Kaladin's family reunion (Stormlight spoilers)

[The Honor Spren she/her]

What do you think will happen when Kaladin goes back home?

I have a few ideas about what will happen, but I don't have any reason for them, other than my own fantasizing.

• his parent(s) could be dead. That's just the way his life goes, and I wouldn't be surprised if it happened, only devastated

• Some sort of combination of these events: Roshone is dead of old age, Laral is pregnant with his child, or Laral is bonded to a spren.

• If his parents are alive, will they be happy or disappointed in him? Probably happy, they are parents after all.

Comment below with your theories! I don't really care how far fetched they are, I just want to hear them! Thank you!

[DreamEternal]

Lirin will be a KR. I mean, he is a very virtuous person, very competent in his choosen field, lives to help others, seems to make people around him more moral, and is broken by the loss of his children. Seems much more likely than Laral.

[11thorderknight]

Lirin will be a KR. I mean, he is a very virtuous person, very competent in his choosen field, lives to help others, seems to make people around him more moral, and is broken by the loss of his children. Seems much more likely than Laral.

 

This. From what we know of him, I bet he turns out to be a Stoneward (Dedicated/Resourceful)

[Kelek's Breath he/him]

This. From what we know of him, I bet he turns out to be a Stoneward (Dedicated/Resourceful)

To become a radiant, he would have had to break down after Kaladin and Tien left (plausible since he knows that one is dead and the other missing), but as a Stoneward? That's more of a militaristic order, and remember Lirin's motto?

"You can't kill to protect" (or something of the sort - don't have my book handy). Maybe as an Edgedancer or a Truthwatcher (both have power of regrowth)?

 

If anything, Roshone will still be alive and kicking to present some form of a character growth for Kaladin.

 

Kalaldin's parents I think will have left Hearthstone to move back with Hesina's parents, who may or may not be lighteyes. I suspect that going back home and not finding his parents there will be Kaladin's growth moment, where he has to decide to either keep looking for his parents, or go to Kholinar and help protect the people there. So, no family re-union, at least in the beginning of the book.

[Varyn he/him]

To become a radiant, he would have had to break down after Kaladin and Tien left (plausible since he knows that one is dead and the other missing), but as a Stoneward? That's more of a militaristic order, and remember Lirin's motto?

"You can't kill to protect" (or something of the sort - don't have my book handy). Maybe as an Edgedancer or a Truthwatcher (both have power of regrowth)?

 

If anything, Roshone will still be alive and kicking to present some form of a character growth for Kaladin.

 

Kalaldin's parents I think will have left Hearthstone to move back with Hesina's parents, who may or may not be lighteyes. I suspect that going back home and not finding his parents there will be Kaladin's growth moment, where he has to decide to either keep looking for his parents, or go to Kholinar and help protect the people there. So, no family re-union, at least in the beginning of the book.

This. I can't see Kaladin's parents being there right from the start of the book, simply for the sake of his character growth. Finding his parents there and having the opportunity to take revenge on Roshone - if he's still there - just seems too much a moment of happiness. I agree in that I think Kaladin will have to make a decision.

[DreamEternal]

Except he CAN'T take revenge on Roshone. It would be like when he lost his stormlight while fighting Adolin at best, and Elhokar 2.0 at worst.

[maxal she/her]

Whatever happens, I only hope his parents won't be dead as I do not want him to deal with having fail to protect *again* a close family member. I feel this plot arc has been done with Tien and killing his parents before he manages to get some closure with them would seem like a reenactment. 

 

Anything else are good suggestions. My favorite pet theory is Lirin and Hesina had another child after Kaladin left.

[Guest]

What do we know about Roshone?

He considers himself more important than he is.

The last time he had to deal with high-nahn Lighters, he tossed them in jail to "wait"

As far as Roshone is concerned, that incident would've worked out fine if Dalinar hadn't stepped in.

