Firestorm
| Firestorm | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type | Shardblade |
| Owners | Gavilar Kholin (former), Elhokar Kholin (unbonded, former) |
| World of Origin | Roshar |
| Universe | Cosmere |
Firestorm is a dead Shardblade on Roshar. It was formerly held by King Gavilar Kholin of Alethkar.[1]
![[1]](#cite_note-Shardplate.jpeg-1){kind=link}
Appearance[edit]
Like all dead Shardblades, Firestorm is massive, about six feet long. It has a long, straight handle with a ring pommel and no crossguard. There is presumably a Polestone attached somewhere on the hilt,[2] but the type and location of the gem are unknown. The blade's symmetrical shape resembles abstract flames burning in the direction of the handle, broad near the base and coming to a sharp point at the very tip.[1] Its appearance is sometimes described as "wicked".[3] The silvery metal of the blade almost seems to glow in low light.[4]
Properties[edit]
Firestorm has magical qualities that are similar to other dead Shardblades. It is the physical manifestation of a deadeye spren whose Nahel bond with a Surgebinder was broken. Firestorm can be summoned or dismissed at will by whomever has bonded it,[5] and it can easily cut through almost anything with very little resistance.[4]
History[edit]
Little is known of Firestorm's early history, including the nature of its spren. Most dead Blades were created on the Day of Recreance,[6] but it is not known if Firestorm was one of them.
Bonded to Gavilar[edit]
Gavilar bonded Firestorm at a relatively young age, but the exact circumstances are unclear. It is possible he inherited it, as the Kholin household had wooden practice Shardblades in his childhood[7] and Gavilar was once considered fourth dahn, consistent with the level of a Shardbearer.[8][9] He wielded Firestorm with devastating effect at the first battle of the Rift circa 1141, and he already seemed quite familiar with it at the time.[5] He continued to use Firestorm throughout the war of unification.[10] Gavilar was highly trained in the use of a Shardblade and an exceptionally skilled swordsman; he did not rely solely on the power of the Blade like other wielders often did.[4]
Once Gavilar became king, he allowed Firestorm to be loaned out to lighteyes as one of the King's Blades for dueling and practice, although he only did so grudgingly.[11]
He used Firestorm to defend himself from Szeth when the assassin attacked him at the palace in 1167. Although Gavilar's face was hidden by Shardplate, his skill with the Blade actually helped reveal his identity to Szeth. Gavilar put up a good fight, but Szeth had the advantage of Surgebinding due to his Honorblade and eventually gained the upper hand in their duel. Firestorm appeared when Gavilar died, but Szeth left it behind as he had no interest in it.[4]
Post-Gavilar[edit]
Following Gavilar's death, Firestorm's ownership passed on to his heir, King Elhokar. Elhokar did not bond Firestorm since he already had his own Shardblade, Sunraiser.[12] Firestorm's role shifted to that of a full-time King's Blade that was used by ardents and loaned out frequently for training.[13][14] For example, Resi borrowed the Blade and wielded it in a duel against Adolin, as did Eranniv.[11][3] Elhokar was said to have considered bestowing Firestorm to a worthy warrior,[13] but he never did so. One of the King's Blades, likely Firestorm, was used during the Battle of Narak by Teleb.[fn 1][15][16]
The Blade's subsequent fate is unknown. It was presumably taken to Urithiru along with the rest of the Kholin warcamp. Assuming that the Blade remained in Alethkar's control when Elhokar died, its ownership would have transferred to Queen Jasnah Kholin.
Trivia[edit]
- Gavilar has a habit of summoning and dismissing Firestorm time after time when he's about to engage in battle.[5] His nephew Adolin does the same with Mayalaran.[17]
- Firestorm is never named in the text proper of The Stormlight Archive. The name only appears in Shallan's sketchbook drawing of the royal Shardblades, which was created by Ben McSweeney.[1][18] As such, it's unclear whether Gavilar called the blade by that name or if it came to be known as Firestorm after his death.
Notes[edit]
- Footnotes
- ↑ The Blade is not explicitly identified, but Elhokar would presumably have been using Sunraiser at the time.
- References
- ↑ a b c Shallan's sketchbook - Shard sketches
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 73#
- ↑ a b Words of Radiance chapter 29#
- ↑ a b c d The Way of Kings prologue#
- ↑ a b c Oathbringer chapter 11#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 52#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 89#
- ↑ /r/Stormlight_Archive
— Arcanum - 2017-08-09# - ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 66#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 19#
- ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 58#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 13#
- ↑ a b Words of Radiance chapter 16#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 18#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 83#
- ↑ General Twitter 2014
— Arcanum - 2014-09-02# - ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 50#
- ↑ FanX 2018
— Arcanum - 2018-09-06#
