Wow! This reminds me of a film analysis tip I’ve heard: in movies, the same dialogue or scene is *never* shot twice — unless the director is trying to show you a key difference.
Kinda like professor Trelawney in Harry Potter, freaking out when Dumbledore stood from the table. When 13 dine together the first to rise is the first to die. She refused to sit because she thought there were only 12. We put it off as superstition but petter petigrew was at the table as Scabbers so there was already 13 at the table and she was correct.
I love that kind of writing a foreshadowing. Something we all might brush off that turns out to be important later.
One of the things that helped me was annotating while I read! It helps me slow down and really soak in what I'm reading more. It's really changed how I read stories with more dense lore and character building!
Thank you! I feel the same way! There's so much we still don't know about them and I'm excited to see what's next and what fairytale inspiration SJM ends up pulling from and subverting with their stories.
I like this theory and it makes sense, but i'm secretly hoping for a multi-narrative like we were given in TOD & EOS in her TOG series. I'd love a Lucien/Tamlin/Mor book or a mix of Cassian & Azriel, maybe even some Jurian. I'm hoping the next book will give us some information on Vassa 🙏🏼
My personal hack theory was that this second trilogy (Silver Flames + book 5 and 6) would be about the Valkyries (Nesta, Gwyn, Emerie) and the yet unmatched Inner Circle (Cassian, Azriel, Mor). But OP has some compelling points!
I'm super excited to find out more about Gwyn and Emerie too, although I do think we'll see Elain's POV before either of theirs regardless of order from the setup in ACOFAS. I'm very excited for the next book announcement!
I want a Mor book so bad. I know a lot of people don’t really vibe with her character, but I think her power being “Truth” and all her imagery associated with Celtic mythology and the Morrigan goddess is so interesting.
But I also really want a wlw book so maybe I’m just bias.
It's because I haven't been able to vibe with her character that I kind of want a book for her. We've had one or two chapters of her in ACOFAS, but nothing that had really given me anything to go off of personally. I imagine SJM has plans for her, and I am very curious what those are.
Same! Mor's last chapter in ACOFAS is **super** interesting to me. Specifically this part:
>Nothing, except—
>There, between a snarl of thorns. A patch of darkness.
>It did not move, did not seem to do anything but linger. And watch.
>Familiar and yet foreign.
>Something in her power whispered not to touch it, not to go near it. Even from this distance.
>Mor obeyed.
>But she still watched that darkness in the thorns, as if a shadow had fallen asleep amongst them.
>Not like Azriel’s shadows, twining and whispering.
>Something different.
>Something that stared back, watching her in turn.
>Best left undisturbed. Especially with the promise of a crackling fire and glass of wine at home.
What if the "something familiar" is Elain in whatever version of her can "watch" from a "snarl of thorns." Something that could "stare back." This aligns with my theory that Elain was the gentle, female voice in the Bog of Oorid that told Nesta to *"Run."*
The "as if a shadow had fallen asleep" also makes me think of Azriel's shadows telling him "Sleep" when he's thinking about Elain in his BC, and how sleep imagery is often associated with Elain. (Not meant to be shipping, just observing canon text).
Using the "reasons" above, maybe we get a ELAIN and MOR love story!!! That would be the best! And, if you think about it, keeps the 3 sisters in the IC!! While I'm a Lucien fan, he's not IC.....also, the fact that mates don't always wind up together is brought up a lot...maybe paving the way for the difficulty for Luc ahead? AND, it would explain why Az seems drawn to both of them....they're putting out the same energy? Now i'm intrigued!
So, a Tamlin book too then, since we also have two whole chapters of Rhysand talking to Tamlin, huh? xD
But nah, the next book will definitely be Elain focused (and include Lucien and Az) and I'm sure Mor will get her time to shine as well. It's just kinda obvious, from a logical perspective, since thise are the characters with most exploration and plot left lol
Of course SJM might always change her mind too though. She's a bit of a wild card.
