Greetings, Sanderfans and Cosmere Chickens! It’s Monday, and we are back with another Wind and Truth preview chapter read-along discussion. Chapters 10 and 11 were something, right? We especially liked seeing Sureblood’s spren! (Surely that’s what that was, right? So many feelings!) But this week, we’re wrapping up Day One with Chapters 12 and 13. Yes, wrap up! That was a relatively short and sweet Day, wasn’t it? Have you figured it out yet?
Note that this post will possibly contain full Cosmere spoilers, so beware if you aren’t caught up on all Cosmere content. And please remember, when posting or commenting about these preview chapters on social media, to follow your platform’s spoiler rules. Pattern says, “No spoilers!” Your comments here don’t need to be spoiler tagged, however, so feel free to comment as you will down below!
Onward to our commentary…
Paige’s Summary and Commentary
Chapter 12 is titled “Beyond the Brands” and features, you guessed it, Kaladin, who we all know has been preparing to leave while knowing there’s a possibility that he won’t be returning, at least not immediately. The epigraph mentions that the author of the in-world book wasn’t with Kaladin and Szeth on their quest to Shinovar and that they (the author) didn’t know of the quest. That means Syl is ruled out—I’ve seen several people in the comments who guessed that it was her. At least, she’s ruled out if people believe she goes with Kaladin. So let’s think about who wouldn’t have been with them and who doesn’t even know about the quest. I’ll have more on that below.
Kaladin is dreading his visit to Rlain’s “I’m a Radiant!” party to say goodbye to the majority of Bridge Four. He and Syl run a quick errand, and then head to the tavern where the party’s taking place. Once the excitement over his arrival dies down, Kaladin shares a few words with Rlain. He thanks Rlain for staying with them when he could have returned to his people, noting that nobody would blame him for doing so. Then Kaladin said he’s proud to know him and glad to serve beside him. Excuse me… my tear ducts are acting up.
Drinks are passed around and everyone turns to Kaladin, as if they know he has a speech to make. (That might have been because Syl was flitting about, telling them all to pay attention, knowing Syl.) Kaladin surveys them, taking a moment to miss all those who are no longer present… except Moash, who he no longer misses. He has plans for Moash that make me so very happy.
—but he had not given up his right to take Moash to task. Kaladin would see that Teft got a chance to spit on Moash in the afterlife, if such a thing actually existed.
Then Kaladin gets on with it, drawing gloryspren as he tells his former crew how proud he is of them and how far they’ve come. It’s an emotional moment, thinking back to that sorry bridge crew and how he pulled them up and gave them purpose. How he taught them to care about themselves again. How he taught them to fight and gave them their pride back. Ugh, I’m getting verklempt again, talk amongst yourselves…
Kaladin then tells them of his orders to go to Shinovar and that he won’t be back before the contest. Next, he warns them to be wary of the weapons the Fused and singers now have—the ones that can kill spren—and bids them to be careful. I can’t help but think of how most spren stay small, which would make killing them with one of those weapons more difficult than if they were full-sized, as Phendorana was when Moash killed her. Makes me worry for Syl, who likes to appear full-sized. Like, quit doing that, girl!
Laran tells Kaladin that it sounded as if he was saying “a long goodbye” and Kaladin thinks about what Wit said, but decides not to mention it. I mean, would any of them have cared what Wit had to say? I think not. Instead, Kaladin just tells Bridge Four that it might be a long goodbye because nobody knows how the next ten days will go. Or what comes after. It’s all very up in the air, and Kaladin really has no idea what he’ll encounter in Shinovar, if we’re being honest. What does it mean to “cleanse” a country? Will he be able to reach Szeth and help him begin to heal? How about Ishar, for that matter? It seems like a monumental set of tasks to accomplish in a couple of weeks, doesn’t it, Sanderfans?
After all of the silent salutes are given, a tattoo artist shows up and we realize why Kaladin and Syl ran an errand prior to going to the party. Kaladin is going to finally get his Bridge Four tattoo. Now that his scars are gone and he’s accepted that they weren’t a part of who he was, the tattoo takes. Bridge Four cheer. They are quite pleased with the new tattoo and our boy Kaladin is the one getting verklempt. And I’ve just GOT to mention his thoughts at this point:
He’d done a good job. Storms, he’d turned away from the Honor Chasm in the rain, determined to save them… and he’d done it.
He’d storming done it.
He loved them for being willing to let him.
Before Kaladin leaves, Sigzil approaches him, Skar and Lopen in tow; Sigzil voices concerns about his own ability to lead in Kal’s place. Suffice to say that Kaladin dismisses that as nonsense and assures Sig that he’s the right man for the job. Finally, Sig accepts that he’s the Commander of the Windrunners, and Kaladin feels this “final separation,” but he isn’t saddened by it. Rather, he accepts it. It’s yet another moment in these preview chapters that shows us how far Kaladin has come in his journey.
This scene also eliminates Sig as the author of the in-world book, Knights of Wind and Truth, as he knows of the quest and the author of the book didn’t know about it at the time. I’m still thinking that it’s Jasnah. What say you, Sanderfans? Syl and Sig ruled out in the same chapter? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
With that, Kaladin heads to the Oathgate to Azimir, planning to say farewell to Shallan, Adolin, and Drehy before catching the storm to Shinovar. Szeth is waiting for him and he is eager to be on their way. As is Nightblood, who always has fun things to say in response to Szeth:
***”We have reached the end of days, and I hunger for something I cannot describe.”
Pancakes? the black sword—strapped to Szeth’s back—said in their minds. Szeth, I think it might be pancakes.
“Justice or reconciliation,” the man said. “Condemnation or salvation. I don’t know yet.”
Ooohhhhh. Metaphorical hunger. Yeah, I understand. It paused. Can I have your pancakes then?
Chapter 11 is titled “Promise” and, I worry, features rather an empty promise. The epigraph tells us that Kaladin and Szeth are the Wind’s champions on their quest! So, what or who is she meant to face in Shinovar? Or who are Kaladin and Szeth meant to face on her behalf? These epigraphs get curiouser and curiouser!
We see Shallan and company arrive at the Azimir Oathgate at the start of this chapter. Once they land, several beads drop from Shallan’s clothing; she finds it odd that they hadn’t fallen off as she flew. They follow her when she walks away and then they start jumping up and down when she stops to look at them. Pattern reveals that they’re creationspren. Shallan picks one up and it bounces in her hand while she hears her name in her mind, as if it’s speaking to her.
Just then, Drehy comes to tell her that the spren of the Oathgate won’t let them through to Azimir. Shallan speaks to them and they say they will let them pass—for now. She has Drehy fly her up to the eye level of the giant, black Oathgate spren and she realizes that they’ve been touched by Sja-anat. They say that they’ve chosen freedom; that they aren’t beholden to Odium or Honor. That they are becoming something else.
