Our Most Anticipated Stormlight Archive Moment After Wind And Truth Is Probably At Least 10 Years Away
There's one Stormlight Archivemoment I'm dying to see, but I imagine we'll be waiting at least a decade for it. Wind and Truth's ending offered tons of fresh material to digest, between character arcs to mourn, new Cosmere knowledge, and predictions for arc 2. There are nearly 6,000 pages of The Stormlight Archive to continue breaking down, and given how the last book turned out, I have a feeling there are plenty of clues for the series' future between the lines or written clearly in front of us.
Brandon Sanderson's upcoming books have numerous Cosmere novels, including 2025's Isles of the Emberdark, two Elantris sequels, a new Mistborn trilogy, and hopefully more over the next six years. However, the author isn't anticipating that the next volume of The Stormlight Archive will be out until 2031. He's acknowledged that the series is his opus, and that as much as he loves writing it, the process of orchestrating something of this magnitude is an exhausting one. The journey to the series' conclusion in book 10 is going to be a long one.
Kaladin's Return Might Not Happen In Book 6
We Might Not See Kaladin Back On Roshar For A While
I'm not alone in saying that Kaladin is one of, if not my favorite, character in The Stormlight Archive. In fact, it wouldn't be a stretch to say he's most readers' favorite character. The Way of Kings makes him out to be someone who's simultaneously endearing, inspiring, and all-around epic. That's why Kaladin's return in The Stormlight Archive's second arc is such a highly-anticipated moment and why readers have already begun writing up their imagined descriptions of his arrival on Roshar. After becoming the King of the Heralds, Kaladin can come back more extraordinary than ever.
Kaladin likely won't return to Roshar in Stormlight 6, allowing Brandon Sanderson some time to show what Roshar looks like in its new age of darkness.
Kaladin's return should rival moments like his rescuing of Dalinar in The Way of Kings and his decision to leap into the arena in Words of Radiance, something the subsequent three novels were unfortunately lacking. Readers have been waiting over a decade for a Kaladin scene to rival that degree of excitement, but they'll probably be waiting quite a while longer. Kaladin likely won't return to Roshar in Stormlight 6, allowing Brandon Sanderson some time to show what Roshar looks like in its new age of darkness.
After Wind And Truth, These Are The 8 Best Stormlight Archive Theories About Arc 2
It's going to be a long wait for the next volume of The Stormlight Archive, but there are already plenty of compelling theories to pass the time.
There's going to be a ten-year age gap, but having Kaladin and the Heralds return from the get-go would draw too much attention away from Lift and any other new main characters. In the meantime, we could get glimpses of the events on Braize through interludes. So, if Kaladin doesn't return in the 2031 volume, we could end up waiting until 2035 to finally see him back on Roshar, and that's at the earliest.
Stormlight Archive Arc 2 Is Going To Be More About The Heralds
Shalash & Talenel Will Be Main POV Characters
Brandon Sanderson has revealed a number of details about The Stormlight Archive's second arc, including that the Heralds are going to be featured more prominently. We were introduced to them in sprinkles throughout the first few books, then more sufficiently in Rhythm of War and Wind and Truth. The final run of The Stormlight Archive should solve some major mysteries regarding these mythical characters, particularly in books 8 and 9, when Shalash and Talenel are meant to be the primary POV flashback characters. The full list can be seen below:
Book Title | Flashback Character | Book Title | Flashback Character |
|---|---|---|---|
1. The Way of Kings | Kaladin | 6. Unknown | Lift |
2. Words of Radiance | Shallan | 7. Unknown | Renarin |
3. Oathbringer | Dalinar | 8. Unknown | Shalash |
4. Rhythm of War | Venli/Eshonai | 9. Unknown | Talenel |
5. Wind and Truth | Szeth | 10. Unknown | Jasnah |
Kaladin's Arrival On Roshar In Arc 2 Needs To Be Epic
I Miss The Kaladin We Saw In The Way Of Kings
There were plenty of complaints about Wind and Truth, and while I loved reading the book all around, I definitely agree with some of them. The Way of Kings is my personal favorite in the saga, given that it's the most grounded and the most oriented around Kaladin, and I've really missed that version of him ever since Words of Radiance. I found his chapters to be fairly grueling and repetitive in Oathbringer, and though I enjoyed him in his Die Hard scenario in Rhythm of War, it still wasn't the same.
The Stormlight Archive’s Message Hasn’t Affected Anyone More Than This Iconic Cosmere Character
The Stormlight Archive offers rich symbolism and thematic exploration, and it's affected one of Brandon Sanderson's most important characters.
Wind and Truth had my least favorite depiction of Kaladin, with the therapy concept being one of my personal gripes with the series. I didn't entirely buy into him winning over Szeth, and even less so with Nale. I don't mind him helping the Heralds in Braize, but when he returns to Roshar, I'm dying to see the leader and warrior we knew from the beginning. That's the Kaladin who made me so invested in The Stormlight Archive to begin with, and I'll be satisfied with a long wait if that's the version we get.
The Stormlight Archive
- Created by
- Brandon Sanderson
- Character(s)
- Kaladin Stormblessed, Shallan Davar, Dalinar Kholin, Adolin Kholin, Jasnah Kholin, Szeth-son-son-Vallano, Navani Kholin
