Theory about Vasher/Zahel

[operationstack]

It has been bothering me that Zahel was nowhere to be seen once Urithiru was invaded in Rhythm of War. I understand that his whole prerogative these days is just to lay low and stay uninvolved, but I feel like that wouldn't of been possible during the invasion. 

Is it possible that Kelsier could have attempted to kidnap him? I dunno if the ghostbloods would even be able to pull that off but it does align with his motives. His whole reason for wanting shallan to capture kelek was to (correct me if I'm wrong) help him find a way to break his tether to Scadrial. Vasher would be WAYYY more helpful in that regard. he is also a highly invested cognitive shadow that has been world hopping for longer than almost any other world hopper we know of.

That might be what Mraize was up to in Urithiru. 

It is hard for me to believe that the ghostbloods would be capable of that but not entirely impossible for me to believe it either.

 

[Honorless]

Apparently Zahel was "unavailable":

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Vishal Pani

Why didn't Kaladin seek help from Zahel during the occupation of Urithiru?

Brandon Sanderson

Zahel... At some point I'll tell you what he was doing, but he was not available. That is a RAFO.

It came up multiple times, and there were various points where I was going to delve into it, and it just was one of those things that I just could not fit in. It is a thing that I wanted to, because we have this foreshadowing that Zahel's there; like, we have a scene with him and Kaladin to remind everyone that Zahel's around. And then we don't even bring him up. Alpha readers asked about it, beta readers asked about it. I could not find time for it. So maybe you'll get a deleted scene that is not a deleted scene, that's just a scene that I eventually write, showing what he's doing. This is one of those things like: what happened with Elhokar and the Herdazians and why does Lopen think he's a king? That scene just never fit into the books either.

Maybe I'll do it, maybe I won't. It's entirely possible, both options are possible. If I eventually never do it, I'll talk about it, but we are gonna have a little more Zahel in an upcoming volume of the Stormlight Archive, where some of these things coming out might fit into the story, to the point that your answers will come in that volume. There's a lot of various moving parts on what's going on with Zahel, and with Azure as well, and their relationship to Nightblood that there's just not space in the Stormlight Archive to talk about yet.

YouTube Livestream 23 (Dec. 17, 2020)

and I actually like this aspect of Vasher:

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m4ge

If Kaladin wasn't in the arena in Words of Radiance, would Zahel have intervened to help Adolin?

Brandon Sanderson

I will RAFO that, but a different kind of RAFO—in that I don't think Zahel himself knows what he would do in that situation. The better part of him would want to have, but he is not living his best life right now, shall we say. He is not living up to his potential, and he knows it. And so would he have? He should have. But would be have? Good question. Even he doesn't... I don't think that he could answer.

YouTube Livestream 32 (June 3, 2021)

It makes him one of my favourite characters.

Edited September 17, 2021 by Honorless

[Shinwarrior]

That make it sound like he’s going through a “fat Thor” moment where he’s slightly depressed with how things are. Maybe he just had his “I’m still worthy while not perfect” journey and he’ll be around later to help out. 

[Quantus]

12 minutes ago, Shinwarrior said:

That make it sound like he’s going through a “fat Thor” moment where he’s slightly depressed with how things are. Maybe he just had his “I’m still worthy while not perfect” journey and he’ll be around later to help out. 

He opens RoW arguing that he is not even a real person anymore, so Yah I'd say he's at least slightly depressed...