SPOILER WARNING: This article has important plot information. Caution is advised! |
“ | I was a dreamer born into the Court of Nightmares. So I got out. | ” |
–Morrigan, A Court of Mist and Fury |
Morrigan (pronounced: More-eh-ghan[1]), shortened to Mor by her friends, is a member of Rhysand's Inner Circle and the Third-in-Command of the Night Court.
She is the court overseer and looks after the dynamics between the Court of Nightmares and the Court of Dreams, running both Velaris and the Hewn City. Mor's family used to rule the Night Court before Rhysand's family.
History[]
Early Life[]
Morrigan was born in the Hewn City. While she was growing up, her family sensed that she was stronger and more powerful than most. Due to this, Morrigan grew up fearing she was to be sold by her family, as High Fae valued powerful female virgins.
Days after her seventeenth birthday, Morrigan bled for the first time. Her powers awakened, making even the mountain of the Court of Nightmares tremble. This was considered by her family as a bargaining gift, making Mor more desirable for her powers and her virginity.
When Mor was sold into marriage to Eris Vanserra, the eldest son of the High Lord of the Autumn Court, Rhysand took her to an Illyrian war-camp where he was stationed. When she saw Cassian, she decided she wanted to lose her virginity to the most powerful Illyrian warrior, which was Cassian, ruining her value as a bride in order to escape her arranged marriage to Eris.
One night when Rhysand, his mother, and Azriel left the camp, she willingly lost her virginity to Cassian. When Rhysand heard that Cassian had deflowered Mor, he knew the political trouble this would create and was angry with Cassian, whom he fought over the matter. Mor forced the two to make up afterward and made it clear to Rhys that her decisions were none of his business.
When Mor returned to the Court of Nightmares and Eris heard what she did with an Illyrian warrior, he said she had no value to him and broke off the engagement. Her family was furious and tortured her, claiming she had shamed them. She was dumped in the Autumn Court after her assault with a note nailed to her belly stating that she was Eris's problem. Azriel rescued her and brought her to Rhysand.
During the War between humans and faeries, Mor allied with the humans and helped the Mortal Queens forge the Treaty.
When Rhysand became the High Lord of the Night Court, she was appointed his Third-in-Command, overseer of the Court of Nightmares and the Court of Dreams and a member of his Inner Circle.[5]
A Court of Mist and Fury[]
Morrigan introduces herself to Feyre on her first day at the Night Court. She warmly welcomes Feyre and teases Rhys. Mor tells Feyre that she is welcome to spend time with her at any time. She is not seen again until the second-to-last day of Feyre's visit, and she is seen having an intense discussion with Rhys. When Feyre is trapped in Tamlin's manor, it is Mor who uses her power to knock out the guards and enters the house on her own two feet, and carries Feyre over the border into the Summer Court, where she and Rhys take Feyre to the Night Court. She is heard outside of the town house talking with Cassian, Azriel, and Amren.
She is next seen at dinner at the House of Wind. She teases Cassian, and tries to get Feyre alone with her before Amren shows up. She doesn't delve deep into her history at dinner. When Feyre questions whether or not it is a good idea for her to train, Mor reminds her that she has left the Spring Court, and that she is her own person. She is then seen after Rhys and Feyre return from the Prison. She agrees that they need to visit Feyre's human family. Mor is with Feyre as she prepares to travel to the Mortal Lands. She says that the last time she visited the Mortal Lands, they never needed to wear so many layers. She tells Feyre how life in the Mortal Lands is similar to life in the Hewn City.
After dinner at Sevenda's restaurant, Mor goes dancing with Cassian and Azriel. A few days later, while Cassian and Feyre are training, Mor shows up and teases Cassian, and they talk about who is going to the Summer Court. When Rhys, Amren and Feyre return from the Summer Court, Mor, Cassian and Azriel are waiting for them in the town house and inquire about what happened. Mor travels with Feyre, Rhys, Cassian and Azriel to meet with the Mortal Queens. It is revealed later on that she wanted to go to see if she could see Andromache, her former lover, in any of the Queens. When the Mortal Queens refuse to send forces to help evacuate the humans in Prythian, Mor stands up and tells of her history of the War, and of her disgust at the Mortal Queens. They return to Velaris and determine that they need to visit the Court of Nightmares and retrieve the Veritas from Mor's father, Keir. Morrigan takes Feyre and gets her ready. She takes Feyre to the throne room, and has a brief conversation with Keir. After Rhys arrives, she goes off into the crowd. While Keir is being tortured by Rhys, Mor is watching from the sideline with satisfaction.
