#murtagh and saphira

[everythingloveandanimated]

Something I would love to see in subsequent World of Eragon books is Murtagh riding Saphira. Even better they go on a mission together.

Had this idea (not sure how feasible it is) that Murtagh’s mission to expose and defeat the Draumars takes him to Farthen Dur. Saphira firmly advises that she be the one to take him. She has the better rapport with the Dwarves and can use that to protect Murtagh, and if Thorn begins to feel claustrophobic, there isn’t easy access to the open sky and the dwarves could get hurt in his haste to break for open air.

Murtagh agrees for Thorn’s sake and safety

There’s reluctant agreement from Thorn plus a subconscious thought that he is not good enough for his rider but it’s decided nonetheless.

Murtagh is obviously nervous as they approach Farthen Dur. Not to mention a bit guarded from Saphira. The journey through the Beor’s is like a journey down memory lane. They speak of their journey, they speak of the first major moral disagreement between him and Eragon. Safira gives her input, Eragon was young and very set in his moral code. But she does agree that if Torkenbrand had fought, the results would’ve been the same. Murtagh notes that she doesn’t condemn his actions, she accepts them far easier than Eragon did, and she seems to understand his mindset better. (like Thorn, she notes that Murtagh seems to be part dragon. She is quite pleased with this little tidbit of revelation of Murtagh‘s character. Murtagh can feel her approval, it briefly helps his mood.)

Throughout their flying, she explains how Eragon sees Murtagh and acknowledges that the opposite nature of their upbringings do cause a rift of understanding in their relationship.

He faces Orik for the first time in a long time. (not many ideas for this part.) Later Orik tells him that he will never forgive him for killing Hrothgar but as long as he is king he will allow Murtagh and Thorn to keep their lives as thanks for their part in helping Eragon defeat Galbatorix.

The grudge is something that Murtagh expected and accepts with grace as well as heaviness in his heart. However, Orik’s decree that their lives are secure under his kingship surprises him.

During their visit Murtagh and Saphira stand in the very place Eragon and Arya stood when the Twins’ ambush happened.

Murtagh: That’s where it all went wrong.

Saphira makes a regretful sound and moves her head towards him in an approximation of a hug.

Saphira: I am so sorry, Murtagh. Our best chance to save you from Galbatorix would have been right here. I flew as fast as I could but I was too late. Arya went to look for you in the tunnels but when she found your bloody clothes and couldn’t see you by scrying she assumed the worst and us along with her. We failed you, and you and Thorn have suffered greatly for our failure.

Murtagh: (touching Saphira’s jaw) Thank you. But you were supposed to think I was dead. The twins told Galbatorix’s spy master Yarek that I was here. Yarek was the one who made the plans for my abduction and told the twins what to do.

Saphira: you told Eragon our first night here that you didn’t want the Empire to know where you were. Bringing you here endangered you and sealed your fate. Exactly what you were trying to avoid.

Murtagh: True. (he reminisces about his first time in Farthen Dur. He would not have met Nasuada if he hadn’t come. Would not have experienced her surprising kindness, and in a way Ajihad’s kindness. He was treated far better than he ever expected to be by those two.)

Saphira also brings him to the star sapphire. She explains how she fixed it using the collective emotions of the dwarves present, as well as her own admiration for the construction of Tronjheim and overall craftsmanship of the dwarves. She tells him how angry and heartbroken they were at her for destroying it in the first place. How they forgave her after she had made amends. She gives him a realistic hope for forgiveness his own debts. Opening himself up and sharing his experience, allowing other people to connect with him, will go along way in redeeming himself. He’s unsure sharing such painful raw parts of himself. Saphira assures him that he can show as much as he’s comfortable with, but should also show enough to cure ignorance.

After a moment he states his own forgiveness of her for not flying fast enough to save him, and for not being able to march on Uru’baen sooner to help save him and Thorn. Another approximation of a hug with her head and neck, while he hugs a section of her neck.

Because it wouldn’t be a true World of Eragon segment without some sort of fight turning everything sideways, some sort of conflict happens. Orik and Murtagh each have moments where they protect each other. 

Murtagh explains his mental situation and decision to kill Hrothgar. Orik gets a level closure. He still feels utterly betrayed, and will not forgive him but he thanks Murtagh for his explanation all the same.

Murtagh asks Orik for permission to go to Ajihad’s tomb and Hrothgar‘s tomb to pay his respects. 

Orik grants it.

In front of Hrothgar’s tomb, Murtagh considers making a dwarven rite of respect as a member of an enemy clan would make to a fallen rival dwarven leader. Saphira encourages him saying would probably be a good idea and would go a long way in making amends with Durgrimst Ingeitum. She calls it his own Star Sapphire. Murtagh is a reluctant at the political spectacle of it and how it will make him look (unsure if he wants to make himself vulnerable in this way). He didn’t join Hrothgar’s enemy willingly. But he still slew him under Galbatorix’s thumb, and more or less in Galbatorix’s name. Saphira tells him to think on it a little more, and to follow through when he’s ready.

He makes a promise that he will return with Thorn so they can pay their respects together.

