Kaladin's potential love interest

[jaddeth below she/her]

I have seen people suggest that WAT has hints of a possible Syladin pairing. However, I have always since more chemistry between Leshwi and Kaladin - they both fly, they are now both immortal since Kaladin became a Herald and they are close to honorspren. After all, Leshwi mentioned an honorspren who was her close friend and now that deadeyes seem to be healing, I feel there is a chance that Leshwi may meet her long lost honorspren friend. I do not know but I don't see the chemistry or romance with Syl and Kaladin the way I see hints of it between him and Leshwi since ROW.

[Treamayne]

Kaladin has always given off strong Aromantic vibes (likely Quoiromantic) - he does not need a love interest to feel complete (no matter what Adolin, Syl, or fans think otherwise). 

Guess what happens when peer pressure forces an Aro into romantic relationships? Those relationships implode.
What happened to Kal's relationships (at least Tarah and Lyn)? They imploded. 
Even the "not-real-triangle" with Shallan was far more about how Lightweavers affect his mood (he even mentions in WoR that it's the same reaction he had with Tien) than it was ever about Shallan herself. 

We are not lesser or incomplete for the lack of a "Romance." 

WoB:

Spoiler

Questioner

In Stormlight, with Kaladin and his brother Tien, is there a connection or a reason why, whenever his brother finds a rock, that keeps coming up several times?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes. So, there's a couple themes going on here. One is just the subtle theme that Tien tends to find beauty in things that Kaladin finds dull. That's, of course, kind of the metaphor. But Tien also was a budding Lightweaver, and he saw color and light a little bit differently than other people did. And he has the same general effect that you'll see Shallan having on people, which is how the Lightweaver views you influences a little bit more how your mood is, and things like that... And there is a magical element to that, as well. There's both a metaphoric reason and an in-world reason.

The Great American Read: Other Worlds with Brandon Sanderson (Oct. 25, 2018)

 

[Knuti]

2 hours ago, Treamayne said:

Kaladin has always given off strong Aromantic vibes (likely Quoiromantic) - he does not need a love interest to feel complete (no matter what Adolin, Syl, or fans think otherwise). 

Sorry, I have to disagree here. Technically You are right, he was that. Until his 4th oath he had a neurotic compulsion to protect everyone, turning himself into a workaholic, so no romantic vibes. But the Kaladin of now could be quite different. What especially intrigues me, is that he is editing his past concerning the infamous nonromantic arc, seeing himself in a far more active role than he actually had. (But I could not find the quote.) That would mean, it is far from over for him. And from all that follows for me, that he is interested in romantic relationships, but unable to admit it to himself.

[RedBlue]

3 hours ago, Treamayne said:

Kaladin has always given off strong Aromantic vibes (likely Quoiromantic) - he does not need a love interest to feel complete (no matter what Adolin, Syl, or fans think otherwise). 

I disagree. Kaladin has not been in a place where he can have a successful romance before this point, but that doesn’t mean he’s not romantically inclined. His interactions with Laral, brief relationship with Tarah, and almost-flirtation with Shallan demonstrate that.

His interest in Laral was definitely encouraged by his parents, so you could argue that it was social pressure rather than genuine, organic feelings. But nobody was pressuring him to pursue Tarah, and there was social pressure not to show interest in Shallan. That was all on Kaladin.

And when Kaladin looks back on those relationships and what stopped them from working out, the problem is always specific to that relationship. It could never have worked with Laral because of the class difference between them. It could have maybe worked with Tarah, but Kaladin prioritised other things (protecting the boys in the army) and they drifted apart. It would have gone badly with Shallan, because their personal flaws would have played off each other in bad ways.

The problem with these relationships was not that Kaladin doesn’t want romance. He does want romance. That’s why he tries and struggles with it.

Also, Kaladin absolutely has romantic ‘vibes.’ To illustrate what I mean, here is how his POV describes Tarah in Oathbringer chapter 112:

Quote

Slightly plump, with a round face and firm build, Tarah’s beauty was a subtle thing. Like an uncut gemstone. The more you saw of it—the more you discovered of its natural facets—the more you loved it. Until one day it struck you that you’d never known anything as wonderful.

