#runaan's in for a ride

[salty-and-spiraling]

What I think the scene will be like for each song… *not gonna do all of them. Just the ones I find interesting*

"The Mage Wars"

Either it's Zubia giving the dragang a history lesson or it's Aaravos sharing some ancient knowledge with Claudia & Terry. Either way I'm excited to learn more about the Mages Wars. Sounds cool

Rayla"Reborn/Unfinished Business"

Rayla's defo getting unghosted. We've been waiting for years and finally it's here! This "Unfinished Business" is gonna be about her dead assassin members coming back to vogue for her.

"Why Are You Doing This"

I think this is gonna be smth like Callum having dreams with Aaravos and learning about Leola. The next few songs will prob be connected to this too.

"Lissa"

Soren might reunite with his mom this season, either that or this is just a flashback scene. There were hints in s6 abt Soren and Lissa but this just makes me think they're gonna reunite!

"The Orphan Queen/An Old Friend"

This is definitely gonna be a flashback w/ Aaravos and the Orphan Queen. Aaravos is reminiscing with Claudia about his old friend.

"Eternal Night"

I think this song is gonna play when Aaravos and Claudia end up raising the dead.

"The Novablade"

I think this scene will be a flashback of Aaravos being stabbed w/ the Novablade and being imprisoned.

"When A Star Dies"

I think this will be a flashback to either Leola's death or Laurellion's. Or, another possibility is that Aaravos finally gets powerful enough to kill one of the Cosmic Judges (hopefully the Merciful One)

"Brothers, Brothers, Brothers"

Callum and Ezran are likely gonna have a falling out when Runaan comes around so I hope this scene will be them making up. Ezran needs comfort and his brother, so does Callum.

"I Miss Her/Forgiveness"

This might be about Soren either missing his mom and forgiving her for leaving OR missing Claudia and forgiving her for siding with Aaravos.

"This Changes Everything"

This might be where Team Zym learns about Leola. This is one I'm particularly excited about.

"Starlit Serenade"

I'm not sure what this title implies but I hope it's a flashback w/ Aaravos and Leola. Not sad or game changing but just fluffy, wholesome memories.

"Leola's Last Wish"

Leola flashbacks! Will we finally find out what her last wish was? Or maybe it's her being revived? I can't wait to see!

TDP Season 7 soundtrack titles are shown here, spoilers ahead!

[kradogsrats]

okay so any bets on where the romantic boat ride with the baitlings is going to fit in

[cosmicpoutine]

ride safe, runaan

[raayllum]

Timeline season things thanks to the new pictures

So we know early on in the season, presumably, Ezran and Corvus arrive in Katolis and have reunited with Callum (who has likely flown from the Moon Nexus to Katolis to check on his home/brother) and are riding Aegis and Embertail, Janai and Amaya's hotcat mounts. They will likely also reunite with Soren and Opeli here.

We also know at one point that Ez, Rayla, Runaan, Aanya, and presumably most everyone else ends up at the Banther Lodge thanks to these images.

We also know that Rayla (and Runaan) are going to go to the Silvergrove, where Rayla meets with some kind of Keeper for some kind of Moonshadow trial. I'd place this around 7x03 or 7x04 latest.

With the latest image in mind, we can construct some other details.

I thought at first glance that this picture was depicting the journey to back Katolis, given that Ezran and Aanya are there on said hotcats and Corvus is there. However, Soren is also there (riding with Corvus) which means that it can't be on the way from Lux Aurea to Katolis (at least not the premiere trip), so it must come after.

Whatever they're flying to is either something they're worried about, or something that looks worrisome from the sky. Callum is also not in shot, but he could just be flying with his wings > needing a mount. An alternative is that he went with Rayla and Runaan to the Silvergrove, and perhaps Ezran and co. are travelling there to reunite with them, or even checking up on Zubeia.

Things that could worry them from the Sky:

Visibly destroyed or corrupted places, such as the Moon Nexus, Silvergrove (broken barrier?), or even the Midnight Desert (though I don't think there'd be that many clouds if that was the case). This could even be the place with mushrooms where Zubeia is resting, since Soren and Corvus know the way + Aaravos could have incentive to interrupt her healing, but Zym isn't in shot with them either, so... maybe? I think the Silvergrove could make a lot of sense and be time effective, so we'll just have to see.

[eerna]

wait a dragon prince season came out? since when LOL what even happened?

