#glad it isn't just me that wants more of Kaladin's reaction

[butwhybother]

Rhythm of War part 4 reactions/thoughts. Rhythm of War spoilers!

Quick notes again so I can keep moving.

Chapter 73 Which Master To Follow

I think it's a bit weird that Honor, Cultivation, and Odium together get called the three tones of Roshar, and their glyphs together make up the glyph for Roshar. I mean, Odium is comparatively new, so how come he gets equal standing with the other two Shards as if he's always been there? Moreover, didn't Roshar already exist before Honor and Cultivation took up residence there? Did Roshar have no tones back then? Did Roshar have a different name?

Everstorm building up in Shadesmar for centuries... Spren waiting at a point out in the ocean... The Unmade still on Roshar between desolations... There is a lot more information than I can process, honestly.

Edit: The Everstorm came from the east over the ocean. Windrunners called themselves watchers at the rim. Descendants of Windrunners settled in old Alethela to look out for the Last Desolation?

Four hundred people went out into the wilderness and sacrificed everything to have freedom and independence. And their descendants thrived! So beautiful.

Chapter 74 A Symbol

Rlain and Hesina can joke together. That's so sweet.

Rlain is brilliant! And he got the maps... though I'm not sure how useful those will be... It is information that the Fused do not have yet, but surely they will make their own maps soon. And both maps (Rlain's or Fused's) won't show secret/locked rooms like the one Teft is hiding in. How will this come into play later?

I wonder what would happen if Venli tried to shape stone while one of the Deepest Ones was immersed in it. Would the Fused simply resist being shaped (Investiture vs Investiture), or would Venli accidentally carve off a section of the Fused?

Just as all the bridgemen grew to see Bridge Four as their hero, people of Urithiru grew to see Kaladin as their hero. Kaladin is going to end up adopting all of them into his brotherhood/protection, you know.

Isn't it poetic how people began to use Kaladin's shash brand as their symbol for resistance? To him, it's something he wants to get rid of but can't because of his self-perception. To them, it's their symbol of identifying with Kaladin. To Kaladin, it's something that was forced on him. To them, it is a choice to stand by him despite all danger. To Kaladin, the brand is a reminder that he is dangerous and there's something wrong with him and makes him not fit in with others. To them, it's hope and solidarity.

Chapter 75 The Middle Step

The description of a Peakspren appearing in the physical realm sounds a lot like what Thunderclasts do. Going into stone, then breaking out of it.

Hello Adolin! Long time no see! So glad to see you haven't died of sepsis from your gut wound!

Shadesmar has weather. I wonder what makes the weather.

The architecture of Lasting Integrity... @_@ I had to read that several times to understand what was happening. I'd get motion sickness so badly if I were there. The way their city works is so honorspren, isn't it? Ignoring normal law of gravitation and deciding "this" is "down." Sounds very similar to Kaladin or Szeth using Lashings.

Even lifespren blink to a beat. The rhythms are everywhere. I wonder if we would have seen more of that earlier if we'd had more Singer or Listener point of view characters.

What made the Deadeyes gather? And how do they know about what is happening in Lasting Integrity?

Look at that, Adolin's extra swords were useful after all. As bartering items.

Upon a re-read, it becomes clear that Veil knew. Maybe the whole time. That's why she was pushing Shallan to face the truth. That's why she freaked out when Pattern brought the Deadeye, and she said to Pattern things like "you should have come to me. ... I could have helped you." This will be another thing to watch out for the next time I do a series re-read. (I should also make note of wood t in charge each time Formless is mentioned.)

Why are you so jumping to murderous conclusions, Shallan? First Ialai, now Restares. Shoulf I blame Jasnah's tutelage?

Chapter 76 Harmony

Should I keep a lookout for hints of Sazed in this chapter?

Raboniel's grandmother saw the first generation human immigrant/refugees... It took only a few Singer generations (and those are shorter than human generations) until the conflict blew up into an all-out war.

