These Fourth Wing and Iron Flame scenes are already living rent-free in our heads, and we can’t wait to see them brought to life!
Warning: This article is packed with spoilers for Fourth Wing and Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros, so do yourself a huge favor and go read these books before continuing!
With the Empyrean series, Rebecca Yarros created an incredibly vivid and exciting world full of mystical dragons, magical powers, daunting physical challenges, and beautiful, intriguing characters. Her deliciously descriptive writing style has created such a rich tapestry in my mind that has kept my favorite scenes running on pretty much a constant reel in my head since I finished reading Iron Flame.
Since the Fourth Wing TV series adaptation was announced by Amazon and Michael B Jordan’s Outlier Society, I couldn’t help but read the books with the upcoming adaptation in mind. Some of the scenes were so cinematic that it seems like they were written for the screen already! I absolutely can’t wait to see my favorite moments and characters brought to life.
Here are the scenes from Fourth Wing and Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros that I’m dying to see on screen.
‘Fourth Wing’ scenes we can’t wait to see on screen in the ‘Fourth Wing’ adaptation
The parapet
The parapet marks our first careful steps into the Riders Quadrant, and it’s really our introduction to the brutal and unforgiving, yet exhilarating, world we’re about to dive into. Reading about Violet reciting facts about Navarre’s political geography while she warily paces forward was scary enough, but to see the actual scale of the parapet, along with the dangers presented by both the weather and the other cadets is going to make for a heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat first episode.
Of course, the parapet was only the first in the long line of seemingly impossible challenges presented to the riders. It was also where we met several characters that would go on to be hugely important in the series. We got Rhiannon as Violet’s cool, patient, and talented bestie all because of their fateful positions in line leading to the parapet. We begrudgingly got the severely psychopathic menace that is Jack Barlowe due to his misplaced target on Violet as the weak link. And last, but never least, we got our first mental glimpse of Xaden Riorson’s impossible eyes on top of that parapet, and we all knew exactly what we were in for. That’s a lot to pack into one scene, and I can’t wait for it!
The meeting of the marked ones
I’m forever grateful to Violet for channeling her inner Katniss Everdeen by foraging for poisons while hiding in trees, because it gave us one of the most iconic scenes in Fourth Wing. It’ll be both hilarious and terrifying to see Violet try her best to be as still as a shadow up in the tree while the commander of the shadows stands below her knowing exactly what’s going on. My fingers are crossed for a knowing smirk or two.
This scene gave us our first civilized conversation between Violet and Xaden, but it also gave us one of our first hints that Xaden might be more than a hot guy who glares menacingly. We get to see the marked ones as a family who look out for each other, with Xaden at the center.
A montage of Violet poisoning all of her opponents
We have no idea the style that the Fourth Wing adaptation will take on, but I think it would be so fun to see a montage of Violet discovering who her opponents are and slipping them something a little extra at breakfast, followed by them stumbling off the mat in various stages of disorder. All while Xaden watches knowingly from the sidelines.
Violet emerging from the Gauntlet
As many times as Violet described the horrors of the Gauntlet, it was tough to get a clear picture of just how deadly and physically annihilating it was. I’m very excited to see it brought to life on screen so I can have a clear picture for future nightmares!
What I’m most excited for is the shot from the top of the last obstacle when it looks like all hope is lost. Just when it looks like Violet didn’t get enough momentum, meaning she’s inevitably falling to her death, we’ll see her dagger stick into the ground to anchor her to the finish line! I’m getting chills just thinking about it. Again, fingers crossed for a small beam of relief and pride from Xaden when he realizes she did it, even though he always knew she could.
Threshing
With a name like “Threshing,” we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. However, I had no idea it was going to get that intense and that epic. Thanks to her serial killer classmates, Violet found herself needing to defend the adorable little gold dragon that we now know affectionately as Andarna.
It will be so cool to see Violet take on the three deadly cadets and win, all before bonding the most badass dragon of them all. I’m so excited to see Tairn come into the frame for the first time in all his curmudgeonly splendor. I’m also picturing Andarna cutely rooting for Violet as she defends her, and Xaden in an agonizing fit of indecision over whether or not to intervene.
