Chapter 110: The Flute and the Law – Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Inside a ruined monastery, Nale corners Kaladin and Szeth. The Herald moves with inhuman speed, breaking Kaladin’s ribs and shattering his wooden flute. Kaladin draws in Stormlight from nearby spheres, but Nale intercepts the Light and releases it, leaving no Investiture for healing or Surges. Despite the pain, Kaladin summons a metal flute from Radiant mist. The Wind—a sentient force—carries echoes of Kaladin’s practice, multiplying the song. Nale pauses, disturbed by the familiar melody. Kaladin begins recounting the story of Derethil and the Wandersail: a voyage to a perfect island called Uvala, where the people executed anyone who broke the emperor’s trivial laws. As the tale unfolds, Kaladin confronts Nale about why he became a Herald. Nale admits he turned to the law as a crutch because his mind was failing—he once hurt someone accidentally and feared losing himself. But Kaladin presses further, demanding what Derethil found in the tower. Nale breaks down, shouting that there was nothing—Honor is dead, Jezrien is gone, Ishar is as good as dead. Dropping his Shardblade, Nale weeps. Szeth offers help, and Kaladin agrees, promising to aid the broken Herald. Nale’s spren finally appears, then vanishes.
Key Events
- Nale attacks Kaladin, breaking his ribs and shattering his flute.
- Kaladin summons a metal flute from Radiant mist; the Wind amplifies the music.
- Kaladin tells the story of Derethil and the Wandersail, connecting it to Nale’s situation.
- Nale confesses he turned to law because he could no longer trust his own mind.
- Kaladin forces Nale to confront the empty tower—the absence of a guiding emperor.
- Nale admits Honor is dead and that he has lost his way; he drops his sword.
- Szeth offers help, and Kaladin agrees; Nale’s spren appears and departs.
Character Development
Kaladin relies on storytelling and empathy rather than combat. He refuses to kill Nale, even when the Herald threatens Szeth. By recalling his own experience with brokenness, Kaladin shows that he has internalized the lessons of the Wandersail story: responsibility for one’s actions cannot be shifted to a higher authority.
Nale undergoes a dramatic breakdown. His calm exterior shatters when the music and story trigger old memories. He reveals that his devotion to law was a desperate attempt to stay sane—an admission that undermines his entire identity as the Herald of Justice. His weeping and acceptance of help mark a potential turning point.
Szeth acts with compassion, offering aid to the man who just held a blade to his throat. This mirrors his own recent journey of healing and forgiveness, reinforcing his growth away from the stone role of the Assassin in White.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Story as Weapon: Kaladin uses the tale of Derethil and the Wandersail not to distract, but to force Nale to confront his own hypocrisy. The story becomes a tool of emotional truth.
- Music and Memory: The flute song—originally taught by the Wind to Cephandrius—carries deep resonance for Nale. The Wind captures and multiplies Kaladin’s practice, suggesting that music holds memory beyond the physical.
- The Law as Crutch: Nale’s confession that he turned to law to compensate for his failing reason highlights the danger of rigid external systems when divorced from compassion and self-awareness.
- The Wind as a Sentient Force: The Wind actively helps Kaladin, playing his practice back and amplifying the melody. This aligns with earlier hints that the Wind is a sapient spren or power tied to Roshar.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter resolves a long‑running conflict between Kaladin and Nale not through battle, but through understanding. It deepens the lore of the Heralds, showing that Nale’s obsession with law stemmed from a tragic flaw—the same madness that eventually plagues all Heralds. Kaladin’s choice to extend mercy rather than vengeance reinforces the novel’s core theme: that true strength lies in compassion. The chapter also links back to a foundational story from The Way of Kings (the Wandersail parable), giving it new emotional weight. Finally, Nale’s breakdown and his spren’s departure may signal a shift in the Heralds’ role in the fight against Odium.
Study Questions
1. Why does Kaladin choose to tell the story of Derethil and the Wandersail instead of fighting Nale?
Kaladin recognizes that Nale cannot be defeated by violence—the Herald is too powerful and has already drained their Stormlight. The story is designed to trigger Nale’s buried memories and force him to see the contradiction in his devotion to law: the emperor in the tower was absent, just as Honor is dead. By making Nale relive his own origin as a protector of the weak, Kaladin breaks through the Herald’s defensive logic.
2. What does Nale’s confession reveal about the nature of the Heralds’ madness?
Nale reveals that he started to lose control of his mind over a thousand years ago, accidentally hurting someone out of irritation. To cope, he fixated on the law as an external guide. This suggests that Heraldic madness is not a sudden fall but a gradual erosion of judgment, and that their long exposure to the Oathpact and endless battles has worn away their ability to trust their own emotions.
3. How does Szeth’s reaction to Nale’s breakdown reflect his own character arc?
Szeth, who was once a ruthless killer following the law of his oathstone, now shows empathy for Nale. By offering help to the man who just threatened his life, Szeth demonstrates that he has moved beyond blind obedience and toward genuine moral choice. This mirrors his earlier decision to bond Nightblood and seek his own purpose, free from external commands.