Editing Bridge Four

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'''Bridge Four''' is the name of a group headed by [[Kaladin Stormblessed]], an Alethi [[Knight Radiant]] of the [[Order of Windrunners]]. The group was originally one of the [[bridge crew]]s of the Sadeas warcamp in the [[Shattered Plains]], hence the name, but its function has evolved over time, becoming both [[Dalinar Kholin]]'s honor guard as well as a military unit within a battalion of the Kholin army, then later becoming a group largely consisting of Kaladin's [[squire]]s and [[Knights Radiant]] loyal to him. Despite such drastic changes, the members still refer to themselves by their original bridge crew name, and have even kept their old bridge with them.{{book ref|sa3|37}}

Their insignia, designed by Kaladin, is made up of the glyph ''vev'' (meaning the number four) suspended above the glyph ''gesheh'' (meaning bridge), stylized as a bridge spanning a chasm.{{wob ref|6461}}

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== History ==

{{image|Bridge 4 poster without text.jpg|side=right|width=200px}}

{{quote

|It appeared that he'd been wrong. There had been something more they could do to him. One final torment the world had reserved just for Kaladin. And it was called Bridge Four.

|Kaladin's thoughts after his first Bridge Run{{book ref|sa1|6}}

}}

{{image|A Reminder to Live by Marie Seeberger.jpg|side=left|width=250px|Gathering around campfire}}

{{quote

|As they hefted their bridge, a spontaneous round of cheering rose up from the other crews. "That's new," ... "Guess they finally realized what we are," Kaladin said. "And what's that?" ... "We're their champions. Bridge forward!"

|Kaladin to Teft on the marching off for the Battle of the Tower{{book ref|sa1|64}}

}}

Kaladin, still unaware of his latent powers as a [[Windrunner]], managed to survive the bridge runs even after several weeks, and eventually decided to protect other members of Bridge Four and become their bridgeleader.{{book ref|sa1|11}} Using both his medical and military knowledge, he quickly turned the crew around. His efforts in building morale and instilling discipline led to better organization.{{book ref|sa1|27}} He found ways to treat wounded crew members, saving many lives.{{book ref|sa1|17}} Soon enough Bridge Four was having the fewest casualties among the bridge crews. However due to Kaladin's selfish tactics in one particular battle, every other bridge crew suffered heavy casualties and the battle was lost due to Kaladin instructing his bridgemen to use their bridge as a shield. The other bridges were shot at more by the Parshendi. Kaladin's bridge was one of the only ones that made it to the chasm. Kaladin was punished but Bridge Four remained by his side even upon his near death.{{book ref|sa1|30}}

=== Escape Plan and Freedom ===

{{image|Bridge Four - XIX. The Sun .png|Training with Kaladin in the chasms|side=right|width=200px}}

Despite their huge gains, the treatment of the warcamp's [[lighteyes|lighteyed]] officers towards Bridge Four did not improve, and in fact even worsened. Kaladin started thinking of escape, not just for himself, but for the rest of the crew.{{book ref|sa1|43}}

After careful and lengthy preparation that involved training the bridgemen to fight and obtaining necessary resources, and just when they found an opportunity to set their escape plan into motion, Kaladin and Bridge Four found themselves unexpectedly thrust into Alethi politics when their highprince [[Torol Sadeas]] betrayed [[Dalinar Kholin]] during the [[Battle of the Tower]], leaving the latter outnumbered by the Parshendi army they were battling. Being a part of the Sadeas army, Bridge Four witnessed the betrayal.

Despite not having any allegiance to Dalinar, and sacrificing their opportunity to escape, Kaladin chose to rescue the highprince and his army.{{book ref|sa1|67}}{{book ref|sa1|68}}

For this, Dalinar gave Sadeas [[Oathbringer (Shardblade)|Oathbringer]], his [[Shardblade]], in exchange of the freedom of every single bridgeman in Sadeas' warcamp.{{book ref|sa1|69}} Afterwards, the members of Bridge Four became Dalinar's new honor guard, and Kaladin was appointed captain in charge of both the honor guard and a new battalion consisting of the former bridgemen.{{book ref|sa1|73}}

