[Theory] It has been foreshadowed that Adolin will be a Radiant.

[+eveorjoy]

Before WoR I didn't think much of Adolin Kholin. I liked him, but I also like white bread. He seemed spoiled, mouthy, and arrogant. His one redeeming quality was that he proved to be very perceptive. During my rereads of TWoKs, before I read WoR, I tended to skip his POV.

 

WoR completely changed my opinion of Adolin. He is now my third favorite character. He showed so many interesting layers in WoR and went in a direction I never would have expected. I think WoR also contained foreshadowing to his eventual induction into the Knights Radiant.

 

First the indirect hints.

 

Dalinar sees a Radiant in a vision with armor that looks like Adolin's.

 

 

Storms, that looked like Adolin’s armor, though this armor pulled in more at the waist.

Sanderson, Brandon (2014-03-04). Words of Radiance (Stormlight Archive, The) (p. 73). Tom Doherty Associates. Kindle Edition.

 

Yes, that Radiant was a girl, but the armor changes to fit the wearer.

 

Then there is the fact that a Ryshadium, Sureblood (I will miss that horse), bonded with Adolin. Why is that important? The Ryshadium were the steeds of the Knights Radiant.

 

 

“Horses weren’t terribly well known back then. Radiants had Ryshadium, but even kings had little access to ordinary horses.”

Sanderson, Brandon (2014-03-04). Words of Radiance (Stormlight Archive, The) (p. 317). Tom Doherty Associates. Kindle Edition.

 

The Ryshadium do not just bond with anyone. Currently the only other Ryshadium we know of is Gallant who is bonded with Dalinar, a Radiant. Did Gallant sense Dalinar's potential? If he did, perhaps Sureblood sensed Adolin's as well.

 

Also there are clues in Adolin's personality the suggest he is a proto-radiant.

 

His perceptiveness. He always knows when someone is hiding something. I recognized it in Sadeas, Kaladin, and Amaram. He didn't notice this in Shallan, but her talent is lies and love may have blinded him. Still, he is perhaps the most perceptive character in both books. It was the one attribute I admired in Adolin in book one. 

 

Why does this matter? Proto-Radiants seem to have a natural talent for the attributes of their order. Kaladin believed you could kill to protect long before he lost Tien. Dalinar united Alethkar and made it a kingdom. He did it in a dishonorable way, but he still did it. Shallan is very talented in lies and truth and has been so her whole life. Szeth destroyed himself to uphold the laws of his people.

 

I don't know what order upholds perceptiveness. His talent may only be a part of his order's main attributes. The fact that this talent is so pronounced in both books suggests something.

 

He is also very brave and obedient to his father, even though he is mouthy. Those attributes do fit the Dustbringers, which was the order of the knight wearing Adolin's armor in Dalinar's vision. But I think I might be reading to much into that. 

 

Still all of this would not have convinced me that Adolin was a proto-radiant. Adolin wasn't broken enough... or at least he wasn't until he killed Sadeas. That scene was shocking and wonderful. I loved it because of what it could mean of Adolin's character. The act is not as important as what it did to Adolin. Whether you agree with what Adolin did or not, it horrified Adolin.

 

 

Storms. Had he just done that? Had he just murdered a highprince?

Sanderson, Brandon (2014-03-04). Words of Radiance (Stormlight Archive, The) (p. 1068). Tom Doherty Associates. Kindle Edition.

 

You can feel Adolin's anguish in those words. The golden boy broke in a fit of rage. This allows for the nahel bond. This was the moment I believed Adolin could be a Radiant, as long as he doesn't let this moment destroy him.

 

Whether he becomes a Radiant or not, I think Adolin is going to be a very interesting character to read about in the next few books.

[Luke.spence]

I like this a lot, but I'm totally in the Dustbringer camp, and I've loved Adolin for a Dustbringer, so I'm a little partial.

[Windrunning]

I see Adolin as a Dustbringer of Willshaper. Either way, I definitely think that Adolin is gonna be a Radiant.

