Does Kaladin Swear The 3rd Ideal In 'Words Of Radiance'?

Question

Spoiler territory: I was so hyped for Kaladin's next oath in the Stormlight Archives. Did that epic moment happen in Words of Radiance, or is it later in the series?

Viallynn · Answer

Yes, it is another very memorable scene from the novel. And the superpower he gets after speaking those words is amazing too. Another series with this kind of plot is ‘Fated to Ruin the Luna - Crimson Moon Oath’, where a werewolf Alpha, in a sudden attack of insecurity, breaks his magical oath with his destined mate. The resulting curse is so terrible that it threatens to destroy his pack and now the poor man must embark on a very difficult journey to atone for his sins.

Piper · Answer

Kaladin’s arc in ‘Words of Radiance’ is one of the most exciting in the Stormlight Archive. When he finally swears the 3rd Ideal, it’s amazing. I didn’t realize until reading the chapter again for notes that the point where he finally swears the 3rd Ideal is during the Shattered Plains battle, at the absolute lowest point in his life. He realizes that he can’t save everyone, but he can save some. And with that, he affirms to himself that he will save even those he hates if it is right. That changes him. And with the power surge that follows, Syl is returned to her full honorspren glory. Kaladin is officially a Radiant. Not only does he have power, but he’s become Radiant in spirit as well. It’s a very pivotal point in his life, and it sets the rest of the series up for his character.

Vaughn · Answer

I try to get across to people how the 3rd Ideal of the Stormlight affects Kaladin the most. For the majority of Words of Radiance, Kaladin is overwhelmed with guilt over Tien’s death, and seething rage at the lighteyes nobility. But his greatest problem is that he hates the people he feels the greatest obligation to protect. That protecting them has to fight against his prejudices, is far harder than any physical battle. That oath scene is just so powerful (wind and Stormlight having their typical eruption, Szeth standing there looking as nightmarish as ever). And the real magic of the scene, for me, is the quiet growth of Kaladin past his trauma after the fact.

This Ideal ties to some of Sanderson’s preferred storytelling. Protecting the people Kaladin despises requires him to confront some of his own prejudices which is far more difficult than physically fighting. The oath taking scene is intense with the wind howling and lashing Stormlight, looming Szeth, etc. But it’s the introspective, emotional growth of Kaladin as he slowly puts aside his past traumas in the aftermath that really makes the scene pop for those who enjoy character-focused fiction.

Nathan · Answer

This 3rd Ideal scene of Kaladin is incredible. We see the build-up for this moment for ages, his intense dislike for lighteyes, especially Amaram. He’s the only lighteyes Kaladin has ever shown any respect for. Throughout the book Kaladin’s tries to keep to his strict morals. He fails here, with disastrous results for Kaladin & Syl.

This is when he finally ‘swears’ the 3rd Ideal, during the highstorm where Szeth shows up. By this time Kaladin realizes his enormous hatred for lighteyes, above all Amaram, is blinding him to his true duties as a Windrunner. So the ‘oath’ isn’t about limitations, it’s about realizing the depth of protection. In this scene Kaladin is forced to grapple with the same moral issues we struggle with in our everyday lives: people you despise need saving.

This also sets the stage for Kaladin’s adventures in ‘Oathbringer’ and ‘Rhythm of War’. The newly enlightened sword bearer is able to save Dalinar from his enemies and forge an alliance with the various Alethi factions to face a common enemy. His ‘lashings’ are more precise than before, and the reader is finally introduced to the Shardblade that has been promised to Kaladin since the beginning of the story.

Nik Noor Kamilah Mat · Answer

A lot of discussion about The Stormlight Archive has been trying to explain the details of the plot, but the real depth of the work is found in its portrayal of the human experience and how individuals can change for the better in difficult ways. The Third Ideal, for example, is shown in a very moving scene in the book, not in the action-packed fight scene itself. Rather, the scene is found after the action has died down and the full impact of what has happened is felt. That was a choice the author made.