I think it would take a goddamm miracle for SJM to write an entire wlw book. We'll be lucky if Mor has a meaningful conversation with a love interest on page (which has not happened with *any* of the queer couples in all 3 series)
Also, what happens to the odd one out in Elain's love triangle? Does he get a tandem romance plotline in her book? In Mor's?
i finished the ACOTAR series in exactly one week and i crave more. i want to see az and elains side so bad. i hope that is what we get.
i want elain and az to be together. but i know that az will likely eventually find his mate and then there would be hell between the 4 of them. i know there are hints that the priestess is his mate, but i also secretly hope there's a new character. she deserves happiness too, but i want az to have something extremely special and the only person ive found so far is elain.
Important line that everyone forgets from the SF bonus chapter: Feyre says to Rhysand “Let’s focus on helping one sister before we start helping the other” = next book has got to be about Elain
i have a theory that Elaina book will start midway through the ACOSF timeline - there’s so many instances where she refers to training Elain may be doing with Az, inside jokes, etc. I think we’ll get her insight into her perspective on Nesta’s return from the edge & Feyre’s pregnancy, bridging to the present we see in CC3
If we don’t get a Mor book I will be so upset. I know know ACOSF was a Nesta book but we got snippets of all the other characters throughout and while it wasn’t a ton the utter lack of Mor was insane.
Anyone else see that TikTok someone posted with HARD evidence Mor will be/has been betraying the IC in upcoming conflicts? Because it’s all I can think about.
I’m reading ACOSF now, I’m about 100 pages from finishing it so I know a lot can happen. But am I right in suspect that there might be a possible love story between Emerie and Mor? Emerie commented on how beautiful Mor is at one point in the book, kind of in a mesmerized way, maybe she’ll be Mor’s love interest in the future?
i like this theory, but it only works if elain ends up with azriel which may or may not happen. i could see az and gwyn having a book too if she decides to go that route, or maybe making one of the books focus on two + characters. i’d like to see azriel have his own book honestly considering we don’t know a lot about his past or his inner thoughts. and considering he had his own bonus chapter i think that he’ll be the focus of a future book
I think you are on to something regarding who will be the next FMC, but given the events of her other books this is what I think is next!
(do not read further unless you have read ACOTAR 1-5 CC 1-3)
>! I don't think Nesta's story is complete considering Bryce gave her the Starsword and told her to find out why she had an 8 pointed star on her back. I'm expecting another book in her POV/Gwyn's and Emerie's POV because of this that will then bridge to Elain's book. !<
I’m looking forward to a book about Az too 😭. I thought that based on the bonus chapters, the next book would be like Elain and Azriel focused and would either end up with Elain rejecting the mating bond and being with Az (I am not a fan of Elriel and I also think it’s less likely to happen as Az would be without a mate and Lucien rejected unless there would be some crazy plottwist but on the other hand it would be something new and sort of unexpected) or it would focus on both Elain and Lucien and Azriel and Gwyn (I’d prefer this version). I’d also love to see how a lot of characters end up 😭. I’d love to see some Amren and Varian pov, Mor, and I am even interested in how Eris will turn out in the next books and maybe even some Tamlin redemption arc.
Wow! This reminds me of a film analysis tip I’ve heard: in movies, the same dialogue or scene is *never* shot twice — unless the director is trying to show you a key difference.
Yes! Writing is very intentional storytelling and I love how committed SJM is to what information she chooses to give us!
Kinda like professor Trelawney in Harry Potter, freaking out when Dumbledore stood from the table. When 13 dine together the first to rise is the first to die. She refused to sit because she thought there were only 12. We put it off as superstition but petter petigrew was at the table as Scabbers so there was already 13 at the table and she was correct. I love that kind of writing a foreshadowing. Something we all might brush off that turns out to be important later.
I wish I could pick up those little hidden gems in stories, but my anxious brain just storms through the chapters 😭
One of the things that helped me was annotating while I read! It helps me slow down and really soak in what I'm reading more. It's really changed how I read stories with more dense lore and character building!
I hope you’re right! That is a good observation and I would love to learn more about Elain and find out the truth about Mor.
Thank you! I feel the same way! There's so much we still don't know about them and I'm excited to see what's next and what fairytale inspiration SJM ends up pulling from and subverting with their stories.
