#kaladin meta

[nevertheless-moving]

stormlight winds and truth fear: kaladin tearfully confesses his love for shallan and adolin only to immediately be sent to Turbo Hell

[cosmereplay]

Kaladin Didn’t Invent Therapy (And Why That’s Actually Great)

“...You need someone to talk to, Noril, when the darkness is strong. Someone to remind you the world hasn’t always been this way; that it won’t always be this way.” “How do you … know this?” Noril asked. “I’ve felt it,” Kaladin said. “Feel it most days.” - Rhythm of War, Ch. 25 Devotary of Mercy

I’m writing as someone with a background in psychotherapy and peer support, and I'm bursting with excitement about one of my favourite topics. You can imagine why I love Kaladin’s arc in Rhythm of War so much! I actually yelled out loud when I read some of these parts the first time.

I’ve seen people online saying and making jokes that Kaladin invents therapy, and while that could eventually be true, what Kaladin actually invented in RoW is mental health peer support. Psychotherapy as most people would understand it simply doesn’t exist yet on Roshar. However, peer support is a legitimate modality for healing on its own merits. Even more importantly for the story, peer support is something Kaladin would personally really benefit from, and it fits his narrative arc way better than therapy would.

1. Therapy as we know it won’t exist for a while yet.

“We need to study their responses, use an empirical approach to treatment instead of just assuming someone who has suffered mental trauma is permanently broken.” - Rhythm of War, Ch. 25 Devotary of Mercy “Someone needs to talk to them, try different treatments, see what they think works. What actually helps.” - Rhythm of War, Ch. 25 Devotary of Mercy

Obviously, Kaladin has not been educated in battle shock or melancholia or any other diagnosis. In Alethkar there's hardly any knowledge to be had on the subject. Even now in real life, research into effective interventions for various diagnoses is still ongoing, over 100 years after modern therapy was founded.

Building an empirical knowledge base* will take time, not to mention the years it will take to train new therapists across Roshar in how to provide interventions specific to various issues. Therapy as we know it today generally includes time in mentorship with another therapist, so in a way, the first therapist isn't a therapist. 😅 In the meantime, there are people who need help today, including Kaladin.

Peer support can fill that gap because its knowledge base is different. Peers bring their expertise, which is their years of trial and error, successes and failures - their lived experience. Peer facilitators need to know the basics of managing a group, and they have to be willing to share their own experiences and learn from the group. Thus, training peer leaders is relatively quick, and incredibly scalable and adaptable across cultures and many issues/diagnoses.

2. Peer Support is a distinct path to recovery that doesn’t require an expert in therapy.

Kaladin located six men in the sanitarium with similar symptoms. He released them and got them working to support each other. He developed a plan, and showed them how to share in ways that would help...Today they sat in seats on the balcony outside his clinic. Warmed by mugs of tea, they talked. About their lives. The people they’d lost. The darkness. - Rhythm of War, Ch. 33 Understanding “While you can’t force it, having someone to talk to usually helps. You should be letting him meet with others who feel like he does.” - Rhythm of War, Ch. 25, Devotary of Mercy

Kaladin is already positioning himself to align with the values of peer support. Some of these values overlap with therapy, such as dignity, respect, inclusion, hope, and trust. What makes peer support different is a particular emphasis on equal relationships, self-determination, and personal growth (Peer Support Canada, 2022).

In peer support, the group facilitator is not considered an authority like a therapist would be. A peer leader may be further on the road to recovery, but they may not be. They are expected to listen and grow just like any other group member.

Because the leader of the group is also a learner, peer support groups tend to be more collaborative and open-ended. Everyone in the group has something they can take out of it and something to give. Everyone in the group is responsible for managing their own self care, and everyone in the group is responsible for the direction of their own growth. This is different from most therapy groups, which often have a specific focus or goal that the therapist is responsible for implementing. And speaking of responsibility...

