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Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome back to the Basic Bitch book Club,

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Speaker 1: the book club where we talk smart, self help and

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Speaker 1: bookstop every single week. And you bitches have been asking

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Speaker 1: for this episode, and I've been in the weeds.

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Speaker 2: I've been in the.

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Speaker 1: Weeds of TikTok theories, I've been on Reddit, which is

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Speaker 1: always a terrifying place to be, and I've been in

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Speaker 1: obviously the books. So today we are talking who is

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Speaker 1: Asrael's mate? Every Elaine Gwynn and wild.

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Speaker 2: Card Bryce theory.

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Speaker 1: But before we get into it, there is huge spoiler

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Speaker 1: warning for basically every Sarah Jay Mass book. If you

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Speaker 1: have not read these, turn it off immediately. This is

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Speaker 1: not for you. Go read them, come back and we'll

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Speaker 1: have a good time. So there are few debates in

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Speaker 1: the Sarah J. Mass universe that cause more chaos than

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Speaker 1: the question who is Asriel's mate. Ever since we were

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Speaker 1: introduced to the Shadow Singer, readers have been waiting for

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Speaker 1: Sarah J. Mass to finally give us a crumb of

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Speaker 1: information of his love story worthy of his brooding, loyal

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Speaker 1: and heartbreakingly lonely character, but book after book we get nothing.

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Speaker 2: Hopefully soon though, because Sarah J.

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Speaker 1: Mass has long since said she knew who her first

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Speaker 1: spin offs of Akata who they would be about, the

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Speaker 1: first being obviously fair and recent, the second spin off

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Speaker 1: being well, the first spinoff, sorry, being Nesta and Cassian,

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Speaker 1: and then the second has been this forever mysterious Akatar

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Speaker 1: six that we've waited seventy four years for. But we'll

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Speaker 1: finally discover who Asdreels made his fingers cross again. I

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Speaker 1: do want to give you a spoiler warning. Even if

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Speaker 1: you think, oh no, I'm kind of up to date,

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Speaker 1: I don't need to read that one.

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Speaker 2: Don't do it. Just come back once you've read them.

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Speaker 1: Okay, So that includes Crescent City three, by the way,

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Speaker 1: if you haven't read that bounce. So the fandom has

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Speaker 1: narrowed it down to three main contenders, Elaine Archeron Gwyneth

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Speaker 1: and in a bold crossover twist that is My Roman Empire,

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Speaker 1: Bryce Quinlan. So each theory has evidence, counter arguments, and

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Speaker 1: a whole army of passionate shippers.

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Speaker 2: But before we get into.

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Speaker 1: That, I want to get into why his character and

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Speaker 1: Asrael's mate matters so much. So the question of Azuel's

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Speaker 1: mate is one of the most significant unresolved theories and

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Speaker 1: mysteries in Sarah J. Mass's A Quarter of Thorns and

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Speaker 1: Roses series. While on the surface it may appear to

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Speaker 1: be a simple romantic subplot, the implications of Azrael's eventual

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Speaker 1: mate bond extend far beyond personal fulfillment. So his love

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Speaker 1: story has structural, thematic, and extra mettextual consequences that affect

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Speaker 1: the traject of the series and the way the fandom

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Speaker 1: engages with it. So we well five reasons. Like I said,

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Speaker 1: I've gone in deep. So number one the completion of

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Speaker 1: the inner Circle narrative. While the Night courts in a circle,

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Speaker 1: within the Night Courts in a circle, each of the

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Speaker 1: three Illyrian warriors represent a distinct archetype recent as the ruler,

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Speaker 1: Cassiane as the Heart, and as real as the shadows.

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Speaker 1: Both Resend and Cassine have been given fully realized romantic arcs.

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Speaker 1: That's up for debate. There's the Cassiane underlive theory, but

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Speaker 1: I don't pay any attention to that because it will

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Speaker 1: make me cry. With their relationships serving as vehicles for

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Speaker 1: character growth and emotional resolution, so Asuel, by contrast, remains

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Speaker 1: romantically unfulfilled, his mate reveal is thus essential, not only

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Speaker 1: to his individual arc, but the structural completion of the

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Speaker 1: Illyrian triad. So without this resolution, Asrael's character arc remains

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Speaker 1: static and the perpetual observer rather than a participant in love.

