Top 10 theories going into Oathbringer

[teknopathetic]

1) We will meet an unmade.

2) We will see Zahel use magic.

3) Ashyn will be mentioned and explored a bit. Perhaps Hold will plan a trip. 

4) We will learn that Shshsh was a little nutso much like Shallan's mother. 

5) We will meet the Old Magic.

6) An entire city will be levelled. 

7) A parshendi will bond a spren for the first time ever.

8) Nightblood will be used in a storm.

[TheMediocreMind]

In regards to the shard-mail discussion, I caught a reference so I thought I may as well throw it out there. 

During the end battle of WoR there is a scene where Adolin nearly falls into a chasm after he pushes Echonai into it. His bridgeman guards save him by grabbing the mail skirt of his plate. 

I think we can assume plate capable of taking this shape if indeed a bonded plate can shift forms.

Maybe someone else can reference this for me: I only have the books on audio so it's kind of a pain. 

Btw hi everyone! You'll definitely be hearing more from me. Sorry to jump into this so late. 

Edited July 24, 2017 by TheMediocreMind

[+Extesian]

1. Shallan will be annoying but horribly powerful 

2. Kaladin will save thousands of people by killing thousands of Parshmen and will, understandably, brood

3. Dalinar, having bonded the most powerful thing on Roshar, will use his new abilities to be nice to everyone in the world except Adolin. 

3. Adolin, the only person in all of Urithiru to not yet form a Nahel bond, will defend himself at trial, being awesome and sweet and impressing everyone. He's acquitted. Then dies a lingering, heartbreaking death from salmonella. Maxal's scream will be heard throughout the Cosmere.

4. Renarin will turn out to be a bad guy. Not because of some magical possession or evil-Glys. Just...a jerk. He was the one who salmonella'd Adolin. Feather's scream will be heard throughout the Cosmere.

5. Szeth will go to Shinovar. The grass will die and the chickens will weep at the aftermath. Nightblood will be contentedly full and remember none of it. 

6. Lift will be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

7. Taln will break my heart into 16 pieces

8. Taravangian will have another genius day, and his insights will completely contradict the Diagram. Mrall will eat his bones and report back to Harmony. 

9. Jasnah will Elsecall to Braize. Find out what happens to surgebinders when they die. Will keep her mouth FIRMLY shut about it. We will spend 40,000 words debating whether she was written unnecessarily sexy.

10. Hoid will unequivocally, on screen, use more than one allomantic power. Brandon, when asked, will refuse to confirm it comes from lerasium, while accidentally revealing that Cultivation's Vessel is named Ursula.

11. (Coz I'm a rebel) - Stick will be outed as Dai-gonarthis, the Black Fisher. Stick will be put on trial, condemned and burnt at the stake. Half of fandom's screams will be heard throughout the Cosmere. I will feast on those screams, gathering them to me, nourishing me, while I giggle and giddily snap sticks in half, chanting in Dawnate. Calderis will fly to Australia just to high five me. 

[Darkness]

I do think that being a Knight Radiant could extend your age limit, but I dont think we should compare stormlight to breath as far as age extension goes. Breath is constitutive; it is more or less permanently active for as long as you hold it and dont awaken things or give it away, the passive benefits even apply while sleeping. Stormlight seems a lot more transient; as in, it might stop the aging process, but only while the Radiant is holding a large amount of it, which I would generally see as seconds to minutes at a time in most scenarios.

Dalinar hasn't had the opportunity to hold massive amounts of stormlight, so while his body may be healthy and in great conditions, I doubt his age has been functionally extended thus far. Still, as has been mentioned, he isn't really all that old yet. Not enough to be expected to die of old age by book 10 for me.

I personally think that he'll either die in an inspirational moment in the first 5, or end up being a sage-type in the back 5 who stays away from the battlefield, provides wisdom, and dedicates himself to recording as much knowledge as he can for those who survive the desolation.

[TheDoomsday]

Most of my theories have been mentioned, but I also have these

1. The 17th shard will make some more appearances

2. We find out more about Tara

3. The stone shamans will attempt to stop the KR 

Just some bad theories XD

[+Ravioli]

[Calderis]

7 hours ago, Extesian said:

(Coz I'm a rebel) - Stick will be outed as Dai-gonarthis, the Black Fisher. Stick will be put on trial, condemned and burnt at the stake. Half of fandom's screams will be heard throughout the Cosmere. I will feast on those screams, gathering them to me, nourishing me, while I giggle and giddily snap sticks in half, chanting in Dawnate. Calderis will fly to Australia just to high five me.

