Who Will Die in Bridge 4?

[Firebolt-101]

This is really just a discussion for everyone to add their ideas onto, but to get it started off:

Whether a member dies while fighting the fused, a freak accident, or while protecting someone else, the most likely candidates for who I think will kick the bucket in Bridge 4 would have to be Lopen, Rock, and Teft. While I don't necessarily think they'll have to die in order for Kaladin to swear the 4th ideal, I do think their deaths could be his breaking point. And if there's anything that Sanderson likes to do with characters, it's break them.

After working so hard to protect Bridge 4 and essentially bring them out of the trenches, it would tear Kaladin apart to see one of them die- or even get injured as we saw in Words of Radiance with Hobber. So while that's true, the most impactful deaths for the reader would be a character that we've been the given the chance to get to know.

And so that brings my first candidate, Lopen. I have to say that he is the most probable character for me as of now. Lopen is sort of like a class-clown in Bridge 4 in that he tends to mess and joke around much more than the others, and so it would come as a shock to the readers to suddenly have him cut down and die, leaving a hole in Bridge 4. Without Lopen, they'd be out of a serious need for laughter and light-heartedness and anyone who knows Bridge 4's story knows that that's something they desperately need.

Next up is Rock, but I will admit that I don't think Sanderson will kill Rock- at least not in the first half of the books. The biggest reason he just made my list is because of how much it would hurt the readers. Rock has been a big figure in Bridge 4 since the beginning, and with just that it would make his death heartbreaking. But adding on to how we were able to meet his family in Oathbringer and seeing just how much he cares about everyone around him with the chapters from his point-of-view, the readers would definitely be in tears. Add on the possibility of him dying while trying to tell Kaladin about the Horneater Peaks (of which he always told Kaladin he'd bring him to) and Sanderson has a whole fanbase weeping.

Now is the time for Teft. Teft's death seems both logical and inevitable to me. He served as a friend and leader to Bridge 4 and was a major reason for them getting as strong as they currently are with him helping to train them. The only person to play a bigger role in the rehabilitation of Bridge 4 is Kaladin, and Kaladin himself holds high respect for Teft. Bottom line, his death would be devastating to the moral of Bridge 4. Without Teft, I'm not entirely sure how Bridge 4 would carry on. Everything they would do would remind them that Teft isn't there as it was Teft who helped to train them with the spear, first told them of the Radiant powers with Kaladin, and essentially acted as a grumpy uncle.

That's all from me. Tell me what you guys think! How would the other members react to one of their own dying? What would it mean for the story? HOW do you think they'd die?

[Turtle373]

I don't think Teft or Rock will die, and I'll give reasons later, but I do think Lopen could die, just not yet. Brandon promised us some background on Lopen, like how he became a slave and all that so I think he'll survive at least to book five. 

I don't think Teft will die because i'm a big supporter of the Teft Vs. Ashertmarn theory, and I dont' think Rock will die for a while, that might change cause book 6 and up are going to be a lot different than the first five. I think Rock won't die because it just seems like a waste,

mistborn spoilers

Spoiler

even if he dies an emotional death like kelsier it would still be a waste

 and Brandon doesn't kill off characters for no reason. Although it would practically destroy bridge 4 if Rock died.

I do think Skar is going to die, which makes me really sad cause I love Skar, but I just have this feeling that he'll die during book 4 or 5, not sure why. 

Edited May 3, 2019 by Turtle373

[Elegy]

Be sure to mark Mistborn spoilers, @Turtle373.

I don't think there will be many deaths of Bridge Four characters in the near future. They have gone through so much, them dying in spite of that needs some proper justification, and the books won't have time for too many of those. Also, there aren't many Knights Radiant around at the moment, so I don't think the story would throw away a Windrunner at this stage. We can't know what book 5's end will hold. Anything could happen. But until then, I'd say most of Bridge 4 is pretty safe. Except for Moash. Most antagonists haven't lasted more than 2 books so he's losing sleep over book 4 I reckon.

[Turtle373]

2 hours ago, Elegy said:

Be sure to mark Mistborn spoilers, @Turtle373.

I don't think there will be many deaths of Bridge Four characters in the near future. They have gone through so much, them dying in spite of that needs some proper justification, and the books won't have time for too many of those. Also, there aren't many Knights Radiant around at the moment, so I don't think the story would throw away a Windrunner at this stage. We can't know what book 5's end will hold. Anything could happen. But until then, I'd say most of Bridge 4 is pretty safe. Except for Moash. Most antagonists haven't lasted more than 2 books so he's losing sleep over book 4 I reckon.

I edited it, sorry I forget which topic I'm in sometimes

[Karger]

Dalinar only has a limited number of experienced Windrunners he will likely want them to stay back if it all possible.  He might not have a choice but even so I think bridge 4 is mostly safe for now. 

Hobber strikes me as the most likely to die.  He has heart it would be emotionally impactful, and he is not a great fighter.