Shallan asks if they’ll let the singers through and they say they will, as they’re letting the humans through. Then the spren gives Shallan a mental smack by saying they aren’t friends, that it doesn’t know her. That letting both them and the singers through the Oathgate is liberation. I can’t help but wonder at this… at them letting both humans and singers through. Sja-anat appears to be against Odium. She’s “enlightened” spren who would bond with humans—Renarin, at least—yet these “liberated” spren will allow singers through the gate in order to fight the humans? And yes, I know that one of her spren bonded Rlain, but he’s allied with the humans. So why would Sja-anat’s enlightened Oathgate spren allow singers through?
When they transfer to Azimir, Shallan is glorying in the atmosphere of the physical realm and raises her arms, taking it in. Bam! She’s suddenly encased in red armor. Level up, anyone? Adolin is delighted, we’d expect no less from him, but Shallan is quite uncomfortable as her clothing, satchel, and hair are all squished. She hears the excited creationspren saying her name over and over. Radiant takes over and basically tells the creationspren how to form Shallan’s armor, and they admit that they’re new… they’ve never been armor before. It’s just adorable, the way they’re so excited to be armor but don’t quite know what they’re doing.
Radiant sees runners going to tell the emperor about the approaching army and announces they need to transfer to Urithiru quickly. They have to exit the Oathgate, however, and wait for the proper paperwork to be done. Oh, bless you, Azir.
As they’re waiting, Kaladin arrives, Shallan reemerges, and they tell Kaladin about the approaching army. They encourage him to join them for a meeting to address the incoming attack, but he declines, telling them about his trip to Shinovar. They insist it can wait, and want him to meet them for a drink after the meeting. He again says he has to leave on the highstorm and admits that Wit was cryptic about saying goodbye to people… that they never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. He actually hugs Shallan, and the gives Adolin a longer hug.
Shallan then proceeds to punch me in the feels:
“You and I,” she said, “were there at the start. We meet at the end, like Adolin said. When the world is safe, and Dalinar’s done what he needs to do, we can all laugh and joke again.”
She makes Kaladin promise to have that drink with them after the dust settles and, though he knows it’s probably pointless, he promises.
When they go to transfer to Urithiru, the Blade that Shallan summons is Testament.
That is super interesting! Do you think that Testament wants to repair the bond with Shallan, Sanderfans? Kalak said they were still bonded, despite Testament being a deadeye. This feels like the way Adolin summons Maya without a bond. So what’s really happening here?
The chapter switches to Kaladin’s POV, as he’s watching Shallan and Adolin walking away. He actually tears up at saying goodbye to a couple of lighteyes, and realizes that he’s feeling oddly relieved. Syl asks him if it hurts to see them together but he says, while the rejection once hurt, he’s happy about it now. He also says that Adolin is what Shallan needs. Then Syl asks him what he needs and… lalalalala! I will NOT entertain this line of thinking! I have spoken.
As they all take off into the storm, Kaladin admits to Syl that he’s proud of himself. As someone who took years of therapy to admit that I’m proud of myself, in some respects, I can appreciate how long and hard Kaladin has worked to get to this point. Then he says something which simultaneously gives me hope and makes my gut tighten with apprehension:
“I find I’m not worried. We are going to survive this. No matter what Wit said.” He nodded firmly. “We’re going to have that drink with Adolin and Shallan.”
And that’s the end of Day One.
So… thoughts on the end of this first day? Regarding the singer army, will the coalition be able to hold against it? What if, as Shallan worries, they’re planning to attack through more than one Oathgate? Not knowing where else they might go could leave any number of places undefended. How can the coalition defend multiple fronts? And will we see Kaladin and Szeth in the next day/part? Or will we have to wait for the Shinovar quest? I think it’s about time for some flashbacks, don’t you all?
Lyndsey’s Commentary: Characters and Relationships
Chapter 12: Jezrien (Jezerezeh), Herald of Kings, patron of the Windrunners. His attributes are Protecting/Leading, and his role is King. It’s pretty clear that Jezrien’s present because this is a very Windrunner-heavy chapter. We can also make a case for the fact that Sig is stepping up as leader of Bridge Four, therefore we’re getting the attribute as well.
Chapter 13: Palah (Paliah) is the patron of the Truthwatchers. Her attributes are Learned/Giving and her role is Scholar. It’s interesting that she’s the arch character for this chapter, as it’s mostly about Shallan and Adolin. Perhaps we’re seeing her for her scholarly role, as Shallan’s learning about her armor and the corrupted spren and the changes to Urithiru.
I was not with them. I did not know of their quest.
—From Knights of Wind and Truth, page 10
Oh, another interesting tidbit. Not that our mystery author wasn’t with them—that tracks since Kal and Szeth are going alone. But they didn’t know about it either? That certainly narrows our list of suspects. We know it’s not anyone in Bridge Four, as Kaladin tells them all where’s going in this chapter. This also blows the theory (which I’ve seen on Reddit) that the author is Syl right out of the water.
Yet I will do my best to recount their story, and that of the Wind. For they were her champions.
—From Knights of Wind and Truth, page 11
More about the Wind. It’s gonna be nice to eventually find out for sure what’s going on with that.
Kaladin
Did Kaladin really have to say goodbye to the rest?
Hooboy. Kal’s sections sure do have a ring of finality about them, don’t they? It feels a lot like he’s making his final farewells. I don’t think he expects to die on this trip—we haven’t gotten any hints of that from his point of view. But the narrative sure does feel like it’s trying to set that up, at least to me.
He no longer missed Moash. Kaladin’s hatred had eased—he’d accepted there would always be those he couldn’t protect—but he had not given up his right to take Moash to task.
GOOD. Longtime readers of the reread will know that I’m no Moash fan. I’m firmly in the #noredemption club. I’m glad to see that Kaladin’s reached a… shall we say, healthier state of mind regarding the traitor, but I still can’t wait to see him taken down.
Kaladin’s speech to Bridge Four here made me tear up. For the first time he recognizes his solemn tone, and even admits to being uncertain about the outcome of his trip. And then, to be able to finally get his Bridge Four tattoo… His acceptance of his journey to who he is now is very telling. What is going to be his character arc for this book?
“I think he’s always been optimistic,” Adolin said. “You don’t jump in to save a doomed man unless you’re optimistic.”
In a way, Adolin’s right. Kaladin’s always been optimistic at the start. If he has someone to protect, someone to save, then he’s focused on that and doesn’t have time to be pessimistic.