3. Peer Support Fits Kaladin’s Narrative Arc Better than Therapy

At his father’s recommendation—then insistence—Kaladin took it slowly, confining his initial efforts to men who shared similar symptoms. Battle fatigue, nightmares, persistent melancholy, suicidal tendencies. -Rhythm of War, Ch. 33 Understanding …he’d learned—these last few months—that his battle shock could take many forms. He was getting to where he could confront it. -Rhythm of War, Ch. 39 Invasion

I think everyone can agree that Kaladin needs to participate in therapy just as much as the other battle-shocked men he finds in the Devotary of Mercy.

However, in therapy, the focus is solely on the needs of the clients. A therapist should not be distracted by their own issues (when this happens, it’s called countertransference). Further, therapy is generally framed such that the therapist is the only expert in the room, which means therapists have a higher level of responsibility for how the clients are doing (which varies depending on the issue, the therapy modality, and the circumstances).

In his own recovery, Kaladin is working on trying to take less responsibility for others, so setting him up as a therapeutic authority could be harmful for him. In a position of authority, he might be tempted to replicate the hierarchical structure he was in before (which would impede his own growth), or try to save everyone (which could impede everyone's growth). He simply doesn’t have the mentorship or knowledge base he'd need to work through those issues before leading as an expert.

In contrast, the point of peer support is the mutual sharing of lived experience. The group facilitator is expected to share their own struggles (as a model of recovery), and allow others to support them. In the context of a more balanced power dynamic, Kaladin can give the other group members the space they need to grow, and he can pursue his own recovery without feeling like he’s letting others down. Also, he will be able to leave the group during KOWT without worrying that the group won't be able to run without him. Everyone in the group carries some responsibility for each other, so group members can come and go with less stress than a change in therapist would cause in group therapy.

This is the beauty of peer support. It can happen anywhere people with similar experiences get together. No formal education is required. What is required is a willingness to know yourself as well as you can; to share your experiences; to listen to others tell their stories; to question your own assumptions as you learn how others handle things differently; to look out for each other's safety; to care.

Peer support creates a place of belonging and a community repository of shared wisdom. Kaladin almost had it on Bridge Four, but his position of authority wouldn’t allow him to grow the way he needed. Peer support is what Kaladin needs - he needs a place where he can take off his armour among people who get it because they're struggling with similar issues, and without having a position of responsibility over them. When he (eventually**) attends the groups, they help him grow!

Anyway, that's why Kaladin didn’t invent therapy, and why I think that's great.

For the men chatting together softly, the change was in being shown sunlight again. In being reminded that the darkness did pass. But perhaps most important, the change was in not merely knowing that you weren’t alone—but in feeling it. Realizing that no matter how isolated you thought you were, no matter how often your brain told you terrible things, there were others who understood. - Rhythm of War, Ch. 33 Understanding

---

*Funny enough, empirical research could lead Rosharan researchers right back to peer support. Empirical research on Earth has shown that modern therapy and peer support have similar levels of effectiveness (for example, for depression and PTSD).

**Look who’s resisting attending the groups he founded…KALADIN!! (shakes fist in the general direction of the sky) (This is the most relatable passage for me in this whole book, by the way, helper types unite lmao):

Kaladin looked down at the table. Had it? Had talking to Noril helped? “He’s been avoiding joining in,” Teft said. “I haven’t,” Kaladin snapped. “I’ve been busy.” Teft gave him a flat stare. Storming sergeants. They always heard the things you weren’t saying. - Rhythm of War, Ch. 38 Rhythm of the Terrors

Peer Support Canada. (2022). Peer Support Core Values. Accessed from https://peersupportcanada.ca/ Jun 27, 2022.