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Speaker 1: We've seen bonus chapters of his character, you know, complaining

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Speaker 1: how his brothers have found their love but he hasn't,

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Speaker 1: so we'll see what happens there. The second part is

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Speaker 1: the interconnected female arcs, so the identity of Azuel's mate

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Speaker 1: will also determine the narrative futures of several key female characters.

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Speaker 1: If Elaine is revealed to be his mate, the plot

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Speaker 1: must grapple with the conflict of her pre existing bond

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Speaker 1: with Lucian.

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Speaker 2: This will also destabilize.

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Speaker 1: Or redefine the canon of mate bonds within the series.

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Speaker 1: If Gwyneth is chosen, her arc as of Vlkiri, Survivor

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Speaker 1: and Healer becomes deeply entwined in the mainline plot of Akata.

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Speaker 1: And then, finally, you guys are already know what my

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Speaker 1: favorite one is, so sorry, mummy's playing favorites. But finally,

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Speaker 1: should the crossover theory prove correct and Bryce Quinlan from

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Speaker 1: Crescent City is link Asrael, the mate bond would serve

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Speaker 1: as a narrative bridge uniting the SHM universes, making it

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Speaker 1: like a fucking Marvel Avengers moment, right, So each option

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Speaker 1: has consequences that will ripple across all of the books

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Speaker 1: and basically be a plot catalyst.

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Speaker 2: Number three the thematic resolution of Azrael's character.

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Speaker 1: Asrael's life has been defined by trauma basically, so silent

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Speaker 1: shadows longing. His scars, both physical and emotional, have positioned

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Speaker 1: him as a figure of self denial and restraint. He's

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Speaker 1: been marked by unrequired love for more as well as

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Speaker 1: an ongoing sense of being the third Allyrian, powerful but

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Speaker 1: perpetually sidelined. A mate bond is not merely a romantic

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Speaker 1: pairing for his character, but a symbolic resolution to his

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Speaker 1: arc of loneliness and not necessarily belonging. So that's why

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Speaker 1: it will be really interesting to see how this evolves,

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Speaker 1: because we have a really seen that much of his character.

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Speaker 1: Like we've seen, we've got a good understanding, but he's

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Speaker 1: probably the one that we know the least about. So

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Speaker 1: that's why it will be this kind of really big

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Speaker 1: moment to see it all kind of come together.

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Speaker 2: Number four. Obviously, the direction of the series future.

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Speaker 1: If Elaine is chosen, future books may lean towards political intrigue,

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Speaker 1: garden symbolism, and archer and family archin arcurrent.

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Speaker 2: I'm gonna say it wrong, so to just be okay

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Speaker 2: with it. I didn't listen to the audiobooks for this one.

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Speaker 1: But if Gwynn is chosen, readers can expect further development

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Speaker 1: of the Valkiri culture, training and healing arcs. And if

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Speaker 1: Bryce is chosen, everything will just be a mess and

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Speaker 1: I'll be obsessed with it.

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Speaker 2: So those are kind of the reasons.

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Speaker 1: Why I am incredibly prepared to find out what is

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Speaker 1: going on. It has been eighty four years since we've

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Speaker 1: got the last book from Akata, and I think that's

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Speaker 1: why people are so invested in this next story, because

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Speaker 1: they been basically biting the armchair of their couch for

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Speaker 1: the next story and.

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Speaker 2: We're ready for it.

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Speaker 1: Okay, So let's get into our theories and our evidence.

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Speaker 2: So I asked you chicks to write in.

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Speaker 1: Your thoughts, your theories, who your favorite is, what your

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Speaker 1: vibes are, and then I also went into the deep

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Speaker 1: dark archives of the Internet as.

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Speaker 2: Well as the books.

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Speaker 1: Let me tell you, some people are incredibly passionate about

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Speaker 1: this topic. So before I get into it, disclaimers always

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Speaker 1: these people aren't real, their characters in a book. If

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Speaker 1: we disagree, that is so fine. You're allowed to feel

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Speaker 1: the way that you feel. I'm allowed to feel the

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Speaker 1: way I feel. We can all be one big, happy

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Speaker 1: family that enjoys reading smunny little fantasy books. They're not real.

