Crazy how people are saying it's pretty obvious Gwynriel is endgame when they saw the word "spark" in the Azriel bonus chapter.

When in that same bonus chapter, we have Azriel wanting to beg on his knees for a taste of Elain.

They say it's just lust - but when has SJM ever written a pairing where in the males POV, he is fantasizing over a woman and those thoughts end up being only pure lust?

Also not to mention, the spark thing has already been debunked several times, just in ACOTAR. Something sparked in Feyre's chest when Tamlin smiled too.

Clearly - they aren't mates.

"Sparked" is just common language SJM uses. She uses it with Aelin & Lorcan as well - also not mates.

There's a counter example to the entirety of the Gwynriel ship JUST. IN. ACOTAR.

Come on folks. It's not that hard.

Nesta: hey Az I have a serious question for you

Azriel: *blinks*

Nesta: do you have a thing for my sister?

Azriel: what? No? Why would you—

Nesta: cause cassian and I want to invite a third to our bed and he suggested you and I was like… I would love that but I can’t do it if you’re going to end up married to Elain one day. You can’t fuck 2 sisters that’s just not cool. So what is it? Do you want a life with Elain or a night with us?

Cassian: *fingers crossed and chanting* please say us please say us please say us

Rhys: Stop. Dating. Elain!!!

Azriel:

elriel 🤝 ivy

can't get over how elriel is so ivy (taylor swift) coded

"Your touch brought forth an incandescent glow Tarnished but so grand"

azriel's siphons glowing with elain, elain thinking that his scarred hands are beautiful

"My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand Taking mine, but it's been promised to another"

elain being mated to lucien but still wanting az

"Oh, I can't Stop you putting roots in my dreamland My house of stone, your ivy grows And now I'm covered in you"

the imagery reminds me so much of how nesta saw elain's mind (personally I think of this being that her mind is being plagued by thoughts of az and it manifested as ivy covering her mind oh my heart)

"I wish to know The fatal flaw that makes you long to be Magnificently cursed"

we all know that az thinks he doesn't deserve elain, this to me, is elain wondering why he feels that way when he's all she wants

"He's in the room Your opal eyes are all I wish to see He wants what's only yours"

opal/cobalt are pretty much the same shade of blue, and we know that elain seeks out az and avoids lucien

"Spring breaks loose, the time is near What would he do if he found us out? Spring breaks loose, but so does fear He's gonna burn this house to the ground"

I don't really think lucien would go crazy when he finds about elriel (he likes vassa anyway) but he's one of the only people we know that could posses fire powers. so this reads like what they think might happen when he finds out about elain and az

"I'd live and die for moments that we stole"

we know that elain and az have had secret glances, brushing of hands, etc

AND

sjm saying ivy does not want to go and the imagery of her trying to rip out the ivy makes me imagine elain trying to get az out of her head but he's not going anywhere

my little elriel heart is going feral rn

something that irritates me to no end is when people try to place Elain in spring court. Whichever ship, Elain needs to be in one of the solar courts because they have seasons, Elain would be miserable in eternal spring because she wouldn’t be able to garden. I think it would unnerve her that there was no lifecycle to the plants, no death and rebirth.

Just because she smells like spring doesn’t mean she would be happy there.

Anyways thanks for coming to my Ted Talk

no rizz. just big bambi eyes and many, many unsettling things to say.

Just some ‘Azriel being a honey’ moments:

To Feyre

"I'd never let my High Lady suffer through that." He said it completely stone-faced.

To Nesta

Nesta scowled, and Az offered her a slight smile. They could be allies, that smile seemed to say.

To Elain

Azriel and Elain remained in the sitting room, my sister showing him the plans she’d sketched to expand the garden in the back of the town house, using the seeds and tools my family had given her tonight.

To Rhys

"Rhys is out of shape and won't admit it, but Azriel is too polite to beat him into the dirt."

To Cassian

“Good luck today." —— Azriel's hazel eyes glimmered. He squeezed Cassian's shoulder, his hand a warm weight against the chill.

To Mor

So this was where Azriel had gone, right to the loft. To no doubt spare Mor from enduring Amren Duty alone.