Yesterday! And oh man So Much Happened and all of it was so so so dumb. They made a candy decoy of Aaravos' prison to trick any bad guy trying to steal it, but the only person tricked was Callum so he took the wrong one to be safely hidden and the real one literally rolled into Claudia's path without her even trying to find it. Viren ended his Most Confusing Bad Dad Redemption Arc Ever Written by leaving his clearly mentally unstable daughter to go start his healing journey but ended up killing himself with dark magic to protect the people of Katolis, the exact same thing he offered in episode 2 of this stupid arcless show. Rayla realizes she has to choose between her 3 parents bc she can only save 2, and she chooses to let her bio parents die and save the guy I hate sosososososo much and was actually happy to see suffer, Runaan, who joins her and Callum in their adventures. Turns out Aaravos too was a dad and the Startouch elves are gods who decided to kill his little daughter for a crime we didn't even see her commit (everyone was like "just trust me bro") so he becomes evil to avenge her and somehow these gods don't feel like killing him over it. Karim makes a deal with Sol Regem to destroy Janai's army, but Sol Regem is blind so the guy riding him whose name I forgot but who is possessed by Aaravos tricks him into burning down Katolis instead, which leads me to believe Sol Regem is insanely stupid if his supreme senses can't tell the difference between Katolis, a country on the other side of the world, and his friggin desert homeland. All of this is accompanied by everyone being super bloodied up and screaming in uncomfortable ways so we can pretend like this is a mature show and not a show for babies before we slide into the next overlong pun bit. See you next year for part 7

[ladyandherbooks]

I loved how excited Rayla got when she was trying to decide what to tell Runaan. You know she's been waiting to tell him everything in so long. And now she finally gets the chance to tell him about her adventures over the last 2+ years.

I hope she rides this just got my dad back high for a long time, even with everything going on.

[elise-the-potato]

Silly little runaan doodle I drew on a long car ride

(It's kinda bad since I drew this on my phone with my fingers on the notes app in a car and it was wonky)

[honeii-puff]

I'll hang on 'till the chaos is through

In which Corvus, by order of King Ezran, starts to track the rouge group. Due to TDP s7 coming out today, we're releasing this chapter early! Co-written and edited by the wonderful wonderful @sorinethemastermind. I write the Corvus POVs, they write the Soren POVs Also on Ao3 and it has a playlist!

Corvus was just as good at covering his tracks as he was leaving them in the first place. That came in handy when making sure that only Rayla, Callum, Runaan, and Soren’s tracks were the only visible ones outside the window to the room Runaan had been in at the Banther Lodge.

“And you’re sure you didn’t see anything?” Opeli asked, staring at him, her eyes narrowed.

He nodded. “Soren and I finished our shift, and I told him to go to bed. I mean, I didn’t expect him to listen, but I also didn’t expect him to go and stage a breakout.”

She blew out a breath, pinching the bridge of her nose. “We need an emergency council meeting.”

“I disagree.” King Ezran said, causing the both of them to turn and look at him.

“What?” Opeli raised her eyebrows.

“An emergency council meeting will only make people panic. We need to get them back as soon as possible.” He said, before looking at Corvus. “I need you to track them.”

Corvus looked back at the tracks that led from the ground under the window to the tree line, then back at King Ezran. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” His voice was firm– too firm to only belong to a 12-year-old. “My brother doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

That, Corvus agreed with him on. He knew that they didn’t know what they were doing, but he trusted them.

Probably more than he should.

He just hoped that they stayed safe.

That Soren stayed safe.

He knew about Soren’s self-sacrificial tendencies, and really hoped that he didn’t do anything stupid for the sake of protecting Rayla and Callum.

“I’ll pack my things.” He said to King Ezran.

“Thank you, Corvus.”

——————————————————————

Corvus ducked into Soren’s empty tent, glancing around. He had expected to find nothing, expected Soren to have at the very least grabbed his things, but he was wrong. 

In the corner of the tent was a small satchel that he recognized as Soren’s.

You have got to be kidding me…

He snatched up the bag, tucking it into his own before ducking back out of the tent and walking to one of the horses.

He recognized this horse from the stables– a dark brown horse with a black mane. His name was Buckeye, he recalled as he stroked the stallion’s mane.

Considering that Soren, Callum, Rayla, and Runaan had at least half of a day on him, the horse would help him to catch up.

In theory.

In reality, he didn’t bet on it. He was just glad to be able to ride a horse on solid ground again instead of another flying animal for once.

Without a second thought, he was off, weaving through the trees with Buckeye, carefully keeping an eye on the matted grass and footprints.

They seemed… heavier than normal footprints. Due to the observation of the prints prior, both of the elves walked lightly, leaving only a small indent on the ground behind them. Callum and Soren didn’t walk this heavy, either.

Were they making it easier for him to track them through the woods?

There’s no way.

If they were, then that was a very risky plan, all built on the hunch that he would be the one they sent after them.

He was the only tracker, though…

Probably less of a hunch than he originally thought.

Smart.