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Speaker 1: They can't hear this. It'll be okay, okay. So, first

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Speaker 1: and foremost, the most popular theory and probably the easiest theory,

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Speaker 1: is the Elaine theory, or el Real as the shippers

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Speaker 1: call it. So among the prevailing theories about Asrael's future mate,

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Speaker 1: the possibility of his pairing with Elaine Archer and commonly

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Speaker 1: referred to as El Reel, it's both the most established

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Speaker 1: and the most contested. I'm gonna be honest with you,

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Speaker 1: straight from the bat, I hate this one. It's so boring,

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Speaker 1: but we'll get into it unless she turns evil, which

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Speaker 1: there's an episode about that. But Elaine is the middle

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Speaker 1: Archer and sister. She's also known as the Prettiest, which

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Speaker 1: is so rogue, but has been linked to Azrael since

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Speaker 1: a Court of Wings and Ruin and the interactions across

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Speaker 1: subsequent novels have invited speculation about a deeper romantic connection.

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Speaker 2: However, while the textual.

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Speaker 1: Evidence supporting el Reel is compelling, several counterparts raised doubts

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Speaker 1: about whether Sarah J. Mass will ultimately choose this direction

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Speaker 1: for Asrael's arc. So the evidence, I'm going to break

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Speaker 1: it down by the evidence as well as some counter

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Speaker 1: arguments that we have to it. So, first and foremost,

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Speaker 1: the most striking textual support for Elaine comes from a

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Speaker 1: Court of Silver Flames bonus chapter, where Asrael buys Elaine

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Speaker 1: a necklace for winter Solstice. The scene is charged with

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Speaker 1: a shit down attention and underscores Asrael's longing for her.

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Speaker 1: He's basically getting over his like five hundred year long

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Speaker 1: crush on more, which we're like, come on.

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Speaker 2: So this moment is.

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Speaker 1: Frequently cited by readers as proof of a budding emotional

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Speaker 1: bond that transcends casual attraction. Additionally, the symbolic interplay of

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Speaker 1: light and shadow reinforces the potential of their pairing. So

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Speaker 1: Elaine is characterized by imagery of gardens, sunlight, and gentleness,

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Speaker 1: while Asrael embodies this like darkness and secrecy and all

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Speaker 1: six within the framework of masses. Writing opposites often serve

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Speaker 1: to complement one another. Resents darkness with farorous starlight, Nesta's

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Speaker 1: fire with cassine steadiness. Many readers interpret Elaine's luminosity as

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Speaker 1: the natural counterpart of Asrael shadows. As you're listening to this,

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Speaker 1: you're probably thinking, hmm, there's someone else who sounds like that.

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Speaker 2: I couldn't agree more. But that's at the end, so

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Speaker 2: we'll get into that.

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Speaker 1: So a further argument arises for the shared temperament of

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Speaker 1: both Elaine and as Reel. As they're quite reserved, observant,

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Speaker 1: and understated in their social presence, their quiet energy has

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Speaker 1: been interpreted as a foundation for intimacy and unspoken understanding

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Speaker 1: between the two characters who play in the margins rather

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Speaker 1: than the spotlight. Despite this evidence, there are significant obstacles

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Speaker 1: that stand in the way of all real endgame. The

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Speaker 1: most prominent is, oh, I also forgot to mention that

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Speaker 1: in the bonus chapter they nearly kiss, so like, that's

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Speaker 1: that's a big moment, and then reason basically is like no, no,

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Speaker 1: don't touch. Despite this evidence, significant obstacles ste and in

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Speaker 1: the way of an l real end game. The most

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Speaker 1: prominent is obviously the Lucian problem. So Elaine has already

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Speaker 1: been designated as Lucian's mate, not designated. That sounds rogue,

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Speaker 1: That sounds like it's like, eh, we're shipping her off.

