The following contains spoilers for Rebecca Yarros' Onyx Storm, book 3 in the Empyrean series.The world ofFourth Wingis rich with mythology, featuring a pantheon of six gods who wield significant influence over the lives of its inhabitants. From the war goddess Dunne to the death god Malek, these deities play a crucial role in shaping Navarran culture and individual destinies, part of the rich lore that will soon be dramatized in theFourth WingTV show.
While their presence has been mentioned in previous books,Onyx Stormbrings the gods firmly into the forefront,which is one of the things that makeOnyx Stormthe best book of the series so far. It explores their power, their demands, and their impact on the fate of the riders and the Known World in theEmpyreanseries.
Fourth Wing’s Religion Is Polytheistic
Part of the world-building established inFourth Wingis the polytheistic religion practiced in the Known World. The use of offerings and temples evoke images of old Pagan gods and enrich the fantasy setting. There are six gods confirmed intheEmpyreanseriesso far:
Dunne, Goddess of War
Dunne is, aside from Malek, the most-mentioned god in theEmpyreanseries, with her importance ramping up even further inOnyx Storm.It makes sense for Dunne to be a commonly worshiped goddess in Navarre, since Navarre is home to Basgiath War College.Dunne becomes prominent inOnyx Stormbecause, contrary to theFourth Wingtheory about Violet’s hair, the significance of silver relates to dedication to Dunne. As a child, Violet was in the process of being dedicated to Dunne, one of only two gods in theEmpyreanpantheon that require a lifetime of dedication.
Theophanie, the main villain ofOnyx Storm,was once a priestess of Dunne.
Violet’s dedication could not be completed because she has two potential paths, with the other path being another god who“curries her favor”. Theophanie, the main villain ofOnyx Storm,was once a priestess of Dunne. Theophanie’s name means a physical manifestation of a god. She even states,“Why serve a god when you can become one?”,reminiscent of Milton’s iconic line inParadise Lost.This implies becoming a god in pursuit of pure power could be what createdOnyx Storm’sveninoriginally.
Malek, God of Death
Malek is the other most-mentioned god in theEmpyreanseries. Malek is the god of death andfeatures heavily in Navarran life. Like Dunne, this makes sense, especially at Basgiath where names are called out on the death roll, emphasizing the brutality of life as a rider. There are also Navarran rituals specifically for Malek - the burning of the belongings of the deceased.
Violet repeatedly mentions that she has a few choice words for Malek about the people he has taken from her. Malek also connects Violet to Liam, who speculates that Malek sent him as a blessing to speak to her while she was being tortured inIron Flame.
Zihnal, God of Luck
Zihnal is the god of luck and has previously not been a big focus in theEmpyreanseries, although arguably is more significant in retrospect. Much like the beloved character Ridoc, Zihnal stepped up and played a larger role inOnyx Storm.The isle named Zehyllna worships Zihnal. The price for their alliance is a luck-based card game that gives“gifts”to each of the quest squad.
Some theorize thatRidoc has a connection to Zihnal. This is because he has many lucky moments in the series, following a very close shave inOnyx Stormthat made readers gasp. He also tells Violet that things only go wrong when they are separated, implying he is blessed by Zihnal and brings the influence of luck to the squad.
Amari, Queen of the Gods
Unlike the other deities in theEmpyreanseries, Amari does not appear to be the god of a concept, buta queen and leader of the pantheon. Violet mentions Amari many times inOnyx Storm,compared toFourth WingandIron Flame.
The old name for the Continent was Amaralys, named after Amari. Another significant detail about Amari is that inFourth Wing,Violet describes Rhiannon as resembling Amari and her name means“great queen”. This seems to be significant in relation to Rhiannon’s leadership role and a foreshadowing of her connection to the goddess.
Hedeon, God of Wisdom
Hedeon is the god of wisdom, and his corresponding isle is Hedotis. He plays a significant role inOnyx Stormas thequest squad travels to Hedotisseeking allies. This is one of the most exciting sections of the book and provokes the reader to question what true wisdom is.
Surprisingly, the Scribes do not pray to Hedeon for wisdom. This said, Major Rorilee’sGuide to Appeasing Godsconfirms that many preach loyalty to Hedeon above all other gods.
Loial, Goddess of Love
Finally, Loial brings the known gods in the pantheon to a total of six, a number which is significantly repeated throughout theEmpyreanseries, especiallyOnyx Storm.Loial is the goddess of love, andher isle has not yet been exploredby the quest squad.
InOnyx Storm,Violet confirms she does not often curry Loial’s favor:“Doubt Loial would meet me in… Can’t remember the last time I stepped foot in her temple.”She stopped worshiping her years ago, along with Hedeon. She remarks that love and wisdom has not shown up when she needed them. Loial is the only other god other than Dunne who requires a lifetime of dedication. This is perhaps because the concepts of love and war clash.
The Effect Of Rituals In Fourth Wing Is Questionable
Prior toOnyx Storm,the role of the gods in theEmpyreanseries has been a source of contention. For example, the only ritual referred to is theburning of belongings as a tributeto Malek. This is enforced by law in Navarre, which seems suspicious. Hidden histories play a major role in Violet’s discovery of the Known World throughout the series, so it is reasonable to question whether this act is truly a tribute to Malek.
However,Onyx Stormdoes bring the gods to the forefront of Yarros’ series. Going to temples to give offerings to the gods is more of a focus in the book, along with the importance of the gods on each of the isles and their importance to the history of the provinces.
The Gods Do Seem Real In Fourth Wing
The six gods seem to have a real impact on theEmpyreanseries by the time readers get toOnyx Storm.They are alsolikely to have connections to the Six Riderswho originally raised the wards, along with the six dens of dragons.
Both thesilver-haired venin inOnyx Stormand Violet have connections to Dunne. All dedicates to Dunne have silver hair. This is why the dedicates on Unnbriel, the Isle of Dunne, have silver hair, while priestesses in Navarre who are not dedicated to Dunne dye their hair to imitate the phenomenon. The extent of the gods' power is one of the10 biggest questionsOnyx Stormraised. Dunne certainly seems to be the god who will have the biggest impact on futureFourth Wingbooks, especially as a major plot point was defending her temple.