If that’s not romantic interest, then I don’t know what is.

[Returned he/him]

Regardless of whether or not Kaladin is aromantic (or anything else in that space), I have never liked jamming major characters together into relationships. Sometimes it feels organic and interesting but often it feels very forced to me. Even if characters have some compatibility, chemistry, etc., it's kind of awkward to insist that the story involve them getting together. It's worse in things like sitcoms where there are maybe eight characters that are developed at all and so the whole pool of choices for any one character is one of the other seven, but even counting all the minor characters in SA it's still a shallow pool. Just because two people are often in the same room doesn't mean they should get together, nor that they will want to get together, nor that it would be good if they did.

So I'll throw down my marker: I don't read him as aromantic, but Kaladin's story simply doesn't and won't involve much romance. Certainly not a soulmate/happily-ever-after type. He's got Laral and Tarah in his backstory, Shallan and Lyn on screen, and that's about it. The issues with these relationships are folded into his broader issue of struggling to maintain personal relationships of any sort-- he has problems even with his most stalwart companions like Syl and Teft. Kaladin's story is that his romantic relationships don't seem to work very well, not so much that he's just encountering the wrong people. I don't see this changing for him, especially now that he's moved beyond mortal concerns in so many ways.

His story has already involved the romances he's going to get, and they have shown what that topic holds for him as a result of his personality and the role of personal relationships in his life. He's not headed towards some person who will be his significant other. It's true that some characters might be better or worse romantic matches for him than others but that doesn't mean that the "best" match is someone that the story will bring together. Kaladin and Leshwi are similar in some ways and different in others. I think that a romantic relationship with Leshwi would probably be better for Kaladin than one with Jasnah and healthier than one with Syl but I don't think it would be good. And that's even if he hadn't ascended to being a Herald. Now... I think that Kaladin's social life (in the way we usually use the term) is just over.

Edited February 18, 2025 by Returned

[Ailvara]

14 hours ago, Returned said:

Regardless of whether or not Kaladin is aromantic (or anything else in that space), I have never liked jamming major characters together into relationships. Sometimes it feels organic and interesting but often it feels very forced to me. Even if characters have some compatibility, chemistry, etc., it's kind of awkward to insist that the story involve them getting together. It's worse in things like sitcoms where there are maybe eight characters that are developed at all and so the whole pool of choices for any one character is one of the other seven, but even counting all the minor characters in SA it's still a shallow pool. Just because two people are often in the same room doesn't mean they should get together, nor that they will want to get together, nor that it would be good if they did.

I'm the opposite, I really don't enjoy main characters getting together with secondary characters. It usually ends up with the secondary character remaining in the shadow of the main character, often to the point of feeling like they're there to support the main character emotionally or otherwise and less like their own person. I like balanced relationships in many ways, including meta - e.g. how much focus the character gets in the narrative. But to reach their own I guess.

[JohnnyKaizen he/him]

Kaladin and Syl have one of the closest, most loving relationships or any two people on Roshar. There is no need for them to develop a sexual and/or romantic relationship. Could they? Yes, it's fiction and all things are possible. For folks who feel romantic feelings (however strongly) it probably feels like it's an obvious and foregone conclusion that two people who love and trust each other so much, would fall for each other romantically and/or sexually.

However for a lot of people, that really isn't the case. If you want to see Kaladin and Syl in a romantic/sexual relationship, ok. Then you want that. It doesn't have to, or need to happen, but it may feel that way to you. I'm simply asking folks to recognize the "why" of feeling like a relationship "has to" or "need to" or "almost certianly will" happen. Because the whys are deeply rooted in your own personal experience, as they are informed by the culture around you.

