Why Inntinnsics Are Killed In Fourth Wing & What Makes Them SO Dangerous

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Onyx Storm, book 3 of the Empyrean series.In Fourth Wing, every dragon rider character in Yarros’ series has a signet, and some have a secret second signet. Some signets in Fourth Wing are more powerful than others, and need to be trained and honed by the rider. One signet in particular is incredibly powerful and therefore a threat to Navarre’s military - the “inntinnsic”. An inntinnsic is able to read the thoughts or intentions of others without touching them.

Inntinnsics are considered such a threat that manifesting an inntinnsic signet is a death sentence in Navarre. In a shocking scene in Fourth Wing, a professor does not hesitate to snap their student’s neck for manifesting this powerful ability. This shows how far the higher-ups in Basgiath and Fourth Wing’s Navarran military as a whole are willing to go to protect their secrets.

What Are Inntinnsics? Fourth Wing's Most Dangerous Signets Explained

Inntinnsics Can Read The Minds Of Others

“Inntinnsic” is a type of signet in Rebecca Yarros Empyrean series. Signets are magical powers that manifest in dragon riders specifically. An inntinnsic is a rider who can read other people’s minds without touching them. Some riders’ powers are inntinnsic-adjacent but not technically inntinnsic - for example, Dain Aetos can read memories but has to touch the person he is reading. There are repeated references to him touching Violet’s face in Fourth Wing, and it is later revealed he is reading her memories without her knowledge.

Inntinnsic abilities can vary in degree and nature in the Empyrean series. Less is known about them than other abilities because of their secretive nature. For example, Xaden’s second signet is a “type of inntinnsic”, as he admits in Iron Flame, but Xaden reads people’s intentions, rather than specific thoughts. This retrospectively explains Violet’s hints throughout her narration in Fourth Wing. At times, he seems to sense Xaden trying to read her before they are together - “He looks at me like he’s trying to see through me, and ice prickles my scalp.”

Why Inntinnsics Are Killed In The Empyrean Series

Navarre Is Protective Of Its Secrets

In Navarre’s militaristic society in Fourth Wing, inntinnsics pose a huge security risk. It is established in Fourth Wing that authority figures take a no-hesitation approach to this. Jeremiah’s inntinnsic signet manifesting was a dramatic scene in the first book, with Carr snapping his neck as soon as he realized what was happening. Carr tells Violet that inntinnsics are a security risk because they have access to classified information. While Yarros explores the virtue of truth and disclosure throughout Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, this also points to corruption in Navarre’s ruling class.

Being an inntinnsic is a death sentence - this explains why Xaden is so guarded...

It is hinted at in Fourth Wing and further developed in Iron Flame that the higher-ups in Navarre are altering and destroying history, as well as working with the venin. By this logic, it can be safely assumed that they eliminate inntinnsics because if their true motives are revealed, they will lose their grip on the control they have of the continent. Because of this, being an inntinnsic is a death sentence - this explains why Xaden is so guarded in the early days of their relationship in Fourth Wing’s dialogue.

What Inntinnsic Characters Have We Met In Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, & Onyx Storm

Onyx Storm Develops The Role Of Inntinnsics Further

In book one, Fourth Wing, Jeremiah is swiftly killed by Professor Carr as soon as he manifests his inntinnsic signet. This is framed as a merciful death because Jeremiah is a full inntinnsic and his reading of everybody’s thoughts is driving him insane. In book two, Iron Flame, Xaden reveals that his second signet is an inntinnsic ability to read intentions. This is hinted at throughout Fourth Wing, but is kept ambiguous until Iron Flame because his mental bond with Violet muddies the waters, with Violet often questioning whether she sent a thought down the bond without realizing.

By Onyx Storm, Xaden’s signet seems to have grown when he finishes Violet’s thoughts for her on a few occasions, leading her to once again question whether or not she thought something out loud. Other characters in Empyrean have inntinnsic-adjacent signets, but their nature allows them to be a classified signet rather than a death sentence; the line in the sand seems to be physical touch. For example, Varrish can read other people’s weaknesses, Dain can read memories, and Imogen can wipe memories. In Onyx Storm, Violet’s second signet is revealed as dreamwalking, another form of inntinnsic.