Darkness of Dragons

The title “The Light of Dragons” refers to the conclusion of Qibli’s journey. It symbolizes his triumph over Darkstalker as a threat to Pyrrhia. It also refers to the threat to his identity the shadow character represents. Qibli is a metaphor for hope, or a light in the darkness. Qibli also represents the light in distinction to Darkstalker’s role as a shadow archetype.

Part 3 is made up of the climax and resolution of the novel, which include both internal and external elements. In the hero’s journey, the internal elements involve Qibli’s successful transformation after the final challenge and temptation in addition to the return to Jade Mountain Academy and normal life.

The battle between the IceWings and NightWings takes place over Jade Mountain Academy, the most important symbol of intertribal unity in the Wings of Fire universe. The threat to the school is both literal and metaphorical, paralleling Qibli’s journey toward Identity and Self-Discovery. The war threatens to shake the mountain causing catastrophic destruction. It also threatens to destroy the progress the dragonets have made in intertribal relations, an element Sunny alludes to in Chapter 4 of “The Storm of Sands.”

The war represents the external challenge and temptation that Qibli must face. Qibli continues to shape his plans and action in response to Moon’s Jade Mountain prophecy. The significance of the events enhances the insecurities that Thorn warned him about during the contest for the SandWing throne.

Qibli calls the storm using magic believing it will allow him to shape the outcome of events. He quickly recognizes the parallel between his first temptation and his final temptation. Qibli acknowledges himself as the threat the prophecy warns about, a realization that fits with the motif Prophecy and Interpretation of Prophecy as well as the theme Identity and Self-Discovery.

This realization also connects the events of the final temptation to the themes Power, Corruption, and the Abuse of Power and Loyalty, Family, and Friendship. Qibli accepts his limitations and trusts his friends and himself to end the battle. Qibli recognizes that loyalty involves faith in the dragons that he is loyal to, a lesson that Thorn shared with him when he failed in his first temptation.

Qibli relies upon empathy to devise the spell that ends the battle, contrasting his emotional intelligence with Vulture and Darkstalker’s sly cleverness. The spell forces the NightWings and IceWings to share thoughts and feelings, creating understanding and acceptance. Qibli triumphs over his past, Vulture, his desires, and Darkstalker. The spell demonstrates Qibli’s transformation, but it is also establishes the intertribal harmony that Jade Mountain Academy represents.

The final temptation and challenge represent an internal confrontation with Qibli’s desires and the shadow character. Darkstalker calls attention to each of Qibli’s insecurities during this confrontation. But each offer that Darkstalker makes to grant Qibli the power to address his insecurities fails because Qibli’s journey toward Identity and Self-Discovery has made him comfortable with his limitations. Qibli’s rejection of Darkstalker’s offer of magic answers the internal temptation and challenge to complete Qibli’s heroic transformation. The final challenge also highlights the continuing destabilization of magic and prophecy in the novel caused by free will. Darkstalker’s ability to see multiple futures shows the future is uncertain because of free will.

The remaining action represents the conclusion of Darkstalker’s story within Qibli’s Bildungsroman. The soulreader identifies Darkstalker as an inversion of Qibli. He is mostly evil with some good. Moon’s vision of an ordinary dragon experiencing a long and happy life coincides with Darkstalker’s inability to see a future for himself. Moon, Foeslayer, and Qibli encourage Darkstalker to let go of his attempts to control everything and accept a second chance for an ordinary life. Darkstalker’s rejection of this offer is a concrete example of his status as a shadow character.

The culmination of Darkstalker’s character arc fits within the larger motif of free will. Kinkajou and Foeslayer use Darkstalker’s magic against him to control him in the same manner that he controlled the dragons around him. The story’s conclusion is an ironic symbol of the danger of magic. It also reflects Qibli’s recognition of the power and worth of dragons without magic.

The epilogue is the falling action of the novel, which functions in three main ways. It represents the return in the hero’s journey, a return to everyday life and the conclusion of Qibli’s quest for identity. The epilogue also concludes the narrative threads that remain unresolved at the resolution of Qibli’s story. This includes events surrounding Kinkajou, Winter, Peril, and Moon. It explains where these characters go next. This element of the Epilogue foreshadows the development of the Wings of Fire universe.

Moon reflects on what will happen to their group of friends before she and Qibli meet a legendary character and encounter proof of the lost continent referenced throughout the previous story arcs. This cliff-hanger hints at how the series will proceed, creating anticipation for a new arc in the universe.