I try to imagine myself with Shallan, and I can’t help thinking our individual neuroses would feed off one another in dangerous ways.
That’s some really good self-realization on Kaladin’s part. He’s grown a lot from the kid we met in The Way of Kings, that’s for sure.
“But Syl… I find I’m not worried. We are going to survive this. No matter what Wit said.”
I wonder if this is Sanderson trying to assure us… Obviously he realizes that all of us are going to read the signals, they haven’t been subtle. But… it could also be a red herring, laid here to throw us off guard, so we’re not expecting it when it comes. He’s just crafty enough to do that.
Bridge Four
You know, I’ve really missed the camaraderie of Bridge Four in the last few books. We do still get snippets of it, yes, but nothing as strong as that initial trauma-bonding and the subsequent healing via community they all went through together. It’s a solemn reminder that everything changes, but even if a family shifts, the foundation remains solid. We may not see them together sharing Rock’s stew and laughing over Lopen’s dumb jokes anymore, but they’re still family. Community. They still love and support one another, through one another’s ups and downs. And that’s truly beautiful. I hope that all of you, dear chickens, have at least one such community in your lives—and if you don’t yet, that you’ll find your Bridge Crew before long.
Rlain
The group was cheering Rlain, who stood—holding flatbread stuffed with salted paste, as eaten at celebrations—looking awkward, but smiling regardless. He had his spren at last.
About time! I’ve been cheering on poor Rlain since Words of Radiance. He’s so often been on the outside, even amongst Bridge Four. It’s lovely to see him get a spren at last… even if it is a “corrupted” spren, thereby making him an outsider yet again. (But hey, at least he and Renarin will have a point of similarity to bond over, right? *wink wink nudge nudge*)
I would like to note that Kaladin seems to think that Rlain has been completely embraced by the others, which is interesting to note since we know from Rlain’s own POV that he doesn’t really feel that way. Kal’s good at reading people, but maybe not as good as he thinks he is yet.
Szeth
“Finally,” Szeth whispered. “I return to my homeland. Once rejected and told I lacked Truth, I return with knowledge that I was right all along.
What a strong motivation that is. Who hasn’t wanted the vindication of being able to say, “See? I was right all along!” Especially after the torture that poor Szeth underwent because of it. (If you’ve never wanted to say that to someone I sincerely envy you.) For all Szeth’s oddness, I think most of us can at least relate to this. I’m so excited to learn more about his backstory…
Oathgate Spren
“We’re your friends.”
“I don’t know you,” the spren said. “You aren’t my friends; you are my oppressors. Now I find liberation.
I can’t really blame them. They’ve been bound for how long? Millennia?
Shallan
So, one of those truths she’d spoken in there had done the trick. She had obtained the Fourth Ideal, likely when she’d confronted Veil—or when she’d spoken the Words earlier, to accompany those revelations.
Ah, so Shallan did attain a new Oath! That’s exciting, and not terribly surprising. That showdown with Veil was a pretty huge character moment for her.
Adolin
Adolin’s eyes went wide, then he grinned like a schoolboy, joyspren appearing around him in a swirl of blue leaves.
Why are they just so precious? Adolin is so, so supportive. If I didn’t adore romance so much I’d say it was sickening.
He followed it by hugging Adolin—and if she were the jealous type, she’d have noted that Adolin’s hug was longer than hers.
I’ll die on my doomed Adolin/Kaladin hill. (I jest, I jest, Adolin and Shallan make a final couple. Except… you gotta admit, the bromance is compelling.)
“If you’re ditching us now, Kal,” Adolin said, “then I’m taking it as a promise for later. The four of us.” He nodded to Syl. “Drinks, once this is done.”
Oh, Adolin. You didn’t! YOU JUST DOOMED SOMEONE! Don’t you know that saying that is as good as a death sentence?!
Drew’s Commentary: Invested Arts and Theories
Another week, another set of chapters with all the magic stuff focused on Shallan’s section. It is pretty clear how plot-driven Kaladin’s chapters are in Day One and how worldbuilding-focused Shallan’s are. But that’s fine, because Shallan just keeps delivering with the magical side of this story.
Always pretending to be something else. Mmmm… very tricky. Good liars. In here though, most objects from your realm look like beads. The creationspren try to become those objects, so they get confused and swirl with light. Or they just… become beads.
And
She lifted her arms to the sides, breathing it in—and out of nowhere a suit of red armor formed around her, forming out of mist.
Well, that’s the answer right there… or is it? It’s certainly an answer, with the narrative providing some dramatic irony as Shallan doesn’t understand why creationspren would be sticking to her, and us readers understand the phenomenon of platespren thanks to Kaladin. It also gives us an understanding of Shallan hearing voices in her head—but it may not fully describe all of the voices she heard. Mishram was definitely messing with things, and Shallan is developing unusual Spiritual Connections.
It remains to be seen what the extent will be of Shallan hearing voices in her head.
We become something else. Not Odium. Not Honor. Free.
It sure unsettles the mind (and bowels) to think about something as long-lasting and substantial as these Oathgate spren getting corrupted by Sja-anat. This opens up a huge amount of mobility for the forces of Odium, even if it’s just in the short term—assuming nothing goes catastrophically wrong with Dalinar’s duel of champions against Odium. The idea of a huge army of Fused and Regals just jumping behind the lines of the coalition into Azimir is pretty terrifying.
But that’s not all that’s unsettling, here. The spren is clear about being free to allow both Shallan and Odium’s army through; the more fascinating side of this is how they see themselves as becoming independent of both Odium and Honor. Does this mean Sja-anat is made of Investiture from a different Shard? Cultivation would be the easy answer, but I’m not sure Cultivation aligns with freedom as an ideal…
Drinks, once this is done.
Drinks. Jokes. Laughter. At the end. I promise.
On a much lighter note, I think it’d be amazing if the epilogue to the tenth book sees Adolin, Shallan, Kaladin, and Syl sit down for a round of Horneater white.
Together, with Szeth following, they soared forward to the front of the stormwall, then joined with the winds, heading westward.
And so we come to the end of the first day! We have a ton still to discover, even with the manifold revelations Brandon’s spread out for us so far. The biggest looming questions are still in Dalinar’s court: Who will be the champion for Odium? And, if Dalinar doesn’t end up choosing himself, who will be Honor’s champion?
More immediately for Day One, though, is the question of Shinovar. Szeth and Kaladin are finally off, and the epigraphs have been talking about a cleansing. What is going on, off in the west? We’re still waiting on a couple of the Unmade to rear their heads, and Ishar is a big ole wild card. Nine more days await…
Fan Theories
Shinsekai980 here on Reactor has a thought about Kaladin setting off to Shinovar with a copy of The Way of Kings in Chapter 10: “So let me get this straight, Kaladin is heading to Ishar, with The Way of Kings, the book that Gavilar believed had the Words to make him a Herald…” What are your thoughts on this, Sanderfans?
