Which interlude characters will be important to the story?

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

I have heard that some of the interlude characters wont be important, and only have POVs to show off the world. Obviously, people like Szeth are important, but what about the others, Axies, Nan Balat, Ishikk and others? Who will be important and who is just there?

[flying_shadow she/her]

One of the books will have Lift's flashbacks, AFAIK. So I guess she'll be important.

[DSC01 he/him]

I think Rysn, Lift, and Axies will all be important. Axies probably less than the other two. I think Eshonai fits with Szeth as being someone who is obviously important--Taravangian, too.

 

I doubt we'll see Geranid and Ashir or Ishikk again--at least not as anything but very minor characters. Baxil's mistress will definitely show up again, but I don't know about Baxil himself (though you never know: I certainly didn't expect Gaz to resurface the way he did). Poor Ym... Well, we can all agree that his story is probably over. Nan Balat will probably show up again, but I don't think he'll be all that important. I'm not completely sure of that, but I think he really only got his own interlude because we needed to get a little bit of insight into Shallan's background during The Way of Kings, even though it wasn't her book.

[Stormgate he/him]

As much as he is a kind character, Ym is probably not critical to the plot.

[The Ninja Yodeler he/him]

Im gonna be upset if Axies turns out to just be a tool to show off the world. As it was put to me on the Kandra Worldhopper thread, whts the point of having an Aimian POV (1) if hes not an Aimian(cause I thought he could be the Kandra WH), (2) if hes ONLY used to show off other parts of Roshar. You couod literally put ANY other toon in his place & do that.

Edited December 1, 2015 by The Ninja Yodeler

[Patar he/him]

I am fairly certain that Zahel will be pretty important at some point. Especially with what happened at the end of Words of Radiance. 

[CalaCrisp88]

Zahel is definitely going to important. People have speculated that Vasher = Zahel, and I agree with that theory. Nightblood now belongs to Szeth. We know Nightblood is important because Sanderson said he originally had Nightblood in SA, but he wrote Warbreaker in order to introduce Nightblood and explain how he was created. Vasher may have come to Roshar because he was aware that something happened with Nightblood.

[DSC01 he/him]

It's been confirmed, actually. In fact, Vasher was originally written for The Stormlight Archive. 

[Guest]

I believe it has also been confirmed Vasher was not going to be a major character in the Stormlight Archive. This is not his series.

[Vander]

I believe it has also been confirmed Vasher was not going to be a major character in the Stormlight Archive. This is not his series.

Hmm... was anything said about what'll happen with Nightblood?

[Stormgate he/him]

I don't think Sanderson would write an entire book (Warbreaker) to explain the backstory of a worldhopping, Investiture-devouring, sentient sword.

[Yata he/him]

Ishikk was usefull to introduce the Purelake, the 17th Shard agents and the quest to find Hoid. I doubt that himself is usefull as character beyond that.

[FormlessFox he/him]

I don't think Sanderson would write an entire book (Warbreaker) to explain the backstory of a worldhopping, Investiture-devouring, sentient sword.

Isn't the second book in Warbreaker tentatively titled "Nightblood"?

 

Ishikk was usefull to introduce the Purelake, the 17th Shard agents and the quest to find Hoid. I doubt that himself is usefull as character beyond that.

Kind of like Demoux in Mistborn... who never had a PoV(?)... then worldhopped.  Ishikk might know more than he is letting on.

 

With Brandon you never know!

[Jondesu he/him]

I don't think Sanderson would write an entire book (Warbreaker) to explain the backstory of a worldhopping, Investiture-devouring, sentient sword.

 

 

Isn't the second book in Warbreaker tentatively titled "Nightblood"?

 

Pretty sure Stormgate was being sarcastic, since that was indeed the reason why Warbreaker was written.

 

jW

[Stormgate he/him]

Actually, I forgot to finish my thought. The second part was that he wouldn't write the backstory for it and then not make it important. I apologize for the confusion.

[DSC01 he/him]

Agreed. I think that Vasher/Zahel will become an important character later on. A supporting character, to be sure, but still important. He really was just a supporting character in Warbreaker, even though he was a major supporting character. I doubt he'll have as big a role in The Stormlight Archive, but honestly, if you devoted as many words as he got in Warbreaker to him in a SA book, it probably would still seem like he was a rather minor character. Keep in mind, a Stormlight volume is almost twice as long as Warbreaker.