Did Shallan almost kill Pattern in OB?

[Through The Living Grub He/Him]

I noticed a small detail on my reread of OB, where Pattern may be regressing mentally because Shallan is straining their bond.

Quote

"You wrap other lies. Mmm . . ." He sounded drowsy. Could spren get drowsy? "Remember your Ideal, the truth you spoke"

-Oathbringer, Chapter 74, page 730

This feels eerily similar to when Syl started backsliding in WoR because Kaladin had made conflicting oaths. Could Shallan be killing Pattern here she refuses to accept the Truths she spoke even after she spoke them as Ideals?

[Qianweilian He/him]

On 3/15/2026 at 8:29 AM, Xiahida said:

This feels eerily similar to when Syl started backsliding in WoR because Kaladin had made conflicting oaths. Could Shallan be killing Pattern here she refuses to accept the Truths she spoke even after she spoke them as Ideals?

More context is here:

Quote

“Feeding these few is something we can do.” “So is jumping from a building,” he said—frank, as if he didn’t understand the sarcasm he used. “But we do not do this. You lie, Shallan.” “Veil.” “Your lies wrap other lies. Mmm…” He sounded drowsy. Could spren get drowsy? “Remember your Ideal, the truth you spoke.”

It makes sense, although I’m not sure it went nearly as far as Kaladin in WoR. Also worth mentioning this is in Kholinar with two Unmade.

[Through The Living Grub He/Him]

2 hours ago, Qianweilian said:

It makes sense, although I’m not sure it went nearly as far as Kaladin in WoR. Also worth mentioning this is in Kholinar with two Unmade.

I would agree that it didn't go as far for Shallan as it did Kaladin. Kaladin had put himself in a position where he would break an oath regardless of what he did, whereas Shallan was simply backsliding and needed to confront the problem permanently.

But how do the Unmade factor into this? Pattern may be scared because of what the Midnight Mother almost did to him and Shallan, and cause him to be scared of Unmade in general, but his reaction is drowsiness and and bringing up the truth that she is ignoring.

[Knuti]

On 3/15/2026 at 2:29 PM, Xiahida said:

  Quote

"You wrap other lies. Mmm . . ." He sounded drowsy. Could spren get drowsy? "Remember your Ideal, the truth you spoke"

-Oathbringer, Chapter 74, page 730

On 3/15/2026 at 2:29 PM, Xiahida said:

This feels eerily similar to when Syl started backsliding in WoR because Kaladin had made conflicting oaths. Could Shallan be killing Pattern here she refuses to accept the Truths she spoke even after she spoke them as Ideals?

I think You are quite right, her bond is fraying. But IMO the cause is neither, that she does not accept the killing of her mother, nor her dissociation, it is that she is pretending that everything is ok with her. That is the one time, that her repressions and her glass-half-full mentality gets her in difficulties with Pattern.

After her breakdown in the market and realization that she has huge problems the bond slides to the safe side again.