Aglaia

Thanks for the answer. I did not think of this possibility. Of course, there could be reasons why he can't use temporary cognitive shadows. Maybe they are disappearing too quickly. I think you are right though. They would be a better option for his experiments, if he wanted to create a body for himself.

Regardless of his goal, I agree that Ishar would start with animal spren. However, he would probably have the same problems as with Cryptics. Their bodies just don't work in the PR. (Perhaps the Spren horses could be similar enough) So after a short time he would have to try that with other beings. What exactly do you mean by "temporary cognitive shadows."? People who have just died?

I think so too. That would combine his plan to reset the Oathpact with the strange experiments. Since Ishar sees himself as a God and "bearer of the Oathpact" it may fit with his madness to try to create an "improved" Oathpact. One of the reasons the oathpact did not work was because the heralds were able to break their oaths. Spren according to the Stormfather cannot do that.

I tend to agree with those who argue that the oath is related to “deciding who not to protect”. But from a different angle. Every ideal Kaladin has sworn to date has been associated with some internal conflict. 2. keep trying to protect, in spite of the consequences this has brought for him so far. 3. hate towards lighteyes / protect those he hates 4. dealing with failure / accepting it. All of these conflicts are already laid out in WoK. In my opinion, the remaining conflict is whether one can kill in order to protect. It's not as big a problem for him as the 4th oath, but it's still a question he asks. So for me it makes sense that the fifth ideal is related to that.

I really like this, because all discussions focus very much on that one single event, but the loophole doesn't have to have anything to do with the actual fight, does it? I think, how the fight of the champions ends doesn't really matter to Odium/ Taravangian, if he wants to save the Cosmere: As long as he cannot leave the system, he has lost. But if at any point (before during or after the fight) the contract is broken, that frees him according to RoW 112: That means that Dalinar could win the fight and still lose, if Odium can manipulate someone to break the contract. Your idea would give Taravangian the time for that. If that's correct, the question is whether Dalinar himself would have to do that or whether one of his allies would be enough?

So I can think of three options: He is just insane. He is insane and wants to bring himself back to life (no longer just a CS) so he can leave Roshar. He is insane and ( my slightly crazier idea) since Ishar sees himself as a God and "bearer of the Oathpact" it may fit with his madness to try to create an "improved" Oathpact. The Oathpact had a problem (besides the fact that some people are tortured forever ...): The heralds can break their oaths. Spren don't change as quickly as people do and so the chances of them breaking an oath are therefore less. (OB 38 HONOR LET THE POWER BLIND HIM TO THE TRUTH—THAT WHILE SPREN AND GODS CANNOT BREAK THEIR OATHS, MEN CAN AND WILL.)To get them included in an Oathpact, however, they may need a connection to PR. Kalak mentions something that might indicate that in RoW 92 „The bond is what keeps us alive. You sever that, and we will slowly decompose into ordinary souls—with no valid Connection to the Physical or Spiritual Realms.“ If he can get the spren across successfully, why should they agree? I don't know, maybe he just expects you to do what he says.

While that sounds likely to me, I think that doesn't have to be the case. Another possibility is that he may have to kill, or at least fight against, someone he believes he should protect. Fortunately we have an option that isn't that sad (at least for most of us): In chapter 8 he thinks about Moash: “Moash wasn't just a friend though. He was beyond that a member of Bridge Four. Kaladin had sworn to the storms and the heavens above — if anyone was there watching — that he’d protect those men. Kaladin had failed Moash.” If the oath, as already assumed here, goes in the direction of " agency of others"( as Subvisual Haze speculated), that would fit. Moash decided against Bridge 4 and went to Odium's side. Kaladin could have reacted a lot better in WoR, but Moash decided for himself to continue with the assassination attempt and everything after that. . But I don't know whether this solution is too predictable(i.e. Kaladin/ Moash fight)?

I just wanted to say that I really like the direction that is being considered here. Away from the more general “cannot save everyone”, to sending people, who willingly take this risk, into dangerous situations to save others. That fits the scene from tWoK: All members of Bridge 4 decide they want to turn around and help Dalinar's army. Everyone knew it could mean their death and still made that choice. Kaladin still thinks of the bridgemen who died as people he has failed. For me, this has always devalued their willingness to put their lives at risk a bit. Even if Kaladin doesn't mean it like that. Also: Veil jokes that "Urithiru was full of Windrunners, men and women who would fall over themselves to make sure you didn't bruise your elbow on a misplaced table." So being overprotective seems to be a general problem with windrunners while extreme problems to deal with failure seems to be mostly specific to Kaladin. I really like this idea. Especially since additionally the epigraph of chapter 86 deals with the fourth Windrunner oath. That sounds exactly like something Brandon Sanderson would do. Regardless of whether the theory is correct: I always admire people who notice something like that.

Ok, wild theorys: I really want to know what the honorblades can do. The Stormfather says of Jezrien's blade: „It is a weapon beyond parallel. The gift of a god. With it, you would be a Windrunner unoathed. And more. More that men do not understand, and cannot. Like a Herald, nearly.“ (OB 16) I think, we will see part (not everything until back 5) of the „and more“ and Moash can access it by now. We have already seen a fight between a windrunner and someone who has Jezrien's blade and we know how it ends. So that would be something new. (Maybe they simply figured out how to do that or maybe they use whatever they took frorm Jezrien and captured in the sapphire. Honor can't prevent that anymore.)

And sending Adolin makes sense, when you remember how the honorspren reacted to Kaladin telling them about Dalinar bonding the stormfather. That obviously means a lot to the honorspren.

Moash knows about Roshone. Kaladin tells him at the end of Words of Radiance

On the whole, I agree with your other thoughts, but I don't think, that he is still a soldier. Syl thinks, "Perhaps he would be satisfied as a surgeon, and it would be good for him to not have to kill anymore."