One of them will destroy us...

[Lord Spirit he/him]

The text on the back of the way of kings reads 

"I long for the days before the Last Desolation.

The age before the Heralds abandoned us and the Knights Radiant turned against us. A time when there was still magic in the world and honor in the hearts of men.

The world became ours, and we lost it. Nothing, it appears, is more challenging to the souls of men than victory itself.

Or was that victory an illusion all along? Did our enemies realize that the harder they fought, the stronger we resisted? Perhaps they saw that the heat and the hammer only make for a better grade of sword. But ignore the steel long enough, and it will eventually rust away.

There are four whom we watch. The first is the surgeon, forced to put aside healing to become a soldier in the most brutal war of our time. The second is the assassin, a murderer who weeps as he kills. The third is the liar, a young woman who wears a scholar’s mantle over the heart of a thief. The last is the highprince, a warlord whose eyes have opened to the past as his thirst for battle wanes.

The world can change. Surgebinding and Shardwielding can return; the magics of ancient days can become ours again. These four people are key.

One of them may redeem us

And one of them will destroy us"

I haven't seen much discussion about this, and it seems relevant to WaT. It claims that Kaladin, Szeth, Shallan, or Dalinar is going to destroy "us", the sleepless. I don't know if they are referring to themselves specifically or if they think that Roshar is going to be destroyed.

 

Personally, I don't Kaladin is the destroyer, as he is a good person and doesn't want to fight anymore. He seems more likely to be the possible redeemer. Shallan is set up to become a part of the greater Cosmere, and I don't think she'll do anything to destroy Roshar, fighting the Ghostbloods could have unanticipated consequences. 

Dalinar and Szeth are the most likely in my opinion, as Dalinar has the contest with Odium, which, based on other theories, isn't going to end well for him. Szeth is unstable, has nightblood and it's his book. He is very capable of destroying things.

Anyways, thoughts, questions, opinions?

[Crucible of Shards he/him]

I highly recommend you read Dawnshard. The answer is in there.

[Lord Spirit he/him]

1 hour ago, Crucible of Shards said:

I highly recommend you read Dawnshard. The answer is in there.

I’ve read dawnshard, and I think get it now. is it just that the sleepless are wrong about who they’re watching?

[Erklitt]

6 minutes ago, Lord Spirit said:

is it just that the sleepless are wrong about who they’re watching?

I was just about to send the following post when your reply came. Yes, there are possibilities there, but as you say, not among the people mentioned in the blurb. Which means there is no real answer to your question in my opinion. And if they are watching so closely, how can they mistake the person?

I'll leave the rest of the post as it is:

 

@Crucible of Shards I've read Dawnshard several times, and I don't know the answer to this question. This is an all-cosmere spoiler thread. If the answer is clear to you would you please just give it?

@Lord Spirit I'm with you on Kaladin being the most likely redeemer, though Dalinar isn't out of the running either.

I don't support the theory that Dalinar will end up as fused. BS has promised us some measure of closure after book 5. Leaving one of the main characters in such a horrible position doesn't qualify in my opinion.  

Also, I'm not entirely convinced the Amians will really be destroyed. As Renarin has found out, predicting the future is tenuous. And destroying a whole people also just doesn't sound like something BS would go through with. There may be some tragic (though often meaningful) deaths, but overall he writes 'good endings'. 

Anyway: 'may redeem' but 'will destroy'? What good is possible redemption followed by certain destruction? That only makes sense if destruction - loss of life - is assured but redemption makes the difference between spending eternity in the Tranquiline Halls vs on Braize. Like Heaven and Hell in Christianity. From all we know and can guess about the cosmere and Roshar that just doesn't fit. So I find that part of the blub rather illogical and therefore open to very broad interpretation. 

I'm also not sure the topic will come up in WaT at all, it might be for SA6-10. 

