Looking forward to second arc

[Brgst13]

What is everyone looking forward to in the second arc?

I am very much looking forward to Odium unleashing his wannabe Blackthorn on Roshar, thinking it is the mightiest warrior.  Then he meets Taln.

[+Oltux72 he/him]

5 hours ago, Brgst13 said:

What is everyone looking forward to in the second arc?

I am very much looking forward to Odium unleashing his wannabe Blackthorn on Roshar, thinking it is the mightiest warrior.  Then he meets Taln.

I am very reluctant to ask this runining your fun, but why would he unleash his Blackthorn on Roshar? He already rules almost all of the planet and is by oath required to spare the areas he does not rule. At most he could use him in Shadesmar, but again, the Fused already rule there.

It looked obvious to me that the new Blackthorn is intended to be a worldhopping warlord.

[Elder]

8 hours ago, Oltux72 said:

I am very reluctant to ask this runining your fun, but why would he unleash his Blackthorn on Roshar? He already rules almost all of the planet and is by oath required to spare the areas he does not rule. At most he could use him in Shadesmar, but again, the Fused already rule there.

It looked obvious to me that the new Blackthorn is intended to be a worldhopping warlord.

Is the new Blackthorn going to be a physical entity? Or perhaps a sort of Spren/spiritual/cognitive entity?

Meanwhile, he’s fully capable of waging war on Roshar if someone else picks the fight.  If he can get someone in Narak/the Listener Nation, Azimir or Urithiru to strike first, Retribution will be unleashed.

Edited December 11, 2024 by Elder

[logicless.bt]

Most looking forward to? Lowering the stakes and the scope of the series. I love how much the world expanded, but a lot of my favorite moments are weaker people in smaller conflicts -- like Kaladin and Shallan in the chasms. By the end of WaT those obstacles would be non-issues.

[Etedbert he/him]

On 12/11/2024 at 12:14 PM, Elder said:

Is the new Blackthorn going to be a physical entity? Or perhaps a sort of Spren/spiritual/cognitive entity?

Meanwhile, he’s fully capable of waging war on Roshar if someone else picks the fight.  If he can get someone in Narak/the Listener Nation, Azimir or Urithiru to strike first, Retribution will be unleashed.

There’s another line about Retribution planning to make new Unmade. My guess is the new Blackthorn will be one of them.

[Elder]

32 minutes ago, Etedbert said:

There’s another line about Retribution planning to make new Unmade. My guess is the new Blackthorn will be one of them.

I reread it. He thinks of it as a Spren, so yeah, an unmade.

Or, he could get someone to Nahel Bond with the Blackthorn.  Could make for some interesting results.

[teknopathetic he/him]

1 hour ago, Etedbert said:

There’s another line about Retribution planning to make new Unmade. My guess is the new Blackthorn will be one of them.

As far as I know, Navani's Sailormoon-esq crystal barrier thing combined with the New oathpact will prevent new Unmade from being formed. Likely. For the most part. Not sure what will happen with Sja Anat and Ba Ado Mishram, and if they are covered by the Oathpact tennents. Is it all spren? Or just Honour and Cultivation spren? 

Edited December 12, 2024 by teknopathetic

[Atlas333]

1 hour ago, Elder said:

I reread it. He thinks of it as a Spren, so yeah, an unmade.

Or, he could get someone to Nahel Bond with the Blackthorn.  Could make for some interesting results.

Wasn't the original plan to make Dalinar into a Fused? I don't see why that would change... but what brand would he be?

[Elder]

59 minutes ago, Atlas333 said:

Wasn't the original plan to make Dalinar into a Fused? I don't see why that would change... but what brand would he be?

Adhesion

[Sedside she/her]

On 12/12/2024 at 1:51 AM, logicless.bt said:

Most looking forward to? Lowering the stakes and the scope of the series. I love how much the world expanded, but a lot of my favorite moments are weaker people in smaller conflicts -- like Kaladin and Shallan in the chasms. By the end of WaT those obstacles would be non-issues.

Totally agree with you on this. To me these problems started somewhere near the end of OB and then only grew larger. I hope the Stormlight removal will somewhat set the world to zero in this regard.

Edited December 13, 2024 by Sedside

[+Child of Hodor]

On 12/11/2024 at 12:51 PM, logicless.bt said:

Most looking forward to? Lowering the stakes and the scope of the series. I love how much the world expanded, but a lot of my favorite moments are weaker people in smaller conflicts -- like Kaladin and Shallan in the chasms. By the end of WaT those obstacles would be non-issues.

This. In addition to refocusing the scope there should be fewer POVs and less fequent POV switches in books 6-8 than there were in the last 2 books. Especially WaT. It felt like there were 3 POVs in every chapter in the second half. 

[Alcatur]

17 hours ago, Etedbert said:

There’s another line about Retribution planning to make new Unmade. My guess is the new Blackthorn will be one of them.

By this point we don't  know what some of the already existing Unmade even do or what is the deal; some like Chemoarish didn't even appear at all. Adding more seems to be... unnecessary

Edited December 13, 2024 by Alcatur

[Elder]

Based on what we know about Part II:

I’m betting book 6 will involve Lift going in a quest to find the Nightwatcher. I like Lift, but I’m more interested in the Nightwatcher.  Also the Night.  I hope we get a new Bondsmith.

Book 7 may well involve Renarin doing more with his connection to the Spiritual Realm.  I hope he gets to see his dad.  I expect the heralds to return by the end of this book, complete with Wit pontificating on Art.

8 and 9 we get the epic romance of Ash and Taln.  Flashbacks of Ash (who I’m betting was the original girl who looked up) and Taln taking a shot at Cultivation (who I expect to feature heavily) sound awesome.

Book 10, I look forward to seeing flashbacks of Jasnah actually swearing her oaths, maybe seeing her wandering in Shadesmar during WoR… and I want to see an epic rematch between her and Taravangian.  I’m undecided whether she should pick up one or more Shards of Adonalsium, or eschew such entirely.

[Etedbert he/him]

6 hours ago, Alcatur said:

By this point we don't  know what some of the already existing Unmade even do or what is the deal; some like Chemoarish didn't even appear at all. Adding more seems to be... unnecessary

I’m not saying it isn’t unnecessary, just commenting on how closely together Retribution talks about making new Unmade and about using the SR Blackthorn as a general. Definitely felt like an implication, especially knowing Mishram has been referred to as a general of Odium in the past

[Keitea]

On 12/11/2024 at 7:51 PM, logicless.bt said:

Most looking forward to? Lowering the stakes and the scope of the series. I love how much the world expanded, but a lot of my favorite moments are weaker people in smaller conflicts -- like Kaladin and Shallan in the chasms. By the end of WaT those obstacles would be non-issues.

Same ! I like the idea of the nations have to rebuild with a big part of their system having been destroyed - no more stormlight or fabrials, the world being heavily divided with Azimir and Urithuru being isolated. I'm really looking forward to see how that new world is faring.

[Texside he/him/his]

I'm looking forward to the reunions. 
 

We have a great set up where a lot of characters -- Shallan and Adolin, Adolin and Renarin, Jasnah and Navani, Kaladin and everyone -- are separated. At least some, maybe all, are going to be reunited on page. And it'll come when we, as readers, are also reunited with them when Brandon is back to writing Book 6. 
 

It's gonna be some powerful moments. I'm here for it.