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Speaker 1: They're mates, She's already got one, She's spoken for, and

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Speaker 1: within the Akatar universe, mate bonds are rarely dismissed or ignored,

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Speaker 1: right like fated mate bonds. While the tension of resisting

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Speaker 1: a bond could heighten the forbidden romance element, overturning such

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Speaker 1: a central world building mechanic would risk undermining the internal

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Speaker 1: consistity of the mass universe and would take away the

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Speaker 1: legitimacy of those other fictional couples that we are so

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Speaker 1: disgustingly obsessed with. So in addition to this, critics of

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Speaker 1: the Elaine and Asrael theory argue that the pairing feels

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Speaker 1: narratively predictable.

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Speaker 2: And this is what I agree with.

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Speaker 1: So Sarah jay Mass is renew for her unexpected romantic

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Speaker 1: and just plot twist. She's renowned for an unreliable narrator.

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Speaker 1: You can't trust her, That's why we love her. Fayrer

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Speaker 1: was initially paired with Tamlin, only with a true bond

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Speaker 1: with Resent to be revealed later. Alan's romantic trajectory in

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Speaker 1: Brona Bas was all over the place.

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Speaker 2: And similarly subverted with early assumptions.

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Speaker 1: Loved it, though, and following this pattern Asrul and Elaine,

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Speaker 1: their chemistry might serve as a deliberate misdirection rather than

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Speaker 1: the ultimate resolution. So for this reason, some reader suspect

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Speaker 1: that Elaine represents the obvious choice, and that Mass is

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Speaker 1: unlikely to confirm so.

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Speaker 2: To be honest, at this stage, haven't read the book.

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Speaker 1: It's not doubt, but I find them ending up together

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Speaker 1: the most boring thing.

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Speaker 2: Ever. I find Elaine a little bit boring.

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Speaker 1: She's sweet, love her amazing, brave, stunning, But I do

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Speaker 1: think it is the most obvious pairing.

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Speaker 2: It's what people are.

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Speaker 1: Expecting would if they did end up together. Would it

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Speaker 1: probably be an amazing story that I would still enjoy.

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Speaker 1: I'm sure it would be.

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Speaker 2: Sarah J. Mass is an incredibly talented writer, but I

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Speaker 2: just think it's so boring.

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Speaker 1: I think it's so like cookie cutter of an option,

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Speaker 1: unless the evil Elaine theory comes to fruition, which then

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Speaker 1: I would fuck with it. But other than that, I'm

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Speaker 1: kind of I think to have the three sisters end

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Speaker 1: up with the three brothers of sorts is just a

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Speaker 1: bit boring, predictable, and I expect better. However, I am

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Speaker 1: not one to underestimate Sarah J. Mass, So my verdict

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Speaker 1: on this one is that yes, the el the Elaine

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Speaker 1: and Asrael shippers love the forbidden romance vibes, but the

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Speaker 1: Lucian bond still remains a massive obstacle, so we'll see

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Speaker 1: what happens with that.

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Speaker 2: Moving on to number two, the Gwynn theory Gwinn.

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Speaker 1: So, we met Gwinn in a Court of Silver Flames,

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Speaker 1: and she quickly became a fan favorite and a strong contender.

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Speaker 1: There isn't that much around this theory other than what

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Speaker 1: we really got in that book because she's such a

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Speaker 1: new character. But maybe that's also a sign that there's

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Speaker 1: gonna be more to it than that, So we'll wait

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Speaker 1: and see the evidence. That Gwinn and Azrael are mates

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Speaker 1: shadows and singing, so Asrael's shadows like Gwynn in the

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Speaker 1: bonus chapters, they actively dance around her, which they don't

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Speaker 1: do with anyone else. Maybe shit, oh there's I really

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Speaker 1: just want to skip to the end, but I can't.

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Speaker 2: So Number two, opposites attract.

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Speaker 1: Gwinn is fiery, sarcastic, and outspoken, which is a total

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Speaker 1: contrast to Elaine's softness. She pushes Asrael's in way that

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Speaker 1: we don't really see in the relationship he has with Elane.