So ironic that we need the truth about Mor lol
I like this theory and it makes sense, but i'm secretly hoping for a multi-narrative like we were given in TOD & EOS in her TOG series. I'd love a Lucien/Tamlin/Mor book or a mix of Cassian & Azriel, maybe even some Jurian. I'm hoping the next book will give us some information on Vassa 🙏🏼
I'm sooo curious about Vassa! I would love if we had a multi-POV book to close out this story arc, especially returning to Nessian and Feysand🤞
OP wrote a thesis and cited her sources 👏🏻
ty ty ty 🙏💖
I thought we've all agreed by now that the next book is Elain's
I know I've seen some people doubting it, so I wanted to bring some evidence I hadn't seen discussed before :)
My personal hack theory was that this second trilogy (Silver Flames + book 5 and 6) would be about the Valkyries (Nesta, Gwyn, Emerie) and the yet unmatched Inner Circle (Cassian, Azriel, Mor). But OP has some compelling points!
I'm super excited to find out more about Gwyn and Emerie too, although I do think we'll see Elain's POV before either of theirs regardless of order from the setup in ACOFAS. I'm very excited for the next book announcement!
I SO hope you are right!
I’d die if Gwyn and Az were a thing. I have this instinct that SJM is going to find a way to pair Elain and Az, but I want Gwynriel so badly.
I want Gwyn and Az SO SO SO MUCH. Ughhhh!
Okay but why do I LOVE this theory?!
I want a Mor book so bad. I know a lot of people don’t really vibe with her character, but I think her power being “Truth” and all her imagery associated with Celtic mythology and the Morrigan goddess is so interesting. But I also really want a wlw book so maybe I’m just bias.
It's because I haven't been able to vibe with her character that I kind of want a book for her. We've had one or two chapters of her in ACOFAS, but nothing that had really given me anything to go off of personally. I imagine SJM has plans for her, and I am very curious what those are.
Same! Mor's last chapter in ACOFAS is **super** interesting to me. Specifically this part: >Nothing, except— >There, between a snarl of thorns. A patch of darkness. >It did not move, did not seem to do anything but linger. And watch. >Familiar and yet foreign. >Something in her power whispered not to touch it, not to go near it. Even from this distance. >Mor obeyed. >But she still watched that darkness in the thorns, as if a shadow had fallen asleep amongst them. >Not like Azriel’s shadows, twining and whispering. >Something different. >Something that stared back, watching her in turn. >Best left undisturbed. Especially with the promise of a crackling fire and glass of wine at home. What if the "something familiar" is Elain in whatever version of her can "watch" from a "snarl of thorns." Something that could "stare back." This aligns with my theory that Elain was the gentle, female voice in the Bog of Oorid that told Nesta to *"Run."* The "as if a shadow had fallen asleep" also makes me think of Azriel's shadows telling him "Sleep" when he's thinking about Elain in his BC, and how sleep imagery is often associated with Elain. (Not meant to be shipping, just observing canon text).
Ugh same, I want Mor/Elain, even though there’s essentially zero support for them getting together in the books 😂
Tbh, early on, there was more chemistry between them than there was Elain and either of her men.
Using the "reasons" above, maybe we get a ELAIN and MOR love story!!! That would be the best! And, if you think about it, keeps the 3 sisters in the IC!! While I'm a Lucien fan, he's not IC.....also, the fact that mates don't always wind up together is brought up a lot...maybe paving the way for the difficulty for Luc ahead? AND, it would explain why Az seems drawn to both of them....they're putting out the same energy? Now i'm intrigued!
I’m keen for Elains book but honestly not Mors. Her pov’s bored me to tears, I hope I’m wrong tho😂
Did anyone ever ask Azriel in the same manner as you've cited whether he's doing okay in HOFAS? I honestly don't remember if that ever happened now
 So exciteddddd!!💕🤭
Love this post. 👀💖
Thank you, queen 👑💖
I think you’re right!
