Blightsong

For the third time, he didn't feel enough pity for Szeth to let a priceless relic, that could help save lives in the coming storm (pun intended).

As stated in the text, pity. He believed he could stop Szeth without killing him. I see nothing wrong with that.

As I explained above, it was one or the other. By the time he got the blade, which is lighter and has a lower terminal velocity than Szeth, Szeth dissappeared behind a flung plateu and was lost. Kal found nothing when he went and looked for Szeth, and the blade would have been lost the same way.Kal DEFFINATELY ment for Szeth to die. As we see in the new version, he could have directed the blade away and not killed Szeth, being experienced in Melee weapon combat myself I can tell you that it's not difficult to stop a blow from hitting your opponent, even if it's a feint you expected then to parry. Edit: As for "Kaladin sure cares about lives than shardblades", Kal didn't care much for that life, and that's just who the character is. If you don't like how the changes changed your view of the character I understand, but don't disrepect the decision to make the change itself because of that. It's just how the author envisions the story and his characters.

I totally remembered that wrong, thanks for sources. I think my arguement still works however. Kaladin wanted to save Szeth out of pity, but that pity only extended so far and was not worth losing a priceless relic over. He was obviously not a threat for the reason I have pointed out above. I still see no reason to consider the decision too hange the script "disgusting".

By the time Szeth dropped, he had no stormlight and Kal was then told that he had unbonded his blade. He was NO danger, in fact he was a cripple. You also realize that they were in a hurricane that could lift up whole swaths of land right? Szeth would have been falling faster than the blade, and by the time Kaladin had time to get it Szeth was lost into the storm, he had no time, it was one or the other. Kaladin did not save Szeth for the mercy of it. He wanted Szeth to have to live with what he had done, this is what Brandon said when he made the changes. This, however, was not worth it to Kal if punishing Szeth woukd mean losing a priceless relic, which is a good choice IMO. I don't see a problem...

I did address your statement... "Kaladin saw an un-glowing Szeth". No glow, no stormlight, no heal, no threat. Kaladin obviously believed that if he could not kill Szeth that would be optimal, and at this point he was kicking Szeth's chull. If he could protect and not kill, that is optimal for Kal. I don't see why that is so bad.

Stormlight cannot be saved up, only held in, which causes the skin to glow. That's just not how it works. When Kal saw a non-glowing Szeth with his eyes closed, knowing that he had two sharddeadded appendages, I doubt he would have jumped to the realmatically false conclusion that he was still a physical threat. I don't understand why it's so hard to stomach Kaladin believing that Szeth should be punished, but that his punishment was not worth losing a Honorblade over. It's in line with the character and what he has done in the past and I don't see why you think it's "disgusting". Even if you don't like I don't understand why it has to be as bad as you seem to think it is.

I think a common misunderstanding within the Cosmere is that Honor and the nights are inherently good. Honor simply means to fulfill an obligation or keep a promise. One can still be vengeful and unmerciful while being honorable. Nothing in his oaths says anything about being merciful, and Kaladin himself is quite a vengeful man. Radiants can make decisions, even important ones, that have nothing to do with their oaths or their ideals. I would also like to point out that making someone love with the terrible things they have done has nothing to do with the Skybreakers. This simply view law above else, if this means punishment then ok, if it doesn't than ok. I also don't see why a Windrunner can't want someone to be punished for mass killings, ect. Windrunners don't have to disrespect law to be a Windrunner. As I said earlier, I think things like that are down to the personality and beliefs of the Radiant. Your reasoning for why Kaladin would think Szeth would still be a threat is incredibly faulty, realmatically and otherwise. Why would Kaladin think that Szeth could save up his Stormlight because he glows dimmer if Kaladin know that storing stormlight makes you glow brightly? Besides, Syl says to him before the fight (I think after Kal and Szeth's first fight) that Szeth was consuming much higher levels of stormlight than Kal. She even mentions that it is because of the blade, and that the blade is the reason Szeth is able to surgebind. So why would Kaladin, having been told by Syl that Szeth has unbonded the Honorblade, would he think that a man with two shard dead limbs be a threat, in the immediate fight, or even in any future encounter. Kalsdin knew the moment Syl told him the blade was unbonded that Szeth was now a shard less, non surgebinder cripple. I don't even know what your talking about when you say Kaladin blamed Szeth for Tien's deaths. I went back and read from where Kaladin gets to the final battle to where Szeth dies and I see nothing like that come out of Kaladin's mouth. As for "why didn't Syl just tell him to kill Szeth and go for the sword after he was dead, if he was going to die anyways.". Syl and Kal cant read each others minds, atleast not yet, and Kla decision to not kill Szeth was a split second decision. Syl ended up believing that the blade was, and probably is, important enough for a mass murdering psychopath to die over. Syl probably wasn't of the same mind set of Kal, that Szeth should pay for what he had done. Syl and Kal can have different opinions on what to do, and if it doesn't interfere with his oaths (which it definately doesn't in this case. No one was in danger or in need of protection, exept Szeth I guess and it I'm not sure it would have been "right" to protect him, or kill him. It was kind of a grey area, leaving Kal to make the decision.) then he could do what he felt was right, which he did.

