Nale as Edgedancer

[BridgeBoi]

During WaT, we got a lot of exposition on character in particular, Nale. From seeing him the past, to seeing him being healed by Kaladin, Nale's motivations became clear. While of course Nale is a skybreaker, in my mind he seems to align a lot with the Edgedancers especially when it comes to his motives. First, lets get what defines an Edgedancer, their oaths.

 

I will remember those who have been forgotten. 

I will listen to those who have been ignored. 

We see that in the past, that Nale was the one who suggested Taln for Herald.

 

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It cannot be only kings and scholars, can it? he said. "What finely dressed, immortal demigod will spare one thought for the woman whose name he does not know? - WaT, 634-635

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If we are going to protect the people, should we not represent the people? - WaT, 646

Here, while all the other heralds are focused on the kings and heroes, Nale is the only one who remembers the forgotten, the common people.

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Plus, I want contrary opinions in the group. For balance. - WaT, 646

Nale also listens to those who have been ignored. He wants different opinions. He wants the opinions of the common people, the poor people among the heralds.

We also see these tendencies to protect the little people in the flute scene. As Kaladin is talking to Nale, he says, 

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Do you remember their gratitude as you stood before the weak and ignored... - WaT, 1037

Edgedancers are all about the ignored. They remember and listen to those who are not remembered or listened to.

The best evidence I have for Nale's strong Edgedancer vibe is Nale's big speech in the flute scene. There he says,

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I feared the others, highborn save Taln, would forget the little people of the lands. I knew it, Kaladin. I fought on their behalf, for centuries. - WaT, 1038

The whole reason, that Nale became a herald, that he suffered for centuries is for the forgotten, for the ignored. His motivation for fighting is to remember those who have been forgotten. Seems pretty Edgedancer to me.

One last piece of Evidence. When the wind shows Kaladin visions of Nale's past, the prose is interesting. It says:

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Then Nale, moving with the speed of the wind, arrived to save those who had been forgotten.

That is almost an exact copy of the 2nd ideal of the Edgedancers or the founding ideal. 

To clarify, This isn't some crackpot theory that Nale is secretly an Edgedancer. Even I'm not that stupid. What I'm saying is that in Wind and Truth, Nale seems to fit the ideals and goals of an Edgedancer. In other words, Nale has the vibe of an Edgedancer.

 

 

[Treamayne]

12 minutes ago, BridgeBoi said:

To clarify, This isn't some crackpot theory that Nale is secretly an Edgedancer. Even I'm not that stupid. What I'm saying is that in Wind and Truth, Nale seems to fit the ideals and goals of an Edgedancer. In other words, Nale has the vibe of an Edgedancer.

I can see and follow your chain of logic, but there are two additional considerations:

1. We had practically nothing from Vedel (patron of the Edgedancers) as a comparison
2. There was also a strong reference to Protection and Justice:
   • Which is implied to be the Oaths of the "rebel" Skybreakers following the "old oaths"

WaT Sections:

Spoiler

Ch 65:

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 He looked at each of them in turn. “If we’re going to protect the people, should we not represent the people?”

Ch 119:

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“I want to be better,” Nale said. “I want to be that man, the one who stood against the law to defend those who deserved mercy. That is the only path to true justice. How? How can I see clearly once more?”

Ch 128:

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“Can you tell me about the Skybreaker dissenters?” Szeth asked. “That you mentioned?”

“Occasionally,” Nin said, “a group of them refuses my leadership. Billid claimed … to have found old Skybreaker oaths. I thought it ridiculous at the time…”

Nin refused further prompts, so Szeth let the conversation lapse

 

Many of the orders have references to the common person - it's the how as much as the who - Edgedancers remember, Windrunners protect, (old) Skybreakers seek justice - all for the common person.