Onyx Storm

Dream-walking is the signet Violet inherits from her bond with Andarna which symbolizes Violet’s need for information and her naturally intelligent nature. While her signet of light wielding, which comes from Tairn, is a manifestation of her physical strength, dream-walking appeals to her intellectual side. In Fourth Wing, signets are introduced as a combination of the dragon’s power and the rider’s ability to channel which reflects who the rider is at the core of their being. Because Andarna is small but tenacious, much like Violet, it suggests their signet due to their unique bond will highlight the strengths they both possess in the absence of brawn and size.

The fact that the signet manifests more heavily in this novel suggests that Violet’s need for information has increased and that her intelligence will be put to the test more than ever. This is confirmed in the multiple tests of her father’s she must pass, the quest to find Andarna’s kind and a cure for venin, and the outmaneuvering of Theophanie. When Xaden and Violet discover the manifestation of this signet, Xaden tells her, “It’s absolutely more dangerous than lightning. It’s a form of inntinnsic” (598). He goes on to explain that she can walk through and meddle in another person’s dreams and they would be completely vulnerable to it because they cannot shield their mind in their sleep. This kind of power, he warns, is enough to get her executed even by their allies at Navarre. Though this signet is not wielded in Onyx Storm, the introduction of it suggests that this might become Violet’s biggest weapon against the venin.

Paths are mentioned many times throughout the novel in reference to the decisions Violet must make to progress in her goals and save the continent. The particular phrase, “Every possible path” (157), is referenced repeatedly—first in regards to exhausting every possibility when searching for Andarna’s kind and second in terms of finding a cure for Xaden’s venin affliction.

However, paths are also mentioned by the priestesses of Dunne. As a priestess says to Violet on her travels, “I still see us among your potential paths, should you decide to take it. Dunne will accept you. It is not too late to choose Her” (394). This suggests that many aspects of Violet’s future are unpredictable due to the choices remaining before her. Her choices will determine the path she walks down, and the options can either provide a saving grace or the damnation of everyone.

Theophanie, the venin with storm-wielding abilities like Lilith Sorrengail and hair in the same silver as Violet’s, symbolizes one of the potential paths it’s foreshadowed Violet might take. With similar abilities and physical attributes, as well as being a former priestess of Dunne—the same people who seem to have a mysterious connection to Violet as well—Theophanie represents the darker path Violet could walk if her hand is forced. Thus far, Violet has continuously resisted the threats that urge her to turn venin to save her loved ones but Theophanie’s introduction to the story and her time on the page evidences the dark potential within Violet should she choose differently in the future.

Throughout Onyx Storm, negotiation emerges as a defining motif, illustrating how power is brokered not only through physical combat but also through diplomacy, cunning, and sacrifice. Violet's intelligence and ability to think several steps ahead are tested repeatedly in high-stakes bargaining scenarios, such as when she trades the Amelian Citrine and Andarna’s dragon eggshell in exchange for Courtlyn’s alliance. In these moments, the novel highlights how war is not won by brute strength alone, but also through the careful maneuvering of deals, alliances, and political leverage.

This motif also reinforces the contrast between the ways different factions navigate power. While the Senarium relies on strict military order and conquest, Violet repeatedly proves that negotiation—whether through political agreements, bargaining for knowledge, or bartering with irids—can be just as effective a weapon as any blade or signet. However, the novel also underscores the limits of negotiation; the irids ultimately refuse to help, Courtlyn’s terms are near-impossible, and Theophanie uses her own deal-making skills to manipulate the war in her favor. By the novel’s end, Violet is faced with a world where negotiation alone is not enough, forcing her to make increasingly difficult choices about when to talk and when to act.

Sacrifice is an ever-present motif in Onyx Storm, shaping both personal relationships and the broader war against the venin. From the beginning, Violet and Xaden’s love is defined by the sacrifices they are willing to make for each other—Xaden suppresses his desires to protect Violet from his growing venin instincts, while Violet continuously risks her safety in the search for a cure. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that not all sacrifices lead to salvation. Xaden barters away pieces of his soul each time he channels, making his transformation into venin not just a possibility, but an inevitability.

This motif also plays out on a larger scale. The rebellion forces must choose between strategic retreats and sacrificing cities like Suniva, emphasizing the brutal cost of war. The irids’ refusal to intervene, despite the clear devastation on the Continent, highlights their belief that some sacrifices are necessary for the greater balance of the world. Most devastatingly, Violet is forced to give up Andarna, losing their bond in order to allow the young dragon to grow into her full power—one of the novel’s most painful yet defining sacrifices. These recurring acts of loss and trade-offs reinforce the central idea of the book, which considers how much of a person can be sacrificed before there is nothing left to save.