Seven thousand years of war, and Taln protected humanity for 4,500 years of it. When was the Oathpact made? Was it within the lifetime of the first human refugees?

Navani is building or developing a connection to Roshar. This is immensely cool.

They made the Rhythm of War!

Even the Shards Ruin and Preservation had a way of working together (feruchemy) even though the forces were opposing. What does it take to make an actual opposite of a Light? (And does that mean there's a theoretical opposite of each Investiture out there? An opposite of mist, for example?)

Chapter 77 The Proper Legality

Axindweth was found out by another of her kind. Was it the many-ringed steward, Gereh? Axindweth was described as a "surgeon" before, but I think it was a misunderstanding. Probably like "doctor" but a Ph.D. kind of doctor, not a M.D. kind of doctor. Ulim called her a "rare kind of specialist." I think she's a Feruchemist.

Nale saw and spoke to Ulim by name. And Ulim was nervous about it. Awkward in the deadliest sense.

Oh goodness. Venli was there too on the night Gavilar died. And she was part of the reason he was killed. Nale instructed her to hire Szeth, and Ulim helped the Listeners find Szeth. So many decisions made on lies, presumptions, misunderstandings, and deceptions.

This night, three different people, each for different reasons, reached the conclusion that Gavilar needs to die.

Chapter 78 The High Judge

So Pattern did use the cube to talk to Wit! Ding ding ding! I was right about at least one thing!

Would Honorblades manifest as blades in Shadesmar?

"They love gemstones, perhaps for the same reason we admire swords." Good, they can start a club where honorspren talk about gems and Adolin talks about swords and they can bond over their nerdiness together.

I really expected honorspren High Judge to be Nale. Because, you know, Nale... and judgement... and law and stuff.

What is Kalak a Herald of? Can't even Google it because the internet is full of spoilers. (Edit: He was patron of Willshapers.)

Chapter 79 Open Wound

It is not Rlain's fault that people make up lies about him. It is not his responsibility to fix their twisted opinions of him.

"Shen" was short for "Parshendi." Ouch.

Noril is there taking care of Radiants!

Rlain is another person (besides Eshonai) who didn't have a good experience with his mateform. And he tried it more than once. What was so unusual about it?

Chapter 80 The Dog And The Dragon

Oh, is Jezrien still alive in a gemstone  somewhere?

This nightmare is too awful. Moash, you... You Moash!!! It is so messed up, the fact that Odium is able to send Kaladin into these supernatural nightmares only because Moash and Kaladin have such a strong connection.

Wit thank you thank you thank you for coming here. You are wonderful. The world needs more bards like you.

Kaladin asked for a story; Wit was frozen speechless. Congratulations, Kaladin, you are the second person ever to make Wit speechless. Shallan was the first and she did it twice, so you have some catch-up to do.

Design is pretending to play the imaginary flute. It's like lip-syncing but with fingers and a flute... but without lips... or flute.

"I'm real! Not imaginary at all! Unfortunately, I am irrational!" Ahahahaha I get it, it's a number joke. She sure is an Odd one. Ahahahaha.

Wit has met (and bonded) his match in Design. Finally, there is someone who can annoy Wit as much as he annoys everyone else.

You don't have to do all the things and fill all the roles. You tried, and you keep trying, and that's enough. You are better than you were, and that's meaningful. You, not others, decide your happiness.

Chapter 81 Trapped

Eshonai had never seen the ocean. And she lived in the Shattered Plains, so close to the ocean, and yet so far.

Chapter 82 Knife

Kalak was leading the Sons of Honor... who were trying to get a Desolation started so the Heralds would come back... right next to Nale who was actively trying to prevent (and later deny) another Desolation... and now Ghostbloods want to suck him into a gem... *my brain breaks*

You know how Mraize says things to Shallan to get her to do stuff he wants? Looks so much like Ulim manipulating Venli.

