when we discuss those missing 12 hours that Imogen wiped from Violet's memory. We start by discussing the timing and location of Violet and Xaden’s wedding - how could they have gotten married in Aretia when Xaden maybe can’t go in the wards anymore? And either way wouldn’t everyone have been looking for him? Did they actually get married in Unnbriel, and if so are Andarna’s time manipulation powers back?! Plus, we identify the four missing riders (our money's on Xaden, Garrick, Bodhi, and... DAIN?!) and debate who murdered those three elders in the valley (hint: it wasn't Xaden!).

Our most compelling theory yet emerges when we analyze that cryptic note: "Don't look for me, it's yours now." What exactly is "it"? We make a shocking connection between Malek, souls, and why Andarna is so determined to prevent Violet from burning. Could Violet now be dedicated to the god of death himself?!

We round it all out with our wildest Precog Corner yet, where Ronnie theorizes that Tairn might have been forced to kill Naolin after he turned, while Abby drops a bombshell about the true name of the continent and what it reveals about the gods!

Spoilers for the ENTIRE Empyrean Series (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm)

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Time Stamps:

00:00 - 02:50: Intros and episode overview

02:51 - 07:44: Announcements and social media shout-outs

07:45 - 11:33: Jess's theory about Xaden sneaking into Violet's bed

11:34 - 18:19: Setting the scene for Chapter 66

18:20 - 22:18: How did Violet get to Riorson House?

22:19 - 29:33: What is the shape that moves in the shadows?

29:34 - 35:59: Why do Brennan's eyes bulge when they see Violet?

36:00 - 39:48: Why would they burn Violet?

39:49 - 47:26: The missing 12 hours and time manipulation

47:27 - 52:17: Who are the four missing riders and their dragons?

52:18 - 57:32: Who murdered the elders in the valley?

57:33 - 1:03:22: Where did they get married and why?

1:03:23 - 1:11:14: Why did Tairn need a cycle of rest?

1:11:15 - 1:19:30: What is "it" in "it's yours now"?

1:19:31 - 1:24:05: Why did Imogen erase Violet's memory?

1:24:06 - 1:34:44: Where is Xaden now?

1:34:45 - 1:39:42: Precog Corner: Tairn and Naolin's fate

1:39:43 - 1:44:51: Precog Corner: Amari, Malek, and the continent

1:44:52 - 1:51:41: Reading Corner: Empire of Storms

1:51:42 - 1:54:33: Wrap-up and social media information

Your favorite literary chaos agents Abby and Ronnie are back with part one of their mind-blowing deep dive into the ending of Onyx Storm! We're kicking things off with a return to our Diet Coke discourse (and bubbly drinks in general) before diving head-first into what happens to our favorite shadow-daddy on top of that hidden sun-soaked canyon.

We start by tackling the burning question that's keeping us all up at night: who is the brother that turned Venin? We bring receipts analyzing every possible candidate - from Bodhi (on his hands and knees "retching" in the town square... or channeling?), to Garrick (mysteriously missing at the end), to Aaric (who would be the last person Xaden would expect to turn). The evidence points to someone who felt they "weren't enough" during the battle, and we're ready to name names!

We explore the mysterious line about "the one who thinks himself my brother" - is it a person or could it be something else entirely? And what about Berwyn's cryptic comment "I have another" when Panchek claims to be the only one who can give him access to his son?

Our investigation gets wild when we discuss which initiate wants to kill their sage (besides Xaden). Could Naolin still be alive? Has he been Venin this whole time? And what does Berwyn have that Xaden needs so desperately? We theorize it might be knowledge about dreamwalking that could be crucial to whatever plan Xaden has set in motion.

We round it all out by analyzing why Xaden tells Sgaeyl "it is the only way" - what happened that made this path the only viable option? And what's the real purpose behind those Rhi and Imogen POV chapters? (Hint: it might have something to do with those missing 12 hours we'll discuss next episode!)

In our wildest Precog Corner yet, Abby theorizes about Bodhi's name meaning "awakening" or "enlightenment" in Buddhism and what that could mean if he's Venin offspring destined to evolve, while Ronnie explores the fascinating possibility that Venin can sense pain even when there’s no magic!