To Amren

[Cassian] unceremoniously took her plate, dumping half the contents on his own before passing the rest to Azriel. Azriel said to Amren as he slid the food onto his plate, "I keep telling him to ask before he does that."

Heavens or anything above, elulus truly are no better than a common gwynriel tell me why are you complaining about elain having friends and family and obvious attraction on azriel as if it's something that completely would ruin her story since apparently she would be "happy enough" to ever need it, as opposed to what girl? A man that doesn't give a fuck about her to the point he doesn't even know how she works her gardens or living with a bunch of people that would equally remain irrelevant for her growth?

SJM: I thought it was obvious??

AKA - No analysis needed. The clues are there. Things are already happening.

Please keep your 80 page PowerPoints and highlighted words from your “8 books of canon” (none of which are actually from ACOTAR, btw) to yourself.

“I thought it was obvious” = no deep dives needed. No extrapolation or analysis necessary. The words are already on the page. You don’t have to work harder than SJM to come up with your own theories (*cough* see HOFAS crazy hype theories vs actual book)

“I thought it was obvious”

The ONLY couple currently mutually attracted to each other is Elriel. They have had moments since ACOMF. ACOSF did not end them, it gave them the setup for the next book. They are set up for the greatest tortured forbidden romance of the series, how can you dispute that? Why would you WANT to dispute that love story? I don’t want ACOSF 2.0 which was all physical and no substance. I want an angsty, slow forbidden romance. I want to fall in love when the characters fall in love. Elriel will give us that.

“I thought it was obvious”

The other ships do NOT exist on the page at the moment. Elucien, I will give credit to because they are still mates so that COULD happen still. But right now, where ACOSF ended, they had barely even seen each other in a year. The only romantic coded interactions have been between Azriel & Elain thus far.

“I thought it was obvious”

Elucien & Gw*riel have not shared any romantic moments. There is no romance between them at this current time in the series. I am not talking about “what could happen” or “what could Sarah be setting up” because she said it was obvious. That means it’s there already. There’s no reason to hypothesize and theorize about ships that don’t currently exist in the book. Because - and say it with me-

“I thought it was obvious”

What is obvious about elucien? Other than the fact that they are mates. That’s it. That’s all they have. Not even a conversation on the page. Not even a shared shy glance or brush of their fingers. It’s the equivalent of an arranged marriage neither of them seems to want. Analyzing 20 sentences about flowers and sunlight, going out of your way to prove feyre is an “unreliable” narrator when she questions the bond (but Cassian, fashion police of Velaris, is a very very reliable narrator)-Why? Is any of that obvious to the casual reader? No.

“I thought it was obvious”

I’m not even going to spend many words talking about Gw*nriel, as I don’t see it as anything more than a crackship. They have like 4 platonic interactions. Friendly. Banter, sure. But not all banter is a clue that people are predestined soulmates. Most people who read their interactions are not going to overanalyze spark and glow and shadow behavior. They shouldn’t have to because - again - none of that is obvious.

“I thought it was obvious”

Shy glances and subtle scenes in the background wasn’t enough for those who claim to be reading experts. So SJM released a bonus chapter where in clear black and white text, you see both Azriel and Elain desperate for each other. This man is willing to BEG on his knees for a taste of her/ the end. Why would you even want him with anyone else after that?

“I thought it was obvious”

All these characters I’ve mentioned have been supporting characters this entire series. Nothing concerning them is going to happen in someone else’s book-but the seeds have been sewn. Any scene with Elain could have been written with Lucien or her sisters instead of Azriel - but it wasn’t.

Ex: when majda says, “if anyone can figure out what’s wrong, it’s a mate”

Lucien is THERE. Feyre is THERE. Nesta is THERE. But who figures it out - not her mate, nor her sisters - Azriel.

Lucien could’ve shown her the garden, feyre could’ve sat with her and listened to Elain’s garden plans till 3am - but no - it was Azriel.

And this man is the only one in the NC I’m convinced that has an actual job and responsibilities. So he is choosing to spend what little free time he has with ELAIN. What’s not clicking, folks?