Based on this, I suspect Kaladin's parents are going to be alive, rotting in jail, and probably very sick and weak. I suspect his mother will be dead, but if she's alive I won't be surprised. They are "awaiting a fair trial. Because they are such important Darkeyes, only Sadeas himself can conduct such a trial"

After he breaks his parents out of jail, he'll go to confront Roshone. His father will tell him not to, and that you can't kill to protect, and for the first time ever Kaladin will agree with him.

At this point, they'll either leave Hearthstone with Roshone's men in pursuit, or Kaladin will go to Roshone, pick him up like an infant, and toss him in jail "to await "Sadeas' judgement"

That's my rough prediction.

[king of nowhere]

laws of narrative make it likely that his parents, roshone and laral will be alive. i  mean, you don't normally set up characters like that just to drop a bridge on them. there are of ccourse exeptions, which is why i merely said "likely".

[Guest]

laws of narrative make it likely that his parents, roshone and laral will be alive. i mean, you don't normally set up characters like that just to drop a bridge on them. there are of ccourse exeptions, which is why i merely said "likely".

On the other hand, killing a character we haven't spent time with has very little impact. Part of Story is showing us the details of a person's life so that when you end that life, the reader feels the loss.

Ever since I read the first Game of Thrones book my brain has assumed that ANYONE can die from something as random as a falling branch.

[maxal she/her]

What do we know about Roshone?

He considers himself more important than he is.

The last time he had to deal with high-nahn Lighters, he tossed them in jail to "wait"

As far as Roshone is concerned, that incident would've worked out fine if Dalinar hadn't stepped in.

 

Roshone was a high ranking lighteyes who once was very important. You don't get out of this mind frame simply because you have been banished to a small town. It is logical and understandable he would behave more importantly than he really was, now. Is it really Dalinar who step in? If it were for Dalinar only, he would be dead. Elhokar asked for leniency. 

 

 

Based on this, I suspect Kaladin's parents are going to be alive, rotting in jail, and probably very sick and weak. I suspect his mother will be dead, but if she's alive I won't be surprised. They are "awaiting a fair trial. Because they are such important Darkeyes, only Sadeas himself can conduct such a trial"

After he breaks his parents out of jail, he'll go to confront Roshone. His father will tell him not to, and that you can't kill to protect, and for the first time ever Kaladin will agree with him.

At this point, they'll either leave Hearthstone with Roshone's men in pursuit, or Kaladin will go to Roshone, pick him up like an infant, and toss him in jail "to await "Sadeas' judgement"

That's my rough prediction.

 

Why would Kaladin's parents be rotting in prison? On which ground would Roshone have justified their imprisonment? Despite what we may think he cannot do as he wished. If he could have thrown Kaladin's parents into prison, he would have done a long time ago, but he can't. He can't prove Lirin stole those spheres. He sees Lirin as responsible of his son's death. He isn't, but I cannot fault Roshone in this. Lirin did choose not to threat the son, mainly because he knew there was nothing he could have done, but Roshone did not see it this way. Can you blame him? Can you blame him for holding a grudge against Lirin? It is unfounded, but it was a highly emotional situation: he lost his son. From there on, Roshone planned his revenge. He thus decided to take Lirin's son life by sending him to the army, a very despicable and vengeful act.... but I still do not see why he would imprison Lirin now he took both his sons away. He won. Period. And he does not have justification to put them in jail, so no I would say this is highly improbable.

 

My prediction? The towns folks warmed up to Lirin and Hesina after seeing them lost both their sons. When the news of Tien's death and Kaladin's slavery reached their eyes, they became more supportive. So I sincerely doubt Kaladin's parents are in a bad situation. They are fine, if you ask me, as fine as they can be considering they have their two children.

[kaellok he/him]

On the other hand, killing a character we haven't spent time with has very little impact. Part of Story is showing us the details of a person's life so that when you end that life, the reader feels the loss.

Ever since I read the first Game of Thrones book my brain has assumed that ANYONE can die from something as random as a falling branch.

