#lightsinger theory

[islamontgomery123]

I updated and converted my lightsinger analysis into slides🤭 PART ONE

PART TWO

[untillthedarknessclaimsus]

I'm very curious about Elain's conversation with Amren.

Does she still want to be human. I think she does.

She becomes extremely cold. I wonder if she's going to sell out Azriel to koschei. Could be why she gave him earplugs. If Gwyn is a light singer. Though they're not evil. Her voice might be protection.

Could she be under the influence of koschei.

Her ring is iron. It also makes me wonder if she's possessed by the valg. Say koschei is a valg.

Lucien had fire powers. We know the valg hate that.

Dorian hurt many people during his possession.

[elrielffs]

Lightsingering 101 Presented by Ewriel Productions:

Lightsingers Defined As Presented in Canon Text:

Lure Defined:

EXHIBIT 1: Gwyn's Singing: Ethereal beings who will lure you

And

And

And

That's several times that Gwyn's singing is described as beckoning, calling, like a spell, a dream, while she glows.

Other hints:

And

EXHBIT 2: Azriel Bonus Chapter Parallels: Appearing as Friendly Faces when you are lost

When Nesta first meets Gwyn, she is in a bad state.

So was Azriel after the argument with Rhysand.

Nesta had most of her reactions to Gwyn singing (listed above) at the 7' o clock service.

Like, when Azriel ends up at the library...

Nesta had this reaction to Gwyn.

And Azriel:

Which we know didn't last because the next day:

Nesta's power reacted to Gwyn.

Azriel:

Nesta with Gwyn:

Azriel:

BONUS: Spark

Azriel Spark:

Other Sparks:

Cassian and Baby Wings

Feyre and Tamlin

Amarantha and Rhysand

Lorcan and Aelin:

Azriel and Gwyn:

I rest my case your honor. Something funky was going on the BC and there is more than enough ample evidence for Gwyn to be a Lightsinger.

[daisybrekker]

Just because it's been circulating again, I wanted to provide a friendly reminder of the unique word choice SJM uses in relation to Gwyn👀

Gwyn’s hair seemed to glow brighter with her song, skin radiating a beckoning light. Drawing any listener in.

Gwyn’s voice rose again, holding such a high note it was like a ray of pure light, piercing and summoning.

Something beckoned in Gwyn’s song, in a way the others’ hadn’t. Like Gwyn was calling only to her, her voice full of sunshine and joy and unshakable determination.

"For whatever reason... he could see it."

"For whatever reason, Nesta wanted to crow about her friend to anyone who'd listen."

"[...] his shadows sang in answer."

"Nesta's power grumbled in answer."

Keep in mind that in 2015 SJM spoke about the rusalka (Slavic) and sirens (Greek).

She described them in the same way that she describes her lighstingers = female aquatic creatures with the ability to lure people with their voices.

She then went on to say that she doesn't really have an interest in writing sweet fae, but the more murderous kind instead.

As such, I don't see SJM introducing us to the concept of lightsingers and then never giving us one. And based on the canon quotes above? Gwyn is the most likely candidate.

Why write about Elain giving Azriel earplugs of all possible gifts?

Why tell us that Azriel's shadows did not warn him of another presence? (Were his powers and senses dulled?)

Why would Azriel "find himself" at the library instead of the shop that he fully intended to go to the full day?

[nicawritesandwhines]

More about Gwyneth is suspicious af

“Gwyn works at the library documenting history, of course she knows about the King of Hybern’s death. It’s obvious.”

Oh, really? So why she was surprised when Merrill said how the king was killed?

“Merrill bared her teeth. “You think I do not know you? The human girl who was shoved into the Cauldron and came out High Fae. The female who slew the King of Hybern and held up his head like a trophy as his blood rained upon her.” Surprise lit Gwyn’s face at the graphic description.”

So Gwyn knows that the “shadowsinger’s knife” was used but didn’t know how Nesta beheaded the king and any details on the death?

I find a bit odd to be documenting history and not being privy to the whole tell.

Another point that should raise some flags:

“Get back to your work, nymph.”[…] “Nesta asked into the rustling quiet, “Nymph?” Gwyn lowered her hands, noted the lack of glowing power in Nesta’s eyes, and sighed in relief. But her voice remained casual. “My grandmother was a river-nymph who seduced a High Fae male from the Autumn Court.”

Seduced. Strange, huh? Why the need to add this detail at all? Why not simply “my grandmother was a river-nymph”? Could it be that Gwyneth inherited some sort of siren’s call besides the “large eyes” and “slightly more pliant bones”?

By the way, to theorize about Gwyneth being suspicious and have luring powers is not evil, is not toxic.

You know what is toxic and straight evil? To read about pliant bones and connect it with childbearing capacity. To reduce women to this, and yes, this take is misogynistic. I don’t care if it’s a fantasy book, real people, real women, are reading this books and this awful argument online. Be better.

[shadowedpetals]

Azriel's shadows don't react uniquely to Elain. They also vanish around Mor. We saw how that turned out. The only person they have a unique reaction to is Gwyn, who they sing and dance for. The shadowSINGER's shadows only sing for Gwyn.

Okay, and what was Mor for Azriel? a LI that lasted for 500 years, that he finally moved on from because of ELAIN, that’s how it turned out. Not because Elain is another Mor he would move on from through Gwyn. Even the Mother won’t be able to do that.