{{image|Bridge_4_Shuravf.jpeg|side=left|width=250px|Bridge Four}}

* [[Moash]] (former) - lieutenant

{{image|Facing off with the Assassin in White.jpg|Defending Dalinar from Szeth|side=right|width=300px}}

As Highprince Dalinar's personal bodyguards, Bridge Four guarded both the Highprince and his family. Dalinar was their top priority, as Kaladin believed that the highprince was their only guarantee of freedom. He made it a policy to always have a team, led by a Bridge Four lieutenant if not Kaladin himself, watching the highprince at all times, while the rest of Bridge Four guarded his sons or carried out other responsibilities as members of Kaladin's battalion.

Initially they were given [[Cobalt Guard]] uniforms, but they rejected the idea of being part of that group. They even mutilated their uniforms, cutting off the Cobalt Guard insignia, which was later replaced by Bridge Four's own insignia.{{book ref|sa2|2}}

Members of Bridge Four started becoming Kaladin's [[squire]]s soon after he spoke the [[Order of Windrunners#Third Ideal|Third Ideal of the Windrunners]].{{book ref|sa2|87}} This gave them access to [[Stormlight]] and the [[Lashing]]s (Surges of [[Adhesion]] and [[Gravitation]]). Because of this Dalinar considered them too important for guard duty, so that was given to other bridge crews instead.{{book ref|sa3|4}}

From then on Bridge Four focused more on training their Surgebinding abilities, recruiting potential squires, and performing more crucial assignments for Dalinar. Their abilities disappeared whenever Kaladin was too far away, so Dalinar gave them the Windrunner [[Honorblade]] to use for training in such cases.{{book ref|sa3|64}}

At some point, [[Teft]] and [[Lopen]] bonded honorspren to become Knights Radiant.{{book ref|sa3|121}} Other Bridge Four members may have already done the same.

{{image|Bridge4 Tattoos.svg|Bridge Four Tattoos|side=left|width=250px}}

Surviving members who've been in Bridge Four since the bridge crew days have [[glyph]]s for "Freedom" and "Bridge Four" tattooed on their person. The "Freedom" glyph is usually a mark of a freed slave.

{{image|Bridge 4 Glyph.svg|The portion of the glyph meaning "Bridge Four"|side=right|width=250px}}

In Alethi society, slaves are often branded with a mark of slavery on their forehead to make their status apparent to anyone who sees them. A freed slave is given a writ of freedom, but he could also cover his slave brand with a tattoo indicating details of his freedom in order to lessen potential misunderstandings.

Shortly after moving to Dalinar's warcamp, Kaladin hires a tattooist to give a Freedom tattoo to those Bridge Four members who'd been slaves. The first one to get it, [[Hobber]], insists on having glyphs for "Bridge Four" added to the tattoo as well, as a statement of loyalty and gratitude towards Bridge Four. The rest of the former slaves copy him. As a gesture of solidarity, even those who didn't have the slave brand request for the same tattoo as well, although [[Moash]] opts to have the tattoo placed on his left shoulder instead of his forehead.{{book ref|sa2|2}}{{book ref|sa3|45}}

Somehow the ink keeps on melting away from Kaladin's forehead when it is his turn to be tattooed. It is believed that this is because of the Spiritual Aspect of Identity. Because Kaladin perceives the scars to be part of his identity the Investiture from the Stormlight reverses the change. After speaking the Fourth Ideal, Kaladin's father notices that his scars are falling off as scabs, leaving clean smooth skin behind.

{{image|Bridge Four by Marie Seeberger.jpg|side=right|width=300px}}

{{columns|count=2|

* [[Kaladin]] (captain)

* [[Lunamor]] (lieutenant; a.k.a Rock)

* [[Moash]] (lieutenant; former—traitor)

* [[Teft]] (lieutenant—deceased)

* [[Skar]] (lieutenant)

* [[Sigzil]] (lieutenant)

* [[Lyn]] (post-Sadeas)

* [[Renarin Kholin]] (post-Sadeas)

[[category: Kholin army]]

[[category: Sadeas army]]

[[Category: Bridge Four| ]]

[[es:Puente Cuatro]]