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Speaker 1: This is basically just me shitting on a lane this

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Speaker 1: whole episode, So sorry. Number three a healing arc has

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Speaker 1: her own trauma that she's actively working through, and fans

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Speaker 1: love the idea of her and Asrael healing together and

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Speaker 1: offering growth instead of just pining. And number four the

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Speaker 1: singer of shadows, a poetic, almost four shadowy phrase that

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Speaker 1: feels like a mate bond easter egg was used within

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Speaker 1: their relationship. So I think there are definitely things within

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Speaker 1: their relationship that could point towards some sort of relationship,

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Speaker 1: But I just am not obsessed with it. There's not

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Speaker 1: really like a this is a little bit, you know

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Speaker 1: what I mean, Like when you're reading it, you're like, yes,

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Speaker 1: it doesn't quite hit. And that's basically the counterpoints to it.

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Speaker 1: Is like Gwinn's relationship with Azrael is hinted but never confirm,

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Speaker 1: and some argue it's more platonic training camaraderie than romantic sparks.

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Speaker 1: We could be seeing like Karen arm that's in Throne

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Speaker 1: of Glass series, but it's still early days. And then secondly,

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Speaker 1: the reader projection is because fans want as Reel to

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Speaker 1: just have made some critics think the Gwin Reel ship

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Speaker 1: there I said, it is more about fandom wish fulfillment.

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Speaker 2: Than Sarah J. Mass's actual plan.

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Speaker 1: I can't see a universe where it's like she just

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Speaker 1: plops in a new character and they're like.

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Speaker 2: Oh, it's that's it. That just seems a little bit

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Speaker 2: too I just maybe I have too high of expectations.

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Speaker 1: But my verdict on this is that fans argue this

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Speaker 1: pairing would be the healthiest and maybe the most narratively

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Speaker 1: satisfying in terms of like everything gets wrapped up in

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Speaker 1: a neat little bow. Alaines with Lucian, Brice's with Hunt,

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Speaker 1: Gwins with Asrael. But again boring, she hasn't been writing

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Speaker 1: this book for the last eighty four years just for

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Speaker 1: it to wrap up in a neat little bow. So

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Speaker 1: I'll finish with my favorite theory, which strap it because

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Speaker 1: this is pure chaos and I am living for it.

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Speaker 1: But the Bryce and asreel theory is my Roman Empire.

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Speaker 1: If it doesn't happen, I will never read another book again.

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Speaker 2: That's not true, but it's how I feel.

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Speaker 1: So there's the wild card theory that Bryce Quinnland, star

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Speaker 1: of the Crescent City series, is actually Asriel's mate, who

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Speaker 1: is a character in the Accord of Snson Brosis series.

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Speaker 1: At the end of House of Sky and Breath aka

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Speaker 1: Crescent City two, Bryce falls through a portal and lands

288
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Speaker 1: in Priythian, colliding the Akata and Crescent City worlds together.

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Speaker 1: Suddenly the possibility of a cross series mate bond was

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Speaker 1: on the table. When I read this. I was at home.

291
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Speaker 1: I was listening to the audiobook of Crescent City. I

292
00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:53,520
Speaker 1: was making vodka rigatoni pasta. I was placing my chili

293
00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:55,960
Speaker 1: flakes in it like a good little girl. And when

294
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Speaker 1: I tell you, I was screaming like I was a

295
00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,240
Speaker 1: sixty year old man watching his favorite Super Bowl team win,

296
00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:04,959
Speaker 1: like it was.

297
00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:06,359
Speaker 2: I actually am not.

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00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:09,560
Speaker 1: I'm surprised a neighbor didn't call an ambulance or the

299
00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,920
Speaker 1: police because that I'm so glad that never got spoiled

300
00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:15,720
Speaker 1: for me, because that was probably one of the best

301
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Speaker 1: book moments of my entire life when the two came together.

302
00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:20,679
Speaker 2: I did think.

303
00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:22,760
Speaker 1: Crescent City three was a little bit of a disappointment.

304
00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:25,439
Speaker 1: I wanted a little bit more, But the ending of

305
00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:28,720
Speaker 1: Crescent City two was Chef's kiss. So let's get into

306
00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:34,200
Speaker 1: the evidence of why brace lol, Who's that Bryce could

307
00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:39,320
Speaker 1: be Asrael's mate? And why this is my favorite theory?

308
00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:46,520
Speaker 1: So the evidence SJM loves crossovers. She's officially merged her universes.

