Hi there! Not sure if youâve seen all the Dragon King updates lately but I was curious about your thoughts and any theories you might have? Especially now knowing that Callum would have connected to more arcana by then and be closer to becoming an archmage, as well being a father?
Of course if you have any other theories about the plot or other characters, I would to see them as well! đ
Hey! Yes, I've been following the updates and honestly, I'm SO excited about where they're taking Callum's character!
The showrunners' explicit comparisons to Avatar Aang and Luke Skywalker - including that power jump between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi - really validates what Callum's arc has been building toward all along. He's not just dabbling in multiple arcana; he's on track to become something truly extraordinary. An archmage who's mastered multiple primal sources is such a compelling endgame for someone who started as the first human in generations to connect to primal magic at all.
What really gets me is HOW he's achieving this power. The contrast with Claudia and Aaravos couldn't be more stark - they've chosen shortcuts, dark magic, and manipulation, with Claudia sacrificing her humanity (literally and figuratively) in the process. Meanwhile, Callum is growing stronger by staying true to his principles, by learning and connecting authentically to the primal sources, and by choosing the harder but right path. That's what makes him a true hero in the Avatar/Luke mold - the power matters, but it's the choices he makes with that power that define him.
I also appreciate what the showrunners DON'T do - they don't pathologize Callum's intensity, his tendency to obsess over understanding magic, or his willingness to love openly and deeply. Those traits are portrayed as strengths, not flaws to be fixed. His ability to become completely absorbed in understanding something is precisely what allows him to grasp the arcana in ways no other human has. His emotional openness and devotion aren't weaknesses - they're what make him brave and extraordinary. The show understands that passionate character doesn't need to "learn moderation"; he needs to direct that passion wisely, which is exactly what he's doing.
And this isn't a small point by any stretch, because the above recognizes something that's often forgotten about him: Callum's "greatest strength" isn't some innate magical talent (he's not even naturally connected to primal magic like elves are). It's his humanity in every sense of the word - his capacity to love deeply, to be afraid and do it anyway, to make mistakes and keep trying, to obsess over understanding rather than controlling, to choose the hard right path over the easy wrong one.When he had that dark magic-induced coma and woke up having to choose whether to continue down that path, he chose the harder road of truly understanding primal magic. When he's terrified of Aaravos using him, he doesn't hide from that fear - he confronts it. When he loves Rayla, he doesn't guard his heart - he's all in, even when it hurts. That vulnerability, that willingness to feel everything fully and keep moving forward anyway - that's what allows him to genuinely connect to the primal sources in a way dark mages never can.
The fact that he and Rayla have a daughter named Sarai II just adds another beautiful layer to his character. He was raised by two fathers and a mother- Damian, Sarai, and Harrow - literally a poet, soldier, king trio - who showed him what leadership with integrity looks like. And Callum synthesizes all three into who he's becoming - the creative mind of the poet that lets him understand magic in new ways, the moral leadership of the king that guides his choices, and the soldier's courage to act and protect. He draws like Damian, leads like Harrow, and fights with Sarai's heart.
Now Callum gets to be that for the next generation, showing Sarai (and his world) that humans don't need to choose between power and principles. He's literally proving that humanity CAN access primal magic through genuine understanding and connection - rewriting what's possible for his entire species while raising a daughter in that new reality.
I'm genuinely thrilled they're committing to this trajectory for him.
As for the other characters, I've given some thought to the others:
For Aaravos, I always come back to his final confrontation with Callum in Arc 2. Aaravos saw Callum's willingness to "compromise" and "embrace dark magic to save those he loves" as proof they think alike. But Callum's plan wasn't a compromise with his principles - it was a sacrifice of himself FOR his principles. There's a massive difference between "I'll use dark magic because it's easier/more powerful" (Claudia's path) and "I'll use dark magic once, knowing it will cost me my life, to stop ultimate evil" (Callum's choice). He did exactly what Aaravos thought he would and Aaravos was *still* blindsided. For a millenia-old archmage who's been exploiting mages like pawns, this must have been beyond humiliating.
I think Aaravos is going to be obsessed with Callum in a way he wasn't before. He was blindsided, and immortal beings don't forget that. A few possibilities:
The "corrupted" angle won't work anymore - Aaravos has seen that Callum will choose death over corruption. But that doesn't mean Aaravos won't try other approaches. He might target Rayla or Sarai II instead, knowing Callum's love is both his greatest strength and his potential vulnerability.