[kaladinsspear]

So I'm relistening to Oathbringer and I love it so much. I just got to the part where the Radients are discussing the war in light of the truth about the heralds. Jasna is, in a perfectly in character display of passion, laying out the trolly problem that they are facing. 'we cannot fight our immortal enemy. We must either trap them in damnation or kill all the parshman on roshar so they have no hoasts.' Both options are clearly horrible, but the enemy is immortal and basicly a force of nature hell bent on killing all humans. Its not a question of 'is it permissible to damn people to a conscious eternety in hell' the answer is no. But are you willing to sacrifice yourself and all of humanity to uphold that moral belief Kaladin? Or are you willing to actively kill every parshman on roshar to protect humanity and uphold that moral ideal? Which morally devistating action do you want to take Kaladin, because refusing to engage in this decision will not absolve you of your roll in the consequences.

Just. Good shit. Like, this is what a good story is for because I dont fucking know. I know because of the genera of book that a secret 3rd option (killing the fused and halting their cycle of rebirth) is going to open up, but Jasna has absolutly no reason to consider killing the fused an option. There is no evidence that this is possible, and plenty of evidence to the contrary. I have no idea what the 'right' answer would be here, but I love the kind of storys that make me think about it. Its so delicious!

And then the serious philosophical tone just CRASHES when Jasna notices Shallan drawing dreamy Kaladin sketches. Just. Yes. I laughed so hard. Kaladin cannot catch a break can he! Hes so fucking magnetic that he cant even wrestle with the crushing weight of war without somebody falling in love with him just a little. I love him so much. I love Shallan so much. These characters are just so vibrant, I love these books so much.

[thekingofwinterblog]

Thoughts on Brandon Sanderson and people who accuse him of writting "slop"?

that they are not entierly wrong.

Sanderson is a writer who writes both great, and bad things, but above everything else, he might be the most "Technical" writer alive.

He is capable of writing characters such as Wit, Kaladin, Raboniel... But he is also capable of writing characters such as Shalan, who in book 1 was boring beyond belief, book 2 was great but had one of the most headbanging moments of the franchise to let her win an argument, book 3 made tons of mistakes but only got called out on the ones she made because of good intentions(and not the ones like almost blowing an entire military operation due to a bad and spiteful joke), and book 4 was having a total mental breakdown that was not really earned from a story perspective.

The point im leading up to here, is that Shallan is technically, looking at her from exclusively a mechanical, story beat perspective, a perfectly functioning character... But other than book 2, i REALLY dont care about her storyline.

And that sums up Sanderson's bad qualities as a writer in a nutshell.

Brandon always understands how something works, how to mechanically set up a story, and then later pay it off, and that along with a pretty good writing capacity is usually enough to carry his stories to amazing heights... But when he fails to do that, when a story needed a bit more omph, than his decent but not brilliant writing was capable of mustering, it REALLY shows.

Shallan is the best overall example from the Stormlight archives, but it's not the only example, as i could list tons of others, but i would very much agree that when Sanderson doesnt manage to stick the landing on something, Slop is the PERFECT analogy for how to describe it.

Another example is mysteries.

Sanderson is not good as writing mysteries.

He LIKES mysteries, and it's clear he understands the technical spects of writing them, but he is not martin, where you can go back to book 1 and see how already at this early stage he is setting Bran up as the magical god-king of Westeros, and Dany as a woman with severe mental problems that probably should not be anywhere near a crown.

Sanderson's mysteries often boils down to us being told something new and interesting that recontextualises something old, rather than wondering about a question, then getting foreshadowing, and then a payoff.

Shallan is again a perfect example.

book 1. reveals at the end she killed a certain person. Came out of nowhere.

book 2. ending reveals how she did it, but also that she killed someone else.

book 3. she does a good thing, but this thing horribly backfires, but we get no hint of it doing so before the very ending of that storyline when there were plenty of space to hint at the twist before the reveals comes.

book 4. reveals she Killed ANOTHER person in her backstory.

None of these events are illogical... but NONE of them are handled with the kind of care to make the spectacular twists where you can go back and see how her backstory twists flows into another the way Martin might have.

Brandon's mysteries and reveals often work... but they are rarely outstanding. and when they are bad... They feel like Slop you gulp down to get to the much tastier desert(The character bits where he actually shines).

