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Contest of Champions Theory


Naerin

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Spoilers for the end of Rhythm of War:

So, we know there's a contest of champions coming up in the next book. But what do we think that will actually entail? I noticed that nowhere in the "contract" did someone specify that this would be a duel or even a fight in the traditional sense. And we know from Odium's POV that Dalinar has "set himself up to fail" in some way, meaning there is at least some kind of flaw or oversight in the phrasing or intent of this contract. Dalinar, and everyone else, seems to be assuming this will be a fight - two warriors trying to physically kill each other. But what if that's wrong? 

We know that this is a contest to the death. But what if it's a contest not of fighting prowess but of ideology? I could see the contest being a trial or judgement to the death.

What if the "contest" is which champion has ruled more justly on Roshar? At the time of the contest, there will be lands held by Odium, and lands held by Dalinar. There have already been many, many narrative hints that the Singers are, at least in some ways, more just rulers than the humans. It's not clear-cut (mainly given the nature of the Fused eating up sacrificial bodies), but there's at least a debate one could have, right? So maybe the contest is not "can you kill the enemy champion" but rather something like "can you prove you deserve to win, based on your deeds or those of your species." 

I think this would be a great twist, and it would be thematically appropriate. Think about it. Dalinar and Taravangian's relationship to this point has been marked by ethical debates on the nature of kingship and the responsibilities of power. Their conflict is between ideological frameworks of justice and just rule. What if Odium's champion is also himself, and the contest is some kind of debate over justice in the spiritual realm space that Odium can pull people into? You could do a lot with that idea. Having the spiritual echoes of the dead judge either champion, or spiritually travel between different lands to show the relative justice of each champion's duel, or construct ethical scenarios in the spiritual realm to see how each champion's ethics actually bear out in practice. We already have foreshadowing of this, in my opinion. Kaladin is dragged into a vision of some hateful wind planet at the end of ROW, as Odium is trying to break his spirit and corrupt him or get him to end his own life. Later, Dalinar and the Stormfather pulled Kaladin into a spiritual vision to try to bolster his spirit and convince him to keep fighting. That was most definitely a contest to the death, and I think we're going to see something similar in book 5 with the champions themselves. 

Personally I see something like that as much more likely that fisticuffs on top of Urithiru, and I think it would be much more satisfying as a climax to the first half of the series, too. AND. I. CANNOT. WAIT.
What do you all think?

Edited by Naerin
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3 hours ago, Naerin said:

And we know from Odium's POV that Dalinar has "set himself up to fail" in some way, meaning there is at least some kind of flaw or oversight in the phrasing or intent of this contract.

I kind of took this to mean what Dalinar later realizes with the "lands claimed after 10 days". Might be kind of moot though now that we have TOdium who has his own set of motivations. 

I like the idea it is not a simple fight but my problem with this is it seems more like a trail and for a trial you would have to have a third party make the final judgment. This does not seem to be part of the agreement at all and no idea who would be considered non-biased enough to be a "judge". 

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6 hours ago, StormingTexan said:

I kind of took this to mean what Dalinar later realizes with the "lands claimed after 10 days". Might be kind of moot though now that we have TOdium who has his own set of motivations. 

I like the idea it is not a simple fight but my problem with this is it seems more like a trail and for a trial you would have to have a third party make the final judgment. This does not seem to be part of the agreement at all and no idea who would be considered non-biased enough to be a "judge". 

T shows up as himself for the contest. If D kills T, T wins the contest of ideologies. If D refuses to kill T then... T still wins the contest of ideologies, as that makes this a draw, allowing the war to continue. If Dalinar surrenders, allowing T to kill him, then he WINS the contest of ideologies- and per their previously existing agreement EVERYTHING is now at an end. Including Odium’s bonding.
 

Yeah, that works.

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21 hours ago, StormingTexan said:

I like the idea it is not a simple fight but my problem with this is it seems more like a trail and for a trial you would have to have a third party make the final judgment. This does not seem to be part of the agreement at all and no idea who would be considered non-biased enough to be a "judge". 

This is an interesting theory. The judge would just need to be someone both parties agree to. Possibly Nale? He would be fair and impartial and justice/being a judge is his area. 

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On 24.11.2020 at 5:08 PM, Naerin said:

I think this would be a great twist, and it would be thematically appropriate. Think about it. Dalinar and Taravangian's relationship to this point has been marked by ethical debates on the nature of kingship and the responsibilities of power. Their conflict is between ideological frameworks of justice and just rule. What if Odium's champion is also himself, and the contest is some kind of debate over justice in the spiritual realm space that Odium can pull people into?

What would prevent one of the champions to draw a sword and run the other one through? And if you could do that, why not do it yourself?

You cannot rely on a judge to do that, as the rules state that nobody outside may harm the champions.

 

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