Another Option: Oathbringer Chapter 29 Summary & Analysis
Spoiler Notice: This page contains spoilers for Oathbringer through Chapter 29. Proceed only if you have read up to this point.
Summary
Dalinar learns that Azir has decided to seal off its Oathgate, rejecting his requests outright. Moments later, Queen Fen of Thaylenah delivers an even sharper rebuff, declaring she would be “stupid or desperate” to allow an Alethi army into her city and that the coalition will never happen. Crushed, Dalinar dismisses the spanreed call and roams the tower. Bridge Four soon summons him to a balcony where they have found Oathbringer—the Shardblade he carried for decades, discarded by Sadeas’s murderer. Dalinar returns the Blade to Ialai Sadeas in Amaram’s presence; Amaram calls him a hypocrite for now condemning the brutality that built his power. Retreating to his quarters, Dalinar finds Taravangian brooding beside a heating fabrial. They discuss Nohadon’s parable of four hogmen and the moral weight of judgment. Their debate leads Dalinar to ask the Stormfather if he can show visions to others. The Stormfather reveals that he can place anyone in a vision during a highstorm, and Dalinar can join them. Seizing this, Dalinar decides to use a vision to meet Queen Fen face‑to‑face—an entirely new way to build the alliance.
Key Events
- Azir formally seals its Oathgate and refuses further negotiation.
- Queen Fen bluntly rejects Dalinar’s coalition, citing the danger of an Alethi army.
- Bridge Four discovers the Shardblade Oathbringer, thrown from a window by the murderer.
- Dalinar returns Oathbringer to Ialai Sadeas; Amaram confronts him and labels him a hypocrite.
- Dalinar and Taravangian hold a quiet, searching conversation about justice, guilt, and the parable from The Way of Kings.
- The Stormfather confirms he can show visions to other people; Dalinar realizes he can host a direct meeting with Queen Fen inside a highstorm vision.
Character Development
- Dalinar: His frustration peaks as both Azir and Thaylenah turn him away. He wrestles with Amaram’s hypocrisy charge and his own past. The chapter ends with his resilience sparking a creative solution—sharing the visions—that shifts him from despair to hope.
- Taravangian: Portrayed as contemplative and morally burdened, he reveals a sharp mind beneath a gentle demeanor. His willingness to hang all four hogmen, while weeping, hints at the severe pragmatism that runs deep within him.
- Amaram: Unrepentant, he defends his slaughter of Kaladin’s men and refuses to grant Dalinar any moral high ground. His victory in the verbal duel stings precisely because it echoes Dalinar’s own self‑doubt.
- Stormfather: Initially resistant to displaying the visions for others, he grudgingly admits his design as a Bondsmith’s spren and offers the exact power Dalinar needs.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Hypocrisy and Change: Amaram’s accusation cuts deeply, but Dalinar starts to accept that a hypocrite may simply be “a person who is in the process of changing.”
- Justice and Thresholds: The hogman parable wrestles with how many guilty must be caught versus one innocent killed. Taravangian’s arithmetic contrasts with Dalinar’s refusal to sacrifice any innocent, and Nohadon’s “another option” offers a middle way.
- The Weight of Oathbringer: The Blade that once defined Dalinar now whispers a tired scream. Giving it away marks a final, deliberate break with the warlord he was.
- Vision as Unity: The Stormfather’s ability to include others in visions becomes a literal mechanism for building a coalition—bridging distances without Oathgates.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter turns a political dead‑end into a narrative breakthrough. Dalinar’s coalition collapses on paper, but the revelation about the visions gives him a fresh diplomatic tool. At the same time, the conversation with Taravangian—seemingly a quiet debate—plants the seeds of a much larger moral conflict that will unfold later. Amaram’s verbal strike and the return of Oathbringer force Dalinar to confront his own past, making his growth feel earned rather than convenient.
Study Questions & Answers
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Why does Dalinar return Oathbringer to Ialai instead of claiming it for himself?
He no longer sees the Blade as his. The Stormfather’s bond forbids him from bonding a dead spren, and his own oath obligates him to reject the weapon. Returning it also demonstrates that he is not driven by conquest, even as others suspect him. -
How does the discussion of the four hogmen influence Dalinar’s later decision?
The parable forces Dalinar to articulate his belief that no innocent should suffer for the guilty. Taravangian’s stark utilitarianism shocks him but also clarifies his own values. By seeking an entirely different approach to the coalition (the vision meeting), Dalinar embodies Nohadon’s “another option.” -
What does Dalinar learn about the Stormfather’s visions that changes his strategy?
The Stormfather can bring other people into the visions during a highstorm, and Dalinar can join them remotely. This means Dalinar can hold face‑to‑face talks with foreign rulers like Queen Fen without waiting for physical travel or Oathgate access.