Chapter 65: THE TOWER

Spoiler Warning: This page contains spoilers for the entire book The Way of Kings. Read at your own risk.

Summary (Chronological Recap)

Dalinar and Sadeas survey the Tower, a massive, uneven plateau where the Parshendi are still trying to crack the chrysalis. They agree on a joint assault: Sadeas will strike first to secure a landing point, sparing Dalinar’s bridge crews the worst of the arrow fire. Dalinar insists on this because the Codes forbid asking men to do what he would not—he would never carry a bridge into battle. Sadeas reluctantly agrees, and they plan to trap the Parshendi against the southeastern cliff.

Kaladin and Bridge Four act as decoys during Sadeas’s charge. Kaladin dances among arrows, drawing Stormlight subtly to stay alive and protect his men, but Teft and Skar are wounded. He treats them hurriedly as the battle intensifies.

Once Sadeas secures a foothold, Dalinar leads his elite troops across. He unleashes the Thrill, cutting a swath through the Parshendi, breaking their lines with Shardblade and Shardplate. He feels invincible until he corners a terrified young Parshendi soldier. Seeing the boy’s humanity, the Thrill evaporates, and Dalinar recoils in horror as a Cobalt Guard kills the youth. Sickened, he reexamines the morality of the war and his visions’ call to unite.

Suddenly, Adolin alerts him: a second Parshendi army appears, and Sadeas’s forces are retreating across the chasms, pulling up all the bridges. Sadeas has betrayed Dalinar, leaving him and his entire army stranded on the Tower, surrounded on three sides by the enemy.

Key Events

  • Dalinar and Sadeas plan a two‑wave assault on the Tower.
  • Bridge Four acts as arrow decoys; Teft and Skar are wounded.
  • Dalinar’s forces surge onto the Tower and drive the Parshendi southeast.
  • Dalinar almost kills a young Parshendi but stops, losing the Thrill.
  • A second Parshendi army arrives; Sadeas betrays Dalinar and withdraws with all bridges.

Character Development

  • Dalinar: Begins fully embracing the Thrill, enjoying his old role as the Blackthorn. The encounter with the young Parshendi shatters that, reawakening his disgust for mindless slaughter and reinforcing his commitment to the Codes and the visions’ message of unity.
  • Kaladin: Continues to refine his Stormlight use, balancing survival with stealth. His leadership is tested by casualties; he shows compassion and decisiveness in treating his men.
  • Sadeas: Reveals his true nature—calculating and treacherous—by abandoning Dalinar at the critical moment.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • The Thrill: Portrayed as an addictive, dehumanizing force that Dalinar eventually rejects when he recognizes the enemy’s humanity.
  • Honor and the Codes: Dalinar’s refusal to misuse bridgemen contrasts sharply with Sadeas’s utter betrayal, highlighting the fragility of honor in warfare.
  • Betrayal: The climactic treachery upends the alliance and isolates Dalinar, turning a potential victory into a desperate siege.
  • War’s Moral Cost: The young Parshendi’s death and the haunting death songs underscore the human toll behind the conflict.
  • Stormlight and Power: Kaladin’s controlled use of Stormlight symbolizes emerging abilities tied to his duty to protect.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the turning point of Part Four. Sadeas’s betrayal leaves Dalinar’s army trapped, setting up the desperate circumstances of the subsequent chapters. It marks a critical moral shift for Dalinar, who begins to reject the Thrill and question the war’s purpose—a step toward the man the visions urge him to become. Bridgemen’s expendability is starkly illustrated, while Kaladin’s quiet heroism foreshadows his larger role.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Dalinar refuse to attack alongside Sadeas despite their alliance?
    Dalinar adheres to the Codes, which forbid asking men to do something he would not do himself. He considers bridge work suicide and refuses to send his bridgemen into the first wave, even if it strains the alliance.

  2. How does Kaladin’s use of Stormlight in this battle reflect his growth?
    Kaladin walks a fine line, drawing just enough Stormlight to avoid arrows without letting his glow become obvious. His control has improved, allowing him to serve as a distraction while keeping his presence concealed.

  3. What triggers Dalinar’s sudden revulsion on the battlefield, and what does it signify?
    He freezes when about to kill a young Parshendi soldier, seeing the boy’s terror and his resemblance to a stablehand. This shatters the Thrill and forces Dalinar to confront the war’s inhumanity, aligning with the visions’ call for unity rather than conquest.

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