Edited May 3, 2019 by Karger

[ShardShaper]

I hope Brandon doesn't kill Lopen. If he does, I will ACTUALLY CRY!

Alternatively, what if he kills Sigzil or someone?

[Wander89]

Why does someone always have to die?  If this has to do with swearing the 4th ideal then I imagine a group would be involved for Kaladin.

[Zelly]

While I understand the idea that the few Radiants they have are a valuable resource, I don't see them being held in reserve. We've seen several situations where they are the only ones able to fight Fused, Unmade, etc. Also,  we're not sure how the Radiant recruitment is going,  so their numbers could be up quite a bit by book 4.

I wouldn't say any of bridge 4 are particularly safe. Rock obviously has some larger backstory and mysteries,  but we can always learn them post mortem. 

I think Teft is most likely to die.  He's confronted his demons,  gained Radiance, been both a mentor and a student.... just seems character wise ripe for plucking.

[Use the Falchion]

Teft, Skar, and Lyn are the most likely to die IMO. But I hope none of them do! I like them all too much. 

[Firebolt-101]

6 minutes ago, Use the Falchion said:

Teft, Skar, and Lyn are the most likely to die IMO. But I hope none of them do! I like them all too much. 

Aw I hope it's not Lyn, I love them!

[Firebolt-101]

19 hours ago, Wander89 said:

Why does someone always have to die?  If this has to do with swearing the 4th ideal then I imagine a group would be involved for Kaladin.

I honestly hope no one in Bridge 4 dies, but it's become such a big symbol and group that I don't see anyone NOT dying, sadly.

I personal don't think it'll have anything to do with the 4th ideal, I think that'll tie in more with Kaladin's parents, but I do think Kaladin would be there in the even that one of them dies

[Unhinged]

21 hours ago, Wander89 said:

Why does someone always have to die? 

I'm not sure but it does feel like the 17th shard has been particularly bloodthirsty of late. There always seems to be a who will die thread on the main stormlight page.

[Toaster Retribution]

One of the major ones will die before Book 6. At least one. I think Skar and Teft are the most likely, but I can defenitely see Lopen biting the bullet as well. I think Brandon has more in store for him (and Rock and Sigzil) so they are safe. I think Teft only has Ashertmarn on his checklist, and then his arc will be done. As for Skar, he feels like the brave warrior side-character who everyone likes but who won’t ever get a huge arc for himself. I can see him falling in battle somewhere during books 4 or 5.

[Rainier]

Teft reminds me of Duiker from Malazan. He's not there to die, he's there to witness. He's entirely equipped to deal with the trauma of it all because that's all he's ever known. If he's anything like Duiker, he'll know trauma.

On 5/3/2019 at 9:39 PM, Wander89 said:

Why does someone always have to die? 

I suppose because it's the apocalypse again. Typically people die during those. We spectators like to make grisly predictions about who's about to die. The truth is any character that gets enough spotlight also gets plot armor right up until the point they need to have been unarmored the entire time. So everybody in their shadow becomes suspect. Kaladin isn't dying for his men in book 4, as much as he wishes he could. Instead, his men will die for him.

So, which ones are dead meat?

I'm hoping that Lopen bites the dust. Personal preference is all, I find him and Lift a chore to read, and while I can't rid myself of the latter, I can at least hope the former gets himself killed heroically. Sadly, I'm expecting Lopen to be carried around as comic relief forever. I hold out hope that second era Lift is significantly different than child Lift, and I end up appreciating the distinction.

Another character, besides Lopen, that I hope dies is Lyn. She's a fan insert in the first place, which makes it both easier and harder to kill the character. I'm rooting for

Drehy and Skar are perfect people to play significant roles and die significant deaths. They're original B4 crew, which makes them well developed and sentimental, and they are set up for a bigger role as Radiants of the same tier as Kaladin at the end of book 2. They are the minibosses that die to let you know the threat is real. Until that's needed, they stay alive. Both could die before the end of book 4, but it would have to be within the same sort of climaxes in Oathbringer. Think the final confrontation in Kholinar, which was about 2/3 through the book. That's where I expect these two, or one of them, to die.

Rock is the mystic, cleric, and King-in-exile. No way he dies until we get something from those leads. We need to see the Horneater peaks, and see more of his people react to him, since he'll never give himself away. He's alive through most of book 5 at least. No way he's dying in book 4.

Sigzil is in the same boat, in that he's distinguished himself as a character of note for logistics. Unless the Fused plan is trying to disrupt logistics by killing Sigzil, I think he's safe.

And yes, Teft. I agree that he's so very vulnerable. Yet I'm not sure that means he's doomed to die, instead that i think he's doomed to be there to watch his comrades die, so we can view their deaths in character. His POV is already pathetic enough, I think we're being conditioned to see some great tragedies preceding some great triumphs from Teft's POV.

 

[Karger]

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OK I am done now.