Aaravos might actually respect Callum now - in a twisted way. The rage at being outsmarted might evolve into genuine interest in this human who defied him. That could be more dangerous than contempt.
The "affinity" claim could become self-fulfilling in unexpected ways - Not through corruption, but because Callum IS becoming immensely powerful through primal magic. An archmage Callum might be the first being in centuries who could actually challenge Aaravos on a power level. Aaravos might have been right that they have "affinity" - just not in the way he thought. They're both pursuing mastery of all primal sources, but from completely opposite philosophical foundations.
Aaravos's real goal - We still don't fully know what Aaravos wants beyond freedom and revenge. But given seven years have passed and there's a "forsaken Dragon Prince" emerging, I suspect Aaravos's plans are much bigger than just escaping. Callum might represent something Aaravos needs - not as a vessel, but as a rival, a successor, or perhaps even as proof of concept for something larger.
The father angle makes this even more interesting. Callum now has a daughter to protect, which gives Aaravos new leverage - but it also gives Callum even more reason to ensure the world Sarai II grows up in is free from Aaravos's influence.
Claudia is going to be fascinating in Arc 3, especially in relation to Callum!
By the end of Season 7, Claudia has sacrificed everything for dark magic and her father - her appearance, her relationships, her humanity. She's chosen power through consumption and shortcuts. Meanwhile, Callum has achieved incredible power through authentic connection, has a loving relationship with Rayla, and now has a daughter.
Seven years later, that contrast is going to be even starker. Callum will have progressed toward becoming an archmage, built a family, and proven that humans CAN access primal magic. Claudia will have continued down her path, potentially even more isolated and consumed by dark magic. She's the living counter-example to everything Callum represents.
What makes this tragic is that they were friends once. Claudia taught Callum his first magic spell. In another world, they could have learned primal magic together. But Claudia couldn't let go of dark magic, couldn't let go of "saving" her father, couldn't accept that sometimes the people we love make their own choices.
Some potential Arc 3 dynamics:
The Aaravos-Claudia relationship has shifted - The showrunners said Claudia has "taken ownership" of her path. She's not just Aaravos's pawn anymore. That could make her MORE dangerous, or it could be the beginning of her questioning things. Especially if Aaravos becomes obsessed with Callum as a potential rival/successor instead of her.
Seeing what Callum has become - Imagine Claudia encountering Callum seven years later. He's mastered multiple primal sources, he has a family, he's respected and powerful - and he did it without dark magic. Without sacrificing his humanity. That has to hurt. It proves her father was wrong. It proves the "necessity" of dark magic was always a lie. How does she respond to that? Denial? Rage? Or does something crack?
The father angle - Callum is now a father to Sarai II. Claudia has spent years sacrificing everything for HER father. That parallel could be really pointed. Callum's showing healthy parental love - letting Sarai II be her own person, modeling good choices. Viren's love for Claudia has been possessive and destructive, pulling her deeper into darkness to "save" him.
Redemption or tragedy? - The question is whether Claudia is too far gone. She's taken ownership of her path, but ownership could mean commitment OR it could mean she's finally in a position to truly CHOOSE differently. Seeing Callum with a daughter might trigger something - maybe she'll see what she's lost, what she could have had. Or maybe it'll make her double down.
Rayla's gonna be so layered and complex...
Rayla started as someone literally sent to kill Callum's family. Now she's his partner and the mother of his child. That journey from "I'm here to complete my mission" to "I choose love and connection over duty to death" mirrors Callum's journey in a lot of ways. They've both had to unlearn the destructive patterns of their cultures.
After that time jump, Rayla will have spent seven years building a life with Callum, raising Sarai II, presumably continuing to grow as a person. But her core struggles - her tendency toward self-sacrifice, her guilt - those don't just disappear.
Motherhood and her self-sacrificing nature - Rayla's instinct has always been to throw herself into danger to protect others. But now she has Sarai II. Does motherhood temper that instinct, or does it intensify it? "I have to protect my daughter" could go either way - toward being more careful, or toward being even more willing to sacrifice herself "for her daughter's future."
Callum's growing power - As Callum approaches archmage status, there might be an interesting dynamic shift. Rayla has always been the fighter, the protector, the physically powerful one. But an archmage with multiple primal sources? He'd be the more powerful of the two in combat. How does that shift their dynamic? Does Rayla struggle with that, or does she embrace it?
