u/animalcrossing771

Honestly, I feel like people have lost all reading comprehension and try to nit-pick everything to favor a certain ship.
“The betrayal and truths revealed will be Elain picking Az and Lucien officiates the blood duel so Elain runs away with Az!!!”
No. And no.
Do I think the blood duel being brought up isn’t significant? No.
Do I think it’s going to be officiated by Lucien?
No.🫩
Do people forget that Lucien is the son of Helion, who had a child with the Lady of AUTUMN.
Aka, BERONS WIFE.
Now let’s break down the blurbs here because people are reaching so far.
In the blurb, it says the night court (which believe it or not doesn’t just involve the IC), are reeling from recent betrayals and revealed truths.
What are the two main things that have been kept a mystery?
What happened between Mor x Eris, and Feyre/Rhys withholding the information from Lucien that he is Helions son.
In the next blurb, it talks about powers shifting which could simply mean the big bad guys have more power but hear me out on this one, what if the truths revealed is Lucien figuring out about Helion being his father and that Rhys/Feyre knows, wouldn’t that be a betrayal?
And wouldn’t this information reach Beron, who we all know is blood thirsty and only cares about power.
So wouldn’t it make more sense for Beron to officiate the blood duel against Helion, who had a child with his WIFE.
And idk wouldn’t it be ironic if Beron won the blood duel by killing Helion, making the whole court scramble as they 1; just lost an alliance, and 2; the day court would shift to Lucien. Almost like a power is shifting idk though!
Also if I see this Opera theory one more time I swear to god, cause it’s spun to be in Elains and Azriels favor but if we actually read it and did the research so many people claimed they did, it would make more sense for this Opera to fit Helion x Beron x Lady of Autumn x Elain/Lucien.
Sorry but omg the people reaching and trying to make everything about a ship PMO.🥲😭

I think people are thinking too deeply into what cycle stands for as cycle in literature means: “a group of independent stories, poems, or books linked by a shared theme, setting, time frame, or recurring characters.”
In literature a setting, Literary scholars use “cycle” to describe connected stories or books that share characters, themes, settings, or an overarching narrative.

So the “Valkyrie cycle” could literally just mean: a connected sequence of stories/volumes involving or connected by the Valkyries.

we already have an established group of characters called the Valkyries in ACOTAR. Like… SJM literally spent an entire book establishing them.
So why is the default assumption that “Valkyrie Cycle” MUST be referring to an opera when ACOTAR already has its own Valkyries?

AND THEN there’s “Movement I” / “Movements II & III.” Yes, that is musical terminology, but “movement” being musical terminology does not automatically mean the specific inspiration is Wagner’s Ring Cycle

Four movements is a very common structure in classical music, especially for symphonies and other large instrumental works.

SJM can absolutely be using musical language as a structural metaphor for the books without secretly telling us which ship is endgame folks.

This doesn’t necessarily mean the entire plot will be about Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie as a cycle can encompass multiple characters and stories while being unified by a theme/group.

Cycle has an established literary meaning that fits this title perfectly, so we shouldn't automatically assume the Wagner interpretation.

Honestly makes sense the pink heart is tied with the Valkyries.
This may be a reach but in ACOSF, a lot of the Valkyries training was about finding inner peace and overcoming their traumas.
Found what the spiritual meaning of pink was and it screams Valkyries.
Idk what are your thoughts?🩷⚔️

I haven’t seen a lot of speculation in regard to Lucien and Rhys/Feyre actually being the betrayal.

>!We all know that Rhys and Feyre is aware that Helion is actually Lucien’s father.!<

So what if Lucien finds out about the secret Rhys and Feyre has kept from him?

We know Lucien right now is trying to figure out everything with Vassa, Jurian and the human lands.
Imagine what would play out if Lucien finds out or if anyone else finds out what Rhys and Feyre has kept from Lucien.

I don’t think Lucien would be happy with Feyre and Rhys anymore, maybe even more reluctant to tell them things and distant himself even further from the IC.

And what if Beron gets ahold of this information? We know Beron is a live wire and he is already on the edge, so that could completely break off whatever alliance they had a chance of getting.

Helion would probably also be upset about Lucien knowing, especially if it didn’t come from Helion himself.

Idk this is just a speculation but I’ve been seeing a lot of theories on how relationships, or Mor may be what divides the IC but not a lot about this! 🧐

Honestly, after reading through ACOTAR, I found it a bit obvious Elain and Lucien were going to end up finding their way back to each other.
Elain has so much healing alongside Lucien. I feel as though she has so much to say but just can’t yet.
When Lucien was going to the human lands and she took a single step toward him almost as though she wanted to say something.
I cannot wait for their journey together and at the end, despite the mating bond, picking him will be her choice. 🧡🦊💜 (Aka can’t help but this song reminds me of them)

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSVk9KQ1R/
Edit credits on tt: Paperbackedits

When SJM mentioned she listened to a lot of “Kpop demon hunters” when writing the next ACOTAR books, it immediately made me think of this song and the Valkyries. I cannot believe they are coming back!💙🩷⚔️

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSVkR4nXA/
Edit by PaperBackEdits on TikTok

For people trying to spin that the Valkyrie cycle has nothing to do with our girls are going to be really disappointed 🤍
Don’t know how I didn’t notice this but look what emoji had been used on Bloomsbury post promoting the series!
“⚔️”

Funny how autumn courts males are described to “fuck like the fire in their blood” and this was on one of the blurbs

ITS REAL HOLY !!!!! OMG GWYN EMERIE AND NESTA COME HOME

This is me probably just theorizing but there’s a lot of 8 pointed star symbolism here.. which could possibly indicate Nesta? And the ribbon the spider is weaving looks as though it could possibly be a Valkyrie ribbon so Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie will for sure be in the next books? Perhaps?

"I think they tattooed the eight-pointed star on you for a reason. keep the sword and find out that reason."
🤍

I haven’t seen enough people bringing up the fact that Az sees no future with Elain. In ACOSF bonus chapter it’s confirmed:

“So you’ll what?” Rhys’s voice was pure ice. “Seduce her away from him?”  

Azriel said nothing. He hadn’t gotten that far with his planning, certainly not beyond the fantasies he pleasured himself to.  

He solely believes he is entitled to her due to his bat brothers getting two of the sisters. Which I think in itself is disgusting. Elain is entitled to no one.
I love Elain and I can’t wait for her ARC, but do I think Az is the right fit for her?
No.
I think it’s purely lust based at this point and pure entitlement🤷‍♀️
Az needs to redeem himself someway cause that bonus chapter made him seem like a lustful, entitled boy.

PSA
Before anyone claims that the “bonus chapter isn’t important” SJM has said herself in an interview how there are bread crumbs in this bonus chapter