Also on Reactor, IdabombSanderfan333 has this to say about the author of the in-world book: “My new theory for the author of the epigraphs is a Shin scholar, possibly related to Szeth. The author refers to Szeth without a surname or anything, refers to The East as opposed to Shinovar, and just in tone and word choice seems consistent with a Shin voice. Would be interesting if the reference to the importance of Szeth’s mission to ‘all of us’ (or whatever that wording was) just meant Shinovar.”
Charm says: “Anyone else think the epigraphs are written by Renarin Kholin? He’s a Truthwatcher, related to scholars and still an outsider in every sense so he knows about all the events and has the ability to approach it objectively. And his father’s writing would’ve prompted him to write down his own thoughts and visions.” Hmm… not sure about these theories, but since possible authors are falling by the wayside, maybe they have some merit? ::skeptical Paige is skeptical, especially since the author is not with them::
Over on Reddit, tomayto_potayto is wondering about the compass Drehy had in Shadesmar: “Anyone else theorizing about the compass and the Knoll/place where a god died? With the god metals in this universe, and the way compasses work on earth as a result of magnetic poles, I can see some very interesting implications for the future of travel in the cognitive realm and throughout the cosmere.”
Lots of thoughts about Syladin going on! “Syl is learning what it is like to be a human after all so I don’t see it as unlikely that she discovers she feels something like romantic love for Kaladin, a very human emotion.” says Aromatic-Resort-9177. Meanwhile, Bhaskar1607 vehemently disagrees, saying “Reading this chapter made me realise how Anti Syladin I am! Just No”
AzurePropagation on Reddit has a very interesting theory… “Is the hinting that Adolin was substantiated by Shallan just me being paranoid?”
That would be a dark revelation, to be sure.
The award for making Lyn chuckle goes to Archie_cave_its with this gem: **Is that a chull in your pants, or are you just happy to see me?**
There are simply so many people who have homed in on Syl as the potential author of Knights of Wind and Truth after last week’s chapters that we can’t even highlight individual names, here, because it would take up way too much room in our limited space for this article.
However, it’s tough to deny that there’s some real gravity to her growing ability to impact the Physical Realm. The symbolism of the pen is real… but it’s also tough, now, to argue against the seemingly ironclad statement in the epigraph of chapter 12 that the author “was not with them.”
Unless something happens to separate Syl from Kaladin in the coming hours and days… We’ll see!
We’ll be keeping an eye on the comment sections of posts about this article on various social media platforms and may include some of your comments/speculation (with attribution) on future weeks’ articles! Keep the conversation going, and PLEASE remember to spoiler-tag your comments on social media to help preserve the surprise for those who choose to wait for the full release. See you next Monday with a couple of interludes!
I think it is clearly important for Brandon to set up the stakes of this book, including the potential of Kaladin dying. Day One has had a ton of potential flags to set up a Kaladin death. And I will fully understand why many, many people think that Kaladin is not going to survive this book.
But I think we are going to get a scene at the end of this book where Kaladin, Shallan, Adolin, and Syl all have a drink. So I feel more certain of this than any other prediction: Kaladin is going to survive.
Thematically, Kaladin’s story through the first four books has been about trying to fight severe depression. We see him twice, on screen, try to take his own life – first in Way of Kings, then in Rhythm of War. But finally we’ve seen that he has been able to have a real breakthrough, to silence that voice. He is finally living for himself instead of just to save people. He’s accepting love and happiness. There are probably authors who would use that breakthrough as a way to end Kaladin’s story and have him die. But that’s not the kind of author Brandon Sanderson is. Through Brandon’s work, while he has been willing to kill characters, at his core he writes hopeful books and hopeful stories. Kaladin dying through some heroic, noble sacrifice that only he can take because he has to carry the fate of the world on his shoulders would feel like it does not fit his story. Not when his entire story has been about finding something to live for beyond just sacrificing himself to save others.
If not a drink, then perhaps a shawarma? https://makeagif.com/i/p4hbWu
I agree with you thought about the self-sacrifice arc.
But I also think this setting Kaladin up for something that will resolve his personal arc, and pushing him to the background in (or not even being part of) the back 5 books.
I think he will survive, but I would not be surprised if he is different and perhaps beyond having the ability to join them for that drink ( (and I will leave it at that).
The one I really worry about is Adolin.
I’m increasingly convinced that all of the “Honor’s not dead…” commentary is a setup for Kaladin to take up the re-incorporated mantle of the lost shard somehow.
This is my prediction and I’m sticking with it.
Seems like they are hinting at a Testamentblade Patternshield combo for Shallan, and I’m here for it!
Wait didnt they leave Testiment in lasting integrity?
No. They weren’t sure what would happen if they did. It shouldn’t matter, as Shardblades can be summoned no matter where they are in Shadesmar, but she’s not exactly a normal Shardblade. Nor is Maya anymore, hence why they brought the spren.
Well, I’m glad to see that I was right in guessing that the beads were Shallan’s plate spren.
Okay, wild speculation about the author of the epigrams: Sazed. He was name-dropped in one of Kaladin’s earlier chapters, is definitely a scholar and historian with no direct knowledge of what’s happening, and would possibly have access to testimony even if Szeth and/or Kaladin die.
Now, he doesn’t really fit with the earliest quotes, talking about being watched or knowing the Wind as a child. I still like those as being quotes from Szeth or Kaladin, even if they didn’t write the book.
Also, I’ll push back against those saying it can’t be anyone who knew of their journey: just knowing Kaladin and Szeth are going to Shinovar isn’t the same thing as knowing wheat their real quest is. They don’t know what their real quest is yet. So I would not write off Shallan, Navani, or Jasnah just yet.
I was stoked to guess it was plate spren too haha. After seeing Kal summon his in Shadesmar and how we saw it in RoW it made sense.
But I disagree..epigraph author? ITS ISHAR. id been pushing for Kalak since he’d already featured
But it fits so well.
Historian and Philosopher. Knew the wind really well in ancient times before it was sealed up. Didn’t know Kal and Szeth were going on their mission to shinovar, but is intimately familiar with how important their mission ended up being..seems to more about them after the fact but not before these events.
And if we accept the theory Stormfaker in the beginning was Ishar hacking Connection to speak to Gavilar (feeling the heralds death, trying to restore the oathpact, it fits too well, and would be one of the last heralds to be present at the feast besides Chana who just died and the other two women we don’t know anything about)
Then he’s already in the prologue, features in the main arc, and wrote the title book.