Based on various WoB, Kaladin has experienced romantic feelings, but also hasn't been "ready" for them. I don't see anywhere that Brandon explains what that means. Knowing what I know of the way Brandon writes, and what I know of Kaladin, I'd say that (at the very least) there is a LOT of trauma that he's still not processed through from childhood, right up to WaT. Trauma changes all kinds of things about us, and it has most certainly changed all kinds of things about Kaladin. He processed some specific traumas, but that man is a mountain of pain and clearly has all kinds of issues. Could his relationships change as he processes through traumas? Yes. Could they stay the same? Also yes. He's not been exactly open with why things have gone south in his relationships, and also, the limited bits that have been canonized seem to fit somewhere within the aromantic area of things. In that, the words he's used match the lived experiences of many folks who are in one way (or ways) or another, aromantic.

My point being, it can be either/or (up until Brandon canonizes it), and to tell someone else who says "Hey, this is who I am and how I feel, and Kaladin sounds a lot like me and my experiences" that they are wrong because who you are and how you feel, makes you right...is wild, to say the least. Brandon has made it clear on the page and in person, that he is absolutely writing the life journeys of these characters. Many people on earth wonder about things in their life for years, even decades, until they come to understand some fundamental truths about themselves. Kaladin, in regards to his relationships, could end up being one of those people.

Could Kaladin come back from the SR having understood about himself that the best relationships for him are deeply loving, platonic ones? Yeah, of course he could. Could he come back, head over heels in romantic love with Syl? Yeah, he could do that too. Could he come back having made no progression in any manner concerning his relationship with Syl? Yeppo.

All of these scenarios are possible, and while I understand the urge to debate how likely any of these are (or other scenarios I haven't mentioned) what I am trying to stress is that someone's feelings about Kaladin aren't invalid, less than, or wrong simply because you feel differently. And when the topics that are under discussion are touching on the deepest, most intimate parts of ourselves...it is best to step back and realize that there are multiple right answers here. Brandon is constantly making decisions about where these characters are going, and what their journeys are..where Kaladin is going specifically. He listens to a whole host of different people's input about what feels right to them about Kaladin. Some of those people almost certainly agree with viewpoints expressed here, and some of those people almost certainly disagree. And then Brandon has to make a decision, as he is essentially the God Beyond of the Cosmere. 

My whole point (which I feel like I've come to repeat over and over) is that when we are talking about topics in Cosmere character's lives, that are also the lived experiences of the people here, tread with empathy, care, and respect. You might not mean to tell another person that who they are is "less than" but I see it happen on this site far to often. And most of the time, it is simply because folks fail to step back and think, "If I had a life the way this other human being is describing to me about themselves, how would I feel about this?" All too often, folks jump straight to the way they live/see the world and trample over other folks in a way that can (and too often does) cause harm.

Edited February 20, 2025 by JohnnyKaizen
fixing typos/Clarity

[Treamayne]

On 2/17/2025 at 4:32 PM, Knuti said:

Sorry, I have to disagree here. Technically You are right, he was that. Until his 4th oath he had a neurotic compulsion to protect everyone, turning himself into a workaholic, so no romantic vibes. But the Kaladin of now could be quite different.

On 2/17/2025 at 5:30 PM, RedBlue said:

I disagree. Kaladin has not been in a place where he can have a successful romance before this point, but that doesn’t mean he’s not romantically inclined. His interactions with Laral, brief relationship with Tarah, and almost-flirtation with Shallan demonstrate that.

Just to be clear up-front, I am not trying to change anybody's opinion or personal head-canon. 

I do, however, feel like I should explain my opinion more clearly - if only to help make sure all people in the discussion understand one another. 

I do not think Kaladin ever loved (or even felt romantic attraction for) Laral. From what we see, the extent of their relationship was:

• WoK Ch 11: Kaladin is oblivious to Laral's flirting, seems to view her as a friend (because he feels estranged from other Darkeyes) and he totally misses that she wants him to try winning a Shardblade so he can be Lighteyes and can court her
• WoK Ch 25: Kal misses his friend and starts to understand that his parents encouraged their friendship in the hopes that they could, one-day, Marry
  • Conspicuously absent is any indication that Kal had feelings for Laral or actually wanted to marry her as his parents were hoping (See below)
• WoK Ch 37: Kaladin barely even thinks about or reminisces about Laral, then feels their prior friendship is betrayed when Laral supports Rillir's bigotted views of Darkeyes over their prior friendship. 
• WoK Ch 44: We finally see some measure of physical attraction, but mostly (to me) is a sense of indignity that Roshone would claim Laral because Riller was dead. 

