#hesina/navani

[trishyeves]

Soon I shall break free of the shackles that bind me and unleash more of the ships I crave onto the world without any remorse

[sorchasolas]

Rip Kaladin you would’ve loved the Air Force

Rip Navani you would’ve loved mechanical engineering

Rip Adolin you would’ve loved Hermès

Rip Gavilar you would’ve loved 48 Laws of Power

Rip Hesina you would’ve loved the 70’s

Rip (young) Dalinar you would’ve loved open bars at weddings

[knight--error]

Navani & Lirin conversation would be interesting, I think. Older parents of headstrong heroes. Both lost a son to war. Both think they should have prevented it. (Neither of them could have prevented it.)

[lamaery]

it is too warm...

[cosmerelists]

Kaladin asks: “Would you still love me if I was a cremling?”

“Would you still love me if I was a worm”  is a meme. But on Roshar, of course, they’d ask the question using cremlings, not worms. So let’s say that Kaladin asked his friends this very important question. How would they reply?

1. Adolin

Adolin: Sure, I don’t see why not!

Adolin: Can I give you a tiny, cremling-sized sword?

Adolin: It’d be pretty cute!

2. Renarin

Renarin: [considering]

Renarin: Yes, I believe so.

Renarin: So long as I knew it was you, I don’t see why my view of you would change.

Adolin: ...now I feel a little bad about my flippant cremling-sword answer.

Renarin: Nah, that would be cute.

3. Shallan

Shallan: Oooh, so you’d be a cremling with human intelligence?

Shallan: I could make you a shalebark habitat, and then have you describe the symbiotic relationship from the cremling perspective!

Shallan: Plus, you could tell me about what tastes good, whether you feel artistic...

Kaladin: I’m not sure I like the glint in your eye...

Shallan: I might love you more.

4. Moash

Moash: “Just a cremling” they’d say. “We can definitely kill him now.”

Moash: But no.

Moash: I know you’d still be unkillable.

Moash: You’d be the most overpowered radiant cremling ever.

Kaladin: Is that a yes, or...?

5. Teft

Teft: Of course, lad. 

Teft: Shouldn’t be too hard to find some way for me to become a cremling too.

Kaladin: Uh...you don’t need to be a cremling in this thought experiment.

Teft: I’m your lieutenant, aren’t I? 

6. Zahel

Zahel: No.

Zahel: Toss you out. Let nature take its course.

Kaladin: You, uh, know it’s still me, right? Just in cremling-shape?

Zahel: I’m sure you’ll figure it out.

7. Rlain

Rlain: Hmmm....yes.

Rlain: In fact, I think I would love you more.

Rlain: You’d finally have a shell!

8. Navani & Dalinar

Navani: Of course we would. I’ll even make you a little glyph board to crawl over to tell me all of your cremling thoughts.

Navani: Perhaps you could write the first book from the cremling perspective.

Navani: Men write now, so all bets are off.

Dalinar: But you are not allowed to call your book The Way of Cremlings. I will not allow it.

Navani: Dalinar, please! The man’s a cremling!

Kaladin: ...I feel like you guys might be making fun of me.

9. Lirin & Hesina

Hesina: You know I would, Kaladin.

Hesina: I’d give you a nice cremling habitat with a nice high rock for you to sit on.

Kaladin: Thanks, mom.

Lirin: At the very least, you’d take care of wounded cremlings, right?

Kaladin: D-Dad?!

Lirin: Gotta do something with your cremling life.

10. Lewshi

Lewshi: I would continue to respect you as a warrior.

Lewshi: However, I do not think we could duel anymore.

Kaladin: You don’t think?

Lewshi: Well, I know not to make assumptions when it comes to you.

11. Rock

Rock: ...

Rock: Tell me this. Are you the delicious type of cremling?

Kaladin: Y-You’d eat me?!

Rock: ...

Rock: Think of the fine stew!

Kaladin: NO

12. Syl

Syl: ...

Syl: ...

Syl: ...

Kaladin: Uh, are you okay, Syl?

Syl: (whispering) Tiny, glowing cremling with a sword!

Syl: S-So cute!

Adolin: That’s what I was saying!

Kaladin: ...

Kaladin: Why did I think this was a good idea?

[cam-ulu29]

yeah great point how is Hesina, mother of the year, going to react to Dalinar and Navani trying to poach her firstborn son?

[nsewell]

unfortunately my favorite women are in there

genuinely think he writes so much fluff and nothing just to reach 1000 pages a book and for so long that he forgets the fundamental dismantelization rhetoric he founded this story on lmao

[scienter]

Warning: Full Spoilers Below!

