Skyward Universe Q&A

[Skyward Fan]

I am starting this forum to ask a few questions that I couldn't get directly from emailing Brandon Sanderson.

1. What color is the standard DDF Flight Suit?

2. About how much value is one American dollar on Detritus? (I know this answer will be a complete guess)

3. What year is Skyward set in?

And I might post more questions at a later time.

[AonEne he/him]

Spoiler

Questioner

I have a quick question about the uniforms in Skyward. Is there a specific color for Skyward flight?

Brandon Sanderson

Not for Skyward flight. They are all using the same jumpsuits, and things like this. By the second book, they probably will have... once they kind get ahead of it a little bit, they can start doing things like painting the ships. But in this book, really, you're basically wearing a jumpsuit--

Questioner

It's blue, it's unceremonial.

Brandon Sanderson

Mmhmm.

Skyward Seattle signing (Nov. 10, 2018)

Questioner

What color are the flightsuits?

Brandon Sanderson

Have I never described the color of the flightsuits? I've always imagined light blue. Light blue to dark blue. That's one of my favorite colors, it shows up all the time. Maybe the team would convince me to do a different color. I always end up with blues and reds; I don't do enough greens, and I see you've got green on. In your version, you can canonize it as green. But I've always imagined blue.

Dragonsteel 2023 (Nov. 21, 2023)

The flightsuits are blue! 

I don't think we have anything more specific than this for the year - Defending Elysium was in our future, and then Skyward was centuries after that, so what year is it set in and what year is it now? We don't know. 

Spoiler

Questioner

Question for you about Skyward. How many years in the universe has passed between the short story and the novel?

Brandon Sanderson

Centuries.

Skyward Chicago signing (Nov. 16, 2018)

The value of an American dollar would either be basically nothing, or for some it'd probably be regarded as an interesting rare historical artifact  

[Skyward Fan]

On 1/11/2024 at 3:50 PM, AonEne said:

  Reveal hidden contents

Questioner

I have a quick question about the uniforms in Skyward. Is there a specific color for Skyward flight?

Brandon Sanderson

Not for Skyward flight. They are all using the same jumpsuits, and things like this. By the second book, they probably will have... once they kind get ahead of it a little bit, they can start doing things like painting the ships. But in this book, really, you're basically wearing a jumpsuit--

Questioner

It's blue, it's unceremonial.

Brandon Sanderson

Mmhmm.

Skyward Seattle signing (Nov. 10, 2018)

Questioner

What color are the flightsuits?

Brandon Sanderson

Have I never described the color of the flightsuits? I've always imagined light blue. Light blue to dark blue. That's one of my favorite colors, it shows up all the time. Maybe the team would convince me to do a different color. I always end up with blues and reds; I don't do enough greens, and I see you've got green on. In your version, you can canonize it as green. But I've always imagined blue.

Dragonsteel 2023 (Nov. 21, 2023)

The flightsuits are blue! 

I don't think we have anything more specific than this for the year - Defending Elysium was in our future, and then Skyward was centuries after that, so what year is it set in and what year is it now? We don't know. 

  Reveal hidden contents

Questioner

Question for you about Skyward. How many years in the universe has passed between the short story and the novel?

Brandon Sanderson

Centuries.

Skyward Chicago signing (Nov. 16, 2018)

The value of an American dollar would either be basically nothing, or for some it'd probably be regarded as an interesting rare historical artifact  

Another random question. I don't think they ever mentioned anyone wearing glasses on Detritus (going off memory here). That would imply either they have "mutated" to not have vision problems, or they have the technology to permanently fix someones vision. Just wondering what your thoughts are.

[AonEne he/him]

On 1/13/2024 at 8:28 PM, Skyward Fan said:

Another random question. I don't think they ever mentioned anyone wearing glasses on Detritus (going off memory here). That would imply either they have "mutated" to not have vision problems, or they have the technology to permanently fix someones vision. Just wondering what your thoughts are.

Hmm...Spensa does mention them at one point, so we know that either Detritus has them or at least knows what they are. I'd probably guess that some people do wear them but just not any of our main characters? Possible that they did figure out how to make vision better in between Jason's time and Skyward, though.