(Theory) "The Most Important Words A Man Can Say"

[Colateralwar]

I have a theory on what Gavilar meant by his last comment to his brother. He told Dalinar to "Find the most important words a man can say". I believe that Gavilar is referring to the Ideals of the Knights Radiant. 

 

It is stated several times that Gavilar had begun acting strangely before he died. Sadeas attributes this to "The Way of Kings", which Gavilar had been reading. I think that, perhaps, Dalinar was not the first to receive those visions. Perhaps Gavilar was getting them first. If this is the case, then Gavilar would have gotten the same command from Tanavast to reforge the Knights Radiant. I don't think it is a stretch that a King with the power that Gavilar had would have been able to discover information about the Radiants, especially the Ideals. 

 

In addition, the primary command of the visions was to "unite them". Now, Dalinar took this to mean the Highprinces, but perhaps Gavilar took it to mean a grander scale than that. Many comment that it was odd that Gavilar sought a treaty with the newly discovered Parshendi rather than conquering them. I also seem to recall somewhere in the book someone mentioning that Gavilar had sought treaties with other nations surrounding Alethkhar, like Jah Keved.

 

Also, I think it is worth noting that he explicitly says "most important words a man can say". Not tell or read, but say. This fits with our experience with Kaladin saying aloud the Ideal and further awakening his power as a radiant. 

 

Any thoughts? 

[NewbSombrero]

I like this.

[+HoidIsAwesome]

I think it is a very good theory except the uniting the Parshendi bit. When you are trying to unite the world, you would surely start with the ones you already knew stuff about. However the alethi didn't know anything about the parshendi. why then try and unite with a different race let alone a different species before you unite your allies or even your own country.

[Leuthie]

When trying to.convince a lot of.people to.do something, you start wherever you can. Why put off a treaty with the Parshendi just because you don't have ones with others?

[+HoidIsAwesome]

When trying to.convince a lot of.people to.do something, you start wherever you can. Why put off a treaty with the Parshendi just because you don't have ones with others?

Fair point. Its just that Gallivar seemed to put a lot of time and effort into the Parshendi treaty that's all.

[J-Whitt87]

I had a sudden thought about this just a few moments ago, thanks to the reread on tor.com today. What if most important words a man can say are the Words of Radiance that the book is named after? Might we be seeing Dalinar discover these words in this book?

[Govika]

I think it is a very good theory except the uniting the Parshendi bit. When you are trying to unite the world, you would surely start with the ones you already knew stuff about. However the alethi didn't know anything about the parshendi. why then try and unite with a different race let alone a different species before you unite your allies or even your own country.

Maybe the Parshendi knew of the Radiants. Perhaps Gavilar was told. When Dalinar is sent in his vision to fight Midnight Essence, he describes a place similar to the Western Shattered Plains. I think maybe the Parshendi are a key to the Radiants, but I don't know how. However, they must know something given their ambiguity and power.

[Leuthie]

I get the impression that Parshendi are caught between humans and whatever humans are fighting. So much between that they end up as pawns on both sides. From recent WoR readings,

we know that they change forms, probably by binding with different spren

Its quite possible that this little ability is used by both sides. Jasnah is only half right at the end of WoK.

[NotBridge4]

Good theory. Personally, I always held the belief that Gavilar died before he could finish the sentence, but Dalinar and the others interpreted it as a complete sentence due to the way Szeth wrote it down.

 

I think I like your theory better though. 

[blackmagic3]

 I think your right. Isn't it implied that the most important words a man can say, are The Immortal Words.

Edited June 23, 2013 by blackmagic3

[Khmauv]

I also thought this would be the case, but I don't think that Gavilar knew, or believed, that those words were the Ideals of the KR. If he knew wouldn't he have spoken them? If he had spoken them, wouldn't he have powers of the KR? If he WAS a KR what were his powers, and why haven't we recognized them yet?

 

I like to think that Brandon is leading us to believe that Gavilar was searching for (but hadn't yet found) the Ideals of the KR, but he (Brandon) has something even more awesome in mind. Though I have no idea what that is.

 

Maybe the Ideals of the Heralds?!? *queue dramatic music* duh, duh ,DUH!