Is Shallan a Kandra?

[DarkJester26104]

I was re-listening to Rhythm of War earlier and some things clicked earlier. I'm wandering if I'm actually on to something or if I just completely derailed. I'm at the part where Shallan is talking to Pattern about the spy moving the communication cube. She had just been contemplating formless and other things and she asks Pattern if he remembered her ever using one as a kid. She couldn't remember it, but she was sure she had used one before. If you've finished the book, then you know the communications cube was actually a seon. This would imply that she's been in contact with things from other worlds if not on other worlds all together. We also know there's still a massive secret she's keeping. He family has worked with the ghost bloods. The ghost bloods work with Kelsier if I'm not mistaken. I believe WOB also confirmed that there is a kandra on Roshar. Kandras are masters of impersonation. They fully commit to their roles. What if the secret that Shallan has been keeping is that she killed Shallan and took her place? What if formless is the Kandra and Shallan is the roll it took on. Her mother figured out something was wrong and tried to kill Kandra Shallan and something in the fight really messed the Kandra up causing it to forget who it actually was and take on its roll as Shallan. The multiple personalities she's been showing are just her Kandra nature manifesting and imitating other people. Am I on to something or did I just blow a mental gasket?

Edit: I also just realized that Mraize always refers to Shallan as "Little Knife." Could that be a hidden reference to her allomantic spike?

 

Edited May 11, 2022 by DarkJester26104

[StormingTexan he/him]

I think the tie in to the GB pretty well explains why she would have potentially used/seen a Seon.

As far as her big secret (SA5 Prologue Spoilers) 

Spoiler

We find out in the SA5 Prologue a Herald dies around the same time as Gavilar. The theory I have seen proposed is the Herald is Chanarach who was actually Shallan's mother (same red hair). So essentially Shallan killed her mother who returns to Braize and breaks right before the Everstorm is summoned (why Taln was also released and we have a WOB that he did not break). That could possibly be the last big secret/truth that Shallan herself put an end to the Oathpack by killing her mother who unlike Taln could not stand up to the torture very long. Knowing Brandon I feel like there will be more to it but I like this theory.  

 

[Duxredux he/him]

I doubt that Shallan is a Kandra. If she is, Brandon has deliberately given us misdirection on this one in one of his Q&A sessions, and I don't think he ever intentionally lies. Says confusing things, forgets something he said earlier, or things that he forgot he changed his mind on, those happen all the time.

Quote

Questioner

Is Shallan's father her actual father?

Brandon Sanderson

Ah! People asked if her mother were her mother. No one's asked yet if her father were her father... Yes, it was her father. Yes, I will give you that, yes. Her mother and father as presented in the stories were actually her mother and father.

Words of Radiance Philadelphia signing (March 21, 2014)

That's pretty good evidence that she's not a Kandra I think.

Also, welcome to 17th Shard! I see that this is your first post. Brandon has said that there is a Kandra that we've seen on screen on Roshar, and we've been theorizing about who it is for a while now. This is one of the more clever guesses I've seen, and that would have really rocked us. Shallan's deep dark lie is that she isn't even Shallan and can't remember it? That's one I hadn't considered, even with her instability and holes in her memory.

Edited May 11, 2022 by Duxredux