When Szeth meets Zahel

[Fifth of Daybreak he/him]

So I've been thinking:

 

It seems very unlikely that Nightblood and Zahel won't meet up again at some point in the series, even if they aren't reunited. This is how I imagine it going down.

 

Szeth meets Zahel in a battle situation, the specifics I'm not sure of, but it will be immediately before battle when this exchange will happen:

 

Szeth strode forward, eyes meeting those of an ardent standing stalwart before him. Hey, that's Vasher! That's Vasher!

 

Szeth ignored the voice in his mind, focusing on the battle that was about to take place. We should go say hi, I mean, that's Vasher.

Szeth lept forward, not drawing Nightblood, but pulling it sheathed into a battle ready position. Zahel's eyes went wide as he recognized him. 

 

Wait, what are you doing? That's Vasher!

 

The ardent rolled out of the way as Szeth swung at him, deftly dodging the attack.

 

Stop! Stop! Stop! Vasher isn't evil! Why are you attacking Vasher? I said say hi not attack him!

 

 

I can even imagine this going further, and suddenly there's a group conversation going on inside Szeth and Zahel's minds, each being able to hear each other through the link of Nightblood.

 

Vasher, duck, he's about to swing for your head!

 

Szeth glared at his sword, as the ardent ducked. An unfamiliar voice spoke in his head Well if it isn't the brightest flower in the meadow. Where have you been Nightblood?

 

Szeth hesitated, then paused, brow furrowing. Brightest flower in the meadow? What does that even mean?

 

Blasted language, you people need some idioms that make sense son.

 

Nightblood's voice piped in. I've been saying that for years. 

 

[GreyPilgrim he/him]

I think that if Zahel and Szeth (with Nightblood) meet (which I agree will certainly happen at some point), there will be a great conflict, as you so creatively outlined.

We have no idea how either Vasher or Nightblood got to Roshar, or how they got separated. These facts should make a significant difference in how the confrontation goes.

It remains to be seen how Nightblood thinks about Vasher at present, but we know that Vasher seems to miss him, to an extent, as he still expect Nightblood to be in his mind and seems to have some sadness about losing him. If this is the case, he may be like, "My old insane friend!" when he sees Nightblood.

I don't think that Brandon will put Nightblood back in Vasher's hands, at least not very soon. I bet they will come into contact with one another and interact enough to recognize one another. However, I bet Szeth will run off in classic Szeth fashion before any significant conversation can be made.

Keep in mind that Szeth will be working with the Skybreakers, thus will be going around taking out potential Radiants. If Vasher is somehow caught using Stormlight, he could catch Nale's eye and Szeth could be sent to dispatch him. However, I bet that Vasher will prove to formidable a foe or the revelation of his relation to Nightblood will cause Szeth to make his getaway.

[Patrick Star]

I think that it'll be a 3-way confrontation in Kholinar between Kaladin, Vasher, and Szeth (four-way if you count Nightblood).

 

The question is why Szeth will go after Kaladin (which he probably will).  I think that he'll either go completely loony after killing the Stone Shamans or (more likely?) will be told to kill Kaladin by Nalan.  Or maybe Blightwind (Yelig-Nar) will start influencing him...

 

I also agree that Vasher will not "get" Nightblood anytime soon (if at all).

[fievelgoespostal]

Keep in mind that Szeth will be working with the Skybreakers, thus will be going around taking out potential Radiants. If Vasher is somehow caught using Stormlight, he could catch Nale's eye and Szeth could be sent to dispatch him. However, I bet that Vasher will prove to formidable a foe or the revelation of his relation to Nightblood will cause Szeth to make his getaway.

 

What about being a Skybreaker means Szeth will be going around taking out Radiants? What have I missed?

[Kobold King he/him]

I hope Vasher gets Nightblood back. Vasher is one of my favorite Cosmere characters, and he has an awesome dynamic with Nightblood. I would love for Vasher to step into the spotlight in Stormlight.

[GreyPilgrim he/him]

What about being a Skybreaker means Szeth will be going around taking out Radiants? What have I missed?

 

That's what Nale's modern Skybreakers do. Remember how he went after Ym and Lift because of their powers?

[hoser he/him]

That's what Nale's modern Skybreakers do. Remember how he went after Ym and Lift because of their powers?