I appreciate Brandon's having the nerve to give Wind and Truth such a dark ending. It's not how he usually ends stories, but an ESB/ROTS outcome worked for this book. The villains had to win, and the heroes had to lose because the plot needed to justify five more books.

Although I'm sad that Dalinar is dead, it's the right ending for his character arc. I didn't want Dalinar to become a tool for evil and see him regress to a villain again. And while I wanted Dalinar to Ascend, I wouldn't want him to compromise his morality for the Shard because he'd have to regress to hold on to it.

I've wanted Kaladin to become a Herald since the start of the series. He's my favorite character so I (selfishly) wanted his journey to continue, and his being immortal ensures that. Also, I want Kaladin to overcome his greatest fear: that he'll survive while most everyone he loves will die. Now, it's no longer a fear - it's his reality (assuming El doesn't kill him with that blade).

Also, when I said Wind and Truth would have an ESB ending I meant tonally, which it was. But I noticed a few plot parallels between ESB and WAT:

Han encased in carbonite -> Navani encased in crystal

Luke loses his hand -> Adolin loses a leg, Szeth loses an arm, & Kaladin loses 2 fingers

Luke rejects Vader's offer to co-rule the galaxy -> Dalinar rejects Odium's offer to co-rule the cosmere.

Luke refuses to fight Vader after learning Vader is his father -> Dalinar refuses to fight Odium's champion after learning the champion is his grandnephew.

Luke & Leia are the Yoda & Obi-Wan's hope for the future -> Kaladin & the new Oathpact are Dalinar & the Wind's hope for the future

When I said WAT was going to be ESB I didn't mean it so literally. 😆

Anyway, I'm satisfied with WAT's ending. This may be recency bias, but WAT has my favorite Sanderlanche so far.

BTW - I feel so bad for Lirin and Hesina. This will be the SECOND time they'll grieve Kaladin's death. But I can't wait to see their reactions when Kaladin returns as a Herald. Lirin will be floored. (Please don't kill Lirin or Hesina before they reunite with Kaladin, Brandon!)

[isdalinarhot]

Has there ever been a cosmere character who actually liked their son/daughter in law. Kelsier hates Elend. Navani doesn’t like Aesudan and her reaction to jaswit is understandably “wtf”. Dalinar is not fond of Shallan. Hesina’s parents hate Lirin. Charlie’s parents would rather he get turned into a rat than get with Tress. I get this is a cultural trope but i just do not understand because my mom likes my brother’s girlfriend more than my brother likes my brother’s girlfriend

[cosmereplay]

Life goes trick-or-treating at Urithiru 🍬

Happy Hallowe'en! Here's Lift going trick or treating! Rated General.

---

Dalinar stared at the empty crystal punch bowl beside the front door. "Didn't you have the servants put out the candy, Navani?" he called out.

"Yes, gemheart!" Navani called back from the bedroom. She was still putting the finishing touches on her Deadeye Spren costume.

Dalinar frowned, pulling at the tighter fit of his Preposterously Not To Code Uniform costume. He was sure he'd seen a full bowl earlier. This would take careful consideration. Perhaps he would ask the Sibling...

***

"Come on, Oroden, it's time to go!"

"Don' wanna!"

Oroden had been jumpscared four times today by various people in corrupted spren costumes. Kaladin had no idea where the fear had come from, but if he was going to take him out for his first trick or treat in Urithiru, he was going to have to do something to ease his brother's mind.

Luckily, Hesina knelt down, straightening his little brother's Syl costume. "Darling, lots of scary spren are going to be coming here tonight. That's why you and Kaladin have to go out. It'll be safer. We know how to defend ourselves against evil spren."

"Oh yeah? What's the secret?" Kaladin said as Oroden's eyes went wide.

"You give them candy," Hesina said knowingly. "If you give the evil spren candy, they'll go away." She gestured to the crem pottery bowl by the door. "See? We'll be perfectly...uh, where'd the candy go?"

Kaladin frowned. "I could've sworn I just saw it. There must be a thief." He knelt in front of Oroden. "If we're going to protect Mom and Dad, we have to go to the market and buy more candy. Will you come with me?"

Oroden sniffled, then straightened up, mirroring Kaladin's frown. "We gotta save them fwom the evoo spwen!" he said sternly. "We go."

"There's my boys," Hesina smiled. "Thanks Kal."

"I'll buy double, just to be sure," Kaladin reassured her.

