My theory confirmed?(Stormlight 5 Previews)

[KaladinWorldsinger]

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https://wob.coppermind.net/events/508/#e15921

This is the link for the kal and hoid chapter.

Okay.....<breathes deeply>

gives a bloodcurdling scream of joy

This reading gave me the biggest evidence that my SECOND theory, and the one that I liked so much that I named my profile after it, is atleast something Brandon is clearly thinking about.

This was the theory. You don't need to read it as I will go through it again.

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https://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/99219-book-5-kaladin-worldsinger-his-best-endingrow-spoilers/

Tldr: Kaladin becomes a worldsinger... Of sorts. He is not going to become an actual singer or storyteller like Hoid. He becomes a bridge between humanity and the singers by travelling around Roshar with a mix of humans and singers and listeners. He will heal people using his new therapist skills and by spreading the religion that Oathbringer will bring about. I will explain all of this.

The biggest problem with my theory was that Kaladin has never shown any interest in music or learning the flute. But now he is...

And more importantly in the Szeth flashback, he dances to the wind while his sister plays the flute.He loves music and dancing, which will be helpful for Kal to connect with him in 'therapy'. So music is going to be important in this book, which makes sense as ROW skyrocketed the importance of rhythms in this world.

Now back then I sucked at writing theories and it amounted to a jumble of speculation. I didn't show how I arrived at those ideas well. Well let me try to convince you again

1) Syl is definitely becoming a human: Throughout ROW, her whole arc is becoming human. She rediscovers her buried trauma, she can't help Kal with his pain because now she is experiencing(remembering) real loss for the first time. She mentions that she is really starting to change, which unsettles her. Spren aren't supposed to change.

Kal has to help her remember the words, which is quite a role reversal. At tefts funeral:

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“ I’m merely … alive. And this is part of being alive. So I’m grateful, even if part of it stinks.”

Also, Ishar has noticed that honorspren live the longest when pulled to the PR(15 mins).This happens as they are the most humanoid spren. How could you possibly increase that limit? With an honorspren who has enough connection in the physical realm to manifest as a shardblade.

Kaladin at his fourth ideal can hold her hand. Syl has been gaining mass throughout the story(heh).Not only that, she also has been appearing in her human form more throughout this story, including the preview. Her arc is about growing up.

Kal in the previews has been thinking about how insubstantial Syl is right now, 2 or 3 times. In 2 chapters. I think this is setup for the end, where Syl comes to the physical realm fully.

Syl's chapter icon has her holding a backpack maybe, which seems more likely to be in the PR.

My bet is that it takes atleast a 4th ideal radiant honorspren to survive ishar's experiment. So I firmly believe that Syl will become physical.

2) Kaladin back to normal  

My belief is that he will lose them powers. He will go back to being a normal human.  A nahel bond is impossible with a 'human' or a physical entity. The powers came from a bond to a cognitive entity, which allows bending natural laws. Syl says that gravity is just 'an agreement between friends'. These friends are just the cognitive aspect of the atoms, molecules and other things in the world. 

This honestly makes sense. What kal wants is a normal, happy life and time to deal with his PTSD. He can also continue becoming the world's first therapist because he still wants to help people. With lesser power does come lesser responsibility, so if he stops being a radiant, he can be guilt free in opening up a practice.

3) Hoid, the flute and ....storytelling?

Now is where the flute comes in. Hoid has been giving Kal free therapy with his stories for some time. And now Kal choosing to become a therapist creates a great parallel with Wit. I wasn't even expecting him to learn the flute at all( more on that later) but now I am stoked. Kal becoming a worldsinger tho?

Do I think Kal will become a full blown musician? No, I think (if)any musical skill Kal gets will specifically be used for helping Szeth (or spreading Honors Rhythm? Maybe)

But Wit is a storyteller. That's his therapy. But there is no way Kal will be a storyteller! So doesn't that break the parallel? Well no, actually. I think there is a story that Kal can help spread. Oathbringer.  It is a book specifically intended to create a religion. Whatever happens to Dalinar, it would be wierd for the book to have no effect on the plot after its written as it is already gaining momentum in ROW. It is a big symbol of redemption for readers and the characters. Who else can spread the influence of that story quickly than Stormblessed, a living legend?

4) Worldsingers and Singers

Kal becoming a worldsinger is not going to happen. But i think he will encourage it's  existence by either creating it(with Sigzil?) or in some way being it's face to the public.