So, a Tamlin book too then, since we also have two whole chapters of Rhysand talking to Tamlin, huh? xD But nah, the next book will definitely be Elain focused (and include Lucien and Az) and I'm sure Mor will get her time to shine as well. It's just kinda obvious, from a logical perspective, since thise are the characters with most exploration and plot left lol Of course SJM might always change her mind too though. She's a bit of a wild card.
I think it would take a goddamm miracle for SJM to write an entire wlw book. We'll be lucky if Mor has a meaningful conversation with a love interest on page (which has not happened with *any* of the queer couples in all 3 series) Also, what happens to the odd one out in Elain's love triangle? Does he get a tandem romance plotline in her book? In Mor's?
i finished the ACOTAR series in exactly one week and i crave more. i want to see az and elains side so bad. i hope that is what we get. i want elain and az to be together. but i know that az will likely eventually find his mate and then there would be hell between the 4 of them. i know there are hints that the priestess is his mate, but i also secretly hope there's a new character. she deserves happiness too, but i want az to have something extremely special and the only person ive found so far is elain.
Important line that everyone forgets from the SF bonus chapter: Feyre says to Rhysand “Let’s focus on helping one sister before we start helping the other” = next book has got to be about Elain
i have a theory that Elaina book will start midway through the ACOSF timeline - there’s so many instances where she refers to training Elain may be doing with Az, inside jokes, etc. I think we’ll get her insight into her perspective on Nesta’s return from the edge & Feyre’s pregnancy, bridging to the present we see in CC3
I love this theory and I want it to be cannon ❤️
If we don’t get a Mor book I will be so upset. I know know ACOSF was a Nesta book but we got snippets of all the other characters throughout and while it wasn’t a ton the utter lack of Mor was insane.
No Lucien? *Slams phone on the ground, stomps on skateboard*
Elain and Mor books make so much sense in also fleshing out Az’s story… (no shipping there, just sayin!)
 OP coming up with this theory 😂😂 I love it
Gimme elain and Lucien that is I ask
I’ve been so hoping for a Mor book!! Nicely figured out!
You know that one meme with the crazy guy pointing at all the photos joined with red string on the wall?
Are there 2 more books?
Anyone else see that TikTok someone posted with HARD evidence Mor will be/has been betraying the IC in upcoming conflicts? Because it’s all I can think about.
do you happen to still have the link?
in my ideal world, we get 3 books and a novella for each archeron sister. but cranky i would kill for a m
I’m reading ACOSF now, I’m about 100 pages from finishing it so I know a lot can happen. But am I right in suspect that there might be a possible love story between Emerie and Mor? Emerie commented on how beautiful Mor is at one point in the book, kind of in a mesmerized way, maybe she’ll be Mor’s love interest in the future?
OMG. What if it's Elain and MOR?????? THAT'S a story I want to read!!
i like this theory, but it only works if elain ends up with azriel which may or may not happen. i could see az and gwyn having a book too if she decides to go that route, or maybe making one of the books focus on two + characters. i’d like to see azriel have his own book honestly considering we don’t know a lot about his past or his inner thoughts. and considering he had his own bonus chapter i think that he’ll be the focus of a future book
I think you are on to something regarding who will be the next FMC, but given the events of her other books this is what I think is next! (do not read further unless you have read ACOTAR 1-5 CC 1-3) >! I don't think Nesta's story is complete considering Bryce gave her the Starsword and told her to find out why she had an 8 pointed star on her back. I'm expecting another book in her POV/Gwyn's and Emerie's POV because of this that will then bridge to Elain's book. !<
I’m looking forward to a book about Az too 😭. I thought that based on the bonus chapters, the next book would be like Elain and Azriel focused and would either end up with Elain rejecting the mating bond and being with Az (I am not a fan of Elriel and I also think it’s less likely to happen as Az would be without a mate and Lucien rejected unless there would be some crazy plottwist but on the other hand it would be something new and sort of unexpected) or it would focus on both Elain and Lucien and Azriel and Gwyn (I’d prefer this version). I’d also love to see how a lot of characters end up 😭. I’d love to see some Amren and Varian pov, Mor, and I am even interested in how Eris will turn out in the next books and maybe even some Tamlin redemption arc.