Spoiler

WoK Ch 25:

Quote

How would he feel, marrying someone like Laral? He’d never be her equal. Their children would have a chance of being lighteyed or darkeyed, so even his children might outrank him. He knew he’d feel terribly out of place. That was another aspect of becoming a surgeon. If he chose that path, he would be choosing the life of his father. Choosing to set himself apart, to be isolated.

If he went to war, however, he would have a place. Maybe he could even do the nearly unthinkable, win a Shardblade and become a true lighteyes. Then he could marry Laral and not have to be her inferior. Was that why she’d always encouraged him to become a soldier? Had she been thinking about these kinds of things, even back then? Back then, these kinds of decisions—marriage, his future—had seemed impossibly far-off to Kal.

He felt so young. 

The only emotion I pick up from his cold analaysis of his relationship with Laral is low-grade anxiety from having to live his father's life - always an outsider. If there are indications of Romantic feelings here, they are beyond me. I'm sorry. 

WoK Ch 37:

Quote

 The walls were of thick white stones, and it had majestic square pillars on the leeward side.

Would he see Laral here? He was embarrassed by how infrequently he thought about her these days.

Kal does not seem to be pining for Laral if he rarely thinks of her at all, and when he does he only feels embarassed that he does not reminisce about her more often. 

WoK Ch 44:

Quote

 Kaladin felt his heart thumping. They hadn’t spoken since the day she’d humiliated him in Roshone’s mansion. And yet, she was gorgeous. As she had grown through her adolescence, she had gotten prettier and prettier. Some might find that dark hair sprinkled with foreigner blond to be unappealing for its indication of mixed blood, but to Kaladin it was alluring.

Beside Kaladin, his father stiffened, cursing softly.

“What?” Tien asked from beside Kaladin, craning to see.

“Laral,” Kaladin’s mother said. “She’s wearing a bride’s prayer on her sleeve.”

Kaladin started, seeing the white cloth with its blue glyphpair sewn onto the sleeve of her dress. She’d burn it when the engagement was formally announced.

But…who? Rillir was dead!

 

I'll discuss Tarah below

As for Lyn, we have almost no data other than that Kaladin dated her under peer pressure from Shallan, Adolin, and Syl; Lyn cared for Kaladin but Kaladin seemingly did not have enough emotional attachment to make Lyn or their relationship a priority - the relationship imploded. My impression of this was that Kal was only bowing to pressure from both well-meaning friends, and Society; likely with a sprinkle of "if I date a fellow Windrunner maybe the Tower's women will stop seeing me as "most eligible bachelor" and leave me alone."

Personal Experience example I see as similar to Kaladin - which influenced my perceptions of the character and his personal and relationship arcs:

Spoiler

I had never even heard of Aromanticism until after the WoB about Jasnah being "Asexual" and I went down the internet rabbit hole of "things that are neither homo nor hetero." 

It took a few years of looking back on my life for me to realize that Aro is likely the term that closest relates to what I feel, think, and experienced in my life - and the lines between the six Greek "loves" can be very blurry, not to mention the various forms of attraction:

Quote

Ancient Greek philosophers identified six forms of love: familial love (storge), friendly love or platonic love (philia), romantic love (eros), self-love (philautia), guest love (xenia), and divine or unconditional love (agape).

Quote

Interpersonal attraction, as a part of social psychology, is the study of the attraction between people which leads to the development of platonic or romantic relationships. It is distinct from perceptions such as physical attractiveness, and involves views of what is and what is not considered beautiful or attractive.

It had never occured to me that for many people these two are linked - but for people like me they are not. I can and have experienced physical attraction, but it was only with hindsight that I could tell that there was no romantic attraction involved in the relationship (which probably contributed to my lack of success or progression in those relationships - though 'dumpster fire' might be a better analogy). 