***

Shallan sat by the front door, casually sketching as she waited for Adolin to put the finishing touches on his Sexy Shardblade costume. She had finished her own Sexy Shardbearer costume ages ago.

As it happened, she was sketching the special curnip-shaped Hallowe'en bowl Adolin had purchased specifically for the occasion. They'd be taking their candy to the local refugee shelter, along with a large donation. Then they'd be heading to Elhokar's Fabulous Hallowe'en Bash. After that, neither she nor Veil planned on remembering much.

I guess I'll be getting us home then, Radiant thought.

Wow, I can feel you rolling your eyes! How do you manage it? Veil thought.

Practice.

She took extra care to show she was paying attention to that curnip-shaped bowl at all times, much to the consternation of a certain teenager watching from a vent above.

"You know if you'd knocked on the door I'd've given you some candy," she whispered.

Incredibly, the girl heard her. "I don't wanna treat, I wanna trick, you stumer! Go to your stupid lighteyes party so I can steal your candy!"

"Well that'll be interesting, since I'll be taking the candy with me," Shallan said, putting the last details on the drawing.

Look! Veil cried out.

But it was too late. Between one blink and the next, the candy was gone.

---

For my Halloween ask game

[worldwithinworld]

Everyone in Kaladin’s family has a hobby but him. (Lirin: amateur stormwarden, Hesina: reading books; Tien: rock collecting, whittling; Oroden: toys; Syl: mischief) Kaladin, though, just has depression.

Tbh what stormlight characters are missing is hobbies. Like Shallan draws, and that’s like her whole thing. Closest thing Kaladin has to a hobby is surgery bc every time he gets something close to a hobby he makes it a full time job. Like i know he flies around but I wouldn’t call walking a hobby either. Letsssss see who else…. NAVANI Navani had a fabrial hobby and then it was her whole thing. Adolin is the only one with a real hobby (fashion) and MAybe Dalinar if you count reading and writing. And I don’t want to hear that they’re “busy” there are 24 hours in a day and Szeth can’t yo-yo for 30minutes?. Get real

[liltalle]

Sorting The Stormlight Archive - Sorting Hat Chats

Here's a long overdue sorting of (some of) these amazing characters, now that I just finished Wind and Truth. A short explanation of this system can be found here. (Spoilers below the cut)

Kaladin Stormblessed - Badger Lion. Omg, our poor Windrunner. Kaladin has a textbook Badger Primary arc: He starts out burned, he's tried to protect everyone around him, he can't help himself, but he's failed so many times that it's destroyed him, and... he can hardly muster the will to live without being able to protect anyone. His moment at Honor Chasm is when he starts to unBurn, when he tries again for Bridge Four. He succeeds, then needs to learn what to do with himself when his people aren't in constant danger. He learns how to expand his circle of care in Book 3, to accept his limits in Book 4, and to take care of himself in Book 5. But he doesn't become a Snake at the end, he asserts that protection can still be important to him, and he can choose to sacrifice himself if he wants to, it's just his choice, for himself, and it's not all he is. Beautiful end to his Part 1 arc, even to a Snake like me. (The Windrunners as a whole are very Badger Pri-coded, down to threatening innocents being an easy way to distract them. Lirin is a Bird Pri who tries to pass on his dispassionate morality, but Kal can't stop seeing people as people. Hesina seems like a Snake secondary.) As for that Lion secondary, boi. Charging into the dueling pit, "I'll see what I can do". Abandoning the plan to go back for Dalinar's army. Going after Helaran. This tragic impulsive meow meow, he's so dangerous and powerful, but again a Badger sec like me has to shake her head.

Shallan Davar - Snake Badger. A central part of Shallan's childhood was her protecting her brothers via warmth and kindness (and thoughtful gifts). She goes after Jasnah for them, and hesitates about stealing after becoming attached to her teacher. Keeping her brothers remains a priority for her throughout the story, even when they're in the background. Shallan's deeply guilty about the people she's killed, but they're all people she knew (her mentors, as WaT draws the pattern). She's drawn to the Ghostbloods' promises of power and secrets. And when she's cut off from the Physical Realm at the end, her husband seems to be her most pressing concern (and she lets go of her conflict with the Ghostbloods very easily). Secondary-wise, she devises a cunning multi-step (if naive) plan in Book 1. When Jasnah rejects her, she doubles down again and again, gets all the books, and tries an emotionally open appeal that nonetheless is shaped to what Jasnah is looking for (textbook Badger Sec mirroring). She's deeply persistent with her art, and her drawing more hopeful depictions of who people might be also feels very Badger to me, mirroring people in a biased way that you want them to see themselves. When she wants to learn a new skill, she becomes a new persona that embodies that skill, and loses herself in Veil somewhat (a relatable problem). (She house-matches me, so predictably is in my favorites, along with Jasnah and Navani.)