309
00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:48,960
Speaker 1: She wouldn't have done that if there was no point

310
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Speaker 1: to it. If she wanted to tie them even tieders together,

311
00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:57,080
Speaker 1: a mate bond across the series would do it. Number two,

312
00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:01,960
Speaker 1: Asrael's availability is single and and Bryce is a powerful,

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Speaker 1: complex and capable character capable of holding her own against

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Speaker 1: his giantness as like a character in the series and

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Speaker 1: his shadows.

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Speaker 2: And then number three, the shock factor. A Bryce and Asrael.

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00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:19,840
Speaker 1: Mate bond would absolutely detonate the fandom. And Sarah thrives

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00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:24,399
Speaker 1: on drama, so do I. There is also so many

319
00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:29,000
Speaker 1: juicy reddit theories and TikTok theories that I was reading

320
00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:33,280
Speaker 1: about that a lack akata easter eggs to prove that

321
00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,680
Speaker 1: Bryce is Asrael's mate. So I've put in my three

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Speaker 1: favorite but you can dive in further into this if

323
00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:43,639
Speaker 1: you want, so they have the same music taste. In

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Speaker 1: Crescent City three, Bryce plays her favorite song, Stone Mother,

325
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Speaker 1: and chooses to let her phone die, her last connection

326
00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,719
Speaker 1: to Midguard and Hunt, so that she could bond with

327
00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:56,719
Speaker 1: Azrael and Nesta.

328
00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:58,440
Speaker 2: So she played.

329
00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,320
Speaker 1: In the book, it says she played song after song

330
00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:04,680
Speaker 1: until the battery on her phone drained to the dregs,

331
00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:09,240
Speaker 1: until the last beautiful link to Midguard went dark and died.

332
00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:14,080
Speaker 1: No more music, no more pictures of Hunt, until but

333
00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,520
Speaker 1: the music seemed to linger like a ghostly echo through

334
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Speaker 1: the caves.

335
00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:19,320
Speaker 2: She could hear.

336
00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,879
Speaker 1: Azrael humming softly to himself. The rolling, wild melody of

337
00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:26,800
Speaker 1: stone Mother flowed off his lips, and she could have

338
00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:32,199
Speaker 1: sworn even the shadows danced around the sound. I'm sorry that, Like,

339
00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:35,720
Speaker 1: I don't even need to continue the episode, But in mythology,

340
00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:40,560
Speaker 1: Stone Mother ends her jealous relationship with her husband before

341
00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:44,119
Speaker 1: meeting her one true love. So I'm sure all of

342
00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,639
Speaker 1: you are across is, but Bryce isn't necessarily single. She's

343
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Speaker 1: with Hunt and they're apparently mates. But we'll get into

344
00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:53,720
Speaker 1: that a little bit later. And so this these theories

345
00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:58,680
Speaker 1: really revolve around all the hints and easter eggs that

346
00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:03,600
Speaker 1: like Hunt and Bryce endgame, but it's actually Asrael and Bryce. Secondly,

347
00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:07,880
Speaker 1: this one was also a bit shady. But when Fearrah

348
00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,560
Speaker 1: meets Recent, she describes him as standing before me was

349
00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:15,960
Speaker 1: the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. Bryce's first impression

350
00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:21,480
Speaker 1: of Hunt, her supposed mate is Micah was gorgeous, horrifically

351
00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:27,000
Speaker 1: indecently gorgeous. Hunt Athla and Isaiah stood behind him almost

352
00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:31,840
Speaker 1: as good looking. That doesn't screen faded mates me but

353
00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:36,520
Speaker 1: Jim at Daz. Bryce's first impression of Asrael, but the

354
00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:40,080
Speaker 1: male face that stared through the mists, grave and lethal,

355
00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:44,320
Speaker 1: it was beautiful. I'm just saying, I'm that man in

356
00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:45,960
Speaker 1: front of like that meme of the man in front

357
00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,080
Speaker 1: of a whiteboard with all like the red string being

358
00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:52,760
Speaker 1: like it's all coming together. And then the final easter egg,

359
00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:56,480
Speaker 1: which is the nail in the coffin for me, is high.