The attack in Violet’s bedroom
Although Violet managed to take on her assailants at Threshing largely single-handedly, she needed some help when several cadets, and one bitter wingleader, went against the Codex to attack her in her bedroom while she slept. Violet’s whole team of bonds got involved in this gruesome attack, with Tairn breaking through to tell her to wake, Andarna revealing her incredible time-stopping power, and Xaden straight up slaughtering everyone involved using his shadows.
The shadow-wielding power is one of the things I’m most excited to see on screen, and this is one of the most magnificent displays of the power in Fourth Wing. I’m also so interested to see how they use Andarna’s time-stopping power, so this will be a great scene to see both in action!
The first shielding lesson
Or, as you might remember it better, the night that Violet started channeling, Tairn and Sgaeyl got all lustful, and Xaden and Violet kissed for the first time. Oh, and you know, Violet wields lightening for the first time, but I definitely did not pick up on that on my initial read.
By this point in the book, the tension has escalated to such an extreme level that nobody can take it anymore, especially not when horny dragons get in the mix. Obviously, this scene stands out as the first time that Violet and Xaden finally give into the attraction that’s been building between them, but it’s also special for a lot of other reasons.
Whether is was the churam, the overwhelming dragon feelings, or just the fact that he’s getting over pretending, this is the first time we really see Xaden let his guard down and lose control a little bit. He and Violet actually talk as some version of friends, he laughs, and he even makes a joke! I’m continuously delighted by his “No. I was a child at some point” retort to Violet’s questioning if he had always been that tall.
It’ll be fun to see Violet’s mental “Archives” as Xaden teaches her how to ground and control the flow of power and communication. It’s a place she revisits often, so this scene will set an important stage for the rest of the series.
Squad Battle
The final stage of the Riders Quadrant Squad Battle has each squad hustling to steal something important. Violet’s team obviously has an upperhand because of her brain, but it’s so cool to see how everyone plays such an important role because of their signets. This kind of teamwork is something we get to see a bit more in Iron Flame, and something I’d love to see way more of in the Empyrean series. The Squad Battle just gives us a delicious little taste of it!
War Games part 1
Violet’s signet saw the endlessly despisable Jack Barlowe take out our beloved Liam, and it said, “Not today!” This was Violet and Tairn’s first taste of any kind of battle, and they showed they’re clearly not to be messed with, displaying heroics even before Violet’s signet manifested (or re-manifested, if you remember that snow thunder kiss!).
This will be an epic scene all around, but Tairn’s pride as he declares, “Lightning wielder,” is one of the highlights of the series for me, and I’m so excited to see these two begin their warrior journey together.
Back on the parapet
It’s such a special scene in Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros when Violet left the Reunification Day party to risk it all by joining Xaden out on the parapet. This is a such a gorgeously crafted scene, with the setting perfectly matching the emotional growth that it signifies for the characters.
Violet’s ready to be brave and tell Xaden what she wants, and she treats it like any other challenge the Riders Quadrant has thrown at her. She’s already subverted the “promise not to fall in love with me” trope, saying she’ll fall for whoever she damn well pleases, and now she just needs to cross the parapet to get to the next step.
While the first time Violet crossed the parapet was marred with fear, self doubt, and apprehension, she now knows exactly what she wants, and she knows how capable she is. There’s still a risk there, both to her life and her heart, but it’s one she’s ready and willing to take. This moment is going to be instantly iconic in the Fourth Wing adaptation, as both characters finally let each other in. At least, to some extent. I can’t wait to see what they do with it!
War Games part 2
The final fight against the venin has season finale written all over it! Whether it starts when the squads leave for War Games, or after they read the letter left for them at Athebyne, the action will surely keep us on the edge of our seats.
I’m so interested to see how they adapt the horrifying venin and their magic-stealing powers for the screen, and of course how terrifying the wyvern actually are. I also can’t wait to see how they use this scale of Xaden’s shadow-wielding ability, and Violet’s directed lightning strike needs to be beyond epic!
