A Court Of Thorns & Roses' Popular Mor Theory Would Be Absolutely Devastating If True

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Morrigan has blended into the background of the series since A Court of Wings and Ruin, more than expected for a beloved main character like herself. Her distance from the narrative has inspired theorists to suggest her absence and mysterious demeanor will reveal her as a traitor to the Inner Circle during the next Court of Thorns and Roses book. If this theory is true, the effect it would have on the rest of the plot and the other main characters would be monumental. If Maas gives Mor a villain arc, it will substantially limit future possibilities for this series.

The Theory That Mor Will Betray The Inner Circle In ACOTAR Explained

If Someone Will Betray The Inner Circle, Why Not Mor?

The theory that a member of the Night Court’s Inner Circle will betray the group is not new. After working together for centuries, it’s not unbelievable that a character could eventually be led astray. However, since ACOSF, these rumors have been spreading faster due to one very specific quote from the human queen Briallyn. The quote suggests the Night Court has a traitor in their midst:

“There are many in the world who would happily see the Night Court fall. Who would betray their so-called High Lord for a chance at power.”

Likely because she has been shrouded by mystery and unanswered questions for a majority of the series, this theory points to Mor betraying the Night Court in the next ACOTAR book. Mor's “Power of Truth" in A Court of Thorns and Roses adds fuel to this fire because it's unexplained, and she is not especially known for honesty (she lies numerous times and keeps secrets). At the same time, she also isn't particularly adept at recognizing when she's being lied to. Without being bound to the truth, Mor's power seems to have more to do with deception than honesty and could be more manipulative in nature than originally thought.

Image of the covers of A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury

Morrigan Isn't A Banshee In ACOTAR (Her Real Power Is Staring You Right In The Face)

Plenty of theories have swirled about Mor's true powers in A Court of Thorns & Roses, including that she's a banchee, but the real answer is obvious.

The lack of information about Mor’s abilities must be a purposeful choice by Maas, who is known for leaving only breadcrumbs of information when she’s building to a bigger reveal. Easter eggs from Maas further plant the idea that Mor isn’t a trustworthy source as Eris and Jurian both hint that Mor is withholding the truth about her backstory. There’s not enough information provided about Mor to clear her of suspicion yet. Everything known about her was relayed from Feyre (a proven unreliable narrator). Without her powers or at times her whereabouts being accounted for, Mor is a prime target of suspicion.

Mor’s Absence For Most Of A Court Of Silver Flames Makes This Theory Possible

Without Eyes On Morrigan, It Is Unclear What She Has Been Up To

Book-Cover-of-A-Court-of-Silver-Flames-and-A-Court-of-Thorns-and-Roses (1)

A Court of Silver Flames is full of chaos and looming implications of a greater war with Koschei. At the same time, this is the first full-length book in the ACOTAR series that was told with third-person narration instead of Feyre Archeron’s P.O.V. These elements of ACOSF serve as a distraction from Mor’s extended absence. Claiming to be off in Prythian forming alliances and assessing threats to the Night Court, the Inner Circle is left to blindly believe Mor about her actions abroad. To make matters worse, Mor shows up with little to show for her time away.

Members of the Inner Circle that had a heavy involvement in ACOSF (such as Cassian and Azriel) are less suspected of treachery because the odds of them successfully sneaking around right under Rhysand's nose are low. Adversely, if Rhysand was as distracted as he appeared when trying to save Feyre from her life-threatening pregnancy, he wouldn’t have had the time to track Mor and hold her accountable. While Mor claims she was doing emissary work, she actually could have been doing anything.

It’s possible that Mor is fueled by resentment about Rhysand’s leniency towards the harmful practices of this subsection of his court and will make a strategic move that puts the Inner Circle at risk, even accidentally.

Critics of this theory may suggest that, because Mor is such a likable character, it makes no sense for her to betray the Night Court out of nowhere. But a closer analysis of Mor's character provides a clue why this might not be true. The Night Court has been very sympathetic to the archaic and horrendous practices of the Court of Nightmares, which happens to be Mor’s home and the root of her trauma. It’s possible that Mor is fueled by resentment about Rhysand’s leniency toward the harmful practices of this subsection of his court and will make a strategic move that puts the Inner Circle at risk, even accidentally.

Mor Turning Out To Be A Traitor In A Court Of Thorns & Roses' Next Book Would Be Devastating

Does Morrigan Really Deserve A Villain Arc?

Mor’s heroic debut in A Court of Mist and Fury, rescuing Feyre from the Spring Court, solidified her as one of the most endearing and loyal characters Maas has created. She also has over 500 years of history with her cousin Rhysand and the Inner Circle, living with them in the Night Court since she was eighteen. Destroying a beloved character with a plotline as devastating as this betrayal would completely undermine the importance of her relationships and growth. The Night Court would effectively lose her as third in command and an ally, changing the future of the books forever.

If Mor were to have a heel turn and become a villain, it would fall into a variation of the "bury your gays" trope, a harmful trope that has plagued LGBTQ+ characters in fiction for decades.

Another reason it would be so devastating to lose Mor as a trusted character is that she's the only LGBTQ+ main character in ACOTAR. Maas' stories often lack diversity, especially when it comes to romance or sexual orientation. Destroying Mor’s character arc and cutting her story of self-acceptance short is not a great choice as it limits the inclusivity of these books. If Mor betrays the group, Maas will be villainizing the only character without a cis-straight love story, which would destroy her chance to find love at all (and our chance to read a different kind of romance).

What Mor's Betrayal Of The Inner Circle Would Mean For A Court Of Thorns & Roses

This Upset Would Change The Entire Plot Of Any Future ACOTAR Books

It’s vital to remember that Mor holds lots of sensitive information about the Night Court as she is third in command behind Rhysand and Amren. There are many possibilities of what could go wrong in the future of the series if Mor turns on the Inner Circle, mainly due to the current state of war at this point in the A Court of Thorns and Roses timeline. Mor’s loyalty to her court would affect the entire outcome of the war in Prythian because she has the power to destroy the Night Court from within, like Feyre did to the Spring Court.

Instead of Mor continuing to be the supportive, reliable, and brave character we have grown to love in A Court of Thorns and Roses, writing a villain arc into her story would eliminate any possible opportunities of her getting the fully-developed, robust storyline she deserves. Instead of seeing her fall in love or even learn the best ways to utilize powers against enemies, a villain arc would make Mor a more two-dimensional character. Her backstory has not been explored enough, meaning it’s simply too early to cut it short and make her an antagonist for shock value.