Chapter 83 The Games Of Men And Singers

Ur really is a name, not just a nickname! "Original." Was Urithiru built before other Oathgate cities? And it used to be a mountain. That is monumentally cool!

Venli was considered an adult by age ten. I'm surprised. Venli must be less than twenty years old. Eshonai was barely a teenager when she asked for Gavilar to be assassinated and started leading her people in following battles. Maybe they grow faster than humans because of gemhearts and highstorms?

Venli already knows how to draw upon two different types of Investiture (Voidlight and Stormlight); I wonder if she'd be predisposed to learn how to use other types of Investiture, too.

"To Raboniel, the games of men and singers are petty things--but so are their lives." We thought Sadeas was terrible with his use of bridgemen before, but apparently, he's just small fry compared to Raboniel.

I am shocked that Lirin would even talk about turning Kaladin in to be killed or just abandoning him to die.

Oh! The radiant that the Sibling sensed back in chapter 42 was Rlain! In a cage on the fourth floor!

Lift and Dabbid are friends? HUGGING friends?

Chapter 84 Scholar

Navani is weaponizing fabrials. *sense of dread*

Raysium? Odium had a godmetal? I thought Shards having godmetals was exclusive to Scadrial! Every time I think I know something about magic, it taunts me! I used to think each planet was a separate system, with small connections her and there, but they're ALL linked, aren't they?

Navani discovered force multiplication, oh that's scary. *sense of dread builds*

Chapter 85 Dabbid

Dabbid had a sort of a brain injury, even before he became a bridgeman. And he stayed silent on purpose. He wanted to hide how he was"different." I did not expect that.

And I guess I have to move Dabbid off the 'possible kandra suspects' list.

Lift shared food with Dabbid. Woah. This friendship goes deep.

Is Dabbid going to be the Tower's Bondsmith?!?!

TEFT!!!

THEY SAVED KALADIN. They saved him. Yes Kaladin it's time for someone to save you.

Chapter 86 The Song Of Mornings

So... The song of storms didn't exactly create the Everstorm. Everstorm was already there in Shadesmar. The song's role was pulling the Everstorm from Shadesmar into the physical realm. Can other songs move things between the realms?

Maybe Gavilar was planning to kill Odium and pick up the Shard himself.

"A form that would let me talk better, more diplomatically" Eshonai wanted to find envoyform. Sadness.

Chapter 87 Trial By Witness

Jaw-dropping surprise when Adolin's tutor shows up to testify against him.

Blended lived at the time of Recreance! She could be hiding tons of knowledge.

They bribed Notum! How dishonorable! Notum was better than them, though. "Honor is not dead as long as he lives in the hearts of men."

Eyree are going around selling... Stormlight jars?

And Shallan now has possession of a perfect emerald.

Chapter 88 Falling Star

And that's how Timbre found Eshonai!

Chapter 89 Voice Of Lights

Navani is being a scholar. It only took the fall of Urithiru for this to happen.

Raboniel and Navani wrote Rhythm Of War together. Okay. That's one mystery solved. I really should have caught onto that sooner.

Kabsal's plate & bow actually belonged to Singers first. Interesting!

So the Sibling did consider bonding Rlain. What about Dabbid, though? Dabbid seemed to think the Sibling had promised to bond him.

So, can spren die, or can they not? Is Sibling talking of "death" as in sleeping, or Deadeye, or as good as death, or annihilation? Which is it?

Chapter 90 One Chance

The epigraphs for Part 4 are coming from Kelek's notepad he writes on during trials. He knows someone's after his life. And on the first read-through, I thought Kelek was gonna get killed any moment now.

Honorspren don't try fairly at all. They talk about honor and law, but clearly they've developed a lot of flexibility for going around honor and law.

I know Dalinar is in the habit of overstepping boundaries (haha), but I had no idea that Dalinar almost killed Stormfather by summoning him as a Blade. Why is this, though?