Szeth not only didn't have powers, as he unbounded the blade, but he also had a shard dead foot and hand. Syl had told him in book that Szeth didn't have a Spren to guide him and that something was different about his blade. She then shout, right after Kaladin spares Szeth, that his he unbonded his blade. I don't think Szeth would've posed much of a threat, even if he lived through the storm. You say this tweaking makes Kalsdin look less like the radiant he is supposed to be but my point is proven in the fact that Brandon tweaked this part at all. If the person who came up with this story thinks that Kaladin not killing Szeth was something the character would do, and something that is order would do, then it's impossible to really argue otherwise. Killing Szeth wouldn't have protected anyone, and quite frankly the tweak just fleshed Kaladin's character out more. He didn't spare Szeth's life out of mercy, he spared his life so that Szeth would have to live with what he had done. As for the whole "he then let Szeth to die" thing I can blame on Syl. Kaladin had to make a split second decision and Syl pushed him to go one way instead of the other. I also doubt that Kaladin cared very much for Szeth's life. There was no sentiment towards Szeth, Kaladin just wanted Szeth to pay for what he had done.

But that was what Kaladin's progression was towards the entire book. He even states that he will only kill when absolutely neccesary. He is willing to go through and protect "so long as it is right".

Skai: dude Aona: grill

I would just like to point out that the creatures on the double eye seem to have legs and claws. I doubt they are serpents.

I think this particular arguement is one of philosophy. I just don't think that punishment is an effective way of reform, in the real world or in this case. If a murderous radical is sentanced to death or imprisoned for life, they are not going to hurt others, but they are also not going to regret their past decisions. For me, that is a sad, but justified end to that persons life. It doesn't really make things better for anyone. If said radical was shown that what they did was wrong, felt remorse for their actions, and was rehabilitated into someone who could do good, I don't see why that is unsavory, in real life or in a story.I do see how someone would still want justice, as you do, but do you see where my arguement comes from and why I disagree with you? Edit: Sorry for derailing this topic, if anyone wishes to continue the discussion pm me.

Maxal, I think it is unfair to judge Szeth by your culture's version of right and wrong when he spent his whole life having his cultures version of right and wrong beaten into his head. Szeth honestly believed that by ignoring the orders of his masters, he would be doing something worse than even mass murder. While I see that that isn't ok or true, based on my cultural past, I understand that he is exempt of atleast some of the blame for what he has done. You say he had the choice to simply not follow orders, but he was conditioned throught his entire life to believe that not following those orders was worse than anything he could possibly do. Why would he consciously choose to do something he whole-heartedly believed was worse than mass murder? He didn't even want do do what he was doing, he detested what he was doing to the point of wishing for his own death, as to end the suffering of other. As for the punishment you seem to believe he deserves, I think he has gone through enough punishment. Insanity and extreme self loathing is beyond any kind of punishment anyone should ever receive. I think Szeth understanding and accepting what he has done as his own actions, rather than blaming others for them, and then redeeming himself would be a much better storyline than Szeth just going through more punishment, even if you dislike the character.

Ok, good. I saw many posts saying, as if it were canon, that you had to have a great devotion towards something to have the shard take you. Thanks for the confirmation that that was incorrect.

Tell me everything we know for certain about the Shaod and how Elantrians are initiated. I'm working on a theory.

You know you're a Sanderfan when your dream job is to be a "Realmatic Theorist".

My first was WoK, and my favorite is WoK.

I would like to point out that investiture transcends all three realms, so it wouldn't be passing from one to another. Aons just act as a kind of focus for investiture. That's about all I can answer, the magic system I'm least acquainted with is AonDor, but I hope I gave you a better understanding of Realmatics.

damnation! Thanks for the info.

If you want more cosmere litteracy I would recommend warbreaker, and then I would recommend mistborn era 2 simply because a lot of theories going around are going to center on that series for the next few months.

I don't think Honor should be assumed to be a "good" shard. Honor means to fulfil an obligation or to keep an agreement. The nature of that obligation or agreement doesn't have to be good.

We don't know if the names are all abolish, but it's likely.

Many shardworld share linguistics. At one point when Siri is teaching Susebron she mentions the letter 'shash'. There is probably stuff like that hidden throught all of the books.

So recently I was pruning through theoryland and remembered that most healing magic in the cosmere works on the basis that people healed by magic are healed into how they see themselves. If this is the case than why does Renarin no longer need his glasses? The only thing I can think of is that whatever Dalinar dud with the Nightwatcher DID screw with Renarin somehow. Tell me what you guys think.