Author Topic: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)  (Read 10415 times)

old aggie

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Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« on: January 14, 2011, 04:20:42 PM »
My theory: The Parshendi are not actually enemies, but will become allies instead. They are the "help" that the Almighty sent (mentioned in one of Dalinar's visions).

- - The Almighty has caused them to evolve so that they have "armor" that prevents the hive-mind control that normal Parshmen fall victim to.

- - The dark sphere (that Gavilar gave Szeth) does summon thunderclasts. The Parshendi gave it to Gavilar to keep it from their non-armored cousins during the coming Desolation.

- - But then why kill Gavilar? Maybe, as he interacted with him in the visions, the Almighty discovered that Gavilar was the "wrong" brother - from the descriptions of their personalities, he seems more over-aggressive whereas Dalinar seems more "Honor"-able, so to speak. So the Almighty chose the younger brother, and led (by visions?) the Parshendi to remove the elder one. This reminds me a little of the Jacob/Esau story in Jewish history.

Ipood

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2011, 04:49:46 PM »
I like this theory, but then, why would they be fighting? Are they unfamiliar to ordinary human responses? Because if you kill someones brother, do you really expect them to help you?
'

LoneStar

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2011, 10:12:03 PM »
I'm a fan of the theory as well, but wasn't the almighty already gone from Roshar at the start of the story?

CabbyHat

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2011, 01:08:04 AM »
And wasn't Gavilar originally the honorable one? He was the one studying the Way of Kings while Dalinar was still obsessed with killing. It was only Gavilar's death that made him start following the Codes and such. So your theory's plausible, but it would be a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy...
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Link von Kelsier Harvey XXIV

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2011, 06:59:35 AM »
Then again, we don't know for sure The Almighty is dead until Chapter 2, "Honor is Dead."
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unreal

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2011, 07:32:09 PM »
I kinda feel that the parshendi are parshmen infused with the spirits of men. Near the end when dalinar fights the parshendi shard bearer. He says "It is you" I kinda have been thinking that the parshendi shard bearer was in fact Gavilar. And they had him killed to be their leader, due to the respect they had for him. all just thoughts i had kickiung around who knows /shrug.

Mike

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2011, 09:28:54 PM »
I kinda feel that the parshendi are parshmen infused with the spirits of men.

You know, that could very well be right... sort of like a Warbreaker type thing where the Parshmen are Lifeless and the Parshendi have more Breaths added, or more complex Commands, or whatever the Stormlight equivalent thereof happens to be.

unreal

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2011, 10:02:16 PM »
 Haha I just got warbreaker today. Its the only Brandon Sanderson book I have not read....and its the free one. Anyway I got the idea from the fight between Dalinar and the Parshendi Shard bearer. He seems to know Dalinar in some way. That made me think of the kings murder with no real explanation of why they had him killed.

Argent

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2011, 10:22:11 PM »
I don't know, this is a theory with virtually no backup behind it. Brandon likes to foreshadow things, so that when you actually learn the reason for something, you can go back and say "Woah, all those things were leading up to this, it was so obvious!"... except it wasn't, because you were missing the central piece to the puzzle.

We don't know anything about the Parshmen and the Parshendi. There has been no interaction between Alethkar and the Parshendi before Gavilar found them, and when he did, they were just as developed as they are in the book. I think that would rule out your theory, unless you go into some secret kidnapping action, or hidden interaction with other kingdoms... but that would be you trying to save face, I think.

If there is any hint about what and who the Parsh-people are, it would be in Jasnah's chapters and the epigraphs of Part Three - her research and theory that the Parsh are the Voidbringers. I have my own thoughts on her supposition, but I'll have to post them in a different topic, as they are kind of an off-topic here.
Power doesn't always have to corrupt. In many ways, it can change a man for the better.

socom-delta

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2011, 09:42:37 PM »
I kinda feel that the parshendi are parshmen infused with the spirits of men. Near the end when dalinar fights the parshendi shard bearer. He says "It is you" I kinda have been thinking that the parshendi shard bearer was in fact Gavilar. And they had him killed to be their leader, due to the respect they had for him. all just thoughts i had kickiung around who knows /shrug.

