Good day, Cosmere Chickens, and welcome back to Elantris. No, that’s not a flickering light bulb you see beside you, it’s just another mindless seon. Give it a sympathetic pat and move along before the gangs find you…
This week finds us back with Hrathen (please regard this gif with the maximum allowable level of sarcasm) and Raoden (this one with no sarcasm whatsoever). As this reread goes on, I find myself more and more in awe of Sanderson’s characterizations, but I also came to a bit of a realization that I’d like to throw to you in the comments. Check the end of the article to find it. And now, without further ado…
Spoiler warning: This week’s article contains some discussion from The Stormlight Archive, not really spoilers, just talking about characters and their archetypes. Proceed with caution if you have a very low tolerance for spoilers and haven’t yet read those books yet!
Trigger warnings: Religious indoctrination, chronic pain, execution, and child abandonment.
Last time on Elantris: Recruitment and Resistance…
Raoden did some research on why the Aons aren’t working, then recruited a newcomer into his small-but-growing coalition. Meanwhile, Sarene managed to fool both the king and Gyorn Hrathen with her bimbo act, thereby screwing up Hrathen’s plans to indoctrinate the people of Kae. She also learned that Raoden had been building a small political resistance group before his “death,” and made plans to meet with the group herself.
Chapter Essentials
POV Character(s): Hrathen, Raoden
Chapter Nine
“She was magnificent,” Hrathen said in spite of himself.
P: It seems as if Sarene really made an impression on the gyorn. I don’t think he was fooled by her empty-headed act.
L: Very true, as later quotes will prove.
Teod had banished Derethi priests from the country fifty years ago following a small misunderstanding […]
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The Saint of Bright Doors
L: A small misunderstanding? Somehow I suspect it was anything but small.
P: I agree. I rather believe Hrathen is lying to himself here.
Still, it was invigorating to meet a person who could so easily foil one of his sermons. Hrathen had preached Shu-Dereth so long, had made such an art of manipulating the public mind, that he hardly found challenge in it any longer.
L: It’s strangely endearing that Hrathen views Sarene as an equal and a worthy challenge. It’s a refreshing change from how the king viewed her.
P: I think that Hrathen is a good deal smarter than the king. He saw through Sarene’s act, after all.
L: That appears to be a low bar, though. Like… The bar is lying on the floor low.
“Lord Jaddeth can only return when all men are united beneath Fjordell rule, Arteth,”
L: What a convenient reasoning for conversion. You can definitely see how this would make missionary work a “holy calling” for the followers of this religion.
P: Anyone else think that Lord Jaddeth is a myth? I think Wyrn is the one making such decisions. And if all of the people were united beneath Fjordell rule, there would be some reason that Jaddeth isn’t returning.
L: This is an interesting case because we know that there are gods in this universe (or at least, beings with phenomenal cosmic power) so… who knows? It’s possible that this could go either way. However, a deity doesn’t need to be real to inspire greatness in its followers (great good… or great evil).
It might be necessary to undermine the monarchy, and perhaps he would have to spill some noble blood, but the end result would be the redemption of an entire nation. To Hrathen, uniting all mankind meant converting them to Shu-Dereth, not murdering those who didn’t believe.
L: I mean… it’s the lesser of two evils to be sure, but still hella problematic. I see some parallels here to Taravangian in The Stormlight Archive. Killing a few nobles, in order to save a greater number…
P: Dilaf is certifiable. Wanting to slaughter an entire nation.
L: Oh yeah. Dilaf’s a creep. Hrathen at least has somewhat noble intentions.
Wyrn meant his words: Unless Hrathen converted Arelon, the country would be destroyed.
“Great Jaddeth Below…” Hrathen whispered, invoking his deity’s name. Right or wrong, he didn’t want the blood of an entire kingdom—even a heretical one—on his hands. He must succeed.
P: “Great Jaddeth Below,” he said. Sounds odd. Most religious people probably think of their deity as being above, not below.
L: Most, yes, but not all. I’m thinking Hades in particular.
P: But I like that Hrathen really doesn’t want the blood of the kingdom on his hands. It’s one reason I like this character. You can’t hate someone who thinks Sarene is impressive and magnificent and also doesn’t actually want to hurt anyone.
L: Hate, no. Dislike? Yeah. (This said, I think he’s a believable character. There’s a distinct difference between a well-written unlikable character and one who’s just badly written.)
When Hrathen arrived at the meeting place—a large suite in one of Kae’s finest inns—many of the nobles he had invited were waiting for him. The speech on Elantris’s wall had been only one part of his plan to convert these men.
P: So he’s meeting lesser nobles in private to try to convince them to join his religion. Not sure how that will affect more powerful nobles, but I guess he has to start somewhere since Iadon shot him down so thoroughly.
L: Makes sense. Win over the ruling class and change will probably trickle down.
“Well?” Idan finally asked, fidgeting beneath Hrathen’s stare. “Who are they then? Who do you perceive as our enemy?”