Spoilers for the entire Empyrean Series (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm)

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00:00 - 5:54: Sparkling Water, Avril Lavigne, no skips albums

5:55 - 11:29: Intro + Opening Thoughts

11:30 - 23:43: Corrections, Omissions, Social Media - Gifts, Irids, and Venin; Were Aaric and Andarna working together, Mairi family + Maorsite

23:43 - 29:01: How we felt about the ending of Onyx Storm

29:02 - 49:16: Recap of the ending (through Xaden’s POV)

49:17 - 1:05:57: Who is the brother?

1:05:58 - 01:11:10: Who is the one who thinks himself the brother?

01:11:11 - 1:14:50 : Who is Berwyn’s son? (Probably not Jack!)

1:14:51 - 1:21:14 Who is the other initiate who wants to kill their sage?

1:21:15 - 1:26:32: What does Berwyn have that Xaden needs?

1:26:33 - 1:28:33 Why this ending was “The Only Way”

1:28:34 - 1:35:42: The purpose of Rhi and Imogen’s POV Chapters and why doesn’t Rhi know about dragon’s farsight

1:35:43 - 1:43:58: Pre-cog corner - Is Bodhi the key to the end of this series? Do Venin have abilities even when there's no magic?

Your favorite crazy book theorists and co-hosts Abby and Ronnie sit down to talk about YOUR THEORIES again in Onyx Storm: Mailbag #2!

We start off strong, with Abby realizing that Cath is in fact a man and not a nickname for “Cathy.” We then dive into whether Cath’s breath smelling bad is actually a clue to Cath’s age, and ponder if he might actually be way more important than we thought.

We debunk the popular “Ridoc is a venin” theory with some very key evidence from the Cliffs of Dralor. Sorry guys, Ridoc’s definitely not a venin - but we’re still not sure why he hates sewing. We get into the Battle of Suniva and try to figure out how long the venin have been secretly stealing daggers, and conclude that when Devera tells us something’s important, we should listen.

After that we discuss Tairn and Codagh’s lineage and get into the “Is Tairn really Thereux?” question. We get into some of our wildest theories to date with speculation on Brennan’s identity (why did Violet think he would know Old Lucerish?) and realize that Lilith has known about the Venin for way longer than we thought.

To round it out, we talk about the symbolism of Bodhi’s name (and Cuir’s name) and ponder what role they might play in the larger story. We wonder why everyone seems to always forget that the irids are invisible and could literally be anywhere, at any time (looking at you Unnbriel), and conclude with a fun reading corner on Crescent City (no spoilers! We promise.)

Spoilers for the entire Empyrean Series

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Please remember to rate, subscribe, and review! We really appreciate it!

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Time Stamps

00:00 - 02:59: Intro

03:00 - 07:49: Is Cath an elder? And also a man?

07:50 - 13:18: Ridoc is NOT a Venin

13:19 - 19:50: The Venin have been after the Daggers this whole time (or, why we should always listen to Devera)

19:51 - 24:54: Is Tairn secretly Thereux? (Spoiler: Probably not)

24:55 - 30:15: Why are the wyvern snatching up dead gryphons?

30:16 - 33:28: Ok, so like, what’s the deal with Brennan?

33:29 - 38:00: Lilith has known about the venin for way longer than we thought

38:01 - 40:08: How much magic can venin channel

40:09 - 43:32: The symbolism of Bodhi’s name

43:33 - 46:00: Violet’s just a big battery (And also, we’re starting to forget our own theories)

46:01 - 50:24: Why is everyone forgetting that the irids can turn invisible?

50:25 - 54:06: Are the isles the gods?

54:07 - 01:01:25: Reading Corner (We’re both reading Crescent City!) and Conclusion

Your favorite crazy book theorists and co-hosts Abby and Ronnie sit down to talk about the history of Navarre in Onyx Storm: History Part 2 - The Second Krovlan Uprising, The Tyrrish Rebellion, and Other Fun Stuff!

We start with the Second Krovlan Uprising, where we explore what REALLY happened when Deverelli brokered that mysterious deal between an unnamed Isle kingdom and Krovla. Why did the Krovlish Raiders try to cross into Navarre at Athebyne? Was Unnbriel the unnamed isle, or did Violet jump to conclusions? And what's the connection between the feathertails the raiders were looking for and the feathertails that Asher was studying?

Then we jump to the Tyrrish Rebellion, examining the motivations behind Fen Riorson, Lilith Sorrengail, and other key players; looking deep into Fen’s alliance with Viscount Tecaurs, and discuss the shocking revelation that "other dragons" were hiding in Aretia! We bring receipts on Lilith's capture of the rebellion leaders, Brennan's supposed "death," and the rebellion relics. Why does Sgaeyl hate Brennan so much? And what was Naolin's ACTUAL fate??

