154 Fun Facts About Fourth Wing

What is the name of the military academy Violet is forced to attend?

Her mother, General Lilith Sorrengail, commands it and orders her into the Riders Quadrant.

Which branch of Basgiath had Violet trained her whole life to enter before her mother intervened?

The Scribes: Violet spent years studying for the Scribe Quadrant and its Archives before General Sorrengail ordered her onto the parapet as a rider instead.

In which kingdom is Basgiath located?

Navarre is the kingdom whose dragon-made wards shelter Basgiath; its neighbour Poromiel is home to the gryphon fliers.

Which powerful, marked third-year wingleader must Violet avoid being killed by early in the book?

Xaden Riorson, Fourth Wing's wingleader, is the son of rebellion leader Fen Riorson, whom Violet's mother executed, so Violet expects him to want her dead.

Violet becomes the first rider ever to do what?

Bonding two dragons was unheard of; at Threshing Violet is chosen by both the huge Tairn and the juvenile Andarna she had shielded from other cadets.

What is Tairn?

Tairn is a black morningstartail, the biggest and most powerful dragon at Basgiath; black dragons are the rarest breed, and he chooses Violet at Threshing.

What colour is Andarna, the small dragon Violet saves and bonds with?

Andarna is golden, a juvenile feathertail far smaller than the other dragons at Threshing; Violet protects her from cadets who want to kill her, and Andarna bonds Violet.

What power does Violet manifest through Tairn?

Lightning wielding: Violet channels Tairn's power as lightning, a rare signet, which first erupts uncontrolled when Jack Barlowe attacks her during a squad exercise.

What is the wingleader of Fourth Wing's signet?

Xaden Riorson's signet is shadow wielding; he uses his shadows to cloak the marked ones' secret meetings and as a weapon in battle.

What is Dain Aetos's power?

He can read memories by touch, and using it on Violet without consent is what leads Colonel Aetos to the trap at Athebyne.

What is Xaden's dragon called?

Sgaeyl is Xaden's dragon; she is mated to Violet's dragon Tairn, so the two riders can never be posted far apart.

Who becomes Violet's best friend among the first-year riders?

Rhiannon Matthias, a fellow first-year in Violet's squad, becomes her closest friend; she bonds the green daggertail Feirge.

How does Violet gain an early edge over her stronger sparring partners?

She poisons them beforehand: using her scribe's knowledge of plants, Violet slips weakening doses to opponents she knows she will face on the mat.

What are the branded children of the executed rebels called?

They are the marked ones: children of the executed Tyrrish rebels, branded and conscripted into the Riders Quadrant, where Xaden Riorson is their leader.

Which cadet vows to kill Violet on her first day and later returns as a venin?

Jack Barlowe threatens Violet before she even crosses the parapet; in Iron Flame he is revealed to have become a venin working inside Basgiath.

Which marked cadet does Xaden assign to guard Violet during her first year?

Liam Mairi, a marked one from Xaden's circle, is ordered to shadow Violet everywhere; he is killed fighting wyvern in the battle at Resson.

What are the venin?

Venin are magic-wielders who drain power directly from the earth rather than channel it through a dragon; their eyes go red-rimmed and they command wyvern.

What is the profession of Violet's father, Asher Sorrengail?

His hidden research is what sends Violet to the isle kingdom of Deverelli in Onyx Storm.

Who is the sadistic vice commandant who tortures Violet in Iron Flame?

His signet reads a person's weaknesses; Dain finally turns on him and stabs him.

The first-year cadet calling himself Aaric Graycastle is really who?

A prince of Navarre: 'Aaric Graycastle' is Prince Cam Tauri, a younger son of King Tauri, hiding in the Riders Quadrant; his royal blood opens the Archives' sealed vault.

Who were the First Six?

Violet hunts down the journals of two of them, Lyra and Warrick, to learn how to raise the Aretia wardstone.

Who sacrifices herself to fully imbue the Basgiath wardstone at the climax of Iron Flame?

General Lilith Sorrengail pours all of her power into the Basgiath wardstone to raise the wards against the venin, dying in the act.

How many dragon dens are needed to activate the wardstone, according to Lyra's journal?

Warrick lied and wrote six; Andarna's unknown seventh den supplies the missing fire.

What does Xaden reveal on the final page of Iron Flame?

He has become venin: to kill the venin sage and save Violet at Basgiath, Xaden drew power straight from the earth, the act that turns a rider venin.

Who is Cat, introduced in Iron Flame?

Catriona Cordella is Viscount Tecarus's niece; the engagement ended a year before the books begin.

Iron Flame's release was marred by what?

