Tien and His rocks theory

[Pathfinder]

Well If Shallan and Kal were in battle with voidbringers and worked together, he could technically be protecting her back while she protected him, and she not have a problem with it. I believe the main reason she freaked on Adolin was the implication of his protection meant she was a delicate flower that couldn't protect herself. So I think the imagery it would create is her cowering behind Adolin, resplendent in his shardarmor and blade as he faces whatever evil dare harm his beloved. With Kal on the other hand, like I mentioned earlier "Hey Shallan, you got the 100 voidbringers on the left? I'll get the 100 on the right. Go team!" lol 

 

Edit: example being the numerous times Kal and Adolin fight side by side. Now that everyone knows she is a knight radiant and can hold her own, perhaps Adolin AND Kal might treat her in a more equal light than stereotyping her as a defenseless woman due to Alethi culture

Edited May 4, 2014 by P4thf1nd3r

[Guest]

Well If Shallan and Kal were in battle with voidbringers and worked together, he could technically be protecting her back while she protected him, and she not have a problem with it. I believe the main reason she freaked on Adolin was the implication of his protection meant she was a delicate flower that couldn't protect herself. So I think the imagery it would create is her cowering behind Adolin, resplendent in his shardarmor and blade as he faces whatever evil dare harm his beloved. With Kal on the other hand, like I mentioned earlier "Hey Shallan, you got the 100 voidbringers on the left? I'll get the 100 on the right. Go team!" lol 

 

I didn't get that kind of interaction between those two... Besides, I seriously doubt Shallan would be on the battle field directly fighting anything. Her work seems to be mostly in the shadows, behind the lines, spying and such.

[Pathfinder]

I didn't get that kind of interaction between those two... Besides, I seriously doubt Shallan would be on the battle field directly fighting anything. Her work seems to be mostly in the shadows, behind the lines, spying and such.

What about the scenes in the chasm? They learned to each respect each others skills. Once she showed how she could map the chasm, he deferred to her judgement. And again when the voidbringers popped up, she was handling the gate. Nothing says there won't be times that they won't be cornered, and now that her abilities are more out in the open, that she will chose to employ them. Hell I just remembered, she did so with her illusion with the chasm fiend to distract it from attacking Kal

[signspace13 he/him]

When did this become a Shiping thread?

[Aleksiel]

Well, to be fair 'Tien and his rocks' could be (mistaken for) a ship 

[Delightful]

As long as the rocks aren't heavy enough to sink the ship.

[Pathfinder]

LOL you guys are awesome. 

 

To add a fabrial engine to this stone ship, I reread the chasm scene briefly and although I do no see a specific quote in my cursory examination of it, I did read a part where Kal comments on Shallan's strength. He is impressed, and in fact notes that she is even stronger than him to have survived what she grew up with. So this would imply in my mind, through great respect for someone you deem stronger (at least emotionally), would result in one viewing an individual as an equal, and not someone that must be shielded away from harm. 

 

Now regarding the original point of this thread, I have remained silent for a bit, because I am re-reading WoKs, and have not reached Tien's death scene yet. I am past the part where he makes the wooden horse and is enlisted in the military. I want to reread a bit more before I attempt to provide further evidence for or against my own theory. Thank you all who have rung in and contributed!

[Delightful]

To add a fabrial engine to this stone ship, I reread the chasm scene briefly and although I do no see a specific quote in my cursory examination of it, I did read a part where Kal comments on Shallan's strength. He is impressed, and in fact notes that she is even stronger than him to have survived what she grew up with. So this would imply in my mind, through great respect for someone you deem stronger (at least emotionally), would result in one viewing an individual as an equal, and not someone that must be shielded away from harm. 

Without rereading it, I'm fairly certain this is what I was thinking of. I definitely remember getting a "Shallan's going to have to teach Adolin not to be overprotective but she won't have that issue with Kaladin" vibe in the last eighth or so of the book.

[Guest]

Without rereading it, I'm fairly certain this is what I was thinking of. I definitely remember getting a "Shallan's going to have to teach Adolin not to be overprotective but she won't have that issue with Kaladin" vibe in the last eighth or so of the book.

Definitely. Kaladin seems a bit like Vasher that way.

[Bort he/him]

I like the suggestion that Tien was a proto-Lightweaver. People in this thread have mentioned his collecting rocks and how he can always cheer up Kaladin.

 

One of the annotations in WoR speaks of the Lightweavers. In particular, it states something about their powerful and varied mental abilities. By the sounds of it, Tien has been collecting stones pretty much since he was old enough to pick them up, yet it is mentioned in WoK that he could tell you when and where he got each and every one.

 

If that's not a mnemonic trick suitable to Lightweaving, I don't know what is.

[C1-10P (Chopper) he/him]

While I do see where it could be anticlimactic for Tien to be alive, humor me a moment.  As witnessed in this thread, Tien has displayed some attributes that could definitely be seen as proto-radiant.  Now he was placed into Amaram's army and Amaram is of the group, Sons of Honor.  What if Amaram became aware of Tien's abilities and approached him on behalf of the Son's and recruited him.  Then he could have faked his death for a perceived "Greater Good" on orders from Amaram.  It just stands out to me what kind of influence Tien has on Kal.  Kal exhibits serious signs of being manic depressed at times and Tien breaks these moods each time and easily, almost magically.  I can't give up on him yet.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Aradishar

[natc]

I really just don't want him to be back so easily. Tien dying is really what started all of this. Heck, it might've been what broke Kaladin. He was always good with a spear so the bond was probably there, but it wasn't until he set out to protect people after Tien's death that the hazy glowing and the whole Stormblessed thing began.

His oath was also to protect those who can't protect themselves, not just try to protect everyone. As with Shallan and the map he seems content being sidelined if nobody actually needs him for anything. (To be honest he just made things worse with his efforts until the chasmfiend conveniently caught up to them).

I'm sure they'd work out fine as surrogate siblings; Shallan is a pretty dangerous person even without his help and she'd likely outwit her way out of most problems her shardblade can't solve.