You have been visited and blessed by the thumbs up Ezran

Beyond being freaking adorable, I do find it interesting that Soren calls Ez King Ezran at all, simply cause he by no means has to, even though in this ep he does it twice no less in a pretty casual situation (whereas Opeli moves from High Mage to Prince Callum when she's trying to understand him in 5x01, and is pretty formal in general, which isn't Soren's style, calling Callum "step prince" and by his first name exclusively). It makes me think that Soren uses Ezran's title to reaffirm his assertion from 3x09 "He is the True King" and his place as Ezran's personal crownguard.

After all, I can't see Rayla ever calling him King Ezran ("You're not my king, but you are my friend") except in a teasing manner, and Callum certainly won't (at least not in a happy/joyful manner, I'd imagine)

Soren had sworn to protect and tend that light. To nurture it. And in his darkest moments, that oath gave him a reason to feel strong again, a way to keep smiling. How easily it had all fallen apart.

He didn’t answer. He didn’t wait for them. Ezran’s feet carried him back into the darkest part of the Arcus Vault, back to where the assassin’s arrow lay motionless on the ground. It stared up at him. Ezran felt a coldness twist its way around his heart. It took his lungs, too, and for a long moment he could not breathe, could not feel anything but an unfamiliar anger so potent it seized the whole of him, inside and out. Ezran stepped towards the arrow—and stomped down on it as hard as he could. He wished he were bigger, stronger, he wished his boots were made of iron and not something soft. Still, it was enough. When he pulled his foot away, Ezran glared down at the arrow’s hawkish head, flattened and broken. Its ruby eye slipped from its socket, its black metal bent like frayed feathers. He left it there in the dark.

—Strangers / Deep Below

Some things never change - and yes, Villads is indeed the perfect captain

Chapter length: 8k Summary: Callum and Rayla finally talk. Ezran interrogates Viren, part one. a/n: tw for mental health related stuff in regards to rayla (implied depression, self loathing, and stuff that may veer into emotional self harm / passive suicidal ideation territory). i don't think any of it is super intense but i also don't know your circumstances, so please keep that in mind as you go forward. that said, it is discussed in a very hurt/comfort kind of way.

CHAPTER 7: At The End of the Tunnel

Callum led the way up and out of the tunnel, holding her wrist with one hand and his staff in front as a light source with the other. His hand was warm against Rayla’s skin, his gait steady over the rocky, uneven ground. 

There was so much she wanted to stay —about Claudia, and her potential plans—and even more she was curious about—had Callum eaten? Had he slept? And why had the Earthblood elf boy saved them, truly?—but she was so tired. 

Rayla hadn’t realized just how much adrenaline she’d been carrying in her body between worrying about Callum and constantly keeping her guard up around Claudia, with no sleep or food or hardly any water the past two days. But it hadn’t been for nothing, her free hand drifting to the hard lump in her pouch, five sun rubies in total crammed in next to the coins. All safe.

She squinted as a shaft of light appeared maybe ten feet ahead, the ground sloping upwards as they followed the phases of the moon back toward the surface. Relief washed over her in waves as the light grew brighter, bigger, haloing Callum’s silhouette of a windswept-haired head and broadened shoulders.

He picked up the pace, not looking back, as her muscles became mush. But they were almost there. She could keep going. Just a few more steps to the surface, and then—

Rayla’s foot caught on a rock. She stumbled. She slipped, both hands scraping against the ground.

Callum glanced back immediately, turning round and dropping to the ground in front of her, grasping at her arms, eyebrows knit with worry. “Hey, you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she croaked, holding still while he inspected the number of tiny scratches on her hands. The light of his staff illuminated the faint traces of blood.

I am a Crownguard, and he is the true king.

Like how could they do this to Ezran

+ bonus happy relieved Ezran

Me, mining every interaction that I can to support my "Ezran is as close to Soren as he is to Callum and Rayla" agenda + the fact that given Soren was with Ezran and the smile he gives that he has likewise known the lore Ez is about to drop all this time, but that he withholds literally until the very end of the season for security reasons.

That, and I love seeing more hints of Soren's feelings about his family now that he's so opposed to both of them + how that interplays with potential feelings about his intelligence in comparison to them ("Dad is so smart" / "I know I'm not the smartest, but I know what you said" etc). And Ezran offering a bit of reassurance when he can <3

also ezran & soren were?? so good this season. precious. besties. supportive as hell. best king and his crownguard ever i think

but yeah like

Two years before, when the world had seemed darkest, Soren began to imagine Ezran as a kindling flame, a bright little light holding back the abyss. When he’d named Corvus a Crownguard, he’d told him that the young king was not only Katolis’ hope, but all of Xadia’s, too.

Soren had sworn to protect and tend that light. To nurture it. And in his darkest moments, that oath gave him a reason to feel strong again, a way to keep smiling.

and

They said that, sometimes, we make sacrifices so that the ones we love don’t have to. It’s part of protecting them—part of protecting you. Taking on hard choices and going to dark places is an act of love. It’s a gift.

So, please let me give you this gift, Callum. Stay safe, and stay in the light. Don’t follow me, and don’t look for me. I don’t think you’ll find me, anyway.

really feeling “Soren protecting Ezran from Callum while Rayla focuses on saving Callum” in S5 more than ever

1x07 / 4x09

The visuals and particularly the music when we first set off from Scumport is absolutely one of my favourites - nothing like some pirate influence in the score!

Ezran and Soren, and Ezran and Rayla continue to be wholesome AF, but the Baitlings are most wholesome of all, I think

I love them all more than I love myself, tbh

We offered gifts that meant a lot to us. But the truth is, they don’t mean anything to you.

1x06 / 4x09

3x06 / 4x09

And of course that would bother Ezran, because his own life was put on the line for his father’s crimes (something he had zero hand in). Yes, he knows Soren and Claudia have done some shady things, but Marcos and the knights who arrested them don’t. Ezran also seems to have forgiven Claudia in 2x09 after her double apologies and is very forgiving in nature, so that tracks, too. That said, the difference in Claudia and Soren’s postures (and what it says about how they feel about Viren) speaks volumes too.