MitchBade he/him Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 If this has been answered a link to the thread is all I need, but I was wondering if anyone knows whether or not Zahel (Vasher) is going to have a significant role in the Stormlight Archive or even his own POV book? I read that Warbreaker was written as a prequel to his role in SA so I figured he must get a decent amount of involvement in the plot of this series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsecaller3414 she/her Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 He probably will have a significant role because he is a Worldhopper. Not entirely sure though. Demoux, Galladon and whoever else was with them have not reappeared as far as I know, so it could just be that he is there just for the fun of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamEternal Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Vasher was created originaly for The Way of Kings, them adapted into Warbreaker, so I hope Zahel will be relevant to the main plot, perhaps as much as Wit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchBade he/him Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 He probably will have a significant role because he is a Worldhopper. Not entirely sure though. Demoux, Galladon and whoever else was with them have not reappeared as far as I know, so it could just be that he is there just for the fun of it. the thing about this though is that they only appear in the story once so far, where as Vasher is in several scenes And he has an interlude from his POV, which the other worldhoppers do not. I hope he has more of a role than Wit, his bits are always really entertaining but short lived. If Vasher does play a significant role it would be interesting if he ends up bonding a spren, although I'm not sure if a splinter of one shard could bond with the splinter of another. Some sort of "this isn't even my final form" rust lol. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeiryWriter he/him Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 I'd say it is very unlikely that Vasher will end up being one of the 10 flashback characters. Not only is he not in Brandon's current line-up (Kaladin, Shallan, Szeth, Eshonai, Dalinar, Renarin, Jasnah, Lift, Taln, and Shalash) but Brandon has never even mentioned the possibility of him being one. Essentially Warbreaker and Nightblood are his flashback books. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchBade he/him Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 I'd say it is very unlikely that Vasher will end up being one of the 10 flashback characters. Not only is he not in Brandon's current line-up (Kaladin, Shallan, Szeth, Eshonai, Dalinar, Renarin, Jasnah, Lift, Taln, and Shalash) but Brandon has never even mentioned the possibility of him being one. Essentially Warbreaker and Nightblood are his flashback books. Good point. But do you think he will have a more significant role, like Adolin or Navani? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AerionBFII he/him Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 I imagine he will become a major part of the story, I don't think he will be getting his own SA Book though. Im guessing he will play mentor and friend to Kaladin, Adolin and Renarin. I have a theory he will be using his Divine Breath in this series as well as giving some depth to Nightblood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsecaller3414 she/her Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 The only thing that bugs me about that is that Warbreaker was not my favorite Sanderson book, and SA is my all-time favorite. I don't like crossovers. To me, it should be that some particular powers are only relevant on one world, not two or three. The Surgebinding belongs on Roshar, and Breath does not. Sorry, Warbreaker fans, but that's just how I feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zas678 he/him Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 If it's any consolation, I don't think any major plot points will be affected by crossover magic. Brandon said that he doesn't want people to have to read other series before other series, because that's just silly. It'll eventually happen (the rumored Hoid stories, or the last MB trilogy), but I don't think it'll be a major plot point in SA. Except for Nightblood. But he's basically a Shardblade-spren anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchBade he/him Posted May 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 (edited) Yeah I honestly doubt that Zahel will use breath at all in SA. Its more likely that his breath gives him a Surgebinding Set identical to one of the Orders and other characters and the readers are left to assume he has bonded a spren. Or we will only see passive abilities granted by Breath like heightened life sense and just assume he is a baller assassin. Edited May 13, 2015 by MitchBade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsecaller3414 she/her Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 Well, he does need Breath to stay alive, so he will use it in an extent such as that. Otherwise, I really hope not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AerionBFII he/him Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 (edited) @Elsecaller3414 