Widespread misprints: many first-run copies of Iron Flame shipped with printing defects such as wrong spines and upside-down pages, and Entangled arranged replacements.

What is Xaden's title once he is reinstated in Onyx Storm?

Duke of Tyrrendor: Xaden holds his late father Fen Riorson's title, which gives him a seat on Navarre's council of provincial rulers but keeps him away from Violet.

What is the name of the silver-haired venin woman who is Onyx Storm's main antagonist?

She wields storm magic and is finally killed with a dagger Aaric hands to Violet.

What are the irids?

They call themselves dragons of peace and refuse to help with the war or a cure for venin.

Which merchant on the isle of Deverelli holds more of Violet's father's research?

Violet finds her in a bookstore and leaves with six more of Asher's books.

What does Violet discover on her finger at the very end of Onyx Storm?

A marriage certificate makes her Duchess of Tyrrendor, and Imogen has erased her memory of it, at Violet's own request.

Which cadet's power of precognition is revealed during the final battle of Onyx Storm?

He warns Violet that protecting the temple of Dunne is vital to Tyrrendor's survival.

What happens with Andarna near the end of Onyx Storm that breaks Violet's heart?

The irid Leothan asks her to return with him to be educated in their ways.

How many copies did Onyx Storm sell in its first week?

Onyx Storm sold 2.7 million copies across formats in its first week in January 2025, the biggest first week for an adult novel in two decades.

On what date was Onyx Storm published?

Onyx Storm was published on January 21, 2025, fourteen months after Iron Flame (November 7, 2023) instead of the six-month gap between the first two books.

Which imprint published Fourth Wing?

Red Tower Books is Entangled Publishing's adult fantasy imprint, launched in 2023, and Fourth Wing was its breakout hit.

Which social-media community is credited with driving Fourth Wing's viral success?

BookTok, the book-lovers' community on TikTok, drove Fourth Wing's word-of-mouth explosion in 2023, turning a new imprint's title into a bestseller within weeks.

How many weeks did Fourth Wing spend at No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list?

By August 2024 it had spent 65 weeks on the list overall.

Which genetic disorder, shared by Yarros and her sons, inspired Violet's fragile joints?

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: Yarros has the connective-tissue disorder herself, and she gave Violet its joint instability so a chronically ill heroine could be heroic too.

What did Yarros's husband fly, experience she drew on for the aerial combat scenes?

Her parents were both lieutenant colonels, which she credits for the series' unflinching death culture.

How many pitches did Yarros submit when her publisher announced a romantic fantasy line?

The publisher chose the third idea, the one set in the Empyrean world.

Which studio and production company bought the TV rights to the series in October 2023?

Amazon MGM Studios and Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society acquired the TV rights in October 2023, with Yarros attached as an executive producer.

Which language has Yarros been accused of misusing for her dragon and character names?

Scottish Gaelic: dragon names such as Sgaeyl and Teine come from the language, and Gaelic speakers criticised Yarros for mispronouncing them and misrepresenting the language in interviews.

Who founded Entangled Publishing in 2011?

Liz Pelletier founded Entangled Publishing in 2011 and edited Fourth Wing herself; she is an executive producer on the Amazon adaptation.

How large was the deluxe-edition print run of Iron Flame?

Fourth Wing's 115,000 deluxe copies sold out in a week; Onyx Storm was scheduled for two million.

Which NHL team planned a 'Fourth Wing Night' in November 2025?

Yarros is a fan; the game was against the Sabres on 13 November.

Where did the author of the Empyrean series study European history and English?

Troy University: Yarros studied European history and English there before life as an Army wife took her around the country.

On what date was Fourth Wing published in the United States?

Fourth Wing was published on May 2, 2023; its sequel Iron Flame followed only six months later, on November 7, 2023.

Which prize did Fourth Wing win at the 2024 TikTok awards?

It sold over two million copies in six months.

Who narrates the Fourth Wing audiobook?

Rebecca Soler narrates the Fourth Wing audiobook, with Teddy Hamilton voicing Xaden's point of view in the closing chapter.

Which of Yarros's five pitches did her publisher choose to become the Empyrean world?

The idea came when the publisher announced a romantic fantasy line.

How old is Violet Sorrengail at the start of Fourth Wing?

Violet is 20 when she crosses the parapet into the Riders Quadrant on Conscription Day, the youngest of General Lilith Sorrengail's three children.

What are the brands on the rebels' children called?

The brands are called relics: rebellion relics seared into the children's skin by dragon fire, marking them as conscripts forced into the Riders Quadrant.

How far along at Basgiath is Dain Aetos when Violet arrives?

