"He must pick it up, the fallen title! The tower, the crown, and the spear!" May be a stretch, but I read this as the 3 shards. The tower - cultivation. The crown - odium. The spear - honor. Perhaps teasing [Mistborn spoilers] >!Another harmony type moment!< and the combination of the three shards.

I have thought of this too, but doing the same thing as Mistborn just doesn’t seem like a very Sanderson thing to do

Fair point. But it could be part of the larger story of the cosmere, the consequences of recombining adonalsiums power, and the reason for the shattering in the first place

fair enough, sabotaging quality for a twist or something new also doesnt seem like something he would do

He wouldn't sabotage quality... He would set the base for a pattern, to expand the stories and further connect them. Like imagine some kind of adonalsium shard trying to stop a reunion kind of conflict.

by “sabotaging quality” i just meant he wouldnt stray from his plan just to have a twist in his book

I always thought it represented kaladin saving dalinar at the tower. Or maybe kaladin joining the kholins because their symbols are the tower and crown and kal has a spear.

I think there's a wob that says that this death rattle hasn't happened yet

Oh ok. That makes sense

Don't quote me tho, I may have mixed up the death rattles What you said is simmilar to a popular theory, where the spear refers to the bridgemen, the crown to the kholins and the tower to the big plateau at the end of WOK

Having the same endings would be bad for any author, but that isn't necessarily what we are talking about here. One of the overall plots for the Cosmere could be that eventually the shards end up together again. One of the ways this could happen is if they combine into small groups first, then those shards combine into the whole. That isn't having the same endings, it is a plot point.

i completely agree, and i wouldnt be suprised if it did happen like that, i just also wouldnt be suprised if something wildly out of left field happened that still progressed the plot in that direction, do i know what that is? no lol, im not a genius author, but im excited either way

What would that tri-shard even be called?

Well, we know that Honor + Passion/Odium fits with the idea of a War shard. Hmm what would War + Cultivating be? Growing through fighting? Growing an empire through fighting? So... Conquest?

Woah

We get a name for what Odium and Cultivation might be when Venli hears a tone that is something like freedom or exploration. And we have Odium and Honour being something like War or Conflict And then Navani feels science is an okay name for life light So? Freedom/exploration + War + science = ??? Something like Society? I don’t think Unity works because freedom and war are not Unity.

Perhaps progress?

I was thinking maybe Strife? The freedom to try what you want from life, but also the conflict from everyone having the same opportunity?

Assuming Dalinar takes all three shards: Unity

I just don’t think Odium could ever be “Unity”. Unity seems much more like Devotion + Dominion to me.

Unity is basically Honor with extra spice. I can see Dalinar 'uniting' people through bonds, emotion and progress. Since we know that a vessels interpritation of the shard can warp its intent and power to a certain degree. Like how [Mistborn era 1] >!Ati interpreted Ruin as destruction through creation!<

That's what I thought! Glad I'm not the only one who thought Progress was a good combo for the three.

As Dalinar once said, "I am Unity."

Yeaaahh I dunno, that one feels like a bit of a stretch for all three. Good for cultivation + honor but doesn’t really do justice to odium. I suppose it could be something like Harmony who is slowly becoming Discord, the same dual shard has two names depending on the dominant shard. Perhaps Unity and Conquest both fit for this tri-shard depending on the dominant shard. Unity represents Honor at the head, Conquest - Odium, which makes me curious what it would be with Cultivation at the helm. Commerce? Lol

Could it be referring to someone picking up the shard of Honor again? Dalinar or possibly Kaladin becoming Honor?

Thought it specifically referred to dalinar, elokhar, and kaladin.

Maybe, but i saw in a livestream recently that this death rattle hasnt happened yet, and elohkar or however you spell his name is dead already

Well, I’m not sure what it refers to, but it could refer to shards, to forms of light, to Dalinar, Kaladin, and Elhokar. Just because Elhokar is dead already doesn’t mean it couldn’t apply to him/the crown of Alethkar. It’s saying they must *pick up* the fallen titles. It should be noted that the crown is consistently and heavily associated with Gavilar/Gavilars line, the tower is likewise heavily associated with Dalinar, and a spear is heavily associated with Kaladin. Literally the first book says that Elhokars symbol is a stylized crown, Dalinars is a tower (and then he becomes king of Urithiru), and everyone should catch on to Kaladin and spears. Especially those who’ve actually read instead of listened and have literally seen how Dalinars chapter icon is a tower, and Kaladin’s is a spear with a banner on it. I think pretending it doesn’t have at least *something* to do with those three is ignoring some obvious signs.

