Favorite and least favorite character?

[bedtime]

Who are your favorite and least favorite characters in the Stormlight Archives?

My favorite—though this is likely not popular opinion—is Lift. Apparently, Brandon really likes her too, but I've heard lots of people saying she's a real turnoff due to her immaturity. She's young, and young people are typically childish. I've been so happy to see her in the books following Edgedancer. She's a nice change for me from the very serious characters that tend to fill most of the book.

As for my least favorite, it might be Shallan. RoW spoil:

Spoiler

It's her multiple and changing personalities and the constant hiding of Shallan. I do like the mystery of what is going on and wondering who is doing things, but I'm really hoping that the supposed real Shallan returns.

That said, I don't dislike her. She's just not as I want her right now.

Was really curious what your favorites/least favorites are too.

Edited April 16 by bedtime

[ShallanMyGoat]

I Love Shallan, Lift and Navani. Shallan because 

Row Spoiler:

Spoiler

She has so many diffrent personalities and Is slowly taking them in and accepting herself as who she is and I love that charecter building.

 

[Fizz9]

KALADIN is amazing. He just is. I can relate to the ups and downs he has and it's amazing. Lift is also amazing. She is sooo funny.

I think every character in SA is amazing though.

[Through The Living Star She/Her]

23 minutes ago, Fizz9 said:

KALADIN is amazing. He just is. I can relate to the ups and downs he has and it's amazing.

YES YES YES I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY

I love Kaladin, in case you couldn't tell. He is seriously my favorite character ever. I would even go so far as to say I am Kaladin's number one fan (until someone proves me wrong lol) My adoration of him will be put in the spoiler box below for those who do not care. 

SA

Spoiler

First, I love Kaladin's personality and how he just keeps fighting no matter how dark it gets. I really understand his depression and the way that he gets up and tries again is amazing. 

Second, I love how Kaladin is always willing to stand for right. His "honor is dead" scene just really shows that. He's been burned again and again by lighteyes, and he just says, "well, I can't let wrongs keep happening." 

Third, I love the conflict that comes from the "can you kill to protect" question in Kaladin. That is just such a real question and I feel like it is done so nicely with Kaladin. 

Fourth, (be warned I have like so many things I love about Kaladin) His action scenes are literally the best. Yes, I know this is a little off topic, but come on. I mean, Honor is Dead, killing the Chasmfiend, the Battle of the Tower, His Ideals (all of them) seriously, it is amazing. 

Fifth, I love his relationships with Bridge Four and Syl and Adolin and Shallan. They're so cute and I love it. Bridge Four is the best. 

Well I should probably stop there before I go into an even longer tangent. 

I would say right now my least favorite character is a three way tie between Jasnah, Navani, and Shallan. I don't hate any of them right now (though I definitely hated Shallan at the start).

Navani just kinda drives me crazy. 

RoW

Spoiler

 I hate how she's like "oh I'm not a scholar" then proceedes to do scholarly things. It kinda pisses me off. Also, I feel like she kinda stole the bond from Rlain. The Sibling was okay with Rlain and hated Navani, and I feel like Navani kinda forced the Sibling into it. That is still personal opinion though. 

Jasnah I feel like is just so unemotional and it annoys me more than I can explain. I can't really explain it- I think part of the problem is that we don't have enough POVs from her. 

Shallan... I just don't really get. 

RoW

Spoiler

Her personalities are just kinda confusing to me, and I don't like how she's always avoiding things. 

Anyway that's my input. 

[Kansas Stormcursed he/him]

Favorite character: Kaladin, hands down. Favorite in terms of story purposes:

Spoiler

Moash

And I don't like Venli

[GG0z He/Him]

Honsetly, since WaT, I think that Szeth is somewhere in the top three of my favorites. I think his relationship with Nightblood and Kaladin is awesome by the end of WaT.

1 hour ago, Through The Living Star said:

Jasnah I feel like is just so unemotional and it annoys me more than I can explain. I can't really explain it- I think part of the problem is that we don't have enough POVs from her. 

I mostly agree with this. I don’t think the problem is with the POVs, but with the fact that Jasnah hasn’t progressed as a character when everyone else did. For example, Shallan goes through, to put it lightly, massive changes throughout the series, but from the point when Jasnah returned, she was still the exact same.

Spoiler

At the end of WaT, this changes, since Jasnah was completely and utterly defeated by Taravangian, and she experiences somewhat of an existential crisis afterwards.

 

[Unintelligenius he/him]

19 hours ago, bedtime said:

Who are your favorite and least favorite characters in the Stormlight Archives?

My favorite is definitely Kaladin because of his plot relevance and growth. (definitely like his storyline and growth in Way of Kings, then later in the series, where his storyline feels a little repetative to me, excluding Wind and Truth)

My least favorite is probably Sedeas because, well, he's Sedeas. I don't like him as a character, but I do recognize his relevance to the story. (though venli is a close second because her storyline feels so slow and every time I read her POV, I kind of just want to skip to the next chapter and not read it)

[Ink and Embers Any pronouns]

Comedy value? Vision Nohadon

Interesting character with interesting foreshadowing points to analyse? Jasnah (also, she helped me through a hard time at one point, so I'll always be defensive of her)

I think Shallan is an interesting character and I like her a lot, but I felt the constant plot twists surrounding her got repetitive and she's ... not great DID representation. 

