When will Shallan bust out her big secret?

[ragingdomer]

First post here, love the site and think it is really well done.

 

My big question is when will Shallan bust out you know what?

 

I had been hoping she would give to Dalinar in a major moment of need, but with the issues she's experiencing it may need to be in self defense. 

 

I am also worried we might see a bit of an Amaram confiscating situation if she reveals it.

 

Any thoughts or hints out there on when this might happen?

[Shardlet]

Well, I wouldn't be surprised to see it summoned in her next chapter.  She has almost summoned it in a few situations less dire than what is potentially occurring on the boat.  If it is simply a fire, then no.  If it is an attack, then it will quite possibly pop up.  

 

As to confiscation, I suspect that Jasnah would be shocked but would err on discretion and keep it between herself and Shallan. 

[Peng the Just]

I am hoping to see it summoned pretty early in WoR. Maybe to help fight off a parshendi attack?

[Pinpoint]

Who knows? Maybe she'll use it to give Amaram a proper kick into repentance. You never know with Brandon. ;D

[Alice Rose]

I think it will happen early either Jasnah finds out on the way to the shattered plains or Adolin finds out somehow when they arrive. Mostly because I really want to see Adolin train her in how to use it. She won't give it up or have it taken. She's getting more assertive and confident. From her conversation with Jasnah, when she is told about the Radiants, she was disappointed to find out not all were dedicated to battle. I want to see her a mix of scholar and warrior.

[Shardlet]

 I want to see her a mix of scholar and warrior.

 

Sort of a scholarrior, if you will.  Either that or a warlar. 

[Awesomeness Summoned]

I'm stoked to see Shallan trained with the sword and fighting. It might not really happen in WoR but when it does I think the combination of soulcasting, illusions, and a shard blade will make her quite a force to be reckoned with. Especially since I foresee her being an exceptionally skilled soul caster and illusionist due to her photographic memory and her need to understand how things work.

[Moogle]

I am not excited to see Shallan become a warrior. I think she makes an excellent scholar and would love to have a PoV character not involved much in fighting. Shallan's chapters in TWoK were wonderful in part because there was little-to-no physical conflict. Sanderson did a good mix of action and no-action in TWoK, and I will be sad if it goes away.

[JesseQ]

I think it would be pretty awesome if it was revealed that she is already surprisingly skillful with her sword. I like the idea of a woman with skills unbefitting societal proprieties. I guess we already see that in the assassin Jasnah hired but it would be nice to see it in a POV character. If we're looking for a scholarly POV character why not let it be a man since that too goes against decorum? I do like the idea of Adolin deciding to give her a lesson swordsmanship; but my preference would be that the encounter leads to a horrified Adolin highly embarrassed by the whooping he receives. I’m sure that is not going to happen but I would love something like that to occur.

 

We already have reason to believe that there is a possibility of a certain degree of badassery when it comes to Shallan. She at least believes she killed her father and I’m not sure where I read it but I remember mention of her father comforting her as she observed a bunch of slain people (including her mother) surrounding her. Perhaps she killed them all.  If so then she likely has some skill.

Edited January 24, 2014 by JesseQ

[Meg]

I could see Shallan learning how to fight with her Shardblade. After all, we know that she will have more than one apprenticeship:

 

The balance of what to provide and what to withhold has more to do with not bogging down this story with details for a future story than it does with trying to tease. In my mind, this book is three things: Kaladin's experiences as a bridgeman 2) Dalinar's decision to do what he does at the end of the book 3) Shallan's first apprenticeship.

source

I also think to remember that somebody suggested Shallan becoming Wit's apprentice, so this might have been a little joke.

[hoser]

I could see Shallan learning how to fight with her Shardblade. After all, we know that she will have more than one apprenticeship:

 

source

I also think to remember that somebody suggested Shallan becoming Wit's apprentice, so this might have been a little joke.

I even remember discussion of someone having three apprenticeships.  {baseless speculation} I believe that Shallan will be apprenticed to Shallash next and will learn to use the blade and her surgebinding abilities.  Finally, I think she will apprentice w/Hoid. {/baseless speculation}

[Natans]

Artist, schollar and first female warrior in Alenthi Society in ages, This gal are sure aiming high =)  

Edited January 24, 2014 by Natans

[Colby Jack]

Indeed, Natans.

 

People have such high expectations of her in here. If Shallan herself knew, I wouldn't be surprised if the girl cracks under pressure and decides she'll much rather marry early and settle down after pumping out half a dozen kids.

[Morevna]

Where does it say that she has a shardblade?

[Natans]

Where does it say that she has a shardblade?

 

When she are attacked by the tug, she kind of blame her self for not summon the blade (i think) =)

 

Indeed, Natans.

 

People have such high expectations of her in here. If Shallan herself knew, I wouldn't be surprised if the girl cracks under pressure and decides she'll much rather marry early and settle down after pumping out half a dozen kids.

 

Nothing against her, but I think that there are too much in her back. To she learn swordplay forany of the major character(Adolin, Dalinar, etc) will be necessary that the Alenthi pass for some cultural shift, (like probaby will happen in the end of WOR with the Parsendi attack). But hey! Who knows Brandon like do play with his history  =)

Edited January 24, 2014 by Natans

[Ironeyes]

Where does it say that she has a shardblade?

