Chapter 10: The Threads of a Screw
Spoiler Warning: This page contains detailed analysis of Oathbringer Chapter 10. If you have not read through this chapter, proceed carefully.
Summary
Shallan accompanies Dalinar’s family toward a remote section of Urithiru’s second level after a scouting party discovers a body. The victim is Vedekar Perel, a lighteyed officer from Sebarial’s army. Shallan, recently elevated to “Brightness Radiant,” notes how her new status grants her unquestioned access even to murder scenes.
The group reaches a medium-sized chamber identified by Shallan as an ancient bathing room, its floor carved into a four-foot-deep basin. Perel lies on his back at the bottom, stabbed through the eye—the same precise wound Sadeas suffered. Navani immediately remarks on the identical positioning and method, concluding the same killer struck twice. Dalinar finds the timing disastrous, with political tensions high and his usual investigators dead.
Adolin reacts with visible shock, muttering that this is “impossible.” He had believed Sadeas’s death was an isolated crime of opportunity. Dalinar, pressed for trustworthy personnel, assigns Adolin as liaison to Highprince Aladar’s policing teams to investigate both murders. Adolin accepts, though his demeanor remains deeply unsettled. Shallan presses him afterward, asking if he knew the dead man. Adolin denies it, promising simply to find the killer. As they leave, Renarin watches his brother with knowing intensity while Pattern hums quietly on Shallan’s skirt.
Key Events
- A second murder mimicking Sadeas’s death is discovered: Vedekar Perel, stabbed through the eye in an identical pose.
- Shallan identifies the murder site as an ancient bathing chamber with horse-head spouts.
- Navani confirms the killer’s method matches Sadeas’s murder exactly.
- Dalinar assigns Adolin to coordinate the investigation with Aladar’s teams.
- Adolin’s private panic reveals he knows he killed Sadeas and cannot fathom this copycat crime.
- Renarin’s silent observation and Pattern’s humming add subtle pressure to the scene.
Character Development
Adolin: His internal crisis deepens dramatically. He murdered Sadeas in a fit of rage and assumed no one would connect him to it. Now a second body appears with identical wounds, meaning either someone knows his secret or a genuine serial killer is loose. His assignment to lead the investigation places him in an impossible position—hunting a culprit while concealing his own guilt. His muttered “impossible” and distracted behavior are the first cracks in his composure.
Shallan: Her growing confidence as a Radiant emerges. She reflects on the welcome change of being included in important events without question. Her observational skills remain sharp—she notices Adolin’s odd behavior, takes a Memory of the spiraling strata, and deduces the room’s original function as a bath. She remains perceptive yet trusts Adolin’s fundamental honesty.
Dalinar: The burden of leadership weighs heavily. He lacks his best investigators, misses Jasnah’s political acumen, and worries the highprinces may suspect a cover-up. His decision to assign Adolin is pragmatic—it signals seriousness to the court while relying on family loyalty.
Renarin: Though nearly silent, his unblinking gaze at Adolin suggests he perceives something others miss. His quiet presence at the edges of the scene builds an undercurrent of foreboding.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
The Screw Threads: The chapter title and setting emphasize the twisting, spiraling strata in the tower’s stone. Shallan takes a Memory of the patterns, likening them to screw threads. This imagery reflects the tightening spiral of Adolin’s predicament—each turn of events screws him deeper into a trap of his own making.
The Bathing Chamber: A place meant for cleansing now holds a bloodied corpse. The empty basin and drains underscore the impossibility of washing away guilt. Sadeas’s murder was already a stain on Adolin’s conscience; this second death deepens the corruption.
Perception vs. Reality: Shallan believes Adolin is “as deceitful as a newborn,” yet he is hiding the gravest of secrets. Dalinar trusts his son completely while setting him to catch a killer he already is. The dramatic irony runs thick—everyone sees what they expect to see.
Exhaustion and Light: Shallan’s spent Stormlight from the map-making experiment leaves her drained. This small detail reinforces how the Radiants’ powers are finite resources, and how vulnerability follows even the most extraordinary abilities.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter transforms Adolin’s private crime into an escalating public crisis. Until now, Sadeas’s murder seemed a closed chapter—a secret Adolin could bury. The copycat killing reopens the wound with amplified stakes. By placing Adolin at the head of the investigation, Sanderson creates a pressure-cooker scenario: the murderer must catch the murderer. The dramatic irony tightens with every scene, especially as Renarin’s unnerving awareness hints that the truth may not stay hidden long. The chapter also reinforces Urithiru’s eerie, ancient atmosphere—a city full of secrets, where murders happen in forgotten bathhouses and the very stone spirals like a screw turning inexorably toward revelation.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Adolin react so strongly to Vedekar Perel’s murder scene? Adolin killed Sadeas himself and assumed the crime was an isolated incident. The second body, killed identically, means either someone is framing him, knows his secret, or a coincidence is impossibly precise. His “impossible” exclamation betrays his internal shock—he cannot explain how his private act is being replicated.
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What does Dalinar’s decision to assign Adolin to the investigation reveal about the political situation? Dalinar lacks reliable investigators after recent battles. He also recognizes that publicly placing his own son in charge signals the Kholin family takes the murders seriously, countering potential rumors of a cover-up. The move is politically calculated but tragically ironic given Adolin’s hidden guilt.
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How does Shallan’s perspective on Alethi gender roles appear in this chapter? Shallan notes how unusual it is that Navani examines the corpse without anyone objecting. She reflects that Alethi women are expected to serve as scribes, runners, and scouts in war camps—a stark contrast to her own sheltered Veden upbringing. This cultural observation underscores the practical, battle-oriented gender dynamics of Alethi society.