Spoiler Alert!
Warning! This page contains spoilers for Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes. |
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Not part of Riordanverse
The following article/section is from the Pandava Quintet continuity under Rick Riordan Presents and not the Riordanverse canon. |
“ | You know the best thing about taking photos? .. I can show people what I see. I can show them how I see them. | ” |
–Aiden to Aru in Aru Shah and the Song of Death |
Aiden Acharya is the modern-day reincarnation of Princess Draupadi, wife of the five Pandavas, and lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where he attends the private middle school Augustus Day. Aiden is a major character in Aru Shah and the End of Time, Aru Shah and the Song of Death, Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes and Aru Shah and the City of Gold. He is currently in a relationship with Aru Shah.
Pandava Quintet[]
Aru Shah and the End of Time[]
Aiden Acharya walked in front of Aru Shah after she read a letter from Mini. He just enrolled in Aru's school the previous week, Aru found that weird since winter break was just about to start. Apparently, Aru found Aiden attractive and was thinking of him when she accidentally bumped into his backpack. According to Poppy Lopez, the Acharyas were super rich, Aru was nervous about talking to him since she actually found him good-looking. Aiden was with his mother and he saw Aru smiling and falling down, so he went over to say hi. But Aru was so nervous she said that she knows where he lives from demons and runs home. On the following Saturday, Aiden was surprised at witnessing a massive wolf carrying a heavy golden bow and arrow, the wolf changed into a girl before changing into a bluebird and flying off. Aru was confused that he was able to see something from the Otherworld.
Aru Shah and the Song of Death[]
Aiden goes along with Brynne, Mini, and Aru to clear their names, since they got falsely accused of stealing Kamadeva's bow and arrow, and travels through the glittering and highly dangerous Naga Realm, to clear their names and secure their positions as Pandavas in the Otherworld. He goes there as a student of the Otherworld and is chosen by Boo to go with them. Every time that someone says Pandavas, he immediately corrects them, saying he isn't a Pandava (until the end of the book, when Kamadeva reveals that Aiden is actually the reincarnation of Draupadi, the wise and beautiful princess who was married to all five of the Pandava brothers. [Yeesh, talk about awkward]) Later, in a bonus chapter, it is mentioned that he goes to an Otherworld middle school Halloween party along with Aru, Mini and Brynne. He wears a dark green shirt and dark jeans, saying that he dressed up as 'incognito Peter Parker' when asked by Aru.
Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes[]
Fourteen year old Aiden Acharya and his friends are sent on a mission to rescue two "targets," one of whom is about to utter a prophecy that could mean the difference between victory and defeat. Turns out the targets, a pair of twins, are the newest Pandava sisters, though the prophecy says that one sister is not true. When the Pandavas fail to prevent the prophecy from reaching the Sleeper's ears, the heavenly attendants ask them to step aside. But, instead of stepping aside, Aru, Mini, Brynne, Aiden, and Rudy go on an unofficial quest to find the real Kalpavriksha (a tree that can grant wishes) as according to Sheela's prophecy. He continues his streak of denying being a Pandava, going so far as to call himself "Pandava-adjacent" (and Rudy, by virtue of being his cousin, "Pandava-adjacent-adjacent"). Throughout the book, it seems as though he develops feelings for Aru, although to what extent it is yet to be seen.
Aru Shah and the City of Gold[]
Personality[]
Aiden is a very quiet person. He is introspective and doesn't talk a lot, especially about his feelings. His cousin calls him "broody." He is also very passionate and empathizes with his mother a lot, often thinking about her and her well-being, rather than his. And when matters are important and the situation is dangerous, he is a serious person.
Despite his introverted demeanor, Aiden is playful, often joking around with Brynne, and later the others. He is also acts proactively, trying to get the group to work together unprompted. He is an asserted person as well, despite his immediate kindness.
Appearance[]
Aiden is Indian-American, and extremely attractive, due to being the son of an apsara. He’s mentioned to have dimples, curly black hair that occasionally sticks up like horns when he runs his hands over it, a shock of dark curls over his forehead, dark eyes framed by even darker eyelashes, a nice smell similar to clean laundry, and skin that looks golden-brown in the afternoon light. He’s taller than Aru, by “at least a foot”, although that might have been an exaggeration on Aru’s part. His eyes also have flashes of blue that remind Aru of the sky, which likely only noticeable when you look closely.
Aiden prefers darker clothes and looks like "an elegant shadow". Normally he doesn't care about his appearance and just wears whatever is in his closet.
Items[]

Shadowfax, his camera.
- Shadowfax: Shadowfax is Aiden's camera, named after the character in Lord of the Rings.
- Twin scimitars: In Aru Shah and The Song of Death Aiden has two gold scimitars. In Aru Shah and the City of Gold, he loses one in a battle and has to use a different sword.
Trivia[]
- Unlike the reincarnated Pandavas, Aiden's name doesn't sound similar to Draupadi.
- Aiden has the power to hypnotize people by smoldering, which is an ability all apsaras possess.