The Ending of Onyx Storm Explained: Spoilers & Popular Theories

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Breaking down the major cliffhanger and what it means

Co-authored by Frank DiLuzio and Devin McSween

Last Updated: September 17, 2025 Fact Checked

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Ending Synopsis

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Popular Theories

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Book 4 Release

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Like Rebecca Yarros’ other novels in The Empyrean series, Onyx Storm ended with a major, jaw-dropping cliffhanger that left many fans with more questions than answers. If you’re not sure what to make of the ending to Onyx Storm and what might be next for Violet, Xaden, and their dragons, keep reading! We’ll help you piece together what happened in those final chapters and dive into popular fan theories about the ending. Just be warned: major spoilers for Onyx Storm are below!

How does Onyx Storm end?

Onyx Storm ends with Xaden channeling from the earth and turning venin to win the final battle. Violet defeats Theophanie and wakes up 12 hours later at Riorson House. She finds out that she’s married to Xaden, who’s gone, and Imogen has erased her memories from the last 12 hours.

Section 1 of 3:

What happened at the end of Onyx Storm?

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Xaden and Violet get married, Xaden disappears, and Violet’s memory is wiped. Tons of action is packed into the final chapters of Onyx Storm, which ends on a cliffhanger. Here’s what happened:^{[1]
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- Xaden channels from the earth to save Sgaeyl during the battle at Draithus. He releases an onyx storm of shadows that effectively wins the battle, but he is likely fully venin now.
- The shadows give Violet the upper hand in her battle with Theophanie, and she kills the venin maven with a marble dagger.
- Violet blacks out and wakes up 12 hours later at Riorson House in Aretia.
- Violet discovers she got married to Xaden and is essentially the Duchess of Tyrrendor.^{[2]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Frank DiLuzio
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  Expert Interview} Xaden leaves her a note saying not to look for him.
- Imogen erased Violet’s memories of the last 12 hours, which she did at Violet’s request.^{[3]
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  Literary Content and Podcasting Expert
  
  Expert Interview}
- Andarna is back and tells Violet, “I will not let them burn you.”
- Tairn is in a cycle of rest to recover from whatever happened during the last 12 hours.
- Violet can’t reach Xaden through the bond. It’s unclear if he’s out of range or the bond is broken.
- Four dragon riders are missing, though it’s not clear who is gone.
- Six dragon eggs are missing, but it’s not clear who took them and why.
- Several riders and dragons are dead, one of which is Quinn.

Section 2 of 3:

Popular Theories About the Ending of Onyx Storm

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Who is Xaden’s venin “brother?” During the final battle, Xaden finds out that he has another venin “brother,” which means another dragon rider turned venin.^{[4]
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Frank DiLuzio
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Expert Interview} The person isn’t named, but it’s clear they’re close to Xaden and he didn’t expect them to turn.
- Fans speculate that the new venin initiate might be Bohdi, Garrick, Brennan, or even Dain.
- Yarros has hinted that the character is missing in the last few chapters and is someone who feels like they haven’t given enough.
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Which riders are missing? In the final chapter of the book, it’s revealed that four dragon riders are missing, including Xaden and Garrick. It’s speculated that the other missing riders might include Bohdi, Dain, or Aaric. However, many characters are unaccounted for at the end.
- Fans think that the two other riders likely helped Xaden escape and hide. Violet may have asked Imogen to wipe her memory so she doesn’t know who helped or where Xaden is if she’s interrogated.
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Who took the dragon eggs? There’s lots of speculation about where the 6 dragon eggs went. It’s possible that:
- Queen Marlis of Unnbriel took them, as earlier in the book she tells Violet that she’ll only get her allegiance if she receives 12 dragon eggs, with 2 from each breed.
- The irid dragons took them as a way of protecting the other dragon breeds in case the venin take over.
- The eggs are Tairn and Sgaeyl’s, so Sgaeyl took them for safekeeping.
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What is Violet’s connection to the gods? Onyx Storm dropped a lot of lore about Violet’s connection to Dunne, revealing that she was partially dedicated to the war goddess which is why some of her hair is silver. Malek, the god of death, is also mentioned a lot. So, fans agree that the gods have a role to play in this story.
- Some fans think Violet finished the dedication when she got married to Xaden. Brennan balks when she reappears, which might be because her hair is fully silver.
- Aaric’s note with the marble dagger reveals that another god may be trying to curry Violet’s favor. Fans speculate that this may be Malek due to her connection with death, particularly when she prayed to save Mira’s life.
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What’s going to happen with Tairn and Sgaeyl? Xaden tells Violet not to look for him at the end of Onyx Storm, insinuating that he’s hiding somewhere far away. Because Tairn and Sgaeyl are mates and have to remain near one another, it’s left unclear what their fates may be.
- Many fans think that Tairn and Sgaeyl broke their bond so Xaden could escape. It’s possible that Andarna used her irid talents to break the bond, which is why Tairn is recovering.
- If this is the case, fans believe that Xaden and Violet’s bond is likely broken. This now means that one could die without the other (and their dragon) following.
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How will Violet save Xaden and defeat the venin? Throughout Onyx Storm, Violet searches for a way to stop Xaden from transforming into a venin. She holds out hope that Andarna’s kind, the irids, hold the cure, but the irids reveal that there is none—turning venin causes someone to lose their soul and there’s no cure for death.
- Fans still speculate that the irids have a role to play, as Theophanie and other venin are curious about the irids and even seem to revere them.
- Some fans believe this is where the gods’ connection comes into play. If Xaden’s soul is “dead,” then Violet may have to meet Malek in order to retrieve it.

Section 3 of 3:

Is there going to be another book after Onyx Storm?

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Yes, but there’s no release date for the fourth book yet. As of Onyx Storm’s release in January 2025, Yarros has said she can’t commit to a release date for The Empyrean #4. She’s mentioned that she wants to take the next book slower. Before she gets to the next book, she’s going to release a contemporary romance novel.^{[5]
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- Based on Yarros’ previous releases, it’ll likely be at least one year before the fourth book comes out.

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Onyx Storm ending explanation

wikiHow Editorial Team

If you haven't read the book yet, don't look any further. Onyx Storm ending spoilers ahead!

In the final battle between the venin and riders, Xaden channels from the earth to create a shadow storm, save Sgaeyl, and defeat the dark wielders and their wyvern, making many readers believe that he's now fully venin. Violet defeats Theophanie in the final battle, but she wakes up in the Riorson House in the final chapter without remembering how she got there. She finds out that she and Xaden are married, and that she asked Imogen to wipe her memory.

Xaden is missing, along with 6 dragon eggs and 4 other riders, but it's not clear exactly who those riders are or who has the eggs. It's also revealed that another rider turned venin, but their identity isn't known. Garrick Tavis, Bodhi Durran, Aaric Graycastle, and Dain Aetos aren't present at the end of the book, so many people theorize that one of them could be Xaden's new venin "brother."

Check out a more thorough breakdown of Onyx Storm's ending and share your theories below!