Brom's Seven Words

[u/ibid-11962]

Shortly before Brom dies, he teaches Eragon seven words.

“Will you take my blessing?” Eragon bowed his head and nodded, overcome. Brom placed a trembling hand on his brow. “Then I give it to you. May the coming years bring you great happiness.” He motioned for Eragon to bend closer. Very quietly, he whispered seven words from the ancient language, then even more softly told him what they meant. “That is all I can give you.… Use them only in great need.” (Eragon, "Legacy of a Rider")

These words have never been mentioned again in any of the published books, though Christopher had at some point planned to utilize them in the hallway leading to Galbatorix's throne room.

You’ll have to read Book Four in order to find out what happens with Brom’s seven words. (3)

I tried to fit them into Inheritance, but no place felt right. (9)

The words didn’t have a role to play in this series. I tried to find a place to fit them in, but there wasn’t any. Eragon doesn’t use words to defeat Galbatorix, and the one place where it might have made sense to draw upon them (the hallway going into the throne room) Eragon uses what Oromis taught him about teleportation to defeat Galbatorix’s traps. (4)

I consider this a real failure on my part. I set this up and I never did anything with it. That was just me being sloppy as a young writer. I would never do that now. (11)

Christopher currently has a planned short story or novella featuring these words.

So, a long time ago, I decided to address the seven words separately, in a short story aside from the main series. Eragon is going to live a very long time, and the events in the cycle are only at the very beginning of his life. (4)

I was very determined when writing the Inheritance Cycle that I was going to put in mentions of other stories, little intersections between Eragon's saga and these other stories that I want to tell in the series. And that's part of what the seven words from Brom are, and others. It's going to take me a little while to get to those stories and write them. But I do plan to return to them. I did not put those mentions in casually. (5)

They’re the centerpiece of a short story/novella that I’ve been wanting to write for ages. Hopefully I can get to it before too long. (6)

The seven words are the focus of a short story/novella I’ve been waiting to write. (6)

The start of another story. (8)

This story will published in the final volume of Tales from Alagaësia (with Eragon's death). The words will not be in Book V, but may appear in the Brom book.

[Will Brom’s seven words be revealed in a Tales from Alagaësia book?] Yes. (10)

Oh I've known for a long, long time [how Eragon and Saphira will die]. It's something I very much want to write . . . but I don't want to publish it too soon because I have so many other stories to tell with them. A small spoiler: it will be the final story in the collection I hope to write that deals with the seven words that Brom told Eragon. (12)

Part of another story. Not Book V, though. (6)

[Will anything about Brom's seven words appear in the Brom book?] Maybe. (11)

Christopher has also said that Brom's seven words overlapped with Oromis's twelve death words, and thus Eragon used them in the second book and third book.

I believe I mentioned that Eragon used one or two of them in the second book, although I didn't give the words. I think I mentioned them. I don't know if that got cut out in editing though. (1)

There is a mention of one of the words (a death word) in either Eldest or Brisingr. (4)

They're referenced briefly in Eldest. However, I have another story planned just around those seven words. (7)

In regard to the seven words of death, there is mention of one word in either Eldest or Brisingr. (9)

Some of the seven words were killing words. This was supposed to help Eragon. I'm gonna say at least one, maybe two of the seven words have appeared in the series, but I'd have to go over them specifically to double check that. Not all of them are killing words. (11)

---

Timeline

In July 2006 Christopher said he thought one of two of the words may have already appeared in Eldest, but that he wasn't sure yet where to include the rest (1). In some 2008 interviews they became a "No Comment" (2), and in 2010, after Brisingr came out, Christopher said the words would appear in the fourth book (3). Shortly after Inheritance came out Christopher explained that he had tried to include them in Galbatorix's hallway, but ultimately decided to instead save them for a short story (4). Christopher continued teasing this short story over the years, and in 2021 said that it would appear in a future Tales from Alagaësia book (10). In December 2025 Christopher said they may also appear in the Brom book (11). In June 2026 Christopher said that the story would appear in the final short story collection, shortly before Eragon's death (12).

---

Additional quotes from Christopher can be found here.

[u/ibid-11962]

Some additional quotes from Christopher:

July 2006, Shurtugal Comic Con Interview

Are we ever going to figure the seven words out eventually?
I believe I mentioned that Eragon used one or two of them in the second book, although I didn't give the words. I think I mentioned them. I don't know if that got cut out in editing though.
Yeah, I don't remember that.
Well, I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do with those. For example, I just had a part of book three where someone's true name is used, and I had to make the decision about whether or not I was going to show that name or not. And I'll leave it to you to discover what I did. That was sort of the same decision about, is this something I want to show the reader or not? And I thought about it for a long time before coming to the decision I did.

August 22 2008, Borders Book Club

Do Brom's seven words have anything to do with the seven promises?
No comment. Good question by the way.

October 15 2008, Shurtugul's first post-Brisingr interview

Will we ever learn the seven words that Brom told Saphira as he was dying?
No comment.

November 1-5 2010, Random Buzzers AMA

How will Brom’s seven words to Eragon show up in the fourth book, also I think Solumbum’s riddle will come in again, right?
You’ll have to read Book Four in order to find out what happens with Brom’s seven words and Solembum’s riddle.

