The 10 best ‘Fourth Wing’ characters, ranked

Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing, and its sequel Iron Flame, have taken romantasy book readers by storm. There’s good reason for its popularity: the books combine political intrigue with fantasy elements — and, of course, they’re a little spicy if you’re into that. 

Fourth Wing has been criticized (for valid reasons); but I can’t deny the series has its moments, good and bad. As a sucker for all things with a fantasy element (especially media with dragons), I figured I should check out Fourth Wing and see if the hype was deserved.  I liked it more than I was expecting and a huge part of that is how good the characters are.

The writing isn’t my absolute favorite, and I don’t agree with everything the characters do, but I love that they feel like real people. It can be frustrating when they make questionable decisions, but the way they make those decisions feels very realistic to me. 

All things considered, the characters are a big part of what makes Fourth Wing, and the Empyrean Series as a whole, so popular. Not all characters are great — you won’t see Dain Aetos winning any prizes — but there are plenty who deserve a little praise. Here are the top 10 best characters in Fourth Wing, in my opinion. 

10. Xaden Riorson

Don’t get me wrong; I like Xaden as a character. He’s hot, has a cool signet, and generally seems to have his heart in the right place. He’s also Violet’s romantic interest and basically the deuteronomist of the series, so he’s gonna be prevalent regardless. 

I usually hate the trope when the main love interest decides to keep secrets from the protagonist for “their own good” and I hate it when Xaden does it in “Fourth Wing.” You’re really telling me that you fell for Violet because of her strength and intelligence and then you can’t trust her with sensitive information but you expect her to keep no secrets from you, Xaden? Come on! Because of his hypocrisy, he comes in at last place for now. 

9. Ridoc Gamlyn

I don’t have much to say about Ridoc because we haven’t learned too much about him as of yet, so you may wonder why he’s even on this list. I respect his readiness to stand up for his friends and his loyalty to his squad but really, I just have a soft spot for the residential comic relief character with a heart of gold.

8. Sgaeyl

Xaden’s dragon is a baddie. Not only will she throw down with anyone who dares look at her or Xaden funny, she’ll go to bat for her mate, Tairn, and his rider just as fast. I appreciate a woman (dragon) who knows what she’s about and Sgaeyl is 100% herself. 

I like how she grows over time to begrudgingly care about Violet and I’m excited to see more of her in the upcoming books.

7. Jesinia Neilwart

Jesinia hasn’t had too much time to shine yet but from what I’ve read so far, she’s a stand-out character. As a scribe, she’s been trained to respect Navarre’s archives and the rules that guide them but she still risks her life for Violet and what she believes is right. Her pursuit of knowledge and the truth is admirable and makes her a great character. 

Many of the dragon riders we meet are strong in an obvious and brash way but Jesinia shows a different type of strength. She’s calm and quiet but still sure of herself; it’s a refreshing juxtaposition compared to Violet and her fellow cadets in the dragon section.

6. Imogen

At the beginning of the series, Imogen is not a fan of Violet to say the least but I figured someone with hair that cool couldn’t stay a mean background character for long. I was mostly right; Imogen never loses her mean streak but she does warm up to Violet and her friends. 

Even as she starts to care for Violet as a friend, her personality doesn’t change. I appreciate that Imogen stays the same person and doesn’t become overly kind to Violet; all the same, I like that she cares for her in her own brisk way. 

5. Andarna

I loved Andarna before she even chose to bond with Violet. Her days as a Feathertail were endearing and I love how she’s always ready for action, even risking her life to help Violet by lending her power. Even though she’s no longer as small and defenseless as she once was, I still love Andarna – even in her cranky, teenager phase.

4. Violet Sorrengail

I debated ranking Violet this high because even as the protagonist, she can be annoying at times. When I first started reading Fourth Wing, I was turned off by the book emphasizing how small, tiny, curvy, and smart she was but thankfully, those descriptions became fewer as the book went on. Some readers have criticized Violet for being a “Mary Sue” but I wouldn’t go that far. Ignoring that the trope is used to critique main characters written by women and for women (like, look at James Bond and tell me that he’s not a “Marty Sue” or that these kind of “chosen one” descriptions don’t come with the territory in fantasy), she feels like a person to me, not a caricature. 

Yes, she’s intelligent, magical, and has two dragons; but she also says things she doesn’t mean, struggles to open up to the people she cares about, and faces physical limitations from her disability, the equivalent of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. I like that she shows there’s more to strength than just physical prowess and that she’s still more than capable of being a great Dragon Rider even with accommodations like her saddle.

3. Mira Sorrengail

Violet’s older sister is one of my favorite characters in the series. I love that she advocates for her when their mom forces Violet to enlist as a dragon rider and when that fails, switches to giving Violet tips so she can survive. 

Mira isn’t afraid of standing up for what she believes in nor expressing her love for her family. She’s also not afraid of expressing her disapproval to her loved ones which is another reason she ranks so high.

2. Rhiannon Matthias

I knew Rhiannon would be one of my favorite characters ever since she and Violet survived the parapet and she hasn’t disappointed yet. Rhiannon is a smart cadet, an excellent squad leader, and a great friend to Violet. When Violet withdraws after what happened during the War Games, Rhiannon gives her space but expresses her hurt that Violet is keeping secrets from her. I love a girl who can support her friends while maintaining her boundaries. Bonus points for the bisexual representation! 

1. Tairn

The dragons are undeniably the best part of Fourth Wing and Tairn is the best dragon so first place makes sense. He’s one of the most formidable dragons in all of the Empyrean but he has a heart of gold under that fierce exterior. I love that he chose Violet because she was willing to protect Andarna and that he’s more than willing to accommodate Violet’s disability. Tairn acts as Violet’s hype man, pushing her to improve while reminding her how great she already is. We could all use a friend like Tairn in our lives.