“The Elantrians,” Hrathen said simply. He could feel Dilaf tense by his side as he mentioned the word.
P: And so Hrathen plants his first seeds that Elantrians are an enemy that must be destroyed. Yes, there are reasons to like him, but then, there’s this.
Idan’s discomfort left as he chuckled, shooting looks at several of his companions. “The Elantrians have been dead for a decade, Fjordell. They are hardly a threat.”
“No, my young lord,” Hrathen said. “They live on.”
“If you can call it that.”
“I don’t mean those pitiful mongrels inside the city,” Hrathen said. “I mean the Elantrians that live in the people’s minds. Tell me, Idan. Have you ever met a man who thought the Elantrians would return someday?”
Idan’s chuckles faded away as he considered the question.
P: I had never considered that people might be expecting the Elantrians to return at some point in the future. Because, surely if they believed that, they wouldn’t treat them so poorly. Right?
L: You’d think that, and yet…
Men as fickle-minded as Idan were of no use to him; those so easily won would be lost just as quickly.
L: That’s pretty wise, actually.
P: Yeah, people who can be swayed so easily can be swayed in another direction just as easily.
All they needed was an assurance that a sudden outpouring of piety on their parts would in turn be rewarded with temporal blessings—very tangible and spendable ones.
L: Say what you will about Hrathen, he really does understand humanity and how to manipulate people.
P: True. Perhaps it was wise to go after younger nobles who are hungry for power.
“Until very recently, Duladel was the seat of one of the world’s oldest religions. Now, as far as Fjordell recorders can tell, that religion has been completely wiped out—at least in its pure form.”
L: ::shudder::
P: I really want to know more about what happened in Duladel. Perhap Galladon will talk about it… I don’t recall if he does later in the book; my last reread was a while ago.
Chapter Ten
The gangs had heard about Raoden’s recruitment of Mareshe, and were convinced that he intended to start his own rival gang.
L: I mean… they’re kinda right… but also so, so wrong.
P: Yeah, not quite a rival gang so much as an alternative to the gangs.
L: A welcoming, supportive community rather than a group of thugs.
…the soft leather—from the covers of Galladon’s books—fit perfectly and didn’t rub.
L: The book lover in me is crying out in indignation over the desecration of beautiful old leather-bound books! Sacrificed to a good cause, obviously, but still.
P: Definitely a good cause, if the shoes will help prevent more stubbed toes!
Peeking carefully around the corner, Raoden studied the courtyard. Shaor’s men weren’t visible, but they were probably hiding nearby. Raoden perked up as he saw the city gate swinging open. The day had brought a new arrival. However, he was shocked when the Elantris City Guard pushed not one, but three separate white-clothed forms through the gate.
P: Three at once, and Raoden is shocked to see it. It seems that the Shaod is taking a lot of people, which is convenient for Raoden’s plan.
L: Convenient, but also so, so sad. I feel so bad for these poor people.
Galladon shot one final withering look in Raoden’s direction,
L: I love these two and their relationship.
P: They’re quite adorable with their banter.
“If you’re like any other housewife, then you’re probably more skilled than anyone here.
L: Nice. Love Raoden more and more with the turning of every page.
P: You would think that most nobles would think little of a simple housewife, but our Raoden is more insightful and kind than most nobles in Kae, I think.
Many of the men in his father’s court complained that learning had ruined the peasantry for good work, selectively forgetting that they themselves had been members of the same “peasantry” a decade earlier.
L: I honestly don’t know what’s worse; new-rich or old-rich.
P: I vote for both.
Listening to the man’s narrative, even Raoden nearly believed he had done something incredibly noble.
L: Poor Raoden, always discounting himself. But this is part of what makes him such a likable character. He’s humble, and he is noble, and compassionate. That’s hard not to like.
P: So hard not to like. He is absolutely wonderful.
Raoden carefully chose a few items from the offerings…
L: Brandon playing coy with the seeds again, keeping the knowledge from the reader—even within a strict 3rd-person limited POV—in order to reveal it at its maximum level of intrigue later on.
P: Right? Though anyone who’s paying attention would remember what Raoden took from Marehe’s basket, and would probably have an idea of what Raoden takes here, if not why.
L: Ah, but I don’t think he said what Raoden took even then.
“The newcomers, sule. You made them all think they are of vital importance, just like Mareshe.”
L: Once again, the similarities to Kaladin are striking. I often think of Raoden as the proto-Kaladin. Come to think of it… Raoden’s almost a little too good. He doesn’t really have any flaws, that I can recall. So maybe he’s just the “too-good” version of Kal, and Brandon realized along the way that he needed his altruistic leader-archetype to be a bit more on the rough side. I’ll throw this to y’all in the comments for debate…
P: I think they’re very similar, too. And you’ve seen how I’ve typed “Kaladin” instead of “Raoden” in these articles and how you’ve had to correct me! But yes, Raoden is the cheerful, optimistic version of Kaladin.
