Szeth-son-Neturo: The Truthless Skybreaker’s Pilgrimage

Overview

Szeth-son-Neturo enters Wind and Truth as a man shaped by two seemingly contradictory identities: the Truthless exile who obeyed every Oathstone holder, and the Skybreaker who craves absolute law. In this installment, he returns to his homeland Shinovar on a self-appointed pilgrimage to “cleanse” the land of an Unmade’s corruption. Along the way he confronts his former mentors, his own family, and the Voice that has guided him since childhood—ultimately emerging not as a servant of others’ rules, but as someone who chooses his own law. This page traces his arc, motivations, relationships, and the key decisions that redefine him.

Plot Role

Szeth is a viewpoint character whose flashback chapters (set twenty-six years, then twenty-three years, then sixteen years, then nine years before the present) reveal the making of a Truthless. In the main timeline, he and Kaladin travel to the Shin monasteries. Szeth duels and kills several Honorbearers—Stoneward Rit, Lightweaver Moss, Elsecaller Pozen, and others—believing they serve an Unmade. He raises an army of disaffected Shin, only to have his own father, Neturo, appear as a Bondsmith Honorbearer who sides with the Voice. The climax of his arc occurs when he speaks the Fifth Ideal of the Skybreakers (“I have become the law”), then releases his spren because the spren does not share his new understanding of justice. His final act is to seek out dissenting Skybreakers who live the old ways.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Szeth’s core motivation is the need for certainty. As a child (Chapter 24), he defended tradition and stones; as a young warrior (Chapter 57), he hoped for “firm guidance.” This need made him accept the Oathstone: “I don’t want to decide anymore” (Chapter 117). In Wind and Truth, he begins to question—first by sparing Sivi when he could have killed her, then by choosing to trust Kaladin’s “annoying persistence.” His actions show a disciplined, hyper-competent fighter who slowly learns to hold his own judgment alongside external truth. The trait of guilt pervades his every move: he believes he is a murderer who deserves death, and even after cleansing Shinovar, he plans to end himself. Kaladin’s influence helps him see that he can make good decisions.

Chronological Arc

• Childhood (Ch. 24, 57, 68, 85): Szeth trains at a Stoneward camp, excels in combat, and hears a mysterious Voice. He is manipulated by Pozen and the other Honorbearers into killing a potential rebel (Tuko) and later into becoming a Honorbearer himself.
• Nine years ago (Ch. 117): Szeth raises an army against the Honorbearers, believing they serve the Unmade. His father Neturo, now a Bondsmith, confronts him. The Voice declares Szeth Truthless; Szeth accepts the Oathstone and is banished to the East.
• Present pilgrimage (Ch. 40–72): Szeth and Kaladin arrive at Talmut monastery. Szeth kills Rit, then Moss, and later Pozen and Sivi. He learns the Voice has been manipulating Shinovar for decades. He leads a brief rebellion but is betrayed by his father’s appearance.
• Climax (Ch. 140–144): Szeth fights six Honorbearers, including Neturo. Kaladin speaks the Fifth Ideal, healing Ishar, and Nightblood is used to sever Ishar’s tethers. Szeth then speaks his own Fifth Ideal, becoming the law, and releases his spren because the spren values rules over people. He decides to find dissenters who follow the old Skybreaker ways.
• Resolution: Szeth is later unconscious when Kaladin volunteers to become a Herald in his place. Kaladin says, “He chose peace, not war.”

Relationships

• Kaladin: Kaladin acts as Szeth’s anchor. He talks Szeth through his guilt, shows patience, and refuses to let Szeth give up. Szeth admits Kaladin’s “annoying persistence” helps him. The relationship is a rare, trusting friendship for a man who has trusted only stones and orders.
• Neturo (father): Neturo deeply loves Szeth but is trapped by the Voice. He weeps during their final confrontation, apologizing. Szeth sees the pain in his father’s eyes and understands he too is a puppet. This prevents Szeth from killing him in hatred.
• Sivi (mentor): Sivi treated Szeth kindly and taught him. Szeth spares her once (opting to talk instead of kill) but later kills her in battle. She represents the complexity of his former teachers.
• The Voice (Unmade/entity): The Voice has guided Szeth since childhood, speaking through the Honorbearers. It is revealed to be an entity (likely an Unmade or a splinter of Odium) using Shinovar as a power base. Szeth ultimately rejects it by refusing to be its tool.
• His spren (unnamed Skybreaker spren): The spren is rigid, insisting on following rules. Szeth outgrows it; after speaking the Fifth Ideal, he releases the bond, saying “You care not for people, only for rules.”

Key Decisions and Consequences

Theme / Symbol Connections

• Oaths and Promises (/books/wind-and-truth/themes/oaths-and-promises/): Szeth’s Oathstone is the ultimate symbol of obedience without thought. His arc moves from robotic oath-keeping to a promise that arises from personal conviction.
• Identity and Personas (/books/wind-and-truth/themes/identity-and-personas/): Szeth wrestles with who he is: Truthless, assassin, Honorbearer, Skybreaker. In the end, he asserts “I am a child of Neturo. Children of Neturo asked questions.” He reclaims his name.
• Mental Health and Healing (/books/wind-and-truth/themes/mental-health-and-healing/): Szeth’s guilt and suicidal ideation are central. Kaladin’s companionship models self-forgiveness. Szeth learns that healing is possible, though he is not fully there by the book’s end.
• Power and Responsibility (/books/wind-and-truth/themes/power-and-responsibility/): As a Honorbearer with an Honorblade, Szeth has enormous power. He must decide how to use it—blindly serving the Voice, or consciously choosing to protect.
• Sacrifice and Redemption (/books/wind-and-truth/themes/sacrifice-and-redemption/): Szeth believes redemption requires his death. Kaladin argues otherwise; Szeth’s final act of releasing his spren is a sacrifice of his own power for the sake of integrity.

5 Book-Specific Questions (with Direct Answers)

1. Why does Szeth accept the Oathstone in the flashback?
Szeth is overwhelmed by guilt after nearly causing a civil war. He says, “I don’t want to decide anymore. I’m done.” The Oathstone offers freedom from choice—a stone will know better than he does. It is an act of surrender, not punishment.

2. What is the Voice that speaks to Szeth and the Honorbearers?
The Voice is an entity—likely an Unmade or a splinter of Odium—that has been manipulating Shinovar for decades. It claims to be a god, but Szeth sees a captive spren being tortured and concludes it is one of the Unmade. It speaks through the Honorbearers and even through Szeth at times.

3. How does Kaladin change Szeth’s outlook?
Kaladin models that one can make mistakes and still be worthy. He tells Szeth, “You’ll do more good if you take care of yourself as well.” Kaladin’s patience and refusal to let Szeth give up give Szeth permission to trust his own judgment—something he never had before.

4. What does the Fifth Ideal of the Skybreakers mean for Szeth?
When Szeth speaks the Fifth Ideal, he declares, “All men should be the law … We should fight it when it is wrong.” This breaks from Skybreaker orthodoxy. He becomes the law, not its servant. The spren rejects this, so Szeth releases it.

5. Why does Szeth release his spren after speaking the Fifth Ideal?
Szeth realizes the spren cares only for rules, not for people. He says, “You care not for people, only for rules.” He chooses to seek out dissenters who live the old ways—Skybreakers who see law as a tool, not an idol. The release is painful but necessary for his integrity.

For a full understanding of Szeth’s role in the story, see the Wind and Truth main page. For thematic connections, explore mental health and healing, oaths and promises, power and responsibility, identity and personas, and sacrifice and redemption. For the story’s conclusion, read the ending explained or browse questions and answers.