Fifth Posted January 10, 2025 Posted January 10, 2025 Spoiler Chapter 145, Page 1609: "His broken oaths put his soul in Taravangian’s hands, and he would make an Unmade from him. Make him … Dalinar’s soul slipped away from him. Stretched. And vanished into the Beyond. Taravangian scrambled to hold it, but like water through fingers, he could not. You cannot have him, the powers said, for he is claimed by another" just going over pages I marked for closer inspection after finishing the book, is it possible that his true soul was whisked away by cultivation or another shard for future use . The only perspective we have of his transition are from Taravangian's POV and by necessity if a rescue was performed by other forces his deception would be the goal. Obvious alternative is that his soul is claimed by Dalinar's warm light/glow/God (capital "G")....I just don't see the powers of Honour and Odium referring to a remnant of Adonalsium as "claimed by another" or if its a natural passing I doubt the wording "Claimed" seems valid. I also find it suspicious we don't get a POV of Dalian's ultimate transition into the spiritual/afterlife..... Anyone with thoughts or Ideas for wording for a WOB questions to confirm he is actually removed from the board? Personally I'm about 80% sure this is his true death other than the clone Taravangian has but....the idea of a Odium blackthorn vs a Cultivation or even better a Sazed empowered Dalinar square off reveal in Mistborn era 3/4 would be amazing. I know end of Era 2 Sazed is still looking for a champion.... Dalinar would not move on if given a alternative to continue the fight IMO.
alder24 Posted January 10, 2025 Posted January 10, 2025 You should edit the title of your topic, it contains massive spoilers for WaT and titles are visible from the main page of the Shard, thus they can spoil the book for others. 2 hours ago, Fifth said: Quote Stretched. And vanished into the Beyond. That's death. Dalinar's soul passed into the Beyond (the afterlife, different from the Spiritual Realm), which is beyond the reach of any Shard. This is Brandon's way to definitely say that the character is truly dead so when you see that the book specifically said "Dalinar vanished into the Beyond" it means he's dead for good. Whether or not the Beyond exists is a different question Brandon won't ever answer. The one who "claimed him" is the God Beyond (again, just like with the Beyond, Brandon won't ever confirm if he exists, but the God Beyond is not Adonalsium) and that's more metaphorical than literally. Dalinar believed in the God Beyond since OB and in his belief that's where he went. If the book didn't specifically say that Dalinar vanished into the Beyond, then I would agree we would have an open door to speculations about what happened to him and who claimed him. However, because the book was clear that he went into the Beyond, it means he's gone gone and nobody could claim him. Spoiler Questioner In Stormlight, Dalinar mentioned that <if he can die, he's no longer a god>, so to speak. And throughout the cosmere, gods died *inaudible*. Is there an omniscient, omnipotent, actual God in the cosmere? Brandon Sanderson Is there an omniscient, omnipotent God in the cosmere? Some people believe that there is. You guys laugh about this, but I don't mean it to be a laughing thing. There are certain questions I will not answer in the cosmere, specifically because it would too much undermine some of the characters' beliefs. And I want to treat characters respectfully. So whether there is life after you pass into the Beyond, and whether there is a God of gods, an omnipotent, as we would define "monotheistic God," are questions that I don't answer, and I let the characters deal with. Because if I answer that, then the character discussions about this are meaningless. Not really, but they kind of are. So there are a couple things I won't answer about the cosmere, because the characters don't have these answers. Questioner <Do you know the answer>? Brandon Sanderson I know the answer, yes. Arcanum Unbounded release party (Nov. 22, 2016) Spoiler Ward When Harmony Ascends, he admits he doesn't have a good view of the Spiritual Realm. Does he develop a better one over time? And are there other Shards that already have a very good view of that? Brandon Sanderson Yes. But it is still something that is hard to grok, so to speak. In canon-- in science fiction-- hard to understand. But he has a much better understanding, and the other Shards, some of them have a very good understanding. The thing is, the difference between the Spiritual Realm and the Beyond is not something that is immediately obvious. Ward So, the Spiritual Realm is not the Beyond? Brandon Sanderson No, Spiritual Realm is not the Beyond. There are three Realms of existence. The Beyond, some would say... There are philosophers would would say, the Spiritual Realm and the Beyond are one, that the soul gets sucked into and joins the Investiture. That's the idea of the One. But, most people would say the Beyond is not... Arcanum Unbounded release party (Nov. 22, 2016) 1
#1 Taln Fan he/him Posted January 10, 2025 Posted January 10, 2025 As Alder stated, post titles can be viewed from the site home page, so I've changed the title of your post. I've also moved this topic to the Cosmere Spoilers WaT board, as your post contains Cosmere spoilers as well. 2
Nitpicking Posted January 11, 2025 Posted January 11, 2025 7 hours ago, #1 Taln Fan said: As Alder stated, post titles can be viewed from the site home page, so I've changed the title of your post. I've also moved this topic to the Cosmere Spoilers WaT board, as your post contains Cosmere spoilers as well. Let me take a moment to thank the volunteers who moderate these forums. I was a moderator back in the Dawn Times, before the WWW existed, so I know how much work behind the scenes goes on, and how rarely anyone acknowledges it. 3
Kelsier Kenobi Posted January 12, 2025 Posted January 12, 2025 If Brandon didn’t want us wondering what happened to Dalinar he would have written it differently. He could have simply said Dalinar went to the beyond but he felt the need to point out his soul was claimed by another. That has to mean something. Until I see a WoB slam it shut the door for Dalinars return is open IMO. 1
Fifth Posted January 13, 2025 Author Posted January 13, 2025 On 1/11/2025 at 4:15 AM, #1 Taln Fan said: As Alder stated, post titles can be viewed from the site home page, so I've changed the title of your post. I've also moved this topic to the Cosmere Spoilers WaT board, as your post contains Cosmere spoilers as well. Thanks for renaming, apologies for potential spoilers, its been...well years since my last post I didn't realise it was visible anywhere outside of the forum it was posted to. unfortunately i was out of cell range all weekend for a camping trip, hopefully no one was spoiled. 2
Argenti he/him Posted January 13, 2025 Posted January 13, 2025 6 hours ago, Kelsier Kenobi said: If Brandon didn’t want us wondering what happened to Dalinar he would have written it differently. He could have simply said Dalinar went to the beyond but he felt the need to point out his soul was claimed by another. That has to mean something. Until I see a WoB slam it shut the door for Dalinars return is open IMO. Dalinar will not return. I'm willing to admit that there's some nuance in the in-between of him being claimed that leaves space for theories, but more of "What's claiming him" and "How???" rather than when will Dalinar return. He went to the beyond, and that is one line the Brandon will not cross. Dalinar is well and truly dead.* *cept for the blackthorn, he's still around 1
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