u/Delulumentality

I just wanted to megaphone a large part of the discourse on Rhi’s character that isn’t talked about enough.

It’s a running thread here that multiple WOC have pointed out that Rhi is a very vital part of the story for them, and I feel like not enough people understand this or don’t give it the weight it deserves regarding the way they speak about her.

It’s so rare, especially in fantasy. To not only get a black female lead who is a great leader but also one who is portrayed as stable, reliable and dependable.

Rhi is such a rare form in fiction. I stand by the fact that, while Rebecca could do more to give Rhi greater depth, the fact that Rhi simply exists as a sweet, kind, dependable, leader and a woman of color greatly benefits the narrative, especially in terms of diversity and inclusion.

There is so much room for growth and for Rhi to play an important part in the narrative. But even her character as she is now is a breath of fresh air.

People can feel the way they feel about the characters 100% in the end it’s just books, but I implore everyone just to dig a little deeper, and think a little deeper when calling for the death of this particular character.

“She doesn’t add anymore to the story”. Hard disagree, these books were born out of Rebeccas’s need to see a FML with her chronic issues, Rhi’s character is the same banner of hope for women like her, her existing & leading is enough.

I understand that to a lot of people she doesn’t have a lot of intrinsic value, but you have to understand, that to a lot of people and especially readers who look like her, she is indeed a brilliant addition to the books and a vital part of the story!

I can’t wait for her to be wing leader next year :)

I feel like stirring the pot so here a hot take.

Dain was NOT in love with Violet when the series started or any time after tbh.

Was he prob in love with / had feelings BEFORE she joined the quadrant? Yes! But after? No!!

He loved her like a best friend, and when he did feel things (the kiss, anger about her choosing Xaden, Varrish’s comment about “we can’t choose who we fall in love with”) it was mere attraction or resentment over the fact that they never got to try things romantically. And I’m also half convinced that Varrish THOUGHT he was making that comment on love about Violet , but in actuality Dain was prob thinking about Sloane. (My headcannon is that they’re talking/training/flirting halfway through IF)

Anyways yeah, these are my thoughts as a hardcore Slain Shipper 😗

Can someone please enlighten me on the casual Brennan hate / dislike on this sub?

I thought Brennan was one of the characters most people automatically liked or felt neutral towards like Jesenia and Sawyer for example.

But it seems like a lot of people genuinely dislike him & think he is secretly evil or something like WHAT 😭

Am i missing something? Did we read the same books? Someone please explain!!

If you could only pick 3 characters from the sets above to survive till book 5, which set are you picking?

No you can’t change the sets! That’s the fun of it! Now choose!

View Poll

Had a funny thought about how The Empyrean Series is actually a Horror Story from Dain’s perspective.

Dain Probably: My best friend from childhood who i probably had feelings for at some point & who has a chronic illness just entered into the quadrant where I watched so many of my friends die last year, she no longer wants to go down the path she had been training for since birth and then begins to be f*** buddies with my wing leader who not only hates me & is the most powerful rider in my generation, but a third year who so happens to be the kid of the rebellion leader said best friends mother executed. Oh and he has previously declared he was going to kill said best friend.

Then, even though i probably shouldn’t have i tried to find a memory to tell myself that she is alright & that my dad is overreacting but i do end up finding something suspicious and i tell my dad about it which ends up accidentally killing 2 of my fellow cadets prematurely by enemies I didn’t even know we had, just to have her get tortured for days by my previous mentor who I ended up killing btw to save her life and wasn’t even 100% sure if I got could get both of us out after.

Come to find out her and said wingleader who WANTED to kill her are now in love and are IN FACT planning the revolution my father accused them off but it doesn’t matter cause im on their side cause they are doing it for the right reasons and i end up being a major factor is splitting my war college in half to aid said revolution. Much to the ire of my father.

I eventually get disowned by my dad and then start catching feelings for the sister of said cadet i accidentally got murdered who hates my guts . And then to top it all off, I get slapped on a mission cause why not?

I just want to not be the only one! Am I the only one who heavily DISLIKES this trope?!? And a close second being the “I hate everyone but you” trope. It just gives me the ick, maybe cause I’ve actually come across guys like this is real life with their partners and it left a sour taste in my mouth.

But personal experience aside. Story wise it really takes me out of the story. Hearing Xaden say “I would lose this whole war for you” or “I would sacrifice Aretia for you” gives me the ICK . Wdym the war you’ve spent your WHOLE LIFE fighting you’re willing to discard for a woman you met less than a year ago?!? Additionally as a reader it’s makes me feel like said stakes aren’t as important now especially since this take is coming from our MALE LEAD. Especially about a story revolving around being effective soldiers in a war!

Also notice how Violet almost NEVER does this?!? Maybe cause RY is aware is would make her a less favorable lead or because woman are always expected to think of not just ourselves cause of societies expectations to always be available moms, daughters, friends, pillars of our communities e.t.c So it always feels lowkey rooted in patriarchy that Xaden can just say this and no one will call him immature or childish (let’s be honest that’s what it’s lowkey giving) cause apparently he is allowed to throw away his responsibilities for his love interest?!?

TLDR: personally, i dislike the “destroy the world for you” trope and feels like, especially coming from our male lead, it cheapens the war stakes for both the reader and the characters.

Trope may also be lowkey rooted in misogyny cause we would never let a woman get away with saying this 😩.

I hope Book 4 avoids the trope of sacrificing prominent POC characters like Rhi to further Violet's arc. Like I understand that character losses are inevitable in a story about war, but it would feel too much like a cop out if it was Rhi.

Title, anyone in the SoCal region finished thier assessment and gotten a “Get to know Apple” or “Phase one Interview” invite?