"What an incredible story. I am delighted you took down that arrogant monster."
— Aaravos
As Callum and Rayla continue into Xadia, and Ezran hurries to catch up, Viren tells Aaravos the story of how he caused the death of The Dragon King.
Tropes:
- Actually Pretty Funny: Aaravos finds the fact that Soren indirectly called him "Viren's little bug pal" genuinely hilarious.
- Big Damn Reunion: The Group Hug after Ezran gets reunited with his friends.
- Call-Back:
- "Impassable is just another kind of passable."
- Once again, Rayla offers her hand to Callum, and again he takes it.
- Chekhov's Gun: Claudia still has a piece of the dragon's horn from "Fire and Fury", which they use to cross the river of lava to Xadia.
- Converted into a Weapon: In his story to Aaravos Viren reveals that years after her death, Viren utilized Queen Sarai's final breath as a vital component in the dark spell that fell the archdragon Avizandum. Combined together with her spear, Harrows hate filled blood and a unicorn horn, he along with her grieving husband went to Xadia where Harrow plunged it into Avizandum's chest turning the dragon king to stone, but as he does so her voice can be heard crying out, distraught at being used as a weapon of revenge.
- Cycle of Revenge: Shown and discussed throughout the episode. Harrow and Sarai, with Viren, venture into Xadia. Avizandum kills Sarai. Harrow and Viren return to Xadia years later. Harrow kills Avizandum. Rayla and the elves infiltrate Katolis. Rayla's allies kill Harrow. Now, Viren is leading allied human forces to hunt down the Dragon Queen and Prince, as well as the elves.
- Callum and Rayla discuss this, with Rayla promising that working together to reunite Zym with his mother can be the first step to breaking this cycle between Xadia's creatures and the humans.
- Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Harrow and Viren managed to kill the Dragon King Avizandum before the start of the story. This is such an incredible feat that one of the most powerful mages in the world, Aaravos, is impressed and wonders how they did it with just the two of them. Viren explains it involves a powerful Dark Magic Spell that needed incredibly rare and difficult-to-obtain components.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Phoe-Phoe collapses and dies after reuniting Ezran with the rest of the group. Downplayed because as a phoenix, she will eventually be resurrected.
- History Repeats: Just like Harrow and Viren, the trio find themselves at the Storm Spire, entirely because of the former's actions. Like Harrow, Callum wrestles with feelings of hatred toward Avizandum, but unlike his father, lets these feelings go and instead expresses regret that all of this happened.
- Million Mook March: The bird-eye view of an endless line of human troops marching towards the Breach.
- Noble Demon: Avizandum is a ruthless killer, having attacked and killed Sarai and the queens of Duren in cold blood as they tried to flee. That said, he still offers Harrow and Viren a chance to turn back when they confront him years later, explaining that it is "a day of life" that should not be spoiled by needless death. He also sheds a tear upon his death, knowing that he will never see his son be born.
- Parting the Sea: Viren uses dark magic to part the stream of lava that separates the human realm from the realm of the elves.
- Playing the Heart Strings: Strings play on the soundtrack when Ezran mourns the death of Phoe-Phoe.
- The Power of Hate: The spell that renders Avizandum Taken for Granite uses the hatred Harrow has for Sarai's killer as the final component, along with her final breath and a unicorn horn. He had moved on after losing her years ago, but Viren invoked this to complete the spell.
- Psychic Nosebleed: Viren uses a spell to hold Avizandum in place while Harrow deals the killing blow. The strain from holding back such a powerful and large beast causes his nose to bleed.
- The Reveal: "Thunder" was simply the name humans gave to the King of the Dragons. His real name? Avizandum.
- Revenge Before Reason: It turns out that Harrow never considered avenging his wife. Viren convinced him to do so for her. After all, thanks to the dragon, Sarai didn't live long enough to see her boys grow up, right?
- Sleep Cute: Nyx finds Callum and Rayla sleeping head against shoulder.
- Sympathetic Magic: For his spell to defeat Avizandum, Viren needs Hallow's blood since it contains "undying hatred of one who loved the victim".
- Taken for Granite: Sarai's enchanted spear does this to Avizandum. His attempt to escape has him lose a wing and a leg. When the spell is completed, Avizandum was last seen reaching out to the Storm Spire.
- That Makes Me Feel Angry: Callum expresses his mixed emotions verbally after seeing his mother's killer Avizandum petrified:"It makes me sad, and angry, and confused."
- Traveling at the Speed of Plot: It takes Ezran half an episode on Phoe-Phoe's back to cover the distance from his home to the Storm Spire which took Callum and Rayla two and a half seasons.
- Was It Really Worth It?: Callum has mixed feelings about Avizandum's death. He claims he should be glad Harrow killed the dragon and avenged his and Ezran's mother, but it won't bring her back. He still has some hatred towards the late dragon, and regret for his father's actions since Avizandum was Zym's father.
- Where It All Began: While the Cycle of Revenge took place much earlier, the conflict between humans and elves/dragons truly began near the Storm Spire, where King Harrow kills the Dragon King and Viren allegedly destroys the egg containing the Dragon Prince (when it was already established that he stole it).
- Whole Episode Flashback: A large portion of the episode is committed to showing Harrow and Viren's face-off with Thunder.
- You Will Be Spared: Avizandum offers to spare Viren and Harrow if they leave immediately, as he is guarding his egg and doesn't want to waste time on them. Harrow attacks anyway.