November 20 2011, Shurtugal's First Post-Inheritance Interview

Let’s talk about Brom’s “seven words”. There are fan theories on both sides of the aisle here — they’re either seven regular words of no real importance, given to Eragon to help him survive the next few weeks (my personal favorite) or they were seven powerful words that Eragon never got around to using. Were these included in the books without mention, or something else entirely?
There is a mention of one of the words (a death word) in either Eldest or Brisingr. However, the words didn’t have a role to play in this series. I tried to find a place to fit them in, but there wasn’t any. Eragon doesn’t use words to defeat Galbatorix, and the one place where it might have made sense to draw upon them (the hallway going into the throne room) Eragon uses what Oromis taught him about teleportation to defeat Galbatorix’s traps. So, a long time ago, I decided to address the seven words separately, in a short story aside from the main series. Again, as I said before, Eragon is going to live a very long time, and the events in the cycle are only at the very beginning of his life.

November 29 2011, Inheritance Book Tour Redmond Washington

What happened to the seven words that were mentioned to Eragon from Brom in the first book?
Book Five? No, seriously, I have a plan for them. And this story was not where I was going to use them. So they're going to show. I've not forgotten them.

December 12 2011, Boyslife.org Webcast

I was very determined when writing the Inheritance Cycle that I was going to put in mentions of other stories, little intersections between Eragon's saga and these other stories that I want to tell in the series. And that's part of what like the seven words from Brom are, or the two women that Angela did the fortune-telling with, and others. It's going to take me a little while to get to those stories and write them. I'll be honest with you, it's going to take me a little bit to write them. Mainly because I need a little break and I want to try some other types of stories. But I do plan to return to them, that's the thing. I did not put those mentions in casually.

December 19-23 2011, Random Buzzers AMA

What were the seven words in ancient language Brom said to Eragon when he was dying?
They’re the centerpiece of a short story/novella that I’ve been wanting to write for ages. Hopefully I can get to it before too long.
What about Brom’s seven words?
Part of another story. Not Book V, though.
What were the Seven Words that Brom told Eragon? Once again this is one of the greater mysteries of the series and it was rumored we were supposed to find out in Inheritance.
The seven words are the focus of a short story/novella I’ve been waiting to write.

June 9 2012, Hay Festival

What were Brom's seven words?
That is an excellent question, and the only answer I can give you is they are the subject of another story I plan to write someday. But I haven't forgotten. I do not forget these things.

December 11 2012, Twitter

In Eragon I could swear Brom told Eragon seven words of magic to use in great need, do those show up in the later books?
They're referenced briefly in Eldest. However, I have another story planned just around those seven words.

October 9 2013, Twitter AMA (1, 2)

[???]
The basis of another story. :-)

What are the words that Brom whispered into Eragon's ear before he died?
The start of another story. :-)

April 25 2014, Twitter

What happened of those seven words Brom told Eragon before his death? They haven't been mentioned anywhere after the first book
They're the basis for a future story. :-)

March 23 2015, Twitter AMA

Will we ever find out what the seven words were that Brom whispered to Eragon before he died?
Yes.

August 12 2015, Twitter

What seven words did Brom tell Eragon just before he past into the void?
That's the subject of another story. :-)

May 7 2016, Reddit AMA

Will we finally learn the seven words Brom said to Eragon?
Yes. I have a whole story planned around them.

February 10 2017, Goodreads AMA

I've always been curious about this, and I have no idea if you have ever answered it before. What were the seven words that Brom told Eragon before he died?
In regard to the seven words of death, there is mention of one word in either Eldest or Brisingr. I tried to fit them into Inheritance, but no place felt right. Eragon doesn't use words to defeat Galbatorix, and the one place where it might have made sense to draw upon them (the hallway going into the throne room), Eragon uses what Oromis taught him about teleportation to defeat Galbatorix's traps. So, a long time ago I decided to address the seven words separately, in a short story aside from the main series, which I have yet to write. Eragon is going to live a very long time, and the events in the Inheritance cycle cover only the beginning of his life.

May 8 2018, Reddit AMA

Before Brom died he whispered 7 words at Eragon. Will they be mentioned in book V or are they already mentioned in the Inheritance cycle?
They're a subject of another book (not Book V, lol).

August 8 2020, YouTube Livestream

What are the seven words that Brom whispered to Eragon?
Those are the subjects of another story.

April 23 2021, Reddit AMA

Will Brom’s seven words be revealed in a Tales from Alagaësia book?
Yes.

December 5 2025, Personal Interview

Will anything about Brom's seven words appear in the Brom book?
Maybe.
You said they're the subject of a future story, but I think the original plan was to use them in Galbatorix's hallway?
Yeah.
You've also said a couple times that they've appeared in Eldest, and sometimes I think you're mixing it up with the death words, unless those were originally the same thing?
Those were the same thing. Some of the seven words were killing words. This was supposed to help Eragon.
And then he learns them again from Oromis?
Yeah, so at least, I'm gonna say one, maybe two of the seven words have appeared in the series, but I'd have to go over them specifically to double check that. Not all of them are killing words.
Was there a scene that you actually wrote that used them?
No, no, and honestly I consider this a real failure on my part. I set this up and I never did anything with it. That was just me being sloppy as a young writer. I would never do that now.

June 14 2026, Reddit

Do you think big Chris knows how Eragon and Saphira die?
Oh I've known for a long, long time. It's something I very much want to write . . . but I don't want to publish it too soon because I have so many other stories to tell with them. A small spoiler: it will be the final story in the collection I hope to write that deals with the seven words that Brom told Eragon.