How long has Zahel been slumming it on Roshar? BRANDON SANDERSONFor quite a long time, on this planet he can get something quite easily that is much harder to get where he came from. It makes a kind of pragmatic sense to me, he is weary of roaming around Nalthis procuring BREATHS to stay alive, so he comes to Roshar where the investiture comes naturally through the Highstorms. Less effort twice the natural nourishment~~~~ Besides Vasher was in the original 2002 storyline and he's currently been on Roshar for 12 earth years Edited May 14, 2015 by WEZ313 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natc Posted May 15, 2015 Report Share Posted May 15, 2015 That's just how many years since the character's relationship with Roshar has existed from the the real life perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsecaller3414 she/her Posted May 15, 2015 Report Share Posted May 15, 2015 So, can Vasher/Zahel take Breath out of people forcefully? Like, was that what he was talking about in the prologue of Warbreaker? I am re-reading it, and I just feel that that needs a bit of clarification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxal she/her Posted May 15, 2015 Report Share Posted May 15, 2015 Good point. But do you think he will have a more significant role, like Adolin or Navani? Significant like Navani, perhaps. Significant like Adolin, I hope not. After all, SA is not his book: Warbreaker and Nightblood are. I would not want him to take up too much of the plot line, but having his role as a mentor being better develop could be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamEternal Posted May 15, 2015 Report Share Posted May 15, 2015 So, can Vasher/Zahel take Breath out of people forcefully? Like, was that what he was talking about in the prologue of Warbreaker? I am re-reading it, and I just feel that that needs a bit of clarification. If I remember correctly he was actualy referencing his supressed divine breath, wich would guarantee an instant fifth heightening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cracknut he/him Posted May 15, 2015 Report Share Posted May 15, 2015 (edited) If Wit/Hoid can play an important role in SA there's no reason why Vasher couldn't. Problem with Vasher using Awakening "maybe ruining SA for fans who don't like crossovers or just WB" is nothing compared to what Hoid can do. Thing is, BS will pull this off so well that everyone will love it anyway so there's nothing to worry about Obviously, if he decides to do it and I personally think that Zahel isn't just a small cameo that won't be doing anything important. But I'm sure he won't be getting as much attention as most of the side characters have been getting so far. Edited May 15, 2015 by Cracknut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxal she/her Posted May 15, 2015 Report Share Posted May 15, 2015 If Wit/Hoid can play an important role in SA there's no reason why Vasher couldn't. Problem with Vasher using Awakening "maybe ruining SA for fans who don't like crossovers or just WB" is nothing compared to what Hoid can do. Thing is, BS will pull this off so well that everyone will love it anyway so there's nothing to worry about Obviously, if he decides to do it and I personally think that Zahel isn't just a small cameo that won't be doing anything important. But I'm sure he won't be getting as much attention as most of the side characters have been getting so far. Has it been stated Hoid will be playing a major role in SA? Currently, he is a very, very, very minor character. A popular one, yes, but I would not even rate him as a secondary character. I have always assumed his role would remain peripheral in this series, just as I think Zahel will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsecaller3414 she/her Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 If I remember correctly he was actualy referencing his supressed divine breath, wich would guarantee an instant fifth heightening. In that case, how would you explain when he (supposedly) has no breaths at the beginning? Is it fatal to give away all your Breaths if you Awaken something, or, because it is temporary, he can recover them, so no big deal? He said something about forcingly receiving Breath, but he didn't want to do that, so... I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arondell Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) Has it been stated Hoid will be playing a major role in SA? Currently, he is a very, very, very minor character. A popular one, yes, but I would not even rate him as a secondary character. I have always assumed his role would remain peripheral in this series, just as I think Zahel will be. Just beacause Hoid doesn't get a lot of screen time doesn't make him minor. He has already shown the most amazing ability to show up at pivotal moments and influence outcomes. Likewise Zahel has had a number of influential scenes. (e.g. Advising Kaladin to take the action that would let him sleep.) Edited May 16, 2015 by Arondell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natc Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) Has it been stated Hoid will be playing a major role in SA? Currently, he is a very, very, very minor character. A popular one, yes, but I would not even rate him as a