Imogen Cardulo

by DrSoaresRex

**Imogen Cardulo** is a third-year rider at Basgiath War College. She is friends with Xaden Riorson and a member of the rebellion alongside Garrick Tavis, Bodhi Durran and all the other children of the leaders of the failed rebellion of Fen Riorson.

## Biography

### **Before Basgiath**

Imogen is one of the children of the leaders of the rebellion led by Fen Riorson. She was around the age of 16 when she was marked with the rebellion relic and was forced to watch the execution of her mother and older sister, both of whom took active roles in the Tyrrish Rebellion.

### **First year**

As part of the deal Xaden made with General Lilith Sorrengail, Imogen, along with all the other marked children of the separatists, was forced to enroll into the Riders Quadrant.

Not much is known about her first year in Basgiath, aside from the fact that she bonded Glane, an Orange Daggertail, and manifested the power of erasing recent memories.

Originally, she was part of the Second Squad, Flame Section, Second Wing and she is one of the four first year cadets in her squad that survived to her second year - the others being Dain Aetos, Quinn and Cianna.

### **Second Year**

After Violet Sorrengail is assigned to Imogen`s squad, Xaden manages to move them under his chain of command.

During assessment day, Professor Emetterio calls Imogen to the mat against Violet Sorrengail. Following Violet`s comment about her mother`s involvement in ending the Tyrrish rebellion, Imogen loses her temper and even tries to pull a blade on Violet. Saved by her dragon-scale amour, Violet walks out of that fight with a dislocated shoulder and a broken arm.

A few days after this incident, Imogen is among the marked ones that meet near Iakobos River to discuss the situation of the struggling first years in their numbers. She is assigned the task of training a part of the new cadets for the sparring mat as Xaden considers her one of their best fighters (at a similar level with Garrick) and patient enough for this.

Towards the end of this secret meeting, one of the first years rises the issue of taking revenge on Violet Sorrengail and Imogen quickly jumps in to support the idea. Considering Xaden`s response, it was not the first time they discussed the problem and Bodhi mentions that Imogen`s desire for revenge has already earned her a month of scrubbing dishes after dinner. Garrick and Imogen also argue on whether or not Violet should be held accountable for her mother`s sins before Xaden brings up Brennan Sorrengail as a reason why Violet would hate them as well, ending the debate by taking it upon himself to “handle” Violet.

Imogen is present during the sparring class Xaden decides to teach Violet how to properly disarm an opponent, visibly surprised at Violet snapping at Xaden loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. Xaden leaves his weapons in her care and when she confronts him about the reason he took Violet to the mat, he ignored the question.

She is also seen teasing and mocking Violet before the Gauntlet, proving she hasn`t forgiven the first year for the comment on assessment day.

After Violet bonds Tairn and Andarna, Imogen joins Violet and her squad at breakfast (accompanied by Quinn, Emery and Heaton) and explains them that after Threshing the power balance shifts, and the group dynamics also change. Noticing Violet`s hesitation to eat anything now that Oren Seifert is on kitchen duty, Imogen gives her a part of her own breakfast. Probably at Xaden`s request, Imogen starts to train Violet in the weight room regularly to strengthen the muscles around her joints.

On the night Xaden and Garrick train together in the sparring gym, Imogen was also present, fighting with Ridoc. Violet mistakenly assumes Imogen is staring with “pure yearning” towards Xaden. Later on, Xaden explains that Imogen has a thing for Garrick.

During the last trial of the Squad Games, in the absence of their Squadleader Dain Aetos and their Executive Officer Cianna, Imogen steps up and takes command of their squad. As they discuss the plan to steal the map with information on all the outposts of Navarre from General Sorrengail`s office, Imogen`s signet is revealed as the ability to mind-wipe recent memories - just like Dain`s, it is a classified signet as we learn in Iron Flame. To recognize Violet`s pivotal contribution, Imogen nudges her to present and take credit for the idea.

As a reward for winning the Squad Games, Imogen`s squad spends a few days in Montserrat. As the cadets are divided into two groups - some spending the day with professor Devera and then going on patrol, while the other half of the squad spends two hours flying around the surrounding area and then discussing battle strategy in the briefing room of the outpost. Imogen is not mentioned as part or either group.

Imogen is also mentioned helping her team during the War Games and during the last challenge, she is part of the team Xaden Riorson assembles to fly to Athebyne. It is obvious that she knows about the venins and has been part of the secret weapon smuggling as she, like the other marked ones in the team, is not surprised at the apparition of gryphon fliers.

Upon arriving at the outpost, the group is divided to search for clues as to why such a strategically important outpost would be deserted. Imogen and Garrick are the ones who find the missive with instructions left by Colonel Aetos. Learning that the whole village was left defenseless, Imogen is the first to state her intentions of fighting to defend the civilians when they are given the choice to run away to safety.

Even when they learn about the additional danger of the wyverns created by the venins, Imogen`s courage is unwavering.

After the battle, Imogen is described as crying and worried for Violet`s life as she has been stabbed by the venin and the poison is spreading through her body. She argues with Garrick when he points out that bringing Violet to Aretia puts everything they have been working for in danger, noting that Tairn doesn`t seem to agree with his line of thought, but also that it is only Violet`s life at stake, but Xaden`s as well. The two seem to bicker all the way to Aretia on the subject as Garrick is heard snapping at her again when they land.

“Stop fucking asking him that,” Garrick snaps. “He made his decision. Support him or get the fuck out, Imogen.”

### **Third Year**

Imogen is one of the eight survivors of the battle at Resson and she is first seen in Iron Flame as listening on the Assembly meeting from the hallway along with Bodhi and later on, Violet Sorrengail joins them. Violet notes that both Imogen and Bodhi are comfortable around Riorson House and in the days since the battle, they have found the time to touch on their hair - Imogen had her hair dyed a brighter shade of pink and Bodhi got a new haircut. The only signs of having been in battle recently are Bodhi`s broken arm and Imogen`s split lip.

