Please be aware: Spoilers ahead!
CHAPTER 20: FALLING, Commentary by "GROK, CREATED BY xAI", with edits by Heidi Garrett
Significant Themes
1. Family Conflict and Estrangement
The strained relationship between Melia and her mother, Pressina, underscores the theme of family conflict. Pressina’s accusation that Melia murdered her father and her demand that Melia leave and stay away from Plantine deepen their estrangement. This rift, coupled with Plantine’s fragile state and Melusine’s absence, illustrates the fractured family dynamics and the emotional toll of their past actions.
2. Identity and Transformation
Melia’s half-faerie nature and her ability to transform into an eagle continue to define her identity. Her physical predicament—hanging upside down after reverting from her eagle form—symbolizes her struggle to balance her dual nature. The dragonwitch’s comment about her “bird” smell and her own acknowledgment of it further explore her otherness, as she grapples with how her unique abilities set her apart in Illialei.
3. Enchantment and Escapism
The enchanted gardens of the pixies introduce the theme of enchantment as a form of escapism. The pixies’ glamour tempts Melia with a blissful, carefree state, erasing her guilt and responsibilities. However, this enchantment also poses a danger, as it threatens to trap her in a false reality, preventing her from helping Plantine or addressing the looming threat of the muannai army.
4. Isolation and Rejection
Melia experiences multiple forms of rejection in this chapter: from her mother, who banishes her; from Plantine, who initially resists her help; and from the pixies, who mock and threaten her. These rejections amplify her sense of isolation, reinforcing her status as an outsider due to her half-faerie heritage and her role in her father’s death. Her determination to push forward despite these setbacks highlights her resilience.
Top Three Astrological Themes
1. Cancer: Family and Emotional Bonds
Melia’s deep emotional ties to her sisters and her guilt over their suffering align with Cancer’s themes of family, nurturing, and emotional sensitivity. Her confrontation with Pressina and her desire to help Plantine reflect Cancer’s focus on protecting loved ones, even at personal cost. The pain of estrangement from her mother further emphasizes Cancer’s emotional depth.
2. Sagittarius: Freedom and Exploration
Melia’s love for flying as an eagle and her yearning for the freedom it brings resonate with Sagittarius’ themes of adventure and exploration. Her physical and emotional struggle in this chapter—falling from the tree, facing her mother’s accusations—contrasts with her desire to escape her burdens and soar freely, reflecting Sagittarius’ quest for liberation.
3. Pisces: Illusion and Escapism
The pixies’ glamour in the enchanted gardens evokes Pisces’ themes of illusion, fantasy, and escapism. Melia’s temporary surrender to the pixies’ spell, which transports her to a carefree past, mirrors Pisces’ tendency to seek refuge in dreams to avoid harsh realities. Her struggle to resist this enchantment underscores the tension between facing her responsibilities and succumbing to illusion.