Moash was one of my least favourite characters as a person but favourite characters as a plot device until Wind and Truth, which I felt took away a great deal of his development. 

My least favourite is probably Sigzil. I just don't find him interesting, though that may be because we don't know much about him. I skim read almost all of his WaT scenes; they weren't nearly as interesting to me as the rest

[bedtime]

23 hours ago, Kansas Stormcursed said:

Favorite character: Kaladin, hands down. Favorite in terms of story purposes:

  Reveal hidden contents

Moash

And I don't like Venli

6 hours ago, Unintelligenius said:

(though venli is a close second because her storyline feels so slow and every time I read her POV, I kind of just want to skip to the next chapter and not read it)

I found Venli to be quite interesting, especially her relationship with her sister Eshonai (in RoW).

...

I'm surprised that a few of you have mentioned skimming through or wanting to skip sections. I've never had that feeling, even with Shallan. Though I have had this feeling in other books. Sanderson really has me dialed in, I suppose.

As for Shallan, stuff is happening (I'm on part 5 in RoW):

Spoiler

She's starting to be truthful to herself, and her personalities might be collapsing into one. It's wonderful to finally see!

So I'm starting to really like her again, as I did in the beginning.  Good times ahead? Maybe!

[KaladinTheKingOfHeralds He/Him]

On 4/16/2026 at 6:42 PM, Fizz9 said:

KALADIN is amazing. He just is. I can relate to the ups and downs he has and it's amazing. Lift is also amazing. She is sooo funny.

I think every character in SA is amazing though.

I very much agree on this. First off, Kaladin is the King Of The Heralds or the King Of Second Chances now. Second off, he is just perfect and very good character design and people can just make perfect fanart cause of the design Brandon did of Kaladin’s. Look at my profile for example.

My least favorite character probably is Adolin. He just didn’t get enough spice on his character for me to like him.

Edited April 27 by The_Shadow_Titan

[KnightSkye Reforged They/Them]

I would say my favorite character is Kaladin.  

Least favorite is Amaram. Closely followed by Gavilar, but Amaram is such a slontze. 

On 4/16/2026 at 4:29 PM, bedtime said:

Who are your favorite and least favorite characters in the Stormlight Archives?

My favorite—though this is likely not popular opinion—is Lift. Apparently, Brandon really likes her too, but I've heard lots of people saying she's a real turnoff due to her immaturity. She's young, and young people are typically childish. I've been so happy to see her in the books following Edgedancer. She's a nice change for me from the very serious characters that tend to fill most of the book.

As for my least favorite, it might be Shallan. RoW spoil:

  Reveal hidden contents

It's her multiple and changing personalities and the constant hiding of Shallan. I do like the mystery of what is going on and wondering who is doing things, but I'm really hoping that the supposed real Shallan returns.

That said, I don't dislike her. She's just not as I want her right now.

Was really curious what your favorites/least favorites are too.

I love Lift personally. High on my list. Always love her chapters. 

[Keke They/he]

On 4/16/2026 at 2:29 PM, bedtime said:

Who are your favorite and least favorite characters in the Stormlight Archives?

My favorite—though this is likely not popular opinion—is Lift. Apparently, Brandon really likes her too, but I've heard lots of people saying she's a real turnoff due to her immaturity. She's young, and young people are typically childish. I've been so happy to see her in the books following Edgedancer. She's a nice change for me from the very serious characters that tend to fill most of the book.

As for my least favorite, it might be Shallan. RoW spoil:

  Reveal hidden contents

It's her multiple and changing personalities and the constant hiding of Shallan. I do like the mystery of what is going on and wondering who is doing things, but I'm really hoping that the supposed real Shallan returns.

That said, I don't dislike her. She's just not as I want her right now.

Was really curious what your favorites/least favorites are too.

LIFT IS MY FV and HOIDDDDDD

i hate hate hate amaram and sadeas. 

*cries*

but i love lift

[Vatsug]

My favourite character is probably Adolin. However, Dalinar and Jasnah are also up there. 

For least favourite, I would probably say Lift, Venli, and perhaps controversially, Szeth. 

Lift I think becomes a bit better as the series goes on, but the writing in her chapters feel quite jarring. Venli is, eh. I'm not nearly as invested in the Singers as I am in the other characters, and she's the main Singer we follow. 

I don't really hate Szeth or anything, but I liked him much more prior to WaT. He was very cool as the assassin in white, but I feel like the more we got to know him, the less I liked him. However, it might be because I didn't really like the Shinnovar parts of WaT, and he gets the blame for all of it. 

Edited June 1 by Vatsug

[Xabben]

I would say that Shallan is, at the same time, one of my favourites and less favourite characters. I like Shallan from WoK, but I really hate her multiple personalities in later books (I'm still in the middle of RoW, so no spoilers please!). I mean, I get it, I like the story behind Shallan's traumas, but I really miss her old personality.

[Deception He/Him]

I like Jasnah and Dalinar the most. Jasnah because Elsecallers are cool and she is really good at her powers, and her philosophy of aspiration or whatever is interesting even if it may be immoral or she may be a hypocrite. Dalinar because Bondsmith and because he's just generally cool.

SADEAS SUCKS.