Buckeye knickered as they continued walking, weaving through the trees alongside the trail. The sun was high in the sky, but very little sunlight filtered through the branches of the trees, the foliage blocking out most of the light.

This was only the beginning.

[winterstorm032802]

Okay. I. Think. My. Mind. Is. Clearer.

I think I'm okay now with the whole trailer. I don't feel like throwing up. I'm just a tiny bit lightheaded, but very little. Okay.

The trailer.

Amazing.

There's a song for the first time in a trailer. Yes, I've been looping the song.

Callum is falling, why? Probably to gain a connection with the Stars as the Celestial Elves have (are they called Celestial? I forgot.) Karim looks stupid. I hate this dude. But he does make for a good plot.

There's loads of explosions, and Ezran is on the field. The question is what he's fighting with cause he doesn't have a weapon. I'd theorize that he tried peacefully talking to Karim and the others but failed (cause Karim sucks), and then the fight begins.

Rayla and Callum make it to the Starscraper (obviously). That horrifying Elf does look like Runaan, so it's probably the same nightmare thing that Callum is also going through cause he was in Finnegrin's cabin with Aaravos. They might both be having nightmare, have to get past what clouds your mind to enter the Starscraper type thing.

Aaravos is crying, it kinda hurts cause he's just lonely. That's the most I can tell with how he feels (he's good at keeping his cards close to his chest). The dark mark over his Star sign is gone, meaning he was stabbed, but not in that flashback of sorts.

Soren is bloody. I have no idea why. He seemed to be separated from Corvus for him to look so beaten then to hitch a ride on Pyrrah (yay, she's here).

I know there's plenty more that I haven't spoken of (missed maybe), but I've cleared my head enough to have got these thoughts out.

Also...

Someone, please catch Callum. PLEASE!

[inked-pigeon-feet]

s7 ep9 - nova

oh jesus

oh new intro! hi kosmo

THE POEM CONTINUES! Had a feeling there was more than what they were telling

love the tooth texture of the nova blade that's awesome

ez it may be a little late but you could save your brother

Anya makes a good point

"there is one thing you never, ever put in a trap. Me." - 11 doctor from DW, I just thought it fit with everything that Ezran is saying

the little kings :( they're growing up so fast

is zym gonna use storm winds to get there???

NVM THAT WAS A SONIC RAINBOOM

OH NO YOUR BABY BROTHER IS NOW IN DANGER

oh great thanks claudia 🙄

RAYLA!! RAYLA :((((

sorry zubeia but that clearly is not working you're just going to have to kill him

WELL NEVERMIND

sparklepuff jumpscare

oh is aaravos gonna get an infected archdragon bite??? oooh that is juicy

white streak callum canon!!

he didn't do dark magic completely so is he without his arcanum magic??

oooh :( that's actually fucking sad this is the purest moment between claudia & aaravos

he really did love her like a daughter

stella!!! mvp!!!

no not the storm spire. at least we get sorvus!

ooo bloody aaravos, love it

they're gonna give him to the black hole how cruel

CAN YOU FEEL THE LIIIIIIIGHHHT! INSIDE! CAN YOU FEEL THAT FIRE!!

claudia it is time for another breakdown I fear

oh they're killing aaravos PERMANENTLY

they did, not by burning him but by infected dark magic bite

noo zym :( zubeia you were a great mother

that is such a sad shot I cannot

timeskip!

memorials! domina was

corvus' cello solo

yep, when push comes to shove

they really did sacrifice themselves for a future they will never see

RECONCILIATION WITH THE BROTHERS

yeah that's sibling anger for you, especially when you're little

ZYM!!

he's got his voice!!

yay ezran's iconic "what?!" face

ooh now it's callum opening the star map

SORPELI SCRAPS

is the border gonna be a thing of the past?! PLEASE TELL ME THAT IT IS

teenage phoe-phoe!! and lujanne is okay!!

i love optimistic ezran

SHE HAD TWINS!! MIYANA HAD TWINS!!

democracy???? wow we really are changing

Evrkynd = every kind, oh you're a genius terry!!

still having the uneven towers I see

good point where is claudia???

well you see it's not good

okay finally addressing the runaan situation

oh ethari are you okay hearing all of this???

OH RUNAAN :(

this is so hard for ezran but he's making the right decision, even if it sucks now

AAWWWWWWWW

HARROW IS IN PIP CONFIRMED?! AFTER ALL THESE YEARS IT'S BEEN TRUE??

"Rumors?" omg guys they added the fandom into this show!

dragon sized tea!

RAYLA IN HER JAMMIES AND CALLUM STILL AN INSOMNIAC

oooo something romantic???

