Search the Community

The last we saw of Kaladin's father was the day that Tien and Kaladin were both drafted into the army. At this point he seems completely and utterly defeated, and it is unclear if either of the two had any communication with their parents when they were in the army (we know that Kaladin sent a message telling them Tien had died and that he would not be returning to Hearthstone, but, so far as we know, there was no reply). Now with Stormlight 3 coming and Kaladin returning to Hearthstone for the first time, the confrontation with both Roshone and his father are two of the highlights (or cringe moments) most readers are expecting. However, I am not sure that Leerin is still there. I doubt that Roshone ended his smear campaign against Kaladin's father, and with Leerin so completely dejected following the loss of his sons, he probably wouldn't have been able to stand it. An additional stressor--such as the news of Tien's death, Kaladin's enslavement, or something else (perhaps his mother died in the intervening years)--could have pushed Leerin over the edge, changing him into something rather dark. I think he may have gone to Kharbranth, and I think it is possible he has become involved in The Diagram. I don't have any real evidence to support this theory--no references to Leerin, or a man matching his description, were made in any scene involving Taravangian--but given the importance that Taravangian will play in the overall plot of the Stormlight archive I think we are going to start seeing more ties between him and the other characters. Having a family member in his direct orbit would do that. Additionally, it would play well into Kaladin's development: he still has yet to confront and deal with the contradiction of killing to protect. What character better exemplifies this belief than Taravangian and his "silent gatherers"? If his father has become involved in this, it could even lead to another ideal. Something like, "I will protect those I love, even from themselves." Thoughts? How do you think the reunion (if it happens) will go? How has Leerin changed, do you think?