#kotlc plot

[daggernamedhope]

Listen, everything in KOTLC makes perfect sense if you just don't think about it too much. Timeline? Just don't think about it too much. Time zones? The Elvin economy? Just don't think about them too much...

[lavender-iced-coffee]

I’ve seen a lot of theories about the idea that Keefe and dex switched places and about the original fate of the love triangle but I think they’re off just a little bit

My theory is that dex was originally supposed to have the role that Keefe would later embody (in the everblaze-nightfall era not so much these current plots). I think everyone can agree with this considering Keefe was literally not supposed to exist for the first 20 drafts. Dex takes on the best friend role in the first book while Keefe is just kinda there with little purpose. Plus a general sentiment I’ve heard from other fans is that they either shipped or were more invested in dexphie in the first book.

Anyways as an extension of that theory I believe that the original love triangle was supposed to between dex and fitz AND dex was the original endgame love interest.

For one thing fitz’s introduction puts an initial estimate of fitz at 15 to Sophie’s 12. Even though it is later revealed fitz is only 14 it puts an image in the readers head. Even people who are lax with age gaps would probably 3 years for teens is kinda big. Besides the image of a 12 year old liking a 15 year old would probably make most readers think he’s kind of unattainable for her.

But the main reason I think this mostly has to do with tropes and general writing patterns. A second love interest would not be introduced if they were not meant to be endgame or challenge the other love interest in someway. More importantly though, is the idea of emotional vs physical appeal. Stories with romance love the trope of the girl who is head over heals for a guy who is hot who then falls in love with her best friend who meets her emotional needs. Think Tall Girl. Think every dcom. That’s not to say that fitz had no character aside from being hot but Sophie’s crush was mainly fixated around that in the first book. On top of that dex was her best friend who she spends most of the book with. Especially during the very emotionally charged climax.

On top of that, generally audiences are more prone to underdogs. Fitz is portrayed has a character who kind has it all while dex is the opposite of that. Fitz also literally calls dex “deck”.

And then when Keefe took on dex’s role in exile, I think SM realized they had more chemistry together which is why that romantic alicorn ride moment happened and it all just unfolded from there. Plus gleaning from the excerpts I’ve seen of sky fall, I have a feeling SM likes writing snarky flirty boys.

I could write so much more about the implications this ended up having for the series and I will probably make a follow up.

[sunset-telepath]