Erinzard

I think it would be amazing to see Hoid stroll into the middle of a high level Radiant meeting in Urithiru and plate up before everyone's eyes. Then he would make some comment about how with all the Radiants coming out of the woodwork surely SOMEONE among them had figured the plate out by now. Also, I'm wondering why Cryptics want to understand truth and lies. Are they of Cultivation and are curious about people growing and changing through the lies or truths that are a part of them? And about this: At least as of the conversation with Jasnah in Urithiru where Jasnah was all, "Oh you're a full Radiant? You want to just uh, show me your shardplate? You wanna just whip that out quick as long as you have it on you" Shallan didn't have it. I hope the moment she gets her plate is important enough that we get to see it on screen.

I hadn't even thought of that. I assumed it was about a scholar-queen who world hopped to another place where some non-humans lived and pulled a Captain Kirk. But I like your idea much better. However, the ...er....logistics of spren/human hybrids sound tricky.

I'm not sure I understand your question. As I understand the situation, his Spiritual self was fine and his cognitive self was damaged to some degree as his physical self had a brain injury. But it hadn't been a very long time and maybe his brain being unable to grasp his own injured state was actually a benefit that prevented him from getting "used" to his new situation. So either Shai made a fake person that was really close to the real thing or she got SO close to the real thing that she actually just let his Spiritual and Cognitive selves connect back through to his physical self. Brandon is a sneaky guy, so maybe Shai really did something beyond normal soulstamping and that will be important for the Lifeless, Kelsier, or any number of other people who still have 2 out of 3 of their selves in newish/gently used condition around the Cosmere. But even if this is the case, I don't see that as reincarnation, more of a type of healing like what happened to Szeth because I don't think you can be reincarnated into your own body, I think that would be just....you being you? I don't know... Sorry if I misunderstood and maybe we're arguing about the semantics of reincarnation here.

I infer that Kaladin doesn't know how to wield the bow even with his surges. I conclude that he had to develop some non-Windrunner radiant skills to use the bow. Hence, he is already a non-Windrunner Radiant. Further, his order must allow him to use a Shardbow. My favorite theory is that he is a Stoneward. I imagine that he was able to manipulate Tension somehow to use the bow. Maybe temporarily make the bow easier to pull then, as he releases, restore the tension of the Shardbow? Seems sketchy to master on the first shot. I think pulling the bow is the relevant mystery. I feel less certain that he is a Stoneward or that Tension was used, but he does seem quite stubborn ... I also think that his notable glowing could be associated with a level-up. "Kef'ha is dead, but what happened to you?" Rock's wife asks. Then on the next page, Rock says that Tifi and Sinaku'a are both dead either because of or following the act of raising a weapon in vengance (hardcover, pages 392-393). It sounded to me like he was the fourth and trained extensively as a warrior (including how to use a shard bow similar to how using a longbow requires developing special muscles from an early age. No matter how strong you are, if you haven't specifically used a longbow for years you won't be able to do it as far as I understand). I think the people referred to on those pages were his brothers. Not only that but if they are all dead, Rock could very well be the clan chief. But he is pretending to be chef only, HA! Second point: What what does Kaladin mean that stormlight doesn't make you that much stronger? I beg to differ. Szeth cracks Dalinar's ribs with a judo chop to the side because he's holding stormlight. Most of the fights he was involved in described stormlight enhanced speed and strength. So is Brandon just trying to outline that a person in shardplate would be significantly stronger than someone holding stormlight? I'm confused so maybe someone knows what's going on here. I don't see why Rock who's already crazy strong AND may have had specialized weapons training AND was full of stormlight WITH the convergence of all three realms going on couldn't just pull back a shardbow.

Straining the bond seems a likely candidate to me, either that or option C. The Oathgate spren tell Shallan that either Honor or the Stormfather locked the Shadesmar-Physical realm function of the Oathgate with instructions not to unlock it. Perhaps there is a similar "law" in place ensuring only living shardblades can be used to activate the Oathgates and Dalinar forced the lock in a way. I don't think he formed an actual blade, I think he just stuffed a bunch of power in.

