Nick11 Posted June 9, 2020 Posted June 9, 2020 I picked up my 10 year old copy of WoKs a while back and read the back summary and it is foreshadowing a redeemer and a destroyer. I'm wondering if its a red herring, a mistake, or still relevant. This has been in the back of my mind for years, hopefully you guys can help me out! The whole summary is : "I long for the days before the Last Desolation. Before the Heralds abandoned us and the Knights Radiant turned against us. When there was still magic in Roshar and honor in the hearts of men. In the end, not war but victory proved the greater test. Did our foes see that the harder they fought, the fiercer our resistance? Fire and hammer forge a sword; time and neglect rust it away. So we won the world, yet lost it. Now there are four whom we watch: the surgeon, forced to forsake healing and fight in the most brutal war of our time; the assassin, who weeps as he kills; the liar, who wear her scholar's mantle over a thief's heart; and the prince, whose eyes open to the ancient past as his thirst for battle wanes. One of them may redeem us. One of them will destroy us." Is Szeth the destroyer? But he opens the way for Dalinar before he joins the Skybreakers. Or maybe Kaladin who see's parshmen as people he should protect; or perhaps Kaladin's odious feelings against light eyes is the spark? Perhaps Shallan with her connection to a world hopping organization that fears the contest with Rayse? Or is it Dalinar that somehow releases Odium from the Rosharan System? Or perhaps this was a red herring or edited for a change of perspective. What are your thoughts? 2
Frustration Posted June 9, 2020 Posted June 9, 2020 That's what was on the back of the one I read. Personally I want to think Shallan is the destroyer, because, It's between Shallan and any of the others, and all the others a better. 1
+King of Herdaz he/him Posted June 9, 2020 Posted June 9, 2020 (edited) Fun Fact: those are written by the Sleepless. IMO it's too early to say who it is because we don't know what will happen in the end of the story. My guess is that Dalinar is the redeemer, and come to think of it maybe the destroyer too. Though since it says "may redeem" and "will destroy" I don't think it makes sense for them to be the same person. Edited June 9, 2020 by King of Herdaz 2
Karger he/him Posted June 9, 2020 Posted June 9, 2020 34 minutes ago, Nick11 said: Or perhaps this was a red herring or edited for a change of perspective. What are your thoughts? As has been said this one was written by the sleepless. We have no indication of where they get their future information from(future seeing in the cosmere is generally unreliable if not actually evil).
Aminar Posted June 10, 2020 Posted June 10, 2020 I'd assume it's pretty obviously Dalinar by the end of OathBringer. Odium tried to make him his Champion. 1
Golstar Posted June 10, 2020 Posted June 10, 2020 I don't think this should be taken as a literal canon prophecy of unerring accuracy. I believe the Sleepless have been confirmed as being part of Mistborn Era 4 (WoB). I seem to remember the events of the Stormlight Archive books taking place before Mistborn Era 2. I guess the Era 4 could involve one or a few survivors of an event destroying the Sleepless, but I think the "redeemer and destroyer" should taken as an expectation, rather than foresight. However, I do think one of the Radiants will cause destruction beyond what we've seen so far. I think Kaladin-Destroyer would be taking his tragedy too far into grimdark. Dalinar-Destroyer would be ruining his redemption and growth. Shallan-Destroyer is what everyone expects, but would also be almost unfairly tragic. She's been on a tragic trajectory from her early childhood, and having her arc end up in a dark place would be a denial of agency counter to the struggle we've been shown. Also remember that Hoid spends a lot of time on Shallan - I think this is for the very purpose of aiding her have the choice and opportunity to rise above her tragic circumstances and broken soul. This leaves Szeth. I think Szeth will end up a Destroyer. He's carrying Nightblood, he was insane prior to his death and while he is not evil, he does not have much humanity left to redeem. I think he will end up causing terrible destruction out of (what he perceives as) necessity. Perhaps he will end up a new vessel for Odium. Unlike the ego-centric, almost solipsistic Rayse he doesn't merely hate others and desire their hatred in return. He hates himself far more than he hates others. His hatred of the outside world is also strangely naive. My take on the candidates: Szeth will destroy to defeat Rayse - take up Odium. The shard will be transition from passionate, self-aggrandizing vessel of hatred to a volatile but humble vessel of hatred. One who embraces that he deserves to be hated, but who also embodies the fiery hatred of vengeance and retribution. 2
Elegy he/him Posted June 10, 2020 Posted June 10, 2020 I also believe that they meant Dalinar. Renarin's own future sight showed a future of Dalinar as Odium's champion - it seems to have been very likely to happen and it's plausible that they saw the same. 2
Cammac Posted June 11, 2020 Posted June 11, 2020 14 hours ago, Elegy said: I also believe that they meant Dalinar. Renarin's own future sight showed a future of Dalinar as Odium's champion - it seems to have been very likely to happen and it's plausible that they saw the same. I agree. I think they saw Dalinar becoming Odiums champion. Perhaps they also saw a very small chance of the events that actually happened with the "may save us" part. It could be referring only to the sleepless/aimians being destroyed or saved though in which case I have no idea.
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