66. Bearer of Agonies
[SPOILER NOTICE: This page contains spoilers for Rhythm of War, specifically Chapter 73. Proceed only if you have read up to this point or don’t mind knowing key plot details.]
Summary
Dalinar practices his Bondsmith abilities, learning to see the spiritual Connections radiating from a soldier. The Stormfather explains these as bonds to people, spren, and reality itself, but notes they may not be exploitable—though a Bondsmith might be the exception. He illustrates this with a parable about two brothers and colored cloths, symbolizing a Connection of knowledge that doesn’t necessarily confer power. Dalinar then walks to a makeshift prison where Taravangian has been held since his betrayal. Inside, Taravangian sits by a lone ruby for light. Their tense conversation excavates old wounds: Taravangian insists he chose to serve Odium after a day of transcendent brilliance from Cultivation convinced him victory is impossible, making him a “bearer of agonies” who saves what he can. Dalinar counters that Taravangian’s foresight was flawed—he predicted Dalinar would fall to Odium—and that his methods were driven by a lust for power, not pure pragmatism. Taravangian admits he has made himself worthless as a hostage. Dalinar refuses to execute him, vowing that Taravangian will witness his victory and they will embrace as friends. Szeth later warns Dalinar not to trust Taravangian’s apparent resignation.
Key Events
- Dalinar successfully sees the white lines of Connection extending from a person, a Bondsmith power once glimpsed by the ancient Melishi.
- The Stormfather shares a parable about two brothers separating, each taking a colored cloth—the instant knowledge of the other’s cloth demonstrates a Connection that exists but is rarely exploitable.
- Dalinar enters Taravangian’s prison-converted home, noting the bricked-up windows that leave the old king without sunlight.
- Taravangian reveals that Cultivation granted him a single day of transcendent brilliance, during which he saw no path to save all of Roshar—only a way to preserve Kharbranth by allying with Odium.
- Dalinar confronts Taravangian’s failed predictions, specifically that Dalinar would join Odium, undermining the validity of his grand vision.
- Taravangian claims he has “made himself worthless” as a bargaining chip, implying he expects execution.
- Dalinar refuses to kill him, instead promising to win and share an embrace of reconciliation on that future day.
- Szeth, having seen through Taravangian’s persona, warns Dalinar that the former king is still plotting.
Character Development
Dalinar solidifies his identity as a man of restraint and moral conviction. He refuses to be goaded by Taravangian’s mention of his past atrocities, instead grounding himself in the idea that aligning methods with ideals is the core of his transformation. His decision to spare and even comfort Taravangian—ordering extra light and a chair—shows a shift from wrathful Blackthorn to a leader who bears sorrow without vengeance.
Taravangian is laid bare as a tragic foil. He clings to the rationalization that his monstrous choices were the only conceivable path, yet his cracked logic—admitting his grand vision wrongly predicted Dalinar’s fall—exposes a deeper truth: a desire to be the heroic emperor-savior. His tears at Dalinar’s promise suggest a buried hope that he might indeed be proven wrong.
Szeth offers a rare, unsolicited warning. His blunt statement that Taravangian is never truly done plotting underscores his own hard-won understanding of the former king’s manipulative nature, born from his time as Taravangian’s Truthless assassin.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Bearer of Agonies: The chapter title and Taravangian’s self-conception. He sees kingship as absorbing painful choices so others can live “pure lives.” Dalinar refuses this framing, asserting that a moral leader must align means and ends rather than wallow in tragic necessity.
Connection vs. Exploitation: Dalinar’s new power to see Connection—and the Stormfather’s parable—frames a central question. A bond can be known without being used. Taravangian weaponized information and relationships; Dalinar seeks to honor bonds without exploiting them.
The Ruby Light: Taravangian’s sole sphere, casting red light like Everstorm lightning, symbolizes his allegiance to Odium but also his diminished, artificial existence—an “imitation of an imitation” of a true hearth.
Pride and False Foresight: Taravangian’s belief that his one day of brilliance grants him certainty is undercut by his wrong prediction about Dalinar. The chapter questions whether absolute fatalism is wisdom or the ultimate arrogance dressed as sacrifice.
Why This Chapter Matters
This is the definitive ideological duel between the book’s two most burdened leaders. Where Dalinar once evaded Taravangian by delaying this meeting, he now confronts him fully, distilling the series’ central moral conflict: pragmatic surrender versus principled resistance against impossible odds. Taravangian’s confession about Cultivation’s boon clarifies the origin of his twisted genius, while Dalinar’s discovery of his Bondsmith vision plants seeds for future mastery. Critically, Szeth’s closing warning ensures that Taravangian’s apparent resignation reads not as closure but as a setup for further treachery.
Study Questions and Answers
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How does the Stormfather’s parable of the colored cloths relate to Dalinar’s emerging Bondsmith powers? The parable illustrates that knowing a Connection exists—like the instant awareness of which cloth the other brother holds—does not inherently grant power over it. Dalinar can now perceive Connections in others, but the Stormfather emphasizes that most are not exploitable. This frames the Bondsmith’s unique potential: to perhaps interact with those bonds in ways others cannot, foreshadowing Dalinar’s later abilities to manipulate Connection itself.
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What flaw does Dalinar identify in Taravangian’s “brilliant” foresight, and how does this affect Taravangian’s justification for his betrayal? Dalinar points out that Taravangian’s supposedly perfect vision wrongly predicted Dalinar would either fall to Odium or obstruct him. Since that prediction failed, the entire foundation of Taravangian’s plan—that collaboration with the coalition was futile and Odium’s victory was certain—crumbles. Taravangian cannot effectively counter this because his current intelligence is average, exposing that his “rational choice” was built on fallible assumptions, not unassailable truth.
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Why does Dalinar refuse to execute Taravangian, and what does this decision reveal about his character growth? Dalinar refuses execution because he now aligns his methods with his ideals; killing a defenseless old friend, even a traitor, would revert to the Blackthorn’s ways. Instead, he vows to win and make Taravangian witness his error—an act of mercy that forces Taravangian to live with the possibility of being wrong. This shows Dalinar internalizing the principle that victory must be moral, not merely victorious, and that bearing agonies means enduring grief without mirroring the enemy’s cruelty.