Just apply horror-movie logic to Game of Thrones, and you'll be able to predict who dies next with incredible accuracy.  Add in the "attempting to go for biggest shock/twist, rather than what is best for story" lens of viewing things, and books 1-3 you'll have near perfect.  Arya and Sansa remaining the sole exceptions that, according to this logic, should have died long ago, but haven't.

 

For Sanderson's work, any killing any of the major characters from Kaladin's past (parents, Roshone, Laral, etc.) won't be for us as readers to feel the loss directly, but rather to feel it through Kaladin.  That he did basically the same thing with Tien means it's not super likely to happen again, but it may.

 

Why would Kaladin's parents be rotting in prison? On which ground would Roshone have justified their imprisonment? Despite what we may think he cannot do as he wished. If he could have thrown Kaladin's parents into prison, he would have done a long time ago, but he can't. He can't prove Lirin stole those spheres. He sees Lirin as responsible of his son's death. He isn't, but I cannot fault Roshone in this. Lirin did choose not to threat the son, mainly because he knew there was nothing he could have done, but Roshone did not see it this way. Can you blame him? Can you blame him for holding a grudge against Lirin? It is unfounded, but it was a highly emotional situation: he lost his son. From there on, Roshone planned his revenge. He thus decided to take Lirin's son life by sending him to the army, a very despicable and vengeful act.... but I still do not see why he would imprison Lirin now he took both his sons away. He won. Period. And he does not have justification to put them in jail, so no I would say this is highly improbable.

 

My prediction? The towns folks warmed up to Lirin and Hesina after seeing them lost both their sons. When the news of Tien's death and Kaladin's slavery reached their eyes, they became more supportive. So I sincerely doubt Kaladin's parents are in a bad situation. They are fine, if you ask me, as fine as they can be considering they have their two children.

Honestly, I don't see Roshone stopping his campaign against them just because he 'won.'  He's the type of person that would want the domination of complete and utter victory, which cannot occur while Lirin is alive.  Remember that Roshone was fighting against Lirin, and Lirin was fighting for Kaladin.  Kaladin leaving, and Tien dying, simply means that Lirin has much less to fight for--but Roshone is still very much in it.  And what townsperson is going to stand with Lirin, against Roshone, when they know that it could cost them their children (as standing against Roshone cost Lirin both his sons)?

 

I absolutely do not see Kaladin's parents still living in Hearthstone.  If they are, I don't see it being a happy and/or supportive environment for them.

[Unhinged he/him]

Except he CAN'T take revenge on Roshone. It would be like when he lost his stormlight while fighting Adolin at best, and Elhokar 2.0 at worst.

 

Well revenge doesn't have to involve killing Roshone, there are plenty of things Kaladin could probably get away with doing like embarrassing him in front of everybody. preferably by doing something awesome like brutally slaughtering the Voidbringers while Roshone hides like a coward and then calling him out on it. or if that doesn't work I'm sure that he could convince Syl to let him at least scare the crap out of Roshone with his sharblade.

[Erai Sedai he/him]

i kinda really hope his mum and dad are still alive.

[maxal she/her]

Well revenge doesn't have to involve killing Roshone, there are plenty of things Kaladin could probably get away with doing like embarrassing him in front of everybody. preferably by doing something awesome like brutally slaughtering the Voidbringers while Roshone hides like a coward and then calling him out on it. or if that doesn't work I'm sure that he could convince Syl to let him at least scare the crap out of Roshone with his sharblade.

 

I do not want Kaladin to extract revenge on Roshone. Revenge, I feel, goes outside his character. I want Kaladin to walk pass Roshone, to see him and continue down his road.

[ljósmóður she/her]

I do not want Kaladin to extract revenge on Roshone. Revenge, I feel, goes outside his character. I want Kaladin to walk pass Roshone, to see him and continue down his road.

 

This - I want Roshone to get his comeuppance but I don't want it to be Kaladin who brings it. I want Kaladin to be occupying the higher moral ground. The only time I would want to see Kaladin involved in some sort of "revenge" against Roshone would be if Roshone was terrorising the people of Heartstone and Kaladin steps in to protect them as per his vows. Laral didn't make a huge impression on me to be honest so I'm not terribly invested in what becomes of her.