THIS IS THE BOAT RIDE

SHE'S GOT HIS SCARF AROUND HER NECK YES YES YES YES YES

oh that is adorable

HE JUST WANTS TO MAKE YOU SMILE

YES RAYLLUM KISS

LEOLA'S STAR?!

THAT IS SUCH A BITTERSWEET WAY TO END THE EPISODE OH GOD THAT MADE ME CRY A LITTLE

even if this is the end of this show this was possibly the best way to end it, with love

I am loved Leola, I am loved

[fandomsandflyingstingrays]

Oh also top 5 Dragon Prince episodes!

Oh thank you so much for asking, I could talk about each of these episodes forever!

I know the early episodes aren't the most popular, but Echoes of Thunder remains my all-time favorite. I just love the vibe of it and the way it sets up the characters: Rayla sparing Marcos and having to save face with Runaan, how clearly Callum and Ezra love each other and Harrow, and even Callum and Soren. When Soren realized Callum was trying to impress Claudia with his swordsmanship, I was so ready for him to be a jerk about it, but instead he was like "don't worry, I'll help" and I immediately knew the show had hooked me

Speaking of fantastic early episodes, Moonrise is another one of my favorites because it lays out the stakes so well. That battle between Rayla and Runaan? Finale-worthy stuff and it was the third episode of the series. Callum calling Harrow "dad"? Still makes my chest hurt. Plus I love how ride-or-die Rayla becomes for the boys like fifteen minutes after trying to kill them

There wasn't a single sentence of Harrow's letter in Heart of a Titan that didn't blow me away. I also really love how everything came together in the end, with Harrow telling Callum about Sarai's death the same way Callum tried to tell Ezran about Harrow's and Aanya's absolutely iconic speech. Also the key of Aaravos reveal. It was so much in such a short time

Breathe is an absolute masterpiece and I will not be taking notes. Rayla almost confessing to Callum, the music that played when Callum figured out the sky arcanum, the exposition on Claudia's and Soren's mom, the way the two of their arcs developed and how that contrasted with Callum's and Ezran's development... life-changing stuff. I also really love Sarai's speech to Callum in his dream. I still say it to myself sometimes when I'm especially anxious

Finnegrin's Wake, obviously. It's such a good episode for everyone involved. The rayllum is top-tier, of course, but I also love how it showcased the strength of the friendship between the (extended) dragaang, and it had some standout individual character moments like Soren helping Deadwood and Callum's epic speech about the ocean arcanum

[cosmicpoutine]

Was thinking about your Ruthari biker au and went, “what if they go sleigh riding… but it doesn’t end up with Runaan riding a sleigh. 😏”

i aint ever seen snow in my life but i do assume this is what happens when you go sleigh riding

[zuppizup]

Possession

He tries to scream, to cry out, but it’s like he’s nothing. No-one. Just a passive wanderer in his own body.

Rayla grunts in pain as she is thrown into another tree.

Thrown by him.

It’s a whole new sort of terror, this disembodied helplessness. He doesn’t have eyes to cry or teeth to grit… no hands to ball in anger.

All he is is a ghost. A passenger along for the ride as Aaravos does with his body as he sees fit.

Aaravos laughs at him too. Callum can feel the Startouch’s amusement at his predicament. He can feel his delight as Callum’s body hurt’s Rayla over and over and over and over…

At least Soren got Ezran away. The wide-eyed horror as this body advanced on him is something Callum thinks he will never forget.

But his brother is safe from him.

For now.

Rayla assured that, at the cost of her own safety. Her own life.

So very Rayla.

He already knows Aaravos’ intentions. The connection flows back and forth more this time.

He knows Aaravos plans on toying with her for a while. Drawing it out as long as possible and then killing her slowly, painfully. While Callum can do nothing but watch. Sit passively by as she is rent asunder by his own hands.

Part of him thinks she knows how futile this struggle is. How hopeless.

She’s still pulling her punches though, still trying to incapacitate them.

Holding back is only hurting her more and all he wants to do is beg her to at the very least run.

Give up on him and save herself.

She doesn’t though, she continues to have faith in him. Getting up every time she’s knocked down. Trying to reach him, pull him free. “I know you’re still in there, Callum!” She spits blood onto the forest floor, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, her eyes fixed on his. “I know you’re stronger than him!”

How he wishes he could tell her he hears every word, he’s just to weak to resist the control.

He can see she’s faltering now, weak and injured. She has little left to give.

Aaravos knows it too, and Callum’s heart constricts when he realises Aaravos knows if he doesn’t finish her soon, she’ll loose consciousness.

Or worse.

And he wants very much to play with her.

Rayla rushes them, the remaining half of Runaan’s bow blade in her left arm. Not her good arm, but that hangs useless by her side.