For most of my decades, I just identified as the second half of the phrase "Better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all." But I eventually realized that was also a lie I told myself, because I had and have non-romantic love with friends and family (my disabled mother has lived with me since 2002 - and the storge feelings are strong).  

Right now, I mostly self-identify as regular Aromantic, but I have not ruled out Greyromantic and/or Demiromantic as possible-but-not-yet-experienced.

Spoiler

• Aromantic – someone who experiences little to no romantic attraction.
• Grayromantic – someone who may be experiencing romantic attraction rarely, only under certain circumstances, or only weakly.
• Demiromantic – someone who experiences romantic attraction but only after forming a close non-romantic bond with the person.

But (to circle back to the thread) I see (for example) Kaladin and Tarah as nearly identical to one of my first "girlfriends."

• I cannot speak for her - but from my viewpoint (with the benefit of hindsight) there was some amount of physical attraction. I started dating her mostly because I was 19 and male and society made me feel I was wrong and a failure for not having had a single "significant other" by that point in my life. But I was immersed in school and work (she was still a senior in high school) and there was no "impetus" to make time for her or "us" or developing the relationship. It was more like a friendship where we saw each other every week or two and just used the terms "boyfriend/girlfriend" because that was the socially required terms. We never even technically broke up. She graduated high school and went to college out of state and I never saw her again - so the last time I saw her was just a normal "date" for us. 

For Kaladin, to me, we see that he appreciate's Tarah's beauty - which indicates some level of Physical Attraction, We see some measure of "love," though he uses the term and his actions do not support that what he feels really is Romantic Love. What we do not see is - him putting her or their relationship as any level of priority in his life. We see a comraderie, that may have been or may have developed into a great friendship.

To me, the best descriptor of their relationship, as I perceived it in the few flashbacks we have, would have been "friends with benefits." But, mostly, all of their interactions, to me, screamed "friend we called a relationship because that's how society defines it" (very similar to my own experiences). 

And that is a large part of how I came to the conclusions I did, with regard to Kaladin's relationship(s).
Though, I will admit that his is the first time I have seen my experiences echoed in Speculative Fiction, and having that echo on screen for others to see and hopefully understand also plays into why I hope others will understand why I hold the views I do. 

Feel free to ask questions here, or in-PM if interested

Edited September 11, 2025 by Treamayne
SPAG

[QuantumAce]

On 2/18/2025 at 3:31 PM, Returned said:

Regardless of whether or not Kaladin is aromantic (or anything else in that space), I have never liked jamming major characters together into relationships. Sometimes it feels organic and interesting but often it feels very forced to me. Even if characters have some compatibility, chemistry, etc., it's kind of awkward to insist that the story involve them getting together.

Gasp. You mean, almost like real life for most people? I have single adult friends, and yes, people are constantly trying to set them up because that just what people do. Do you know where it goes most of the time? Absolutely nowhere. People can flirt, maybe even develop a little romantic tension, and then it fades because one or both of them decided not to pursue it. Its usually wildly anticlimactic, barely topping out at briefly awkward. 

[RedBlue]

I happened to come across an old WoB relevant to this discussion:

Quote

Questioner

Who's Tarah?

Brandon Sanderson

*long pause* Why do you want to know?  ...Tell me why you want to know.

Questioner

Because she's important to Kaladin and Kaladin's important to me?

Brandon Sanderson

Okay, that's a decent answer. She-- um. Ehhhh. She was someone Kaladin cared for deeply in a romantic way.

Shadows of Self release party (Oct. 5, 2015)

Just to be clear, I’m not here to attack anyone’s views or headcanons, and I understand people have strong feelings about Kaladin — I just think this info might be of interest to some of the people here.

[gokucauthon]

He will get with Shallans mom and be her step daddy lol

[Master Silver]

On 3/2/2025 at 1:12 AM, gokucauthon said:

He will get with Shallans mom and be her step daddy lol

Lol, might be a bit of comedy there. We know that looks wise, Shallan was his type, and mother and daughter share some of the same features. Obviously, Shallan was too young for Kaladin, far too immature, so in classic Kaladin fashion he will go to the other extreme and date an ancient. Besides now Leshwe and Chanarach can fight over Kal and make him super uncomfortable. 