 

I think the idea that his parents have left Hearthstone would be interesting. I certainly don't see that Roshone would have ended his campaign against them. There's the section isn't there (don't have my book to hand) when

 

Kaladin signs up to protect Tien and Roshone shows a moment of grim satisfaction but when he gets back into his carriage, he is still bitter and his son is still dead. Revenge hasn't brought him any comfort or closure.

 

Under those circumstances, I think he'd continue his campaign against Kaladin's parents in some sort of misguided search for peace and I think he could well have been successful in driving them out. That would take Kaladin to Kholinar - I'd like the reunion to take place there - it would be chance for us as readers to find out more about Kholinar and the queen and the circumstances there. I think both parents will be alive. Hesina will be overjoyed to reunite with her son but there will be some initial tension between Lirin and Kaladin, as Lirin struggles to make sense of how Kaladin has managed to merge the soldier/surgeon parts of his personality as a KR. I think it'll come good though - the bond between them is too strong for it to end badly. As for Lirin being a KR? Interesting possibility. I'd prefer him not to be, as it makes the relationship between him and his radiant son more interesting. If he is though:

 

he'll be on Nalen's hitlist because of the stolen spheres won't he? Assuming, the herald is still in the business of taking out incipient radiants.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Mrs.K.Stormblessed

[Guest]

Well revenge doesn't have to involve killing Roshone, there are plenty of things Kaladin could probably get away with doing like embarrassing him in front of everybody. preferably by doing something awesome like brutally slaughtering the Voidbringers while Roshone hides like a coward and then calling him out on it. or if that doesn't work I'm sure that he could convince Syl to let him at least scare the crap out of Roshone with his sharblade.

His oath's after the 1st aren't about killing, they're about protecting. Compared to Kaladin, Roshone is basically a large infant, and I suspect he will need to be very careful about how he deals with him. If he does ANYTHING to Roshone with the Intent of Revenge it will damage his bond, but on the other hand if Kaladin arrives and Roshone is holding Laral hostage, Kaladin can kill him to Protect her.

[Guest]

I do not want Kaladin to extract revenge on Roshone. Revenge, I feel, goes outside his character. I want Kaladin to walk pass Roshone, to see him and continue down his road.

Revenge is very much in Kaladin's character, it's why he was helping to see Elhokar dead. Remember that Kaladin didn't agree to help until after he found Elhokar was responsible for sending Roshone to Hearthstone.

That said, his discovery of the Third Ideal will begin to reshape his character, so going forward it will likely be a lesser part of his character.

[maxal she/her]

This - I want Roshone to get his comeuppance but I don't want it to be Kaladin who brings it. I want Kaladin to be occupying the higher moral ground. The only time I would want to see Kaladin involved in some sort of "revenge" against Roshone would be if Roshone was terrorising the people of Heartstone and Kaladin steps in to protect them as per his vows. Laral didn't make a huge impression on me to be honest so I'm not terribly invested in what becomes of her.

 

I am going to go even further. I want Kaladin to save Roshone because the current circumstances would call for him to protect him. This is the revenge I want for Kaladin: to prove he is the better man by putting his old grief against Roshone in order to save his life, because it would be the right thing to do. Or perhaps Kaladin could save Roshone and Laral's child. In any advent, I want Roshone to look at Kaladin and ask him: "Why, why did you do it, after all I have done to you, why did you save XYZ?" To which I want Kaladin to respond: "Because it was the right thing to do".

 

THIS is what I want for Kaladin because petty vengeance only bring you so far as we can see with Roshone. Sending Tien and Kaladin to war did not offset his grief over having lost his son.

 

I do not care so much about Laral. I simply wish for her to find a path towards happiness, whatever it may be, but I do not want her to become a Radiant.