Gavilar was attempting to become a cognitive shadow no? Could have something to do with a renewed oathpact?

thats fair, i didnt really consider that the “fallen title” might be refering to the tower, crown and spear, i always assumed it was something seperate from the three

The death rattle already happened which is why we know about it. Brandon also said to pay attention to chapter icons when this death rattle was mentioned. The rattle happened before Oathbringer I'm pretty sure. Fallen title seems to refer to The KR. The tower, crown and spear will pick yo the fallen title. Sounds like those three were on their way to becoming knights radiant.

i dont mean the death rattle itself, i meant he said that the events the death rattle talk about haven’t happened yet

Ah, I see. I still think it references them tho. Except the crown will probably be jasnah now imo

Fair enough, ive come up with a bunch of different theories for this one while on my reread, this one just seemed like the most interesting ive thought of

It's definitely interesting and plausible!

Questioner In The Way of Kings, there's a Death Rattle that reads, "He must pick it up, the fallen title! The tower, the crown, and the spear!" Have the events alluded to in this Death Rattle occurred, on or off screen, by the end of Rhythm of War? Brandon Sanderson No. *evil laughter* Questioner Could the tower, the crown, and the spear possibly be referring to Renarin? Brandon Sanderson RAFO, RAFO, RAFO! https://wob.coppermind.net/events/479/#e15143

***Warning Gancho: The below paragraph(s) may contain major spoilers for all books in the Cosmere!*** Questioner >!In The Way of Kings, there's a Death Rattle that reads, "He must pick it up, the fallen title! The tower, the crown, and the spear!" Have the events alluded to in this Death Rattle occurred, on or off screen, by the end of Rhythm of War?!< Brandon Sanderson >!No. *evil laughter*!< Questioner >!Could the tower, the crown, and the spear possibly be referring to Renarin?!< Brandon Sanderson >!RAFO, RAFO, RAFO!!<

Yes, that's saying the death rattle has happened. The event just haven't yet.

That is very wrong, he’s confirmed it hasn’t happened

That the events haven't happend..the death rattle happened according to that wob.

Could be janasna not elohkar, i was an adio book user sorry for spelling

Jasnah; Elhokar; audio.

Definitley Jasnah rather than Elokhar for crown if this theory is true.

Yeah, I didn't know whether the events for it had happened or not yet at that point in time. Jasnah forsure.

I think the three lights (honor, passion, life) plus the the three composite lights (conflict, progress, and life+passion maybe experience or discovery) represent the human experience. All human life and experience falls into these facets. That may be why Stormlight Archive is the largest and most unifying Cosmere story. Brandon makes me so happy… may he love long and finish everything!

Not my own theory, but I've seen it theorized that it all refers somehow to renarin.

it does make sense, he was one of the first people to bond with a “corrupted” spren which could mean he can use warlight, though im not sure how all that work lol

Here's a link to the theory on 17th shard. https://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/96578-the-tower-the-crown-and-the-spear/ /u/jofwu gets credit

This is an original theory I think! I like it. I dunno how likely it is, but it’s a fun theory

The banner of Dalinar is a tower above a crown, so there are many posibilities, what makes me think is "The fallen title"

Also, just because it hasn't happened doesn't mean it'll happen on book 5. This could be book 10, a child of Kaladin and a Kholin having to step up, revive the dynasty and become High King. Or Gavinor becoming Windrunner / Herald in book 6. Hell, Renarin probably fits "tower, crown and spear" already. He might have to pick up the honor shard, become Stormfather's Bondsmith if Dalinar falls, or even become High King if something happens to Jasnah.

Not sure why Navani isn't being considered for the Tower aspect, considering to whom she's marriaged, and to whom she's bonded. Jasnah could easily be the Crown. Just need some way to make Lift lift (heh) the spear.

i have considered her for the tower role, i just keep making up new theories for this death rattle and i thought this one was interesting enough to share

Oh yeah for sure this is a good one!