But if it does happen in WaT, here's my bet: Whatever Kaladin and Szeth do in Shinovar (which is geographically close to Aimia): it comes close to destroying the Aimians, probably though some rash action of Szeth's, but Kaladin the redeemer saves the day. And (one can dream) saying his fifth ideal in the process?

Most of all, thanks for the reminder. It adds one more reason for me to be very hyped about that mission to Shinovar. We know so little about the situation there that theorizing is extremely difficult, which has me thinking about it all the more. 

[Crucible of Shards he/him]

Right, I forgot spoilers are allowed. In Dawnshard the Sleepless are having a conversation and one of them flat out states that they believe that “the Bondsmith” will destroy them. Since this is before Rhytm of War, it could only be referring to Dalinar. However, they are not all of the same mind on it.

It’s in chapter 6:

“This is not unexpected, Yelamaiszin sent. It had a smooth, calming buzz. It was First, the oldest of the swarms on Roshar. Nikli was the Twenty-Fourth, youngest of them. I like the Bondsmith, for example, though I know he will destroy us.” 

“He will not, Zyardil sent. Its buzz was punctuated and sharp. He has made the decision of Honor.
That is why he will destroy us, Yelamaiszin replied. He is more dangerous now, not less.”

Excerpt From
Dawnshard
Brandon Sanderson
https://books.apple.com/us/book/dawnshard/id1539206171
This material may be protected by copyright.

Edited August 23, 2024 by Crucible of Shards
Added quote

[Erklitt]

53 minutes ago, Crucible of Shards said:

It’s in chapter 6

Thank you, I didn't remember this. So there really was mention of one of the four watched. My bad.

I still stand by my suggestion the destruction wont really happen. Hopefully...

 

[The Stick]

Maybe part of the destruction could potentially be some unleashing of Dai Gonarthis, who we know has likely devastated Aimia before. If Dalinar does fall to Odium, maybe the whole 9 Unmade 9 shadows will lead to Dai-Gobarthis being reactivated to destroy Aima again.

[Ashbringer he/him]

Dalinar falling to Odium is likely enough on its own to do some heavy damage, especially if he takes the Stormfather down with him. That, or he ends up trying to / being forced into doing some Connection shenanigans and makes whatever happened to BAM and the singers look like a Spiritual paper cut, like a certain Warlight-colored hunch.

However, I don't think we have any idea why the Sleepless think that Dalinar will destroy them. As far as we know, they don't have access to anything that would allow them future sight (as this was written during TWoK, where only the barest fragments of Odium's influence were approaching. It could be that the Sleepless are more Cognitively aware, and thus had a better idea what could be coming? Or maybe the swarms know enough to know whatever-it-was that happened when a Herald died.

 

9 hours ago, Erklitt said:

I don't support the theory that Dalinar will end up as fused. BS has promised us some measure of closure after book 5. Leaving one of the main characters in such a horrible position doesn't qualify in my opinion.  

One thing on this - I don't actually imagine Taravangian having control over Dalinar is nearly as bad as Rayse would be. We will see what Taravangian's play is, but he seems to be pretty well situated in "terrible things for the greater good" - which is, you know, still terrible, but it's a good sight better than Rayse's "terrible things because I'm a terrible person". Rayse would probably torture Dalinar, Taravangian would use him to "save them all".

Not exactly good, but... well, Mistborn Era 1 also ended with a measure of closure, just not the closure most of us wanted.

Edited August 24, 2024 by Ashbringer

[alder24]

I can think of only one reason for why Dalinar would "destroy" Sleepless - Dawnshard. Sleepless are protecting the Change Dawnshard from everyone. If Dalinar making the choice of Honor makes him even more dangerous and more likely to destroy them, maybe he will need that Dawnshard to remake Honor and Sleepless would try to prevent any use of it at all costs.

Of course, other than that, there is an obvious "Fused Dalinar will mess up all of Roshar" but that doesn't explain why he's more dangerous now and why he will destroy Sleepless specifically.

And "the decision of Honor" sounds very much like this Death Rattle.

Quote

So the night will reign, for the choice of honor is life...