He has other problems as a writer as well, such as clear lack of confidence in many things(Shallan book 1 wouldnt be half as bad if he didnt constantly have characters tell us how witty she is, and her argument with Kalading during the Chasm period needs him to lose, so the man loses 20 IQ points or more to let her dominate him in debate), an ultimate lack of resolve of keeping Stormlight a medieval dark fantasy story with heroic characters(The same kind of dynamic that Dragon Age Origins, best RPG ever made had) and instead is slowly losing a lot of elements that kept it dark, while making it feel a lot more contemporary, but as these dont relate to the slop argument, i wont get too into those here.

[werewolfpdfs]

crying and wailing ok anyway. We talk a lot about avoiding responsibility for your actions with Moash but rarely do we talk about why he does that beyond “it would hurt for him to admit” which like, yeah, but it’s also the same reason Kaladin wanted to avoid responsibility in Way of Kings by pinning the tragedy around him on a curse, or the Almighty, or some kind of old magic, which was that if nothing is your fault it doesn’t have to hurt when you fail. And I think now that Moash has failed at his initial goal (stated in text, I just read the book, he wanted to change the world and I’m not arguing Moash’s idea of a brave new world was like, good, but he absolutely wanted that) on pretty much every level, we can admit that it wasn’t like he didn’t try. Try to join the army and immediately get a death sentence of a position because your life doesn’t matter. Try to assassinate Elhokar not just for personal vengeance but because he thought it might change things and your friend turns on you and you end up a fugitive, then get immediately enslaved by the other side of the war. And at a certain point a bitch is tired, and keeps trying and watching himself fail and losing more and more until he has nothing, and repeatedly sees the worst of humanity, and wouldn’t anyone want it to not be their responsibility anymore? I feel like we put a lot of hatred on an extremely depressed, traumatized man for falling back into the same apathy that affected everyone in Bridge Four back in Way of Kings. Isn’t it a kind of evil, to put the weakest men at the front of the bridge so they’ll die first? Isn’t it evil, trying to survive without living? Can we not extend the tiniest amount of grace to the worst version of Moash in the hopes that the entire goddamn point of Oathbringer is true, that no one is beyond redemption? Think back to the Moash we saw in Way of Kings. Don’t you want that again? Take my hand—

[cosmerelists]

If Cosmere Characters Had Brands Sponsoring Them...

As requested by anon. :)

Let's imagine a world--a perhaps terrible world--in which Cosmere characters have brand sponsorships. If it gives you chills, please blame the anon who requested it. ;)

1. Adolin

Shallan: Wow, looking sharp! Shallan: Is that a new outfit? Adolin: Yup! Armani sent me a whole bunch of suits. Adolin: Apparently that's all I'm gonna wear from now on! Shallan: That sounds a a bit dystopic but also you look REALLY good. Adolin: Ha ha yeah let's think about it no further!

2. Steris & Wax

Steris: Wax, thank goodness you're here. Wax: Whoa! Did you start on taxes without me? Steris: I promised HR Block I'd use their services so that they can promote themselves as the brand that "even Steris Harms trusts." Steris: But obviously we need to check their work. Wax: Yes--obviously. Wax: And after that, let's pour ourselves some glasses of Jack Daniel Whiskey--Make it Count. Steris: ... Wax: ... Steris: Why did we agree to this again?

3. Amaram

[Amaram offers Wit his hand] Wit: No thanks, I wouldn't want to get any of it on me. Amaram: Any of what? Wit: Whatever you use to keep your hands clean, my lord. It must be powerful stuff, indeed. Amaram: Seventy percent of pigs have cleaner hands than forty percent of humans, you knw. Wit: I...what? Amaram: And that little fact is brought to you...by Meta AI.

4. Tress

Tress: (muttering to herself): Well...we do like to go places... Charlie: Hey do you need some help with...whatever you're dong? Tress: Yes please! I'm trying to stick these posters all over Two Cups. Charlie: What's a Toyota? Tress: Not totally sure...but they are offering a lot of money...do you think it's okay? Charlie: Well...we do like to go places... Tress: That's exactly what I said!

