“ | Most generals dream of dying in the service of their empire. But you know me better, my beloved. If I fall, it will be for one reason only: to protect our children. | ” |
–Recovered, unsent correspondence of General Lilith Sorrengail to Asher Sorrengail, Iron Flame, Chapter 65 |
General Lilith Sorrengail was the Commander of Basgiath War College.[1] She was married to Asher Sorrengail (né Daxton), who passed away prior to the events of Fourth Wing. She's the mother of Violet Sorrengail and her two older siblings, Brennan and Mira Sorrengail.
Biography[]
Before the events of Fourth Wing[]
During her pregnancy with Violet, she became very sick and nearly died as a result.[2] She held a high rank in Navarre and had Colonel Aetos as her closest aide.
Shortly after her vital role in capturing the leaders of the Tyrrish Rebellion, Lilith was stationed as an instructor at Basgiath before becoming commanding general of the school a year after the rebellion.[3] As a high rank member in the leadership, she discovered or been revealed to her that the truth about the Venin(s) beyond their borders are real and the Scribe Quadrant are responsible for maintaining the strict blindfold around Navarre and it’s citizens in a cycle of ignorance for self-preservation. As a mother herself, Lilith did not approve the leadership’s decision to make the Tyrrish children watched their parents be executed for their rebellion, an act she finds it cruel.
After her husband's death, she told Violet six months prior to conscription day, that she would be entering the Riders Quadrant instead of the Scribe Quadrant.[2] As she didn’t want general Markham, who is the head of the Scribe Quadrant to manipulate and exploit her daughter, Violet regarding the truth and lies about the Tyrrish rebellion and it’s origin, and to ensure Violet’s survival in the Riders Quadrant, she used the favor that Xaden owned her from their mutual deal to keep Violet alive whatever possible and necessary, knowing how many of the ‘marked ones’ would kill her for being the daughter of the General who captured and executed their parents as an act of retribution. At some point, Lilith found strange movements within the Basgiath forge where some of their weaponry supplies would often go missing, figuring it out it was actually Xaden behind all of it but decided to keep it to herself and let things unfold to prepare to for what's coming .
Fourth Wing[]
On conscription day, Lilith and Mira have a heated discussion about Lilith wanting Violet to join the Riders Quadrant instead of the Scribe's Quadrant. Lilith despite the argument and seeing that Violet even struggles with her backpack, still wants her to join the Riders Quadrant. She curses the illness she had during Violets pregnancy, stating that it has cost Violet all her color and power. She proceeds with telling her youngest daughter, that she will not watch one of her children join the Scribe. When Mira asks her mother, if she is desperate to lose another child, Lilith stares down on her and says that when Mira does not leave, she will have to face disciplinary consequences for leaving her post. She tells her daughter that she will not be able to interact with her, because of her rank as Commander of Basgiath and General. She tells her daughter that life will be harder for her in the Quadrant, because she is her mother and they want to test her. She says a cold farewell to her youngest daughter, telling her that they will see each other during Threshing again and that she expects her to be a Cadet at sunset.[2]
Lilith together with General Melgren, Commandant Panchek and more than a dozen high ranking military members is present during Threshing. When Violet and Tairn arrive, she stares at Tairn without even looking at Violet. Her only interest seems to be to evaluate if Violets physical incapability will boost her position or if Violets dragon binding will be something bad for her. She even goes as far as telling Panchek to not say out Tairn's name loud, until Violet does it.[4] She later gives a speech to all new bounded riders and the second and third years. She ends her speech with welcoming the newly bounded to a family that knows no borders and which is everlasting. She tells the newly bounded to step forward and ends her speech with addressing the dragons and saying it is an honor, as always.[5]
Five months after Threshing she meets her daughter Violet again at Basgiath, but is distant towards her. She does not seem happy with Violet, who has problems with channeling and did not manifest a signet yet. As well she is not pleased when Violet tells her that Andarna will not be available for research on feathertails. At last she tells Violet that she disagrees with Xaden Riorson being Violet and says Violet has big steps to fill.[6]
Lilith is present at the celebrations over the victory of the Tyrrish Rebellion at Basgiath. She accompanies King Tauri and General Melgren and meets there Violet and Liam Mairi. She tells her daughter not to be so shy about the power she possesses, but is again not pleased with Violet saying Xaden is not causing any trouble. Without saying a proper goodbye to her daughter she tells the King that Dain Aetos is near them and that it would be a honor for him to meet the King.[7]
Iron Flame[]
Lilith is present at the final formation of the year and the graduation. She is proud of her daughter for being alive, but shows this only for a moment before becoming again distanced towards Violet. She asks Colonel Aetos why Violet and all other members of the group which flew to Resson were reported for the death roll. She further demands to know what Aetos ordered Xaden to do. When Xaden tells her that Violet nearly died, she again shows feelings towards her daughter and sees her as her child, not some random cadet. Furthermore she wants to know from Violet what happened and tells Colonel Aetos that he should never accuse a Sorrengail of lying. Lilith seems a bit shocked when she is told that Athebyne was abandoned and becomes furious at Aetos when she learns from him and her dragon that he ordered it. She tells him that he lacks common sense and that she awaits him in her office. Lilith at last asks Violet if she survived a knife wound in her Rookie year, at which Violet answers with yes. Lilith tells Violet that she may have more of herself in her than she thought she had, before leaving without another word.[8]
