MooseBehave

I think he will, but the “why” is a bit of a stretch. This isn’t a fully formed idea, but more of a feeling based on a few questions from a re-read. Lmk what you think! Other than just the many references to Kal being far stronger/more advanced/just different than other Windrunners (ie; diverting the highstorm, staying awake for no clearly-solved reason when the Tower was attacked), Kal’s arc feels like it’s leading toward something bigger than just “he gonna die”. I definitely don’t think he’ll be the new Honor though... I think Kaladin is going to become a Herald. We know that the Fifth Ideal of the Skybreakers is the most difficult to attain and only has been achieved by the Herald who founded the order. Even Jasnah, who’s had her powers for years (possibly since right after Gavilar’s Feast) and is arguably the most advanced Radiant alive, is only on the 4th Ideal by RoW. What if the 5th Ideal of each Order is only attainable by one who is a Herald, or keeping more to my point, what if swearing the 5th Ideal makes one into a Herald? As of Oathbringer, Jezrien, the Herald associated with the Windrunners, is perma-dead. There’s a void there to be filled. I think Kal may get killed, yes, but he will swear the 5th right before, die super-Invested (as per his conversation with Zahel), and return as a Herald to help reforge an Oathpact. It probably won’t look like the old Oathpact, given anti-light as a possible solution to The Fused, but still. This would conclude his story in a way that would fit his arc. Kaladin survives... but this time, so does everyone he loves.