At Starfall, she meets up with Feyre and tells her about her past with Cassian. The next day, Mor winnows Feyre, Rhys, Azriel and Cassian into Windhaven. When Feyre returns with Rhys, Mor takes Feyre to the cabin, per her request to be alone. Mor comes by to check up on Feyre. Mor brings Feyre inside while Cassian and Rhys spar in order to work off some of the aggression that Rhys has because of mating with Feyre. When Feyre and Rhys return to Velaris, Mor, along with the rest of the Inner Circle, swear loyalty to Feyre.
At the next meeting with the Mortal Queens, Mor uses the Veritas to show the Mortal Queens Velaris. When Rhys, Feyre, Cassian, Azriel and Mor go to Hybern to nullify the Cauldron, Mor goes with Feyre. Unfortunately, they are captured. When Azriel is injured, she screams. She, along with Cassian, hold up Azriel. When Cassian's wings are shredded, she goes to attack the King of Hybern, but when he threatens to kill Azriel, she stops. She goes to Azriel to try and stop the bleeding. She watches as Feyre's sisters are Made into High Fae. When Feyre breaks the King's shield, Mor winnows Nesta and Elain Archeron to Velaris. She comes back to the town house and uses her magic to heal Azriel's wound. She is shocked to learn that Rhys made Feyre High Lady of the Night Court.
A Court of Wings and Ruin []
Mor is waiting on the border of the Winter Court to make sure that Kallias's forces don't look southward. When Feyre and Lucien Vanserra make their return trip to the Night Court they had to cross the Autumn Court, where they are attacked by Lucien's brothers: Eris and others two brothers at the request of their father, Beron Vanserra, the High Lord of the court. They manage to flee from the brothers and cross the border into the Winter Court but are once again attacked by Lucien's brothers and are only saved when Cassian and Azriel come to their rescue. Mor meets up with them, and asks about Eris, when Azriel responds that he is alive, she winnows them to the House of Wind.
Once on Velaris they met with Rhysand and begin to weigh their various possible allies. Then he asks her to send letters to all the High Lords to schedule a meeting.
Feyre's sisters, Nesta and Elain, are in Velaris having recently been turned into High Fae with peculiar powers, especially Nesta. When Amren suggests using them and Feyre refuses, Amren tells her to stop acting like Tamlin, it angers Mor and she tells her to never say something like that again, and demands that Amren apologize or she would rip her throat out, which seems to amuse Amren.
During a trip to the Hewn City to gain the support of Mor's father, Keir, in the war, he asks to visit Velaris along with the rest of the citizens of his city. When Rhysand agrees, having no alternative, Mor feels furious and betrayed by her cousin.
During the attack on Adriata, Varian, the Prince of the city sends a message to Amren warning her that the city is under attack by Hybern. Quickly Rhysand rallies his troops and alongside his Inner Circle, with the exception of Amren, march to the Summer Court. During the battle Feyre and Mor fight together to kill Hybern soldiers who have invaded the palace and the nearby streets.
When the High Lords agree to hold the meeting the event is at the Dawn Court Palace, the residence of Thesan, the High Lord of the Dawn Court, as it is the place closest to the Middle. The meeting is attended by the seven High Lords with their delegations and after several discussions and altercations (Azriel almost kills Eris for insulting Mor) they agree to join forces against Hybern, with the exception of the Autumn Court who leaves after Feyre shows that when she was revived each of the High Lords gave her a bit of their power unknowingly.
During the meeting held that night in Rhysand's room, which is also attended by Helion, the High Lord of the Day Court, it is revealed that he has wanted Mor, Cassian and Azriel in his bed at the same time for centuries. That night Mor sleeps with Helion but the next day she looks unhappy. On the second day of the meeting they hear a great roar and Nesta, who has a connection to the Cauldron, tells them that the King has used it to destroy the wall.
A battle ensues between Hybern and the joint armies of the Summer Court and the Night Court (the latter comprised of Illyrians and the Darkbringers of the Hewn City) where the defenders of Prythian are victorious and at the end of the battle Tarquin drowns all the soldiers of Hybern who are still alive. After the conflict ends, they are informed that Hybern's next attack would be on the Winter Court so they apply a glamour to the armies so that it seems that they are still there and move to the Winter Court for the new battle.