We round it out with a look at Basgaiath War College's founding (how could it have been built on Runes?!) and the various cover-ups throughout Navarre's history. When did they start erasing the Venin from the archives? Why is there no irid in the Rotunda at Basgiath? And why are the Venin traveling along bodies of water??

Our precog corner gets WILD this episode as we theorize about a secret Irid den in Aretia, water dragons, and the possibility of another continent! Is this why Asher pointed Violet toward these specific historical events? The blanket of lies is starting to unravel!

Spoilers for the entire Empyrean Series

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Please remember to rate, subscribe, and review! We really appreciate it!

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Timestamps:

00:00 - 5:26 - Intros (Please don’t spoil Throne of Glass for Abby)

5:27 - 9:26 - Announcement (We’re on discord now! Dragons In the Details Pod Server)

9:27 - 20:56 - Corrections, Omissions, Social Media Shout Outs

20:57 - 43:55 - The Second Krovlan Uprising

43:56 - 1:31:52 - The Tyrrish Rebellion

1:31:53 - 1:38:12 - The Founding of Basgiath

1:38:13 - 1:47:22 - Undocumented History, including the Venin Cover-Up

1:47:23 - 1:51:26 - Precog Corner!

1:51:27 - 1:53:33 - What we’re reading + Outros

Your favorite literary chaos agents Abby and Ronnie are back with a mind-blowing deep dive into the mysterious history of Navarre in Onyx Storm: History Part 1 - The Origin, The Great War, and The First Six!

We kick things diving into the fascinating world of the Fables of the Barren - that antique, heavy tome that holds the key to understanding the REAL history of this continent! We explore where this rare book came from, why Asher made sure Violet knew these stories by heart, and what it means that this knowledge has been passed down through generations while being erased from official records.

Then we tackle the mysterious origin story of the three brothers who fought to control magic in an ancient kingdom. One brother bonded to a gryphon, one to a dragon, and when the third grew jealous, he drew directly from the source, losing his soul and waging war on the other two. But what of the third brother who commanded the sky to surrender its greatest power vanquished his jealous sibling "at a great and terrible price." What was that price? And is Violet about to pay it?

We dive deep into the conflicting stories about who first bonded with dragons - was it one of these brothers or the legendary First Six? And why would dragons know about runes before humans had access to magic?

Next, we explore the Great War and unification of Navarre, examining why the Isle Kingdoms once fought alongside Navarre and Poromiel against the Venin but now refuse to get involved. We bring receipts on Warrick's decision to prevent gryphons from channeling within the wards and Lyra's opposition that led her to create a second wardstone at Aretia. Why did dragons turn against gryphons after fighting alongside them? And what's the connection between the hatching grounds and this mysterious conflict?

Our precog corner gets REALLY wild this episode as Ronnie speculates on the origin of Runes. Meanwhile, Abby drops a bombshell theory about why Andarna’s not fond of pits. Could this explain why the Irids hate violence so much?

We wrap up with our current reads - Abby's deep into Crescent City and worried about Hunt becoming the next Tamlin, while Ronnie's finished book three and is keeping her lips sealed!

Spoilers for the entire Empyrean Series (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm)

Follow us on social media:

Instagram

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Email us your questions and theories at dragonsinthedetailspod@gmail.com - we love hearing from you!

Please remember to rate, subscribe, and review! We really appreciate it!

#onyxstorm #ironflame #fourthwing #violetsorrengail #xadenriorson #rebeccayarros #fantasy #podcast #bookstagram #romantasy #empyrean #rebeccayaros #book #booklover #bookstagram #booktok #bookpodcast #bookpodcasts #irid #romantasy #romantasybooks #history #greatwar #fables #venin #dragons #griffins

Time Stamps:

00:00 - 05:26: Intro and scheduling chaos

05:27 - 09:26: Corrections, omissions, and social media shout-outs

09:27 - 20:56: The Fables of the Barren

20:57 - 33:55: The Origin Story of the Three Brothers

33:56 - 43:55: Who really bonded with dragons first?

43:56 - 59:52: The Great War and Unification of Navarre

59:53 - 1:07:12: The Wardstones and why gryphons can't channel

1:07:13 - 1:18:07: What ended the war with the Venin?

1:18:08 - 1:24:45: Precog Corner: Runes as an ancient language and pit-fighting Irids

1:24:46 - 1:29:52: What we're reading and outro