Supposedly Nalan  is killing Surgebinders to prevent a Desolation.  If the Desolation is now here, he may stop killing Surgebinders. 

He says they are going after the Stone Shamanate.  If they retrieve the remaining Honorblades, Nalan may actually do something constructive.  At that point Szeth will be faced with how Mr. T used him and lied to him about the stolen Honorblade. We can hope for Szeth going after Mr. T. 

[bartbug he/him]

More on what hoser says, I believe that since the Desolation is here, the Skybreakers will become actual Knights Radiant again, and Szeth will have to offer his service to Kaladin or Dalinar (depending on which one ends up being the actual leader) as a Skybreaker.

[WeiryWriter he/him]

It remains to be seen how Nightblood thinks about Vasher at present, but we know that Vasher seems to miss him, to an extent, as he still expect Nightblood to be in his mind and seems to have some sadness about losing him. If this is the case, he may be like, "My old insane friend!" when he sees Nightblood.

 

I would say that Nightblood would have the exact same feelings about Vasher as always.  Brandon has talked a little about how Nightblood is developmentally "stuck" in the mindset he had shortly after his creation.  To Nightblood, Shashara will always be alive, etc:

 

Nightblood was interesting to write in this book as he makes a very nice contrast to Vasher. Vasher doesn’t want to say anything about his past; he’s so tight-lipped about it that he rarely even spends any time thinking about it. Nightblood, however, dwells quite heavily on the past. Though in some ways his mind is very capable, he has the quirk of being an Awakened object. The first hours of his life—during which time he met Shashara, Denth, and Vasher—imprinted heavily on him. It’s like . . . a part of his mind is hard forged in that moment with read-only memory that cannot be changed. Much of him can learn and grow, despite what Vasher says, but he cannot overwrite those initial concepts, states, and understandings that were burned into him during his birth. Shashara was alive then, so he will always think of her as alive, even if thousands of years have passed. Denth will always be pleased with him. Vasher will always be friends with the other two. Those things were some of Nightblood’s first impressions.

(source)

[Crazy Mraize]

I assume Vasher will assume the 5th heightening and become a returned and just rain down the pain on Szeth. 

[Lightsworn Panda he/him]

I find it funny how Nale is so intent on butchering every Surgebinder, even though he's the Herald of Justice. The Skybreakers are meant to be people who follow the law no matter what, while Windrunners are more impulsive and do what is "right". Shouldn't it be the other way round?

[SmurfAquamarineBodies he/him]

No, because the Windunners have quite a solid idea of what is 'right'. For example one of their Ideals is “I will protect even those I hate, so long as it is right.” Which means that they can't just go and kill people, they have the philosophy of everyone deserves a second chance. Whereas the skybreakers are justice. Justice is comprised of two elements, Retribution and mercy. Taken without mercy, retribution demands that every criminal be punished, no matter the crime. Which is what i think Nalan/the new Skybreakers are doing. Except that Nalan has focused solely on Surgebinders, believing that they are responsible for the coming desolation so deserve to die for their 'crime'.

[Moogle]

I find it funny how Nale is so intent on butchering every Surgebinder, even though he's the Herald of Justice. The Skybreakers are meant to be people who follow the law no matter what, while Windrunners are more impulsive and do what is "right". Shouldn't it be the other way round?

 

Nalan follows the law to a T and kills everyone quite legally. If a Surgebinder never broke the law, Nalan would never kill them.

[Aether he/him]

He researches them to the point of ridiculousness, though. Dig deep enough, and you can find dirt on everyone. It is very hard to go through life without ever breaking any law. If nothing else, a lot of us will have jaywalked at some point, or something to that effect.

 

You also get to the point where it wouldn't make sense to punish someone for what they did if enough time has passed. It is heavily implied that it has been a long time since Ym delivered that bottle of wine, and you can make the argument that the youthful Ym is not the same person as Ym the kind-hearted and wise cobbler. It wouldn't make sense to punish the latter for the former's crime, especially if we're talking about a thirty year interval or something like that. And even then, Ym was tricked into comiting his crime. He should probably have suspected that something was afoul, but do you punish the unwitting mailman for delivering the bomb that was sent to you? In some cases the answer might be yes (if he had reason to suspect that something was wrong, or if he should have known something was wrong), but you still wouldn't give him sentence him to capital punishment.

