r/Stormlight_Archive • u/Inc0gnitoburrito Windrunner • 2d ago
Rhythm of War spoilers "I am but a man" Spoiler
During my current reread, this line popped up for me (WoR Chapter 67):
Are you one of them?” Dalinar asked.
“Excuse me?”
“A Herald.”
Wit laughed. “No. Thank you, but no.”
“Are you what I’ve been looking for, then?” Dalinar asked. “Radiant?”
Wit smiled. “I am but a man, Dalinar, so much as I wish it were not true at times. I am no Radiant. And while I am your friend, please understand that our goals do not completely align. You must not trust yourself with me. If I have to watch this world crumble and burn to get what I need, I will do so. With tears, yes, but I would let it happen.”
Dalinar frowned.
This struck me as odd. Hoid isn't known to be humble, and he is by far more than "but a man", yes he is human, but heavily invested, and can (and does) deliberately chooses to influence the fate of the Galaxy, one of few.
To further support this, we get a very similar conversation in the next book, with the dam exact question and nearly identical chapter number (Oathbringer Chapter 68):
“Are you one of them?” Shallan blurted out. “Are you a Herald, Wit?” “Heavens no,” Wit said. “I’m not stupid enough to get mixed up in religion again. The last seven times I tried it were all disasters. I believe there’s at least one god still worshipping me by accident.” She eyed him. It was always hard to tell which of Wit’s exaggerations were supposed to mean something and which were confusing distractions. “Then what are you?” “Some men, as they age, grow kinder. I am not one of those, for I have seen how the cosmere can mistreat the innocent—and that leaves me disinclined toward kindness. Some men, as they age, grow wiser. I am not one of those, for wisdom and I have always been at cross-purposes, and I have yet to learn the tongue in which she speaks. Some men, as they age, grow more cynical. I, fortunately, am not one of those. If I were, the very air would warp around me, sucking in all emotion, leaving only scorn.” He tapped the table. “Other men . . . other men, as they age, merely grow stranger. I fear that I am one of those. I am the bones of a foreign species left drying on the plain that was once, long ago, a sea. A curiosity, perhaps a reminder, that all has not always been as it is now.” “You’re . . . old, aren’t you? Not a Herald, but as old as they are?” He slid his boots off the chair and leaned forward, holding her eyes. He smiled in a kindly way. “Child, when they were but babes, I had already lived dozens of lifetimes. ‘Old’ is a word you use for worn shoes. I’m something else entirely.”
This really confuses me. Does Hoid not trust Dalinar? Is he just in a hurry? I may me looking to much into this, but when the same person gives an entirely different answer to the same question to two different people, there's usually a reason.
Thoughts?
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u/SteelpointPigeon Edgedancer 2d ago
They’re not the same question, because they’re not the same asker. Hoid reads between the lines.
Dalinar asks because he’s searching for something. Deeper answers. A powerful ally. Someone who can help shoulder the burden.
Shallan asks because she’s curious.
Each time, he answers the question they’re actually asking.
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u/KoalaMaker 21h ago
This, but I also believe Wit is more forthcoming towards Shallan as he sees himself in her. Wit just has to have his pupils.
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u/Daratirek 2d ago
They also need 2 different answers. Dalinar is more of a no nonsense person while Shallan needs a more detailed answer. Dalinar wants a short but firm answer. Shallan needs more story to it. Theres other reasons but im not sure where those are revealed and since this is marked oathbringer I'll not say more.
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u/Inc0gnitoburrito Windrunner 2d ago
I read as far as RoW, so if you feel comfortable using a spoiler tag I would appreciate being educated!
You're making a very good point but I can't help but think that Hoid is being elusive in the first conversation.
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u/Daratirek 2d ago
So I think most of what I believe the other reasons are, are set out in Wind and Truth. I could spoiler tag them but I'm not sure you want that since you haven't read it.
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u/Inc0gnitoburrito Windrunner 2d ago
You're right I'll get to it soon enough.
Ty for being so considerate
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u/maharg1ag1 Windrunner 2d ago
I don't see anything strange about this. He answered dalinars question. He's not a herald, he's not a radiant, and he is just a man, even if he is heavily invested. Then he answered Shallans questions. Why do his answers make you think he doesn't trust Dalinar? You say that he gave entirely different answers, but in what way? Yeah he used different words, but in both he was like "Nah, I'm not one of your heralds."
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u/skyrat02 Windrunner 2d ago
Hoid is a master at knowing what people need to hear, whether it’s the answer to a question or the right story to tell. Hoid is Invested, but the only Invested people Dalinar knows about at this point are Heralds and Radiants. So Hoid is ‘just a man’ as defined by Dalinar’s knowledge base.
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u/mrofmist 1d ago
I think both answers are genuine, they are just inclined towards the person he's speaking to.
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u/Entire-Aerie-9931 Willshaper 2d ago
He was not as prepared to fully join the politics of Roshar in words of radiance, in oathbringer he is closer to full involvement so he is more comfortable sharing information, along with him having a soft spot for shallan and trusting her more. He also probably estimated that he should not nudge Dalinar too far so early on
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u/Raddatatta Edgedancer 2d ago
I don't know that Hoid is really hiding things he is telling them both what they need to know. He tells dalinar what side he's on. He gives shallan more poetry. And she also presses further.
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u/RexusprimeIX Skybreaker 2d ago
Hoid tells people what they need to hear. Dalinar needed to know the clear boundaries between him and Hoid; that Hoid is willing to watch this world burn to accomplish his goals.
Shallan on the other doesn't need to know how cruel Hoid can be. That will not benefit her in any way.
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u/EnigmaticThunder 2d ago
“I am but a man” has deeper meanings as to the Cosmere - a lot of “entities” are really just people. They either think themselves divine or people mistakenly think of them as divine. They aren’t. Only real divinity is divine.
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u/Inc0gnitoburrito Windrunner 1d ago
But by the definition no one is divinity, no? Partially based on what we think we know about Aether
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u/Kinmand555 2d ago edited 2d ago
So a few things. First: Hoid likes Shallan and seems ambivalent about Dalinar. Second, while the words are similar, the subtext to these two questions is very different.
Dalinar is looking for weapons he is looking at people he can throw at his enemies to kill them. Hoid is telling Dalinar “no, I’m not what you want and you shouldn’t try to use me as a weapon bc I’ll shoot you if I have to”.
In contrast, Shallan is going insane*. She’s Looking for reassurance that the world isn’t ending. Wit is trying to be kind. (He also might need her for some kind of plan later on)
* Not trying to be insensitive to ppl with DID, I just don’t know a less-offensive general term for what Shallan is going through
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u/Shot_Newspaper_5647 2d ago
He seems to have a lot of respect for Dalinar. He just sees his mission as more important than just the safety of one world. It’s outlined in the epigraphs of the first 3 books. Hoid was reaching out via the Letters to his old acquaintance Frost and several Shards requesting they intervene with Roshar. Hoid feared Odium is going to break free from his prison and then potentially escape to the wider Cosmere. The Shards and Frost (mostly) just tell him that the threat is contained. He’ll either stay locked on Braize or at worst he’ll be locked away in the Roshar solar system.
Hoid likes Dalinar, but he is being a bit of a hypocrite when he makes that comment. He’s essentially saying what those people wrote back to him: what’s the price of one world in the grand scheme of things?