Every Elf Race (& Their Differences) Explained
Matthew Barrera There are six difference races of Elves in the world of Netflix's The Dragon Prince. Here's what they are how they're different to each other.
There are six unique Elf races in Netflix’s The Dragon Prince. Each of them inhabits their own corner of Xadia, the rich and vibrant mystical world that appears in the animated fantasy series. Callum and Ezra’s travels outside the Human Kingdoms have led to numerous experiences with magic, which is one of the core elements of the show and Xadia itself.
The worldbuilding in The Dragon Prince has allowed the series to gradually create a thriving world filled with all sorts of different creatures and concepts, and magic is at the heart of most of them. During their adventures, the main characters have encountered Storm Dragons, Fire Dragons, Banthers, Amblers, Moon Phoenixes, and more. But arguably the most important residents of Xadia are the Elves, who populate the entire land.
Xadia, which is an incredibly large and diverse area, is the home to six races of Elves, each with their own distinguishing physical traits, culture, and abilities. Some have already factored heavily into the story, while others have only been partially represented, or simply haven’t have been shown at all. Here are all six Elf races in The Dragon Prince’s Xadia.
Moonshadow Elves
It was established early on that each Elf race is tied to one of the six magical energies of Xadia. When a mage uses magic, he draws it from something that is called a Primal Source. The Dragon Prince’s six Primal Sources are the Moon, the Sky, the Ocean, the Earth, the Sun, and the Stars. The Elf species connected to the Moon are the Moonshadow Elves, who so far have been more integral to the series than all other Elves. Based in the Silvergrove, the Moonshadow Elves have a deep hatred of humanity, partly because of what happened to Avizandum. The humans, in turn, regard them as their greatest enemies among all the Elven races. Part of what makes them such formidable adversaries is how the Moon affects their physical capabilities. They’re sharpened by the power of the Moon, which is why the Elves always fight at their best at night. Due to their natural speed and affinity for darkness, Moonshadow Elves are traditionally experts when it comes to stealth, with many of their race operating as assassins.
Sunfire Elves
The second Elf species to appear on the Dragon Prince are the Sunfire Elves, who were led by their queen, Kheesa, at the start of the series. These dark-skinned Elves, known for their impressive military force, use their Sun magic to create powerful, fiery weapons called Sunforged blades. Through their powers, some Sunfire Elves have transformations they can access, which are the “Light-Being” and the “Heat-Being” forms. With the latter ability, the temperature of their skin rises as they gain a temporary immunity to fire. The few Elves capable of entering the “Light-Being” form have command over healing spells. One particular Sunfire Elf, Janai, has emerged as an important character on The Dragon Prince, so it’s likely that more about these characters and their culture will be explored in season 4 of the Netflix series.
Startouch Elves
The most mysterious character in The Dragon Prince is the show’s principal antagonist, Aaravos, who is one of the most powerful sorcerers in existence. The mystery surrounding him and where he comes from also pertains to his race, who are known as the Startouch Elves. As made obvious by their name and designs, these Elves channel their energy from the Stars. Thus far, he’s the only member of his species to be a character on the series, and it’s unclear when more will be featured or if they as a species have a specific home in Xadia. The show hasn’t revealed much at all about them or what makes them special, but comments from producers have shed some light on that. Apparently, they’re the rarest of all six Elf races, which indicates that the characters may be in the dark about them too. Also, they have much longer lifespans than the other Elves, meaning that they can live for thousands of years.
Skywing Elves
In The Dragon Prince season 3, Callum and Rayla were accosted by Nyx, a strange Elf with wings on her back who tried to take Zym away with her. Nyx is a member of the Skywing Elves, a race that has only been seen sporadically in the show. Later on, they met Ibis, an Elf who turned out to be a member of the same species. The difference between him and Nyx, though, is that he didn’t have wings. Based on what Ibis said to Callum, it would seem that even though wings are their most distinctive trait, it’s only shared by a minority of the Skywing Elves. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t fly. As demonstrated by Ibis, Skywing Elves can use Sky magic to create their own when necessary.
Tidebound Elves
Tidebound Elves hold command over Ocean magic. If that name doesn’t sound familiar, it’s because not a single one of them has appeared on the show. That being said, they have been confirmed to exist in Xadia by interviews and in-canon material. Concept art for the series has revealed that Tidebound Elves have light blue skin and fins all over their bodies. For now, the abilities they possess and the nature of their race will remain mysteries, but it makes sense that they may dwell somewhere in the water.
Earthblood Elves
The Tidebound Elves are actually one of two Elven races that haven’t been officially introduced yet. The second is the Earthblood Elves. Similar to the case with the Tidebound Elves, it’s hard to say what they’re capable of or what to expect from them, but thanks to artwork that appeared in the series companion book, Callum’s Spellbook, fans have caught a glimpse of what they look like. They have leaves and antlers growing off the top of their hands, and both bark and moss on their arms and legs. Just as their name implies, they are strongly linked to the energy of the Earth.
There’s reason to suspect that they’ll be the next race of Elves to be explored on the show, as there seems to be a plan for at least one Earthblood Elf to show up in the near future. While promoting The Dragon Prince season 3, series co-creator Aaron Ehasz teased the introduction of a “hilarious” new character named Terry, who was said to be a member of the Earthblood Elves. It’s possible that Terry will be his race’s first representative if he joins the fold sometime in The Dragon Prince season 4.