Only two of the title books have all been written by main characters, RoW and OB, while WoR and WoK were preexisting tomes.
Honestly, it fits. Syl and Sig fit for a bit but were ruled out, I lean against jasnah since she won’t get focus til book 10, ishar is just at the crux of all these events and it’s too well.
I would love for it to be Saze! We know since TLM and Sunlit he’s embracing Cosmere connections, Kelsier straight up appeared earlier, and we already had his letters to Hoid before.
But..unless he’s intentionally trying to hide it, wed already have gotten some ” I thinks” haha and more of his Terris speech patterns. This is before he becomes more Discord in TLM so it might work..but it just doesn’t make sense to have a full title named after his book. Whereas Ishar is deeply tied to the events
Except the author has written that both the Wind and the Heralds have vanished. Honestly, I don’t have a better answer, though.
It could be an off-worlder historian, I think that’s plausible – but Sazed seems unlikely; he’s always been identifiable by a very characteristic way of speaking/writing which I don’t think is evident here. I still think it’s Jasnah as well.
I’m still going with Jasnah.
But the author also wasn’t aware of the quest. There’s no way Jasnah was unaware of what our buddy cops are off to do.
We, the reader, don’t know what Jasnah knows at this point.
Knowing that Szeth and Kaladin are off to Shinovar in order to capture Ishar, which is what most people think they’re doing, doesn’t mean that Jasnah (if it is her) knows of their true quest. Only Wit and Kaladin have any inkling about that, and even they don’t know. I think the language is vague enough that I won’t write off anyone just for knowing they’re going to Shinovar and what they’re supposed to be doing there (which, pretty clearly, isn’t what they will really be doing).
Moash will not be Odium’s champ. He will clash with Kal in Shinovar, and that will be the end for him.
And I still think the author is a listener :p
Second this, maybe Venli?
The fact that platespren are basically a gaggle of puppies makes me want them even more than getting fantasy power armor… well almost more than that.
Also with the “corruption” of soren like the oathgate spren. I can’t help but see mirrors in Harmony. Yes the spren are changing but it means they are becoming a blend of Honor, Cultivation, and Odium all together. It may not be a *goog* thing but it isn’t necessarily a bad one either.
Yeah, the “Not Odium. Not Honor.” bit really made me think of a merging of shards/aspects of shards. There was some discussion in previous weeks about some events that are supposed to occur after this book describing Sazed as the most powerful being in the universe and how that probably means there is not going to be shard combination on Roshar in this book, but that doesn’t preclude non-shard entities from displaying combined aspects.
I was one of the people guessing it was Kalak or Syl, especially after last weeks scenes.. But yeah, now she’s ruled out
They know about the wind from the ancient past like they were there, were a philosopher and historian, know things about Szeth and Kal but weren’t present on their adventure..is it the wind itself..?
I still thought it would be kalak or another herald but the earlier epigraph mentioned they vanished which kind of implies they weren’t the author.
I really don’t think it’s sig or Jasnah..
I love that Sigzils scene lines up with sunlit man and his nomad self, losing some faith, and if this really was the last time he saw Kal before he left that explains his reaction to the vision of Kal.
As soon as the spheres showed up I guessed it was her armor since we kept getting mentions of how Kals worked, so stoked I was able to parse that before immediately being confirmed.
Kal with Adolin and Shallan was so bloody sweet I loved it. He’s absolutely surviving this, it’s not red flags just him finally being content. Maybe he’ll ascend or have an apotheosis but I doubt it.
Corrupted spren I guess just get the freedom to choose, gate and truth spren vary wildly in their motivations it seems.
Nightbloods comments just make me want their buddy cop adventure to start asap haha, him and Syl are perfect foils to them. We’ve been waiting for info about shinovar for like 13 years I can’t bloody wait
Honestly lost metal had so many massive reveals and cosmere connections I’m excited to see the big ones in this
It’s definitely not Sigzil as he knows of their quest. And would the Wind speak of herself in the third person if she were “writing” a book?
Why don’t you think it’s Jasnah?
I guess it could be Jasnah because so far we don’t know if she knows. I just feel that with Jasnah being in Uruthiru, it would be strange if Dalinar, Navani or Wit haven’t thought it necessary to tell her.
Remember, tOdium is well aware sja anat opposed Rayse..so either she’s worried tOdium is keeping an eye on her or maybe he managed to convince her he’s actually chill, he tried tricking Korrelium/Cultivation like that too.
But at the same time, for all the previous radiants feared her so far she’s been nothing but helpful and we know her spren can be good. But makes sense the gate spren would just want to do their own thing
My guess is that the author of the Knights of Wind and Truth in world is Ishar.
My understanding was that only Shalash could be born on Roshar. How would it be possible for the Wind to have watched Ishar as a child if he came to Roshar as an adult?
I definitely agree it’s time for flashbacks haha..those early Szeth sample chapters from 2 years ago with the sheep had me SO bloody curious to see more
I’ve had the crazy idea that Adolin will be Odium’s champion. I have no basis for it other than it would be an absolute gut punch for Dalinar, and Adolin has nothing special about him (in a purely magical powers etc. sense–Adolin is a very special boy, who should be protected at all costs!) so no one would see it coming. How it would happen, I have no idea. But, Odium is that kind of twisty manipulative entity, that I can see him somehow engineering it. I’m likely way off base, but it feels like the right kind of nasty for this reveal.
“Save the world Dalinar, kill your own son. Wouldn’t be the first time you’ve killed someone you love. It’s who you are after all.”
I think the writer of Wind and Truth is someone we haven’t met yet. I think Sanderson will keep us guessing, and then it will be someone he introduces that we never would have expected, but who makes perfect sense. He’s good at that kind of thing.
I don’t get how people are so surprised by the Syl+Kaladin thing. I feel like it’s been clear since day one. As soon as she was a person instead of a barely there wisp of light, it seemed obvious. When she was a full sized human woman in Shadesmar it was a sure thing. She’s his Cortana, at first the girl who only he could see and speak to, and who knows him better than he knows himself, basically his dream girl. Like the trope or not, but she’s the balm for his soul that makes him strive to be better because she both represents an ideal he wants to be better for, and she sees his potential and believes in him and so constantly encourages and inspires him to try. She’s also the person who most holds him accountable, but who can’t make him do anything, he has to choose for himself.
She’s basically his Adolin, with all the same dynamics of character regarding a psychologically damaged partner who struggles with feelings of self worth, angst, and the negotiating of mental health issues that can get better, but will never be gone, and a partner who is generally more psychologically balanced even if they still have issues, and whose behavior and role is in more of a caretaking and cheerleading one in the relationship. The two relationships clearly mirror each other. Angsty Radiant protagonist and uplifting and good humored partner who loves them far more than they can love themselves. And neither Adolin or Syl can really contribute to the greater struggle on their own. Adolin has no Radiant abilities, and Syl can’t really make a difference unless bonded to someone. Sanderson is basically just showing two versions of the same relationship dynamic, even if the individuals differ in the exact things they bring to it.
