Chapter 60: 51. Heirs

Spoiler Notice: This page contains spoilers for Words of Radiance, Chapter 60.

Summary

Adolin, determined to protect his father, insists on going to the Parshendi meeting in Dalinar’s place. He rides Dalinar’s Ryshadium horse Gallant, wears Renarin’s Shardplate, and poses as the Blackthorn. At the plateau, he encounters a fossilized chasmfiend entombed in crem. Eshonai, the Parshendi Shardbearer, meets him but is cold and dismissive. She refuses any truce, declaring the Parshendi have changed the rules of the conflict and that one side must be destroyed. She reveals that King Gavilar bragged about his plans on the night of his assassination, believing the Parshendi would welcome their gods’ return. Adolin returns frustrated, but Dalinar sees the meeting as a confirmation: peace is impossible. Back in the warcamp, Dalinar unveils a plan for a full-scale assault across the Shattered Plains, aiming to preempt whatever the Parshendi are preparing before the mysterious countdown ends. He tasks Adolin with winning more Shards through high-profile duels to strengthen their forces and unify the highprinces.

Key Events

  • Adolin overrules Dalinar and insists on attending the Parshendi meeting in his place.
  • Adolin rides Gallant for the first time; the horse only tolerates him reluctantly.
  • The meeting plateau contains a chasmfiend corpse fossilized by crem into a stone-like monument.
  • Eshonai arrives with two hundred Parshendi and speaks with Adolin, who impersonates Dalinar.
  • Eshonai says the Parshendi have altered the war’s rules and that gemstones no longer matter.
  • She reveals Gavilar bragged about his plans, thinking the Parshendi would welcome a return of their gods.
  • Eshonai warns that peace will come only when one side is dead, then departs.
  • Dalinar interprets the meeting as proof that the Parshendi cannot be negotiated with.
  • Dalinar orders a full military expedition onto the Plains, to launch just before the Weeping.
  • Adolin is instructed to duel more often and target Sadeas’s allies for their Shards.

Character Development

  • Adolin: Steps into authority by defying Dalinar for his father’s safety. Shows strategic thinking but also frustration at being unable to prevent the escalation toward war. His discomfort riding Gallant highlights his bond with his own horse Sureblood.
  • Dalinar: Accepts Adolin’s decision despite his customary dominance, recognizing his own indispensability to the kingdom. Shifts from seeking peace to planning a decisive military strike.
  • Eshonai: Appears transformed from a passionate envoy to a cold, resolute leader. Her words hint at a deeper Parshendi objective tied to their gods, reframing the war as a spiritual conflict rather than a territorial one.
  • Navani: Supports the tactical planning for the expedition, noting the weather patterns of the Light Year to avoid highstorms.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Heirs and succession: The chapter title and Adolin’s impersonation of his father emphasize the transition of responsibility to the next generation, even as Dalinar still guides events.
  • The cost of peace: Diplomacy fails completely, forcing characters to accept that only total war will end the conflict. Dalinar’s conscience is “clear” once he knows peace is impossible.
  • Fossilized chasmfiend: The crem-entombed corpse resembles a creature of stone, evoking ancient Voidbringers and underscoring the timeless, elemental stakes of the coming conflict.
  • Deception and identity: Adolin impersonates Dalinar, and neither Shardbearer raises a faceplate. The scene explores how war erases individual identity behind armor and roles.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 60 marks the definitive end of diplomatic hopes with the Parshendi. The revelation about Gavilar’s last night recontextualizes the entire war, suggesting a religious or cosmic dimension beyond mere vengeance. Dalinar’s decision to mobilize the entire army shifts the narrative from political maneuvering in the warcamps to an imminent military climax. Adolin’s role as heir solidifies, and his mission to win Shards directly connects his dueling arc to the larger war effort and the countdown scratched into the walls.

Study Questions & Answers

  1. Why does Adolin take Dalinar’s place at the meeting, and what does this reveal about his relationship with his father?
    Adolin believes Dalinar is too vital to risk—his visions and leadership are irreplaceable. By overruling his father for the first time, Adolin shows a protective, adult sense of responsibility and a willingness to assert himself even against the intimidating force of Dalinar’s will.

  2. What new information does Eshonai provide about the night of Gavilar’s assassination?
    Eshonai says Gavilar “bragged” about his plans, believing the Parshendi would welcome the return of their gods. This implies that Gavilar’s designs involved something the Parshendi found threatening enough to kill a king and start a war over it, reframing the conflict as ideological rather than political.

  3. How does Dalinar’s strategy change after the failed meeting, and why?
    Dalinar decides to take the entire army onto the Shattered Plains for a decisive assault, moving before the Parshendi can execute whatever they are planning. He reasons that because peace is impossible, the only option is to destroy the enemy preemptively, especially with the mysterious countdown imminent.

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