 

Nale might be doing everything by the book, making sure all papers are in order, etc., but the truth is that he is bending the law to serve his own suspect needs. And while that might not in itself be a crime, it is betraying the true meaning of justice.

[Delightful]

Nalan follows the law to a T and kills everyone quite legally. If a Surgebinder never broke the law, Nalan would never kill them.

True, but when you take into consideration the amount of time he spent looking for Ym's crime 40 years previous, I don't think anyone is safe from Nale. Sure,not everyone's a murderer, but neither is anyone perfect, and who knows how little of an excuse Nale needs?

[Numb]

Seems like any crime is punishable by death in Nale's eyes if you are a surgebinder. Ym's crime I think was giving poisoned wine to a woman but it seems as if it wasn't intentional so most likely would be a man slaughter charge. Lift's only crime was stealing food and trespassing which isn't really something that is punishable by death.These instances make me wonder if Nale actually follows the law or if the law itself doesn't define punishment? I find it hard to believe each of these societies view these crimes as enough to warrant instance execution. It's almost as if he only cares about what one needs to break the law and not everything else. A country like Azir which is all about paperwork should have some kind of trial system as well? Having said that none of them protested about killing her right there so maybe they don't. 

Edited April 29, 2014 by Numb

[Fifth of Daybreak he/him]

I think we're all missing the obvious truth about Nalan...NIghtblood made him do it. 

[Dahak he/him]

I think we're all missing the obvious truth about Nalan...NIghtblood made him do it. 

 

That is disturbingly possible.

[Kobold King he/him]

I think we're all missing the obvious truth about Nalan...NIghtblood made him do it. 

 

 

But Nalan hasn't been wielding Nightblood for the entire book. Unless I'm quite mistaken, he didn't have it when he killed Ym, he didn't have it when he targeted Lift. Did I miss a crucial easter egg?

[Numb]

Lift does call him darkness and Nightblood oozes black smoke. Maybe that's some kind of connection but I doubt it. Sounded more about Lift perception of the world

[Fifth of Daybreak he/him]

But Nalan hasn't been wielding Nightblood for the entire book. Unless I'm quite mistaken, he didn't have it when he killed Ym, he didn't have it when he targeted Lift. Did I miss a crucial easter egg?

I think you missed the tag on this thread that says 'joke.' Although the rest of the thread seems to have too.

Nalan is a mystery to me, I've got a few theories on him, but nothing with truly conclusive evidence backing it.

Edit: I'm not trying to discourage discussion. Sometimes my humor doesn’t translate well into text.

Edited April 29, 2014 by EMTrevor

[Chrono she/her]

Lift's only crime was stealing food and trespassing which isn't really something that is punishable by death.

 

Apparently, trespassing in the holy room while the Kadasixes are conversing about who should be Prime is punishable by death. When Nale charges in and captures Lift, he gives the lady in charge a paper that explains for what crime Lift is about to be executed. She protests, but Nale tells her that Lift had committed a crime punishable by death (trespassing). The Kadasixes give no more verbal objection. Since Azir is a country that is all about proper forms and legal matters, I think that Nale's paperwork is in order.

[Delightful]

I don't think that has as much to do with Azieh law as it does to Nalan's ability to manipulate the law. I think he'll do anything he needs to in order to get the correct paperwork so kill Surgebinders.

[Left he/him]

So in short Nale is a lawyer who hunts down awesome Lift, and poor old cobblers. Who cares about Odium, someone needs to take him down.

[Kobold King he/him]

Wait, what are you doing? That's Vasher!

 

The ardent rolled out of the way as Szeth swung at him, deftly dodging the attack.

 

Stop! Stop! Stop! Vasher isn't evil! Why are you attacking Vasher? I said say hi not attack him!

 

I know that this was a joke, but I have to say... these few lines made my heart twinge. Nightblood is a sword, and he likes killing, but he does care about the people he considers his friends.

 

So in short Nale is a lawyer who hunts down awesome Lift, and poor old cobblers. Who cares about Odium, someone needs to take him down.

 

In Soviet Roshar, lawyers prosecute with Shardblades.