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So I finished a re-read of the series after finishing Oathbringer. Hadn't planned to do that, as I did a re-read before starting Oathbringer, but it felt like so many ? moments from the earlier books have now become ! moments, I had to go back. Something I saw this time through is a trend with Kaladin over the arc of the books so far that I had not seen before. What I noticed reminded me of this worthy (non-WoB) quote: What I think: Kaladin has a tendency to shake the "them" box, and then take those that fall out and put them into the "us" box. The origin of this tendency is his father, Lirin. And I think this will become significant in the future. Of course, Kaladin does not start this way. As a slave, Kaladin has been broken down to the point of having an "us" box consisting of one person: himself. And he has been trained like this: Emphasis mine. The quote is from near the end of WoK. Those that have finished Oathbringer will note the contrast between that and what happens later in Kholinar. Bridge Four As we know, Kaladin stops caring just about himself and begins to strongly identify with Bridge Four. Over the course of WoK, they become his "us" people. But what really is Bridge Four? It starts as a set of individuals, but morphs into only an idea, a concept. Even before WoK ends, Bridge Four starts expanding to become Bridge Four Plus, as members from other bridge crews get added to the group. Here's where Kaladin begins helping wounded members of other bridge crews: So, no longer is Bridge Four limited to the original members. Other bridgemen stop being "them" and start getting added to Kaladin's group of "us." And it doesn't stop there: Bridge Four expands further to include, of all things, a Parsh. I think it meaningful for the future of the series that Kaladin brought a parshman into his 'us' group here. After his later return to Bridge Four, Rlain has a tough time, but Bridge Four only continues to grow as a concept and as a group. To include various random Herdazians. And women. And lighteyes. From Rlain's viewpoint: I'm no voidbringer, but if I had to predict the future I would bet Rlain gets over his difficulty and takes to the sky himself. Lighteyes Kaladin's attitude towards lighteyes throughout the books also slowly changes. I doubt I need to point out that lighteyes are strongly in his "them" box at the beginning of the series. But near the end of WoK, we see a small shift: In the interest of not making this fifteen pages longer, I won't trace in detail through all of Kaladin's shifts in attitude about lighteyes, but I will point out that it is masterfully done over the course of several books: his assumption of guard and leadership duties befitting a lighteyes, his ability to fit in with either lighteyes or darkeyes by shifting his own eye color, his realization that lower dahns of lighteyes in the wall guard feel towards the upper just like darkeyes feel towards lighteyes in general, not to mention just about everything with Renarin and Adolin...all these things slowly shift his concept of the lighteyes being "them" to "us." But my main point doesn't apply to Bridge Four or lighteyes. There's another "them" that looms larger: The Parsh Again, emphasis mine. Think back on the scene that WoM* references: immediately behind Kaladin was Bridge Four. You could easily interpret this to say that friends before him were Dalinar and his troops. But what was immediately in front of Kaladin in the actual scene? Who held the stormlight in gemstones in their beards? It's the Parshendi. Wait, so they are the friends now? The actual referenced scene doesn't happen too long after Kaladin labels them "the enemy." *Word of Moelach, of course. And it doesn't stop there, though this tendency does take a break in WoR. In Oathbringer, the trend goes front and center: Along these lines, I particularly like the conversations between Kaladin and Syl, regarding the shifting perspectives of right and wrong, and by inference who is right and wrong, who is "us" or "them." and All this culminates in his inability to keep the Parshmen in his "them" box: and of course in his crisis and inability to continue the fight at a critical juncture, due to these changing perspectives: There we have it. Too many people in the box marked "Us." Kaladin frozen as a result. But could this tendency of his have a different effect in the end? Might he end up putting all of Roshar into the "Us" box, and in doing so ending up being the force that unites? I think there's sufficient foreshadowing going on to point that way. Of course, there are lots of pointers heading in other directions as well, and we all know to be wary of anyone who claims to be able to see the future. So this isn't really a theory. More like it's just an observation I think will become significant. I'm not going to make any real predictions about what this may mean for Kaladin (or Dalinar), as I'd rather let Brandon tell the tale. On the other hand, Kaladin does seem rather well suited to Unite Them should Dalinar...err well, follow Honor's Path.