Previous Next

At the end of Fourth Wing, Violet, Xaden and a few other members from their Wing are ambushed by venin—dangerous dark wielders from folklore—in an epic battle that nearly costs Violet her life. As a result, Violet learns that her country has been lying to its citizens for hundreds of years to conceal the existence of venin who are wreaking havoc just outside Navarre’s protective wards. Navarre’s citizens are safe from venin, but only at the expense of the Poromish people. When Iron Flame opens, Violet is grappling with this new knowledge while simultaneously working through her own emotional turmoil after learning that Xaden Riorson, the man she loves, has been concealing his efforts as part of a secret resistance movement that is working to uncover Navarre’s treachery. On top of everything else, Violet is also suffering from a form of post-traumatic stress disorder after experiencing real combat for the first time, losing her close friend Liam Mairi in the process.  

The main difference between Violet in Fourth Wing and Violet in Iron Flame is her lack of control. In Fourth Wing, Violet had one main objective: survive her first year at Basgiath War College and prove that she was capable of becoming a dragon rider despite being physically weaker than her classmates due to chronic illness. Now, Violet must enter her second year while under extreme emotional and psychological distress which, at times, renders her impulsive and reckless. It also prevents her from controlling her powers and makes her more susceptible to other peoples’ attempts to use their powers on her. Towards the end of the book, Xaden lovingly explains the root of the issue. He says Violet is floundering because she has lost her center; she is a “creature of logic and facts” who has had everything she knew “turned upside down and shaken.” She was hurt that Xaden was keeping secrets from her, she was horrified to learn that the Navarrian leaders (including her own mother) have been keeping essential information from its citizens and letting countless civilians die, and she was distancing herself from her friends because she did not want to endanger them by telling the truth. Perhaps most significantly, the history Violet has dedicated her entire life to studying has been proven false. Xaden assures Violet that she will regain her sense of control, and he is ultimately proven correct. Violet is able to use what Andarna refers to as her “scribe brain” and “rider heart” to research new solutions, command her fellow soldiers, fix Navarre’s damaged wards, and heighten her lighting-wielding abilities. Her ever-expanding confidence and leadership skills in Iron Flame, as well as her developing powers, hint that Violet will achieve further character growth in the next book in the series, Onyx Storm.

Read more about Violet's character development in Fourth Wing.

Previous section Character List Next section Xaden Riorson

Take a Study Break