Chapter 35: Szeth's Homecoming – Guilt, Law, and the Wind's Warning
⚠️ 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
Szeth, guided by Kaladin and his invisible highspren, struggles to locate his family’s abandoned homestead in Shinovar. He reflects on the division of his people: soldiers who work metal and stone versus peaceful farmers. Szeth believes he was Truthless, but Kaladin insists that label was unjust. Nightblood, the talking sword, voices confusion about killing Taravangian and questions its own nature. Kaladin and Syl have a private conversation in the dusty farmhouse; Syl admits she feels conflicted about leaving the main battle and senses that spren in Shinovar are afraid. A lifespren trembles, and the Wind whispers of the end of all spren. Szeth finds a stone he buried years ago, but the visit does not bring peace. He reveals that something worse than raiders once happened to him.
Key Events
- Szeth cannot find his childhood home from the air and must land to reorient himself.
- He explains his people’s work restrictions: soldiers may forge metal, but farmers cannot use stone or steel.
- Kaladin challenges Szeth’s claim that he was Truthless, insisting Szeth has volition and deserves help.
- Nightblood confesses it has begun to remember killing innocent people, including Taravangian.
- The sword reveals details of its creation by Vasher (Zahel), Shashara, and Yesteel, and mentions Vivenna.
- Syl and Kaladin share a heartfelt exchange about living for others versus living for oneself.
- A single lifespren shows terror, and the Wind speaks of an impending end for all spren.
- Szeth retrieves an oblong stone from the dirt, then dismisses it as meaningless.
- Szeth admits that what he encountered after finding the stone was “something worse” than raiders.
Character Development
Szeth continues to struggle with his identity as a former Truthless. He clings to the law as an absolute, yet admits he once cared too much when killing. Kaladin’s probing reveals that Szeth sees himself purely as an object, a weapon to be used. The return to his home reopens old wounds but does not bring closure; instead it forces him to confront a darker memory.
Kaladin attempts multiple approaches: friendly cajoling, logic, and provocation. He admits his own failure to avoid killing the undeserving, which silences him momentarily. His exchange with Syl shows growth—he no longer sees himself only as a protector and is willing to release her to another knight. He is learning to separate duty from identity.
Syl is introspective and anxious. She confesses she had imagined the final days differently and feels she has abandoned the fight. Her conversation with Kaladin explores the balance between living for another and living authentically. She also perceives a deep fear in the spren of Shinovar, a sign of cosmic change.
Nightblood undergoes a crisis of conscience. For the first time it consciously recognizes the deaths it has caused. It seeks reassurance from Szeth that it destroyed an evil person (Taravangian), and begins to question whether it can be both good and evil. This marks a significant step in the sword’s moral awakening.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Law versus Choice. Szeth argues that human judgment is fallible and that absolute law is the only stable foundation. Kaladin counters that laws made by humans are themselves contradictory. The tension mirrors Szeth’s internal conflict: he desperately wants an external code to avoid personal guilt.
Guilt and Memory. The stone Szeth buried as a child—called “just a rock”—symbolizes a past event he cannot escape. Nightblood’s fragmented memories of killing echo Szeth’s own burden. Kaladin likens memories to fermenting wine: if unvented, they build deadly pressure.
Living for Others. Both Kaladin and Syl realize they have spent their lives in service to other people or causes. Syl admits she tried too hard to support Kaladin; Kaladin recognizes he defined himself by protecting the bridgemen. Their conversation points toward learning to exist without being consumed by duty.
The Wind and Fear of Ending. The Wind speaks directly of the “end of all spren,” and a terrified lifespren hides in the corner. This motif reinforces the book’s countdown and hints that the fate of Roshar will affect the entire spren ecosystem.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens Szeth’s character by placing him in a landscape of painful nostalgia, setting the stage for his eventual confrontation with the “something worse” from his past. Nightblood’s ethical awakening introduces a new layer to the sword’s role, while Kaladin and Syl’s intimate discussion advances their character arcs outside the main war narrative. The spren’s fear and the Wind’s voice connect the smaller Shinovar plot to the broader apocalyptic stakes of Wind and Truth.
Study Questions
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Why does Szeth insist that law is superior to human judgment, and how does Kaladin challenge that view?
Answer: Szeth believes human choice leads to chaos and that absolute law—even flawed law—provides stability. Kaladin points out that laws are made by humans and are themselves contradictory. Szeth cannot resolve the paradox; Kaladin uses it to argue that Szeth must accept his own capacity for right choice. -
What does Nightblood’s conversation reveal about its nature and its understanding of good and evil?
Answer: Nightblood is beginning to remember the deaths it caused and feels guilt. It cannot understand how it can be used for both good and evil. This shows that even an object created to destroy evil can develop a conscience, mirroring Szeth’s own struggle with moral responsibility. -
How does Syl’s confession about living for Kaladin change their relationship?
Answer: Syl admits she spent too much of her existence trying to be what Kaladin needed, just as Kaladin lived for the bridgemen. Their mutual recognition opens the possibility of a healthier bond where each can pursue their own purpose while still supporting the other.