Lilith was stationed at Calldyr for an entire week, When sudden numbers of Wyvern carcasses have been dropped to certain Navarre outposts, Lilith and the other leadership immediately flew off to handle the crisis. As she flew back to Basgiath to only find a dozen numbers of fresh corposes left behind by Xaden, she went down towards the Interrogation section only to find Garrick in her path and held him at knife point in his throat. She is the. horried to see Violet brutally injured from the torture she endured from Varrish for days. Which Violet remarks it was the only time she seen her worried and let alone called her name since the paraphet. Lilith asked Xaden of whom the latter killed, which he answered unapologetically “Everyone”, she only nodded and let Garrick go, while genuinely telling Violet that she did not know about what is happening or about what was Varrish was doing to her and claimed if she knew she would have come sooner. Lilith asked to speak to her youngest daughter one last time, Xaden refused which Lilith fiercely answered: “You of all people know the lengths I’ll go to in order to protect her. And since I’m pretty sure you’re the reason we’re getting reports of dragons dropping wyvern carcasses at every outpost we have along our border, the reason this college is emptying itself of most of the leadership in a rush to contain the problem, the least you can do is give me a chance to say goodbye to her” Xaden only accused her of letting Violet get harmed under her watch which Lilith demand just only 3 minutes with Violet before they leave, Xaden refuse but Violet accepted her mother’s offer instead.
As she helped Violet walked the stairs, the latter spitely called her out for knowing the truth all along about the venin, Lilith answered: “When you have children, we can discuss the risks you'll take, the lies you'll be willing to tell in order to keep them safe." She also includes about her secret deal with Xaden and the regrets that her plan almost cause Violet’s life which the effort would have been for nothing. After reaching the top and gave her to Xaden, she told them to leave immediately or everything will be for nothing, before she left Basgiath, Lilith told Violet that Sorrengails either walk or fly off the battlefield but they are never carried, which Violet think “Unbelievable” in frustration of her mother’s unnecessary remark.
Lilith came along in the outskirt of Athebyne with the other Navarrian leadership and riders, where General Melgren wished to negotiate with the Revolution faction, During the tense negotiation. When Mira fiercely accused Generel Melgren and the entire Navarrian leadership from cowardly abandoning vulnerable people beyond their borders in an act of selfish preservation against the venin, Violet saw Lilith's eyes flash with barely leased of reprimand of Mira's words, Just as Melgren make a last desperate calculated attempt to make Revolution faction helped them at Samara which Melgren claimed with his signet, He saw them losing and would die. Ulices refuses and answered they don't fly for them. Lilith tried to appease Ulices that they fly for the Empyrean, and that the half of the dragons that join the Revolution's side won't stand aside when if the hatching grounds in the Vale are compromised, but the latter rejected the appeal.. Then at the near conclusion of the negotiation, Lilith went pale and emotionally stumble where she stands as the latter saw Brennan revealed himself, alive and well after all these years believing he was dead years ago, made her almost cross her line to approached her long lost son. Brennan stated that they won't help them as the dragons with them have their own to protect than focused on what's left of the Vale, he gave Lilith a cold look and concluded the negotiation over
Physical Description[]
Based on Violet's description, Lilith Sorrengail looks similar to her daughter Mira. Tall, muscular, strong and healthy with brown hair cut short for combat. She wears polished black boots in compliance with the riders uniform.[2]
Personality[]
While her husband was alive, she was softer and kinder around her family, but after his death she became colder and more distant. She is unyielding with her decisions. She's famous for her lack of mercy.[2] Despite her cold distant exterior, Lilith deeply loved her children, and proud of who they are, and willing to make sure they are safe. This is proven when she forced Violet into the Rider Quadrant than let the latter becoming a Scribe as Lilith knew about the secrets of the existence of the venin that led to the Tyrrish Rebellion, knowing her daughter, Violet will eventually discovered the truth with her intellect and would have tried to warned everyone which the Head of the Scribes, who has been hinding the truth from the public alongside the other leadership, would indefinitely kill Violet for discovering it, by preventing it she made Violent a dragon rider to save her in the long run despite the latter’s lack of desire in the first place.
“When you have children, we can discuss the risks you'll take, the lies you'll be willing to tell in order to keep them safe."
Lilith to Violet - Iron Flame
Lilith was willing to sacrifice the affection from her children to keep them alive, even resorting to extreme harsh tough-love to make them strong in their way regardless even if they will forever resent her for it in order for them to survived in the upcoming conflicts. In her final moment in Iron Flame, Lilith expressed her pride towards her children of whom they have become and had no regrets of sacrifice her life for them. It is revealed that she doesn’t support forcing the children of the Tyrrish rebellion years ago by making them watch their parents executed in front of them, showing her sympathy towards them hence it led her accepting Xaden’s secret deal to let the 107 ‘marked ones’ kids have a chance in the Rider Quadrant to survive and live, although unknowingly to her, it was also used to make more soldiers for the upcoming rebellion later on, however, Lilith seemed to have no problem with it in extent.