secondary character. I have always assumed his role would remain peripheral in this series, just as I think Zahel will be. No, a very very very minor character would be like one of the nameless scribes, or the hypothetical people in charge of helping Adolin with bathroom business in his shardplate. Hoid has been influencing at least three major characters outright and shows up to all the important arrivals in the epilogues. He isn't that minor. Edited May 16, 2015 by natc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxal she/her Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 No, a very very very minor character would be like one of the nameless scribes, or the hypothetical people in charge of helping Adolin with bathroom business in his shardplate. Hoid has been influencing at least three major characters outright and shows up to all the important arrivals in the epilogues. He isn't that minor. Alright, so perhaps not so minor, but not major either. I guess my perception is strongly influenced by my own interpretation of what makes a character major or minor. For me, a major character is one with a significant number of POV, one pivotal to the main action, one with character growth, one with ups and down I can feel... Based on this, only four characters make the cut as major, several I rank as secondary characters, others a simply tertiary. I tend to put Hoid in the later group as his actions are somewhat limited in-book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Guardian he/him Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 In that case, how would you explain when he (supposedly) has no breaths at the beginning? Is it fatal to give away all your Breaths if you Awaken something, or, because it is temporary, he can recover them, so no big deal? He said something about forcingly receiving Breath, but he didn't want to do that, so... I don't know. He actually states that "One could not take breath by force." I think the line you're referring to though is when he mentions that he "...could, of course,have up to the Fifth Heightening at any time, if he wished. That would require certain sacrifices he wasn't willing to make." Vasher keeps his divine breath (which would give him 5th heightening) repressed all the time and only ever uses the breath he's collected on top of that. Since his single divine breath is what keeps him alive, I believe that using it for awakening would kill him, but his body only consumes a single (of the extra) breath, once a week to sustain him, instead of consuming his divine breath, which leaves him free to use all of the extra breath as he pleases, with no ramifications to himself as long as he has that 1 extra to consume weekly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moogle Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) In that case, how would you explain when he (supposedly) has no breaths at the beginning? Is it fatal to give away all your Breaths if you Awaken something, or, because it is temporary, he can recover them, so no big deal? He said something about forcingly receiving Breath, but he didn't want to do that, so... I don't know. You can temporarily have no Breaths as a Returned and be fine. Returned live a week without any extra Breaths. Edit: Though I should say, it's not necessarily a week they live for. WoB: SkylerIf a returned gives away his/her breath they die right? So why doesn't Vasher die after he gives his to Denth? Brandon Sanderson They will die the moment they run out of breath to harvest. Once a week their body needs a breath in order to survive. Each Returned has one single superpowered breath. Imagine it as one breath that propels them up through the Heightenings, but it is only a single breath. It's what we speak of in Shard world terminology as a Splinter. And when the seventh day comes, if a Returned does not have another breath for his body to consume to keep him alive, his body will actually eat his divine breath and kill him. So they don't die immediately after they get rid of the breath, they're sort of put into a state of limbo where if they don't find more breath by the time that their feast day comes, then they will die. (Vasher did not give his Returned breath to Denth, just a number of normal breaths.) (source) Edited May 16, 2015 by Moogle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamEternal Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) In that case, how would you explain when he (supposedly) has no breaths at the beginning? Is it fatal to give away all your Breaths if you Awaken something, or, because it is temporary, he can recover them, so no big deal? He said something about forcingly receiving Breath, but he didn't want to do that, so... I don't know.He can supress his divine breath, as he explains in the end of the book. Doing this also makes the divine breath stop counting as a breath towards his heightening count and makes it invisible, so if his only breath is a supressed divine breath it is as if he had no breaths, since he is a drab and can't use it to awaken without killing himself.Supressing it also keeps it from being given by the "By breath to yours." command. Edited May 16, 2015 by CognitivePulsePattern 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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