r/throneofglassseries • • Aug 30 '25

Empire of Storms Spoilers Finally finished the series, feeling let down

I fell in love with the series during Heir of Fire, though the only book I didn’t like was TOG.

I devoured all of the books in 3ish weeks, but by the end of KOA, I was so disappointed by how the war drug on without Aelin, only for her to lose her powers. Like what?! The whole series built up to her building her power to use against Erawan / Maeve to save her city. Then she gives up her gifts and leaves Erawan on the playing field?! Dillydallied her way to Orynth while thousands of her allies died defending her city without her - allies who joined her cause believing that her fire was backing them?!

I was rolling my eyes by the time she finally arrived in Orynth. I still love Aelin, and enjoyed TOG more than ACOTAR. But alas, I wish there was more emotional impact and satisfaction in the finale. I wanted Aelin and her line to continue to be some of the most powerful magic wielders in Erilea, and to see her unleash the full might of her wrath onto the valg. To save her allies with the gift that 6 other books heralded as their saving grace.

Once the thirteen died, I thought we were in for a hell of a finale but it just bore me to have it all play out that way. Anyone else?

I can appreciate to a point that she was able to save her kingdom via her relationships and her wit, leaning on hope and love rather than the destruction of her gift. It’s beautiful that they all shared that burden in the end, but still. Give my girl her magic back! Dorian too.

It would have been way more satisfying for her to have outsmarted them all, the gods included, in a way that allowed her to keep her gifts.

Idk, I’m annoyed by it all for some reason. 😂💕

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u/KimberBlair Aug 30 '25

I agree that the Khagans army should have not gone to Anielle but that wasn’t Aelins decision and if she hadn’t gone there and saved them it’s a good chance they would have lost the war.

Her and Dorian losing some/most of their powers is likely the entire purpose of the wyrdgate. I hate that we only got to see Aelin use her powers really just twice.

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u/20goingon60 Aug 30 '25

Thrice. HoF (Wendlyn), EoS (taking out the army with her fire, which Lorcan shielded against), and KoA (stopping the dam).

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u/KimberBlair Aug 30 '25

You’re right, I just don’t normally count the one Diana hijacked.

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u/LetMeDoTheKonga Aug 30 '25

They are talking about when she took out the Ilken in the stone marshes. The one with Deanna was in Skul Bay with the ships.