Chapter 3: Stormblessed

Spoiler Warning: This page contains details from The Way of Kings Chapter 3. If you haven’t read it yet, proceed with caution.

Summary

Cenn, a fifteen-year-old raw recruit, trembles as he faces his first battle in Brightlord Amaram’s army. Convinced he will die, he is comforted by the grizzled veteran Dallet, who reveals that Cenn has been assigned to Kaladin Stormblessed’s squad. Kaladin, a young squadleader with a legendary reputation, paid to transfer Cenn away from an incompetent commander. As the two armies form up, Kaladin instructs his men to leave their shields on their backs and sprint to the front when the charge begins. Dallet explains that archers target crowded ranks, not the scattered vanguard. The squad reaches a small hill and holds a tight defensive formation, using Kaladin’s shield beats as signals to shift positions. Cenn is kept in the center, useless but protected. For an hour, they repel attackers without losing a man. When Amaram’s army breaks, Kaladin orders a retreat. Separated in the chaos, Cenn is stabbed in the leg. Kaladin rushes in and single-handedly kills six enemies, then binds Cenn’s wound. Spotting an enemy lighteyed officer, Kaladin sees a chance: by killing the battalionlord, his squad might be sent to the Shattered Plains, where war has purpose. He downs the officer with a knife to the eye. As the squad stabilizes, a Shardbearer—a knight in gleaming Plate and Blade—gallops toward them. Dallet calls for formation, but Cenn, losing blood, simply closes his eyes.

Key Events

  • Cenn, terrified, meets Dallet and learns he is in Kaladin’s squad.
  • Kaladin arrives, revealing he paid to secure Cenn’s transfer.
  • The squad charges ahead to avoid enemy arrow volleys, which strike the dense ranks behind them.
  • Kaladin’s squad holds a defensive position on a hill, using shield-signals and tight formation to survive the chaotic battle.
  • Cenn is stabbed and about to be killed when Kaladin intervenes, dispatching six foes.
  • Kaladin kills an enemy brightlord in hopes of earning reassignment to the Shattered Plains.
  • A Shardbearer appears, and Cenn, losing consciousness, shuts his eyes.

Character Development

  • Cenn: Begins as a panicked youth certain of death, but his exposure to Kaladin’s squad shows him the value of training and discipline. Even wounded, he acknowledges the squad’s difference.
  • Dallet: A seasoned, reassuring presence who mentors Cenn and epitomizes the squad’s loyalty. He follows Kaladin’s orders without question but voices cautious objections.
  • Kaladin: Introduced as a mysterious prodigy. He fights with inhuman speed and precision, uses innovative tactics, and harbors a deep hatred for lighteyes. His decision to pay for young recruits hints at a traumatic past. The brief glimpse of “warping air” around him suggests unexplored powers.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Discipline vs. Chaos: Kaladin’s squad survives by maintaining formation in a battle where most soldiers break and run. The chaotic melee contrasts with their cohesion.
  • The Value of Leadership: Kaladin’s tactical brilliance and personal investment in his men earn their trust and save lives, highlighting how a good leader can make a difference even in brutal circumstances.
  • Spren as Emotion: Fearspren and painspren physically manifest Cenn’s terror and agony, reinforcing the idea that emotions have tangible presence on Roshar.
  • The Shattered Plains as a Goal: Kaladin’s fixation on reaching the Plains represents a search for meaning and honorable combat, away from petty border skirmishes.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter serves as Kaladin’s dramatic introduction, demonstrating his combat prowess, leadership, and enigmatic background. It establishes the brutal reality of Alethi warfare and the social hierarchy between darkeyes and lighteyes. The cliffhanger with the Shardbearer raises immediate stakes and hooks readers deeply. Moreover, Kaladin’s protective nature toward young recruits plants seeds for his later character arc, while the hints of wind-warping foreshadow his supernatural abilities.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. How does Kaladin’s squad survive the initial arrow volley?
    They race to the front of the charge, where soldiers are less densely packed. Archers aim for the thickest part of the enemy formation, so the arrows sail over the squad and land behind them. Dallet also notes that they don’t waste time raising shields, which would slow them down.

  2. What evidence suggests Kaladin possesses extraordinary abilities?
    He effortlessly defeats six spearmen in seconds, moving with blinding speed and precision. Cenn briefly sees a warping of the air around Kaladin, “like the wind itself become visible.” His squad calls him “stormblessed,” and his capacity to read glyphs is unusual for a darkeyes. These details hint at supernatural talents.

  3. Why does Kaladin risk attacking the enemy brightlord?
    Kaladin believes that killing a high-ranking officer will earn his squad a transfer to the Shattered Plains, where they would face the Parshendi in a real war. He yearns for a campaign with discipline, integrity among lighteyes, and meaningful combat—unlike the wasteful border skirmish.