She raises the knife, preparing to strike but even Callum can see her resolve crumble. Before she reaches them, she sobs, stumbling and dropping to her knees.

The blade skids across the forest floor, stopping when Aaravos lazily lifts Callum’s foot to intercept it.

Callum tries to scream, to cry out, push back… anything.

He already knows what Aaravos has planned, the images of Rayla’s ruined body flashing through their joined minds.

They bend down and pick up the knife, casually strolling over to where Rayla kneels panting on the rough ground. Grabbing her by the horn, they roughly pull her head back, chuckling at her tears.

“Any final words?” Aaravos snickers as he teases the blade along her neck. “He can hear you, you know? One last declaration of love? A plea for your life?”

Rayla swallows, looking defiantly into his eyes. “It’s not your fault, Callum.” She whispers, a tear rolling down her cheek as she smiles sadly. “Don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault…”

Aaravos laughs, pushing the blade lower, pressing it against Rayla’s stomach. “We’ll see if you still think that once this is all over.”

He pulls back, preparing to gut her, the slow beginning of this torturous end…

Rayla closes her eyes, breathing out slowly. She looks resigned.

This cannot be happening. He can’t, he can’t, he can’t do this to Rayla. He can’t bare it. It’s too much.

Aaravos chuckles as he prepares to rip the knife through flesh and then there’s a blinding pain, burning like fire through his ribs.

They both gasp, falling on hands and knees as the breath is knocked from them.

“Idiot boy.” Aaravos sneers as he retreats into darkness, leaving Callum alone in his own mind.

“Callum!” Rayla crawls forward, arms reaching for him. “Oh Sources, Callum, what did you do?!”

“It doesn’t matter.” He coughs, only a little surprised to see the splatter of blood on the ground. He pays it no mind as he turns to look at Rayla, smiling softly. “He’s gone. You’re safe now.”

[hoothalcyon]

Wait a min is there new news?!?! How do u know other than like everything we know from before?!! Was Jonathan confirmed for the cast or something??

Aww nonnie, your enthusiasm is so relatable

Runaan's return to the narrative is pretty heavily foreshadowed, even my cynical self can't deny it. There's no way he's not in season 6.

The foreshadowing in s5, specifically the continuous emphasis that was placed on Runaan as opposed to Lain and Tiadrin/them as a whole

Aaron calling Runaan's story a "long burn" way back in 2019 or so and "there's a story with [Runaan] that we want to tell"

The writers answering my question about an out of context Ruthari spoiler (the answer was about Ethari, but they're a package deal lmao). They wouldn't have answered if either elf wasn't going to be in s6

Etc etc. Buckle up!! We're in for a fun ride! :)

[raayllum]

How Terry and Claudia Compare / Contrast Rayllum in S4

So Terry/Claudia and Rayla/Callum parallel each other as couples. Let’s talk about it.

Intro

The first is their set up, after all:

Rayla and Claudia have been foils ever since the first season. Both failing their fathers in 1x03, with Claudia letting the egg slip through her fingers and Rayla taking a hard stance against Runaan. Them being pushed into their fathers’ death seeking paths of dark mage and assassin, and being pushed further into those roles in S4, somewhat or downright reluctantly. Wandering Xadia for two years on a quest regarding Viren — one to save him, one to kill him. 

Then you have Terry and Callum’s parallels. Both are concerned with their names in 4x01, agency in 4x07, and feelings, well, throughout. In some ways their differences are more pronounced in S4 because of what Callum has been through and their differing trauma; for Callum, he chose to shut down. For Terry, he decided that he would be “strong enough to do whatever [he] needs to do and still have feelings — to feel all the feelings” (4x07). But I’d wager if we put Arc 1 Callum next to S4 Terry, their goofier, sweeter natures would stand out even more — even with their “trees to meet you” notwithstanding. 

Not that this is how the parallels always go. Callum and Claudia are both mages and Aaravos’ pawns with Rayla and Terry along for the ride. Rayla and Terry also have parallels (“I think too much, get confused about the right thing to do” —1x08 / “Claudia says I think too much about everything, and that it makes me weird, and wonderful, so” —4x07). 

However, we’ll return more specifically to the Claudia-Rayla, Terry-Callum parallels later in regards to S5 speculation, so put a pin in that. For now, let’s just look at episode set up and contrast, beginning sparingly in 

4x01 — Partnership VS Isolation 

On Callum’s birthday, and Viren’s re-birthday, the final two scenes of the episode both feature couples, introducing where each currently are in ways the episode hadn’t previously prioritized establishing. 