[Radiant_thoughts]

I sure hope so. He really showed me something in book 2.

[+eveorjoy]

I see Adolin as a Dustbringer of Willshaper. Either way, I definitely think that Adolin is gonna be a Radiant.

 

Adolin seems to steady and dependable to be a Willshaper.

[shinintendo]

I believe will become a KR in the end, just not at the start.

I think he needs to break first to attract a spren.

For it something need to happen, it's much too good an opportunity for Sanderson to let Adolin go back to his usual everyday life now.

He will walk his own way apart from Dalinar goodie-goodie actions, he will do good just not in his father's way, in Mr.T's way, the end justifies the means.

He will do some mistakes, realize it than attract a spren and become a KR.

 

I don't call it going dark, I call it growth and atonement, since every action has consequence.

I think killing Sadeas will have major ramification for future event/s.

 

Edit: about "Storms. Had he just done that? Had he just murdered a highprince?" 

I don't see it as broken, what will happen when he won't be caught? he will feel good he did it to save his family, he will see that taking the law into ones own hands actually works and you can get away with it. (watched an episode of Justified )

Edited March 19, 2014 by shinintendo

[+eveorjoy]

Edit: about "Storms. Had he just done that? Had he just murdered a highprince?" 

I don't see it as broken, what will happen when he won't be caught? he will feel good he did it to save his family, he will see that taking the law into ones own hands actually works and you can get away with it. (watched an episode of Justified )

 

Hmm... that remains to be seen. Just because he got away with it legally does not mean it didn't affect him spiritually, emotionally, or mentally. Killing leaves an effect on the one who does the act. Think about how Kaladin is effected by everyone he kills and he has always been justified in his actions. Adolin might talk himself into believing he did the right thing for the right reason, but if Sanderson continues to be the great author he is, that will be far from the end of the issue. Sadeas death was a defining moment for Adolin. He had killed before, but this time he killed an unarmed man who wasn't an immediate threat to him. He was a threat in the long run, but Sadeas could have been handled in a different way.

[duladen]

I'm hopping on the Dustbringer bandwagon. The divine attributes are Brave and Obedient. While I do agree that he is very perceptive and intelligent, I think these attributes describe him to a T. Think about how much he obeys Dalinar in WoK, despite thinking that his father might be going insane or is wrong to enforce the Alethi Codes of War. And how brave he is in dueling at full disadvantage or defending his father against Szeth despite knowing he couldn't win.

 

I also agree that the ramifications from murdering Sadeas will bring about his bond. The Diagram instructed to watch out for humans placed in situations of high stress. I suspect he has already caught the eye of a spren, and his coming challenges will reveal his bond.

[+eveorjoy]

I'm hopping on the Dustbringer bandwagon. The divine attributes are Brave and Obedient. While I do agree that he is very perceptive and intelligent, I think these attributes describe him to a T. Think about how much he obeys Dalinar in WoK, despite thinking that his father might be going insane or is wrong to enforce the Alethi Codes of War. And how brave he is in dueling at full disadvantage or defending his father against Szeth despite knowing he couldn't win.

 

I also agree that the ramifications from murdering Sadeas will bring about his bond. The Diagram instructed to watch out for humans placed in situations of high stress. I suspect he has already caught the eye of a spren, and his coming challenges will reveal his bond.

 

Crazy wish/ wild speculation: I hope his sword becomes his spren. He seems to already be on speaking terms with it. Wouldn't he be awesome if he revived his sword? He could learn its name then.

Edited March 19, 2014 by eveorjoy

[shinintendo]

If he revive his blade he will be an Edgedancer, since his shard(spren) is of the type.

[Gagylpus]

Some further evidence that Adolin may become a Radiant is that he no longer feels the Thrill by the end of the book. (See the section where he is fighting Parshendi before his fight with Eshonai.)