[VioletNebula_ She/They]

On 2/18/2025 at 4:31 PM, Returned said:

 I think that a romantic relationship with Leshwi would probably be better for Kaladin than one with Jasnah and healthier than one with Syl but I don't think it would be good.

Waitwaitwait, Jasnah and Kaladin? That's a thing??? They hardly even interacted, why would it ever be a thing?

In any case, I think Kaladin should be happily single because he didn't get with Adolin.

There's something to say about Leshwi and Kaladin, it's definitely a cool idea to think about more Fused/Human romance, and the Fused/Herald dynamic is definitely some Romeo and Juliet type situation, but I don't see it as something that will ever happen, honestly. Their dynamic was mostly honorable, with clear signs of respect from either of them, without any indicator that it could/will ever be more than that.

[RedBlue]

2 hours ago, VioletNebula_ said:

Waitwaitwait, Jasnah and Kaladin? That's a thing??? They hardly even interacted, why would it ever be a thing?

It’s really not a thing outside of the segment of fandom that really likes shipping.

2 hours ago, VioletNebula_ said:

There's something to say about Leshwi and Kaladin, it's definitely a cool idea to think about more Fused/Human romance, and the Fused/Herald dynamic is definitely some Romeo and Juliet type situation, but I don't see it as something that will ever happen, honestly. Their dynamic was mostly honorable, with clear signs of respect from either of them, without any indicator that it could/will ever be more than that.

Yeah, this is pretty much how I feel about Kaladin and Leshwi. Their dynamic read more like a rivalry with mutual respect than romantic chemistry.

And given that they seem to have chosen different paths — Leshwi has thrown in her lot with the Listeners, and Kaladin will be doing Herald stuff — I don’t know how much opportunity they will have for interaction in the future. Some, I hope, but I doubt they will be around each other enough to progress a relationship.

[Leuthie]

Kaladin's story arc is over. He's now not mortal. There will be no romance.

[wyndle gardens chair she/her]

I don't think that Kaladin will have any romance but... What happens if spren want to create more spren after the Honor-Odium merge? (sorry if there's a term for that I didn't know about- I've only read Stormlight so far) Or with a Nahel bond? Will the spren that comes out be half-human? What if Syl makes a spren baby while she and Kaladin are in Heraldland? (Again, sorry if I don't know the official term) Will the resulting kid be half spren, half human? Will they age? 

[bmcclure7]

On 3/4/2025 at 3:27 PM, Leuthie said:

Kaladin's story arc is over. He's now not mortal. There will be no romance.

Why why not? I see no reason for him not to have a romance now, even if he’s going to just become a side character

[The Lord of The Mists He/Him]

On 2/17/2026 at 10:26 AM, bmcclure7 said:

Why why not? I see no reason for him not to have a romance now, even if he’s going to just become a side character

I would heavily disagree because he is the kindest man in the series and is now stuck with the heralds for many thousands of years and who could blame him if he did develop a love interest with one of them.

[ParaTulip fae/faer (declines as she/her)]

On 3/3/2025 at 8:37 PM, RedBlue said:

Yeah, this is pretty much how I feel about Kaladin and Leshwi. Their dynamic read more like a rivalry with mutual respect than romantic chemistry.

I imagine this is a rather personal thing, but I actually prefer a partner who demonstrates the ability to firmly oppose me. This is hard thing to look for in someone, since asking "Would you stand against me if you knew I was wrong?" is just an awkward question at least and sounds like an excuse to break up at worst, but I treasure it. I know I can be pushy or even pressuring or manipulative, and this is a hard tendency to control because in the moment I simply feel I am pursuing my own legitimate desires by what feel like the best means.

Add to this how the Contest of Champions was a dumb idea had by a dumb dead guy, at least if the goal is making life better for people on Roshar, and the idea of a relationship that started as hostile but develops through respect which gives rise to acts of mercy and eventually love feels like a way to create a template for peace.