Dalinar Kholin - Bird Lion. The motherfucking Blackthorn (thus said Elhokar). Dalinar does the Bird Pri thing where he sees updating his moral system as kinda making him a new person. He's obsessed with the Codes and honor and propriety. Oathbringer is all about his system shattering and being remade. Any guy who writes a tell-all manifesto about his new philosophy of how God is dead and also he burned his wife alive is probably a Bird Lion (He's got the Lion sec is common with Hamilton). And that Lion secondary, do I need to explain? It's a meme in-universe. He kicks Elhokar across the room, he smashes through everything, he's frequently thinking about how he's a soldier and he solves everything directly and he needs to be more subtle and thoughtful but is bad at it. He wants to act with what he thinks is right, and has a very hard time waiting for other people.

Adolin Kholin - Double Badger. This ball of sunshine. Adolin Kholin's superpower is remembering everyone's name and being so relatable and kind he inspires people. He's so respectful to his sword that she comes back to life. He can get Kaladin out of his depression. He's concerned with authority and what his father thinks of him, Badger Primary. When Maya calls him a slut, he says that he ought to consider his options thoroughly, which is a hilariously Badger Sec way of looking at dating. His distinction between a promise and an oath feels like a gentler, more humanized, less rigid variation on what his father taught him, Badger following Bird. He makes time for everyone, but when he feels he isn't good enough for others' expectations, when he can't protect people (Kholinar), his self-worth, which seems so good because he's so bright and shiny, collapses. Glad he has the Unoathed with him now.

Jasnah Kholin - Double Bird. Jasnah's rather self-consciously defined by her philosophy. She seeks the greatest good. She's a Veristitalian. She's a heretic. (She spends time with the apocalypse approaching to spar with ardents about religion.) She takes her inference that the world is in danger and builds her life around it even though no one believes her. Her midnight stroll with Shallan is all about taking abstract ethical philosophy viscerally seriously. And her methods are all about her tools: her research, finding the right books, analyzing every new experience with a scholarly perspective. If only she had the right evidence, she could surely convince everyone. She doesn't declare like a Lion Sec, or community-build like a Badger, or dance like a Snake. She has connections with assassins in her back pocket just in case. She's got that Double Bird detachment/self-definition. Taravangian's takedown of her in Book 5 broke her system, which leaves her devastated, and I'm so interested to see how she rebuilds. I don't think there's another Primary underneath, I think she just needs to rethink her priorities, but something Burnt under a Bird model is possible.

Szeth-son-Neturo - Double Bird/Bird Badger. Szeth's obsessive question growing up is "how do I know what's right?" He wants rules, clarity, something infallible. And he has maybe the deepest conviction and durability of any Bird Primary I've seen, it's breathtaking. His "I'm Truthless" system endures through hell, he does not break for any of his horrific trauma, he only breaks when Kaladin presents information that contradicts what he believes. His arc in Book 5 is updating his system more kind to himself, and in swearing the Fifth Ideal he recognizes himself as the author of his own system. His secondary is a thorough mastery of his tools, which could point to either of the Built Secondaries. He does not have the Courtier Badger skillset, but I could see his neurodivergent social difficulties manifesting as a Bird model over unstoppable Badger toiling. He mentions casually his mastery of a barehanded martial art, which feels like a Bird tool, but the way he makes himself into a weapon, the self-abnegation... His survival despite all he's been through fits with the ability of both of these sortings to stand alone.

And those are the characters I'm confident about off the top of my head. Obviously, there are so many more. I'm particularly curious about Navani (my gorgeous engineer), Syl, Eshonai, Raboniel... Maybe I'll reblog with more when I've thought more, or one of you is welcome to add your own or contest what I've got.

[gal-palanaeum]

Ship for Femslash February: Navani/Hesina

People will see two beautiful moms and make them kiss. And they're right every time.

It's in the generator!

Want to add a character, ship, or prompt to the Cosmere femslash prompt generator? Send an ask!

[cosmerelists]

Cosmere Characters on Blind Dates

Last Valentine's Day, my special was a series of Valentine's Day Poems. This Valentine's Day, I'm going to randomly pair up Cosmere characters & imagine what a first date between them would be like (something I've done before...). I'm using a random number generator & my list of Cosmere characters! Let's see what happens!

