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Xaden’s defining characteristic in Iron Flame is his devotion to Violet. Because Xaden kept so many secrets from her, Violet is hurt and angry when the story begins. Her extreme feelings of betrayal clearly put things into perspective for Xaden, and he spends the entirety of Iron Flame “fighting for [Violet].” To begin with, halfway through the book Xaden tells Violet he loves her, and that he has been in love with her for quite a while—something he hasn't previously said. Xaden clearly has issues with emotional vulnerability, perhaps because he was abandoned by his mother at a young age or simply because he has spent so much time alone after his father was executed. However, learning that Violet was being tortured by Varrish appears to have triggered an epiphany, and Xaden realizes he loves Violet too much to allow her to doubt the extent of his affections. After all, as Xaden tells her repeatedly in the second half of the book, his priorities have shifted since falling for Violet, and he now cares about her safety and happiness more than anything else—even more than the revolution or his homeland.

Most importantly, Xaden finally learns to be honest with Violet. He did not tell her about the venin or the resistance movement, in part because he was trying to protect her by keeping her in the dark. By the end of the first book, he realizes this wasn't fair to Violet and that she deserves to make her own fully informed decisions. At the start of Iron Flame, Xaden tells Violet he wants to do things “differently,” but he is still hesitant to give Violet the access to all his secrets that Violet so desperately craves. He maintains that he wants Violet to trust him in spite of his secrets, but Violet is adamant. Finally, Violet breaks through to Xaden and he realizes that Violet is a person who needs information to center herself, and he agrees to the “full disclosure” arrangement that he was so opposed to at the start of the text. Xaden’s decision to tell Violet everything is an essential moment for his character development because Xaden, the shadow wielder who survives off secrets and darkness, has proven himself willing to bare his soul to Violet in order to keep her.

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

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