“I thought it was obvious”

Sarah-we love her-but she is Queen of cliches. Her writing is not some insane thriller level that has you gasping every page turn. She likes threes, she likes happy endings, she likes her male LIs desperate for their female counterparts. The answer to Amarantha’s riddle was LOVE. CC had “through love all is possible”.

You really think she wrote the line “hoped love would trump even a mating bond” and it meant nothing?

SJM doesn’t do anything easy. But she said it was obvious- because it IS.

Time Magazine.

….

Don’t forget Sarah’s interview with the Today Show

Elriels we could literally have their book in our hands next year… like it’s coming

I'm sorry - there are actually people out here saying Elain & Nesta are not part of the IC? ??

Babes, please.

They are Feyre's sisters. Nesta is Cassian's mate. Elain lives... in their HOME.

You think Rhys is going to allow some random stranger to live in their home, take care of their son 🤡🤡

Honestly, full transparency, this is just about people not including Elain in the IC, because I think reluctantly people have accepted Nesta (not because she belongs but now she's "Cassian's mate" which is a frustration for another day) but not Elain.

Like why are we including the VALKYRIES ?! But not ELAIN??

Make it make sense. Feyre hasn't even MET Gwyn & Emerie. Why tf would they be in the IC but not Elain??

This is crazy. You can't just delete an entire characters existence because you don't like her! You can't just send her to a different court with a mate she doesn't want and form an entire ship based on that because you don't like her!

madness, I tell you

Me trying to understand Elain hate when she hasn’t done anything to warrant the amount of hatred we should push towards Tamlin and Beron

If we don't visit Rosehall and see Azriel's mother in acotar 5 I will throw a riot. I know not seeing her is very unlikely since she's been mentioned in recent books but if there is an Elriel book and no visit to Az's mom I will lead a riot

I need to get out of this fandom I didn't realize how crazy these people were oh my godddd

They out here saying and dreaming and fantasizing and making headcannons around them speculating that "Elain probably still has the cloak Lucien threw over her at Hybern" and giggling "she looks at it every day and steals 4 more of his cloaks"

what in the actual hell??

What even-How even-WHY EVEN??

Why tf would she cherish an item that reminds her of the worst day of her life??

There has been literally NOTHING to show she recalls that day as anything less than a very traumatic time, where her entire life, her mortality got ripped away from her. We know she has trauma from the cauldron - She literally tells Nesta her trauma from the iron crockpot has gone overlooked but it's THERE.

Why tf would she keep a cloak from a mate she doesn't want?? Stop fucking romanticizing her trauma!!

Also - wtf are you even praising? He gave her his cloak. That is the BARE MINIMUM. That's not the hallmark of a love story you think it is.

And I bet these are the same people romanticizing Gwyn's trauma and saying omg "Gwyn probably has Azriel's cloak too from when he saved her 🥺 the cloak imagery between Elucien & Gwynriel is so strong 😭😭" (yk, even though Mor carried her out not Azriel)

Stop inventing fake events, praising those fake events (which again - did not happen), and forming headcannons based on fucked up shit!

LIKE NO. Stop it! Get some help!

These are traumatic events. Please stop acting like they are grand romantic gestures. That is like if I said "Oh I bet Elain kept the chains they took off her when Azriel saved her at Hybern 🤭🤭 she looks at them every day and lovingly sighs"

EW

Stop that. I wish I had a spray bottle to mist some of these crazy people.

I couldn’t care less about Elriel/Elucien/Gwynriel shipwars if some of them didn’t want to erase Elain existence because yes it’s what they do :