This new battle is bloodier and narrowly won by the Prythian forces. Mor participates in it after Feyre begs her to come help and tells her that she will stay in the camp, when she actually goes to see the Suriel for information. In this battle Cassian is seriously injured.
After the battle, when Feyre returns to the camp she is told off by Mor for having lied to her. She is furious because she believed that there were no secrets between them. Feyre, who is also furious, tells her that there are secrets between them, that if not, she can explain to her why knowing that Azriel loves her she does nothing about it and slept with Helion when it was noticeable that she didn't like it. After this Mor tells her to leave her tent and Feyre does so. That night the Cauldron tricks Elain by posing as her ex-fiancé Graysen, and takes her to Hybern's camp, from where she is rescued, along with Briar, by Feyre and Azriel with the help of Jurian (who proves that he had never actually been on Hybern's side but is a spy) and Tamlin, who also turns out to be a spy.
The next day Feyre sees her walking through the Winter Court camp with her friend Viviane, her sister, and Briar. When Mor sees her she tells her that she wants to talk to her and takes her to a place where the others can't hear them. She confesses to Feyre that the reason she can't love Azriel the way he loves her is that as much as she enjoys the company of both females and males, she prefers females. She also confesses that once there was a woman whom she deeply loved. Andromache was a mortal queen and the two had a secret relationship during the war. Thinking that Andromache had a duty to expand her bloodline, Mor left her after the last battle. She regretted leaving her but it was at that moment that the wall was erected. For three years, she struggled to cross it, to go be with her lover but when she finally did, Andromache was married to a man, had a daughter and another on the way. Mor returned to Prythian and never looked for her again. She also tells her that she likes to spend her time in Rita's because it's a hangout for people like her and she can be herself being in the club, of which the owner is lesbian.
Knowing that the only way to win the war is by nullifying the Cauldron's powers, Nesta plans a distraction for the King to take him away from the magical item so Feyre and Amren can get closer to it. When they do, Amren tells Feyre to place her hands on the Cauldron and she does, only to be trapped by the visions the Cauldron begins to give her, showing how the King uses her father as a human shield and then breaks his neck. Also how, when he is about to kill Nesta and Cassian, Elain emerges from behind him and stabs him in the neck with Azriel's knife and then Nesta uses the knife to cut off his head.
When the Cauldron frees her, Feyre tries to kill Amren for betraying her but she explains that only her being released in her true form can kill all the remaining Hybern soldiers, who continue to fight despite their King being dead. She gets into the Cauldron and Feyre reads the spell from the Book of Breathings to release her. During Amren is released, the Cauldron explodes and she emerges in her true form of fire and light and takes out all remaining enemies.
As the world is connected to the Cauldron, a void is beginning to be created around the remains of it, as a way to save the world they know, Feyre and Rhysand unite their powers to re-forge it. It is so much the effort required that Rhysand dies in the process and after Feyre begs them, the other High Lords give him each a kernel their power to revive him (Beron has to be threatened by Mor) as they had done to Feyre in Under the Mountain.
She later attends the meeting called by Feyre in the ruins of the Archeron's Estate to renegotiate a new treaty between faeries and mortals.
She is last seen drinking at Velaris with her friends.
A Court of Frost and Starlight[]
After the end of the War against Hybern Rhys asks Mor to go to the other faerie and mortal realms to try to forge alliances that will lead to lasting peace. She agrees to go after the Winter Solstice celebrations. During the gathering, she is very animated, especially by her gifts, and while she is talking with Feyre she tells her that she plans to pay a visit to her friends Viviane and Kallias in the Winter Court. Before going there she goes to her private estate, Athelwood, to spend some time alone and put her ideas in order.
A Court of Silver Flames[]
Mor repeatedly visits Vallahan as an emissary of the Night Court in an attempt to convince them to sign the peace treaty. Vallahan is resistant to peace because they want to expand their territory.