In front of Ajihad’s tomb, he weeps. Regretful and devastated that he couldn’t save the man who spared his life and gave him a chance to prove himself. Regretful and utterly ashamed of what he did to Ajihad’s daughter. Knowing full well that Ajihad would never let him in the same hallway, or even in the same wing as Nasuada after her torture if he was still alive. Any chance however slim or imagined he has with her now would be near non-existent. (Murtagh later wonders if Nasuada had a part to play in Ajihad giving him the chance that he did. It breaks his heart even further that the kindness of these two has been returned with torment and failure to protect them). Saphira gives him a moment alone with his tears before reminding him of her presence. She gives wisdom and insight into Ajihad’s character and gives an honest assessment of the possibility of a relationship between him and Nasuada. Given their reputations and political positions it has a very slim chance of working out. She’s careful not to give him false hope for the future, but alludes to the fact that Arya and Eragon’s relationship seemed to not work out, and yet they are on good strong terms.



[satorugojjo]

if you ever feel like your character names aren’t original or cool enough, just remember that Christopher Paolini named his dragon rider protagonist Eragon - which is just dragon spelled with an E

[uluthrek]

inheritance cycle modern au in which all of the dragons are horses which makes eragon the underdog horse girl, saphira the underdog girl horse and brom the disgruntled and disillusioned horse trainer who doesn’t believe in the validity of this sport until he sees the ✨bond✨ eragon has with his horse saphira who is still as blue as she is in canon (don’t ask that‘s just how it works, if you question this, i‘ll track your ip).

and galbatorix is the aggressively eastern european horse girl dad who had some sort of hip injury that brought his eventing career to an abrupt end and now he must vicariously live through his protégé, murtagh, lest he kills himself. and thorn is the very expensive horse galbatorix bought for wish fulfillment purposes and murtagh and thorn are so horribly traumatized by all the stress and pressure of defeating little kids at the pony finals that they ✨bond✨.

oromis and glaedr are their direct opponents and galbatorix nancy kerrigan‘s them (oromis dies like he does canonically because honestly, hunters be like that) so murtagh can get his ribbon. and then there‘s the big final competition and eragon, underdog wonder magic horse girl, goes toe to toe with murtagh, tortured champion to be, and they have this epic horse battle (an 80cm clear round but the atmosphere is very intense) and eragon loses. but then brom delivers this epic speech about idk man like success and passion and whatnot and then he dies which gives eragon the final push to defeat murtagh but OH NO, thorn is HURT from being OVERWORKED and murtagh has an epic horse peril breakdown and tearfully tells galbatorix he‘ll withdraw.

so galbatorix goes „fuck the kid“ and gets shruikan (the very bad very big black warmblood stallion that shows up in every horse girl movie) to best eragon HIMSELF (but not before locking nasuada, the animal rights activist that murtagh has struck up a tentative romance with, in a porta-potty). and then him and eragon compete and it‘s INTENSE (meanwhile, roran and katrina have a sub plot about capturing a flock of runaway ducks that is constantly being cut to during that climactic scene) and shit is looking DISMAL for poor eragon until a vision of brom and also his dead mother, because this is a proper horse girl movie and not some bibi und tina bullshit, and that gives him the strength to defeat galbatorix.

and then he wins and thorn doesn’t die and someone frees nasuada from the porta-potty and she gets to punch galbatorix in the face. and fírnen (who is a horse but also still green) emerges during the post credit scene and meets arya and sets up a cash grabby amazon prime spinoff series and roran and katrina successfully capture the ducks and everyone is happy and there is no more horse peril.

the whole thing takes place in exactly one horse show afternoon. it makes such perfect sense actually you can fit everyone in. nar garzvog‘s at the grill and makes hot dogs. islanzadi does nothing but drink cheap wine and bitch from the sidelines. angela mans the beverage stall and tells everyone who wants to listen (or doesn’t) that toads don’t exist. solembum is the raccoon on her shoulder who violates all fda guidelines by simply existing. orrin is nasuada‘s bitter ex boyfriend who pretended to be vegan for years so she‘d like him only to be dumped for murtagh and his emo swagger in a heartbeat. orik is a shetland pony.

[thexgrayxlady]

Saphira: Nobody is good enough for my rider.

Thorn: *sets up and runs Murtagh's grindr behind his back*

[parkerspancake]

The differences between Eragon&Saphira and Murtagh&Thorn

Saphira: If you hurt yourself, I'm going to kill everyone involved. Eragon: *gets hurt* Saphira: Oh, little one. Come here. *cuddles him for hours* Thorn: If you do that, you're going to hurt yourself. Murtagh: *gets hurt* Thorn: I fucking told you. *grunts disappointed*

[mothdoly]

favorite inheritance cycle characters and how i pictured them when i read the books with 12