In Claudia’s final scene in 4x01, we meet Terry and learn that they began dating during the timeskip. In Callum’s final scene in 4x01, we learn that Rayla’s been gone for at least a year if not longer, and that Callum’s worried sick / still madly in love with her. The contrast is immediate and apparent, amplified by Janai and Amaya’s engagement earlier on in the episode; two couples are happy together — hell, even Claudia is happy and with an elf no less, but Callum’s previously rock solid partnership has broken apart. He’s alone. [If you’re interested in a more thorough breakdown of this aspect and indeed 4x01 in general, please check out this meta regarding 4x01 and this one about 4x02.]

Where one couple came together during the timeskip, another fell apart, both featuring a human mage with abandonment issues and an elf with too good a heart and one too many thoughts (but again, more on that later).

We of course have the parallels already demonstrated above of Callum and Terry meeting their girlfriend’s father, respectively. Terry, by virtue of having a season sharing screentime with Viren, gets to develop a much more fleshed out relationship with him than Callum does with Ethari. What’s interesting, however, is that Terry is concerned (somewhat) with Viren’s approval, and he doesn’t comment often on Claudia and Viren’s actual dynamic, even if he does nudge at it:

This is a direct contrast to Callum, who does vehemently challenge the assigned role and treatment Rayla receives upon her homecoming and reunion with Ethari:

Claudia has also suffered greatly to bring her father back to the dead, Terry seemingly witnessing most of that, a tantamount of trauma being the reason Terry probably does step back and let her steer the ship (even more so than Viren does in S4, but getting off topic again). I think it speaks to Rayllum vs Clauderry’s roots - one was formed on the basis of a shared goal (returning Zym) vs supporting a singular goal primarily driven by one of them (resurrecting Claudia’s father), and then tag teaming their way through. 

However, Ethari does take to Callum quickly when all is said and done, however brief, whereas the first time Viren seems to really consider Terry is in 4x04, but we’ll get there when we get there. For now, let’s talk about the episode that probably has some of the biggest and most overt parallels between these two couples in the season, which is

4x03 - Mornings and Murder

We cut from Rayllum at nighttime, despondent and salvaging something of a reunion that didn’t go the way either of them actually want, to Claudia and Terry, flirting and talking happily even and bathed in the rising sunlight even if they’re about to attempt something dangerous. 

Then we get an exchange from Claudia and Terry that should feel eerily familiar, in both dialogue and in action:

Rayla: Just one more thing. I go into the portal alone. Callum: Rayla—

Rayla: No. You said it was dangerous. I’m not going to risk both of us. Callum: Fine. But the second it seems like you’re in danger, I’m jumping in after you. 

Terry: But since you’re going in alone, you need to promise me you’ll signal if you need help. 

A bag is handed over, a deal is made, and we see Rayla and Claudia offer more of their independent streaks (“It’s down to me, isn’t it? Of course it is” —Rayla, 1x05 / “It’s up to me again, she thought. It’s always up to me” —Claudia, Lost Child short story) in the face of boyfriends who would really prefer they don’t risk themselves like this. Now for Terry, this does make more sense — his plant powers are useful when he has the element of surprise, but he doesn’t seem like a particularly combative elf or that he has much of a background in fighting — whereas Callum is perfectly capable of both of those things as a mage. However, Terry is still the one to bail Claudia out, much like how Callum ends up saving Rayla and helping them both escape in Through the Moon, and we see Rayla’s duality — Callum is allowed to risk his life for the things he believes in, and she’ll even encourage and offer to fight by his side, when those things aren’t her.

Rayllum do get a sweet morning scene in 4x03, though, with Terry tending to Claudia’s hair, and Rayla taking care of well, her prince’s less than dignified drool, but the softness remains largely the same (even if, like Claudia, she departs at the end of the scene).

The bulk and perhaps most immediate parallel, though, is how much Rayla and Callum are tied to Claudia and Terry through Ezran’s speech. While it is about many things and a reiteration of the show’s overall themes of breaking the cycle of violence and vengeance, it is also applying more literally to both Claudia’s ongoing fight with Ibis in the first half of his speech, and Callum’s feelings about Rayla throughout the season in the second half of his speech.

Ezran: It hurts! I feel pain about this and I am angry! We all want peace and we all want love. But violence tests us. In a twisted way, it converts us to its cause. Because pain and loss feel so terrible inside, you want to hate. You want to hurt someone else. So what do we do? How can we stop this cycle? Violence, loss, pain. Violence, loss, pain. More violence. Stop! Stop. I just want to yell stop. But that’s not enough. It won’t work. 

Ezran: But… It’s not that easy or simple. Because people are still hurting and they are still angry. We can’t ignore that, or pretend it will go away. Somehow, we have to hold it all in our hearts at the same time. We have to acknowledge the weight of the pain and loss, but open up our eyes and allow ourselves to hope and maybe forgive and love again.