I will spontaneously elsecall from pure joy, and feed on the tears of the cult of the stick for as long as they pour forth. Our enjoyment of the suffering of the members of said cult will twist and disfigure or bodies and souls and we will ascend to the ranks of the unmade. 

 

And it will be worth it. 

Edited July 24, 2017 by Calderis

[Andy92]

I can't think of many groundbreaking theories, but I think there will be at least one major death in this book. We've had people coming back from the dead, and the biggest death so far was to a guy everyone wanted killed anyways lol.

[maxal]

14 hours ago, Extesian said:

3. Dalinar, having bonded the most powerful thing on Roshar, will use his new abilities to be nice to everyone in the world except Adolin. 

3. Adolin, the only person in all of Urithiru to not yet form a Nahel bond, will defend himself at trial, being awesome and sweet and impressing everyone. He's acquitted. Then dies a lingering, heartbreaking death from salmonella. Maxal's scream will be heard throughout the Cosmere.

4. Renarin will turn out to be a bad guy. Not because of some magical possession or evil-Glys. Just...a jerk. He was the one who salmonella'd Adolin. Feather's scream will be heard throughout the Cosmere.

The first number 3 is not a joke to me: I do think it will happen 

Curse you for the second number 3! Death by salmonella: I don't know if I should laugh or cry 

How dare you say Renarin will poisoned Adolin?  When I suggested "evil Renarin" this is not quite what I had in mind.

This being said, very funny post. Had fun reading it.

[+Extesian]

2 hours ago, maxal said:

The first number 3 is not a joke to me: I do think it will happen 

Curse you for the second number 3! Death by salmonella: I don't know if I should laugh or cry 

How dare you say Renarin will poisoned Adolin?  When I suggested "evil Renarin" this is not quite what I had in mind.

This being said, very funny post. Had fun reading it.

Thanks Maxal I had fun with it I'm glad you of all people enjoyed it whether Feather does is another matter, I'm kinda loving on your man and hating on hers. But i do actually love Renarin. And luckily she'll never see it I suspect

[Calderis]

@Extesian I wouldn't count on that. She responded specifically to a Renarin card aimed at her in the Cards against cosmere thread earlier today. 

[maxal]

2 hours ago, Extesian said:

Thanks Maxal I had fun with it I'm glad you of all people enjoyed it whether Feather does is another matter, I'm kinda loving on your man and hating on hers. But i do actually love Renarin. And luckily she'll never see it I suspect

Bah it was obviously meant to be funny and truly the idea of Renarin poisoning Adolin with raw chicken is just hilarious.

[Farnsworth]

1) Kaladin will meet Larel and they will fight

2) Kaladin's father will be furious at him for being a soldier instead of a surgeon

3) Syl and Pattern will fight

4) Shallan will admit a truth that has to do with Veil vs Shallan

[Iridium Savant]

8 hours ago, Figberts said:

3) Syl and Pattern will fight

Love it, I keep seeing WSWS in big neon letters.  World Spren Wrestling Smackdown!  (my money is on Pattern)

 

1) Longshadow will make an appearance and save the day with his unconventional fabrial weapons.

2) We will get a larger glance into Spren cognitive realm politics/culture.

3) Odium will use dead shardblades to 'hack' into weak willed people bonded to them, either turning them into some twisted person monster or (See Mistborn Spoiler below)

Spoiler

control them like Ruin and Inquisitors.

 

[CaptainRyan]

4 hours ago, Iridium Savant said:

3) Odium will use dead shardblades to 'hack' into weak willed people bonded to them

Upvote for cleverness! 

[Necessary Eagle]

21 hours ago, Calderis said:

@ExtesianShe responded specifically to a Renarin card aimed at her in the Cards against cosmere thread earlier today. 

Link please? I need to see this.

[Calderis]

5 minutes ago, Necessary Eagle said:

Link please? I need to see this.

 

[bdoble97]

@Figberts Syl and Pattern fighting  makes so much sense to me but never thought about it I vaguely remember them sensing each other in the arena during the duel I believe that could visually be so cool looking even though I know it's a book. Maybe Shallan  could drive because it would be so spectacular looking. 

@Iridium Savant  Odium transforming humans into Sunset bird freaky monster sounds excellent something new and different than the void Bringers Maybe this could lead into the leader five books at the KR and voidbringers have to unite to fight them. 

[Guest]

On 25.7.2017 at 5:58 AM, Figberts said:

3) Syl and Pattern will fight

Fight as in physical fighting or verbal fighting?