 

 

 

Under those circumstances, I think he'd continue his campaign against Kaladin's parents in some sort of misguided search for peace and I think he could well have been successful in driving them out. That would take Kaladin to Kholinar - I'd like the reunion to take place there - it would be chance for us as readers to find out more about Kholinar and the queen and the circumstances there. I think both parents will be alive. Hesina will be overjoyed to reunite with her son but there will be some initial tension between Lirin and Kaladin, as Lirin struggles to make sense of how Kaladin has managed to merge the soldier/surgeon parts of his personality as a KR. I think it'll come good though - the bond between them is too strong for it to end badly. As for Lirin being a KR? Interesting possibility. I'd prefer him not to be, as it makes the relationship between him and his radiant son more interesting. If he is though:

 

Wherever Kaladin's parents went to, I want them alive and I want Kaladin to find them and make peace. The last thing I want is Kaladin beating himself up for failing them: it would be too repetitive. 

 

I do not want Lirin to become a knight. In fact, I do not want every single named character to become knights. I would prefer is the redundant knight were taken out of named characters NOT related to the main ones.

[Botanica she/her]

I remember a WoB saying that Kaladin's parents are still alive. Okay, found it:

 

Q: Are Kaladin's parents still alive, and if so, are they actually mad at him?
A: Yes, they are still alive. RAFO.

 

(Source)

[Sasori he/him]

I remember a WoB saying that Kaladin's parents are still alive. Okay, found it:

 

 

(Source)

 

Green thing for you, for good information. I hope they are well, I would not want Kaladin finds them wounded or in prison, Roshone has a bad history of this :S

[natc]

Omg it's Kyubey!

RUN!

[The Honor Spren she/her]

I have to admit, I don't really care what happens to Laral, I just want to know what DOES happen. I don't think Brandon would leave that just dangling, and you never get find out what became of her.
I DO like the idea of Kaladin saving Roshone, after all he had done to him, just because that's the right thing to do. I like that idea a lot. Even if that doesn't happen, there has to be some sort of confrontation with the City Lord(s) though.

 

Edit: Thank you for all these theories guys!

Edited June 8, 2015 by WeiryWriter
please don't double post, use the edit feature

[maxal she/her]

I have to admit, I don't really care what happens to Laral, I just want to know what DOES happen. I don't think Brandon would leave that just dangling, and you never get find out what became of her.

I DO like the idea of Kaladin saving Roshone, after all he had done to him, just because that's the right thing to do. I like that idea a lot. Even if that doesn't happen, there has to be some sort of confrontation with the City Lord(s) though.

 

I want Kaladin to earn leadership and respect, him who has be so keen on the merit as opposed to birth rank. I want Kaladin to prove he is the better man, so yeah this plot line is absolutely awesome. It would fit nicely into Kaladin's character development as well.

[king of nowhere]

i think kaladin has to take charge of the survivors. he is certainly a much better leader than roshone. he can certainly put roshone in his place without breaking any of his wows. if roshone triies to fight him there is the chance kaladin may be justified in killing him. another possibility would be that kaladin saves roshone, and roshone has a change of heart and repents his past misdeeds. that could be awesome, but it stretches believability. he definitely looks like the kind of person who, upon being saved by the man he hates, will think "i can't believe how stupid this guy is" and go on plotting against him.

as for laral, i would like for her to respect kaladin and find happyness. i don't care if she becomes a love interest or if she's left behind, but she spent hher whole life as a bargaining chip and i wish she got something better than roshone.

 

Of course, if this was the song of ice and fire, then both kaladin''s parents woud be dead, roshone would be dead, kaladin would save laral from the voidbringers but she would die from the flu she got standing out in the cold and rain. brandon however doesn't write that way. The laws of narrative are a fine line to walk: they exist because, when you analyze them, you see they make for a better story, but if you foollow them too strictly you are predictable and your story is a clichè. you have to respect them enough to get a good story, but violate them enough that the reader won't know what to expect. so, it is perfectly possible one of the four characters set up from kaladin's past - his parents, roshone and laral - was only meant to be randomly killed. however, all of kaladin's backstory smells of unfinished business. i think it will get a sense of closure