Edited March 19, 2014 by Gagylpus

[Releaser]

 

 

 

The Ryshadium do not just bond with anyone. Currently the only other Ryshadium we know of is Gallant who is bonded with Dalinar, a Radiant. Did Gallant sense Dalinar's potential? If he did, perhaps Sureblood sensed Adolin's as well.

 

 

Sadeas remarked on seeing Highprince Hatham riding a Ryshadium. When he threw the Gemheart at him.

 

"... then rode toward a figure in resplendent Shardplate at the front of Hatham's army: the highprince himself, seated upon a Ryshadium. ..." p348 US Hardback

[Khyrindor]

MAYBE HATHAM IS IMPORTANT TOO!!!

I like this thread, I think you totally called it. great job! (Upvote!)

[Chrono]

If Adolin gets a spren, it will be entirely dependent on how he handles Sadeas's death. He's gonna be under a lot of pressure, especially once fingers get pointed at Dalinar. Hoo boy, this could be enough pressure to crack Adolin! And I'm on the Dustbringer wagon too. The way he killed Sadeas though, was not very courageous. Slightly injured man in his twenties taking on a fit but middle aged unarmed man doesn't seem very courageous to me...

 

Either way, I'm excited for how this will be resolved. 

[Aleksiel]

Some further evidence that Adolin may become a Radiant is that he no longer feels the Thrill by the end of the book. (See the section where he is fighting Parshendi before his fight with Eshonai.)

 

A spren causes the Thrill, so the absence of it just shows the spren was absent and nothing on Adolin as a person. 

[+eveorjoy]

If he revive his blade he will be an Edgedancer, since his shard(spren) is of the type.

 It is? Where did I miss that?

[shinintendo]

 It is? Where did I miss that?

 

right here:

 

 

Adolin summoned his Blade, then dismissed it, then summoned it again. A nervous habit. The white fog appeared—manifesting as little vines sprouting in the air—before snapping into the form of a Shardblade, which suddenly weighed down his hand.

[Aleksiel]

 It is? Where did I miss that?

 

edit: woops; read it wrong. shinintendo answered it though.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Aleksiel

[Moogle]

A spren causes the Thrill, so the absence of it just shows the spren was absent and nothing on Adolin as a person. 

 

I wouldn't say that we know the Unmade are spren. Rlain implies they were once listeners who gave themselves up to Odium and were infused with his power. Things are uncertain. I hope to learn more from Book 3.

[Aleksiel]

I wouldn't say that we know the Unmade are spren. Rlain implies they were once listeners who gave themselves up to Odium and were infused with his power. Things are uncertain. I hope to learn more from Book 3.

 

Taravangian calls it ancient evil spren, but he could be wrong. I don't really understand this whole unmade thing yet.

[WeiryWriter]

right here:

 

I'm not sure if I would count that as definitive proof.

[+eveorjoy]

right here:

 

Ah. Good catch. Oh well, it would have been nice, but Adolin is to focused to be an Edgedancer, and we already have one of those in the line up and she is awesome.

 

Edit: However who's to say the only vine-like spren are Windle's type? Still, you are likely correct.

Edited March 19, 2014 by eveorjoy

[GroundPetrel]

He's a tier 0 Radiant now, likely a Dustbringer.  

 

I'll be honest here, I want to see him set Odium's face on fire.  

[FlatLine]

right here:

 

I don't think that particularly means anything, it's just describing how the mists looks like as it forms. Are there any other descriptions of shard blades forming that we can compare this too? Or do we know that all edge dancing spren were vine/garden like spren? We've only seen one account of it. 

 

---

 

As for Adolin, I think he's going to be banished and that's were his story will start, him deciding what to do while banished. He states when he's in the room during the high storm that if he killed Sadeas there, he'd either get put to death, or banished. It'll be interesting, I'm excited for it. 

[Zola]

He's feeling like a late bloomer to me, but I agree.

On a side note, if anyone has access to a time machine, would you kindly pick up a boxed set of the completed stormlight archive for me? This is going to be a painful wait. Thank you.