It's hinted at in a few of her chapters in TWoK. She mentions "ten heartbeats" multiple times, as well as "the fruit of her greatest sin." Then in one of the released WoR chapters she talks about a "bright, silvery blade" and lots of corpses. I'll find the quote later, maybe. 

 

EDIT: Bah, ninja'd!

 

Also: If Shallan is betrothed to Adolin, who is supposed to be gathering Shardplate from the highprinces, would it be too much to speculate that she might end up as a full shardbearer eventually?

Edited January 24, 2014 by Ironeyes

[Shumei]

Of course, she will probably have to relinquish her Blade eventually in order to progress as a candidate Knight Radiant, if Kaladin's bond with Syl is any indicator.

[princeofravens]

She also might not have to get rid of it. There are bound to be differences between Honorspren and Liespren and given the fact that Syl is an Honorspren and the pattern that shallan is bonded to is a Liespren one of these differences could be the deciding factor in which KR are allowed to use shardblades. We know from WoK that at least some KR do get to use shardblades. 

 

Also I'm not sure if anyone knows why we weren't given chapter 7 during this weeks prerelease but who knows maybe it's because Brandon didn't want to give us Shallan's big reveal until the release of the book

 

Edited because I suck at grammar.

Edited January 25, 2014 by princeofravens

[Cayden]

I think she might well give it to Renarin so he has a complete set, but yeah I fully expect it to come out at some point. I think when the parshmen go batsquit crazy she will kill one or two

[Chaos]

Whenever it is, I think it is going to be way more awesome than we think it is going to be.

[Morsk]

Whenever it is, I think it is going to be way more awesome than we think it is going to be.

Well. I can always scrape up some awesomeness by throwing out Occam's Razor and making a dozen assumptions!

Sloppy reasoning full of assumptions and wishful thinking:

- Shallan can't turn from scholar to action hero, because I didn't like when Elend did it.

- Her powers are cooler than a Shardblade, so the blade is only good for giving away or using when out of Stormlight.

- "Out of Stormlight" can only mean Darkness, because that's the most awesome way to run out of Stormlight.

- Shallan will run into Darkness, because she has a spren she can't hide, and a murder in her past.

- I liked Ym and don't want to wait 2+ years for Darkness to die, so he dies in this book.

- Actually it's awfully convenient that Shallan is perfect bait for Darkness, and has a secret weapon she can kill him with.

- Jasnah says the Cryptics sent Shallan to her. What else have they gotten her into?

- Some or all Heralds want Surgebinding banned, and Surgebinders killed. The honorspren agree with them.

- If honorspren agree, Cryptics disagree.

Resulting theory:

The Cryptics see the need for bonding spren to return to the world, and Darkness is in their way. So they want him dead. They earn the fearsome reputation Jasnah credits them with; no one will mess with them after they kill a Herald. Especially not Heralds.

Shallan doesn't know she's bait, and Darkness doesn't know she's bait. When she summons the secret Shardblade and kills him, Cryptics will be giggling about it for the next 1000 years. Also, spren start returning to the world in larger numbers.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Morsk

[Awesomeness Summoned]

Well. I can always scrape up some awesomeness by throwing out Occam's Razor and making a dozen assumptions!.

Hey now, I'm not just some low rent trollop. It's gonna take a lot more than some friar's razor and a few assumptions to scrape anywhere near me. I expect some wild accusations and a few hair brained schemes as well.

Edited January 25, 2014 by Awesomeness summoned

[Morsk]

Hey now, I'm not just some low rent trollop. It's gonna take a lot more than some friar's razos and a few assumptions to scrape anywhere near me. I expect some wild accusations and a few hair brained schemes as well.

I did make some wild accusations against the Cryptics. I'll try for something more hair brained next time though!

[Numuhukumakiakiaialunamor]

I like the idea of Shallan being forced to use her blade to kill darkness. It makes complete sense because she is the perfect target for darkness and it just seems like something Sanderson would do.

I also get the feeling that her blade is an honorblade. I don't know why I do, but it just feels right to me. Assuming darkness is indeed a herald, how great would it be for him to be killed with the blade of one of his former comrades.

[Morsk]

I like the idea of Shallan being forced to use her blade to kill darkness. It makes complete sense because she is the perfect target for darkness and it just seems like something Sanderson would do.

I think I like it too now. I started writing it as a joke, but I kept changing things to make it seem more possible, and now I like it. Her being in the perfect situation to kill Darkness, with the perfect secret weapon, is a huge coincidence though. It fitting her story's theme about "secrets" is also a bit of a coincidence. So I blamed it on the Cryptics, so at least there'd be a reason for it.

The Honorblade idea is interesting, but it would probably mean Szeth doesn't have one, because Shallan is nothing like Szeth. It would also make her line in WoK hugely ironic:

“And what of intelligence without ignorance? Finding truth while not dismissing the possibility of being wrong?”

“A mythological treasure, Brightness, much like the Dawnshards or the Honorblades. Certainly worth seeking, but only with great caution.”