Sophie's Biological Parents

Spoiler warning! This article contains plot details from the latest book.

“She wasn't their daughter. She was the Black Swan's creation. As far as Sophie was concerned, they were nothing more than DNA donors.”

—Narration, in Legacy

Sophie Foster is the Black Swan's Project Moonlark. Sophie's genetics were tampered with and that is why her abilities are so strong. However, the Black Swan still has many secrets up their sleeves, even after Sophie becomes a member of their order. Although Sophie has always been curious, her actual biological parents have remained unknown until Legacy (and even then, she only knows who her mom is). Because Mr. Forkle is still alive, there is still hope that Sophie will learn who her real father is. However, Sophie has said that she doesn't want to know who he is, and will stop looking for him. She has since resigned herself to the fact that she is unmatchable, which led to her breakup with Fitz.

In Legacy, Oralie is proven to be Sophie's biological mother. Oralie helped Sophie turn off her enhancing when Sophie brought up the topic of her biological parents. Oralie was uncomfortable during this conversation, eventually saying that she hadn't put any thought into this topic. Previously, Sophie had learned from Lord Cassius that when an empath pulse skips three beats (one for guilt, one for fear, and one like holding breath to see if someone will catch them), they are lying. Using this knowledge, Sophie read Oralie's pulse and found out that she was lying. Sophie confronted her, and while Oralie initially resisted saying no, she eventually admitted that she was Sophie's biological mother.

Oralie and Sophie had a good relationship up until then. Oralie knows the most about the Black Swan out of all 12 councillors, and she helps Sophie out multiple times throughout the series, both legally and illegally. She is an empath, and empathy is similar to three of Sophie's abilities: telepathy (it tells you more about a person), inflicting (it has to do with emotions), and enhancing (it has to do with touch). She is also a councillor, and a councillor breaking a major law could topple the Elvin world. In Legacy, Sophie discovers that Oralie donated her DNA to Project Moonlark. Sophie is angry that Oralie never told her and their relationship suffers. In the last chapter of Legacy, Oralie offers to open her cache with Sophie to retrieve information about stellarlune that may pull Keefe out of his coma; Sophie accepts, though reluctantly.

Sophie’s biological father is still unknown. Oralie and Sophie’s father did not know each other/had no connection to each other.

All that is known is:

• They have/had important reasons for remaining anonymous.
• Telling Sophie their identities could "topple the Elvin world." Since Oralie is a councillor, this makes sense. This may or may not fit with Sophie’s biological father.
• They wish they could be a part of Sophie's life.

Sophie's Theories

1. Prentice (Disproven)
2. Jolie (Disproven)
3. Councillor Kenric (Disproven)
4. Mr. Forkle (Disproven)
5. Councillor Bronte - Keefe's idea (Disproven)
6. Lady Cadence - Stina's idea (Disproven)
7. Councillor Oralie (Proven correct)

Fan Theories for Sophie's Dad

• Fintan

Fintan has blond hair, as does Sophie. He has always seemed interested in her. Fintan has shown no concerns in hurting people he's close to, so he would have no problem hurting Sophie too. This is a contradictory theory because Mr. Forkle said that he made sure she was not a Pyrokinetic. As Mr. Forkle knew that the project could have unexpected results, he would have the sense not to risk having Sophie manifest as a Pyrokinetic by using a pyrokinetic's DNA for Project Moonlark. It also unlikely because Fintan seemed to be friends with the Council, which included Sophie's mother, Councillor Oralie.

• Elwin

Elwin always does whatever he can to fix her and all of her friends' injuries, and he clearly cares about Sophie. Elwin also goes out of his way to help her by getting Mr. Snuggles for Fitz in Book Two, giving Keefe Mrs. Stinkbottom in Book 4, and giving Biana Lady Sassyfur/Betty-the-Yeti. He as always been so kind and reassuring to Sophie. He saves Sophie’s life many times, but as he is a physician, this could simply be him doing his job. Elwin also said in Legacy that Sophie deserves to know who her biological parents are, so he most likely would have told her if he was her biological father.

• Quinlin Sonden

Quinlin was very surprised to find out Livvy was with the Black Swan, and that might be because he contributed DNA to the creation of Sophie. He was also shocked when Sophie turned up at his office for a probe. This is unlikely because he was involved in Prentice's memory break. He also searched for Sophie with Alden, which he would not have done if he knew more about Project Moonlark.