And, for good measure, they both have potential for the cheerleading partner to go down a darker path, because they both have an internal world outside their partner, and the dynamic of the relationship has some narrative tension because of how it’s arranged. Is Adolin the man of Shallan’s dreams? As in has she somehow crafted him, or edited him to be her ideal partner? (No, I don’t think so, but the fact she thinks it’s possible is tension enough…Shallan is kind of scary.) Can the dynamic between Syl and Kaladin ever be truly equal? There’s a codependency to their relationship that makes it inherently unstable, they both need each other to exist in a way. If Kaladin doesn’t hold up his end of things Syl literally begins to lose her mind. If Syl were to somehow not heed the call for Kaladin, he could die in a million ways, and their bond grants him his Windrunner abilities, and that’s not to mention the therapeutic services she provides him (preventing him from losing his mind). That could be a metaphor for romantic partnership Sanderson is going for, but it’s also a lot to hang on a partner and means neither of them can exist as independent people without somehow putting the other at risk. What happens if as Syl keeps growing, she grows in a direction opposite to Kaladin? What happens if they break up? (Again, I don’t see this actually happening, but I think there is some kind of potential tension there that is similar to Adolin+Shallan.)
(To be clear, I get reasons why people don’t like Syl+Kaladin, but I’m very surprised they thought the idea was crazy and this wasn’t what it was building to.)
Even if Syl gets separated, she still knew of the quest.
And a shin scholar? Those two cited evidence points make no sense, they would definitely use the honorifics and shinovar is in the west, not east.
The biggest sticking point for me is the early epigraphs talk about the winds characteristics in the ancient past in a familiar way..and it’s been a hidden spren for millenia.
Not knowing about the quest, not being with them, being a philosopher/historian, having really obscure knowledge about the spren possibly firsthand from ancient times, speaking about the heralds disappearing like it isn’t one of them .. that should let us narrow it down a lot, otherwise my original guess of Kalak would still fit.
Jasnah could still maybe fit but she knows about it.
Hell, it’s possible it is a random new character we don’t know about yet, but then I feel it would just be signed by them..
Well crap, I’m at a loss. It should be super obvious to us which means it’s either a big twist, an unknown character, or something we’re completely missing.
I’m sticking with Kalak for now, Renarin fits a lot too
As ominous as these Kaladin chapters seem, I do not think this is a long final good-bye, in the sense of inevitable death. I do think something extraordinary will happen with Kaladin, that will end his arc as a main character, but it will (likely) not be death.
I believe this specific chapter (12) is more of a celebration and a send off for Bridge 4, given they are falling further and further out of focus as the narrative evolves. They were such a core of the earlier books, but I think Sanderson has to push past these characters to move the story forward.
We may see / hear from a few of Bridge 4 in passing, but I doubt they will have any significant on screen time going forward.
Also, I think this was truly a wonderfully written and emotional scene.
I think Sja-anat is on the side of the spren, not anyone else.
I wonder if she believes that spren of Honor, Cultivation or Odium are “corrupted” by their very nature, and her goal is to “corrupt” (or uncorrupt) them, allowing them the freedom of choice – likely choices they could never consider in their natural form.
Also, I wonder if this links to part of epigraph stating that familiarity with a spren are less common now than they once were.
@Steve-son-son-Charles. Sja-anat uses the term “enlightened” to refer to spren she touches.
I have cried more in these first chapters than all the other books combined.
First we’re given ominous “ never come back” speeches and now a drink at the end. Emotional whiplash.
I think chapter 12 is just closing out the Bridge 4 arc and setting up what happens to Sigzil prior to Sunlit Man. It’s more than just the DawnShard that changed him and turned him into Nomad.
Between Sja-Anat and dead eye spren returning there are all sorts of differences between the former Radients and these new ones. The Fused are different too. These coming battles will be different.
Szeth said in Oathbringer that he was ready to cleanse for revenge. I suspect he plans on killing all the rulers and elders in Shinovar.
Pancakes: Lift is the one that should get NightBlood. Her spren doesn’t like being a blade. Plus, she and NB think along the same lines.
And Lift doesn’t have access to huge amounts of Investiture at once, given that she can’t infuse stormlight and must metabolise, so her destructive capability with Nightblood would be limited.
Could Sja-anat be a part of Autonomy?
Ooh, that’s interesting. We know Autonomy has spread and acts anarchic.
My comments on both chapters
Chapter 12
· The author of Knights of Wind and Truth says he/she did not know of their quest. That statement should disqualify Syl a d Sigzil (common theories I have seen in the comments on this reveal-read). My looney theory that the author is a Sleepless is still viable.
· I am glad that Kaladin chose to get his tattoo in front of the members of Bride Four.
· I hope Kaladin’s opinion on Moash in this Chapter 12 does not change when he learns Moash is now blind.
Chapter 13
· I was right (my guess from when we saw the beads in Chapter 9). Those beads in the cavern where the representation of Shallan’s armor from swearing the 4th Ideal. I do not get many of my guesses correct. Interesting that Kaladin’s windspren knew how to properly form the armor and Shallan’s creationspren did not.
· I am glad Kaladin, Syl, Adolin and Shallan had this meeting/good-bye and we saw it on the books.
· I am also glad we Shallan’s POV upon the return to Urithiru rather than Adolin’s. Shallan is more likely to notice the differences in the colors of the light and the description of the other changes. Adolin’s character would have glossed over such things or possibly not even notice. To him, things like that are not important. Change happens. Adjust. It is the soldier in him. What is done is done. Shallan, as a researcher, is more atone to the changes.
· Kaladin sure that he and Syl will survive the next few days. Sure. If that is not reverse foreshadowing (in other words, the opposite will happen), I do not know what is. This almost guarantees that at the end of this book, Kaladin (if he even lives) will be very different than he is at this point.
I wonder if part of the difference between Kaladin’s and Shallan’s first plate experience was due to Syl having bonded previously. IIRC in some point in the earlier books it was briefly mentioned that the Radiant spren has some kind of guiding role towards the plate.
Yeah, and Shallan’s creationspren are specifically called out as “never been armor before”. Which makes me wonder if Kaladin’s armor had been armor before or it’s just the influence of Syl.
He has plans for Moash that make me so very happy.
You know, I’ve been reading along with the Babylon 5 rewatch, and I just realized that I want Kal to give Moash a little wave like the one Vir gives Morden.
