Syl's momentarily changed form

[Erklitt]

I don't know if this has ever been discussed, I can't find a thread about it.

There's a scene in a chasm where Kaladin wonders whether he's the only one with a beginning Nahel bond. Syl says at some point: "I just ... I don't know what I know." but it's not quite clear whether she's thinking about Kaladin's original question at that moment.

Then follows this scene, which makes me wonder every time I read it:

Quote

Syl landed on the side of the pool, looking like a woman standing on an ocean's shore. Kaladin frowned, leaning down to inspect her more closely. She seemed ... different. Had her face changed shape?

"There are others like you,", Syl whispered. "I do not know them, but I know that other spren are trying, in their own way, to reclaim what was lost."

She looked at him, and her face now had its familiar form. The fleeting change had been so subtle, Kaladin wasn't sure if he'd imagined it.

WoR Chapter 9 Walking the Grave, p. 133 (Kindle edition)

What made Syl change for a moment? I cannot imagine this is meaningless or just a wrong impression on Kaladin's part. Yet, after several rereads, I've still found no possible explanation. My only idea is that maybe at that moment, she makes some connection to Shadesmar, retrieving knowledge she didn't have before, with the result that she now remembers she's not the only spren that has tried to bond. But that seems a little far fetched.

Ideas? Or definite solutions I just haven't been able to find?

[What's a Seawolf?]

I had the same thought during my current reread.  It would be very unBrandon-like for that scene to mean nothing, but I can't come up with any significant explanation.

The only thing I can think of, similar to what you mentioned, is that in that moment Syl somehow (maybe unconsciously) greatly increased her connection to Shadesmar to try and answer Kaladin's question, understanding it's importance and maybe not wanting him to feel so alone.  So the brief image change is her reverting to her more 'actual' image, i.e. that is her most accurate, age appropriate image.  (Her looking and acting more childlike since she bonded Kal because she lost her memories.)

[Argent he/him]

Foreshadowing? Almost certainly. Of what? I don't know. 

I've added this to the list of questions I want to eventually ask Brandon.

Edited July 5, 2016 by Argent

[Erklitt]

2 hours ago, What's a Seawolf? said:

I had the same thought during my current reread.  It would be very unBrandon-like for that scene to mean nothing, but I can't come up with any significant explanation.

The only thing I can think of, similar to what you mentioned, is that in that moment Syl somehow (maybe unconsciously) greatly increased her connection to Shadesmar to try and answer Kaladin's question, understanding it's importance and maybe not wanting him to feel so alone.  So the brief image change is her reverting to her more 'actual' image, i.e. that is her most accurate, age appropriate image.  (Her looking and acting more childlike since she bonded Kal because she lost her memories.)

Funny, I was so close and yet the different appearances of Pattern in the physical and cognitive realms didn't occur to me in this context! Talk of being blind... then maybe that really is not quite as far fetched as I thought. Thanks! (You already got my upvote earlier today)