As a hardened soldier, Lilith is torned between following her duties for Navarre and for her children as a mother, Feeling uncertain of her position in the ongoing conflict between Navarre against the Revolution whom her children, Violet, Mira and later discovered Brennan is joined in to oppose their ways. But in the end, she sacrificed herself for both her kingdom and her beloved children
Power and Abilities[]
Powers[]
Lesser Magic[]
Every rider is capable of using Lesser magic once their dragon begins channeling through them after Threshing. With this channeling, riders are able to; open doors without touching them, preternatural speed, manipulating mage lights, and powering ink pens.[9] Lesser magic also allows riders to place runes.
Signet[]
Storm Wielding[]
Lilith has the ability to manipulate storms in extent, however, it takes a lot of time to summon storms and it is mostly useful for area of effect against gryphon and dragon riders
Abilities[]
TBA
Relationships[]
Violet Sorrengail[]
"I might be a stranger to you, Violet, but you are far from a stranger to me. Eventually, you'd discover the truth. Maybe not while in the Scribe Quadrant, but certainly by the time you made captain or major, when Markham would start bringing you into the fold, as we do with most at those ranks, and then you would unravel everything in the name of mercy or whatever emotion you'd blame, and they would kill you for it. I'd already lost one child keeping our borders safe, and I wasn't willing to lose another. Why did you think I forced you into the Riders Quadrant?"—Lilith Sorrengail, to Violet Sorrengail, Iron Flame Chapter 36
She was always distant with Violet and tolerated her, but she also saw her strength and determination, though she would never directly say it. Regardless, Lilith always is proud of what Violet has become, A powerful and noble dragon rider in her generation and she never understimated Violet’s strong will to overcome obstacles especially before going to the Rider Quadrant, such as dismissing Mira’s concerns in Chapter 1 that Violet won’t survive by claiming Violet has survived more pain than herself and if any one of her children is going to survive Basgiath, it will Violet
Mira Sorrengail[]
She respects Mira for her stubbornness and position. Unknown to Lilith, when Brennan expressed his hatred towards their mother for sacrificing him for a lie that the Navarre leadership has kept for years and forcing their little sister, Violet into the Rider Quadrant. But Mira attempted to defend Lilith’s ways against Brenna’s accusations that their mother believed it was perhaps the only way to keep them safe despite it’s harshness that she disapproved of at the start.
Brennan Sorrengail[]
Brennan is her favorite child, she loved him the most. She could not let go of the grief that she felt losing her first born child. No one allowed to mention him or his dragon. When she reunites with him 6 years later at the meeting in Athebyne, she was in shock seeing her son stand in front of her alive and well, tears falling from her eyes.
Later when Brennan goes to Basgiath to aid with the wards, she sees him again. She looks at Brennan as if he's an hallucination, though Brennan remained cold to her as he still believed for years that she was willing to sacrifice him as a pawn years ago for a lie that the Navarre leadership was hiding against the Venin.
She later sacrifices herself for her children. Her last words being "you're everything we dreamed you would be. All three of you" Brennan holds her lifeless body in his arms in emotional shock and helplessness of losing her.
Asher Sorrengail[]
“ | I have loved your father, but he is dead. | ” |
–Lilith to her children; Fourth Wing, Chapter 1 |
Asher Sorrengail was her husband. His death seemed to have a large impact on her, because it is said that after his death she became colder. She is said to have been softer and more gentle, towards her family before his death. Shortly before her sacrifice, she happily says that she will finally see him soon.
Xaden Riorson[]
Lilith and Xaden made a deal, that when he would take the responsibility for the loyalty towards Navarre for all of the 107 underage children of the Rebellion leaders, they would be able to fight for their survival in the Riders Quadrant and not be executed as their parents were in exchange, Lilith told him to keep her daughter, Violet safe under his watchful eye. When one of the 107 children would dismiss his loyalty, Xaden would be executed. To seal this deal, she cut 107 short scars onto Xaden's back.[10] It is known as cutting oneself to take responsibility for others is a brutal Tyrrish custom that Xaden apparently followed as a tradition. Despite Xaden never trusted her despite their deal, though Lilith trusted him enough to keep Violet safe under his watch in the end of his bargain of their deal.
Colonel Aetos[]
Colonel Aetos was her right hand until she dismissed him and send him away after he nearly managed to kill Violet with his cunning scheme, an act that Lilith did not kindly tolerate when it comes to her daughter’s life
Quotes[]
"You’re everything we dreamed you would be. All three of you" - to Violet, Brennan and Mira
“Mira, Violet deals with more pain before lunch than you do in an entire week. If any of my children is capable of surviving the Riders Quadrant, it’s her.” to Mira Sorrengail[2]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
TBA