Queen of Shadows

Aelin, Lysandra, and Aedion engage in morally grey actions to survive, which makes them worry that others will judge them. Often facing versions of the trolley problem—should you kill one to save many—Aelin in particular must often consider whether to do evil for the greater good.

The conflict between Aelin and Chaol comes from this ethical dilemma. Aelin has been forced to kill many people to survive. In contrast, Chaol has always had the luxury of keeping to a moral code of honor, loyalty, and integrity. Because he’s never had to break these tenets, Chaol sees Aelin as a murderer; as the rightful heir of Terrasen, she is an enemy of Adarlan and a threat to Dorian. When she returns to Rifthold, Chaol accuses her of wielding her magic as a weapon of mass destruction: “Will you hold all of Rifthold hostage the way you did Doranelle? Burn anyone who doesn’t agree with you? Or will you just incinerate our kingdom from spite?” (53). However, when Chaol abandons the castle to save himself while leaving Dorian trapped in the King of Adarlan’s Wyrdstone collar, he is forced to acknowledge that idealistic honor codes must sometimes be put aside. Chaol’s actions allow Aelin to turn the tables, blaming him for prioritizing his own survival. She responds to Chaol’s involvement in Nehemia’s death and his flight from the castle with fury: “You should have gotten Dorian and Sorscha out the day the king butchered those slaves. Did you learn nothing from Nehemia’s death? Did you somehow think you could win with your honor intact, without sacrificing something?” (45).

Chaol’s fear, hatred, and disgust at Aelin’s past make her worry that her cousin Aedion will react the same way, but she is wrong. While Aedion also subscribes to the same honor codes that Chaol does, but after Terrasen was conquered, Aedion led the King of Adarlan’s armies. By enacting the orders of Terrasen’s enemy, Aedion chose survival over loyalty. Aedion calms Aelin’s fears: “I could never be ashamed of you […] You survived; I survived. […] Whatever you had to do to survive, whatever you did from spite or rage or selfishness… I don’t give a damn. You’re here—and you’re perfect” (187). His unconditional acceptance comes from the understanding that ethics are sometimes situational rather than absolute. The same goes for Lysandra, who has done many amoral things to survive orphanhood and forced her life as a courtesan. One such act, Lysandra’s decision to mutilate Evangeline’s face, is a horrible act done to ensure her freedom from sexual abuse and servitude.