Aminar Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Kal is a brilliant fighter and squad leader. He already has the tactical mindset to figure out how best to use stormlight, and doesn't have Szeth's pre-suppositions about the uses of his powers, lending him adaptability and surprise. Learning a new style of fighting after mastering an old one is far far easier than learning the first. Szeth is an amazing fighter, but Kal is easily his equal in skill with just weapons, and has a reason to be fighting. Szeth's reasons are weakening with every murder he commits. He wants to die. I honestly think this is a moot point as I feel like Kal's big battle is going to be Amaram, with Adolin, and possibly Renarin, fighting Szeth. That said, Szeth will live. He has a story arc to complete, one that moves further into the books. He needs to learn the sins of zealotry, and atone for the damage he's done. Dying just isn't enough for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefiantBurrito Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 (edited) I know this isn't solid proof, but Wit/Hoid's Wandersail story seems so applicable to Szeth that I can't imagine he would die before hearing it. My theory is that Kaladin captures Szeth somehow, finds out that he is under someone else's control, and repeats the story to Szeth to try to snap him out of it. Edited February 3, 2014 by DefiantBurrito Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+eveorjoy she/her Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 I know this isn't solid proof, but Wit/Hoid's Wandersail story seems so applicable to Szeth that I can't imagine he would die before hearing it. My theory is that Kaladin captures Szeth somehow, finds out that he is under someone else's control, and repeats the story to Szeth to try to snap him out of it. I don't think the story fits Szeth, because Szeth blames the murders on himself. Where as the people in that story blamed all their murders on the emperor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorna Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 I don't think the story fits Szeth, because Szeth blames the murders on himself. Where as the people in that story blamed all their murders on the emperor. Yes, but he believes he has no choice. Will he find he had a choice all along and could have chosen different and bloodless path? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+eveorjoy she/her Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Yes, but he believes he has no choice. Will he find he had a choice all along and could have chosen different and bloodless path? Why would that story convince him he had a choice? There is no way to prove to him his faith is wrong. The people saw the corpse of their emperor and knew they were following someone who had long past. I don't think Szeth will see himself in the story like Kaladin did. The story is about taking responsibility for your life, and Szeth already does. His only choice would be to give up his faith and I doubt he would just because he heard a story. Kaladin was ready for that story, and Hoid is great storyteller on many worlds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorna Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Why would that story convince him he had a choice? There is no way to prove to him his faith is wrong. The people saw the corpse of their emperor and knew they were following someone who had long past. I don't think Szeth will see himself in the story like Kaladin did. The story is about taking responsibility for your life, and Szeth already does. His only choice would be to give up his faith and I doubt he would just because he heard a story. Kaladin was ready for that story, and Hoid is great storyteller on many worlds. I didn't mean to suggest that Szeth would care about hearing the story. I just meant that since the theme seemed so similar to me I wondered if Szeth would suffer a similarly devastating self-realization. He has already begin to question in some ways. I certainly can't imagine Kaladin meeting the Assassin in White and taking the time to say, "You seem troubled. Sit down and let me tell you a story." Am I making any sense or just talking in circles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+eveorjoy she/her Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 I didn't mean to suggest that Szeth would care about hearing the story. I just meant that since the theme seemed so similar to me I wondered if Szeth would suffer a similarly devastating self-realization. He has already begin to question in some ways. I certainly can't imagine Kaladin meeting the Assassin in White and taking the time to say, "You seem troubled. Sit down and let me tell you a story." Am I making any sense or just talking in circles? Okay, I thought you meant Szeth would hear the story after he was captured and that would cause him to come to a realization that sets him free. If you think the Wandersail is metaphor for Szeth's story arc, you could be right, but I am not convinced. Szeth's path was set in Shinovar. For all we know Cultivation herself put him on this path. If that were the case, his faith would be in something real unlike the people from Hoid's story. So we shall see. Too bad we won't get his story until book three, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefiantBurrito Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 (edited) I don't think it's that outrageous to think Kaladin will literally tell the story to Szeth. About Szeth's faith.... we still don't really know much about what he believes, or why he was made Truthless in the first place. Maybe seeing Kaladin use Surgebinding powers, or something else he sees on the Shattered Plains, causes him to realize that some component of his belief system was flawed and that he was put into slavery unjustly. So imagine that he's made a captive after the battle with Kaladin, and he's in a deep depression. Now, imagine Kaladin as the leader of the new Knights Radiant. But, so far, he's the only member, and he understands so little about his powers that he feels like a fraud. Meanwhile, Szeth - the only other Surgebinder known to exist (assuming Kaladin doesn't know about Jasnah/Shallan yet) - is locked up in a cell. In this situation, Kaladin would make every effort possible to try to connect with Szeth. Kaladin still doesn't understand Surgebinding at all, and Szeth seems to actually have a clue what he's doing! His knowledge alone is infinitely valuable to the Knights Radiant cause. Remember that we've seen this pattern from Kaladin before - he got through to Bridge 4 using Rock's cooking. He got through to the second round of Bridgemen (after being recruited by Dalinar) by bringing them back into the chasms to train. He repeatedly shows a knack for finding the one thing that will get through to somebody. In this case, he would bust out Hoid's flute and tells the story. Edited February 4, 2014 by DefiantBurrito Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoser he/him Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 I agree that Kaladin will likely interrogate Szeth if the opportunity arises. I think Taln and Hoid will be appearing at the Shattered Plains. Taln will know that Jezrien is around. As the (apparently) sole member of the Jezrien is not drooling club, I think Jezrien is another possible resource. My belief is that once Taln makes himself known, Jezrien may come out of the woodwork. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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