“Everyone’s convinced that their lives are over just because their hearts stopped beating.”
L: This is a really interesting quote when taken out of context. Kind of reminds me of the “People die if they are killed” meme/quote.
“Does it involve running?” Galladon asked in a pained voice.
L: This makes me wonder. If an Elantrian gets a cramp or stitch in their side, does it stay forever? (What a horrid thought, huh?)
P: That is, indeed, a horrid thought. But wasn’t something mentioned earlier in the book about them not getting tired?
L: Aye, but getting a stitch in your side is different from getting tired. I think. I’m pretty sure? Man, now I’m second-guessing the biology.
“They say that after being thrown into Elantris he looked around and said, ‘There’s no way I can face this sane.’”
L: …oof. I mean, understandable in some regards. But still oof.
P: I kind of get it. Especially once hit with the extreme hunger and a few injuries.
“I’d rather not end up a participant in one of Aanden’s mock trials and executions.”
“Mock?”
“Everything’s mock but the axe.”
L: Morbid curiosity bids me ask… would the head and body remain alive, separate from one another? Talk about bad days.
P: I have the same morbid curiosity! I wonder if anybody has ever asked Brandon.
L: ::adds to list of weird questions to ask him next time I see him::
Raoden smiled, spreading his hands before him. “I’m sorry, Galladon, but you just don’t seem like a farmer to me. You have the build for it, but you seem too…”
“Intelligent?” Galladon asked. “Sule, I’ve seen some farmers with minds so sharp you could have used their heads to scythe grain.”
“I don’t doubt that you have,” Raoden said. “But intelligent or not, those types still tend to be uneducated. You are a learned man, Galladon.”
P: I honestly don’t recall if Galladon is someone other than who he claims to be. I guess we’ll eventually find out if he’s some secret noble, or some such, himself!
L: Honestly I don’t remember either, so my suspicion at the moment is that he used to be a full Elantrian before the Shaod.
P: Oh my Honor… I thought this very thing. He just knows too much!
“I’ve seen babes barely old enough to walk get thrown through those gates.”
L: You know… I’m a big fan of horror. Nothing about this book has truly disturbed me, because I’ve got pretty thick skin (some might say “desensitized”) but THIS? This legitimately disturbs me on the same level that the movie Hereditary did.
Well. Maybe not quite at that level. But close. How could a mother allow a child that young to be tossed in a place like this? It makes me feel sick.
P: It is definitely sickening. Poor babies would have no idea what was happening, Would they grow or stay toddlers forever, with little capacity to ever understand?
L: Argh! You made it worse!
P: Sorry! Writer brain!
Raoden shook his head. “If Aanden had been a baron from the outside, I would have known him almost immediately.”
P: Oops, gave away a bit too much information here. Raoden isn’t very accomplished at deception, methinks.
L: Maybe part of him really wants his new friend to know the truth.
Galladon was silent for a few more streets, then spoke with sudden understanding. “Now, sule, I’m not very good with these Aons you Arelenes hold in such esteem, but unless I’m completely wrong, the Aon for ‘spirit’ is Rao.”
“Yes,” Raoden said hesitantly.
“And doesn’t the king of Arelon have a son named Raoden?”
“He did.”
“And here you are, sule, claiming to know all the barons in Arelon. You’re obviously a man with a good education, and you give commands easily.”
“You could say that.”
“Then, to top it all off, you call yourself ‘Spirit.’ Pretty suspicious. Kolo?”
Raoden sighed. “I should have picked a different name, eh?”
P: Galladon is rather too clever for Raoden to have kept his secret for long.
“Ien was my seon,” Raoden said. “Before I was thrown in here.” He could see the Aon at Ien’s center now. The character looked … weak, somehow. It glowed unevenly, sections of the character very dim, like …
Like the blotches on an Elantrian’s skin, Raoden realized.
L: Poor little Seons. This must be like losing a loved one to dementia.
P: I think that’s a very apt description. Very sad.
“Oh, my dear friend,” Raoden whispered. “And I thought the Shaod had been harsh to me.”
L: I have nothing substantial to say here except just… to express my sorrow over this whole situation.
P: It has to be heart-wrenching for Raoden to see his friend in this state.
So, remember how I said I’d have a question for you all to debate in the comments? Here goes: Is Raoden a Gary Stu? (A Gary Stu is the male version of a Mary Sue, aka a perfect character with no flaws.) He’s compassionate, smart, a born leader, communicates well, can delegate tasks… I can’t think of a single flaw this man has. But then, it’s also been a long time since I read this, so maybe I’m forgetting some major character defects that show up later. What say you?
We’ll be leaving further speculation and discussion to you in the comments, and hope to join you there! Next week, we’ll be back with chapter 11.
Paige resides in New Mexico, of course. She is at work on the third book of a YA/crossover trilogy and hopes to finish it someday. Links to her other writing are available in her profile.
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