Dain is a second-year rider, one year ahead of Violet, and serves as squad leader of her squad in Fourth Wing's Flame Section.

What does Xaden demand from Violet after catching her eavesdropping on the marked ones?

He also shows her how to improve her fighting.

What is the riders' rulebook that Violet has memorised called?

The Codex is the Riders Quadrant's book of rules; Violet, trained as a scribe, has it memorised and cites its articles when challenged.

How is Liam related to Xaden?

Foster brother: after the rebellion, Liam Mairi was fostered alongside Xaden, and the two marked ones grew up as brothers.

How does Violet escape when Jack tries to kill her during sparring?

Her poisoning trick had already given her an edge before.

During which game does Violet first manifest her lightning signet?

She causes a landslide that seemingly kills Jack.

Who is Bodhi to Xaden?

Bodhi is heir of Tyrrendor in Onyx Storm.

Which country is under attack by the venin, a secret Navarre's leaders conceal?

Poromiel, Navarre's neighbour, has been fighting the venin for years; its gryphon fliers cannot wield magic inside Navarre's wards, so Xaden has been smuggling them weapons.

Which officer led the cadets into the Athebyne trap?

Colonel Aetos, Dain's father, sends Xaden's squad to Athebyne as a War Games mission intended to get the marked ones and Violet killed outside the wards.

How long is Violet unconscious after the battle before waking in Aretia?

Xaden vows to earn back her trust.

What breed of dragon is Sgaeyl?

Sgaeyl is a navy-blue daggertail, one of the most powerful dragons at Basgiath, and she is mated to Tairn, which binds their riders' fates.

What is Rhiannon Matthias's signet?

Retrieval: Rhiannon's signet lets her summon objects to her hand from a distance, which she uses to pull weapons and supplies to the squad.

Which cadet's signet is metallurgy?

Sawyer Henrick, a repeat first-year bonded to Sliseag, manifests metallurgy, the ability to shape and manipulate metal.

What is Ridoc Gamlyn's signet?

Ice-wielding: Ridoc Gamlyn, the joker of Violet's squad, manifests the ability to summon and shape ice, which he wields as a weapon.

What is Liam Mairi's signet?

His dragon is the red daggertail Deigh.

What is General Lilith Sorrengail's signet?

Storm wielding: General Lilith Sorrengail's signet lets her command the weather, summoning wind and storms, a power that made her one of Navarre's most feared riders.

What is Mira Sorrengail's signet?

Ward extension: Mira Sorrengail's signet lets her stretch Navarre's wards past their edge, shielding a small area from magic the way the great wardstones do.

Under what condition does General Melgren's battle-foresight fail?

His dragon Codagh gave the rebels' children their relics.

What is the name of Melgren's black swordtail dragon?

Codagh is General Melgren's dragon, one of the only black dragons besides Tairn; he is the dragon that seared the rebellion relics into the marked ones.

What is Brennan Sorrengail's signet?

He is bonded to the orange daggertail Marbh.

How did Violet's father Asher die?

It happened shortly after Brennan's reported death.

Which uprising did Fen Riorson lead?

The Tyrrish rebellion: Fen Riorson, Xaden's father, led Tyrrendor's uprising against Navarre six years before Fourth Wing and was executed when it failed.

Which jealous First Wing rider joins Jack in targeting Violet?

Amber Mavis is a wing leader close to Dain.

Which trade magazine gave Fourth Wing a starred review praising its 'sexy dark academia aesthetic'?

Paste compared it favorably to A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Which fandom controversy did The Mary Sue write about regarding Xaden?

Yarros said the character is not intended to be white.

Which showrunner was first announced for the TV adaptation in mid-2024?

Moira Walley-Beckett, creator of Anne with an E, was announced in 2024 as the writer and showrunner of Amazon's Fourth Wing adaptation.

When Prime Video greenlit Fourth Wing in May 2026, who was named to direct episode one?

Amazon Prime Video greenlit the series in May 2026, with Lisa Joy attached to direct the first episode.

Which two partners join Entangled on the Empyrean comic adaptations?

Yarros is adapting the text herself.

Which company produced dramatised audiobooks of the series in 2023?

They are full-cast productions.

How soon after Fourth Wing's release did Yarros announce Iron Flame's title and date?

She used Instagram.

Which website ran a 500-word Iron Flame teaser three months before release?

Iron Flame came out on November 7, 2023.

What rank does Brennan hold in the secret rebellion in Iron Flame?

Violet had believed him dead.

What creatures do the survivors falsely claim attacked them?

