Xaden Riorson

Art by s\_holdthebus

**Xaden Riorson** is a third-year rider and wingleader of the Fourth Wing. He is bonded to the dragon Sgaeyl. He later graduates and becomes a lieutenant, and assigned to a post near Samara.

## Biography

### Early Life

As the child of a rebellion leader, Fen Riorson, he was marked by General Melgren's dragon, as were all children of rebellion leaders, and has a rebellion relic that goes from his wrist up to his neck. This mark, along with the scars on his back, came from a deal that he struck after his father's execution where he would take personal responsibility for the loyalty of the 107 children of the rebellion leaders, and in exchange, they would be allowed to fight for their lives in the Riders Quadrant instead of being put to death like their parents. Out of all 107 children, Xaden is the oldest. His mother left when he was young, as the marriage contract between his parents only required to birth an heir who will reach at least the age of 10.

He was 18 years old when the rebellion ended and when he was sent to Trivainne, along with Liam Mairi, to be fostered by Duke Lindell. While being fostered, Xaden taught Liam how to fight in order to prepare him for the Riders Quadrant.

### Fourth Wing

When Xaden is introduced to Violet when she crosses the parapet, he is the Wingleader of Fourth Wing. Noticing her right away, he moves her under his jurisdiction by switching her squad; Second Squad, Flame Section, Second wing, with Second Squad, Flame Section, Fourth Wing, meaning that that Xaden cannot kill Violet via rule of the Codex, Basgiath's ancient rule book. After sparring starts, Violet knows she can't best her opponents, so she starts sneaking out to collect poisons before every challenge. Xaden brings a group of first years out to the woods at the same time, right below a tree she'd climbed up. He gives them deadpanned advice before waving them off, and then spoke to Violet and revealed that he knew she was up there by speaking to her. Xaden then tells her he owes her a favor for not telling anyone about the secret gathering. The next day on the mat, Xaden challenges Violet just to show that he can easily disarm her, and remind her he knows about the poisoning. He made it clear he wanted her to get stronger instead of relying on cheats. Xaden uses his favor by giving Violet advice about how to pass the chimney obstacle on the Gauntlet. Then he helps her again during Threshing, when Violet rushes to defend a gold feathertail, her future dragon, Andarna. During this battle, Xaden couldn't help because of a rule in the Codex, and his dragon, Sgaeyl, called her mate, Tairn, to come help Violet defend Andarna. Tairn appears and kills Tynan, and sends Jack and Oren running. Xaden stays until Tairn gets there before leaving, without revealing that his dragon was bonded to Sgaeyl. Violet has to hear it from Dain.

While Violet and Tairn work through flight maneuvers for weeks no luck of her staying in the seat, Xaden has a makeshift saddle made to strap to Tairn, with a small compartment below his stomach for Andarna.

Later in the book Xaden decides to let Violet further in, and reveals that he had been supplying weapons for gryphon riders to defend themselves against wyvern and venin.

During war games, Dain's father sends a missive to Xaden, warning him not to leave to defend Athebyne or die when they got back. He decides to fight, and Liam and Soleil die in the process. Violet gets poisoned and Xaden brings her to Brennan in a panic, and she lays in bed for three days.

### **Iron Flame**

Xaden, Violet and the rest return to Basgiath, after they have been missing for six days in a row and Xaden being the first announced on the death roll by Captain Fitzgibbon. Colonel Aetos is convinced that Xaden is lying about the gryphon attack, which caused them to almost be gone for a week, but General Lilith Sorrengail dismisses Aetos after questioning Riorson and her daughter further about their abscence.

Xaden, Violet and the marked ones all convince a large sum of riders to flee to Riorson House. Gryphon fliers join them there after their school was taken over. Xaden is the head of a conference group that rules over Tyrrendor, The Assembly. Brennan is also apart of this group.

After getting word that General Melgren wanted to meet, he goes and speaks to him to find out that they need assistance or they will all be slaughtered. Xaden refuses until the last second, alongside agreement from The Assembly to only guard the wardstone chamber inside Basgiath. He leads the battle against the wyvern and venin, eventually ending up alone with the Sage and goes through burnout until he turns venin.

## Physical Description

Xaden is muscular and tall with windblown black hair and dark brows. He has warm-toned tawny-brown skin with dark stubble along his jawline and his eyes resemble the shade of gold-flecked onyx. When Violet first meets him she describes him as, "more than four inches over six foot tall" His features are harsh and utterly perfect, as if an artist spent their lifetime carving and sculpting them, yet alone a year on his mouth. A diagonal scar bisects his left eyebrow and ends at the top corner of his cheek, he received this scar from Sgaeyl during his Threshing.

Xaden's chest is massive, with wide shoulders and heavily muscled arms. He carries a dark shimmering rebellion relic curved in swirls and dips, starting at his left wrist up to his collar, swirling up his neck and stopping at his jawline. His back is covered in a dragon relic of Sgaeyl, that sweeps from his waist to over both of his shoulders. His 107 scars that almost resemble silver lines are visible on his entire back. and one scar over his heart that he took claiming responsibility for Violet prior to the events of Iron Flame.

He always seen in black leather clothes, especially his flight jacket or uniform. None of his uniforms have patches aside from his year, wing, or rank.

He smells like mint, leather, and something that borders between citrus and floral.