Promise has made me firmly believe that those drinks with Kal, Shallan, and Adolin will come at the epilogue of Book 10. Either by one or two surviving character visiting the third’s grave or the three of them actually meeting in a tavern. That would be a very sweet closing chapter for the entire series.
I’m inclined to believe that we’ll finally see
I’m also starting to believe that Sja-anat isn’t technically “corrupting” spren the way we think of corruption. It’s as the big spren said, liberation. They are now free to choose what they want to do, without being bound to the will of Honor or Odium. They can choose. Simple as that. This leads me to think “Wind” could be Sja-anat. Wind is freedom. She’s giving spren freedom. Then we’ll be learning a lot of truths with BAM. So, Wind and Truth is basically Sja-anat and BAM, and their respective knights Kal/Szeth and Shallan/Rlain/Renarin.
We’ve also spent so much time in mostly the same old places throughout Roshar. I cannot help but feel that we’re getting ready for a change of scenery. Maybe Urithiru would take some characters to the Tranquiline Halls. Maybe that Knull leads to Ashlyn. Or maybe nah. Going to Ashlyn sounds like something at the end of Book 9 to build up hype for the final book. But still.
I missed the part about hinting that Shallan has manifested Adolin. And the real Adolin has drowned in those beads. But I liked that theory from last week. But after the musicspren encounter and Maya not really mentioning anything, I kind of doubt that. But then again, if we do not get a single POV of Adolin in this book, then, I’d worry.
As for the author… could it be Sja-anat?
A few thoughts:
The 10-day structure of this book is going to be so different, and I’m here for it. It’s giving me the same feelings as a season of 24. The clock is ticking. Day 2 is going to start in the wee hours, so it’s likely going to be a lot longer, right?
I’m just now realizing that this structure means we’re going to get an unusually large number of interludes this book. This is good, because besides the Szeth flashbacks (see below) we have a lot of important subplots going at the end of RoW that couldn’t be addressed from a Kaladin or Shallan POV. Venli with the Listeners, El and that bastard Moash getting to know their new boss…
I bet all the Szeth flashbacks are going to be interludes. Having them in the middle of one of the days might go against the feeling of time pressure this book is naturally going to have.
Shallan’s armor is so adorable. Adolin’s reaction to it is too. I kind of wish we could have seen Kaladin’s reaction, but I accept that there are some scenes we cannot have.
Rough approximation of the Kal/Syl/Adolin/Shallan scene at the end of this book: https://makeagif.com/i/p4hbWu
Yeah. It explains why the book will be so darn long. It feels like the book will end at Day 10. By the end of the contest, there should be enough hours left to wrap things up. I’m also wondering if with this, we’ll get an epilogue that’s like, 10 Years Later, just to show what’s happened, and to setup the next five books. Could be good for readers who aren’t in-the-know.
I am starting to wonder of the whole 10 days is all of part 1, concluding with the contest of champions.
The rest of the book is the aftermath, setting up big things for the characters going forward and the Cosmere itself..
Is it just me or did it seem that Adolin is aware of Syladin – atleast Syl’s feelings??!!! He pointedly looks at Syl and says 4 of us. Strange to include Syl but not Pattern/Maya/Testament. Stranger still for Adolin to have grown so much emotionally from the guy who seemed to not get half the women of Alethkar!
I don’t think so. Syl has a more physical presence now in the world. It’s also how she’s showing herself to everyone now. If Maya shows up like Syl, I’m sure Adolin would have her as well.
Now that they’re back in the Physical World, I wonder how does that affect Pattern and Testament as Shallan’s in her Fourth Ideal.
Epigraphs: Day 1
1. I should have known I was being watched. All my life, the signs were there.
2. I first knew the Wind as a child, during days before I knew dreams. What need has a child of dreams or aspirations? They live, and love, the life that is.
3. The Wind told me, before she vanished, that it was the change in Odium’s vessel that restored her voice. I wonder. Perhaps it is the new storm, making people begin to reconsider that the wind is not their enemy.
4. I have read that in the ancient days, the Wind often spoke to both human and singer. It would then mean that the Wind stopped talking not because of Odium, but because of people who began to fear her…
Or to worship the Storm instead.
5. As a historian, I find such nuances relevant. As a philosopher, I find them enticing.
6. Regardless, the events surrounding the cleansing of Shinovar are of specific relevance, and I am doing my best to record what I can discover of the Wind’s own words regarding them. Though, now that the Wind and Heralds have vanished, I have only two sources who can speak of these events.
They are my witnesses.
7. However, the Wind did not think like a person does. This should not surprise anyone who has familiarity with a spren, though such things are less common now than they once were.
8. Her memory was keen, but her interpretation and explanation of that memory could be fanciful. Those days, though, I believe that she was deliberate, concerned, and focused.
She did not see the future.
But she somehow knew it anyway.
9. All agree the first key moment came when Kaladin Stormblessed listened. Though not an Edgedancer, he did a fine impression of their oaths.
10. The second moment had happened already, when Szeth himself decided to take upon him this quest. The one that would shape all of our futures.
11. For while the contest of champions was to happen in the East, a different contest was to happen in Shinovar. And one that the Wind swore was equally vital. Perhaps more so.
12. I was not with them. I did not know of their quest.
13. Yet I will do my best to recount their story, and that of the Wind. For they were her champions.
I’m more and more convinced Jasnah is the one writing the in-world book. The use of “the life that *is*” reminds me of the way Ivory speaks, and maybe the Wind watching her has to do with her childhood illness/”madness”?
I think chapter 1 epigraph was a quote from Kaladin. Chapter 2 might have been a quote from Szeth. I’m leaning toward Jasnah being the author, but it could be any number of characters, Perhaps Renarin? One of the Veristitallians? Or the world hopper Khriss, author of the Are Arcanum? (shrugs)
Posting this to promote discussions. At this time 2 of the chapters stand out and, read together, offer insight. Chapters 4 and 7 suggest that the author is a person, either Human or Singer, who identifies Spren as, not a person, but its own category of being.
Well, I’d like to say that I am pleased that I got the Shallan’s plate shenanigans down to the T last week or two weeks ago. There is so much more going on with Shallan. It appears that she finally attained her fourth ideal with Pattern, got a brand-new shard plate from her “I killed my spren” truth. Yet we must note that the plate did not materialize until she accepted why she killed the spren in the first place (because she was terrified of herself, terrified for her family and terrified of the world).
Now, if we look back at the truth she spoke to a voice that did not sound like Pattern’s in TWOK, we’d see that the Truth says she was terrified. Somehow, there’s a connection between the Truths she has been saying to Pattern and the events surrounding Testament’s death and potential revival. I think she will need to revisit each of the other truths (i.e I killed My Mother, I killed My Father), confront those memories, especially the memories surrounding why she actually committed these acts to fully revive Testament.
