WoK and WaT as two ends to a ketek

[Ailvara]

There's a ton of all sorts of references and symmetry between the first and last book - as is only proper - how about we hunt them all down?

To start, off the top of my head:

1. Prelude and postlude. In its entirety, but also both are Kalak's POV and with the Windrunner Herald at the center, and of course with reverse outcomes.
2. In WoK, Kaladin is the common spearman, and kills a Shardbearer at a disadvantage. In WaT, Adolin gets a taste of both.
3. Later, Maya mirrors Kaladin by gathering the deadeyes and getting them ready to fight and save the day (like Bridge Four at the Tower). She's doing better thanks to Adolin, as Kaladin did thanks to Syl.
4. "The Way of Kings" is there at both the beginning, and the end of Dalinar's journey.
5. Kaladin gives Nale a very similar flute+story treatment as he received from Wit in WoK.
6. Cusicesh made his first appearance in a WoK interlude, and now a (somewhat definite) last in WaT interlude (and none in between that I remember).
7. Death rattles appear first as epigraphs at the beginning of WoK, now return as chapter titles at the end of WaT (also they just get fulfilled, but that's not exclusive to WaT).
8. Tanavast says he died at the end of WaK; At the end of WaT, what remains of him actually dies for good.
9. Dalinar spends most of each book having visions.
10. Dalinar beats up Elhokar towards the end of WoK; now he is set up to fight against his son at the end of WaT.
11. Listeners start WoK settled in Narak, and end WaT again there, after a break.
12. The situations of humans and singers in general are reversed (dominated by enemies aside from an enclave or two).
13. First Radiants say their Oaths in WoK; first Radiants renounce their Oaths in WaT.

Edited December 20, 2024 by Ailvara

[Sedside she/her]

Most of the characters are divided at the beginning of WoK. They are divided again at the end of WaT.

In WoK Radiants started playing their role in the world, in WaT they are no longer a force outside of Urithiru (well except for Lift maybe).

Also the symmetry in Szeth's journeys. He starts WoK as a tool for his masters slavishly following orders and killing a lot of people. In WaT he steps away from killing and gets free.

Not sure if it counts, but Kaladin in some sense dies for the people he loves in both books. His parents thought he was dead right until he came back home in OB, now everyone with think he is dead as well.

Edited December 21, 2024 by Sedside

[boonboon]

I think the most tragic one is that Adolin is alive in WoK and he's still alive in WaT. This symmetry could've been easily avoided.

[Acolyte of Radiance]

Ketek at then end of the book proves the nonsymetry