#not a dain apologists

[bestbookfriends]

Just finished my reread of Fourth Wing and need to unequivocally state Dain could not be responsible for Xaden being sent to Athenyne.

1) After the attack on Resson, Xaden says it's a 12-hour flight back to Basgiath.

2) Dain read Violet's memories at the Unification celebration probably some time after dinner (let's say 7pm despite it likely being later).

3) Cadets were called to formation around 5am where Xaden was given his orders

4) By the time the riders get there, Athenyne is empty entirely

Even if we take it that Rebecca slipped up on the travel time (because it's clearly not 5pm when they run into the drift, more like 1pm), that's still a good 6-8 hour flight time.

Dain tells Daddy around 8pm (again, probably later given when the party starts). Colonel Aetos mobilizes things and sends a missive ahead to empty the outpost.

Missive gets there around 2am (at the earliest).

You're telling me the entire outpost can become a ghost town in less than 12 hours? With no trace? Because the riot posted there and the infantry stationed there, the healers and scribes... everything and everyone cleared out in less than 12 hours?

I don't buy it.

And that 12-hour window only works if Dain reads Violet early and Xaden overstates the flight time.

[skyfallscotland]

Dain is too overprotective, Dain needs to back off and leave her alone, Dain—blah blah blah! Don't pretend you weren't cheering him on for the exact same behaviour right here with the rest of us:

"Take one step toward Violet, and I'll throw you off this fucking cliff myself," Dain warns, his voice low and menacing. "Unlike Riorson, I don't give a shit who your uncle is."

[dragons-library]

fine…FINE! FUCKING FINE!!

I’ll say it, im a Dain Aetos apologist now through and through.

I fucking love the guy now, I can see why he was Violet’s best friend for so long. Damn it. (Also is it just me or does he low-key wanna be friends with Xaden now lol)

This just makes me hate Daddy Aetos even more, fucker.

[hearts-a-heavy-burden]

Cracking up at the First Test graphic novel for making Jon a pretty average white guy, so my expectations were just eh that’s how the adults are and then Numair/Daine show up as the two hottest people on the planet for the four pages we get to see them.

[contententhusiast]

okay but has anyone else thought about what it must have been like to manifest a signet that is basically a death warrant except for one small caveat and then how do you explain and prove that to the people in charge who literally would not hesitate to kill you in an instant if your story does not check out? Because I can't stop thinking about how scared Dain prob was when he started manifesting

[justallihere]

dain threatening cat makes me all warm and fuzzy inside 🥰

[intairnwetrust]

Love her for that. After Iron Flame also a Dain apologist.

But also the mention of Liam 😭

[wishfulimaginings]

That's what I'm saying too Rebecca!!!

[chocogigi]

I'm sorry, how anyone can say anything bad about my boy Dain Aetos when fucking Tamlin EXISTS.

[b3anieperson]

Song post

Inspired by @siobhanbooks

Mercy - Sir Chloe

If I don't sleep I'll never dream

If I could beg, would you do it for me?

Outside your house, down on my knees

Swollen with doubt and animosity

I, I try to be careful one last time

Open wide, take so long to say goodnight

Mercy, are you still with me?

I'll give you anything

Take it all the way

Mercy, can you forgive me?

I want your everything

If I don't sleep, I'll never dream

If I could beg, would you do it for me?

Outside my house, down on your knees

How could I know I'd turn you into me?

How could I know I'd turn you into me?

I, I try to be careful one last time

Open wide, take so long to say goodnight

Mеrcy, are you still with me?

I'll give you anything

Takе it all the way

Mercy, can you forgive me?

I want your mercy

Are you still with me?

I'll give you anything

Take it all the way

Mercy, can you forgive me?

I want your everything

Dain trying to apologize to Violet for the entirety of Iron Flame. He wants her to forgive him, he's sorry, but he knows that he doesn't deserve it. Dain is begging for mercy, on the mat, on Parapet, in the Wardstone Chamber, he is trying, but he doesn't know how to fix it.

[romanticatheartt]

Y'all can't tell me RY didn't get inspired by this...

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A post shared by Ace (@acequotes.__)

DAIN AETOS EVERYONE!!

Dain Aetos the man that you have become 😩

A smart-ass captain snaps something back at Cat that I can’t hear over the din, and Sloane charges. I nearly jump over the table, but Dain gets there first, hooking his arm around her waist and hauling her back as she swings. The second he sets her on her feet, those fists are aimed in his direction, and I wince as he lets two make contact before trapping her wrists and leaning in low.

Onyx Storm chapter 57

[skyfallscotland]

genuinely nothing gets me more heated right now than the continual "dain really redeemed himself in onyx storm" comments, like babe where tf have you been????? did you read iron flame???

[contententhusiast]

I finished Onyx storm so I'm here to give a silly little Dain Aetos theory

I have a little bulleted list of thoughts from the whole book i'll post later as well but I like this one lol so it gets it's own post

I'm happy to see so many people coming around to Dain after this book! I've had a theory ever since the middle of Iron Flame when he helped kill Varrish and I feel like this book helped solidify it.

I think Dain is actually meant to be a full on memory reading inntinnsic. I think he self imposed the touch barrier during manifestation without knowing it. Because think about who his father is, besides being a grade A asshole, his father is also extremely strict and abides by the rules above all else. He doesn't hesitate to disown Dain just for deserting with the Areatian Riders, imagine what would have happened if Dain had been manifested as an inntinnsic his freshman year. His father would have put him to death himself. So I think when it was time to manifest Dain unconsciously held back his powers because he couldn't be an inntinnsic.

It really solidified for me in Onyx storm when Solane says "Someone like you shouldn't have this much power" and Dain basically says I know. He also refers to the power she takes as his excess power. If he has never properly wielded his signet and used his full capabilities then of course he would have all this excess power in him still. It seems similar to manifestation, if a cadet doesn't manifest the power just keeps building up until they implode. Well what if Dain never fully manifested??

I think now since he has already disappointed his father and is gaining this new confidence of his own, he'll be ready to fully manifest his powers. I could see him and Violet working closely together next book to figure out her inntinnsic dream walking abilities as well as his own. I feel like she may trust him with the secret and even if his power doesn't change he is still the closest thing she knows to another inntinnsic besides Xaden and will want his help. Perhaps Dain can even learn to use his abilities to get Violets memories back!

[justallihere]

bestie is about to finish her reread and start onyx storm. making sure she knows what’s up

[wishfulimaginings]

"Dain is out of breath while trying to get out of Montserrat. "

You say Shady.

I say Riders Survival Course (RSC).

Give the guy a break!

[violencelittlething]

Would love to pretend im not a sloane x dain apologist but i am