Fourth Wing

Dragon relics are tattoo-like images that dragons administer. They are a show of power that is seen in both positive and negative contexts; they are given to riders as a symbol of their bond with their dragon, but the children of the separatists are also marked with a relic to show their parents’ traitorous nature. Despite the social contexts, these rebellion relics are also shown to be a gift, as Xaden reveals that the marks hide the children from the precognitive powers of one of Navarre’s higher officials.

The relics represent community and power. All riders have a relic, making these marks a symbol of their role in the military and their magical abilities. The relics bond riders together as much as they are an undeniable connection to Navarre. The rebellion relics have the further role of interlocking the lives of the rebel children, cementing them together in a way that may not have happened in their absence.

Throughout the novel, poison is employed to subversively thwart the plans of another. Whether used for or against the protagonists, it stands as a corruptive force, a silent unknown that can nonetheless sap the energy and life of the people upon whom it is inflicted.