## Personality

Riders seem to move around him, giving him wide berth as though he's a shark. He walks with lethal grace.

## Powers & Abilities

### Powers

#### **Lesser Magic**

* Every rider is capable of using Lesser magic once their dragon begins channeling through them after Threshing.

#### **Signet**

* ***Shadow Summoning**:*
	+ Due to his bond with Sgaeyl, Xaden developed the signet of being able to summon and wield shadows. He often uses his shadows to conceal himself or use it against opponents to tackle, choke, or hold them in place.

* ***Inntinnsic:***
	+ Because Xaden's grandfather used to be Sgaeyl's rider, he is capable of owning two signets. As an inntinnsic, he is able to read other peoples true intentions through their mind.

### Abilities

#### **Weapons Expert**

* Xaden is an expert with several kinds of weapons and apt in learning new kinds.

#### Fighting

* He's noted as being the best fighter in the Riders Quadrant by his fellow Marked Ones. Xaden's fighting style is described as dirty and fucking ruthless, during the secret meeting beneath the tree.  he's fast enough to catch one of Violet's flying daggers without using lesser magic.

## Relationships

### Sgaeyl

She mentions to Xaden that she chose him her rider because of his ruthlessness during Threshing, where he killed another cadet for bullying Garrick, but he believes its because he reminds her of his grandfather.

### Violet Sorrengail

Xaden and Violet share a complicated history, starting with their families involvement in the Tyrrish Rebellion. Xaden's father, Fen Riorson was responsible for killing Violet's older brother Brennan Sorrengail, thus leading Violets mother to hunt Fen down, capture and execute him. Lilith Sorrengail was later responsible for placing the 107 scars on Xaden's back when he took accountability for the 107 separatist children by claiming them as his responsibility.

Due to this shared history, Violet was convinced upon entering the Riders Quadrant that Xaden was out to kill her in retribution. However when she fails to report his secret meetings Xaden begins to take an interest in her, which is culminates in a moment during Threshing when Xaden nearly intervenes on Violets behalf to protect her from Jack Barlow, Oren Siefert and Tynan who were out to kill Andarna for being an unrideable dragon.

Because Violet showed courage standing up against the three attackers on Andarna's behalf Tairn chooses her as his rider, thus tying Violet's life to Xaden's as their dragons are a mated pair. This means that should one of them, or their dragons, suffer a fatal injury it could result in a chain of events that leads the other rider to die. Therefore Xaden could no longer kill Violet without threatening his own life.

TBA

### Dain Aetos

Throughout Fourth Wing Xaden instigates moments with Dain, highlighting Dains favoritism and coddling behavior towards Violet while also berating him by using his rule-following behavior to a fault.

### Liam Mairi

Both children of rebellion officers, the two grew up together in foster care with Duke Lindell. Xaden and Liam grew a close friendship, with Xaden trusting him to be the one who watches out for Violet.

### Bodhi Durran

The two are cousins, with Xaden a year older than Bodhi. They closely resemble one another, though Xaden has sharper features.

### **Catriona Cordella**

Catriona and Xaden both come from aristocratic families. Prior to the rebellion, his father formed a political alliance through their arranged betrothal that wound enact when she turned twenty. Xaden spent time with her in Cordyn and the two were romantically involved before he realised, after 9 months of engagement, that they weren't compatible. Cat later admits to Violet during their sparring match that she cared less for Xaden but was upset at losing the crown that came with their political marriage.

## Quotes

* *"Fascinating. You look all frail and breakable, but you're really a violent little thing, aren't you?"*
* *"Hope is a fickle, dangerous thing. It steals your focus and aims it toward the possibilities instead of keeping it where it belongs—on the probabilities."*
* “*Five-foot-nothing pain in my ass."*
* "*Violence, remember it's only the body that's fragile. You are unbreakable.*"
* "I love you. I’m in love with you. I have been since the night the snow fell in your hair and you kissed me for the first time. I’m grateful my life is tied to yours because it means I won’t have to face a day without you in it. My heart only beats as long as yours does, and when you die, I’ll meet Malek at your side."
* "*There's nowhere in existence you could go that I wouldn't find you, Violence*."

## Gallery

*See more here.*

by TinyHoomanArtby Rosiethorns88by AliciaMB Artby Cosmiklaby Kiley Freshwater
## Trivia

* Rebecca confirmed on her TikTok Account that Xaden is POC.
	+ Xaden's skin tone is "tawny" with multiple interpretations. An example has been signed and approved by Rebecca Yarros.
* His position as wingleader makes him a member of senior leadership at Basgiath War College.
* When deciding on her characters' names, Rebecca Yarros made a list of "what [she] thought hot guys' names would be" before finally settling on "Xaden" because she loved the "X" and thought that "he's a bad boy in this bad boy name."

## References

1. ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 1
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Fourth Wing, Chapter 9 (Violets POV)
3. ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 4
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Fourth Wing, Chapter 10
5. ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 3
6. ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 4
7. ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 7
8. ↑ Xaden POV, chapter 9 and 16
9. ↑ https://www.tiktok.com/@rebeccayarros
10. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/Cue5toArCiO/
11. ↑ @emmafinnerty\_. "never realised the reasons behind her characters names but i love her #rebeccayarrosfourthwing #fourthwing #rebeccayarros." TikTok, 4 July 2023, https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT889Hcby/