I like this theory. It intrigues me.

So maybe the Parshendi have achieved some higher form of consciousness, and they kill humans so they can join and share in this harmony? Or maybe the Parshendi are actually just beings that have been corrupted by the 'Satan' of Roshar (odium?)? I kinda doubt this, considering how harmonius the Parshendi seem (they sing at all times - even while dying - and don't attack severely wounded enemy soldiers).

Melriken

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2011, 07:17:21 AM »
Neat theory, but there is a problem.

- - The Almighty has caused them to evolve so that they have "armor" that prevents the hive-mind control that normal Parshmen fall victim to.

We have a nice little passage about half way through the Prologue (Page 28 of the first printing hardback, about halfway down the page).
Quote from: WoK Prologue
According to legend, the Shardblades were first carried by the Knights Radiant uncounted ages ago. Gifts of their god, granted to allow them to fight horrors of rock and flame, dozens of feet tall, foes whose eyes burned with hatred. The Voidbringers. When your foe had skin as hard as stone itself, steel was useless. Something supernal was required.
I underlined the part that argues against your theory.

At least I can only assume that when you say "Evolve so they have 'armor'" you are referring to the biological armor the Parshendi have, but ancent legend tells us that the Voidbringers (beings of rock and flame, black and red, the Parshendi) have skin as hard as rock.  IE even during the first Desolation the Parshendi (Voidbringers) had that armor.

It is a nice theory though.  But the Armor isn't something new, and isn't from the Almighty.

I want to bring up the Scene toward the end when Kaladin is trying to save Dalinvar and the Parshendi Shardbearer is fighting Dalinvar.  The other Parshendi aren't interfering in the fight, but I don't think it is out of a sense of Honor as Kaladin seems to believe (and would STRONGLY support your theory) I think it is a requirement from Odium.  The Almighty says you may be able to get him to pick a champion, he is bound by some rules.  The shardbearer was odium's champion (at that point) and the other Parshendi COULDN'T interfere because Odium wouldn't let them because HE was bound by a rule.

Argent

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2011, 07:24:06 AM »
I find Melriken's champion theory compelling, but there is something that bothers me in it. When the Almighty spoke in Dalinar's vision, he implied that Odium could be persuaded to choose a champion sometime in the future. Of course, you could argue that the visions were more of diary than a true visitation by a god's spirit, but if I recall correctly, Dalinar spoke with the Almighty directly at the end. So Honor must be in the correct time frame. Which could imply that Odium does not have a champion yet.
Power doesn't always have to corrupt. In many ways, it can change a man for the better.

Tortellini

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2011, 09:38:43 AM »
Parshendi are not dozens of feet tall, and the armor is not hard as rock either, though. Remember that we still have no solid evidence that Jasnah is actually right. What is described in the quote from the Prelude above sounds like a thunderclast.

This discussion lead me to a new idea about the voidbringers: The other beings described to have rock-like skin, or shells, are the chulls! Chasmfiends, too, but chulls are also described as having rock-like shells, plus red claws and legs. This may be a little far out, but most of the prophecies could also fit chulls... Music when they kill does finger the Parshendi though.

socom-delta

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2011, 11:02:35 PM »
I should think it's just the Chasmfiends themselves. The descriptions fit: dozens of feet tall, triangular heads, etc.

What better foe than one that has a massive gem infused with stormlight inside of it?

Melriken

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Re: Parshendi (WoK spoilers)
« Reply #14 on: January 24, 2011, 03:25:15 AM »
I find Melriken's champion theory compelling, but there is something that bothers me in it. When the Almighty spoke in Dalinar's vision, he implied that Odium could be persuaded to choose a champion sometime in the future. Of course, you could argue that the visions were more of diary than a true visitation by a god's spirit, but if I recall correctly, Dalinar spoke with the Almighty directly at the end. So Honor must be in the correct time frame. Which could imply that Odium does not have a champion yet.
The Almighty is dead, he never talked to Dalinar, just left a note for him.

Also I don't think the champion was truly chosen, just that for that particular fight that particular Parshendi was acting as a champion (a temporary champion?).  The Almighty is speaking of getting Odium to pick a Champion for the war, I think this fight was a precursor to that.