Rebecca Yarros has a real talent for making us lose our collective minds over a single name. Berwyn. Before the release of Onyx Storm, we just called him "the Sage." He was that creepy, shadowy figure haunting Xaden’s nightmares and whispering about turning for love. But now he has a name, a face, and a backstory that basically throws every theory we had into a blender.
Honestly, if you thought Jack Barlowe was the biggest problem, Berwyn is here to hold his beer. He’s not just some random villain in a red-eyed army. He’s the specific tether pulling Xaden Riorson toward a darkness that feels increasingly inevitable.
So, Who Actually Is Berwyn?
Basically, Berwyn is a high-ranking venin, specifically a Sage (though he’s claimed the title of Maven or General, which suggests he’s higher up the food chain than we realized). He is the primary antagonist driving Xaden’s arc in Onyx Storm.
The wildest part? Xaden already "killed" him once.
According to the text, Berwyn has a massive scar running down the middle of his face. Xaden gave him that souvenir years ago at Basgiath when he threw him into a ravine. Xaden walked away thinking the guy was dead. He wasn't. Like a bad penny, Berwyn showed up again at Resson, and he’s been the one "dream walking" into Xaden and Violet’s heads ever since.
The Identity Crisis: Is He Someone We Know?
Fans have been spiraling about Berwyn’s true identity since the moment his name dropped. Because this is the Empyrean series, nobody is ever just "some guy." The community is currently split into three main camps:
- The Prince Alic Theory: This is the big one. Alic Tauri was King Tauri’s son, the one Xaden supposedly killed during Threshing. We know Xaden has a history with the royal family, and the timing of Berwyn’s "death" in the ravine at Basgiath aligns almost perfectly with the timeline of Alic’s disappearance.
- The Naolin Connection: Some readers are convinced Berwyn is actually Naolin, Tairn’s previous rider who "died" saving Brennan. The theory goes that Naolin didn't just burn out; he turned venin to save the man he loved. It would explain why Tairn is so tight-lipped about him.
- The "New" Character: There's also the possibility that he’s a historical figure we haven't met, maybe someone like General Daramor from the Great War.
The Bond That Breaks Everything
The most frustrating part of Onyx Storm is the revelation that Xaden physically cannot kill Berwyn. It’s not a lack of skill. Xaden is arguably the most lethal person in the quadrant. It’s a magical block.
Xaden describes it as a bond that should never exist. He tells Violet that he can no more raise a blade to Berwyn’s throat than he could to hers. This has massive implications. If Berwyn is the "Sage" to Xaden’s "Initiate," it suggests that the act of turning venin creates a dark mirror of the dragon-rider bond.
Think about that for a second. If Xaden is magically tethered to the man who wants to consume his soul, he isn't just fighting an addiction to power; he's fighting a master-student connection that might be hard-wired into the magic of the earth itself.
Why Berwyn Matters for Book 4
Berwyn isn't just a boss fight at the end of a level. He represents the "future" the venin want for Xaden. In the final chapters of Onyx Storm, Berwyn refers to Jack Barlowe as his "son" and mentions he has another son—which many believe refers to a newly turned ally (looking at you, Bodhi or even Panchek).
He is building a family of monsters.
By the end of the book, Xaden has fully embraced his venin side to save the people he loves, unleashing the titular "onyx storm" that levels the battlefield. But Berwyn survives. He’s still out there, and he still has that connection to Xaden.
What You Should Watch For
If you're trying to figure out where this goes next, pay attention to the "son" comments. The venin don't use family terms lightly. If Berwyn really is a Tauri (Alic), his obsession with "accessing his son" might mean he's looking for Cam (Aaric) or Halden.
Also, keep an eye on Sgaeyl. She’s pissed, she’s grieving, and she’s the only one who might know the truth about Berwyn’s origins if he was indeed a former rider in the quadrant.
The reality is that as long as Berwyn is alive, Xaden is never truly free. He’s a puppet on a string, and the Sage is the one holding the crossbar.
Next Step for Readers: Go back and re-read the chapters in Iron Flame where Xaden describes his nightmares. Now that you know the name Berwyn, the "tan arm" and the specific threats he makes about "turning for love" take on a much more sinister, personal meaning.