Appearance[]
Mor is described as incredibly beautiful, with a curvy body, rich brown eyes, and bright, golden hair. She has tan skin and full lips. Her smile is dazzling. When Feyre first meets Mor, she states that "if Rhysand was the most beautiful male that [she]'d ever seen, [Mor] was his female equivalent." She has an assured, steady, graceful, and grounded walk. Feyre describes it as "merry but alert. Someone who didn't need weapons, or at least bother to sheath them at her side."[6]
Personality[]
Mor is a very cheerful and kind person as described in the books. She was very hospitable to Feyre when she first moved into Night Court. She has also displayed a playful and witty nature while talking to her friends in the Inner Circle.
Powers and Abilities[]
Her abilities are not described in detail. She is known to be very powerful, and she can winnow. She mentions that her power is Truth, and tells the mortal queens, "You know my gift is truth. So you will hear my words now, and know them as truth— as your ancestors once did."[7] She is seen healing Azriel.
When one of The Mortal Queens greets her as "Morrigan— The Morrigan from the War," the other queens pause "as if in surprise. And a but of awe and fear." [7]
Relationships[]
Keir and Morrigan's Mother[]
Morrigan is the only daughter of Keir, the Steward of Hewn City, and an unnamed female High Fae, who presumably also lives in Hewn City with her husband. Morrigan's relationship with her father and mother is extremely poor; her father is verbally, emotionally, and was in the past physically abusive towards her. As she has an antagonistic off-page relationship with her mother. She holds her mother in the same contempt with which she holds Keir. They are all antagonistic towards each other whenever they meet in person.
Azriel[]
It is mentioned that Azriel fell in love with Mor the moment he saw her strutting into the Illyrian war camp over five hundred years ago. Mor confesses to Feyre that the reason their relationship has remained stationary is that Mor doesn’t like males romantically. Therefore, she is not interested in Azriel romantically and loves him like a brother. However, she chooses to withhold such information from Azriel, as she is afraid of what the Inner Circle would think of her and still experiences self-hatred for who she is.
Cassian[]
When Morrigan and Cassian were seventeen, she used Cassian to lose her virginity and get out of her engagement to Eris Vanserra. This is the only time they were intimate with each other and have not been together since. Morrigan admits to having acted in desperation due to her horrible situation.[8] Cassian regrets their only encounter. He sees it as a mistake made out of jealousy over Azriel and Mor.[9] Cassian sees her as a sister,[10] and Morrigan sees him as a brother.
Andromache[]
After admitting to Feyre that she prefers females, over males, she confessed that there was once a woman she had truly loved. Andromache was a Mortal Queen with whom Mor had had a secret relationship in the past. Thinking that Andromache had a duty to carry out her bloodline, Mor left her after the last battle. When she wanted to return to Andromache, the Wall was established. For three years, she fought to cross it, to go and be with her lover but when she finally did, Andromache was married to a man, had an infant child, and another on the way. Mor turned away and never came back. Andromache gave birth to a total of five children and died in her bed, old and safe. Mor recognized her descendant in the eyes of the golden Mortal Queen when she met the young woman many years later.
Mor has had no serious relationships since Andromache. She took both male and female lovers, though she states she is only interested in romantic relationships with females and is only interested in males sexually. Her female companions were kept a secret, but her male companions were for everyone to see since she wanted Azriel to know that she was not interested in him.
Feyre Archeron[]
Mor is the first member of the Inner Circle who Feyre meets—with the exception of Rhysand himself—and is kind and welcoming to her, though Feyre is initially hesitant to return the sentiment. The two grow closer later on and become good friends. This eventually leads to Feyre being one of the first people Mor comes out to as bisexual. It is Mor who rescues Feyre from the Spring Court when Tamlin locks her in the manor.