360
00:21:56,520 --> 00:22:00,520
Speaker 1: Queen Theya defeated the dagline with her husband Fion fine on,

361
00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:02,919
Speaker 1: don't come for me if I'm saying it wrong, but

362
00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:08,080
Speaker 1: unexpectedly opened a portal across galaxies to her faded mate

363
00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:10,560
Speaker 1: adis when searching for help.

364
00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:13,919
Speaker 2: They's Air aka.

365
00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:18,040
Speaker 1: Bryce Gwinlen defeated the Assari with her husband Hunt, but

366
00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:24,119
Speaker 1: unexpectedly opened a portal across galaxies to Asrael, her mate

367
00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:25,840
Speaker 1: when searching for help.

368
00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:30,960
Speaker 2: They're literally the same thing. There is a theory that Asrael.

369
00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:33,440
Speaker 1: Is also a lost prince of Hell, and that's also

370
00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,000
Speaker 1: why the portal took Bryce to him when she meant

371
00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,879
Speaker 1: to go to Hell. So yes, yes, here there's a

372
00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:41,400
Speaker 1: whole like the sword and the Dagger attracted to each other,

373
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Speaker 1: and they have this like pulse that like pulls them

374
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Speaker 1: towards each other.

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Speaker 2: I don't think it's the sword and the Dagger. I

376
00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:48,200
Speaker 2: think it's.

377
00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:52,200
Speaker 1: Their like fateed mate bond that's doing it. There's literally

378
00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:54,800
Speaker 1: a quote I saved on TikTok this morning, and.

379
00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,000
Speaker 2: It truly I feel like Sarah J.

380
00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:00,600
Speaker 1: Mass is just going to be like laughing at people

381
00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:04,440
Speaker 1: being like, you guys really didn't get it because there's

382
00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:09,040
Speaker 1: so many Easter eggs that truly shows that they are

383
00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:11,920
Speaker 1: meant to be together. So this is in Crescent City

384
00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:15,439
Speaker 1: three when they are going through the tunnel. I believe

385
00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:18,800
Speaker 1: Ryce stumbled on a slippery rock going down into the

386
00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,240
Speaker 1: frigid water, palms and knees. A strong hand was instantly

387
00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:24,600
Speaker 1: at her back, but too late to avoid the stinging

388
00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:28,360
Speaker 1: cuts that now peppered her hands and legs. Careful, as

389
00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:32,040
Speaker 1: Reel warned, setting her on a sturdier rock. Ryce's stomach

390
00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,920
Speaker 1: hollowed out with her ears this time, and the dagger

391
00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:38,000
Speaker 1: was right there, and the sword so close as Reel

392
00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:40,920
Speaker 1: let out a grunt, going rigid, like he could feel

393
00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:44,680
Speaker 1: it too. The weapons demand to be together or apart

394
00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:48,399
Speaker 1: or whatever. It was, the strange power of them in

395
00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:50,040
Speaker 1: proximity to each other.

396
00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:52,280
Speaker 2: I'm sorry.

397
00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:57,520
Speaker 1: That's sold, sciencey or delivered sold, So I have to

398
00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:02,760
Speaker 1: be objective the counterparts. Obviously, there are valid counter arguments

399
00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:07,119
Speaker 1: to this theory. One the Hunt problem. And I do

400
00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:11,080
Speaker 1: call him a problem because I find him. I don't

401
00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:13,240
Speaker 1: get it. He doesn't make me kick my feet and

402
00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,160
Speaker 1: giggle when I'm reading about him, you know, like he's

403
00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:21,080
Speaker 1: just not necessarily it. Bryce already has Hunt Athola, who's

404
00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:25,920
Speaker 1: deeply tied into her story, unless Sarah kills him off,

405
00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:28,600
Speaker 1: which I think would be great, not because I hate him,

406
00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:30,160
Speaker 1: just because I think it would be a good story.

407
00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:32,520
Speaker 1: I think it would be iconic for her to kill

408
00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:36,680
Speaker 1: Hunt and then major plot twists Bryce and Asrael get

409
00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:41,159
Speaker 1: together two it is. The other counter argument is that

410
00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,200
Speaker 1: it is too disruptive, like a crossover.

