Normally I try not to be overly controversial in my posts and I do try to stick with what I think SJM would do based on her patterns. I like to analyze the books as they’ve been written rather than saying “well I think this should happen because it just seems the right way to go about it”.
This one sort of goes against all that though because it’s basically narrowing the characters down to their traumas and "what” they are on an observable level rather than considering who they are despite all of that (and acknowledging all the other factors that contribute to their entire self). I also don’t claim that SJM shares this same view. It’s completely my opinion and my opinion alone. This post simplifies things in a way that I normally don’t like to do when it surrounds things that are considered TW.
There are a million other reasons I think Elucien is endgame. They are written in a way that’s beautifully compatible and share similar core values and that’s already enough to convince me. Without that though, Lucien is a SA survivor, a disabled Biracial male, and a sort of Domestic Abuse survivor too (considering Tamlin threatened him with his power on multiple occasions and has also physically assaulted him for no good reason and he experienced abuse at the hands of Beron and his brothers). I’d be surprised for an author to give her MMC a backstory with so many things that are considered sensitive subjects only to have his “Cauldron Given” Mate (the thing that is supposed to be the most sacred to these Fae) reject him for a Male who really doesn’t seem to care whether he kills him or not.
Anti’s always says, “it’s Elain’s choice!” but Elain’s choice could still include her Mate by the end of things. Our choices change as we grow so trying to box her into one decision before she even knows who she is is a bit odd.
And Elain is not the only character SJM cares for. Lucien has been a MAJOR player in nearly every book so he’s not in this series to end up a casualty of one of the FMC. And having Elain reject her Mate who is a SA survivor, DA survivor, and a disabled biracial Male for Az who is not her Mate (and will therefore not be subjected to live the rest of his life feeling the pains of an unfulfilled Mating Bond) would be really disheartening.
In the same vein, Gwyn is not only a SA survivor. There is so much more to her beyond something that happened to her so her story shouldn’t be decided based off that and that alone. But, I do think creating a storyline where the first (non taken) Male she interacted with after her assault was Azriel, where she shows obvious comfort being near him alone though she’s still hesitant to leave the library, where she’s shown flirtation toward him, only to have him end up with Elain over her in the end would read as a little callous towards Gwyn.
Maybe I’m not understanding where SJM is going with everything but to me, she doesn’t seem like the kind of author to put those things into her book only to be like, “sorry, no Mate for you” in the end. She loves HEA (as most of us do) and having a character like Lucien, for the rest of his life, being forced to accept that his Mate rejected him doesn’t seem like her style.
Now, if SJM does go the route of E/riel, I’m not going to come after her with a pitchfork and accuse her of being disrespectful towards those sensitive subjects because at the end of the day, these are fantasy books and difficult things happen to every character. In the end, she’s going to write about whatever felt right for her, regardless of who she wrote certain characters to be or the backstory’s she’s given them. And I get that, she shouldn’t have to base who ends up with who on what we consider morally acceptable.
But for Elain and Lucien to have a happy Mating Bond (which is still a very real possibility)? To have Gwyn and Az share the same? Why wouldn't you want to see that for characters who have struggled so much?
