Fourth Wing

The complexities of war and power evolve throughout Fourth Wing as Violet gains a new perspective of the effects of the Tyrrish rebellion and the war with Poromeil that contradict her traditional (and heavily censored) education. By highlighting the differences between story and reality, the author uses Violet’s journey to highlight the unspoken issues that plague the kingdom of Navarre and expand readers’ understanding of the wider impact of war and power on communities in general, especially on those who have been suppressed. This questioning leads Violet to her crucial decisions in the novel’s final chapters; thus, the author makes a clear argument for supporting disempowered communities.

With the unscrupulous nature of Navarre’s highest government officials, Yarros clearly outlines many ways in which those with the most power use warfare to increase their political influence and maintain control of those they oppress. She also demonstrates how the countries or individuals who win a war are given the power to control the subsequent narrative. This control allows for a manipulation of fact and a suppression of peoples, forever changing relationships, treaties, and belief systems. In accordance with this dynamic, Violet can only overcome her country’s active censorship of the facts by learning about the true plight of the separatists’ children directly from Liam. As the two riders bond due to their shared proximity, Violet learns about the horrors of his upbringing, including his forced separation from his sister and his experience of witnessing his parents’ executions. These discoveries directly contradict the official education that she has received, making her question the real authority of the texts with which she has been interacting. Because Navarre won the war against the rebels, it was able to control both the Tyrrish populace and how the rest of Navarre viewed those people. Much of the social stigma directed towards the rebel children is spurred by the narrative that their parents were involved in something inherently selfish rather than something selfless. This narrative feeds into the broader example of war and power, as highlighted by the war against Poromeil.

The Poromeil conflict has lasted more than 600 years despite attempts to establish fair trade and treaties. Within Navarre, Poromeil is seen as the aggressor, with frequent references to gryphon attacks. When influenced by Navarre’s propaganda, Violet even goes so far as to call them “greedy assholes” who are “never content with the resources they have” (87). Her flawed understanding of this conflict is only corrected when she leaves Navarre and is no longer within the power of this nation, instead existing under her own authority. She is suddenly able to see the maliciousness with which Navarre has exerted its power over Poromeil narratives, realizing that Poromeil itself is a victim of Navarre’s broader isolationist policy. Yet the war between the two kingdoms has an additional, even more sinister layer within the broader premise of the novel. The war is fed primarily by conscripted soldiers, the majority of which are sent to the front lines to serve as “fodder” (27). Because Navarre has so successfully created a narrative about Poromeil, the government is able to continue to pull from its youthful population. This ensures that a large portion of the kingdom engages in military training, creating an adherence to a social structure that values uncritical loyalty to the kingdom. By manufacturing most of the war with Poromeil, Navarre has also enforced a cruel power over its own citizens, exerting an intense level of control that enforces a strict social and political hierarchy.

While also grappling with her physical limitations and incomplete sense of belonging, Violet is presented with a broader question that will define how she interacts with the world. She is forced to choose whether she will align herself more closely with the rules of the college—and of Navarre—or if she will dedicate herself to following her own moral code. This internal conflict of Upholding Morals Versus Obeying Rules is represented by Xaden and Dain, who both showcase the benefits and disruptions of adhering strictly to one alignment or another.

Dain strongly represents traditionalism and rule-following, both in his background and in his actions. Dain’s father serves as General Sorrengail’s secretary, meaning that—like Violet—Dain grew up with intimate knowledge of the military and its functions. This morphs into his near-obsession with the rules, a focus that puts a strain on his relationship with Violet’s relationship when his own outlook and ideology restrict him from seeing the morally “right” path. This dynamic manifests repeatedly throughout the novel, such as when he demands that Violet share a memory with him to defend Amber and when he admits that he would not ensure Violet’s survival if it meant breaking a rule. His obsession with the rules stems from his understanding of the career advancement that will inevitably follow; this drive also leads Dain to commit acts that are in clear violation of morals but do not fall outside of the rules. His abuse of his signet power to gain information from Violet is one such instance of how his obsession with the rules overcomes his moral stance.

Xaden stands as a direct contrast to this stance by being primarily guided by his own moral code. For example, he breaks the rules when mentoring other rebel children and commits acts of treason when he provides Poromeil with weaponry to fight the venin. He also seeks to protect innocent people from death regardless of their political affiliation. These actions stem from his upbringing, for as the child of the Great Betrayer, he put his own life on the line to defend the lives of all other separatist children. Conversations about the “right thing” and “right choice” tend to circulate around Xaden, as if his presence encourages others to think from stances of morality rather than law. It is this line of thinking that converts Violet to his cause as she quickly distinguishes between what is correct and what is “right.”

Although Violet ends the novel clearly aligned with Xaden’s ideology, it is important to note that part of her journey has been learning to manipulate the rules to serve herself. This underscores the value in understanding systems even as one seeks to improve or undermine them. This dynamic marks another indication of Violet’s maturity and autonomy, represented by her ability to walk between two distinct principles and setting up her future capabilities in the art of mediation.