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[OB] Skybreaker Name Origin?


WalksIntoMordor

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Putting this here because of the discussion of the Skybreakers (probably being a bit overzealous but... would rather do that than break the rules.  Oh, Lord, am I becoming a Skybreaker?)

So we know that the Skybreakers are devoted to upholding the law.  I had a thought.  This may be only out-of-universe, but it is a possibility I wanted to discuss.

Many of the orders are somewhat obvious in their meanings - Windrunners and Bondsmiths and Lightweavers are pretty straight forward.  Edgedancers are a bit weird, but we can see the idea behind them in the lines in the novella about how they could run along a wire (and thus a thin surface).  Even Elsecallers make some sense - through Transformation, they make things into things that are other - or "else" from what they are, and are the masters of calling themselves between the realms, from one to another realm, calling into what is "else."

But Skybreakers are a weird one.  Perhaps it's a reference to their surge of Gravitation, which allows them flight - they can take to the sky and break those who break the law from there.  Or, perhaps it's a reference to their implied rivalry with the Windrunners, given Syl's concern about Kal acting like one (and who are about defending all, where the Skybreakers are about hunting others down for breaking the law).

But I also recall a quote that seems to apply from the real world: Fiat justitia ruat caelum.  Translated, it means "Let justice be done, though the heavens fall."  It's a reference to the idea that nothing should stop the law from being applied, not even the consequences.  Sound like anyone we know?

So if they were to do justice, even if it caused the heavens to fall, it could be reasoned that they are breaking the sky to deliver justice.

Not sure about this, but just wanted to share to see if anyone else had similar thoughts.

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I think you're overthinking it.

Skybreaker

Sky + breaker

Gravitation - the power to take to the skies. Division - the power of destruction, or to break things.

I think it's more likely just a simple amalgam of descriptions of the two surges they command.

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  • 3 months later...

I think the literal imagery of how the abilities of an order works together is helpful to know what the name of orders signify. So, I like to think that Skybreakers can burn objects (or stormlight?) with their surge of Division mid-flight, use the exhaust as a means of thrust and appear as an object breaking through the sky like rocket thrusters.

Edit: What I have described sounds like Iron Man.(haha) Also, he did seem to uphold law enforcement in CA:Civil War so that's something.

PS: Sorry for posting in an old thread.

Edited by seanjeet1
Remebered something
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On 11/24/2017 at 1:21 PM, shawnhargreaves said:

I figure they were named after the appearance of their spren, which is literally a break in the sky (with stars visible through it).

I think you're thinking of starspren.  I don't know that we've seen a Skybreaker spren described in the Physical yet.

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23 minutes ago, RShara said:

I think you're thinking of starspren.  I don't know that we've seen a Skybreaker spren described in the Physical yet.

We did, briefly. It was described as a small black tear in the air. Made me think of a hole in reality. 

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7 hours ago, Calderis said:

We did, briefly. It was described as a small black tear in the air. Made me think of a hole in reality. 

The passage in question, Chapter 98 in Oathbringer:

 

“What were those two spren floating nearby, shaped as small slits in the air? They separated the sky, like wounds in skin, exposing a black field full of stars. When they moved, the substance of reality bent around them.
Szeth bowed his head. He no longer ascribed to spren any particular religious significance, but he could still be in awe of these. He might have lost this contest, but he seemed to have impressed the highspren.”

 

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On 11/24/2017 at 1:42 AM, aemetha said:

I think you're overthinking it.

Skybreaker

Sky + breaker

Gravitation - the power to take to the skies. Division - the power of destruction, or to break things.

 

On 11/24/2017 at 3:21 PM, shawnhargreaves said:

I figure they were named after the appearance of their spren, which is literally a break in the sky (with stars visible through it).

These two have it. The name is very fitting when you take the above into account.

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