5. Nightblood

Nightblood: Pleeeeaase....? Szeth: I will not plaster stickers all over you, sword-nimi. Nightblood: But the Google asked me to! Nightblood: And their motto is "Don't Be Evil"! Nightblood: It's perfect! Szeth: Actually, I believe they changed their slogan a while back. Nightblood: You mean they're...evil after all? Nightblood: New plan! Let's kill them all! Szeth: I don't think brand sponorships are for you, sword-nimi.

6. Vin

Vin: When I need to go fast... When I need to leap from roof to roof... When I need to murder entire keeps... Vin: There's no shoe I trust, other than Nike. Vin: Nike: Just Do It. Vin: ... Vin: Well, what do you think? I'm supposed to pitch an angle for the commercial tomorrow! Elend: I feel like the brand probably doesn't want you to mention murder. Vin: What? Then why'd they ask me?

7. Yumi

Yumi: Ha ha! Yumi: Wow, it's so easy to stack when you're using legos! Yumi: Relaxing...fun...colorful... Yumi: This was DEFINITELY the right brand to partner with! Painter: Yumi, the neighbors are starting to complain. Yumi: What? Why?? Painter: You're fourteen-story lego tower is blocking out the sun! Children are crying! I just heard someone whisper that the nightmares must be back! Yumi: I thought it'd be inspiring!

8. Kelsier

Kelsier: I have a secret... Kelsier: Secret brand deodorant!!! Kelsier: ... Kelsier: ...Are you SURE we need the money to fund the ghostbloods? Kaise (barely keeping a straight face): Oh, absolutely.

9. Moash

Moash: I think it is time to cover up my Bridge 4 tattoo. Odium: That's a great step forward--I'm proud of you. Moash: Yup, gonna replace it with this Grey Goose Vodka tattoo instead. Odium: ... Moash: What? Drinking helps a man forget...stuff. Moash: It's thematic for my character! Odium: You have a ways to go.

10. Kaladin

Dalinar: What has happened to us? Where is our honor? Kaladin: Honor is dead...But I'll see what I can do. [Kaladin hesitates and looks back at Dalinar] Kaladin: That cool one-liner is brought to you...by Redbull. Kaladin: Redbull gives you wings. Dalinar: ... Kaladin: ... Dalinar: ... Kaladin: Anyway I'll go save your sons now.

[kingjasnah]

hi hello, so i was looking through your blog trying to find a post I *think* you wrote about moash (about his arc as the equivalent to a person of color and it was very interesting and i wanted to read it again!), and while i didn't find the post (rip tumblr search), i did realise an interesting thing - in this story, specifically within kaladin's arc, kal is a "jesus figure" (bloody hell he even comes back from the dead metaphorically multiple times and almost literally with the highstorm scene in wok), and moash is his judas iscariot.

Which is interesting! and honestly makes me hope we get a moash redemption arc more, because it'll change the regular "christian story" themes that this story has going on

idk if kaladin is fully a christ figure like ive made jokes about this before but the highstorm scene in wok is the biggest piece of evidence lol yeah. it is just hard to declare when the premise of the series in wok was that ten people (and then one guy) would be sent to be tortured in forever hell so the rest of the population can rebuild and live peacefully. i even struggle to say the series has christian themes in regards to redemption in general it kinda cherry picks in a way that like. okay. all i will say is that i would prefer to see those themes subverted. lmao. 😔.

not sure if i specifically wrote that post though, while i am a moash enjoyer i know i didn't produce much of the meta that came out in 2020 about him but i definitely reblogged it. i'll go searching! moash redemption is something that im becoming less and less convinced of but i refuse to believe that he has become a one note character i know some crap is gonna happen with him any second now

[moash]

do you know if you (or anyone else) has talked about Moash as a Judas figure?