Adolin and Shallan got very cozy. Hmm, not sure if this can be added to the kiss counter, but it will be noted. I did worry about those two a bit, especially in the weeks they spent on the barge with no privacy.

Shallan jokingly put blaspheming on the same level as playing pranks on Renarin.

Oh Adolin, you complain about being "just me" and being unimportant because you're a duelist and not a scholar or a surgebinder. But you do have a role and it's an important one! Your role in team Radiant is the Heart. (BFF: That's The worst power. Me: No it's NOT!)

"The person who killed that poor Cryptic" "ruined it all today." Then Formless emerged. *Dun dun DUUUUUUNN!* Would you believe, I still had not pieced it together by this point in my first read-through?

Chapter 91 Worth Saving

So Jezrien's not trapped in a gem after all. He evaporated. *disappointed* Why Sanderson do you give me hope just to snatch it away?

So good to hear Teft affirming himself. So positive.

Kaladin is looking hollowed out. This could be just a coincidence, but Ialai looked like that too. And Kalami.

Yes Teft you are worth saving. Always were.

Chapter 92 A Gift

"The bond is what keeps us alive." If the Heralds are sustained by their bond to each other, I wonder if their weakened bond (from abandoning Taln to bear the Oathpact alone) added to their mental instability. On top of living for seven millennias and being tortured for most of it.

How does Raboniel know for a fact that Kaladin is alive?

The Listeners who didn't conform to Stormform are alive! The elders and children escaped through the chasms and lived. They live! Oh, I had given up hope. After finding Eshonai's corpse, I thought for sure nobody else could have made it. Oh, joy!

Chasmfiends being over-hunted in the region might have made the Listeners' passage a little safer. Or maybe another Reacher spren appeared and protected the Listeners.

Chapter 93 Strong Enough

Adolin can sense something is different with Shallan.

One note about Formless though. Back in Urithiru at the bar, Shallan told Kaladin about Formless. That's meaningful. Remember Kaladin envied Shallan for her ability to put on a persona, set things aside, and forget? I have an idea that this is important, but can't put it into words.

Shallan, surrounded by people who love her and tell her she deserves to be loved. Shallan, denying that she could or should be loved. May their love always prevail on the days when your denials are strongest.

I really had to have it spelled out for me until pieces of the Deadeye-Shallan-Cryptic puzzle came together. It's so clear in hindsight. It explains how Pattern was so sure that she'd kill him but the Crtptics would send her another to bond. Because she's already done that. And Cryptics already have.

Shallan... Became... One!

Will Shallan say the words and revive her Deadeye Cryptic?

Honorspren really don't play fair. They made a big show of waiting for the arrival of the high judge to start the trial, but they never intended to let him judge.

Chapter 94 Sacrifice

"Nahel spren?" Not Nahel bonds? What is Nahel?

I knew Maya would play a role in Adolin's mission, but I could not fathom how. This is WOW. What we thought we knew about the Recreance is flawed. This changes everything.

The spren chose. They chose. This probably explains why all spren became Blades in their most majestic form.

Hey, if Blended lived through the Recreance, wouldn't she already have known that the spren chose?

Chapter 95 What She Truly Was

We remember you, Eshonai.

Chapter 96 A Thousand Lies

Venli finally told the whole truth to Rlain. And he still trusts her.

Chapter 97 Freedom

Two different handwriting (one is a bit thicker/darker than the other) in women's script. I guess Raboniel wrote the undertext.

How will the releasing of Ba-Ado-Mishram affect all the spren for the good? I get that the Sibling will be whole and start making Lifelight and stuff, but how will it affect all spren? How did Ba-Ado-Mishram's imprisonment wound Roshar?

Oh dear, I hope Navani managed to keep at least some secrets from Raboniel.

Navani made anti-Voidlight sphere. Then Raboniel used it to kill her own daughter. So horrible. So sad.

If Raboniel's daughter was dropped in a Shardpool, would she have dissolved away?

I knew Raboniel would betray Navani! EVIL!