(As in the past, this is truly random...except that I omitted anyone underage or anyone from the last time did this. Talking to you, Gaz, who was managed to be rolled THREE times!)

1. Lyn & Kiin

Kiin: Listen, the fact is--I'm already married. Kiin: But to make up for it, I did make you this sweet, spiced pudding! Lyn: ... Lyn: Definitely not the worst date I've been on.

2. Kenton & Hrathen

Kenton: Oh wow, you REALLY remind me of my father. Kenton: Stubborn, uptight, unyielding, rigid... Kenton: I'm out. Hrathen: ... Hrathen: All I said was that I ordered us wine.

3. Veil & Sixth of the Dusk

Veil: You know...you remind me of someone. Veil: The intense eyes, the scars, the fact that you're a hunter, the very colorful chicken you have with you... Veil: You're a lot like Mraize! Dusk: ...You remind me of a tree I met once. Veil: ... Dusk: I don't meet a lot of people.

4. Aesudan & Sigzil

Aesudan: [petulant sigh] Aesudan: I mean, you're hot 'n' all. Aesudan: But you don't look like you have the sweltering desire for power and conquest burning within your manly breast. Sigzil: That's...fine. I'm not interested in you. Aesudan: What?! Why?! Sigzil: You're married! You let your infant son be tortured by evil spren! Aesudan: Oh, like YOU don't have any faults! Sigzil: ...This is the LAST time I try a blind date...

5. Charlie & Allik

Charlie: I think I'll start off this date by ranking every glass of milk I've ever had. Allik: Oh...yeah? I was gonna show off how high I can count. Charlie: ... Allik: ... Charlie: Are we...both trying to blow this date? Allik: I-I just I have a lovely woman I'm already into! Charlie: Me too! Allik: Want to...just talk about how great our SOs are instead? Charlie: Honestly, that sounds like a ton of fun.

6. Sebarial & Colot

Sebarial: [sniffs the air] Sebarial: Hmmm.... Sebarial: I sense in you a man who doesn't quite know his place, who isn't sure where he belongs... Sebarial: A stray, one might say... Sebarial: Do you want to move in with me?? Colot: It's been 30 seconds!

7. Crow & Navani

Navani: I like dangerous women. Crow: I have within me a dangerous power that keeps me alive but will ultimately destroy me. Crow: I need a partner who will do whatever it takes to reach our goal, no matter the consequences. Navani: I made a god-killing weapon through the power of toxic yuri. Crow: Do you want to make out?

8. Silence & Hesina

Hesina: ...Wow, it sounds like you've had a rough go of it. Silence: Motherhood has hardly been easy for you, either. Hesina: Do you want to order large amounts of wine and sweets? Silence: Maybe just this once...

9. Shai & Ulaam

Ulaam: Give me the right materials, and I can make my body into anything I can imagine! Shai: Give me the right materials, and I can remake a man's soul. Ulaam: Do you want to make out?

10. Dalinar & Ialai

Dalinar: Well, this is...awkward. Ialai: [waves a hand] Just think of it as a chance to imagine what might have been. Ialai: Had we been together, you never would have burned your wife alive, you know. Ialai: I would have been right there, helping you take that city. Ialai: You also wouldn't have nearly died on the Tower--I doubt Torol would have been such a threat without me. Dalinar: Okay, but...we don't like each other. Dalinar: And I couldn't choose any path that would lead away from Navani. Ialai: Who says marrying me means no Navani in your marriage? Dalinar: ...What? Ialai: What?

[cam-ulu29]

Nothing I hate more about the stormlight archive than when people go oh, that was actually kinda racist. Brando really missed the mark there. Like, no he didn’t. Your precious little meow meow IS racist. Your beloved babygirl IS very lovable and ALSO is intentionally racist to the point of cruelty. Several times. Yeah, I’m talking about Dalinar and Adolin

[shouldprobablybereading]

Worst things to potentially happen in sa5 according to me (I am in denial on some of them)

Kaladin dies ( I don’t even see how this would work thematically but also no brandon please don’t )

Baby champion, or any family members as champions. I have said it before and will say it again: dalinar NOT killing a child has never been the issue unless you are gavilar

Adolin bonds maya and becomes a regular radiant (this is objectively the most boring way to resolve this plot point, but also: there are way to many radiants in these books already. I almost quit when renarin and dalinar got their powers please do not take away the only one I have left)

Any wife killings, I’m not saying shallan/navani/hesina (are there more living wives?) cant die, I’m saying if so make it make sense with their arcs and preferably kill their husbands as well (I’m kidding but also not)