Like "Moash was properly friends with Kaladin while the others treated him him as their captain/boss/saviour" vs "Judas loved Jesus as a man rather than as a messiah".

Or Judas betraying Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, and Moash's grandparents being silversmiths?

i’ve made passing comments about it, but never written like an actual meta! i 100% believe judas is an inspiration for moash, i mean if you just look at the broad strokes of kaladin being a messianic figure, bridge four being his disciples, and moash betraying him. love the specifics you’ve brought into it!! i’m lapsed enough in my catholicism that i could probably no longer write a super engaging meta about it, but i’d be super into reading someone else’s!!! 💕💕💕💕

[hahahahawk]

A Pattern

Words of Radiance re-read

I feel dumb as a cremling for not realizing until now that every book in the stormlight archive series is named after a literal book that exists in-world.

I’ve previously been annoyed that book 1 is called Way of Kings even though Kaladin’s story would make more sense titled “words of radiance”.

At the moment I’m having trouble remembering the supposed contents of both (in-universe) Words of Radiance and Oathbringer. Truthfully, I’m not 100% sure Oathbringer *is* an in-universe book. I thought it was Dalinar’s shardblade.

*checks the wiki* ok, it’s both his shardblade and his memoir. If pressed, that’s what I would have guessed.

And I suppose we’ll circle back to the contents of (in-universe) WoR soon enough in the book. Overall, the idea is cute and quirky, but I wish that WoK had a better connection to Kaladin. Though I guess that RoW isn’t Navani’s book either. It just feels out of step since WoR and Shallan are directly associated, as are Oathbringer and Dalinar.

***

I’m also bummed that the Book of Endless pages disappeared from the story.

Though I did think it was a magic book that Jasnah was giving to Shallan for her to sketch in, not anything (mundane and) religious.

***

When Syl (I think) talked about being uncomfortable with Cryptic spren, I thought she was just being snotty, that calling them liespren was a mild slur. (Or am I thinking of Jasnah talking to Shallan about Shadesmar/types of spren? Anyway, *someone* expressed those ideas)

But in this chapter it really struck me how Pattern *does* lie and engage in deceitful behavior. At several points he hides information from Shallan about her own past. In this chapter Pattern tries to hide his belief that Shallan will kill him, and they have a meta-conversation about him trying/learning to lie. And in RoW he executed the huge deception of communicating with Hoid behind Shallan’s back while they’re in Shadesmar.

It’s a shocking situation, since you’d think the Nahel bond would join beings so purely that lying between human and spren would be unthinkable. Adding on to that the contrast with Syl, who makes honesty a strict condition of her bond with Kaladin.

Sure, Syl is an honor spren and Patten is vehemently not, but it just seems like the nahel bond is a kind of intimacy that would preclude deception.

mmmmmmmmm! Fascinating!!

Does being a lightweaver mean you have to build a completely different kind of trust with your spren than most Radiants?

***

I have other thought about what Shallan is getting up to, but seems like it happens in her next (contemporary) chapter, so I’ll withhold my commentary until then.

[snorange]

SECRET PROJECT 4 SPOILERS hottakes about stormlight archive 5

First, to note I only have the audio book so exact quotes isn't happening. I believe that Sigzil claiming a Dawnshard and beginning his life as Nomad happens in SLA5. Meta reasoning being that the timing of this book release make sense for Sigzil to be among the charcters that are not center stage in the second half of SLA. In universe Sigzil being unaware of the events on Roshar at least unaware enough to believe that Kaladin could be alive but seems impossible due to the time past. I am a believer of Herald Kaladin which would make sense for this timeline as well.

Zellion said that he was once apart of 2 different orders of Knights Radiant. Aux claims to be a Knight Radiant who has sworn the Oaths. Brandon has confirmed in a WOB that a spren can form a nahel bond with other spren.