But yeah, then they just did not remotely interact for a whole book. It honestly hard to imagine why Leshwi would end up on the Shinovar camping trip, but I think the idea of throwing this sorta asura shaped woman into what seems like a sort of "Make them pay" quest is neat. Still, not canon, not going anywhere except fanfics. (If anyone knows a good ship fic of that, let me know).

[bmcclure7]

On 3/5/2026 at 1:10 PM, The Lord of The Mists said:

I would heavily disagree because he is the kindest man in the series and is now stuck with the heralds for many thousands of years and who could blame him if he did develop a love interest with one of them.

Exactly I could easily see him being in a relationship already post time skip. I see no evidence that he is either asexual or aromantic.

[Justin Henderson]

It seems like there are a lot of thoughts that a relationship with Syl and Kaladin isn’t possible due to him being physical and her being a spren but doesn’t that ignore that the more the bond is formed the more possibilities it allows for? Also, what about the concepts behind type 1 entities? If spren are type 1 entities and the nahel bond is about mutual growth and much of the story arc is about growth, couldn’t Kaladin and Syl grow so much within the nahel bond that they no longer need it? Not that they break the bond, but they transcend it?

And not so much that this is pure romance but that they grow so much as individuals that they don’t “need” each other for growth or anything but that they choose to be together? A romance defined by growth and choice rather than raw emotions developing a more complete form of love than typically achieved? It would be an interesting way to allow for them to be together and make an interesting and more full implementation of a married couple. This also would have parity with the ending of the book the Nightmare Painter Brandon wrote

[NeverTrustAesSedai He/Him]

On 3/5/2026 at 1:10 PM, The Lord of The Mists said:

I would heavily disagree because he is the kindest man in the series and is now stuck with the heralds for many thousands of years and who could blame him if he did develop a love interest with one of them.

I believe Brandon has stated that the second arc of Stormlight takes place in ten years of their time. This is making the assumption that Kaladin and the Heralds will be present for that, but if so, he certainly won't be stuck for 'thousands of years'. It's an interesting point, though, and ten years is still plenty of time if that's what's going to happen.

[Ninth of the Night]

We don't know how much time will pass for Kaladin and the other Heralds. They're in the Spiritual Realm, and Roshar is stuck in a time dilation bubble. So 10 years will pass for Roshar, while 100+ will pass for the rest of the cosmere. As for the Heralds, it could be anywhere from 1 to 1,000 years, since time has no natural flow in the Spiritual Realm. We simply have no way of knowing which it'll be yet.

[Treamayne]

35 minutes ago, Ninth of the Night said:

As for the Heralds, it could be anywhere from 1 to 1,000 years, since time has no natural flow in the Spiritual Realm. We simply have no way of knowing which it'll be yet.

Less than ten years, according to WaT - Postlude:

Spoiler

“Not true,” Kaladin said. “Ishar says … says that with the merging of Honor and Odium … things are odd. An unexpected warping of time has happened, so it will pass strangely for us. More strangely even than what is happening on Roshar. While years pass there, months will pass for us. We have time, for once, and peace.”

Ishar set up the Demense to be shorter than Roshar time, to minimize the damage Heralds are already suffering from too many memories.

[KaladinTheKingOfHeralds He/Him]

Let’s be real here. Syl and Kaladin have been together for a long time. Syl also goes from a normal spren to a honorspren and a LIVING Shardblade cause of her bond with Kaladin and how he cares about her. We also know that she cares if he gets mad and she always tries to stop him. Also in the Way Of Kings, when Kaladin was tied to the barracks and when he got his Windrunning and Surgebinding powers, she was trying to save him by moving the winds. She also never leaves his side and if she does then Kaladin goes and tries to get her back. I don’t think Kaladin would do that for just anyone. Also there has been hints of Syl loving Kaladin, like when she would just watch him on the head of a merchant as he past her in the lumberyard of Sadeas’ warcamp in the Way Of Kings.