#nesta having the same star on her back that resides in dusk/the prison

[dayqyeen]

we gotta wrap up 2024 already bc I can't bear to read another 'elain is going to revive the dusk court' post for the next ten months when her ass has N O T H I N G to do with it and nesta has everything to do with it.

[theknifeandsword]

Bryce Quinlan: The One True Heir of Dusk ✨⚔️

This is going to a loong post, so bear with me...

In HOFAS, it was revealed that the Prison Island is indeed the long lost land of Dusk (aka the Dusk Court) and where the Starborn fae lived, ruled over by Theia, the High Queen of Prythian and the Starborn fae.

At the end of HOFAS we saw Bryce return the Mask and Truthteller to Nesta in Prythian and at the same time, she surprised Nesta, by also giving her the Starsword/Gwydion. She told her to go find out the reason she had previously had the eight point star tattooed on her back.

Because of this, many people believe this indicates Bryce's story is over, that she is rejecting her right over the Dusk Court and handing it to Nesta, who some say will go on to become the ruler of the Dusk Court in future books (some even say Nesta will pass on the Sword to Gwyn who'll wield it and rule Dusk with Azriel, as he has it's counterpart, Truthteller. But I'll come back to that theory another day).

Whilst I very firmly, 100% believe that Nesta is integral to the future of the Dusk Court and it's role in future books, I DON'T believe she is destined to rule it. I believe there's much more evidence in the books that Bryce Quinlan is the one true heir of the Dusk Court and will return to Prythian in future books, to right the wrongs of her ancestors and take her rightful place in Dusk

Here's why Nesta's connection to Dusk is undeniable but not as it's ruler:

She once had the eight point star tattooed on her back along with Cassian, but it has since disappeared, whereas Bryce has it scarred permanently on her chest (in exactly the same place as Theia).

Nesta's power is that of silver flames, and affinity with death. She has shown no signs of being Starborn, able to wield shadows or light, the two Starborn powers.

It's explained in ACOSF Nesta was able to get through the wards in the prison due to her being "Made", and the harp calling her through (like calls to like)

Although Nesta was led to the prison to find the Harp by a higher power (we don't know why, how or by whom yet), Nesta doesn't feel the land call to or claim her the way it does Bryce. She isn't able to sense the part of Theia's Starborn power stored there, nor does she claim it. Nesta says it feels like the prison island is waiting for something to return, whereas Bryce says the land told her it was lonely and wanted her to claim it.

Nesta is not linked to any Dusk imagery. She is often linked to the moon, darkness or flames, but not Dusk. Whereas Bryce is described as smelling of the first stars at nightfall, she wears dusk colours, her body is described as dusky, her eyes are the colour of the setting sun etc

It's explained in ACOSF that Nesta is able to use the Dread Trove that belonged to the Asteri and Theia because she is "Made", but struggles with the consequences of doing so (e.g. Azriel having to talk her out of wearing the mask) whereas Bryce can use them easily and with little effort (just like Theia).

Nesta warns Bryce in HOFAS about running from her fate and that's exactly what Bryce is doing - she admits that Urd led her Prythian for many reasons, but chooses to turn away from it. She hasn't yet come to terms with her fae side and despite saying constantly that Urd is guiding her...she is in denial about all the things that are trying to pull her towards her place as the Queen of the Starborn fae.

And here is Bryce's connection to dusk and the foreshadowing she will be it's ruler:

1. Only Bryce possesses Theia's (star)light

The Starborn fae originally hailed from and resided in the land of Dusk and were born with one of two Starborn powers - the ability to control shadows (e.g. Cormac, Morven) or the ability to control pure light (e.g. Bryce, Ruhn).

Very rarely, some are gifted with BOTH powers (e.g. Theia, Silene, Helena, Ruhn, and Bryce).

Shadows and light come together to create Dusk, also known as twilight, the moment in time between day and night.

We learn from Aidas that Bryce was born, not just with as a "normal" Starborn, but bearing the exact power and pure light of Theia, the one and only High Queen of Prythian and the Starborn Fae.

“'I thought Theia's light was forever extinguished."

"So did I. I thought they’d made sure she and her power died on that last battlefield under Prince Pelias’s blade.'"His eyes glowed with ancient rage. "But Bryce Quinlan bears her light."

"You can tell the difference between Bryce's light and her brother's?"