This implies that Zellion was a part of an Order through a secondary bond from his spren. This bond was destroyed when Zellion was burning through Aux when he got the Dawnshard. This bond might explain why Aux isnt a deadeye but I think it is more likely that deadeyes are a Bo-Ado-Mishram thing that will be resolved by SLA5. Also interesting is that this book confirms that space age Cosmere has a war between Roshar ( specifically the Knights Radiant) and Scadiral (presumably the ghostbloods). This war has been going on a long time possibly even before space age which I believe was stated to be 100 years ago from this book.

I am very surprised that there were no signs of Autonomy at least none I spotted on a first listen. I was under the impression that She would be the main player in Cosmere wide conflict given Mistborn era 2. It is reasonable that Autonomy is against space travel and other planetary travel for her people even if She is investing many planets.

[kainekron]

I know we all really like to speculate about hoid's stories and what they mean from meta perspective and a lore perspective, but I think he told the stories to convey a specific idea to the characters I am shaky on two and better with two so let me give you what I think

The wandersail: obviously from meta perspective it could be about the recreance or ashen a lot of lore stuff. But I think the reason he told him that the was to try to communicate to him that this senseless cruelty happening to him is happening for a reason or unexcused effectively

Fleet: we like to look at this story from meta angle and help what it means to Kaladin and his future but I think Hoid told him that to basically tell him to stop struggling against the light eyes that this will only lead to his death that he won't be able to do any meaningful change which is kind of depressing and I hope there's another reason

The girl who looked up: obviously from a meta perspective this could be a lot it could be about Hoid and what he did it could be about the history of roshar it could be some even deeper lore. But I think Hoid told this to shallan to tell her that all of this pushing all of this self-discovery she's going through even if it's painful we'll give her something beautiful a more completed version of herself

The dog and the dragon: obviously hey Kaladin stop being so down about yourself look at all the shit you did you did alot

Obviously I could be wrong about all of this Sanderson has no intention of giving any of these stories in world meaning or maybe I just completely missed the meanings after my seven different rereads

[nevertheless-moving]

been writing cosmere fanfic and you know what? I think I get it now brandon. I too am unable to write Kaladin Stormblessed interacting with someone without them falling a little bit in love, regardless of my intentions.

[lesbiantestsubject]

Vague Wind and Truth chapter four spoilers below the cut (also Mistborn spoilers and that means you Nicole)

So I've been thinking for a while now, I don't think that Kaladin is going to take a Shard or swear in as a Herald, but I do believe that he's going to have some secret third thing that makes him (or simply his actions I suppose) widely Cosmere relevant for a while to come.

My evidence is a little lackluster but I would like to gesture vaguely at this chapter and just every Hoid and Kaladin interaction in general. Kaladin is set on a journey with a very important destination, Hoid knows it, Stormfather knows it, the fucking Wind knows it, and I think Kaladin is finally acknowledging it himself.

And I think many of you will agree with me and say "yeah, obviously, and that's why I think he's going to be Honor/a Herald" but I just can't agree. We haven't seen many people take up Shards, but from what we've seen it is more often than not something that they've been groomed for. And Kaladin isn't the one who gets Honor-visions from the Stormfather.

I don't really know how to end this, and I guess really I'm just going off vibes and the meta-narrative of "Kaladin can't be a Herald/Shard because it's too storming obvious" but just wanted to throw my hat in the ring for "secret third thing" - in so far as the ripples are going to be felt not only in the back half of Stormlight Archive but across the Cosmere, on a comparable level to Kelsier or Marsh.

[kaladinsspear]

Okay, so I get that Shallan stealing Kaladins boots was shitty and probably sucked for Kaladin, but I really feel that the fandom villanizes Shallan for it more than she deserves.

Shallan was absolutly alone and basicly running a con job trying to get herself to (possible) safety. She had no shoes. If anything happened, she had to way of running because she had no shoes. Maybe she could force herself to run barefoot, but that would rip up her feet and cause even more pain and impairment later. How terrifying must that be, to be a young woman utterly alone with dangerous men and women, and always know in the back of your mind that you physically cannot run.

