Timewaster's Guide Archive
Local Authors => Brandon Sanderson => Topic started by: peppergrower on July 25, 2011, 12:55:27 AM
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So, Returned get the Fifth Heightening by virtue of being Returned, right? It's explained in the book that, among other things, the Fifth Heightening is what grants you agelessness. (In fact, that's the only new ability the Fifth grants you.) So that's why the gods don't age; makes sense.
However...Vasher, despite being Returned, is suppressing most of his abilities, including those that go along with the Heightenings. In the annotations for chapter 22 (http://brandonsanderson.com/annotation/400/Warbreaker-Chapter-Twenty-Two-Part-2), we find out that Vasher (and Denth) do still have certain physical enhancements, like speed, even when they're suppressing their Returned nature. However, I don't see why agelessness would be one of these, unless you also get it just by being Returned, and not only by virtue of reaching the Fifth Heightening.
Does anyone have any plausible explanations, or (even better) know anywhere that Sanderson has addressed why Vasher, Denth, and the others are ageless despite suppressing their Returned Breath (and the accompanying Fifth Heightening)?
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The agelessness might be a side effect that they can't control... they can suppress the volountary stuff, but like the other physical enhancements, it's not something they can suppress (at least not entirely).
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I think they're just hiding the outward expression of the Returned Breath . . . the internal effects are not affected by being hidden.
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I guess those explanations make sense. I'd love to learn more about some of these things that weren't really discussed much in this book...I hope he writes a sequel sometime!
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a Note about Returned, each of them is shaped and appears as how they Belive themselves to be. A Normal Returned is worshiped as a God, and see themselves as Godlike, hence "Physical Perfection" and agelessness. Vasher instead sees himself as a Scruffy lowlife, with flaws. Each of them only Has to Look like they Want to. if they have the willpower, then can override their Beliefs, and change shape. in essence, "I look like this because I Belive I Should"