And no, his shadows have no unique reaction to Gwyn. You’re talking about the fanon part of the BC because canon says otherwise: “Her breath curled in front of her mouth, and ONE of his shadows darted out to dance with it before twirling back to him. Like it heard some silent music.”

His shadow was simply reacting to her power... and we have this one: “...he could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him, he could have sworn his shadows sang in answer.”

See? Another emphasis on music/singing. And if it was mate-like behavior, SJM would’ve written it in a different way, when Azriel’s shadows are simply reacting to her with no need of mentioning multiple times how there’s a reason behind it.

In HOFAS, Azriel’s shadows danced around him too when Bryce was playing music on her phone. What does that mean? It means that his shadows react to music in general in the same way, and therefore Gwyn has no unique effect on him. But you hate when we say she is a lightsinger, so whatever.

It’s not a singing competition. Be rational, please.

[elainem-art]

Gwyn’s Hair Shone like Molten Metal: A Ramble Theory

Molten = Power Glow

* This is inspired by my friend El’s comments about how molten metal glows.

* Thanks to my friends @shitwillnotbegiven and @Ladynightcourt3 for showing me some passages that added to the theory.

* This is a somewhat unorganized addition to this post by @wingedblooms and this post by @silverlinedeyes

The Quote in Question

“She angled her head, hair shining like molten metal. "Do you sing?”

When I first saw this quote, I thought that molten metal sounded dangerous; definitely deadly. But then El mentioned that molten metal also glows, and my brain exploded because it’s true! Gwyn’s hair is normally chestnut brown, reddish brown, or coppery chestnut; none of these inspire light/glowing imagery. It sounds more earthy than anything. But on this occasion, Gwyn’s hair is like molten metal, which is exceptionally bright. This leads me to believe her hair is glowing due to her Lightsinger powers.

Gwyn’s Hair Color: Normal

Gwyn’s Hair Color: Bonus Chapter After Silent Music

Also, Az describes Gwyn’s hair in the bonus two times. Before the silent music, and after the silent music.

Gwyn’s hair BEFORE the Shadows hear the silent music

At the beginning of the scene, he calls her hair coppery-brown.

Gwyn’s hair AFTER the Shadows hear the silent music

After the silent music, her hair is suddenly glowing, like molten metal.

In the bonus, everything is rather normal until Gwyn’s breath curled in front of her and the shadows begin to hear some silent music soon thereafter. His shadows are entranced with her breath and they dance, the same way they danced to Az’s singing in the HOFAS bonus. Meaning that they dance to singers with power. And then, when he leaves, he hears silent singing himself.

Other Instances of Gwyn Glowing While She Sings

Gwyn’s Beckoning Voice

Az Hearing Silent Singing as he Leaves

Gwyn glows when she sings; therefore, the molten metal hair description is also evidence that she is using her possible lightsinger powers with or without her knowledge.

More Usage of Molten = Glowing Power

SJM uses molten to show glowing and power usage or to mean the characters are turned on (aka molten ore in her veins, etc.). In this case, molten is correlated to power.

And her powers worked on both Nesta and Az because, at those specific points in their journeys, they are “lost.”

Az and Nesta Feeling Like Nothing Before Encountering Gwyn

Conclusion: Az encounters Gwyn at the training ring and they have a cordial, yet awkward interaction. But then, as the Shadows hear some silent music, Az notices and Gwyn's hair begins to glow like "Molten Metal" because of her undiscovered powers.

[curiousity-cell]

just had a thought regarding gwyn & the lightsinger theory & az’s regifting of the necklace

disclaimer: i do not believe gwyn is evil if she’s confirmed as a lightsinger i don’t think she even realises she has this effect on people & it might not even be a lightsinger it could very well be a nymph thing so. don’t be a dick basically

so i was basically just thinking about the bonus chapter and why azriel would regift elain’s very targeted gift (shape of a rose necklace? that’s just pure elain Why is he giving that to another woman who has no connections to roses or flowers at all. why do men. anyway). i think this sentence is really really important because while yes maybe her powers are mainly channeled more powerfully when she sings, SJM would not have put “silent music” & about his shadows here -

- if it was not important. so when he leaves the training area and discovers elain’s given her necklace back (because. obviously. she’s just been rejected by someone she thought liked her back. idk why some people think this is confusing), look at what is written:

“beautiful singing” follows him. he had “every intention” of giving the necklace back to the palace of thread and jewels but didn’t. why? i believe it’s because gwyn’s accidental lightsinging / nymph effect kept gwyn on his mind and therefore she was who he was thinking about all day. i think that’s also why the “secret thing of lovely beauty” is repeated for gwyn. now i’m not gonna say i know what a lightsingers effect has on a person but looking at the effect gwyn’s singing has on /nesta/ (read below)

i think it’s safe to say that it has a luring effect & brings out positive emotions (again: we know lightsingers are stated to be evil in the siren like way but i don’t believe gwyn is that type of person so. i’m led to believe she doesn’t realise she has this effect)

but what positive emotions do we know that azriel has had recently? liking elain. possibly loving elain. so yeah i think that gwyn’s luring powers rubbed off on azriel and that’s why he regifted the necklace to gwyn, because she was on his mind. literally. because of effect she has on people.

i feel like this also explains why it feels so jarring for him to hop from one woman to the other in a night and then go back to being in a foul mood literally the next morning after the solstice. maybe he doesn’t remember giving the necklace away? maybe because gwyn doesn’t wear the necklace he doesn’t know where it went? idk but yeah. this is my theory.