Callum: You’re right, though. It feels silly with everything that’s going on, but... I don’t know how to feel about Rayla either.  Ezran: She’s been trying hard to get things back like they were. Callum: But things aren’t like they were. And she messed them up! And when she came back, I was so happy but so mad at the same time. I wish I could just forgive her, but it—it—it’s so hard. 

The most worrisome thing, however, even if we don’t know which side of Rayllum (or possibly both) it may parallel in the future is what Terry infamously does for Claudia. 

Now, there’s the obvious takeaways here: the parallels between this scene and Soren stabbing Viren in 3x09; the fact that Claudia’s path will continue to perpetuate the cycle and hurt the people she loves by proxy; the way the Dragon Prince rarely portrays murder in a less than devastating note; to further Terry’s character and his unique role to play; to offer up parallels to Viren that are explored next episode and even Callum later on in the season; and last but not least to harken back to Runaan’s words that Claudia definitely hasn’t lived by—“Life is valuable. Life is precious. We take it, but we do not take it lightly.” 

But Ibis’ murder and Terry’s subsequent breakdown over taking a life does raise certain questions about Callum and Rayla going forward in two key ways, respectively. Rayla’s is the most straight forward so I’ll start there.

One of the ways that Terry and Rayla are most bound, currently, is their relationship to killing. For the first three seasons, Rayla is primarily an assassin who has never taken a life, something that is a source of shame, transformation, and occasional pride for her (although not often). It is in fact her level of doubt / belief in her own inevitability of failure that pressures into her concluding that Viren is secretly, somehow alive, propelling her to leave in Through the Moon. Then 4x03 gives us Terry, a similarly good hearted elf, who flat out breaks down sobbing after taking an innocent life - and admittedly one that was about to take Claudia’s. Then you have Callum later on in the season, for a variety of complicated reasons and muddled emotionally processing on all ends, asking Rayla to do the same thing. To take his life before he can hurt someone else - the people he cares about, as the camera pans right to showing her in the shot. Ouch. 

It’s pretty clear that Rayla will not successfully and/or permanently murder Callum, if she’s even willing to attempt it at all, even in self defense. However, through Terry, the show explores the heaviness of doing something terrible largely against your will, under the burden of desperation or threat of coercion, something that both Callum and Rayla are going to have to wrestle with. For Callum, he’s already grappling with it (“I’m afraid he’ll force me to do awful things”), and for Rayla, she’ll be forced to wrestle with it at the same time as him if Aaravos does take him over again. 

This is also where Callum’s parallels to Terry gets particularly interesting as well. The Dragon Prince repeatedly frames murder in the face of self defense (specifically in defense of someone else) as something that removes agency: 

This is exactly what Callum is worried about - having no choice because of Aaravos’ ability to possess him - even if there could be other forms of coercion and manipulation at play. Viren did plenty of terrible things to protect his family and says as much outright in 4x04; Soren did something awful to protect Ezran in 3x09; and Viren was prepared to do something awful but “necessary” in murdering a baby, even if he didn’t go through with it, pulled in by the allure of power. 

Which is to say: Rayla’s test of love will probably be refusing to kill Callum, and working to save him from possession. Thus, that begs the question of what Callum’s test will be, specifically: What will he do to protect his loved ones, perhaps Rayla in particular?

Only time can tell, but I think S5 is setting up to see the lengths Callum and Terry will be willing to go to, and what their respective girlfriends are willing, or not willing, to ask of them, in order to save their girlfriends’ parents, and/or to free/stop Aaravos in the first place. 

But that’s all speculative. For now I want to talk about one of the smaller but still sweet parallels in the season, as well as one of the more interesting tradeoffs. 

4x04 - Watching Your Lover Sleep / The Middle of the Night

There are four scenes this season where Character A watches Character B, with whom they have/had a romantic entanglement, sleep, which isn’t a ton but is still funny that it happened four times. I’ve already talked about one of them in 4x03 with Rayla watching Callum sleep. 4x04 boasts the second one (and the only one that doesn’t involve Callum at all) with Terry watching Claudia sleep, and is also one of my favourite scenes for their dynamic.

Then Callum and Rayla have another one, in 4x06 (which is also one of my favourite pining Rayla looks, ever). 

Last but not least we have Claudia also overlooking a sleeping Callum in 4x09, but with a decidedly different reaction compared to the previous three scenes.

