One character in particular from the upcoming Fourth Wing TV show, will prove difficult for Amazon to cast: Dain Aetos. This fantasy television show already has plenty of hype surrounding the adaptation, casting choices, and script. The actor who plays Dain in Fourth Wing must be able to strike a balance between infuriating viewers with aggravating character choices while also displaying sympathetic or endearing qualities. Fans of the series may be wondering if the actor in the TV adaptation can possibly portray Dain as a likable character while also making viewers roll their eyes at him, and they can.
It’s important that Dain is cast properly in order to accurately portray this notorious character from the Fourth Wing books. While characters like Dain can be a cause of frustration throughout the series, he is not widely considered a character who is beyond redemption due to his unwavering attempts to support Violet Sorrengail in Fourth Wing. Dain does not always behave in a way that satisfies readers, but he operates with good intent behind his actions. Dain must be portrayed by an actor that can capture the duality of his caring, protective, leadership qualities while also portraying the overbearing and condescending execution of his actions.
Qualities About Dain Aetos That Make Him So Difficult To Cast
Casting The Perfect Dain Aetos May Be A Challenge For Amazon
Dain Aetos may be a major player in the series’ love triangle (alongside love interests Violet and Xaden) but he is much more complex than that story line shows. Dain is a next-door type of leading man, eliciting positive memories for Violet due to their sweet and endearing past as childhood friends. Violet’s narration describes Dain as a “rule follower” above all else, which also serves as a simplification of his qualities from a biased narrator. Dain has a reputation at Basigath War College for being strict and brash, but honest despite this harsh nature.
Dain and Violet have a long backstory together where he got used to aiding her; nursing her back to health when she was often ill. This perception of Violet from childhood contributes to his skewed vision of her as ‘in need of his protection’ or weak in Basigath War College.
Violet’s assessment of Dain being a rule follower is correct, but the question is why. The ever-changing environment that Dain grew up in likely led him to cling to the safety of rules and stable structure in his adulthood, leading to the squad leader we see in the first book. Dain’s complex feelings, conflicted emotions, and an intense backstory will be a challenge for any actor to tackle. Above all else, our TV Dain will have to be charming and admirable while also making realistic mistakes, really getting under viewers’ skin. For example, Dain comes across as if he thinks Violet is weak, which he might, but his instinct is to keep her safe.
The Most Important Trait For The Actor Playing Dain To Have
The One Vital Character Trait The Actor Playing Dain Needs
Portraying a character like Dain as hateable is easy, keeping viewers conflicted and on the edge of their seats is not as easy. That being said, it is vital that Dean Aetos is played by an actor capable of delivering a performance that elicits frustration, bordering rage from viewers. Seeing Dane on screen should have viewers shouting at their TV’s at times. Dain operates with a tendency to undermine the other Fourth Wing main characters and allow his “rule-follower” traits to take precedence over making the choices readers hoped to see. Any character that betrays the story’s protagonist at a moment of need will become infuriating.
Yet while Dain has a reputation for frustrating readers, the TV adaptation will need to portray another crucial aspect of his personality that makes him such an important Fourth Wing character. For all his poorly-made calls, betrayals, and plainly aggravating moments, Dain always has positive intentions rooted in protecting his people. Not unlike other leaders often portrayed in media, Dain allows his overpowering desire to keep others safe to skew his decision-making at times. He often puts his morals on display, like when he respects Violet’s wishes to stop showing romantic interest in her.
Behind every frustrating remark or despicable action is a loyal and honest Second Wing Squadron leader that wants to protect the sick girl he once saw in Violet. These gentle and pure intentions likely remind readers of other boy-next-door characters that they grew to love such as Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games books or Chaol Westfall in Throne of Glass. Subtlety is key for whoever gets this role; he’s never fully in the right, or fully in the wrong. Rather, Dain is a realistic portrayal of the internal conflict between following your heart or following orders.
The Duality Of Dane’s Character And Why It Works So Well
A Juxtaposition Exists Within Dain’s Character That Makes Him Complicated
Rebecca Yarros does not rely on simple, cookie-cutter character types to make her stories work. Instead, complex characters like Dain keep readers interested by never making it obvious whether they can be trusted or not. Predictable characters are less captivating in books or on screen, making Dain’s inconsistency between making the right and wrong choices intriguing. When characters like Violet are presented as the obvious hero, there’s less suspense when it comes to her struggles, whereas with Dain, it’s easy to empathize with his internal struggle, making him an ideal character to root for.
Betraying Violet could have been an unforgivable moment for Dain, but due to Yarros’ writing style, it is clear that Dain’s redemption arc is underway. Since Dain has proven himself in the past to be gentle, shy, and protective of those he loves, there should be hope for his good intentions to be revealed. Yarros may write Dain as a rigid and militant character to cause conflict in the story, including Violet and the others. However, this author is also always sure to write in moments that show readers why exactly Violet has a lasting soft spot for Dain in Fourth Wing.