But he will do it in conjunction with the singers. Kal always has had a connection with the singers and with the listeners. It would be criminal for Worldsingers to not include Singers now. And Kal is the foremost human in the story to empathize with their plight.

A mixed group of humans and singers traveling around helping people would be a great way to help heal the rift between humans and singers

Tldr: Kal creates Worldsingers as a group of humans and singers. They travel around spreading Oathbringer religion(and therapeutic practices?).

 

This theory has been percolating in my brain for two years now, and this chapter confirms that Brandon is clearly thinking something about it. It's either a giant red herring or a lot of foreshadowing. If it is, I called it when I started this account.

Some of the foreshadowing

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"You're going to have to learn to play music, Kaladin. Without using your breath or your lips."

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You'll win when you don't play music with your own breath, and when you fight without your own muscles. Play the flute, but don't. And fight, but don't

Kal is done being a fighter. He said so at the end of ROW. His mental health needs to come first. He will instead help other people become fighters and sing through other singers mouth. 

Kaladin Worldsinger

Kinda

[alder24]

That's a very interesting theory. I like the connection between flute and Szeth, and the idea on how Syl can become physical with consequences to their bond. I do agree that Wit's interest in teaching Kal art must have some goal. Using it as a therapy tool is a very elegant solution, I admit.

However I can't see Kaladin preaching religion. It's not like him. He's not a religious person, in fact he doesn't care about religion at all. "Oathbringer" is more of an philosophical/autobiographical book, that takes on religion, I don't think it would be a reading for Kaladin.

[Elder]

1 hour ago, alder24 said:

That's a very interesting theory. I like the connection between flute and Szeth, and the idea on how Syl can become physical with consequences to their bond. I do agree that Wit's interest in teaching Kal art must have some goal. Using it as a therapy tool is a very elegant solution, I admit.

However I can't see Kaladin preaching religion. It's not like him. He's not a religious person, in fact he doesn't care about religion at all. "Oathbringer" is more of a philosophical/autobiographical book, that takes on religion, I don't think it would be a reading for Kaladin.

Oathbringer is plenty religious, but I agree, Kaladin's isn’t.

Wit says Kaladin is inventing Therapy.  That’s not quite the same thing as religion.  Music Therapy is definitely a thing, so that’s where the Flute can play in.

My first impulse on reading was that Kaladin’s arc was going to focus on leadership.  Kaladin will learn to inspire others. That seems like a low bar for Kaladin tho.   But his conflicts are definitely becoming increasingly psychological.  Szeth, Ishar, maybe Moash.  These all could stand to be the most dangerous therapy group ever.

the only other possible direction I saw was Kaladin’s reflection on who he was in the moments before he swore the 4th Ideal: consumed with a desire for vengeance due to the murder of Teft.

based on all this, this what I see coming:

- Vyre is going to continue to engage with Kaladin in visions.  Kaladin may actually turn it around and get into Moash’s head, and maybe get Moash to actually face his sins.

- Szeth is going to have issues and Kaladin is going to use Music Therapy to help him.

- Tezim is going try and force Syl into the physical world, but I don’t necessarily believe it will go well for her, until Kaladin overcomes the desire to go vengeance mode, speaks the 5th ideal which revives Syl and allows her to manifest physically, and snaps Ishar and maybe even Nale out of their madness, and then proceeds to start his overpowered group therapy session.

or

(Dark Version)

Tezim kills Syl and Kaladin becomes Odium’s champion.  he kills Dalinar, takes the Stormfather, and eventually ascends to become War.

Edited February 3, 2023 by Elder

[KaladinWorldsinger]

5 hours ago, alder24 said:

However I can't see Kaladin preaching religion. It's not like him. He's not a religious person, in fact he doesn't care about religion at all. "Oathbringer" is more of an philosophical/autobiographical book, that takes on religion, I don't think it would be a reading for Kaladin.

My idea was that it would be more indirect. Kal would create the Worldsingers, who in turn spread the religion. One main reason I thought this was that Oathbringer is about redemption and how a person can change. A belief in such a religion would be very useful for therapists doing their job.

 

[ScavellTane]

I'm more inclined towards Kaladin learning music being helpful with controlling his Powers. Since we're leaning towards frequencies and vibrations with investiture experimentation.

Edited February 4, 2023 by ScavellTane

[Green Hoodie Mistborn he/him]

If he survives SA5 I can totally see Kaladin traveling Roshar being a bridge to the humans and singers

I hope for my own sake that Syl doesn't die, and that Kaladin retains his powers

I REALLY don't want him to lose Syl and then go Odium champion though