Gryphons: to keep the venin secret, the Resson survivors tell Basgiath that gryphon fliers ambushed their squad, the cover story the rebellion requires of them.

Where is Xaden stationed as a lieutenant in Iron Flame?

He and Violet can meet weekly due to their dragons' bond.

Whose death does Sloane blame Violet for?

Sloane later manifests a siphon signet.

What growth phase does Andarna enter in Iron Flame?

Dreamless sleep: in Iron Flame Andarna enters the Dreamless Sleep, the long growth slumber of young dragons, after the strain of stopping time at Resson; she wakes grown and changed.

Which scribe illegally smuggles books to Violet?

Jesinia Neilwart, Violet's deaf friend in the Scribe Quadrant, slips her forbidden texts from the Archives, communicating with her in sign language.

Who tricks Violet into drinking a serum that suppresses her signet?

She is then captured by Varrish.

Which two members of the First Six wrote the journals Violet seeks?

Lyra and Warrick: Violet hunts for the two First Six riders' journals because Warrick's account of raising the wards omits what Lyra's records.

Why did Lilith force Violet into the Riders Quadrant, per Iron Flame?

Markham would groom her, then have her killed for exposing the venin.

What does Xaden have dropped at outposts to expose the venin?

Navarre's leaders scramble to cover it up.

What item does Viscount Tecarus possess that the rebels need to make weapons?

A luminary: Viscount Tecarus holds the device needed to forge the venin-killing alloy, and Violet must demonstrate her lightning to win it for the rebellion.

How many gryphon fliers must the rebels train in exchange for Tecarus's device?

Cat is Tecarus's niece.

What is Xaden's illegal second signet?

Inntinnsic: Xaden's hidden second signet lets him read people's intentions, an ability Navarre outlaws and executes riders for, which is why he conceals it.

Why does Xaden have a second signet?

Violet is upset he kept it secret.

Whose dragon seeks revenge and attacks Violet, Cat and Sloane in training?

Andarna kills it.

Who was Tairn's rider before Violet?

Naolin was Tairn's previous rider, a mender who burned out his power and died years before Tairn chose Violet at Threshing.

Why did Warrick lie in his journal about activating the wards?

Lilith gives Violet Lyra's journal with the true instructions.

What does Jack sacrifice to destroy Basgiath's wardstone?

He reveals himself as a venin.

Which Goodreads Choice Award did Fourth Wing win in 2023?

Fourth Wing won Best Romantasy at the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards, the first year Goodreads offered that category.

About how many copies did Iron Flame sell on release day?

200 Barnes & Noble stores held midnight parties.

Which chain hosted 200 midnight release parties for Iron Flame?

Barnes & Noble stores across the US opened at midnight on November 7, 2023 for Iron Flame launch parties, a rarity for an adult novel.

Which industry has the quick Iron Flame turnaround been compared to?

Misprints and Gaelic mispronunciations fed the comparison.

What nickname does Xaden give Violet?

Xaden calls her Violence, a teasing twist on Violet that sticks once she proves far deadlier than her slight frame suggests.

Why was there a longer gap between Iron Flame and Onyx Storm?

Onyx Storm arrived over a year later.

Who, as Outlier Society's president, became an executive producer on the Fourth Wing show?

Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society is producing the Amazon adaptation; Yarros herself took no writing credits on the show.

On what date was Onyx Storm's cover revealed?

A reviewer said its dark design signaled an ominous turn.

Whose memory does Imogen erase to protect Xaden's secret?

Jack had warned Xaden would eventually drain Violet.

Why is Navarre plagued by continuous bad weather in the third book?

It complicates negotiations with Poromiel.

Which god do Navarrians invoke as the god of death?

Malek is the god of death in Navarre's pantheon; riders speak of the dead as having gone to Malek.

Who leads Violet's team in the search for the seventh dragon breed?

He dies in a trap along with Aura Beinhaven.

What treason do Violet and her friends commit to advance the alliance?

They are punished with posting to Samara.

Which body does Xaden gain a seat on as Duke of Tyrrendor?

The Senarium: Navarre's council of provincial dukes, which Xaden joins as Duke of Tyrrendor, pulling him into politics and away from Violet.

Which prince joins Violet's handpicked squad?

His guard Anna is killed on Deverelli.

Where does Violet find Narelle Anselm on Deverelli?

Narelle gives her six more of her father's books.

Which animals of King Courtlyn's does Andarna's appetite give Violet leverage over?

Courtlyn lets them use the palace as a base.

Which two gryphon fliers join Violet's squad for the island search?

Trager is fatally shot in the Zehyllna card game.

On which island does Violet notice people with hair like hers at a temple?

Its queen hears their plea but has no troops.