The aftermath
I’m hoping the series really plays into the Book of Brennan and does some replays of the legendary end of both Brennan and Naolin, because that’s what’s really going to sell what I’m sure will be the final frame of season 1 of the Fourth Wing adaptation. I’m sure we can all picture Xaden walking over to the door with big dramatic music amplifying his footsteps just to open it to find Brennan standing there! Cut to credits, end of season 1, the crowd goes crazy! I’m so ready for it.
‘Iron Flame’ scenes we can’t wait to see on screen in the ‘Fourth Wing’ adaptation
The return to Basgiath
It’s a pretty badass move to walk into the party just as your would-be assassins read your name off the death roll, and the Athebyne squad surely did it in style. I can’t wait to hear the hush fall over the crowd as the squad who’d all but been sentenced to die walked in to show just how alive they were (although tragically not all of them), and just how screwed Colonel Aetos was.
Tairn facing off against Solas
After the aforementioned triumphant return, it seemed to be open season on marked ones in the first half of Iron Flame. It’s pretty commonplace at Basgiath for a displeased dragon to scorch a cadet that they deem to be unworthy, but for one to nearly level an entire squad, including bonded riders, is another story. It was horrific when Varrish’s unhinged dragon let loose on the formation, killing half of third squad and almost taking out many of our favorite characters.
The horror of it made it even more monumental when Tairn showed up behind the formation to show Solas who was really in charge. The other dragons tend to show deference to Tairn in most instances, but we rarely see him actually assert his dominance. It was amazing to see him do it over such unforgivable behavior, and I’m excited to see how it plays out on screen!
Second squad’s short interrogation
Even though Violet was keeping secrets from her squad for most of Iron Flame, one of my favorite parts of the book was how solidified Violet, Rhiannon, Sawyer, and Ridoc became as a unit. One of the best examples of that was in their second RCT challenge, where they survived interrogation and became the first squad to escape!
It’ll be so cool to see both Sawyer’s metallurgy ability and Violet’s runed dagger in action, but I’m just as excited for the part when they have to spill their secrets to each other. I’m feeling a Breakfast Club moment.
The Archives heist
It’s just my favorite thing when everyone uses their unique signets and abilities to accomplish a common goal, and the heist in the Archives was the most high-stakes version of that I can imagine. First of all, I’m just excited to get to see deeper into the Archives, but this whole scene had a real “Department of Mysteries” vibe from Harry Potter that I’m particularly thrilled to see (especially since they kind of botched this in the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie). My heart will be pounding for 100% of this scene, just like it was when I was reading Iron Flame, but I am so ready for all the anxiety it brings.
Liam’s return
If Varrish isn’t your most-hated character in literary history, I’m not sure we’d get along. I am in no way looking forward to watching Varrish viciously interrogate Violet, but I am very excited for the reunion that it brings us.
There are a lot of theories circling about how, and why, Liam was in that room with Violet, a lot of which include Violet manifesting her signet from Andarna, but regardless of how he was there, I’m just so thrilled that he was. The whole scene read very cinematically for me, and I found myself anticipating being excited over the return of a probably-yet-to-be-cast actor that we’d lost after Liam’s insanely heartbreaking death.
Dain’s redemption and the great escape
I don’t know about you guys, but when I’m in the dead middle of a book, I don’t expect the pace to ramp up to 11 and the entire world to shift dramatically. But that’s what happened in Iron Flame, and it’s what’s going to make for one of the best mid-season finales of all time!
It all started when Varrish called Dain in to do the job that he couldn’t, and Violet got the upperhand on him yet again. It’s going to be emotional as hell to see Violet thrust her worst memories into Dain’s head and to see him realize what a mistake he’s made, and it’ll all be worth it for what comes next.
Xaden coming out of nowhere to retract the mercy Dain had offered the guard, Violet and Xaden delivering the final blow to Varrish, Violet’s mom coming in with a reveal that most theorists were convinced would be saved for book 4, or even 5, and then the mass exodus of Basgiath! It’s undoubtedly going to be an episode I’ll want to rewatch again and again.
