Dalinar's future

[Jace21 he/him]

6 hours ago, LerasiumMistborn said:

He has much less words than Kaladin and Shallan, And the "rift" between them will grow bigger and bigger, as they will continue to have big narratives in any given books ,most likely, and Dalinar's role in book 4 is very small and so on. If we look at the whole series, Dalinar's overall role within the series is very small.

He has 5000 less than Shallan, who has 4000 less than Kaladin. So the order woukd indicate that the characters word count correlates with when they had their flashback book. Which makes perfect sense and indicates that the gap will shrink, not increase.

All of your assumptions, that other characters' roles will grow and Dalinar's wont, are opinion only with little/no evidence.

6 hours ago, LerasiumMistborn said:

Sure, but I have a feeling/fear that all of it is just a misleading and a trick. A joke. Illusion of Dalinar's importance. Sanderson wrote it just to fool readers expectations. Wrote Dalinar as if he were important only to waste and kill him and pull a "twist". I think this is a bad writing. I thing this is a broken promise to readers. Normally, such narrative (like Dalinar's) would get a logical development and resolution, but I fear that Sanderson won't do it with Dalinar, and that all of it was for nothing.

It would be bad writing if Brandon does this. But there is 0 evidence he will and based on previous experience, we can assume he won't. He's not in the habit if breaking promises fo readers and he actively tries to make sure it doesn't happen.

6 hours ago, LerasiumMistborn said:

Yes, but Dalinar is "this older character within the cast who always dies in any given book". His chances for survival are extremely low, except for the "he's supposed to Ascend" scenario, but as I said, I fear it'll be wasted for nothing...

Because Brandon always follows clichés and take the traditional option? If the only evidence you can give for Dalinar dying is "the older character within the cast who always dies" then it's not really evidence.

Your other comments are in a similar vein. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, if you think Dalinar will be poorly written, killed off and discarded thats fine.

But it is your opinion, not fact, so people are going to disagree with you.

[StrikerEZ he/him]

@LerasiumMistborn I'm genuinely curious to know why you think Brandon is going to write Dalinar the way you think he is. If anything, I'd expect him to write Dalinar the opposite of what one might expect of a character like Dalinar.

[Father Tanner]

If Dalinar could reforge honor, could he reforge devotion and dominion? If so, what would happen to the Seons and AonDor?

[LerasiumMistborn]

On 23/02/2019 at 4:11 PM, Jace21 said:

He has 5000 less than Shallan, who has 4000 less than Kaladin. So the order woukd indicate that the characters word count correlates with when they had their flashback book. Which makes perfect sense and indicates that the gap will shrink, not increase.

All of your assumptions, that other characters' roles will grow and Dalinar's wont, are opinion only with little/no evidence.

That's not Dalinar's case. He's not Kaladin and Shallan, whose roles only grow bigger and bigger since their flashback books. Dalinar's role in book 4 is very small. Sanderson said Kaladin has a big role in book 4. He said nothing about Shallan, but as he didn't specifically said he will cut her down (he specifically said it about Dalinar), it's safe to assume he won't.

So, Kaladin (confirmed) and Shallan (most likely) both have big roles in book 4. Dalinar has a small background role. Book 5 will probably be the same.

And there's also a second half. Sanderson said that characters from the first half will still be main characters. Well, all of them, except for one Dalinar, who's gonna die (I'm sure). It's safe to assume, Sanderson was talking about Kaladin and Shallan, and they're those characters with big on-going arcs through all 10 books. Obviously, not Dalinar. His story is already over (I personally think there's much more that could be tell, but if Sanderson doesn't want to write Dalinar is book 4, no way he will want to write him in book 7), and there will be a time skip. 

If I'm right, Kaladin and Shallan will have seven more books dedicated to them. Dalinar has only two, and his role is these books are very small. 

His overall role in the series is very small. I think he's going to die halfway through the series, and won't even reach it's ending.

On 23/02/2019 at 4:11 PM, Jace21 said:

It would be bad writing if Brandon does this. But there is 0 evidence he will and based on previous experience, we can assume he won't. He's not in the habit if breaking promises fo readers and he actively tries to make sure it doesn't happen.

Dalinar's death would be a waste, because that's not what readers want from his narrative. Because that's not logical development and conclusion for his narrative. When Sanderson wrote Dalinar in Oathbringer he (intentionally) made readers to expect some great things from Dalinar's future. Cheat readers expectations and, more importantly, desires would be a bad writing.

However, based on previous experience, Sanderson is perfectly fine with creating readers expectations and bad writing. Eshonai was supposed to be a main character, she started to bond a spren and developed towards becoming a Knight Radiant. Only to face idiotic, IMO poorly written death, and being thrown away from the story.

