Onyx Storm Admitted The Most Perplexing Part Of Fourth Wing's World-Building Too Late

Onyx Stormadmitted that one perplexing part of Fourth Wing's world-building made no sense, but rectified it too late for it to matter. The third book in The Empyrean Series was able to both add onto and reveal quite a bit within the world of Navarre, with many Onyx Storm theories emerging among audiences who are eager to know how the story will progress. That being said, the third installment also brought to light a few details from previous books that made no sense, rectifying those aspects with varying degrees of success.

Some of those details were deliberately left vague, allowing Onyx Storm the chance to reveal information that was not previously relevant, such as Onyx Storm's expansion on the magic system. However, some of those details were confusing or contradictory from the beginning, making the book's acknowledgment of them even more so as the characters quickly attempted to rectify them. One huge piece of Fourth Wing's worldbuilding, that being the rules of the mat during combat training, is a major example of this, as it made little to no sense given the aims of Basgiath's higher-ups.

Onyx Storm Finally Admits 1 Detail Of Fourth Wing's World-Building Makes No Sense

The Mat Killing Policy Limited The Number Of Possible Riders

Onyx Storm finally admitted that Fourth Wing's policy within the Riders Quadrant when it comes to mat combat made little to no sense, considering how wasteful it was even before the venin became common knowledge. In Fourth Wing, it is established that the riders are allowed to kill each other on the mats in order to settle any disagreements and during combat exams, citing that their ruthlessness would make them worthy of a dragon and stronger fighters. Onyx Storm did away with this policy, as they now need every rider and flier to combat the venin.

While this shift was a smart tactic on the part of Fourth Wing's military, it makes no sense that this was ever enacted. Allowing cadets to kill each other was hurting them even before the venin threat arose, as they should have been keeping every cadet alive to maximize dragon bonds. Fewer dragons were bonding each year, so they should have been keeping cadets alive to make sure each willing dragon had a rider for their war against Poromiel. Even with that policy removed in Onyx Storm, this new desire to maximize may have come too late considering Basgiath's losses.

Basgiath's Rule Change Comes A Little Too Late To Help In Onyx Storm

The Riders Quadrant's Already Suffered Too Many Losses

The cover of Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros with the Iron Flame and Fourth Wing covers enlarged as the background

This new rule change in Onyx Storm may have come too late for Fourth Wing's Basgiath War College as the deaths they suffered over the years are already too great. As mentioned, changing this policy in order to keep every rider and flier is a sound strategy, especially as it is revealed some of the venin can use similar signets to riders. Even so, the Riders Quadrant has already suffered so many losses in their quest to make stronger riders that it may not matter, especially considering how many riders they could have had.

By limiting themselves, the Riders Quadrant has fewer fighters who can truly combat the venin, something the characters in Onyx Storm have only just thought of as their enemy's plans unfold.

The Riders Quadrant is meant to be the deadliest at Basgiath. Though some of those deaths are unavoidable, such as by dragon fire during Presentation, having cadets kill each other on the mat limited both the number of riders with signet access as well as general fighterswho are still able to cover ground defense alongside the Infantry Quadrant in the form of the unbonded. By limiting themselves, the Riders Quadrant has fewer fighters who can truly combat the venin, something the characters in Onyx Storm have only just thought of as their enemy's plans unfold.