'I shall never forget the exact shine and hue of Theia’s light. It is still a song in my blood.'” - HOEAB 

We learn from the Silene hologram that Theia split her power into three, giving each of her daughters one third and keeping the last for herself.

Silene hid her third in Prythian, in the prison. Theia stored her third in the Starsword before she died...but Helena removed and hid it in the caves of Prince for the future chosen heir.

Helena's third dies with her, but is reborn in Bryce 15,000 years later.

Bryce finds and claims the second third from underneath the prison Island in Prythian in HOFAS part 1:

Like a small sun emerging from the stone itself, a ball of light burst from the floor. A star, twin to the one in Bryce’s chest. Her starlight at last awoke again, as if reaching with shining fingers for that star hovering inches away.

With trembling hands, Bryce guided the star to the one gleaming on her chest. Into her body.

White light erupted everywhere. - HOFAS

Finally, Bryce finds the third part of Theia's starlight, the part that belonged to Theia in Avallen:

Light blasted up through the blades into her hands, her arms, her heart. Bryce could hear it through her feet, through the stone. The song of the land beneath her. - HOFAS

She heard how Avallen had yielded it's joy, it's bright green lands and skies and flowers, so it might hold the power as it was bid, waiting all this time for someone to unleash it. To free it. - HOFAS

'"You're free," Bryce whispered to Avallen, to the land and the pure inherent magic beneath it. "Be free."

And it was. - HOFAS

2. The Dusk Court chooses Bryce

In previous ACOTAR books, we learn that it is the land and it's magic that chooses it's ruler, guided by fate. And once it has chosen it does not choose another, until that ruler dies.

When Bryce is in the prison there's many quotes that show the land/magic choosing Bryce as it's ruler:

Power, uncut and ancient, scorched through her veins. The hair on her head rose. Debris floated upward. She was everywhere and nowhere.She was the evening star and the last rays of colour before the dark. - HOFAS

She is able to sense the land and can feel the prisoners residing there:

From far away, she could sense it, the things lurking within the mountain, her mountain. - HOFAS

The island calls to Bryce, telling her it has been alone all this time, waiting for her:

And in that moment, the mountain - the island - spoke to her.

Alone, it was so alone - it had been waiting all this time. Cold and adrift in the thrashing gray sea. If she could reach out, if she could open her heart to it...it might sing again. Awaken. There was a beating, vibrant heart locked away, far beneath them. If she freed it, the land would rise from it's slumber, and such wonders would spring again from it's earth... - HOFAS

And finally, Bryce is able to wield the land, just like the High Lords of the other courts are able to:

Bryce lifted a hand, and spike after spike ruptured form the ground, blocking Nesta's advance. - HOFAS

But at a mere thought from Bryce, stalactites and stalagmites formed, closing in on him, the room became a wolf, it's jaws snapping for the winged warrior... - HOFAS

The rock had moved for her, as it had for Silene. - HOFAS

Bryce stomped her foot. Those spikes of stone stretched higher, blocking his way. Blue light flared from him, smashing through the stones. - HOFAS

Bryce stomped her foot again, summoning more lethal spears of rock—but there were none left. Only a vast, gaping void. - HOFAS

Remember, Nesta has been to the prison before, to the exact place Bryce stands as the island speaks to her and where she claims Silene's part of Theia's starlight. And she is with Bryce at this exact moment in time. So if Nesta was meant to rule Dusk...why didn't she experience any of this instead of Bryce?

At no point does Nesta sense the land like Bryce, nor does it call or speak to her. Nesta doesn't find or claim Silene's power and she can't control the land, like Bryce can.

3. Only Bryce can wield the Knife and Sword FULLY

As far as I can decipher, people within the Maasverse fall into one of four categories when it comes to the Starborn:

Non-Starborn: Someone who has no Starborn ancestry.

Starborn descendent WITHOUT Starborn powers: Someone who does have Starborn ancestry but was not born with either of the Starborn powers.

Starborn descendent WITH Starborn powers: Someone who has both Starborn ancestry and one (or occasionally, but very rarely, both) of the Starborn powers.

Theia's Chosen Heir: The female heir, chosen by Urd, born with Theia's exact, unique starlight reincarnated inside her. There is only one heir and as far as we know, Bryce Quinlan is the one and only female fae to be born in 15,000 years with Theia's exact power.

And this is what happens when any of those people attempt to wield the Starsword/Gwydion:

Non-Starborn: Unable to draw the sword from it's scabbard or use it in any way.

