#kaladin herald

[mistywitcher]

finished wind and truth about 2 hours ago and I have just finished crying enough to compose some thoughts.

my heart is broken for Dalinar, and watching everyone grieve for him. I kinda felt like it was coming, but I refused to believe it, and when it did happen, I don't think I've sobbed like that over a book since Mistborn era 1.

I take back what I said about Adolin being angry in a different post. I still agree he got to be angry and that was valid, but never seeing Dalinar again and his last interaction with him being so awful absolutely killed me and oh fuck I'm crying while writing this. I'D ONLY JUST MANAGED TO CALM MYSELF.

Kaladin. KALADIN. that hurt too, In a bittersweet way. I fucking bawled at the idea of everyone thinking he's dead, and Szeth burying him. ruined, I won't recover from this for a long time.

I am beyond pleased he got such a wonderful ending and set up for the next arc, cannot wait to see everyone's faces when he fucking shows up as a HERALD!!!

Adolin fucking princeling wonderful human best guy Kholin was probably my favourite part of this book. His stunning relationship to Maya. His whole arc was incredible, his courage, his acceptance and realisation, FORMING THE UNOATHED. What a fucking baller move, so proud of my pretty boy, I didn't think it was possible to love him more but I do.

Shallan was brilliant as well, although she didn't feel like as bigger part as I expected for this ending, I feel like she was set up brilliantly for Arc 2 and I cannot WAIT to see how she escapes Shademar.

Also I could be so so so wrong, but I feel like, maybe, just maybe, she may, perhaps, could be... pregnant???? idk why I get this feeling but I do. only time will tell.

Renarin and Rlain absolutely shone in this book. I loved every second of it. Was so glad to see how much time they both got! As a neurodivergent, gay person, it was a fucking honour to see myself represented so much and so well in Renarin's chapters. beautiful, stunning, can't wait to see what happens next with my fave gay boys.

Poor Jasnah, those last chapters of hers were so rough. I felt so sad for her, and also so taken with how Sanderson wrote her failure, in such a compelling, tragic way. I can't wait to see what she does next.

Szeth, oh my sweet man Szeth. I wasn't that bothered about Szeth before this book but now I would die for him. I LOVED his chapters and flashbacks, I loved his journey, I simply loved him.

GAVINOR!!!! that twist at the end, with him being a grown man now, I look forward to seeing more of him, and honestly I found his child character to be massively entertaining and so so lovely.

there is so much more I could say, but I am so tired, I read for 7 hours straight with no breaks and then cried for 2 hours, and my head hurts.

so in conclusion, I am slightly broken right now, intimidated by the huge wait we all have, grieving for Dalinar, but ultimately, incredibly satisfied with that ending to Arc 1.

Life before Death

Strength before Weakness

JOURNEY BEFORE DESTINATION

[escargay28]

Everyone on Roshar during the timeskip:

Kaladin during the timeskip:

[rogue-vigilante]

No one told anyone that Kaladin is a Herald now. Szeth and Nightblood were unconscious and the epigraphs confirm no-one knows what the fuck happened to him beyond "stabbed with a shardblade".....

This is going to be fun when he returns

[eri-pl]

So, you know that book. The one with glowing rocks, and long war caused by not-so-well-though-out vengeance. With a one-handed guy and a dark-haired guy that hates being the one to survive when others die. And black talking sword. And deranged, sometimes evil, divine figures. and a too-smart evil guy with gold accents. And giant crabs. And a lot of characters dying.

Yes, the Stormlight Archive. (ok technically it's a series, not a book...)

[purple-egg-yolk]

Not sure what chapter specifically for spoilers but I’m on chapter 76 so pre that. Below the cut as usual

Szeths spren is such a snitch. Bro was confronted with character development opportunities and said, “Nope+ L+ I’m telling dad.”

And now we get the absolute worst chaperone for his crusade. Thanks spren. Love you bestie.

[blindradiant]

Earlier today, I was thinking of which voice parts some Stormlight characters would be if they were all in a choir together. Here’s what I came up with:

Kaladin: Baritone

Adolin: Baritone, but with a distinct timbre that separates his voice from Kaladin’s

Shallan: Soprano

Radiant: mezzo soprano

Veil: Alto

Dalinar: Bass

Venli: Contralto (I hope I’m remembering that term correctly)

Eshonai: Also contralto

Szeth: Tenor

Lift: Doesn’t sing much, but tries to sing lower than her natural range whenever she does

Renarin: Either low tenor or high baritone

Rlain: Changes based on his form, anywhere between high tenor and low bass

Ash: Was a soprano, but doesn’t sing at all now

Taln: Was a bass

Jasnah: Alto, but tries to sing like a soprano. She’s terrible at singing inner lines/countermelodies. She would be great at music theory if she put her mind to it

Navani: Alto, and she owns it

Elhokar: Tenor

Rysn: Soprano

Cord: Contralto

Lopen: Tenor

Rock: Bass

Stormfather: The bassiest of basses

Odium: Thinks he’s a bass, but is actually a baritone

Syl: Soprano

Wyndle: Tenor

Rushu: Mezzo soprano

Pattern: Can sing sounds incomprehensible to human ears

I know there are a lot of characters I left out, but it would be almost impossible to include them all

[pocketramblr]

Just remembered that Kalak led the whole sons of honor thing hoping they'd create a way for him to escape the solar system, which Amaran was a part of, making him just a means to an end being used by his "betters" wearing a title of judge and man it's a shame he never got to suffer knowing that

[theskyweshare]

Moash should be a shybreaker. (And not cause of justice is blind thing. His blindness should just be blindness. An injury not a punishment)

Teft was although a friend. Was an enemy combatant.

