64 pages 2 hours read

Sarah J. Maas

Empire of Storms

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2016

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Character Analysis

Aelin Galathynius

Aelin Ashryver Galathynius is the demi-Fae protagonist of the entire Throne of Glass series. She is described as having blonde hair and turquoise eyes with gold around the irises, which are the eyes typical of the Ashryver royal line. She begins the series as the assassin Celaena Sardothien, before embarking on a journey to reclaim her true identity as Queen Aelin Ashryver Galathynius of Terrasen. Aelin was raised in Terrasen for the first years of her life, but her parents, Rhoe Galathynius and Evalin Ashryver, were murdered by the King of Adarlan, along with her uncle, King Orlon. She became the only surviving member of the royal house of Terrasen. She fled and was kept alive by Elena Galathynius before being found by Arobynn Hamel and raised as an assassin. Elena saved her because she felt guilty about Aelin’s future; Aelin is destined to die in order to forge a new Lock that will bind the Wyrdkeys and help the gods return to their own dimension, taking the Valg King Erawan with them. 

Aelin fulfills the savior trope, as she is destined to defeat Erawan and his dark Valg armies, even though the cost may be her life.