Ash is going to be a Dustbringer

[Chromium Compounder]

I’m not sure if I believe my own theory, but I wanna tell you the theory anyway.

So when Dalinar summons Honor’s perpendicularity after everyone is there he counts them because he expects there to be 10.  At first he counts 7 (himself, Kaladin, Shallan, Renarin, Jasnah, Lift, and Szeth), but the Stormfather points out 2 more, who he then points out are Heralds (Taln, and Ash).  That puts it at 9.  He wonders where the 10th is, but we know that Venli was nearby.  

This makes it so every Order has a representative except for the Dustbringers (Malata is gone with Teravangian), and the Lightweavers have 2 (Shallan and Ash).

The thing is that while Taln and Nale both certainly still fit their corresponding Orders, Ash does not.  She’s spent centuries destroying art, particularly all art referencing herself.  So if she were to become a Radiant now, I don’t think she would be a Lightweaver.  We don’t see much of her, but from what we’ve seen I’d say the Order she’d fit best with now would be the Dustbringers, which happens to be the one Order otherwise unrepresented at that scene.

Just thought it was an interesting thought.

[Fezzik]

Yep. It also makes it so the 10 flashback characters are from different orders.

[+Invocation]

Yeah, this theory has been something I hopped on the wagon for the last time it showed up. The breaking of the Heralds would probably lead to enough of their personality changing to be a different order (except Taln, because Taln is more resolute than most) and I feel that Ash becoming a Dustbringer has a poetic justice to it.

[TheBeast22846]

Yes, Ash seems like a Dustbringer, and it makes sense because of the 10 books and flashbacks like @John203 said. We already had our Lightweaver book with WOR, and it makes sense that we need a good Dustbringer. I really want to see their powers better, and I'd rather that not come through Malata - it would be against the good guys.

Anyway, this theory totally has merit, and I'm excited to see if its real in Stormlight 4 (probably).

[supersmith]

Ash is definitely broken enough. And it makes me wonder if interesting things will happen with her bonding a spren, being a cognitive shadow and all. Although nothing seems too weird about   

Spoiler

Nale's bond. 

 

[Scion of the Mists]

Totally on board with this theory too.  It just make too much sense for it not to be true.  I'm not sure I've come across anybody arguing against it (must be a first for the Shard!).  

[ZenBossanova]

While it does make sense, how does the StormFather know this at this point? Ash hasn't attempted to be any kind of a Herald or Radiant in several millenia, as far as we know. 

[Chromium Compounder]

1 hour ago, ZenBossanova said:

While it does make sense, how does the StormFather know this at this point? Ash hasn't attempted to be any kind of a Herald or Radiant in several millenia, as far as we know. 

I expect that she’s attracted an Ashspren.  That would put her at the same level as Venli at that point.  She doesn’t swear the first ideal until a little later.