« Azriel and Gwyn book is next ». So a side character will have a book before a member of the inner circle ? Before the sister of the main character ? Also, I saw this big account on insta who said Azriel and Elain can’t have a book together because they’re both MC, so they will have a book each. Just a reminder, the next book is a dual pov. The two protagonists are the MC, the two protagonists have to move the plot. Both of them. Not just one. It will be like Nesta and Cassian. They both were important. Azriel is more mysterious than Cassian, that’s why some people seems to think that he will have his own book, but none of the characters will have his own book. They will share a pov with another character and even Azriel can’t move the plot alone. He’s not made by the cauldron. (Now ask yourself if Gwyn can lead 50% of the plot ? What her pov will be about ? What a book about Gwyn will be about ? She can’t wield the troves, she’s not made by the cauldron, she’s not connected to truth teller, or the prison. Also, we know her story, we saw her healing, I’am sorry she’s cute but I prefer to know the thoughts of a character that I know nothing about. I know everything I have to know about her. And knowing about her father is not something enough interesting to me. We learn who was Lucien’s father in Feyre’s book, I don’t think Gwyn needs a book to find her father, and honestly, I don’t even think it’s important).

« Rhysand and Gwyn friendship will be so cute ». I’am sorry what ? Where is that come from ? Why Rhysand will have a friendship with Nesta’s friend ? Last time I checked, Rhysand has a soft spot for Elain and Elain only. (« Elain is Elain »). Cassian+Feyre, Azriel+Nesta and Rhysand+Gwyn. When they say something like that, they don’t see the problem ?? One of them is not like the others.

« Gwyn will be a spy ». Ok. So I guess Elain is taking lesson with Nuala and Cerridwen for baking. It’s not like there is a quote in the books who say that Elain is probably training with the two spies of the NC, that Elain can keep secret, that she’s observer and she can walk without a sound. Please, Gwyn can’t even keep a secret. Be serious. There is no foreshadowing for this.

« Nuala and Cerridwen could be friend with Gwyn because they’re also nymph». When I say that Gwynriels act like Elain doesn’t exist it’s what I’am talking about. When I saw this on tumblr I knew these people just ship Gwyn and Az because they hate Elain. They even want to take her friends from her. They want Elain to have nothing.

« Nesta prefers Gwyn than Elain, she’s rooting for Az and Gwyn » just say you have no brothers and sisters because there is no way someone believe that.

« Gwyn will be Nyx’s favorite auntie ». This one is funny. In a world where Nesta, Elain, Mor and Amren don’t exist, maybe.

« Gwyn is a starborn, she has so many powers, she can wield the troves ». Sure, more powerful that the three sisters who can match Rhysand power aka the most powerful high lord. (Not me who said that, but the books). Elain is made by the cauldron. What’s the point of knowing if Gwyn can wield the troves or not when Elain is just there ??

The only thing they still didn’t take from Elain is Feyre and her ability to see the future. But we never know, they able to do it.

I don’t understand why they want to transform Gwyn into a Mary Sue. Is Gwyn not enough ? Being a valkyrie is not enough ? You need her to have MC energy. So you try to connect everything to Gwyn. And you also need to erase Elain. Because of course, Elain is not staying in the night court, she will be away and Gwyn will replace Elain in the inner circle too because you didn’t know but Gwyn is the third Archeron sister. She will defeat Koschei. And at the end, she will be the most powerful person.

All of this made me the hardest Elain supporter and defender.

I don’t care if people ship Gwyn and Azriel, it’s ok to have different ship, but I wish they will stop acting like Elain doesn’t exist. They stop inserting Gwyn into Elain’s storytelling and they stop calling Elriels delusionals ( the audacity. How it’s delusional to ship two characters who like each other ?)

SJM when asked who the next book is about

Antis: "there's no foreshadowing between Elriel, their interactions are not romantic. Have you read the BC??!!"

the BC: there she was, Az had stayed by the door the whole time in case it became too much and needed to leave (his secret to tell never hers), they'd exhanged looks, the occasional brush of their fingers, Azriel wanting to get on his knees to taste Elain, Az and Elain about to kiss.

Antis: "elriel is too obvious, SJM wouldn't do that"

sjm setting up the forbidden romance for the spymaster who had lovers he kept secret and the seer who knows how to keep secrets and had her sister wondering if she took lessons in stealth by Azriel or her besties who are spies (and work with him).

*Spoiler* HOFAS bonus chapter

Not Sarah blatantly including Stone Mother and The Glass Coffin to hint at elriel bcs both tales involve a woman breaking off with a guy to be with the one she truly loves?? She's so 😭