That's what I think Dalinar is. Written to be important only to fool readers expectations. Example with Eshonai made me think that Sanderson doesn't care about his characters. I think he DOES care about some of them, Kaladin, Shallan, but some of them are just plot devices for him. Like Eshonai. And, I think, like Dalinar. We all expect somewhat interesting future for this character, but in the end, I think, his only role in the story is being a "pig for slaughter". Sanderson already said he reduced Dalinar's role in book 4. Nothing indicates he will continue with the character. Instead, everything he says strongly implies that Dalinar won't survive into the second half. Well, I feel it.

On 23/02/2019 at 4:11 PM, Jace21 said:

Because Brandon always follows clichés and take the traditional option? If the only evidence you can give for Dalinar dying is "the older character within the cast who always dies" then it's not really evidence.

Not the only one, but one of them. No way Sanderson will kill Kaladin or Shallan. Who is left? Only Dalinar is left. 

 

On 23/02/2019 at 5:09 PM, StrikerEZ said:

@LerasiumMistborn I'm genuinely curious to know why you think Brandon is going to write Dalinar the way you think he is. If anything, I'd expect him to write Dalinar the opposite of what one might expect of a character like Dalinar.

Expect of "Dalinar" or expect of "Dalinar-like character"? If second, those characters always die. Always.

If first, many readers expect and HOPE to see great and interesting future for Dalinar. He could Ascend. Or he could travel different planets, exploring universe. That would be logical, natural development of the character. And that would be very interesting to read about. Much more interesting that waste Dalinar for another cliched "self sacrifice death moment". I'm sure, Dalinar is going to be wasted like this.

Sanderson believes that someone NEEDS to die, as without characters deaths the books is not good enough. Kaladin won't die. If you check old interviews with Sanderson (2010-2011) from the times, when he didn't care for giving spoilers that much, you will find out that Kaladin is going to be an important main character of the whole series (there're ten books in the series). I doubt he will kill Shallan. Can you imagine situation where Shallan dies and Kaladin and Dalinar survives? I can't.

Dalinar is left. I think, this is his only purpose within the story. Being a pig for slaughter and die, because someone NEEDS to die, and Kaladin and Shallan can't die. So, Dalinar.

"Perfect" choice. Sanderson doesn't care for him. Fandom either doesn't care or hate him. He's the most hated character ever. He "deserves" to die after all. He's a "monster".

Sanderson always struggles to find any *positive* words when people ask him about Dalinar's future (Why? I guess, this is because Dalinar has no future). He sounds much more ambitious when talks about Kaladin and Shallan (even Adolin).

He's not going to write Dalinar in book 4. If he has no story for Dalinar in the next book, there's no story for Dalinar in books 6-10. Seems like Dalinar's story ended in Oathbringer. Everything that is left is handful of chapters and death. Sanderson never said Dalinar will have a role after book 5. 

Hence, everything that was written in OB, cosmere-related narrative for Dalinar, foreshadowing of big, important role for him, all of it was for nothing. 

[Winds Alight she/her]

18 minutes ago, LerasiumMistborn said:

"Perfect" choice. Sanderson doesn't care for him. Fandom either doesn't care or hate him. He's the most hated character ever. He "deserves" to die after all. He's a "monster".

I don't know which parts of the fandom you know because I have no idea where you get that impression. I know this forum and I know Tumblr and especially on the latter Dalinar gets DILFed A LOT. I've never come across anyone voicing "hate" for Dalinar. People care about him a great deal.
Also, it has been mentioned before, but it's official from several WoBs that Dalinar is one of Sanderson's favourites ...

[LerasiumMistborn]

9 minutes ago, Winds Alight said:

I don't know which parts of the fandom you know because I have no idea where you get that impression. I know this forum and I know Tumblr and especially on the latter Dalinar gets DILFed A LOT. I've never come across anyone voicing "hate" for Dalinar. People care about him a great deal.
Also, it has been mentioned before, but it's official from several WoBs that Dalinar is one of Sanderson's favourites ...

I don't use Tumblr, so I will believe you. Here...there's not many people here, but I think majority has little interest in Dalinar's character, even if they don't hate him. People tend to like younger characters, that's why they're the most common and popular characters in fantasy books. On reddit many people hate him. Some don't, but each time someone says he like Dalinar or create a new thread about Dalinar, someone will show up with obligatorily "How can you like him? He's so awful, can't you see?!". People who do rereads of SA books hate Dalinar.

It's hard to say what Sanderon really thinks/fells about his characters. I mean, I don't know him personally, I can only make assumptions. I think, he may care about Dalinar as his...creation? Fictional character? In the sense that he wrote Dalinar a long time ago, when he was young. And finally being able to write and publish books is obviously important for him. But Dalinar as a person? I don't know how to explain it better. I want to say that I think he's not interested in writing any (positive) narrative and happy ending for Dalinar. He's a plot device for narrative needs. Kaladin and Shallan's stories about them needing to learn how to be happy, forgive themselves and live. Dalinar's story (as I think it is) is about him learning he's a monster, who needs to sacrifice his life to let others live. I mean, if I were an author and had a favorite character, I would write a lot about this character and write a happy ending for him/her. But maybe Sanderson sees things differently than I do.