When Feyre is meeting the Inner Circle for the first time at the House of Wind, she realizes that Tamlin and Ianthe have been purposefully keeping her weak and that she allowed them to. Mor tells her, "I once lived in a place where the opinion of others mattered. It suffocated me, nearly broke me. So you'll understand me, Feyre, when I say that I know what you feel, and I know what they tried to do to you, and that with enough courage, you can say to hell with a reputation. You do what you love, what you need." Feyre understands that Mor would not allow her to step aside while she spoke for me, or do anything of the things she had willingly allowed Ianthe to do. It is because of Mor that Feyre realizes that Ianthe had not truly been a friend. Looking at Mor, Feyre can't explain or understand it, but she felt it. Like she could indeed go to dinner with her and talk to her.[11]
Trivia[]
- The name "Morrigan" is derived from the Irish Mór Ríoghain meaning "great queen". In Irish myth, the Morrigan was a goddess of war and death who often took the form of a crow.[12]
- She is terrible at giving gifts. Over the years she has given many weapons to Azriel, who keeps them so as not to hurt her feelings even if he never uses them, she has also given Cassian many silk shirts of all colors of the rainbow and hideous cuff links to Rhysand, who claims to have a drawer full of them. At the Winter Solstice celebration after the end of the war with Hybern, she gave a set of embroidered bright blue towels with his initials to Azriel, red silk underwear to Cassian, and bright pink fleece-lined slippers to Feyre.[15]
- While Morrigan has had sexual relations with both males and females and says she finds pleasure in both, she has stated a preference for females. She has said she connects and cares for females more on a soul-deep level.[16] It is unknown whether Morrigan identifies herself as lesbian, bisexual, or other. She is one of the few LGBTQ characters in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series.
- It is hinted that she may have a future relationship with Emerie.
- In A Court of Mist and Fury Feyre says that Mor smells like citrus and cinnamon.
- The last time Amren and Mor had a fight they left Rhysand's favorite mountain retreat in cinders.
- Sarah J. Maas stated that Mor would be a Gryffindor if she attended Hogwarts.[17]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 World of Sarah J. Maas' Youtube: Pronunciation Guide
- ↑ In A Court of Thorns and Roses it is said that the War occurred 500 years before the events of the book and in A Court of Mist and Fury Rhysand says that he began his training at the age of 8, which lasted 20 years and then the War broke out. He was 28 years old when the War started and it lasted 7 years so if we add the 500 years from the end of the war to the beginning of the series, plus the additional year since the beginning of A Court of Thorns and Roses until A Court of Mist and Fury we can say that he was 536 years old in A Court of Mist and Fury. In the same book he says that he and Mor are the same age.
- ↑ "Mor is my cousin in the loosest definition. But we were raised together. She's my only surviving family". A Court of Mist and Fury: Chapter 6.
- ↑ "Remember a time when it was Mor's family, not mine that ruled the North." A Court of Mist and Fury: Chapter 17. It is understood Rhysand and Mor are distant relatives. Rhysand calls her cousin but the degree of family relationship is unknown.
- ↑ A Court of Mist and Fury
- ↑ A Court of Mist and Fury: Chapter 6
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 A Court of Mist and Fury: Chapter 40
- ↑ A Court of Mist and Fury: Chapter 44
- ↑ Wings and Embers
- ↑ A Court of Silver Flames: Chapter 79. "Eris barked a laugh, harsh and empty. 'Why does it still matter to all of you so much?' 'Because she's my sister, and I love her.'"
- ↑ A Court of Mist and Fury: Chapter 16
- ↑ Behind the Name: Morrigan
- ↑ Behind the name: Mor
- ↑ Wiktionary: Mor
- ↑ A Court of Frost and Starlight
- ↑ A Court of Wings and Ruin: Chapter 66. "I do find pleasure in them. In both." Her hands were shaking so fiercely that she gripped herself even tighter. "But I've known, since I was little more than a child, that I prefer females. That I'm ... attracted to them more over males. That I connect with them, care for them more on that soul-deep level."
- ↑ A Court of Wings and Ruin Q&A session
Characters | ||
---|---|---|
Main Characters | Feyre Archeron · Rhysand · Nesta Archeron · Cassian · Azriel · Elain Archeron · Tamlin · Lucien Vanserra · Morrigan · Amren · Amarantha · King of Hybern | |
Supporting Characters | Alis · Andras · Beron · Bogge · Bone Carver · Bron · Cerridwen · Clare Beddor · Cresseida · Drakon · Devlon · Emerie · Eris · Graysen · Gwyneth Berdara · Feyre's Father · Hart · Helion · Ianthe · Isaac Hale · Isaac Hale's Wife · Jurian · Kallias · Keir · Koschei · Mercenary · Miryam · Mortal Queens · Mrs. Laurent · Naga · Nuala · Unnamed Summer Court Faerie · Tarquin · Suriel · Thesan · Tomas Mandray · Varian · Vassa · Weaver | |
Mentioned Characters | Aunt Ripleigh · Dark Mother · Feyre's Mother · Mother · Rhysand's Father · Rhysand's Mother · Rhysand's Sister · Nostrus · Queen of the Black Land · See more... |