I'm not going to lie, I've become completely invested in trying to work out what Rebecca Yarros is teasing.
Before we get into it... apologies in advance because this is probably going to turn into a bit of a rant. I've spent the past week deep down the Reddit rabbit hole, scrolling fan forums, dissecting Instagram comments and analysing every tiny clue Rebecca Yarros has dropped, so bear with me while I break it all down.
At one point my husband gently suggested I start a group chat with other Empyrean fans at work because he had absolutely no idea what I was talking about anymore. Honestly... fair enough.
If you've spent any time on BookTok or Instagram lately, you'll know I'm definitely not alone. The entire fandom has gone into detective mode, analysing every profile picture, countdown and cryptic caption like it's part of the Rider Quadrant entrance exam. With Onyx Storm behind us and an untitled Empyrean novella arriving on September 29, it definitely feels like Rebecca Yarros is building towards something big.
The clues everyone is talking about
The biggest clue so far has been Rebecca Yarros switching her Instagram profile picture to black and white. That might not sound like much, but Yarros is a huge Swiftie, and Taylor Swift famously changes her social media to black and white before unveiling a new era or making a major announcement. It didn't take long for fans to wonder whether Yarros was borrowing a page from Taylor's playbook.
Adding even more fuel to the fire, three of the actresses most commonly fancast as Violet, Mackenzie Foy, Katie Douglas and Inde Navarrette, have also recently switched their profile pictures to black and white. Is it all connected? Probably not. Has that stopped anyone from theorising? Absolutely not.
Then came the Instagram post featuring 12 empty checkboxes and six puzzle pieces. Within hours, fans had worked out it appeared to be counting down to July 15, better known as Conscription Day in the Empyrean universe. Since then, Yarros has only added to the mystery with another Instagram post revealing the special edition sprayed edges lining up to create one continuous dragon across the books. The post was set to the Beastie Boys' Sabotage, which naturally sent fans straight back into detective mode, with many analysing both the lyrics and the dragon artwork for hidden clues about the September release.
As if that wasn't enough, Yarros also had to step in and shut down one of the biggest rumours doing the rounds. Despite the endless fan edits and "confirmed" casting announcements flooding social media, she confirmed there has been no official casting announcement for the Fourth Wing TV adaptation. So for now, everything we're seeing is still just speculation.
So... what's happening on September 29?
The biggest surprise of all was the announcement of an untitled Empyrean universe novella arriving on September 29. The problem is we know almost nothing about it, which has only made the theories even wilder. After spending far too much time reading Reddit threads and fan discussions, these seem to be the four frontrunners.
Team Xaden POV
The clue: Rebecca Yarros has previously shared snippets of herself writing from Xaden's point of view, and fans noticed Taylor Swift songs like I Did Something Bad on one of her writing playlists. They also point to the hidden message inside the Iron Flame dust jacket, "I will not die today", as an early hint that more of Xaden's story was coming. Most recently, Yarros shared a video of the matching sprayed edges set to the song Sabotage, with fans analysing the lyrics and linking them to Xaden's rebellion and inner conflict.
The theory: Put together, many readers believe these clues point to a companion novel from Xaden's perspective, covering either Violet's kidnapping in Iron Flame or the infamous "missing 12 hours" in Onyx Storm. It's by far the theory I see the most and, if I'm being honest, it's also the one I'm hoping is true.
Team Ridoc POV
The clue: Rebecca Yarros recently shared a reel of her niece reading the mystery manuscript, but the caption abruptly cut off after saying, "She just got to the part where Ridoc..." Naturally, the fandom immediately lost its mind.
The theory: Instead of Xaden, what if this novella belongs to Ridoc? Fans think we could follow his perspective during the Iron Squad's frantic rescue mission while Violet was being interrogated in Iron Flame. I'd honestly read an entire book from Ridoc's point of view, so I wouldn't be mad about this one at all.
Team Artifact Book
The clue: Around the same time, Yarros updated her profile picture to one showing herself surrounded by hundreds of handwritten letters. It's another tiny detail that fans have been picking apart.
The theory: Rather than a traditional novella, readers think we could be getting an in-universe artifact book. Popular guesses include Lilith Sorrengail's hidden journals, Liam's recovered letters to Sloane, The Book of Brennan or Major Afendra's Guide to the Rider's Quadrant. Honestly, I'd buy every single one.
Team Dragon Lore
The clue: Rebecca Yarros' official website describes the mystery release as a "brand new Empyrean book for dragon lovers." That one line has sparked countless theories.
The theory: Many readers think we'll finally get a deep dive into Andarna's ancient history, the wider magic system and the mysterious Irid dragons. There are still so many unanswered questions about dragon lore that this feels like one of the strongest possibilities, especially if Rebecca wants to expand the world without revealing too much before Book Four.
And what about the TV cast?
The casting theories have been almost as entertaining as the book theories. While Rebecca Yarros has confirmed there has been no official casting announcement, that hasn't stopped fans from investigating every interview and Instagram profile.
For Violet, the names that keep coming up are Mackenzie Foy, Katie Douglas and Inde Navarrette, with fans pointing out that all three recently switched their profile pictures to black and white, just like Yarros. Mackenzie has become my dream Violet. I've loved her in everything she's done, and I think she'd perfectly capture Violet's intelligence, resilience and quiet strength.
Josh Heuston remains the frontrunner for Xaden after revealing he'd landed a "very big" TV role and was bulking up for it, while Emilio Sakraya, Chase Melton and Ariyan Akultan are also popular fan casts.
Of course, not every clue is actually a clue. Michael B. Jordan's black-and-white profile picture has been circulating as "evidence", but he's had it for years. What we do know is that the adaptation will feature a mix of newcomers and established actors, and Yarros has promised the cast will stay true to the diverse characters she created.
We're about to find out...
Today is finally Conscription Day. Although us Kiwis are a little too eager because we're ahead of the rest of the world, so we've still got a few more hours to wait before Rebecca Yarros (hopefully!) drops whatever she's been teasing. Until then, you'll find me refreshing Instagram, scrolling Reddit and reading every new theory that appears. My husband is probably hoping this announcement comes sooner rather than later, because I don't think he can sit through another Empyrean conspiracy theory.
Now I need to know... which theory are you backing? Team Xaden POV, Team Ridoc, Team Artifact Book or Team Dragon Lore? And while we're at it, who would you cast as Violet and Xaden?
