Elena

Fingers crossed for an ACOTAR 6 announcement. I have been revived!!!!!

With the date being announced and potentially the protagonist, I wanted to share my predictions! Honestly I am just excited and want to come back to this after the books is released. Please don't be mean lol I am here for discussions / thoughts not ship wars.

SPOILERS WARNING FOR TOG AND CC SERIES

Before I begin I want to make one thing clear that I think the fandom misses sometimes with SJM. It ain't about the men. It's ALWAYS about the girlies. I truly believe that SJM uses men as the vehicles for the girls stories and plots. Sure Rysand is important but its not about him, its about Feyre. Feyre's destiny. Feyre is the all powerful one. Even Tamlin is mostly important bc he's Feyre's ex boyfriend that led to her sisters being turned into fae. It's about Feyre y'all. Cassian is the vehicle in which Nesta uses to finding training and leads to growth and bonding with her friends. It ain't about Cassian. It's about Nesta. The boys definitely have growth and are complex characters, but they are not the main character!!! Even their love stories usually serve to move the plot / growth for the female main character. I could go on and on about this. This story is not about the bat boys!

PREDICTION:

Protagonist: Elain! Based on SJM's "I thought it was obvious" line - it makes sense that Elain's book is next. The story is about the 3 sisters! The bonus chapter in SF, while focused on Azriel and does introduce the idea of Gwynriel, really is about Elain and the will they won't they dynamic Azriel and Elain have had through out the books! ITS ABOUT ELAIN AND POTENTIALLY GWYN. AZRIEL IS BEING USED TO CREATE SUSPENSE. I interpreted it as a "closing of the door" on Elriel and a new era for both Elain and Azriel. That is not to say I don't think that Azriel won't potentially pull a Chaol and have his own book. There is potential, but I think it is much less likely that it would be this next book. Or it will be a dual POV and he won't be the important point. Plus a big reason Chaol got a book was to introduce another part of the world and new characters especially Yrene Towers (plus he deserved a happy ending idc), and Elain can do that if she has her moment of needing freedom from the Night Court (Elain looks bad in black, his shadows run away from her, etc etc) I also don't think it will be Nesta bc similarly, I think HOFAS was also a "narrative POV ending" for Nesta. She got to have a healing moment with Bryce's mom. And gave away the mask etc. Though I wouldn't mind another Nesta book with the Valkyries.

Also side note, could it be Lucien's book? I would be really surprised. Only if he ended up with Elain.

That leads to plot!

Elain will have to go on some sort of mission finally and we get the Lucien/Elain plot. SJM doesn't like easy couples so I do believe that that this resistance to the bond and potential to break it is what their build up is. Aka about Elain's humanity and freedom of choice! I can't wait to see more about Elain's powers, Elain growing into her own and a protagonist that while brave and amazing, is not a warrior!!! I hope to see some intermingling of Tamlin and the Spring Court and Vassa/Jurien. We haven't seen a lot of those characters so Elain would be a great avenue to explore that side of the world. Plus it would be really interesting to see how Elain leaving would impact the relationship between the sisters. It seems that Feyre and Nesta have always been protecting and shielding Elain to the detriment of their own relationship, so I would love to see them be like what do we do man Elain wants to go on her own. Less conflict? More conflict? Idk.

Confusion:

Multiverse theory from HOFAS Nesta and Azriel appearances - I think she will continue the multiverse ideas in CC series and not write it too much into ACOTAR. but I am less sure on this. Don't know where this is going to fit in but the trove will continue to be important for sure.

What I would like to see:

Elain needs to make some friends. The reason I love SF is because of the growth and friendships. SJM is the best at writing female friendships!!! While a lot of the discourse around the book is the love triangle and who she will end up with, I would love to see Elain make some girl friends fr. She is a girls girl and I need to see it. Maybe it could be with Gwyn and Emerie. Or Vassa. Or the shadow twins. I need bestie Elain.

Other considerations:

Gwynriel / Azriel - I do think it is happening but I don't think it will be this book. Honestly I am not even sure it will be a main POV story, I think it will be a side plot unless Gwyn plays a lot larger role in the plot. Again, I truly believe SJM uses men as plot points / character development for the true protagonist which is THE WOMEN. So yeah this book is about Elain and while Azriel will for sure have a love interest eventually and is a very interesting character, I don't see it being a big plot point unless his love interest has a pivot role in the plot regarding one of the sisters.