[OB] Future of the Skybreakers

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

Nale and the Skybreakers are a somewhat uncertain part of the story at the moment. Nale sideswitched to the Voidbringers at the end of OB (but still promised to train Szeth). The question is, will all other Skybreakers follow him? Or will some choose to stand with humanity? In that case, Szeth might wind up being a natural leader for them, something he might not be ready for. 

Another point to discuss is Nale, and the Skybreakers who went with him. Did the swear to Odium, or just to the Listeners? Meaning, do they act as a third party group who supports the Listeners/Prshendi/Voidbringers or are they actually Team Odium now?

[Calderis he/him]

43 minutes ago, Toaster Retribution said:

Another point to discuss is Nale, and the Skybreakers who went with him. Did the swear to Odium, or just to the Listeners? Meaning, do they act as a third party group who supports the Listeners/Prshendi/Voidbringers or are they actually Team Odium now?

This is not an easy one to answer, partly because Nale himself isn't clear on it. 

Quote

"I knew what must happen if they returned.” Nin turned toward him. “Who has jurisdiction over this land, Szeth-son-Neturo? A man can rule his home until the citylord demands his taxes. The citylord controls his lands until the highlord, in turn, comes to him for payment. But the highlord must answer to the highprince, when war is called in his lands. And the king? He … must answer to God.”

“You said God was dead.”

“A god is dead. Another won the war by right of conquest. The original masters of this land have returned, as you so aptly made metaphor, with the keys to the house. So tell me, Szeth-son-Neturo—he who is about to swear the Third Ideal—whose law should the Skybreakers follow? That of humans, or that of the real owners of this land?”

He claims that Odium is in control by right of conquest, but swings his argument to the Singers at the end. 

So for the time being, I believe that he will serve Odium, as he believes he must. Eventually though, between the listeners who escaped Narak (who I believe Rlain will find) and Venli's quiet subversion of the singers, a large enough faction of the "real owners" will be opposed to Odium for him to have an out and switch back. 

Nale is a storming train wreck. 

Edited May 28, 2018 by Calderis

[Angsos]

Also, does Odium get more wiggle room now that one of the Heralds is actually dead and another one, despite whatever logic tricks he may use, is serving the thing the oathpact was designed to imprison.

[hypatia she/her]

I don't know, but for me Nale is too fixed on the Honor vs. Odium plot and forgets the influence of Cultivation. Before the arrival of Odium, there were Honor and Cultivation - and as we know the Parshendi were of Cultivation even if not originally.

At the moment everything is just humans and Parshendi for him, but what about the Aimian, the Unkalaki, the Herdazians?

The Parshendi don't seem to be the only original inhabitants of Roshar.

What about the Iri? They weren't from Ashyn, they didn't come with this wave and we don't know if they came before or after the people of Ashyn.

Another question  - isn't he following the one, who had started the whole conflict? The one, who had messed up a system under Honor and Cultivation? Odium wasn't on Roshar right after the splintering of Adonalsium, he just started to invest there after he was imprisoned. I don't think Odium was originally interested in Roshar, he just wanted to kill the vessels and splinter two other shards who didn't follow the rule of separation.

The problem with Nale is, that he is judging without knowing all the facts, in my opinion a cardinal mistake for someone who claims to be "the law".

Perhaps he will change sides with every new information, perhaps he will get problems with his spren. Or he will be the next Herald to be killed if Jezrien was only the starting-point for Odium. If Odium wants the Honorblades when a Herald is killed, then Nale is a target Odium can get access to his blade and give it to the one he'll choose to kill Nale. 

[Wandering Investor]

14 hours ago, Angsos said:

Also, does Odium get more wiggle room now that one of the Heralds is actually dead and another one, despite whatever logic tricks he may use, is serving the thing the oathpact was designed to imprison.

The oathpact was only for the voidbringers. It and the heralds have no direct impact on Odium's prison. 

Unless it turns out that having voidbringers/fuzed taking over Roshar increases Odium's power there, then it might have an indirect effect.

Edited May 29, 2018 by Wandering Investor

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

5 hours ago, hypatia said:

Or he will be the next Herald to be killed if Jezrien was only the starting-point for Odium. If Odium wants the Honorblades when a Herald is killed, then Nale is a target Odium can get access to his blade and give it to the one he'll choose to kill Nale. 

I doubt this. SA4 is supposed to play out about a year after OB (ish) and I don’t think Odium kills Nale off-screen. 

[Necessary Eagle she/her]

Not to mention- I remembering people here were theorizing that Taln's period of lucidity was due to Honor's perpendicularity opening. So if that turns out to be the case, what effect might it have had on Nale?

[Wandering Investor]

6 minutes ago, Necessary Eagle said:

Not to mention- I remembering people here were theorizing that Taln's period of lucidity was due to Honor's perpendicularity opening. So if that turns out to be the case, what effect might it have had on Nale?

We see Nale after the battle and he didn't seem very effected, plus Shalash didn't seem effected by the perpendicularity very much. 

[Necessary Eagle she/her]

Oh we do see him? I have to reread OB, I thought his last scene is right before Dalinar Ascends.

I figured that Taln might be more visibly effected, since he was more visibly unwell.

[hypatia she/her]

But we see Shalash effected by the death of Jezrien and because it is in her PoV with her ending unconscious we don't know how this possibly had also an effect on Taln, Nale or the other Heralds or if this was only her because of a special connection with her father.

Personally I think it was on all the Heralds and Nale as the Herald of Justice is possibly more effected with this unjust death.

[Stormrunner1730]

I think Nale and the Skybreakers who follow him are supporting the Pashendi/Listeners/Singers.  They'll listen to Odium's instruction insofar as it aligns with the Singers as the "law of the land," but I wouldn't say that Nale is Team Odium.

I think whether or not other Skybreakers follow in Szeth's footsteps remains to be seen.  I'd think that at least a few more will not directly follow Nale, but I don't think we have enough info right now to determine that.

[goody153]

This is definitely so much in the "read and find out" territory to how difficult it is to predict. We don't have enough information yet but for the current information.

Nale and his skybreakers are extremely valuable in combat, information and deception purposes. I highly doubt that Odium would waste such powerful tools but maybe if Nale starts tilting and going back then Odium might off him.

I think Nale is definitely following Odium and so will alot of the Skybreakers (since there will always be deviants in literally all kinds of group) but i bet those who will separate will either go to Team Honor(aka Dalinar) or possibly just serve some land in a way of denial.

Or more interestingly this might cause the first of the deadeye shardblade for the current Roshar timeline as well as probably the first deadeye shardblade from the Skybreakers(cause apparently Skybreakers didn't follow their fellow Radiants)

Edited June 13, 2018 by goody153