Yes he is vindictive. His greatest flaw is that he is gullible. He is loyal until he isn't.

And he seems to get betrayed by every ideal he swear.

But in the end. He didn't, as much got betrayed by people, as much as he got betrayed by the institution.

There was simply nothing he could do once the law was thrown out the window. And vengeance is just another face of justice.

So having him as a skybreaker who is devoted to an ideal and at the end becoming law itself seems a better arc. And having been on side of the vengeance he can judge better. And unlike nale, Moah isn't a machine. He wants to be but he isn't. He understands compassion and forgiveness.

He is one of my favorite characters. It would be interesting to see whom he chooses as his third ideal.

Alternatively.

He can be an awakened radiant (corrupted) As he is shunned by both human and singer. Seems like he would fit within the awakened truthwatchers. And purely cause it be funny. He hated renarin. Or hated the idea of him.

But renarin is such a sunshine boy if anyone can make moash see past his hateded its renarin.

He should not be dead. He should live and learn and grow and grow old.

Not as a cautionary tale but as a reminder that we can make better choices.

[escargay28]

Incredibly funny that every single time Kaladin Stormblessed is presumed dead and/or defeated he just comes back more immortal and more un-defeated…

Anyways, which Herald do we think is going to fall in love with him? My vote is on Nale

[karnaxa]

who the fuck cares what’s happening in Thedas what about what’s happening in the shattered plain!!!!

[rogue-vigilante]

You know, when the Kal becomes a Herald theory started floating around, I was honestly against it. Torture for eternity didn't seem like the right end for that arc

But seeing what happened to Roshar with the birth of Retribution, and with the changes to the Oathpact, I'm glad him and Syl aren't there anymore. I'm glad he became a Herald.

He gets a nice break for a change and a chance to be happy

[nevertheless-moving]

#i fear the reverse is more likely#shallan & adolin confess their desire for kaladin to join their marriage#and he just stands there uncomphrending as they immediately get sent to turbo hell

@magenta-somethings im crying. second fear

stormlight winds and truth fear: kaladin tearfully confesses his love for shallan and adolin only to immediately be sent to Turbo Hell

[melaan]

one thing about kaladin is that he loves a dramatic entrance. absolutely fucking loves it. his Herald ass is about to touch down on Roshar sooooo dramatically with Syl in circa 10 years after being presumed dead. levels of drama never before seen. The Duel put to shame. he's gonna be wearing his cape

[radiantmists]

i've been listening to the way of kings and just got to the honor chasm scene, and it strikes me that when syl tells kaladin that if the bridgemen are all dead already, one more try can't hurt, there's a good chance that's her own experience speaking, though she doesn't remember it.

all spren who form a nahel bond are doing so in the knowledge that their knight is eventually going to die on them; being radiant doesn't make you immortal. and specifically for syl, she's still recovering from the grief of losing her first radiant; she knows well that radiants die. moreover, with honor dead, the heralds abdicated, and the radiant orders having abandoned their oaths, the chances of humanity fighting off the desolation were absurdly low.

so in that context, her attention is drawn to kaladin, who, by many measures, is already doomed. and she decided to try again. just one more time.

[taravangians-storming-balls]

Some personal highlights from dragonsteel

- a syl cosplayer giving me a blackbane leaf and going "I think this is important?" and then running off

- the really tall load bearing stoneward at the worldhopper ball who kindly put his phone back up to record more after the group of like 10 short people behind him asked him to because viewing through his phone was the only way we could see anything. Truly was there when we needed him

- the tiny lift cosplayer who ran up to my partner and went ELEND!! and then turned to me and went VIN!! and then insisted we follow her over to meet another vin cosplayer she had collected

- being told by a friend that someone described us as an "elend and vin who were tearing it up on the dance floor" at the ball

- the gaggle of amaram cosplayers who I never saw apart from each other. They gave us some glowing spheres

- the oathbringer sword you could pose with being literally 40 pounds

- kaladin cardboard cutout. I do in fact only go up to about under boob height on kaladin.

- spinning in circles with my friend and other vin cosplayer to effectively create a car wash brush with our mistcloak tassels

- walking literally anywhere in the con and hearing card trading deals happening. If you have your cards out someone WILL ask you if you have herald 7

- pattern cosplayer asking brandon a question at the spoiler q&a. He looked really cute standing up there. You could see his little pattern silhouette over the crowd