Savannah Justis-Brainard · Answer

No, this isn’t in Words of Radiance. Words of Radiance ends with Kaladin’s duel with Szeth, the Everstorm, and Kaladin’s flight into battle. This happens at the Second Ideal. The Third Ideal happens much later, after a very low point in Kaladin’s life, after Kholinar. The way the Ideal is written as a Masterpiece is that it isn’t a reward for Kaladin and Syl’s survival. It is their only hope for survival. And the Words for the Third Ideal are written in a state of exhausted resignation, as opposed to will. So keep reading, this is the best part.

Monica Mario Canales · Answer

I see where the confusion is coming from. Yes, the protection of Elhokar in the climax of Words of Radiance is essentially the Third Ideal. But he hasn’t sworn that oaths to the Stormfather yet. He’s kind of living it before he officially commits to it. And that formal commitment requires him to come to terms with and verbally commit to that ideal. That psychological hurdle is taken when he finally swears the oaths in the midst of the Oathbringer chaos. So yes, thematically it is in WoR, but the actual, magical event of the oath is in OB.

Johanna Alvarado · Answer

I was really looking forward to Kaladin taking the Third Ideal ("I will protect even those I hate, so long as it is right") after the Everstorm, especially given the animosity he felt towards Lighteyes such as Elhokar before the event. However, that actually takes place in the next book, Oathbringer, as Kaladin struggles to come to terms with his new ideals after the disaster. Swearing the Second Ideal ("I will protect those who cannot protect themselves") in Words of Radiance was a big moment for him, but it was the scenes afterwards, such as his intense conflict with Elhokar, that finally led to him taking the Third Ideal. A really powerful scene for him was in the chasms with Syl trying to get through to him there. The weight of his new oath is immense, and it is not just a series of words, it is a change in his very soul. It’s also why Lopen was able to start bonding a spren shortly after as he was near to the ideal of a Radiant. No, that wasn’t in Words of Radiance, but it was crucial setup for it though.

Hugh Cummins · Answer

One way to look at this is through the lens of fanart and meme cycling. Famous memes and pieces of art depicting the line “I will protect even those I hate” are tagged with #Oathbringer, not #WordsOfRadiance. The collective internet memory of the Stanse has assigned this scene to the third book, and it’s too iconic to be misattributed. So while your memory of the scene may be hazy, the collective memory of the fandom is quite clear: that’s an ‘Oathbringer’ highlight.

Briana Familyisimportant Murdock · Answer

Hmmm... I think it’s Oathbringer where he says the Words in that rather desperate Kholinar scene. He is stuck in there with Bridge Four and struggling to keep to his oath and allow his own personal grudges to slip away. The fading of Syl is very much tied to his inability to reconcile his hatred of Elhokar with his oaths. It’s a hard moment for him – and the speech as a whole is marked by his deep anger towards the king. The third ideal is chosen in that moment and the speech as a whole is found in chapter 119. So no, Words of Radiance ends with Kal-presenting-as-full-Windrunner after he swore the Second Ideal. The real challenge of the Third Ideal for him is yet to come.

sweetmintvelasquez1409 · Answer

No. The book ends with formation of the Knights Radiant and the battle against Szeth. In the book Kaladin accepts that he is a Windrunner. The next hard step for him, of course, is to come to terms with what being a Windrunner really means for him personally. But that is a subject for the next book. The Third Ideal of the Bridgemen is the practical application of all that Kaladin learned in Words of Radiance. Sure, the Bridgemen swear to protect the weak, but that means so much more than simply using your powers to save some helpless soul. It means saving the one you resent for your brother's death. All that very complex moral stuff is going to be in Oathbringer.

James Huang · Answer

To clarify the scene in which Kaladin declares the Third Ideal to the Stormfather and receives his Shardplate is in Oathbringer, not Words of Radiance. The proof is in the Shardplate manifestation, and by process of elimination, the oath in which he receives his Plate must be in the following book. The order of events in which Kaladin receives his Blade and Plate is Blade, then Plate. Hope this clears things up.

Does Kaladin Swear The 3rd Ideal In 'Words Of Radiance'?

12 Answers

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