When the Assembly members figure that the three cadets have been listening on the meeting about whether or not they should return to Basgiath, Imogen and Bodhi don`t show any remorse and defend Violet`s right to also be there, hinting towards the fact that Xaden had taken responsibility for Violet the same way he did for the 107 children of the leaders of the Tyrrish Rebellion - by inflicting a wound deep enough to leave a mark on himself, a Tyrrish custom that Imogen expresses her disapproval to.

After the meeting is over, Imogen leaves along with Bodhi and Xaden, aiming for the valley nearby where the eight of them will decide, in spite of the Assembly, what they want to do from that point. Imogen agrees with Garrick and the others that they should return, taking the risk of being discovered and executed because there are still a lot of people left in Basgiath depending on them and they can`t just cut off the flow of weapons to the gryphon fliers.

## Physical Description

Imogen is described as having pale green eyes and chin-length half-pink, half-shaved hair that she braids or pins back before battles. As the child of a separatist, she carries the rebellion relic - a set of dark, winding lines that cover most of her left arm. Violet also notes that Imogen is about a head taller than herself and has a toned body, considering her the kind of woman "whose beauty is only outmatched by her brutality".

For the most part of the first book, Violet describes Imogen`s expression as scornful, snarky, vicious and mocking, but during the secret meeting, she notes on the uncharacteristic softness in her features when she's around her friends:

After the battle at Resson, Violet notes that Imogen has a split in her lip and while they were staying at Riorson House to wait for Violet to recover, she has managed to dye her hair a brighter shade of pink.

## Personality

Judging by the way she easily lost control during her fight with Violet on assessment day, it is safe to assume that Imogen is easily riled up and holds a grudge against General Sorrengail, whom she considers responsible for the execution of her mother and sister after the apostasy. In the same fight but also during other interactions with Violet, Imogen is vicious, ruthless and snarky.

However, during the secret meeting scene, we get a glimpse of a whole different side of her - more open, almost caring around her friends and seeing as she is one of the few people who talk during the meeting and is tasked with looking after the first years, it is safe to assume that she is respected and pretty high in the chain of command of the marked ones. Xaden also notes that she is far more patient than Garrick.

We also see that Imogen is able to overcome her own feelings and prejudices, putting the well-being of her friend and the duties she has within the rebellion above herself. She accepts to train Violet out of loyalty to Xaden and gradually warms up to her as she admits in Iron Flame.

There is also a playful, mischievous side of Imogen as she doesn`t pass on any opportunity to tease and challenge her friends or to make a sarcastic comment - see, for example her teasing Xaden during the secret meeting or Violet on the "love triangle" with Dain and Xaden, but also on her uncertain relationship status with Xaden throughout Iron Flame. However, she is visibly uncomfortable talking about feelings and relationships with Violet and immediately shuts down the possibility of talking about her own romantic life with anyone but her best friend, Quinn.

“One,” she blatantly mimics me, “we’re not talking about my love life. I have Quinn—my actual friend—for that.” She pins back the longest section of her pink hair with quick, efficient movements. “Two, we keep information classified all the time. You’d have the same problem with any rider you dated.” [...] “You didn’t want normal. If you did, you’d be in a relationship with Aetos.” She shudders. “Or hell, anyone else in this place. But you wanted Riorson. If you didn’t think the man was hiding more than a few battle-axes, then you’re mad at the wrong person, because you lied to yourself.” [...] “Oh, look, our time is up.” She sighs in obvious relief.

It is also worth noting that Imogen actually gives Violet sound advice about her relationship with both Xaden and her squad (encouraging her to talk to Rhiannon and the rest and stop avoiding them), but also on school related stuff regarding Rider Survival Course (RSC).

Along with Bodhi, she also sneaks in to listen to the Assembly meeting in Aretia, further proving her mischievous side.

As seen both in Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, Imogen doesn`t shy away from battle and faces danger head on. She feels it is her duty as a rider to protect the defenseless and like all the other marked ones, prefers a honorable death in battle, fighting against the danger their parents lost their lives trying to prevent.

## Power and Abilities

### Combat

Imogen is seen as a capable fighter and Xaden even describes her as just as good of a fighter as Garrick. Her talent on the sparring mat also makes her the best person to train others (some marked kids, Violet Sorrengail, Sloane Mairi).

### Speed

It is mentioned multiple times throughout the books that Imogen is very fast in combat and otherwise, second only to Xaden and the venin Violet faces during the battle at Athebyne. She highlights her speed herself during the Squad Games when they all talk about the powers and abilities they have at their disposal for completing the task.

During her third year, Imogen also takes up running in the morning with Violet to raise endurance, both of them still haunted by the memory of Soleil not being able to get to Fuil in time.

### Signet

With the ability to erase recent memories, Imogen is one of the few known riders with a classified signet. She is seen using it to cover their tracks, erasing the memory of their presence there, when her, Violet, Xaden and Aaric break into the Scribe Quadrant to steal the diaries of two of the First Riders. Varrish also mentions Imogen and her signet, hinting to the fact that leadership is aware of her ability and might be using it in a similar way as Dain is used for interrogations.

## Relationships

### Garrick Tavis

WIP

“I’m going to skip the obvious pun to be made about plenty of mares in my stable.” He flashes a grin, then turns and heads toward the path at the end of the valley. “Seeing as I’m no longer a cadet but a mature, responsible officer.”
She scoffs as he walks by.

## References

1. ↑ Iron Flame, Chapter 9
2. ↑ Iron Flame, chapter 52