54 pages • 1 hour read
Heir of Fire
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Symbols & Motifs
Fireheart
Fireheart is Celaena’s nickname, referencing her magical abilities and passionate, impulsive temperament. It is given to her by her mother and referred to in the story in Celaena’s memories and visions. At her most depressed and isolated, for instance, Celaena hears her mother’s voice ask, “Fireheart—why do you cry?” and she responds: “‘Because I am lost [...] and I do not know the way’” (279). The nickname is later used by Rowan, and Celaena wonders if he knows “what that name meant to her” (425). Whether unwitting or not, Rowan’s use of the term marks him as a true friend of Celaena’s, as he symbolically takes up her mother’s supportive role. This also hints at their developing relationship.
The name Fireheart also underlines the connection between emotions and natural elements. Aelin’s magical abilities reflect her character, and several instances in the story depict her losing control of her fire when she is angry or overwhelmed. Acknowledging and embracing her feelings, rather than fearing them, leads her to better control her power as well. This is highlighted when she faces Maeve at the end of the book:
The power wasn’t in might or skill. It [...] lay in controlling herself. She’d known all along how vast and deadly her fire was, and a few months ago, she would have killed and sacrificed and slaughtered anyone and anything to fulfill her vow. But that hadn’t been strength—it had been the rage and grief of a broken, crumbling person. She understood now what her mother had meant when she had patted her heart that night [and called her Fireheart] (509).
Finally, in addition to reflecting her emotional state, Aelin’s fire connects her to the natural world. This idea is also illustrated by her connection to the faeries, or the Little Folk, who recognize her and bless her with gifts. Consequently, Celaena is framed as an almost divinely ordained queen, in a symbolic contrast with the unnaturalness of the Valg.
The Sword of Orynth
The Sword of Orynth, carried by Aedion, is a well-known “heirloom of Terrasen’s royal family, passed from ruler to ruler” (25). Although it is Celaena’s by right, Aedion claimed it when he was brought into the king’s service. It symbolizes Aedion’s role as a double agent since he works for the rebels secretly. While he appears to dishonor his ancestors by carrying the sword to do the evil king’s bidding, he is keeping it safe to return it to its rightful owner, Celaena/Aelin. Aedion himself hints at his double identity when he indirectly tells Dorian that the sword is a useful rallying symbol: “‘Symbols have power, Prince,’ Aedion said, pinning him with a stare. [...] ‘You’d be surprised by the power this still wields in the North—what it does to convince people not to pursue foolhardy plans’” (25).
Later, when he learns that his cousin is alive, Aedion feels like “the sword, that weight he’d embraced for years, felt…lighter and sharper, far more fragile. Infinitely precious” (149). The weapon symbolizes the legacy Aedion has been trying to uphold and the “fragile, precious” hope Aelin’s return can bring. The sword’s symbolism also ties into the theme of Oppression Versus Freedom.
Manon’s Red Cloak
Throughout the novel, Manon’s distinctive red cloak takes on different symbolic meanings that underlie her character arc. The narrative states that the witch’s
[F]irst, glorious kill had been a Crochan [who was] wearing the bloodred cloak [...]. [Manon had] taken the cloak as a trophy—and still wore it, over a hundred years later. No other Ironteeth witch could have done it—because no other Ironteeth witch would have dared incur the wrath of the three Matrons by wearing their eternal enemy’s color (32).
By wearing the cloak, Manon sets herself apart from the other Ironteeth witches, which initially characterizes her as an exceptional warrior and leader. However, the cloak later symbolizes Manon’s growing awareness of the cruelty of the Ironteeth witches and the beginning of her rebellion against her grandmother’s order. It also represents her stolen, unnatural identity, as the captured Crochan witch points out:
‘We pity you, each and every one of you. For what you do to your children. They are not born evil. But you force them to kill and hurt and hate until there is nothing left inside of them—of you. [...] They have made you into monsters. Made, Manon. And we feel sorry for you.’ (351)
Just as Abraxos’s appearance belies his true nature as a smart, gentle beast, Manon’s red cloak symbolizes her shifting identity throughout the novel. It also sets up a major plot point of the following book in the series, Queen of Shadows, which centers on Manon’s discovery that she was born of the union between a Crochan prince and an Ironteeth witch, which is set up by the theme of Redemption Through Self-Acceptance.
Rowan’s Tattoo
Upon meeting him, Celaena initially describes Rowan’s tattoo:
[A] wicked-looking tattoo was etched down the left side of his harsh face, the whorls of black ink stark against his sun-kissed skin. [...] Starting at his temple, the tattoo flowed over his jaw and down his neck, where it disappeared beneath the pale surcoat and cloak he wore. She had a feeling the markings continued down the rest of him, too, concealed along with at least half a dozen weapons (11-12).
Rumors suggest that the markings are “a list of all the people he’s slaughtered” (84), emphasizing the mystery around him and Celaena’s dislike of the Fae prince.
However, as they get to know each other better, Celaena learns that Rowan’s appearance belies his true nature. The tattoo tells the tragic story of Rowan’s mate and his guilt over her death. Celaena comes to appreciate it—and Rowan—and even gets a tattoo to honor her own loved ones at the end of the book: “Three lines of text scrolled over her three largest scars, the story of her love and loss now written on her: one line for her parents and uncle; one line for Lady Marion; and one line for her court and her people” (517-18).
In short, Rowan’s tattoo first represents deceiving appearances, then symbolizes the protagonists’ decision to embrace their grief rather than hide it. This symbolism is echoed by Gavriel and Celaena in similar ways, showing the characters’ emotional growth and building into the theme of Redemption Through Self-Acceptance.
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By Sarah J. Maas
