Chapter 71: Binder of Gods

Spoiler Notice: This page contains detailed analysis and complete plot summary for Chapter 71 of Oathbringer. If you haven't read this far, be warned that major revelations are discussed openly.

Summary

Dalinar retrieves the assassin's Honorblade from its hiding place, feeling only anger at the weapon that murdered his brother. The Stormfather reveals a staggering truth: the Herald Ishar is Tezim, the god-priest of Tukar waging war on Emul. More critically, the Stormfather explains that Dalinar's Bondsmith powers belonged first to Ishar—once called the Binder of Gods—and are rooted in Connection, making them the greatest of all Radiant abilities if not squandered on mere battle. Dalinar gives the Honorblade to Bridge Four; Rock accepts custody. Navani and Queen Fen discuss the risks of Dalinar's solo diplomatic mission to Azir, and Navani hands him a glyphward-wrapped lunch. En route to the Oathgate, Dalinar quells a brawl between Sadeas's and Aladar's troops using Stormlight and resolves to send the rebellious Sadeas soldiers to Thaylen City for hard labor. Jasnah operates the Oathgate, and Dalinar steps through into the Azish heat.

Key Events

  • Dalinar retrieves Jezrien's Honorblade from a hidden stone shaft.
  • The Stormfather confirms Ishar (Tezim) leads Tukar and seeks death.
  • The Stormfather names Dalinar's power: Connection, once held by the Binder of Gods.
  • Only three Bondsmith spren exist; the Stormfather, Cultivation, and a mysterious third sibling.
  • Dalinar gives the Honorblade to Bridge Four; Rock accepts it to guard, not wield.
  • Navani provides a glyphward-wrapped lunch and a spanreed signaling plan.
  • Dalinar stops a training-ground brawl, sticking soldiers to stone with Stormlight.
  • Jasnah operates the Oathgate, and Dalinar arrives alone in Azir.

Character Development

Dalinar grapples with the weight of ancient artifacts and their personal meaning. His anger at the Honorblade as the assassin's weapon collides with its sacred history as Jezrien's blade. The Stormfather's revelation about his Bondsmith powers humbles him—these are not combat Surges but powers of Connection, infinite in potential but useless for brute force. His practical leadership shines as he delegates the Honorblade to Bridge Four, intervenes in the training riot, and devises the plan to exhaust Sadeas's rebellious troops with labor in Thaylen City.

The Stormfather delivers his most substantive revelations yet: confirming Ishar's identity as Tezim, explaining the nature of Bondsmith power, and describing how gemstones are renewed during highstorms. His erratic withholding of information frustrates Dalinar, but the spren's perspective—that he answers only when asked—highlights their fundamentally non-human cognition.

Navani and Queen Fen offer grounded, worried support. Navani's glyphward-wrapped lunch blends practicality with cultural devotion, while Fen's dry humor ("I think he'll be fine") masks genuine concern for the coalition's architect.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Connection vs. Combat: The chapter's central tension. Dalinar's Surges are "the greatest of all" precisely because they join rather than destroy. Ishar's tragic arc—from Binder of Gods to mad warlord—serves as a warning of what Dalinar could become if he misuses this power.

Ancient Weapons, Present Burdens: The Honorblade embodies layered meaning. To Dalinar, it's the assassin's tool of murder; to history, it's a sacred relic of the Heralds. Passing it to Bridge Four transforms it from a hidden token of grief into an instrument of training and healing.

Knowledge and Partnership: The Stormfather only shares information when asked, a limitation that forces Dalinar into active inquiry. This dynamic mirrors the broader theme of spren-human bonds as partnerships requiring effort from both sides.

The Fracturing of Armies: Sadeas's troops devolve into brawling and insubordination under Amaram's command. Their deterioration threatens the coalition from within, and Dalinar's solution—hard labor in a ruined city—mirrors the theme of rebuilding larger than the soldiers themselves.

Why This Chapter Matters

"Binder of Gods" delivers a definitive answer to the question that has shadowed Dalinar since he swore his oaths: what exactly is a Bondsmith? The Stormfather's explanation reframes Dalinar's entire arc. He is not merely a general with magical glue; he is the inheritor of Ishar's mantle, capable of joining worlds and souls. This revelation positions Dalinar as potentially the most powerful Radiant alive, but with a power unsuited to direct combat—a meaningful constraint as war looms. The chapter also advances the diplomatic plotline with Azir, hands the Honorblade to Bridge Four for tactical use, and introduces the solution to the Sadeas troop problem. Importantly, learning Ishar's identity as Tezim connects the madness of the Heralds directly to current geopolitical crises.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does the Stormfather call Dalinar's power "the power of Connection"? The Stormfather explains that Dalinar's Surges bind men and worlds, minds and souls together, rather than serving as tools for combat. This power was once held by Ishar, who founded the Oathpact and was called the Binder of Gods. Unlike Windrunners or other Radiants whose abilities shine in battle, a Bondsmith's greatest strength lies in unifying forces, making raw conflict a poor application.

  2. Why does Dalinar give the Honorblade to Bridge Four instead of keeping it himself? Dalinar recognizes that hiding the Honorblade renders it useless. With Kaladin absent, Bridge Four's training has stalled, and the blade—which grants Windrunner powers to anyone who holds it—can mitigate that gap. He also belatedly realizes the blade's healing capability. His decision reflects his pragmatic leadership: artifacts are tools, not trophies.

  3. What does the Stormfather's behavior in this chapter reveal about spren cognition? The Stormfather shares crucial information only when directly asked, despite knowing it earlier. He says, "When you asked. When else would I speak of it?" This reveals that spren do not process context, urgency, or human assumptions about relevant disclosure. Dalinar must learn to ask precise questions to unlock the knowledge the Stormfather holds.

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