ConfusedCow Posted May 24, 2020 Posted May 24, 2020 I want Brandon to release book 4 early since we're all stuck in various kinds of purgatory. Brandon unsurprisingly did not simply mail me draft #4. So I've decided to release all my best theories about the stormlight archive until he releases the book or sends me a t-shirt or something. It's not a great plan. Blackmail Theory #1: Lift's Gifts So Lift is everyone's favorite character. In a world filled with weird powers she stands out, not just a surgebinder but gifted by the nightwatcher to exist partly in the cognitive realm. Wyndle asks "But why? ... Why did she give you this incredible talent?" (WOR 708) We get one hint. The Stormfather meets Lift in a vision and rumbles "That woman! This is a creation specifically meant to defy my will!" and then adds "That child is tainted by the Nightwatcher" (OB 470). At first glance, I thought the Stormfather just hated eavesdropping but maybe... Lift can heal spren, perhaps with the help of someone prepared to reswear the oaths and bond the spren. I imagine her grafting Maya's soul onto Adolins. People have tried and failed to heal broken spren before. Lift is something new, she can touch them in both the cognitive and physical realms. The Stormfather has lost faith in humans. He doesn't wish for Spren and humans to bond again because he thinks humans will betray and kill them. Lift by healing the dead spren can mend the terrible hurt of the Recreance. Perhaps she can even help the mysterious sibling. The Nightwatcher chose Lift for this gift because she has the soul of an edgedancer and sent her to raise an army of radiants to stand against Odium. 7
Honorless he/him Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 I don't think Cultivation would put that many eggs into one basket 1
Elsecaller_17.5 he/him Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 That's a great idea on the combination of her gift and progression and I like it a lot more then the truespren being "healed" by corruption theory. 1
Karger he/him Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 52 minutes ago, R J said: I don't think Cultivation would put that many eggs into one basket We know next to nothing about her.
Steel Inquisitive he/him Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 1 hour ago, R J said: I don't think Cultivation would put that many eggs into one basket Consider how much she risked with Dalinar....
Honorless he/him Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 1 hour ago, Steel Inquisitive said: Consider how much she risked with Dalinar.... Because Dalinar was getting maneuvered by Odium via Nergaoul to be his champion as both she & Odium confirm in OB
Karger he/him Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Steel Inquisitive said: Consider how much she risked with Dalinar.... "It will be good to have a piece of you even if you eventually become his." She would benefit either way. I think she did is analogous to stealing his social security number. Magically speaking. Edited May 25, 2020 by Karger
Frustration Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 2 minutes ago, Karger said: "It will be good to have a piece of you even if you eventually become his." She would benifit either way. Isn't it 'ultimately'
Karger he/him Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 Just now, Frustration said: Isn't it 'ultimately' I was quoting from memory.
Frustration Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 Just now, Karger said: I was quoting from memory. So am I, though I don't fault you, just saying.
Karger he/him Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 Just now, Frustration said: So am I, though I don't fault you, just saying. The meaning is ultimately the same.
Frustration Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 Just now, Karger said: The meaning is ultimately the same. I see what you did there.
Steel Inquisitive he/him Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 *sighs* ok. Taravangian(spelling?). My point was she's willing to take calculated risks.
Honorless he/him Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Steel Inquisitive said: *sighs* ok. Taravangian(spelling?). My point was she's willing to take calculated risks. She is but makes a lot hinge on very little. I mean thematically it's quite appropriate that an Edgedancer might end up resolving or being the key to resolving the Recreance but that might already be happening with Adolin and Maya, an Edgedancer spren Also, this is something that could also have been more thematically appropriately solved by a Bondsmith, Nightwatcher's Bondsmith in particular with more gravitas, perhaps a high cost Boon and Bane or simply through her closeness with Cultivation (and Honor) This seems... contrived, both plot-wise with how badly it could go wrong & narratively. I do believe that Lift's Boon/Bane would be pivotal going forwards but I don't think it's for this As for Taravangian, he seems like a stress test and a plant Edited May 25, 2020 by R J
Aminar Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, R J said: She is but makes a lot hinge on very little. I mean thematically it's quite appropriate that an Edgedancer might end up resolving or being the key to resolving the Recreance but that might already be happening with Adolin and Maya, an Edgedancer spren Also, this is something that could also have been more thematically appropriately solved by a Bondsmith, Nightwatcher's Bondsmith in particular with more gravitas, perhaps a high cost Boon and Bane or simply through her closeness with Cultivation (and Honor) This seems... contrived, both plot-wise with how badly it could go wrong & narratively. I do believe that Lift's Boon/Bane would be pivotal going forwards but I don't think it's for this As for Taravangian, he seems like a stress test and a plant Nah. Taravangian is the lynch pin, but he doesn't understand how. He thinks it's the intelligence. But it's the stupid days where his empathy is highest that will matter in the end. (I think he's being groomed to hold the Passion Shard.) (All 3 of the Nightwatcher's tools are important. Lift and Dalinar will also be key to the final conflict.) Edited May 25, 2020 by Aminar
Honorless he/him Posted May 25, 2020 Posted May 25, 2020 4 hours ago, Aminar said: Nah. Taravangian is the lynch pin, but he doesn't understand how. He thinks it's the intelligence. But it's the stupid days where his empathy is highest that will matter in the end. (I think he's being groomed to hold the Passion Shard.) (All 3 of the Nightwatcher's tools are important. Lift and Dalinar will also be key to the final conflict.) I'm not arguing about their importance, rather the roles being assigned to them. The Taravangian part is even more of a wild shot, in my opinion. Dalinar could've gone either way and it could've worked for Cultivation.
Recommended Posts