This beautiful Onyx Storm theory is about the connection between dragons’ hatching grounds and riders’ eyes. It’s an interesting concept actually and one I’ll love to explore with you.

First of all, this theory was brought to you by a wonderful reader called Taylor. Hi Taylor, and thank you very much, your theory did spark a lot of interest.

Basgiath hatching grounds

We know that dragons would do anything to protect the Vale, where they have their young aka feathertails. We now know a lot more about feathertails thanks to Andarna.

In Fourth Wing and Iron Flame the relationship between riders and dragons is underscored by the mutual dependence for survival and protection. Dragons bond with riders not only to defend against external threats like venin, but also to safeguard their young.

What is really interesting, though, is that we start to learn a little more about hatching grounds. Check this out.

“It is the valley above Riorson House, heated by natural thermal energy, that is its greatest asset. For there lie the original hatching grounds of the Dubhmadinn Line, from which two of the greatest dragons of our time—Codagh and Tairn—descend.“

“And in the mountains of the Steelridge range, the green dragons of the Uaineloidsig line, known for their keen intellect and rational countenance, offered their ancestral hatching grounds for the good of dragonkind, and the wards of Navarre were woven by the First Six at what is now Basgiath War College.“

In Taylor’s theory, he thinks there is a connection between the color of the dragon, their hatching grounds and the “royals” who live there.

In the case of the green dragons, their original hatching grounds were where the Vale is. King Tauri and all his children have a specific color of green eyes which is very much emphasized.

Aretia? The original hatching grounds of the blacks. Xaden has specific onyx eyes.

Taylor thinks this is not coincidental and that Rebecca Yarros is trying to tell us things.

My conclusion

I think Taylor might be onto something. Why? Because this sort of applies to Violet if you take a moment to think about it.

Andarna seems to reflect a lot of the colors around her. Almost like she is pearlescent, and she changes colors based on the environment around her.

She is clearly trying very hard to be black, but she is not.

Violet is of course, bonded to Andarna…and Violet’s eyes change color.

“My eyes are just as indecisive, a light hazel of varying blues and ambers that never seems to favor either actual color.”

And Xaden POV from the bonus chapters:

“[…]anger highlighting the blue in her eyes as she rips her gaze from mine[…]”

“[…]it’s fear making her eyes appear more amber than blue in the moonlight.”

Interesting, isn’t it?

Bonus Easter Egg

You are probably wondering, ok, but what’s with the orange dragons?

“The Northern Esbens are believed to have been the hatching grounds of the orange dragon before unification, though, true to their unpredictable nature, they often chose new valleys in the same range,”

Hmm..you are probably wondering, ok but who has amber/orange eyes? Funny you should ask, it’s actually Brennan. He has amber eyes. And Sgaeyl doesn’t like him one bit.

Intrigued? Yeah, me too.

What are your thoughts? Do you think there could be a relation between riders’ eyes, royals and the hatchling grounds of dragons?

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