Then of course, you have the parallels in 4x04 of Terry and Rayla both sobbing in the middle of the night, accidentally waking Viren and Callum respectively. Again, their similarities and differences between all four are highlighted in a quite clear contrast. Terry is apologetic but opens up without hesitation, while Viren mostly silently listens, sympathizes somewhat, and then offers his “Get a grip” and goes back to sleep. Meanwhile upon being caught, Rayla attempts to shut Callum out four times (“Get away from me” + pushing him away, running away, pushing him away again + “Please leave me alone, I don’t want you to see me like this,” and walking away when he attempts to put a hand on her shoulder). Callum, however, persists, and says all the right things, leading to a much better resolution, even if the weight of Rayla’s failure and exile hasn’t entirely left her.

Now for the last episode specific focus, which is:

4x09 - Hand over Heart 

The season finale brings both couples, somewhat, to a crossroads of sorts. Rayla, for her part, sees Viren again, and has her own two cakes moment: can she chase what she feels she has to do, her self-proclaimed duty, without risking the loss of Callum - whether as a person to death, or as a partner? And Callum, for a variety of complex reasons, says “Yes,” she can. 

Rayla’s drive causes her to clash directly with Claudia, as she takes Terry hostage and Claudia turns the tables on her, flaunting the coins. But where Callum gives a complicated ‘approval’ and show of unconditional love, Terry rightfully pulls Claudia back to herself through his disapproval. 

T: But what you just did, the way you tricked that Moonshadow elf? It was just... cruel. 

On a surface level, we can read Callum’s “I know” as him finally believing in Rayla’s reason (even if I don’t think that’s quite right), but I do think it’s interesting, then, that Claudia giving back the coins is what allowed each girl to ‘come back’ in a way. For Rayla, it was a literal return (as who knows if she would’ve left the cave, or not gone after the mage fam further, without the need/desire to protect the coins) and for Claudia, an emotional/metaphorical one. 

With some final, heartbreaking 4x09 specific parallels to boot:

Honourary Mentions

Other fun parallels that didn’t fit an episode focus:

Callum and Terry’s first scenes in episode 4x01, in some ways largely opening and closing their respective plot lines (A plot in Katolis, B plot in the cave) are focused on their names. Callum stumbles through his different titles while Terry emphasizes his own name, amid trying to figure out which title, if any, he should use for Viren.

This is then impressed upon further with the emphasis on agency in 4x07.

The fact that Terry and Callum are both recipients of canonical panic attacks.

Worry over their girls not being back yet, although for Terry it is of course a much, much briefer separation. (Terry, interestingly enough, also waltzes in and saves Claudia from Soren’s impromptu ‘kidnapping’ / restraining, for lack of a better word.)

Last but not least, I want to talk a little bit more about the Rayla-Claudia parallels this season. It’s a little tricky, as most of their big parallels have to do more with Viren-Callum and Claudia-Rayla, respectively, with the bulk of the Clauderry-Rayllum ones listed up above. However, there are still some worth mentioning.

Rayla and Claudia are both defined by the parents who chose to leave (and to not come back, for forever if not years). They are both acting more and more like their fathers (Rayla with Runaan, and Claudia with Viren) as they also work to one day free/save them in S5. Rayla is far more jaded than she used to be, and Claudia is likewise increasingly unstable, even if both girl fronts decently well at being ‘fine’ most of the time. I am deeply curious to see where they will go as individuals and where their relationships with Terry and Callum will go, as well - whether each one will get better, worse, or something in between. Luckily, just a little over one more month to find out!

In Conclusion

Rayla and Callum have always been the pairing in the show the most prone to having parallels with the show’s other main couples. From a kiss-embrace-forehead touch like the Queens of Duren, holding hands while vowing to protect Azymondias like Lain and Tiadrin, sadly watching your loved one disappear onto the horizon to save someone like Harrow and Sarai, or a bittersweet goodbye kiss initiated by an elf who’s too self sacrificial for their own good like Runaan and Ethari, it seems Rayllum’s parallels to Claudia/Terry are no exception.

It makes me wonder if beyond S5, and if Claudia and Terry to have a physical-ideological split, if Callum and Rayla will also factor into what helps Claudia and Terry repair their dynamic. Forgiveness and being able to move forward, together, are tenets that Callum and Rayla still very much have to learn  - but maybe they could pass it onto someone else, someday, too. 

[ask-ethari-anything]

Philosophical question here: Would you love Runaan if he were a worm? What if he was a really sad worm?

Do you mean if I met him when he was a worm? Or if he... somehow turned into a worm after I loved him? Which could happen, probably. I've heard of weirder things. And weirder relationships.

But of course, if my husband turned into a worm I would do everything I could to keep him safe and happy. I'd build him the best terrarium and make sure he had all the leaves he wanted to munch, and I'd let him ride around on my ear so he could still feel tall, and I'd tell him about my day same as I already do.

And I'd be studying nonstop on how to get him back into an elf shape. Let's be honest.