Evidence for potential SA5 character death?

[J. Magi she/her]

15 minutes ago, justsomekidinasuit said:

kaladin's gotta deal with Teft dying and stuff.  i loved teft.

Oh yeah that's a good point! I almost forgot about that.

[the_archduke]

I think it is people who are still certain Shallan/Kaladin needs to be a thing, so they are wishcasting Adolin's death.

[Treach]

On 4/18/2024 at 12:23 PM, NameIess said:

I can't think of a reason, other than that Brandon normally has at least one character death in his series finales, and I guess people think Adolin's arc is complete enough that his death wouldn't matter too much in the grand scale of things? I don't buy it personally. I think that among the main cast a Dalinar death is the most likely, followed by Syl and/or Kaladin.

Depending on how you read it, Todium literally tells us Dalinar is planning to die. 

Quote

Dalinar had set himself up.. to fail

You can read that as Dalinar missing something and leaving a loophole. You can also read it as Dalinar planning to lose the trial since he knows thats the only way he can 100% guarantee the outcome. Todium muses as much just before saying this, that you only enter a deal where you can control the outcome. 

[NameIess]

3 minutes ago, Treach said:

Depending on how you read it, Todium literally tells us Dalinar is planning to die. 

You can read that as Dalinar missing something and leaving a loophole. You can also read it as Dalinar planning to lose the trial since he knows thats the only way he can 100% guarantee the outcome. Todium muses as much just before saying this, that you only enter a deal where you can control the outcome. 

Why would Dalinar intentionally lose? Trying to win has no disadvantage for him, and a lot of potential advantages. He's not just going to give up Alethkar without a fight.

[The Sibling she/her]

I really don't think that Kaladin should die. I feel like it would cheapen some of his growth towards learning that he too needs to be protected. Not all heroes need to sacrifice their lives I guess. I do kind of get the vibe. that Syl is going die and I know it is absolutely going to destroy me. 

[+Child of Hodor]

On 5/6/2024 at 8:43 AM, The Sibling said:

I really don't think that Kaladin should die. I feel like it would cheapen some of his growth towards learning that he too needs to be protected. Not all heroes need to sacrifice their lives I guess. I do kind of get the vibe. that Syl is going die and I know it is absolutely going to destroy me. 

I agree. Him finding a reason to want to live is more what his arc is about. Giving him death like he often wants would not be as big a sacrifice in a way. Having to live is the bigger challenge for him. 
 

It would be really cruel if Syl died and Kaladin did not. 

[The Sibling she/her]

41 minutes ago, Child of Hodor said:

It would be really cruel if Syl died and Kaladin did not. 

Yeah definitely. I just feel like someones going to die and Syl's death especially if she dies protecting Kaladin than it doesn't really hurt his character arc (it might wreck hers though, idk).

[Dreamwa1ker she/her]

My Kaladin prediction: he lives but due to however things go down (I think things will go badly for our heroes), he basically does what Taln did - he is on Braize taking the burden of the Oathpact/holding things off for the timeskip to buy time for everyone to regroup. But by this point he'll be zen Kaladin and be like: his whole life has been preparation for this. That he is the spear that will not break but will continue. And he knows he will come out the other side.

[Master Silver]

On 4/30/2024 at 12:07 PM, the_archduke said:

I think it is people who are still certain Shallan/Kaladin needs to be a thing, so they are wishcasting Adolin's death.

Of the main characters, Adolin being the only non Radiant is the easiest to kill. If a spren must die, better be Pattern. After all, Testament was there first. Shallan heals Testament, is really awesome duel wielding for a time and then Pattern saves Testament from an anti-stomrlight dagger. 

[the_archduke]

Adolin healing Maya is a huge plot point.  Knowing whether that would make a new Radiant or something else is not something Brandon would tease and throw away.  If Adolin dies what was the point of that arc?

[bmcclure7]

On 4/19/2024 at 10:43 AM, Quantus said:

I could easily see himself choosing a Self-Sacrifice route to save somebody or something, but it would fundamentally not be Suicide in all the relevant ways, rather it would be all about the core Protective nature of Windrunners.  

She's slated to be a Flashback POV character in the back half, and the Elsecaller representative there. But Eshonai was supposed to be (and technically was) a flashback POV character and she was not alive by then.  It worked for her because of Venli presence, but I dont think the same narrative forms would work for Jasnah (who has no comparable support characters).  

It my theory that she will die but leave behind a journal that her successor will read and that will be flashbacks 

[AllomancerSam]

On 6/22/2024 at 9:12 AM, the_archduke said:

Adolin healing Maya is a huge plot point.  Knowing whether that would make a new Radiant or something else is not something Brandon would tease and throw away.  If Adolin dies what was the point of that arc?

To reveal the secrets of the recreance? Whether or not you think that's enough, there has absolutely already been payoff for that relationship. Reviving Maya or creating a new type of radiant was never promised.

[clowncarcrash]

On 4/29/2024 at 8:10 AM, BlueWildRye said:

If anyone is dying in SA5, it HAS TO BE MOASH. I don't care if he's redeemed or not, but that guy has got to go.

He doesn't have to go. I think he has to stick around to prove the thesis of the series. Furthermore, I can think of a few storylines where I actually think you NEED Moash. I could easily see him being the big bad of the back half of the stormlight archive. 

5 hours ago, AllomancerSam said:

To reveal the secrets of the recreance? Whether or not you think that's enough, there has absolutely already been payoff for that relationship. Reviving Maya or creating a new type of radiant was never promised.

 I don't think so. I think there's been plenty of set up of finding a way to restore deadeyes and the mystery surrounding the causation of the deadeyes. Adolin is the best vehicle to explore that idea because he's spent so much time with Maya and Maya is the closest character we have to do that. 

 

_______________________________________

I think Kaladin and Shallan are VERY safe storywise. Kaladin has spent so much pagespace wanting to die and do a heroic sacrifice. I think Brandon could write him out of the story but I don't think he's going to die.  Adolin would be an incredible disserve to get rid of so I hope Brandon doesn't. 

Edited July 21 by clowncarcrash