[OB] So Why Isn't Nightblood Doing its... Nightblood Thing

[DeadFencer]

In Warbreaker, we see Nightblood used mostly while sheathed. It can take control of people it deems "evil" and make them kill those around them and themselves. Why doesn't it do this when we see it in Oathbringer? If it has something to do with no one on Roshar having Breath, then wouldn't Vasher have noticed that the blade doesn't work perfectly on Drabs. At the same time in Edgedancer, Lift feels ill when she looks at the blade. So what is up with Nightblood?

[recneps he/him]

Szeth not feeling anything from it is, I suspect, a result of him being fully deranged and having come back slightly wrong. He's special. I do believe it has done it once in Oathbringer, except I can't say where. Except the thing is: Szeth isn't actively using it for that. Vasher was. Vasher would intentionally set it out so it could tempt and kill people, but Szeth has treated it with respect and, well, not done that. It's stayed sheathed except for when he's actively using it as a blade.

[The One Who Connects he/him]

22 minutes ago, DeadFencer said:

It can take control of people it deems "evil" and make them kill those around them and themselves. Why doesn't it do this when we see it in Oathbringer?

Reread those scenes in Warbreaker. In those situations, Nightblood "wields" it's holder. If Szeth tossed it into a group of people like Vasher does in Warbreaker, the result would've been the same. Nightblood doesn't do this in Oathbringer because Szeth doesn't do that in Oathbringer(to my knowledge).

Edited January 29, 2018 by The One Who Connects

[Calderis he/him]

What The One Who Connects said.

Additionally, when he partially unsheaths Nightblood in Edgedancer, and Lift feels ill... That is what's happening. There are two effects Nightblood can have. 

One is the illness that lift experiences, and the other is the bloodcrazed destruction. The illness is why Szeth said the sword liked her. 

We see the opposite with the convict in the lake when Szeth drops the sword, and the man gets a crazy glint in his eyes. 

From the Warbreaker annotations (partial WoB due to length and non-relevance) 

https://wob.coppermind.net/events/250/#e7278

Quote

Nightblood himself, unfortunately, doesn't quite understand what good and evil are. (This is mentioned later in the text.) However, he knows that his master can determine who is good and who is evil—using the sword's power to make people sick, or through other means. So, he pretty much just lets whoever is holding him decide what is evil. And if the one holding the sword determines—deep within their heart—that they are evil themselves, then they will end up killing themselves with the sword.

 

[Wandering Investor]

There are two instances at least when we see Nightblood doing his Nightblood thing.

The first is when Szeth meets Lift, in which case she feels nauseous from the sight of Nightblood, indicating her reaction to his call of violence or whatever it is. The second is the test the Skybreakers have Szeth go through, once Nightblood is torn off Szeth, the prisoner is enraptured and goes for it. This second time also showcases an interesting rule for Nightblood, being that he will only try to wield people when separated from its holder. This is also shown in Warbreaker as people only fall under Nightblood's spell when no one is holding it, and never when Vasher is holding it, or at least has it on his person. 

Another interesting note is that Nightblood doesn't appear to affect Szeth at all. This is likely due to two reasons. The first is the level of control Szeth has over himself. Denth in Warbreaker shows that Nightblood can't control those with strong wills. The second reason may be the pain Szeth lives in from the Spirit echoes, he might not even notice any sensation from Nightblood even if there was one.

[Govir]

13 hours ago, Calderis said:

https://wob.coppermind.net/events/250/#e7278

Quote

Nightblood himself, unfortunately, doesn't quite understand what good and evil are. (This is mentioned later in the text.) However, he knows that his master can determine who is good and who is evil—using the sword's power to make people sick, or through other means. So, he pretty much just lets whoever is holding him decide what is evil. And if the one holding the sword determines—deep within their heart—that they are evil themselves, then they will end up killing themselves with the sword.

This is an interesting thing to note. I wonder if someone like Taravangian would kill themselves. i.e. someone who is morally gray (doing all the wrong things, for the right reasons). Another way to put this is someone who truly believes that they've done nothing evil, while slaughtering a bunch of people "for the greater good".

[Calderis he/him]

8 minutes ago, Govir said:

This is an interesting thing to note. I wonder if someone like Taravangian would kill themselves. i.e. someone who is morally gray (doing all the wrong things, for the right reasons). Another way to put this is someone who truly believes that they've done nothing evil, while slaughtering a bunch of people "for the greater good".

I think it's less a matter of believing they've done nothing evil than it is believing that they are themselves evil, because in Taravangian's case he fully believes he is damned for the things he's done, but believes that he's done them for good reasons. It's a good question on whether his conviction outweighs his guilt. 

Edited January 29, 2018 by Calderis

[Wandering Investor]

Taravangian might depending on his IQ/EQ of the day. And it would also depend on the level of willpower he had. Denth believed he was evil, but still resisted the sword.