IndigoAjah

Well, for one, Shallan has two different Shardblades, demonstrably, in WoR

It was Testamentblade It's silver. Pattern Blade is explicitly garnet coloured. And she uses both at various times in WoR. Shardblade descriptions are pretty key! We've seen them be relevant clues at least twice before this.

We know the bond with Testament is salvageable, no? Because Kal's Bond with Syl, when he killed her by accident, was too.

So this is kind of a theory and kind of a set of observations. It's not that groundbreaking : we knew some of this ever since we heard the words "Journey over Destination". Stormlight Archive covers many key topics: how we treat the voiceless, societal injustice, religion, war and the appropriateness of it, science and when that's good and bad, mental health, finding a way to keep on going, self-acceptance, sacrifice etc. But ethical conflict, more openly than most series (even though you can see the seeds of this focus in WoT, especially the books Sanderson finished), is especially prevalent. I have hypothesised the Orders of Knights radiant as pairs of contrasting internal Vs external approaches to sets of moral laws (Windrunners internal justice based morality Vs Skybreakers external law based morality, by Truthwatchers looking for external truth as the driver for decisions Vs Internal honesty for Lightweavers, Bondsmiths internal responsibility Vs Stonewards external duty etc). Honor seems heavily based on ethical rules, and rules are a big part of his overall picture with the Oathpact, his song being very structured, Oaths binding his Radiants. Essentially, a very deontological approach to morality and decision making, where something is right or wrong based on inherent values and rules. Now, we see Odium also bound by rules but his forces are much more bound by tradition and hierarchy rather than rules, a different ethical code of sorts. "Do what you are told/what has always been done". Then other antagonists in the series notably follow other ethical approaches. Taravangian follows an "ends justify the means approach", one he boils down to "anything is acceptable to guarantee some people survive". Not quite utilitarian, but in the same vein. Moash has become nihilism, rejecting his feelings, rejecting responsibility, amoral and not accepting anything matters or that existence is good. Amaran and the Sons of Honor took on "Ends Justify the Means" in a more Utilitarian manner. Nale also followed this path in the guise of following his rules for a while (he would do anything justifying it with "legality" for his aim of preventing Nahel bonds forming, a sham of actual Skybreaker ethics). The Ghostbloods take on an Assassin's Creed approach to "anything can be justified" with a touch of Will To Power. Other antagonists like Sadeas are simply amoral, not caring about ethics but trying to take advantage for their own gain. What can this tell us about the series? Well, first of all, that Honor and thus the Radiants are correct shouldn't be taken for granted. I think it's likely Sanderson favours a deontological approach to ethics but I hope he doesn't oversimplify it to "other approaches = bad". Especially as we will need to see a balance between Roshar's Shards eventually. It might be that Rules being followed is a key, but we might also see that maybe, like the Jedi, the Radiants and their Spren need to accept more flexibility to survive and win. That will be an interesting choice for the author. In reality decisions often have to take both inherent rightness, consequence and intent into account. Also, what is Cultivation's ethical drive? Does she have one? What we haven't seen covered from an ethics perspective here is Intent based ethics or Virtue Ethics, so maybe she's linked to one of these? Or more true existentialism? That would seem Autonomy's domain though. It also raises questions, for me, about Jasnah who we've seen apply ethics via pure logic. She's used consequence based decision making a lot, and questioned the value of hope in a speech that touched on that. Will she turn, based on this? Or will she, as she's also suggested, land on a Rational Deontology, Kant's Categorical Imperative where actions become right by applicability? Anything you think we can expand on from this?

I think Deadeye blades tend to be metallic grey/silver etc? And Live Blades tend to be their Spren/Order colour? So Blue for Windrunners, Red for Lightweavers etc.

Someone on Facebook posted proof that Shallan used two separate Blades (Dalinar style). Words of Radiance Later in the same book So yes, I think it's clear she used Testament against Tyn. No screaming though...

