Stormlight 5 Prologue Discussion!

A chill Sunday morning stream to discuss the amazing new prologue for the 5th Stormlight Archive book!

[annieprunsky]

It’s interesting that before now (or before Navani’s prologue) we saw Elhokar as kindof useless and Gavilar as being idolized by many around him but at the end of Elhokar’s life he was genuinely trying to figure out how to be the best ruler possible while at the end of Gavilar’s he couldn’t seem to care less about his people

[albertmanafi]

More thoughts about Ishar potentially being the susfather: originally, Dalinar wanted to work with Ishar and learn from him, but Ishar didn't want to work with Dalinar. This could be because Ishar is naturally like this due to his madness as a herald, or it could be because of his vow that he made with Gavilar at the end of the prologue talking about he would never work with the Kholin house again.

[shannonweeks]

Haven’t finished the video but just want to leave this here in case no one brought it up:

Oathbringer Chapter 34:
*Stormfather brings Queen Fen into a vision so Dalinar can speak to her in person*

“Dalinar backed up, letting Fen rejoin the people and experience the end of the vision. As he folded his arms to watch,

***he noted a shimmering in the air beside him.***

‘We’ll want to send her more of these, ’ Dalinar said to the Stormfather…”

An example of the Stormfather appearing as a shimmer. I just happened to get to this point on my re-read after reading the new prologue.

[mathnerd]

How much of a bastard does a guy have to be to look at Amaram and go "this guy is too honest/honorable for his own good".

[markdean]

The way Brandon delivered the word "Herald" really stood out to me. Like the Susfather took a millisecond pause and substituted the word into his speech for Gavilars sake.

[SnakeAndTurtleQigong]

You are very much loved and appreciated! Thank you for being a hub to generate community. It’s what our world needs.
💙👍🏻🙏

[CelestaraDreaming]

Man, I hate I missed this! Thanks for leaving it up, I really enjoyed this discussion. I am SO looking forward to how the Shallan/Chanarach theory will play out! I definitely had some suspicions about the Stormfather on my first read through, but I don’t think I know enough to make a good guess as to who it could be just yet.
One thing that stuck out to me when I was watching Brandon read it was around 55:43. It’s the scene when Gavilar is getting suited up in armor and thinks (referring to the SF) “What else did it lie to me about? And why, on all of Roshar, would it have done so?” The camera zooms in when Brandon reads the question, then he looks up and raises his eyebrows and takes a longer pause than he does anywhere else in the reading. This seemed to me to be something more than just for dramatic effect. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but he doesn’t make this dramatic of a pause and expression for anything else. This is what made me lean more towards the theory of it being an imposter, since it seemed to emphasize that the SF was lying.
But Brandon could just be trying to throw us off from what he’s planning, anything is possible at this point 😂

[Bowlofhype]

I know this is a old video and idk if it was floated but in the prologue Gavilar is thinking about the words he needs to say to become a herald and he phrases it to himself as "The most important ones Galivar would ever say." We know they're in The Way of Kings. Has anyone floated the idea that Gavilar telling Sethz to tell Dalinar to find the most important words a man can say is setting Dalinar up to become a herald?

[musicalwarrior]

I’m convinced I’m gonna need a therapist after reading stormlight 5, I have a love/hate relationship with watching characters I love suffer, I want to see them struggle so they can overcome challenges but man it can be so difficult sometimes.

[justintx]

My thoughts
Shallan is the daughter of the herald being named after the only other child of a herald that we know of shalash.
Also the stormfather in the vision ill be Odium, I think this is a quick way for Brandon to show case a different side of a power we know he has which is pulling people into a vision and manipulation. As at the time this is Rayz/Odium who we know by at least Hoids standards isn't very clever, this ability with taravangian/Odium however seems in line with what his character is set up on, out smarting and manipulating people to do what he wants.
Also the herald replacement is probably just another word for Odiums champion to lead his army across the cosmere which is what he wanted from Dalinar.

[bagelbites]

The art of Chanarach reminds me a lot of the description of Radiant.

[landesfootbag]

sorry I missed the live version, but a great watch! I wanted to finish book 4 before I read this and then watched your video. Thanks for all you do!

[Ovrlordz]

I think, because Sanderson is so cheeky, that all 10 heralds were at the feast in the prologues. Furthermore, I think that the susfather (and also perhaps the storm father) is a herald.

[hybridhd]

I'm seriously starting to think that Shallans mother was a herald, all the pieces are lining up. What we know is that Shallan killed her mother while Gavilars party was going on and the Stormfather mentions that a Herald has died.

[ElijahStormblessed]

1:37:44 I'm still watching so maybe this gets addressed in a minute, but Taln did NOT break. Brandon confirmed in a WOB last year that we'll eventually understand what happened, but Taln did not break!

[joshwhite]

Super late to the party so you may have addressed this in another video somewhere, skimmed comments but all seemed to be fairly realtime, but Brandon was asked why the Stormfather sounded....off/weird in this prologue, and he intentionally says it, sussly, 'what do you mean? nooo, the Stormfather always sounds this way...' which i think fairly rules out it being a case of first draft issues, but also likely rules out it being the Stormfather at all. I imagine by now you've seen this, but while i have caught up on Lost in Roshar, i skimmed the back catalogue haha. Hope you've been having a good break and not too close to the weather your way (can't remember where in QLD you said you are).

[liberTvalance]

Been out of the loop for a year trying to avoid spoilers while I catch up on other series.... This is such a cool drop of knowledge that everyone else knew that is just blowing my mind. LOL.

From KY USA.

[MrManlify]

Thank you for answering so many of my questions. Hope to be on in the future and wish you the best.

[mitchgunzler]

Theory: The second half of the SA has prologues that all show the same night feom different angles too. The Night of Sorrows!

[johncrichton]

I feel like the stormfaker/susfather is Cultivation. The line is that "Dalinar had potential" is the give away. She has been prepping people for a while and discarding the ones that don't work out.