411
00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:45,520
Speaker 2: A romance might complicate the series.

412
00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:49,520
Speaker 1: Too much, and it also might be a little bit

413
00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:53,800
Speaker 1: too on the nose to have the third female main

414
00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:56,840
Speaker 1: character in her third series also not end up with

415
00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:59,679
Speaker 1: the first person. Because Alien didn't end up with the

416
00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,199
Speaker 1: first person that she was with, Baya didn't end up

417
00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:04,639
Speaker 1: with the first person that she was with. That is

418
00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:07,560
Speaker 1: that too predictable for Bryce to not end up with

419
00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,080
Speaker 1: the first person that she's fall in love with just

420
00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:10,600
Speaker 1: a thought?

421
00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:12,720
Speaker 2: And then Sarah J.

422
00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:18,000
Speaker 1: Mass has said that Hunt and Bryce are mates. However,

423
00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:21,959
Speaker 1: she did also introduce multiple types of mates within Crescent

424
00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:26,520
Speaker 1: City three, including chosen mates. So what if Hunt and

425
00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:30,600
Speaker 1: Bryce are actually just chosen mates, but Asrael and Bryce

426
00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:32,000
Speaker 1: are fated.

427
00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:34,520
Speaker 2: Mates, Yeah, they'll come together.

428
00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,320
Speaker 1: So my verdict on this is it's probably the least

429
00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:41,439
Speaker 1: likely theory, but it's the one that would cause the

430
00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,720
Speaker 1: biggest fandom meltdown and that's why I'm rooting for it.

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00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:49,080
Speaker 1: In summary, Elaine shippers, they're rooting for like the Quiet

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Speaker 1: Forbidden romance angle gwyn They love a sappy, little emotional growth, healing, shadow, singer, foreshadowing,

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00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:01,040
Speaker 1: and crossover. Theorists just want to see the world burn.

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Speaker 1: I'm ready for it. We want to see Sarah take

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Speaker 1: the boldest swing possible. The truth is, I genuinely believe

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00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:12,600
Speaker 1: whatever happens in the story will be a good time.

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Speaker 2: Sarah J.

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Speaker 1: Mass is easily one of the best authors of romanticy

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00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:18,440
Speaker 1: in general.

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00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:21,960
Speaker 2: So I don't think.

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Speaker 1: It will be the obvious. I don't think it will

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00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:27,119
Speaker 1: be Elaine. I can't wait for to be wrong in this.

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00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:28,959
Speaker 1: I just know it will be now that I've like

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00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,880
Speaker 1: said my thoughts on it, it'll be like, no, that's

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00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:35,240
Speaker 1: not happening. But I don't think it'll be the obvious choice.

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00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:38,000
Speaker 1: I don't think it'll be Elaine. I think there's probably

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00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:42,160
Speaker 1: a slow burn potential for Gwynn, but I'm rooting for

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00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:46,440
Speaker 1: the earth shattering twist of Bryce. So until the next

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00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,679
Speaker 1: Akata or Crescent City book drops, which will all be

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00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:52,520
Speaker 1: one hundred and twelve years old by then. The mystery

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00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:56,200
Speaker 1: of Asrael's mate remains one of the fandom's favorite obsessions,

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00:26:56,520 --> 00:27:00,160
Speaker 1: and when the reveal comes, one corner of BookTalk will

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00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:02,800
Speaker 1: be cheering. Well, the other one will probably just end

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00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:06,000
Speaker 1: up in flames. So I would love to know in

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Speaker 1: the comments, who do you think is Asriel's mate, Elaine

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00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:13,840
Speaker 1: Gwynn or Bryce? Drop your theories, tell me why you

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00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:15,920
Speaker 1: think I'm wrong, tell me why you think I'm right,

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00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:19,880
Speaker 1: preferably the second one, and we'll go from there. Thank

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Speaker 1: you so much for listening to this episode of The

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00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:25,000
Speaker 1: Basic Bitch Book Club. Chicky's love to be in your

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00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:28,199
Speaker 1: ear holes my favorite place, and yeah, we'll catch you

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Speaker 1: next time.

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Speaker 2: Thanks. Bye,