In addition, in Oathbringer, Radiant was wearing a Shardplate, here Shallan is the one wearing the Plate and it was described that these spren had never been Plates. Does this mean that she has two Shardplates? She has learned to substantiate Radiant, she has two blades, if she has two plates, could a substantiated Radiant wear one like she did in Oathbringer? Finally, in relation to Shallan, the Blade and Shield reference could be a metaphor for how she will eventually utilize her numerous advantages on the battle filed. She could substantiate a Plate wearing Radiant as shield, and a fully armored Shallan as the Balde.
My only take for the author of the epigrams now is WIT.
You’re talking about the battle of Thaylen Field where Shallan lightweaves an army? The “illusion” Radiant does appear in Plate, yes, but IIRC she is just standing there holding hands with Shallan and Veil and we have no indication that the plate actually functions as such. Kind of like how the lightwoven Radiant a couple weeks ago that caused the Heavenly One to remark about “substantiation” just made him bleed, rather than severing the soul of what was cut. I am pretty sure the Thaylen Field Radiant was just a (substantiated) illusion and did not have any connection to a living blade/shield/plate.
The end of day one really took my breath away! Time is moving too fast!
I am now suspicious of autonomy. All this talk of freedom reminds me of Trell and the freedom of the Kandra Autonomy offered. Sounds like the same deal being offered to these Gate spren. The mystery of the author is interesting, but nearly as worrying as all these goodbyes Kaladinis giving. I would love, that even if he becomes honor or a herald and is locked away at the end of book 5, if he can reunite with Shallan and Adolin in book 10,
Spoiler alert!!
Going to go out on a limb here and say, Kaladin and Sil bond as true partners Mind, Body, soul (The trifecta) and end up progressing further in their bond than most before them, excluding the gods and form a new version of Honor to counterbalance the new version of Odium and create a balance of forces on Roshar once more, that’s how these things work right? How many times have we heard Silphrena talking about being a “slither of a god. And besides there are bigger things brewing in the Cosmere universe.
I see no other options for Kaladin: He either undergoes some sort of ascension (becomes a Herald, or in some other way becomes heavily Invested, though I don’t really see him becoming a Shard but don’t think the chances of that are entirely zero either) OR he dies. And I storming hope to the Almighty above that it’s the former and not the latter that we get. I just don’t see Kaladin making it to the end without some major change happening to him.
Reading Rhythm of War, Part 3 Epigraphs, Chap 64, Raboniel writes “I have recently obtained a chain from the lands of the dead, said to be able to anchor a person through Cognitive anomalies.”
Methinks such a thing will be of value to Shallan.
Some thoughts:
How is deciding who to let through constitutes freedom for the Gate spren? Wouldn’t true freedom be the option to leave?
And why would they need Sja-anat for that? There is a whole Radiant Orders themed around freedom, so it isn’t like it is a foreign concept to Honor and Cultivation either.
However, as to the threat this represents, back in OB the Fused intended to dismantle the Oathgate at Taylenah by removing it’s gems, once battle turned against them. The Alliance could do the same, which would, presumably, lock potential invaders out. It would be a heavy blow to their communication and logistics, though.
Sja-Anat’s enlightenment seems to be a different process from Unmaking, which, as seen with the Sibling, is a violent and forcible process.
Sigzil is a young guy around Kaladin’s age here, right? But in TSM Nomad thought to himself that he had been 38 when he stopped ageing. So, I assume that at least the Dawnshard part of his evolution would happen in the second half of SA. But will he walk away from the Windrunners and his honorspren at the end of 10 days?
At some point he bonds a Highspren.
Big!Syl gives me the same slightly-squicky vibes that full-size Julia Roberts Tinkerbell did in Hook. At least Kaladin is a mental adult, unlike Robin Williams’ Peter in that scene, but the whole tiny-companion-fairy-who-turns-into-a-real-girl thing is just too similar.
I also got this exact same vibe, there’s just something about it that feels off. Maybe that is just size-ist of me, haha.
But there is something about the dynamic that doesn’t feel totally equal to me in the way a romantic relationship should.
This would be the most fitting and perfect end. <3
Okay..epigraph author? ITS ISHAR. id been pushing for Kalak since he’d already featured
But it fits so well.
Historian and Philosopher. Knew the wind really well in ancient times before it was sealed up. Didn’t know Kal and Szeth were going on their mission to shinovar, but is intimately familiar with how important their mission ended up being..seems to more about them after the fact but not before these events.
And if we accept the theory Stormfaker in the beginning was Ishar hacking Connection to speak to Gavilar (feeling the heralds death, trying to restore the oathpact, it fits too well, and would be one of the last heralds to be present at the feast besides Chana who just died and the other two women we don’t know anything about)
Then he’s already in the prologue, features in the main arc, and wrote the title book.
Only two of the title books have all been written by main characters, RoW and OB, while WoR and WoK were preexisting tomes.
Honestly, it fits. Syl and Sig fit for a bit but were ruled out, I lean against Jasnah since she won’t get focus til book 10, ishar is just at the crux of all these events and it’s too well
It’s crazy theory time! I think we have pretty broad agreement that the preview chapters so far are setting Kaladin up for a career change of sorts, in that he is not shown as being active in the Windrunner command chain and fighting battles. (Maybe that will be thrown to the wind, pun intended, when he deals with the cleansing of Shinovar, but we don’t have much to indicate that yet.) We’ve also seen a lot of foreshadowing of somebody from the set of Shallan, Kaladin, Adolin, and Sylphrena to die (and given the events of RoW spren are perfectly valid candidates for dying).
Separately, Navani wants to find a way to show to the Sibling that she (Navani) cares about the spren, to appease the Sibling and perhaps atone for the abuses performed by modern artifabrians. I have nothing to support the idea of connecting these threads, but if we do connect them, that would indicate that Syl is the one who dies, leaving Kaladin with a big hole to fill but also with recent expertise in healing things nobody else knows how to heal. Navani, as Bondsmith, could transfer the remnants of the Nahel bond from Deadeyes (presumably one at a time) to Kaladin so that he could do his do-goodery and heal the Deadeyes. That would also serve to bring a lot of ancient knowledge back into scope for team Honor and maybe shift the battle in some other ways.
I honestly don’t know how I’ll feel about NOT having Kaladin as a main in the future. I’m worried I won’t enjoy the next half of the series as much as the first.
I for one definitely think Kal survives.
“What does it mean to “cleanse” a country?” – nothing good, probably. I don’t think Szeth is going there to bring Lirin’s new hygiene practices.