So like, yeah, thats got to suck for Kaladin to have his shoes stolen, but he was riding a horse with men he trusted. Of the two of them, Shallan was in more danger at that moment and having shoes could mean the difference between death and escape in a worst case scenario.

I'm not saying to say Kaladin should be fine with it, he has every right to be furious. What Shallan did was disrespectful and humiliating. She abused her privilege and he paid the price. But she was trying to survive, not step on him.

I just think that if Shallan had pulled that move with a random side character and not Kaladin Stormblessed, the fandom would be a lot more understanding.

[ultimateknightbattle]

Here is the bracket! Polls will be up shortly and will be linked below

Group 1:

Victoria Grieve vs Keladry of Mindelan

Black Knight vs Batman

Fright Knight vs Karkat Vantas

Undyne vs Ballister Blackheart

Lan Madragoran vs Ambrosius Goldenloin

Duncan the Tall vs Gideon Nav

Haurchefant Greystone vs Blue Knight

Link vs Morpho Knight

Group 2:

Meta Knight vs Jenkins/Galahad

Brienne of Tarth vs Kris Dreemurr

Joan of Arc vs Elton John

Jane vs Ogrim

WelsKnight vs Fierce Dryya

Kaladin Stormblessed vs The Knights Who Say Ni

Galavant vs Shovel Knight

Prideknights vs Emma Swan

Group 3:

Galacta Knight vs Shallan Davar

Davos Seaworth vs Terry Pratchett

Damien vs Orym

Shrek vs Sonic

Gillion Tidestrider vs Dave Strider

Jasnah Kholin vs Modeus

Lancelot vs Ceruledge

Caroline vs Ian Chesterton

Group 4:

Fredrick vs Alanna

Gawain vs Knight Cookie

Jaime Lannister vs Jean

Dalinar Kholin vs Solaire of Astora

Geralt of Rivia vs Utena

Artoria Pendragon vs Obi-Wan Kenobi

Pearl vs William Thatcher

Papyrus vs The Knight

[bsaka7]

10 fandoms and 10 characters, tagged by @traincoded. thank you!! Unfortunately for all of us i almost never finish television shows which i feel like makes up a good chunk of fandom. i also don't read fic if i like. really like the completed product. So. Um. This is following no one's rules. I will say "fictional media and characters who live in my head and i have searched tumblr for meta on." In no particular order....

star wars: obi Wan kenobi if we're going off the movies. Jania Skywalker if we're going legends. #tbt

peaky blinders: tommy Shelby. yes I'm still on s3... I'll get there.

black sails: MAX!!!!!!! i still haven't seen s4 tho :( you may be noticing a trend.

the stormlight archives: kaladin. I have main character syndrome. Sorry. I literally love him so much. This series is such a guilty pleasure.

discworld: moist lipwig. Ok he's not actually my fav but u said Sam vimes and I don't Want to be a copycat. and anyway the going postal miniseries is my fav of the ones I've read so far... Truly cracks me up.

Percy jackson: annabeth chase 🙏. ok this is a deep cut for me since I haven't thought about it since I was 14 but was just talking about it with my coworkers and one of the first series i was super into

succession: frank. sorry i got frank on a quiz of what character are you out of like all characters ever so now i love him. otherwise gerri but it varies.

the earthsea trilogy: ged/sparrowhawk. I loveee him

Cap 2: Steve was probably my favorite? I don't really remember. I was really into like Ed Snowden and the surveillance state at this time lol.

Supernatural: dean. I guess. That's my most recent fandom-fandom and I wasn't even really rewatching the show I was sucked along...

sorry this is so boring lol. probably the only fandom fandoms I've ever engaged with are like. spn. captain America 2. Both of which feel sooo long ago. I mostly read like. Standalone novels and think about music and then write F1 fic....

I tag @wdcseb @willasferreyra @furiarojas @lespleen-deparis and @insideline if any of u guys want to do it!!!