I think it is a reference to the the world destroyed by Odium's magic wielders (or whatever happened), Ashyn or whichever planet the humans first came from. Otherwise the perspective would be switching from human to listener halfway through (not impossible, but I think it's less likely).

Good questions, I didn't even notice that people weren't popping into Shadesmar as they died but then again the Oathgate is a bit removed from most of the hottest areas of the battle. I never thought of what the Heralds do as reincarnation, but comparing that with the Singers I'd say you're right and that's exactly what's going on. In Mistborn: Secret History we learn that the more invested you are in the physical realm the longer you can stick around Shadesmar after you die, so maybe the Singers were super invested when it was just Honor and Cultivation on Roshar. This makes me wonder what came first, the Oathpact or the first desolation? As far as the Emperor in Emperor's Soul, I don't think Shai reincarnated him. His body remembered what it was like to be whole and she crafted amazingly realistic and probably memories into soul stamps that his spirit/body accepted. I don't know if she was replacing his cognitive self with a really good copy or if she actually restored his cognitive self but I don't think reincarnation plays into that one.

Here’s my take that has no factual basis. Jezrien and the other 8 were originally from Ashyn, had experience world hopping, and access to magic. Taln was from the first few generations of people born on Roshar when they were still confined to the Shin lands. That’s it, that’s all I got.

Could be a biography of a previous Bondsmith and help Dalinar figure out how to do what he needs to do. I could see Bondsmiths being needed to facilitate the final Oaths for each order of KR. Another idea is that Oathbringer could be another name for Jezrien or Ishar or another Herald that was the patron Herald of the Bondsmiths and could tell the story of the first founding of the KR. Written in Dawnchant and stored in the official Bondsmith library in Urithiru, it could be one of the gems that Navani happens to find and translate just in time for the end of the book when Dalinar needs to go super saiyan.

That's the one! Thank you. I'm still trying to get used to comment board how-to and etiquette.

Very good point. When you put it that way it seems pretty clear cut that because their approaches are completely different they couldn't approach the ideals in the same way.

I was thinking something more along the lines of "I will do what is right, no matter the cost". At least for Kaladin, this would mean he would give up his life to do the right thing (which he's demonstrated already) but it would also incorporate the ideas he's been struggling with about killing to protect others, and definitely that sometimes in the course of doing what is right those around him will have to suffer/die. He's been doing these things the whole time, but understanding the balance will make him into a stellar Windrunner and capable of teaching others the path of a KR. I think that this will also prevent any "Amyr/For the Greater Good" issues because he's not simply putting two situations on scale and saying "option A is reprehensible but it will mean less deaths in the long run than option B". Kaladin can say "option A is reprehensible, so I won't do it. I and others will bear a cost for this but it is right." I agree with the life before death not life above death sentiment above. Kaladin is beginning to see that death is the end for everyone, so surviving is not the ultimate measure of success for anyone. He didn't fail Tien, he didn't fail anyone that has died under his leadership, etc.

I agree he didn't exemplify windrunners in any way before, but he was being honorable in upholding the law because he thought it was "right". Kaladin has also always tried to do the "right" thing, but Kal has always questioned what the right thing is where Szeth assumed that the law must be right. I see them as two different approaches to the same problem. Kal's questions led him to lose Syl briefly, but if Szeth realizes that there is a concept of right as determined by the intent of Honor on Roshar (or however it works), then he will be the best storming Windrunner that ever ran winds. And when he figures out how to determine right and wrong, he might be able to explain it to Nightblood who will then be a much less dangerous force in the Cosmere. Again, I totally agree with you, Skybreaker makes more sense, but in terms of poetic plot twists it could be a good one.

I actually think Szeth would make a good windrunner once he understands that Honor is not just keeping your commitments but doing what is right. I mean sure, Nale said he keeps his word and exemplifies justice, but how awesome would it be for Szeth to eventually get windrunner powers and fight alongside Kaladin when he used to fight against Kal with essentially stolen windrunner powers. It's a long shot, I just think it would be cool. He would get a chance to try to make up for all those he slaughtered by protecting those who can't protect themselves.

I think someone recently asked Brandon at a signing if those constructs had something spiked in or spiked out. I'll try to find it and link it, but I'm pretty sure the answer was "spiked in."