[Rupert]

many already mentioned

Kaladin will return home to find father dead which will trigger another round of "why can't i protect everyone" doubts

Andolin will have to leave Urithiru, Renarin will go with him possibly with some bridge 4ers, they'll get into some trouble - it'll look like Andolin has been mortally wounded, bridge 4ers will return to Urithiru to tell Shallan which will trigger her getting closer romantically to kaladin. meanwhile Renarin will save Andolin and "step up" becoming a much more dependable and resourceful individual and step out of his brothers limelight

Dalinar's boon and curse will be revealed as  the same thing - to forget his wife 

Shallan will get deeper into the Ghost blood folks and start to see the "good" they are intending

Vasher will continue to be a minor part and will not reveal any magic skills

Nightblood will only have a tiny part to play only mentioning he destruction of evil once 

 

[Nathrangking]

Elokhar will abdicate the throne and insist that Dalinar take it

Taravangian will be the victim of a coup by his "minders"

Nale will dispense a little justice Amraams way

Hoid will reveal a little bit about his plan for Roshar

Navani will figure out how to create shardplate

[OathKeeper]

Because stormlight is sparse, Kaladin and his closest bridge 4 buddies (minus teft perhaps, who will sub in as head of the guard) will travel to hearthstone on foot/horse/boat. The journey will take up parts 1 and 2 of the book and will explore Roshar further. Perhaps the Horneater peaks?

The crew of the Wind's Pleasure will be back and may transport Kaladin to Hearthstone or Shalan somewhere.

Oathbringer turns out to be the name of a book, just like the previous two SA titles. The book is either a history of the sword or of the person or thing that the sword was named after. 

Helaran reappears, at least in passing, but is not reunited with Shalan.

Kaladin's next oath, should it be spoken this book, will be to trust the counsel of those he leads, and the result will be that they gain/increase the capacity to surgebind as squires

Moash gets a few more chapters as pov, at least in interludes. He rises in the ranks of the Diagram and is seduced by the doctrines at first but eventually flees to warn bridge 4, hoping to redeem himself.

Kaladin teaches Elokar to be a leader. Elokar changes all our minds about him. Dalinar starts to feel threatened and realizes he doesn't actually want to yield power back to Elokar, competent or not.

 

 

 

 

[TCshard]

Only a few theories right now,  will think of some more later

1. The death of Adolin, only reason behind it is that I remembered that Brandon was originally going to kill him off but decided not to in order to help develop Dalinar. I don't think it's likely but the possibility of his death is still stuck in my head. I feel like with the death of Sadeas, it would be the best point for work out a death for him too.

2. Kaladin Attempts to bring all the survivors of hearthstone to Kholinar and ends up in the midst of the rebellion.

3. Pattern and Syl interaction? I'm surprised so few people have mentioned the two Spren, they're suppose to hate each other, I wonder how they'll react to each other.

4. Shallan figures out Kaladin killed her brother; this is bound to happen at some point, whether it's this novel or the next one.

Edited July 29, 2017 by TCshard

[Toaster Retribution]

20 hours ago, OathKeeper said:

Kaladin teaches Elokar to be a leader. Elokar changes all our minds about him. Dalinar starts to feel threatened and realizes he doesn't actually want to yield power back to Elokar, competent or not.

I really like this, and it feels like something Brandon would do. Developing things in unexpected ways to force characters into confronting their flaws.

[bdoble97]

21 hours ago, TCshard said:

Only a few theories right now,  will think of some more later

1. The death of Adolin, only reason behind it is that I remembered that Brandon was originally going to kill him off but decided not to in order to help develop Dalinar. I don't think it's likely but the possibility of his death is still stuck in my head. I feel like with the death of Sadeas, it would be the best point for work out a death for him too.

2. Kaladin Attempts to bring all the survivors of hearthstone to Kholinar and ends up in the midst of the rebellion.

3. Pattern and Syl interaction? I'm surprised so few people have mentioned the two Spren, they're suppose to hate each other, I wonder how they'll react to each other.

4. Shallan figures out Kaladin killed her brother; this is bound to happen at some point, whether it's this novel or the next one.

I would hate Adolin to die. But It would change things up.

Kaladin getting mixed up in the rebellion  makes me think of Star Wars hahah. But I wabt him back with Dalinar as so as posibel. 

Syl and Pattern fighting would be cool to see. 

Shallan gaining the knowledge that Kaladin killed her brother will hopefully end any idea of them getting together. Im a sucker for a good lovr story but do not want Shallan and Kaladin to ever be together. Shallan and Adolin need to be together in my opinion.  I want Shallan to be the only one Adolin tell of what he did at the end of WOR