[Calderis he/him]

25 minutes ago, LerasiumMistborn said:

Dalinar's story (as I think it is) is about him learning he's a monster, who needs to sacrifice his life to let others live.

That seems very much at odds with what Dalinar just swore. 

Dalinar remembered his past and it almost broke him completely... And then he swore that no matter what he'd pick himself up and do better. 

The whole point about "the next step" wasn't a final step. It was to keep going and do better. 

Dalinar is the character who has been in Brandon's head longer than any other. I will be surprised if he gets thrown away on a cliché martyr moment. 

[Scion of the Mists]

@LerasiumMistborn Double posting is against the Site Rules.  If you need to go back and add to your post, use the "edit post" button.  

You believe that Dalinar will play a small role in the Stormlight Archives and will die prematurely.  That's fine, everyone is entitled to their beliefs (even if they're not backed by any evidence).  You may even end up being right about it.  However, we have no evidence that this is the case, so you should stop stating it as fact - it's likely to confuse people.  

 

@Everyone else - At some point you've got to stop feeding the trolls.  

[LerasiumMistborn]

1 hour ago, Scion of the Mists said:

@LerasiumMistborn Double posting is against the Site Rules.  If you need to go back and add to your post, use the "edit post" button.  

You believe that Dalinar will play a small role in the Stormlight Archives and will die prematurely.  That's fine, everyone is entitled to their beliefs (even if they're not backed by any evidence).  You may even end up being right about it.  However, we have no evidence that this is the case, so you should stop stating it as fact - it's likely to confuse people.  

 

@Everyone else - At some point you've got to stop feeding the trolls.  

I didn't post my comments twice. It were two separate comments that being merged together somehow, but the second comment wasn't deleted. It wasn't me.

Yes, I wrote multiple times that I believe this will going to happen. 

Why am I a troll? Just because I voice my opinion? I have no right to discuss it? The whole situation with Dalinar is heart-breaking for me. I cried my eyes out because of it...Yeah, troll...Thank you.

2 hours ago, Calderis said:

That seems very much at odds with what Dalinar just swore. 

Dalinar remembered his past and it almost broke him completely... And then he swore that no matter what he'd pick himself up and do better. 

The whole point about "the next step" wasn't a final step. It was to keep going and do better. 

Dalinar is the character who has been in Brandon's head longer than any other. I will be surprised if he gets thrown away on a cliché martyr moment. 

The first Oath "life before death" means something like "it doesn't matter that you die in the end, what matters is how you lived you life". I think this will be the end of Dalinar's story. He will die, but die in making...something. Maybe killing Odium and dying in the process. For me personally, this is a waste, but Sanderson likes killing characters. Even if Dalinar is his favorite, it won't stop him from doing it.

...

Anyway, I finally was able to make a screenshot of...WoB or whatever it is. For those who think Dalinar's role and word count will increase and increase after Oathbringer...

...and I can't download it here. So I will probably make another topic for it. 

EDIT: https://imgur.com/a/R1aop5Z 

 

Edited February 25, 2019 by LerasiumMistborn

[Greywatch she/her]

@LerasiumMistborn You did post twice in a row, and I did merge them both together. In the future, if your post is the last one in the thread but you still have more to say, please edit your post and add on to it instead of posting again in a separate comment.

Also, it does sound like you are stating facts. The problem is, even though you feel very sure, it's going directly against what Brandon has said. We can all feel however we want, but we don't get to say that it is going to happen. We don't know. Please make it more clear when it is your opinion and provide back-up for your claims. If there is no back-up, nobody can trust that it is real, so we have to assume it is not true.

It is okay to think that Dalinar is going to die. It's less okay to make claims that it's for sure going to happen with no evidence.

 

Edit: I'm excited to see you making public the WoB you were talking about earlier!

[LerasiumMistborn]

9 minutes ago, Greywatch said:

Also, it does sound like you are stating facts. The problem is, even though you feel very sure, it's going directly against what Brandon has said. We can all feel however we want, but we don't get to say that it is going to happen. We don't know. Please make it more clear when it is your opinion and provide back-up for your claims. If there is no back-up, nobody can trust that it is real, so we have to assume it is not true.

It is okay to think that Dalinar is going to die. It's less okay to make claims that it's for sure going to happen with no evidence.

But I always say I think, I believe, I fear that, ect. I explained why do I think, believe, and fear though.

Why this is impossible to add a picture? I always get "upload failed..."

[dhamma]

Eh so much drama in this thread lol.

I have no idea if Dalinar will have a role after book 10, or even if he will live past 5.

But I DO think that there will be a change to Honor's splintered shard at the end of 5, and Dalinar will have a role to play in it.  What the change will be, I do not know.  But Brandon does make something obvious in book and Q&A.  The fact that the perpindicularity was created, means something very important in regards to Dalinar and/or Honor.