On Hedotis, whom does the squad discover Xaden's mother is married to?

The triumvirate tries to poison them.

How large an army does the brutal card game on Zehyllna secure?

Violet is forced to thank Trager's killer.

How do the irids describe themselves?

They offer no cure for venin nor aid for the war.

Which irid arrives to recharge the wards and asks Andarna to leave with him?

Violet gives Andarna permission to go.

How does Mira survive Theophanie slitting her throat?

Sloane siphons magic from Dain into Brennan.

How many hours of memory does Violet lose after killing Theophanie?

Imogen says she only did what Violet asked.

Which professor runs Battle Brief at Basgiath?

Professor Devera teaches Battle Brief, the class where cadets analyse real attacks along Navarre's borders.

What is Cat's full name?

She is Xaden's ex-lover and a gryphon flier.

Where did Yarros's Onyx Storm book tour begin and end?

It ran from January 20 to February 2, 2025.

Which two franchises did Screen Rant compare Onyx Storm's release parties to?

Some readers attended in costume.

Which Times critic said Onyx Storm replaces school with 'outlandish dangers'?

BookTrib called it 'thrilling and emotionally gripping'.

Where was Yarros's husband deployed when she began writing?

They have six children.

What is the name of the foster-care nonprofit Yarros co-founded in 2019?

OneOctober is the nonprofit Yarros co-founded to support children in foster care, after she and her husband adopted a daughter from the system.

What does Tairn call Violet?

Tairn calls Violet Silver One, after the silver-tipped hair she has had since birth, rather than using her name.

Which professor teaches hand-to-hand combat to the riders at Basgiath?

Professor Emetterio runs the riders' combat training on the sparring mats, where Violet is matched against far stronger cadets in challenges.

Which prize's Young Adult Jury shortlisted Fourth Wing in 2024?

It was awarded at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Where did the trade magazine's Top 25 list rank Fourth Wing among 2023's bestsellers?

Iron Flame was #6.

Which retailer called Iron Flame its fastest-selling pre-order in a single day?

The special edition sold out in seven hours.

What is the valley beside Basgiath where the dragons make their home called?

The Vale is the dragons' home valley beside Basgiath, where the bonded dragons return between flights and the young are raised.

What is the capital city of Navarre?

Calldyr is the capital of Navarre and the seat of King Tauri's court, far from Basgiath War College.

What is the Gauntlet that first-years must complete before Threshing?

The Gauntlet is a cliffside obstacle course every first-year must climb in time to be allowed to Presentation and Threshing.

Which weapon does Violet rely on because a sword is too heavy for her joints?

Daggers: Violet's fragile joints cannot handle a sword, so she trains with and throws daggers, which become her signature weapon at Basgiath.

How many copies of Fourth Wing's deluxe edition were printed?

They sold out within a week.

How large was Onyx Storm's planned deluxe-edition print run?

Iron Flame's had been one million.

Which wingleader is executed by dragon fire after the attack on Violet in her room?

Amber Mavis, a wingleader, is burned alive by dragon fire in front of the quadrant after the dragons judge her guilty of a part in the attack on Violet.

A Paste review compared Fourth Wing favourably to A Court of Thorns and Roses, a series by which author?

Sarah J. Maas wrote A Court of Thorns and Roses, the romantasy series Fourth Wing is most often compared to, including in Paste's review.

What do riders call the list of names read aloud at morning formation?

The death roll is read at formation each morning, naming every cadet who died the previous day, a ritual Violet hears from her first day.

What is the name of Dain Aetos's red swordtail dragon?

Cath is the red swordtail bonded to Dain Aetos, Violet's childhood friend and squad leader.

What is the full name of Violet's dragon Tairn?

Tairneanach, Scottish Gaelic for thunder, is Tairn's full name; Violet shortens it, as riders do with most dragons' Gaelic names.

Mira Sorrengail's dragon Teine is of which colour and tail type?

Mira's signet is ward extension, and she strongly opposed her mother forcing Violet into the Riders Quadrant.

What is the name of General Lilith Sorrengail's brown dragon?

Aimsir is General Lilith Sorrengail's dragon, whose name is the Scottish Gaelic word for weather; Lilith rides her to Basgiath's defence in Iron Flame.

Which dragon is Brennan Sorrengail bonded to?

Marbh is the dragon bonded to Brennan Sorrengail; the name is Scottish Gaelic for dead.

After the first showrunner left the Amazon adaptation, who was announced as the new showrunner?

Jac Schaeffer had been in talks for the job; Prime Video greenlit the series in May 2026 with Lisa Joy directing the first episode.