All of the teenage Andarna
Feathertail Andarna was cute, but teenaged Andarna will definitely be a hilarious addition to the cast of characters. I can’t wait to see her talk back to Tairn and assert her will, becoming a new part of their bonded trio.
Sorrengails: 1, Venin: 0
The whole trip to Cordyn is going to be a fun retreat from the usual settings of Basgiath and Aretia, and spending our first real time with Cat is definitely going to get my hackles up, but what I’m most looking forward to from this voyage is the battle between the venin and the Sorrengails.
Obviously it was cruel and calculated for Tecarus to put Violet in that position, but after seeing the result, I’m not too mad at him. It will be awesome to see the Sorrengail siblings work together to best an enemy that they individually would not have been ready for. They’re a powerful trio, and I can’t wait for way more team-ups.
Violet and Tairn take on the wyvern
Nobody loves it when the Empyrean characters team up more than me, but there was something so special about seeing Violet and Tairn take down the wyvern alone when all of the fliers and riders were making their way through their arduous journey. Obviously, Violet has some room for improvement when it comes to the control of her lightning, but I loved that she used her brain to figure out how to work with what she had.
I’m excited to see just how arduous this journey is on screen, and to see all of the other characters watch on as Violet and Tairn defend them from the wyvern.
The throne of Tyrrendor
“My house. My chair. My woman,” would not have ended me so thoroughly had it not been for my extreme visceral reaction to Violet’s sparring match with Cat, and Rebecca Yarros knew exactly what she was doing when she expertly juxtaposed these two scenes.
Every fiber in my being needed Violet to win that fight. It was like Yarros somehow made Cat’s emotion-amplifying abilities jump straight off the page. When she did win, and needed Xaden’s help to stop her from killing his ex, he knew exactly what she needed. And boy did he give it to her.
These two chapters were some of my favorites in the entire series, and I’m positive that the throne of Tyrrendor scene will be one of the most talked about of the Fourth Wing adaptation when it makes its way to the screen.
The cave of horrors
As if Solas hadn’t already done enough, he came for revenge against Violet while she was hunting for runes with Cat, Sloane, and Visia. We never really see dragons in closed quarters, so to witness a dragon fight within the confines of a cave will be exciting, We also get the manifestation of Sloane’s signet, an unlikely partnership between Violet and Cat, and the first amazing takedown by Andarna in this scene!
Violet’s squad at the battle of Basgiath
The whole final battle sequence is equal parts amazing and scarring, but I loved everything about the sequence where they were in their formation and the people Violet cared about were all fighting together against the venin and wyvern. I absolutely can’t wait to see the epic moment when Rhiannon jumps onto Tairn’s back to defend Violet, and of course, the courageous move Violet made to save Sawyer’s life.
I’m also hoping that in the Fourth Wing adaptation, we’ll get to see some moments that are outside of Violet’s perspective, like maybe Ridoc joking around with the venin before he kills one. It seems like his style.
Andarna scorching the venin
One of my favorite moments of Iron Flame was when Andarna’s eyes appeared behind the venin who was surely about to take Violet. She had asserted the whole way through that she would be exactly where she was needed, and it was such an amazing moment when she proved that that’s exactly where she was. I’m excited to see those eyes appear behind the venin right before they meet their demise, and to see the pride in them after the venin is gone!
General Sorrengail’s sacrifice
I was absolutely shocked when General Sorrengail was killed off in Iron Flame, and I’m sure people who are only viewing the Fourth Wing adaptation will feel exactly the same. That’s some Game of Thrones level stuff! I’m sure it’ll be an extremely emotional moment when General Sorrengail dies to save everyone, and I hope they really highlight how important her children were to her, and how it was such a fitting death for her to die to protect them.
Xaden’s choice
There will be no moment more bittersweet than seeing Xaden save himself by giving into the venin’s desires. It will be a triumphant tragedy that will leave our hearts in shambles in the (hopefully short) hiatus between seasons 2 and 3. I hope they capture both his reasons for making the choice that he does, and Sgaeyl’s outrage at what he’s doing, because both of those things are so important in this moment!