• Sir Tiergan

Sir Tiergan is Sophie's Telepathy Mentor and is close to her, and he tries to help her in every way. Also, when he accepts to be Sophie's Telepathy Mentor, he appears to accept because of Prentice, (it is later hinted that he agreed so he could protect her), but he could also be accepting because he feels a connection with Sophie. In the first book, he also shows affection for Sophie. His personality also appears to be similar to Sophie's, they are both known to be rather secretive, they both will help people in need, and they both prefer to wear less noticeable clothing. He is also Granite of the Collective. Tiergan is a powerful telepath, an ability he shares with Sophie. Since Mr. Forkle wanted Sophie to be a Telepath, having telepathy in her genetics from the start would make sense instead of trying to create it from scratch.

• Human (Disproven)

One of her parents could have been human, giving her a stronger connection to humans. Also, Sophie has very strong emotions, similar to humans. This is why Keefe and his dad can feel her emotions through the air. This is a contradictory theory, because in Exile Mr. Forkle says that she's 100% elf and in Nightfall Mr. Forkle says that two elves donated their DNA for the project.

• Gethen

Gethen could well be Sophie's father, as he is blond and has great telepathic strength. Though he fights against her, it may be all some sort of ploy, or he wishes that Sophie would become part of the Neverseen. This is unlikely, as Mr. Forkle didn't know who Gethen was when he tried to kidnap Sophie.

• Alden Vacker (Disproven)

Alden is shown to care about Sophie, and both Alden and Sophie are both powerful telepaths. However, this seems unlikely because Alden spent 12 years searching for her, and he probably wouldn't have done that if he knew more about Project Moonlark. He was also involved in Prentice's memory break. Furthermore, Mr. Forkle would've stopped all Sophie-Fitz feelings if they were related.

• Brant

Brant was close to many people in Sophie's life. This is also connected to the fact that Mr. Forkle said that if people found out who Sophie's biological parents are, the world would collapse. Brant is in The Neverseen and panic could ensue if he is revealed as Sophie's father. This is a contradictory theory because Mr. Forkle said that he made sure she was not a Pyrokinetic.

• Councillor Terik

Councillor Terik seems to support the Black Swan and Sophie. Sophie has access to his Imparter, and he has helped Sophie out in the earlier books. He was against the ability restrictor in Book 3: Everblaze. Terik is a Descryer, a unique Elvin ability like Sophie's teleporting. However, this is unlikely because Mr. Forkle told Sophie that her parents did not know each other.

• Councillor Emery

Councillor Emery is a suspect because, in Everblaze, he tells Dex to put the restrictor on Sophie. While it harms Sophie, it could be Emery's way of trying to protect Sophie. However, this is unlikely because Mr. Forkle told Sophie that her parents did not know each other. Also, Emery doesn't seem to want to be part of Sophie's life.

• Mr. Forkle (Disproven)

Mr. Forkle is willing to protect Sophie, no matter what. His experiment is Sophie, and he seems to show a little fatherly love. This was disproven in Book 4: Neverseen. It has been speculated that the other one of Mr Forkle's twins was Sophie's biological father, but this doesn't make sense, as the Forkle twins had the same DNA and saw themselves as one person.

• Councillor Kenric (Disproven)

It very well could have been Kenric because he showed affection for Oralie, Sophie's mom, and if he had heard about Project Moonlark, he could have joined in, and be Sophie's father. He also shows kindness during his life to Sophie. However, this is disproven in Book 5: Lodestar, and Forkle said the donors have no connection.  

• Any of her Foxfire mentors

After all, most of them did give her automatic 100% for her subjects at the end of her first year (except Lady Galvin, that is) Any of them- Sir Conley (elementalism mentor), Sir Caton (one of the PE mentors), Sir Faxon (metaphysics mentor), or might be the coach of right hemisphere- Coach Bora although unlikely as he has dark skin. 

• Blur

It was stated in the books that revealing who he was would require a long story. Plus, Oralie does not know Blur as he have been in his disguise when he met her. However, Blur hasn't interacted with Sophie as much as the other Collective members, which contradicts Mr. Forkle's statement that her parents wish they could be a part of her life.