mistify

If mathematical savants frighten shadowblazes, who are they bonding with? Mathematical savants are made to be Rithmatists (witness all the comments on Joel - "you should be a rithmatist"!) I don't buy it. I think he isn't a rithmatist because he isn't meant to be one - his talents can help most as a non-rithmatist, like in the end with Melody. What scares me is that he will consider binding with a forgotten to become one.

I actually thought that Joel was denied on purpose. The point being to create a new way of fighting: With a rithmatist and a non-rithmatist in the same circle. So the Shadowblaze showed up to tell him he's special, but did not bind because Joel has another purpose. For all we know, the way to ultimately defeat an uber-forgotten is exactly though this kind of pairing. Nalizar never saw it before because it was never done before. Of course, it could also be because there weren't any free spots available (as rithmatists weren't dying). In which case, the chalkling is not a shadowblaze at all, but a chalkling sent by someone/something else. But this seems sooo much less cool.

I also think the parshmen are not voidbringers. They have too much honor. Also, the Parshendi shardbearer didn't kill Kholin when he had the chance and told him that he was waiting for Kholin. Maybe the point of the Parshendi is to remind the Alethi what honor is? And though Taravangian seems to be on the side of the angels, he looks evil to me. Maybe he is a voidbringer, and can change shape? Maybe voidbringers are dishonorable lighteyes or controlled by them? It seems unlikely that the parshmen are voidbringers for another reason as well. Shen watched Kaladin and bridge four desecrate everything he held dear. But he didn't become a monster. Also, I agree with others here that Sanderson wouldn't have revealed this so soon if it had been right I guess we'll just have to wait and see...