[massiveladycat]

ha. ha. ha. so i just read eldest WHO THE FUCK. WAS NOT GOING TO WARN ME ABOUT THESE THINGS: 1. MURTAGH BEING ERAGON'S OLDER BROTHER HELLLOO?? 2. I THOUGHT MURTAGH WAS DEAD I WAS GRIEVING YOU CANT DO THAT TO ME PAOLINI 3. ERAGON STOP MAKING MOVES ON ARYA SHE'S THREE TIMES YOUR AGE 5. eragon makeover >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 6. i wasnt planning on loving roran so much but YES STRONGHAMMER!!!!1111 (he immediately punched eragon upon seeing him) 7. im getting concerned about murtagh's situation 8. also eragon sweetheart no. being forced to be a rider under galbatorix doesnt mean betrayal 9. i still love eragon though ill be defending that boy until the day i die. if there are no more eragon lovers on earth ive been KILLED 10. the elves are so fun to read about 11. the book cover confused me at first because . . . hey, why isn't the dragon blue, isn't this saphira?? NO. IT'S THORN. IT'S MOTHERFUCKING THORN 12. please paolini don't kill off orik 13. garrow was more of a dad to eragon than morzan will ever be. 14. saphira is amazing i love her 15. its so funny when you realize eragon literally watched saphira hatch and then suddenly she's SEVERAL TIMES HIS SIZE and calls him "little one" and mothers him because selena wouldn't and also tells him 'you got to calm down little man' when eragon is trying to flirt with arya 16. speaking of that watching him try and flirt with her makes me crack up 17. but it also gives me second-hand embarrassment

[magicandmundane]

Murtagh: Yeah, sure, my stupid kid brother is the leader of the Riders. But am I going to acknowledge that? F*ck no. I hate authority, and I am not giving him that ego boost. Now let’s go hunt down this witch and her cult.

Meanwhile, Eragon: *gets nervous when someone says he’s in charge* *literally could not sleep in a bed because Vrael used to sleep there* *turns down positions of authority almost every chance he gets* *is just a goofy little guy who would like to see his big bro every once in a while*

[glbtrx]

Ajihad: would you say that you're independent?

Eragon: *looks behind himself*

Saphira, Nasuada, Arya, Orik, Murtagh: *nod*

Eragon: yeah, I'd say so.

[murtagh-thorn]

Posting to the Inheritance Cycle fandom like

[nekucreates]

Saphira and Thorn together in one post! So you no longer have to reblog them separately! (They're also on my RB store) I'm reading Murtagh right now and enjoying it--I always did think Thorn and him were pretty cool. And I also have a dragon art sideblog @stardust-cove <3

[satorugojjo]

how do I describe the excitement of eragon to someone who wasn’t in high school in the late 00s/early 10s?? it was one of very few book series that EVERYONE was reading - so much heart, politics, intricate worldbuilding with gray characters you will love to death alongside the most wonderful concept of a mindlink as a Dragon Rider!

a lot of people didn’t give it a chance because the setting was derivative of Tolkien but the moment you take the first book as a starter (written by a 15 year old no less), that’s where the similarities end and the series blooms into one of the most fun adventure fantasy series I’ve read.

Eragon’s growth is phenomenal to watch, especially because so much is focused on HOW he grows, which is where a lot of fantasy will skip on. Eragon definitely is a series where the author shows you, rather than tells you, and it creates a wonderful world with lots of great lore that you’ll invest yourself in heavily.

and Murtagh? No notes. Impeccable. Showstopping. My love for him runs so deep that it feels like I was born with it coded into my genetic material.

READ THE INHERITANCE CYCLE. No better time to do it than now with a new book coming out in November, and a new show next year!

[dam-mar]

Dragons looking at their Riders when get themselves into some deep shit (great danger) by doing exactly what they advised them not to do

[lunamond]

Eragon and Saphira facing Murtagh and Thorn on the Burning Planes 🫠

I remember this used to be one of my favourite moments when I was younger. I used to reread this and a couple of other moments obsessively 😅

[saphira-approves]

…was just hit with the realization that Brom never gets to see Eragon turn sixteen. He gets so close but Eragon’s birthday is a few weeks after Brom’s death. AUGH.

And Eragon doesn’t tell Murtagh about it, Saphira surely knows her Rider’s feelings about it but there’s no mention of her wishing him happy birthday or anything—hell, the kid nearly had the family he didn’t know about there for his cultural coming-of-age, but one of them died and the other one doesn’t know they’re related. He doesn’t even KNOW about the missed opportunity until well after the fact, he’s just stuck on the road with a stranger stressed to the high heavens. It’s no wonder he’s so prone to depression when he gets his back injury, he was basically pre-gaming depression without time to wallow in it!

And then the rest of the series moves so goddamn fast, he can’t be much older than eighteen by the very end if he IS even eighteen… I know I’ve talked about this before but oh my god. He’s so goddamn young. Can someone please get this tall child a college scholarship—and do NOT let him apply to be an RA he needs some time without responsibilities—has someone made sure he knows how to ask for help and not burn himself out with Tasks—

[everythingloveandanimated]

I love the idea of the Riders Trio working together, getting into scrapes, trouble, and dangers together, and then they return to their dragons and Thorn is a sour mood

Thorn: So much for hoping that Eragon and Arya would help keep you out of trouble.

Murtagh (cocking an eyebrow): Have you seen their track record?