Honorblades in Wind and Truth: Symbols of Power, Burden, and Choice
What Are Honorblades?
Honorblades are the original Shardblades of the ten Heralds of the Almighty, granted directly by the Shard Honor. Unlike modern Shardblades—which are the corpses of spren bonded to Knights Radiant—Honorblades are physical manifestations of Honor’s power that grant their wielder access to two Surges corresponding to the Herald who originally carried them. In Wind and Truth, their role expands from legendary artifacts to central drivers of the plot, especially in the Shinovar arcs of Kaladin and Szeth.
Recurrence and Evolution of the Symbol
Honorblades first appear in the book’s prologue, where Gavilar Kholin obsesses over a vision of nine Honorblades, trying to guess the Words that would make him a Herald. This establishes the Blades as objects of desire tied to the Oathpact’s re‑forging. Later, in Chapter 53, Szeth is pulled into Shadesmar by his former teacher Pozen, who wields the Elsecaller Honorblade. Szeth retrieves Nightblood—itself a sentient sword that consumes souls—and kills the Edgedancer Honorbearer, but leaves two Honorblades behind. This moment highlights how Honorblades can be used for both legitimate defense and murder, blurring the line between sacred duty and personal violence.
In Chapters 129–130, the Honorblades are physically present as a ring of swords driven into the ground at the site of the ancient battle of Aharietiam. Ishar, the Herald of Oaths, reveals he has turned several Honorbearers (including Szeth’s father Neturo) into puppets, and they take the Blades from the wagon. The ring of Honorblades becomes a stage for the final confrontation—Szeth must fight his own family and former mentors while Kaladin attempts to heal Ishar’s madness.
The symbol culminates in Chapter 144, when Kaladin reforges the Oathpact by driving a spear into the center of the ring of Honorblades. This act transforms the weapons from objects of war into anchors for a new prison that protects spren and Heralds alike from Retribution. The meaning shifts from “tools of divine punishment” to “instruments of self‑sacrifice and hope.”
Character Connections
- Szeth-son-Neturo: Honorblades represent the burden of tradition. He trained with the Windrunner Blade as a child, but his journey forces him to reject blind obedience. When he defeats the Honorbearers, he does so not to claim the Blades but to free his people. His climactic choice to yield and then to declare “I am the Law” shows him transcending the Blade’s legacy.
- Kaladin Stormblessed: Kaladin never wields an Honorblade, yet his proximity to the ring defines his role. In Chapter 141, he watches Szeth fight and realizes the Wind itself is an ancient power. He later accepts the Herald’s burden not by taking a Blade, but by speaking his own Words—“I accept this journey”—and channeling power through Syl. The Blades become a backdrop for his internal decision to protect rather than to rule.
- Ishar: The Herald has perverted the purpose of Honorblades by using them to control Honorbearers as Fused‑like slaves. His madness stems from believing he is a god, and the Blades become extensions of his authoritarian will. They symbolize the corruption of divine power when divorced from human connection.
- Nale (Nin): Nale initially insists that Szeth should become a Herald because he has no remaining Connections. He carries the Skybreaker Blade with guilt, knowing he abandoned Taln. His redemption begins when he allows Kaladin to heal him, and he eventually accepts that the Blades are not the source of worth.
Themes Interwoven with Honorblades
The symbol reinforces several themes from the novel:
- Identity and Personas: See the identity and personas page. Honorblades grant power but can strip individuality. Szeth’s father Neturo becomes a puppet; the Blades become props in Ishar’s delusion. Kaladin, by contrast, refuses to be defined by any weapon.
- Oaths and Promises: See the oaths and promises page. The Honorblades are bound to the Oathpact, a set of promises that failed. In the end, a new, self‑chosen oath—not a Blade—saves Roshar. Adolin’s distinction between oaths and promises (Chapter 135) echoes this: he fights not because of a Blade but because of a promise.
- Power and Responsibility: See the power and responsibility page. The Blades are immense power without guidance. Ishar uses them to enslave; Szeth uses them to kill; Kaladin uses none but still reshapes the world. The responsibility lies not in the weapon but in the wielder’s heart.
- Mental Health and Healing: See the mental health page. Both Szeth and Kaladin confront past trauma through their encounters with the Blades. The ring of Honorblades at Aharietiam becomes a site of emotional exposure—Szeth weeps; Kaladin offers compassion; Nale admits failure.
- Sacrifice and Redemption: See the sacrifice page. The reforging of the Oathpact requires Kaladin to give up his mortal life and become a Herald. The Honorblades, once symbols of a broken promise, are repurposed into a means of redemption.
Study Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. How do Honorblades differ from Shardblades in the narrative’s symbolic meaning? | Honorblades are divine gifts tied to eternal duty, whereas Shardblades are bonded spren that represent personal relationships. Honorblades remain static—they can be picked up by anyone—while Shardblades require a Radiant’s oath and spren bond. The novel uses Honorblades to critique absolute authority and unearned power. |
| 2. Why does Szeth refuse to pick up the Honorblades after defeating the Honorbearers? | Szeth has learned that the Blades come with a history of obedience and death. He seeks peace, not more killing. In Chapter 143, he casts away Nightblood and walks away from the ring, choosing to live. The action shows he values freedom and healing over the power the Blades represent. |
| 3. What is the significance of the missing Edgedancer Honorblade in Chapter 132? | Szeth realizes only nine Honorbearers exist because the Edgedancer’s Blade was permanently destroyed when Nightblood killed the Edgedancer Honorbearer in Chapter 53. This means Nightblood can destroy Honorblades, not just people. The loss symbolizes that some wounds are irreversible, and that even divine tools can be broken by human choices. |
| 4. In what way does Kaladin’s rejection of Honorblades define his Herald identity? | Kaladin becomes a Herald without using an Honorblade. He drives a spear into the ring, not a sword. His “Words” are personal, not inherited. This distinguishes him from the old Heralds, who were defined by their Blades. Kaladin symbolizes a new kind of Herald—one grounded in empathy and self‑determination, not in the weapons of the past. |
Conclusion
Honorblades in Wind and Truth evolve from relics of a bygone era into active sites of conflict and choice. They test characters’ relationships with power, tradition, and identity. By the novel’s end, their meaning is transformed: they become anchors for a renewed Oathpact, but their true power lies in the hands of those who decide not to wield them. For deeper exploration of the characters and themes connected to the Blades, see the pages on Szeth and Kaladin, or the thematic discussions of sacrifice and redemption and power and responsibility.