So I think we've seen enough of our Heralds to tell this: the brand of madness for each broken Herald is a corruption or subversion of their role and their focus. Nale was a mad Javert who abused justice to hunt the most minor of criminals, and has now expanded that to a global bizarre interpretation of law. Ishar, a leader and Bondsmith, has created an unfair empire and disunity. Jezrien, a King and Leader and Protector, his away in a position of no responsibility Shalash destroying art, where images and art and inner truth are all linked to her Order. Kalak the Willshaper leads to Singer enslavement rather than liberation. So what do we think our missing Heralds will be doing?

He's probably mad, so it doesn't have to be a good reason

My guesses: 1) El. We got those vibes 2) Jasnah. Terrifyingly. I think her ethics has the potential to line up with tOdium's and her talk about the dangers of hope has me worried. 3) Moash is being set up as this though frankly without some improvements I can't see him winning 4) a child. Don't know which. Because then Dalinar will struggle to kill them. 5) Ishar. Might even end up thinking he was representing the good guys the way he currently is. 6) Chana. She's one of the most secretive Heralds now and would be hugely dangerous with her combat skillset. 7) Battar. Another dangerous and unaccounted for Herald who may have links to Kharbranth I don't think Nale will end this book on Odium's side, and I don't think Szeth will turn unless he's mentally even more broken in Shinovar, though Odium is targeting the main cast one by one so I think Odium will try. Adolin I find it really hard, without some huge new secret, to see him fall. It would take a writing masterclass to turn him without breaking character.

Would NB accept Szeth as good if he became Odium's Champion? Does Odium know that aspect of how NB works?

Yeah, SA books 6-10 for sure, maybe MB era 2/3 (does W'n'W count as era 2 officially?)

I see Whimsy basically like a more Orange and Blue Morality version of Delirium from The Sandman

Shallan must have been the First New Radiant, surely? Given how old she was when she killed her mother? Just as Kal is unique in his way, Shallan is in hers.

Also it's not clear how the Palindrome exactly works: I don't think it's unreasonable that it could be KotW instead (as Roshar tends to use slightly imperfect palindromes)

I guess we'll find out in 3 years or so!

Personally I would call that my exact definition of an avatar though! The physical manifestation of a superphysical being! That's my exact understanding of that word. noun 1. HINDUISM a manifestation of a deity or released soul in bodily form on earth; an incarnate divine teacher. 2. an icon or figure representing a particular person in a video game, internet forum, etc. "conversation is depicted in a balloon over the avatar's head"

I personally am pretty sure that isn't what Avatar means in this context, but maybe I'm wrong. I'm nearly 100% sure that Avatar simply refers to his "body" given everything we know from SH and BoM. I wouldn't be surprised if one of those things does happen by the end of the book, but it has to happen quite a lot earlier in the book to realistically get them to interact. Shallan no longer being a main PoV character does not mean they will complete the arc, depending on how long our inter-arc gap is going to be. Placing a PoV character next to a character that knows too much to be a PoV but progresses the plot is a common literary tool.

Hard to see that happening though, with Shallan tied to Roshar and Thaidakar by definition unable to go there. I can't see where any meaningful confrontation is going to occur.

It would make sense if they were.

So, after she was absent from this book and said to have moved on from the Honorspren stronghold, what do we think happens next for Azure ?/ Is she just here as a shout out, to hint at who Zahel might be and hint at the Cosmere connections? Or does she have a specific part to play? What do you think happens next for her?

More importantly, he has weird Highstorm based powers that seem unique and is the Son of Tanavast.

Would be great if we then saw a mass battle of Windrunners Vs Skybreakers near the climax, only for Szeth to convince Nan to rejoin humanity

This is purely for fun. If you had to guess what Misting (or Ferring I guess, or even Twinborn) our major Radiants would be, and what Radiant Orders Vin, Kel etc might join, who would you put where? Kaladin, for me would be a Steel pusher Shallan probably a Rioter Who else fits where?

Given the theology behind Sanderson's work, I could see this. That's one argument for why "God died for our sons" in Christian Theology, it being the only true way to experience empathy, something beyond mere knowledge. It's also the crux behind my favourite ever series so I'm keen for it.

Except we thing that the Universe is and will continue to inherently expand and split