Iron Flame, the second installment in Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series, is a world teeming with magic and dragons. As the book concluded, many fans were left pondering the nuances and implications of its climactic ending. Let’s delve into the major events of the finale, deciphering the key moments that brought the exciting Iron Flame to a thrilling conclusion. Ensure you finish the book before you read more because spoilers are ahead.
The plot twist at the end of Iron Flame, explained
Iron Flame thrusts Violet, Xaden, their dragons, and their friends into a dire conflict against the venin. Once considered mere mythical creatures from children’s tales, the Venin are now a tangible threat, launching the first offensive in their war against the people of Navarre and Poromiel. The book ends with a stunning twist: Xaden’s transformation into a Venin.
Why did Xaden turn?
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During the climactic battle of Iron Flame, Xaden, desperate to save Violet from the General Venin, draws power directly from the earth, corrupting himself and beginning his transformation into a Venin. In the Empyrean series, magic originates from the earth and can be channeled in two ways: a permissible method and a forbidden one. The permissible way involves dragon riders bonding with dragons to access their power, with the dragon acting as a dampener to safely manage the magic. On the flip side, the forbidden method entails drawing magic directly from the earth.
While excessive channeling through a dragon can cause a rider to burn out or die, drawing directly from the earth leads to a much darker fate. Those who use this method become twisted and warped into Venin, driven by an insatiable desire for more power, transforming into a corrupted version of a dragon rider. Xaden’s eyes now possess a tinge of the lurid red glow characteristic of the venin, although he otherwise remains human in appearance. To make it even more official, Violet’s nemesis Jack Barlowe is revealed to be Venin as well, and he welcomes Xaden into his new identity. Jack speaks to Xaden as a Venin and mentions that Xaden is now part of their “f***ed-up family.”
For those who remember the previous entry well, Jack’s own identity was first hinted at in Fourth Wing, when he used his power on Violet during their training at Basgaith. He had pushed his power into her and caused her intense pain.
What’s next for Xaden and the others?
Currently, little information is available about the third book in the Empyrean series, titled Onyx Storm. Scheduled for release on Jan. 21, 2025, it is less than a year away from hitting bookshelves. While the plot details remain undisclosed, fans can anticipate that the book will delve into Xaden’s new role as Venin.