Aaravos and threats to Callum - If Aaravos becomes obsessed with Callum, Rayla is going to be fiercely protective. But what happens if that means she has to make impossible choices? What if Aaravos or Claudia threatens Sarai II to get to Callum? Rayla's protective instincts plus her self-sacrificing nature could lead to dangerous situations.
The Moonshadow elf culture - Rayla rejected a lot of her culture's death-focused traditions. But has that culture changed at all in seven years? Or is she an outsider among her own people? And what does she teach Sarai II about her Moonshadow heritage vs. her human heritage?
Ezran became king as a child - he had to grow up way too fast. Now, seven years later, he's a young adult who's been ruling through incredibly difficult times. He's seen his kingdom destroyed, dealt with Aaravos's return, and had to make impossible decisions. That kind of pressure either breaks you or forges you into something remarkable.
What struck me about Season 7 was seeing Ezran's grief and rage, especially toward Callum helping Runaan escape. That was the first time we really saw Ezran crack - lashing out, unable to forgive, consumed by anger. For someone whose whole character has been defined by kindness, empathy, and his ability to connect with animals (and people), that was devastating to watch.
Seven years later - has he healed from that? Has he forgiven Callum? Has he found a way to reconcile his love for his brother with his grief over his father? Or is there still a fracture in their relationship?
Discovering that Harrow is alive (having switched places with his bird Pip) was MASSIVE for Ezran specifically. His entire kingship has been built on the foundation of his father's death. His grief, his anger at Runaan, his whole identity as the orphaned boy king - all of it is based on believing Harrow was murdered.
If/when Ezran discovers Harrow, what does that do to him? Relief? Anger that he was lied to? Confusion about his own legitimacy as king? And does Harrow's survival change how he feels about Runaan, who thought he'd killed the king but actually... didn't?
And this is where the brother dynamic gets really interesting:
Callum has spent seven years growing in power, building a family, proving humanity can access primal magic, becoming an archmage
Ezran has spent seven years bearing the weight of kingship, dealing with political realities, rebuilding after destruction, making compromises
Callum gets to pursue understanding and connection. Ezran has to manage kingdoms and politics. Callum's path has led to wonder and growth. Ezran's path has involved trauma and impossible choices.
There could be some real tension there - not resentment exactly, but a recognition that their paths have diverged significantly. Callum is becoming something extraordinary and magical. Ezran is becoming something more grounded and political, perhaps losing some of that innocent idealism that defined him.
Then there's the Aaravos factor. Aaravos tried to manipulate Ezran by claiming Callum would embrace dark magic. Ezran now knows Callum was willing to sacrifice himself instead. But does Ezran understand WHY Callum made that choice, or does he just see another example of his brother keeping secrets and making unilateral decisions (like helping Runaan escape)?
Potential Arc 3 Storylines:
The Harrow reunion - This HAS to happen, right? How does adult Ezran react to finding his father alive? Does Harrow reclaim the throne, or has Ezran proven himself as the rightful king?
Political isolation - Callum has Rayla and their daughter. Who does Ezran have? Has he been able to form close relationships, or has kingship made him lonely? Is there a romantic relationship, or has he been too consumed by duty?
The "forsaken Dragon Prince"Â - This new antagonist challenging Zym's legitimacy might parallel Ezran's own questions about legitimacy, especially if Harrow is alive. What makes someone the "rightful" ruler - birth, merit, sacrifice, choice?
Another conflict with Callum - What if seven years of kingship have hardened Ezran in ways that conflict with Callum's idealism? What if Ezran, dealing with practical realities of ruling, has had to make compromises that Callum (pursuing archmage status) hasn't? Callum can afford to be idealistic about primal magic and authentic connection because he's not responsible for feeding a kingdom or managing political alliances. Ezran doesn't have that luxury. That could create real philosophical conflict between them - not because either is wrong, but because they're operating in different contexts.
Alternatively, maybe Ezran has become an incredibly wise, compassionate ruler who's managed to maintain his core kindness despite everything. Maybe he's the moral center that keeps everyone grounded - Callum provides the magical power, Rayla provides the warrior skill, but Ezran provides the wisdom and ethical guidance.
His ability to understand all creatures could make him the bridge-builder in a way no one else can be. He literally understands perspectives others can't access.
What's your read on where Ezran's character is headed? I'm particularly curious whether you think the rift with Callum will have healed or if it's going to be a major source of tension in Arc 3.
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