Starborn descendent WITHOUT Starborn powers: Unable to draw it from the scabbard or wield it in any way as they are deemed "unworthy" (e.g. Autumn King)

Starborn descendent WITH Starborn powers: Some of these fae are able to draw the sword from it's scabbard, but only if they are "worthy". They can activate and wield only some of it's powers (e.g. Ruhn). Some are only able to draw the sword but are unable to activate or wield it (e.g. Cormac).

Theia's Chosen Heir: There is only one heir (Bryce Quinlan) and she has been "chosen" by Urd to wield the Starsword/Gwydion to it's full potential. She is able to draw the sword from it's scabbard and deemed "worthy" to activate and wield it's powers to its full extent.

"That Sword belongs to Theia's female heir," he snarled" - HOSAB

"Theia's power, when whole, is the only thing that can unite and activate the true power of those blades..." - HOFAS

In HOFAS, we see Bryce claim the sword:

Nor had anything ever felt so right as when Bryce took the Starsword from him, a formal claiming, and weighed it in her hands. - HOFAS

And we see her able to call both the Starsword and Truthteller to her hands, something no one else can do:

Bryce again reached out a hand, her will, toward Azriel. And as surely as the Starsword had done, Truth-Teller flew from his grip. He tried to grab it, but even his swift lunge wasn’t fast enough to stop it. To stop Bryce as the knife soared for her fingers.

The dagger’s hilt landed in her palm, cool and heavy. - HOFAS

And when Bryce is using both the Starsword and Truthteller she can produce a power that no one else is able to:

Bryce threw her power into the Starsword, light ripping through the black blade, willing it to tear this fucking monster apart—

She willed it into Truth-Teller, and shadows flowed—

And where the two blades met, where Bryce’s light merged at their nexus, power met power.

Her ears hollowed out. Magic like lightning surged through her, from her. The chamber rippled, a muffled boom echoing through Bryce.

Her blood roared, a beast howling at the moon. She was vaguely aware of a glow, of radiating light that flowed through the Starsword, the dagger— HOFAS

4. SJM retracted saying her series are "standalones"

After the release of HOFAS, SJM retracted her statement that Crescent City and ACOTAR are standalone series. It was followed up by her and Bloomsbury saying fans would need to read the Crescent City books going forward in order to understand and appreciate the story of ACOTAR 5 (her upcoming book) and future books.

This suggests that Crescent City, the events within it and Bryce are going to be important enough to ACOTAR 5 that readers now need to know what happens in those books, and hints SJM plans to merge them further.

FUTURE BOOKS

So after all of this...what does it mean? Well we have seen the Dusk Court start to wake, choosing Bryce as its ruler as it does, and if we stick to SJM's lore it won't choose anyone else until she dies.

We have not yet had the fulfilment of the prophecy...

When knife and sword are reunited, so shall our people be

...and with the Dusk Court and the Starsword/Gwydion all belonging to Bryce, only she can be the one to return and re-claim them.

As both Nesta and the Starsword are "Made" I think Nesta WILL be able to use the Starsword, but only in the same way as Ruhn. I think she will keep the sword for now and it will assist her in to uncovering what her connection is to the Dusk Court and the path fate is guiding her down, but, as she is not the Starborn heir, she will be unable to wield it fully and she will return it to Bryce at some point. I think the prison island will begin to fail now that Bryce has started to wake it and Nesta will realise only Bryce is able to restore it and prevent the cells opening to release the prisoners and that they need Bryce to return to Prythian to stop it.

As Bryce is also very closely connected to Pegasi (her affinity with Jelly Jubilee, pegasi originally came from the Dusk Court, Theia and her heirs rode them into battle, in Avallen we see them return after Bryce frees the land etc) and in Norse mythology, the Valkyries are depicted as riding winged horses into battle, I think we will see the Valkyries find a permanent home with Bryce at the Dusk Court.

With Nesta being one of the first Valkyries to be "reborn" and her having natural affinity as a warrior and "general", I'd love to see Nesta take command of the Valkyries as their General and instate them as the Dusk Court's and Bryce's official army. Nesta and Bryce offering a place for any female of Prythian a chance to train as warriors would be so on brand for these two kick ass females 🪽🧡

If you've made it to the end of this thesis post, you are a TROOPER and thank you so much for sticking with it! Let me know your thoughts! ✨🖤⚔️