Rebecca Yarros’Empyreannovel series is a great fantasy story that will reach even more audiences when it’s adapted into the upcomingFourth WingTV show. However, though it’s always exciting to see a new speculative fiction story hit screens, there’s a lot the television iteration will have to get right to do justice to Yarros' narrative. Following the experiences of the dragon rider, Violet Sorrengail, the protagonist of the series.Fourth Wingsees Violet enter the Dragon Rider Academy and form bonds with her dragonswhile trying to navigate the rising tensions between her and the other cadets.
Now that theFourth WingTV series is confirmedand on its way, there’s mounting pressure for the TV show to be as iconic as the books and bring their stories to life faithfully. While it’s a character-driven narrative that is propelled by the human relationships between Violet and her friends, enemies, and love interests, the dragons are one of the story’s most vital elements.Dragons and their riders have a connection that’s instrumental to the events ofFourth WingandIron Flame,and if the show fails to portray this, it could spell disaster.
The Dragon & Rider Bond Is The Best Part Of Fourth Wing (& Crucial For The TV Show)
Portraying this connection will make or break the series
The reason the Dragon-rider bond will be difficult to show onscreen is because it’s a mental connection that forms a kind of telepathic link between the humans and dragons. Since theFourth WingTV series has found a showrunner, the creative team will be thinking about how best to tackle the magical aspects of the books (viaCollider).Almost every aspect ofFourth WingandIron Flamerevolves around dragonsand the characters' quest to bond with them. Once Violet makes this bond, her life is changed forever, and the events of the series are set in motion.
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Critical pieces of information and character development are communicated through the communication between the dragons and Violet. Serving as protectors and confidants for their riders, the dragons are some of the best characters in the books. Additionally, the bond doesn’t just give the rider insight into the dragon’s mind. It also imbues them with signets, special powers, and access to magic. Not to mention thatrelationships between dragons play out through their respective riders, as with Violet and Xaden.Though they were already attracted to each other, the fact that Xaden’s dragon is mated with Violet’s makes their connection explosive.
Amazon’s Fourth Wing TV Show Will Struggle To Capture This Element Of The Books
There are many pitfalls that the Fourth Wing show could fall victim to
It would quickly grow tedious and repetitive to watch the riders and dragons have telepathic conversations through voice-over onscreen. However, the development of the connection between Violet and her dragons, Tairn and Andarna, is one ofViolet’s most compellingFourth Wingrelationships. The way Yarros describes the mental communication between Violet and her dragons is easy to envision while reading the books, butthis doesn’t translate easily to a visual depiction that isn’t cheesy or boring.However, the writers and creators will have to tackle this issue for the series to work.
Fourth Wingwill have to think of a way around this complication, like having some of the conversations be implied rather than spoken aloud or representing the bond in a physical way.
Fourth Wingwill have to think of a way around this complication, like having some of the conversations be implied rather than spoken aloud or representing the bond in a physical way. This could be through a place inside Violet’s mind that the audience sees while she and her dragons talk. Part of the reasontheEmpyreanseries has been such a crossover hit with fantasy readers is because of the dragons.TheFourth WingTV series' dragons must beat competitors likeGame of Thrones, as there are even more dragons featured in theEmpyreannovels.
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This Isn’t The Only Problem The Empyrean Series' Dragons Present For An Adaptation
The visuals are just as crucial as the way the conversations will be interpreted
Like most fantasy series,theFourth Wingshow is going to have to make lots of room within the budget for CGI,especially when it comes to bringing the dragons to life. The fact that the show is being produced by Amazon means that the budget will probably be substantial enough to provide funding for well-crafted visual effects. To attempt to work around the dragons and avoid showing them onscreen would be disastrous forFourth Wingand would disrupt the integrity of the story. Most of the action and adventure in the narrative is driven by dragons.
Book 3,Onyx Stormis slated to be published in 2025 (viaABC).
However, based on the popularity of Yarros' books, there’s reason to be hopeful about the success of theFourth Wingshow. Investing in serious CGI and making the dragons feel as real as the actors will be worth it, as dedicated fans of the novels will want to keep watching the show. Since Yarros’Fourth Wingbooks are far from over, with the third installment on the way, there’s a long future ahead for the TV series if it can take on the challenges.
Fourth Wing
Based on the novel series by Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing is an action-adventure fantasy series in development for Prime Video. Announced in 2024, Fourth Wing will follow the adventures of a young woman named Violet Sorrengail, who has been taken from her peaceful book-reading life and thrust into a world of danger when she is forced by her mother to join an elite group of dragon-riding warriors.
