Editing Eshonai

|first appeared=[[The Way of Kings]]

=== Appearance ===

Eshonai is a [[Singer]]; her skin, covered partially in carapace, is a marbled red and black, and she is large of stature, standing seven feet tall in Shardplate. Her Plate is silver, and has a red cape attached.{{book ref|sa1|68}} She wears [[warform]] due to the conflict with Alethkar.{{book ref|wor|i|1}} When not wearing Shardplate, her uniform consists of a cap and a red cloth that stretches over her warform armor.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}

=== Personality ===

Eshonai's true passion is exploration, and she yearns to be free of her role as general so she can explore; even as a child, it was common for her to wander off in the middle of a task if something caught her attention.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}{{book ref|sa3|prologue}} She even contemplates exploring human civilizations, though she has a preference for exploring the wilderness. However, she believes these feelings are meaningless in comparison to the importance of protecting her people. She holds that remembering the fallen is important, but of lesser concern than protecting the living. She goes so far as to accompany her strike forces even when wounded, because she was the only Shardbearer left among the listeners.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}

She believes that she is personally responsible for the War of Reckoning because she was the first to make contact with the Alethi. Despite being fully aware of the dire predicament of her people, she does not blame the Alethi for their pursuit of vengeance. While she fights the Alethi out of necessity, she would prefer, and she even attempts, to negotiate a peace with them.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}

Like all [[Singer]]s, Eshonai can change her form by taking a [[spren]] into her gemheart during a [[highstorm]]. Out of preference, she spent most of her life in [[workform]], which, while durable and strong, made her averse to violence. During the [[War of Reckoning]], she uses [[warform]] instead, as its carapace and stockier build afford her greater strength and protection while allowing for fighting.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}} Eventually, she takes on [[stormform]], keeping her increased strength while also granting her the ability to cast red lightning and summon the [[Everstorm]], though the latter requires cooperation with more stormforms.{{book ref|sa2|i|8}}

During the battle, Eshonai dueled [[Dalinar Kholin]] as the army made its retreat. She defeated him in combat, and recognised him as the Alethi Shardbearer she had been searching for, but was stabbed in the leg by [[Kaladin Stormblessed]], who made his escape with Dalinar before she had a chance to speak with him. As the army made its retreat from the [[Tower (Roshar)|Tower]], she saluted Dalinar as a gesture of respect. She allowed the Alethi to escape the battle without attacking them once they cleared the Tower.{{book ref|twok|68}}

Eshonai was the first to adopt [[singer#Forms|Stormform]] after it was rediscovered by her sister [[Venli]], although she did so reluctantly. The new form caused Eshonai to become more warlike and destructive, leading her to switch from seeking peace with the Alethi, to desiring their extermination. Her new aggressive personality made her more willing to kill disobedient listeners, including her comrades, friends, and family. Any who refused to obey her orders were rounded up by Eshonai, whose intent was to have them all killed.{{book ref|sa2|i|11}}{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}{{book ref|sa2|i|5}}{{book ref|sa2|i|8}}

In the [[Battle of Narak]], she led the listener army, who had all taken Stormform, to battle, with the intent to destroy the Alethi forces.{{book ref|sa2|i|13}} After [[Adolin]] pushed her into a chasm,{{book ref|wor|84}} she rammed her Shardblade into the ground, in an attempt to not be swept away by the floodwaters. Because of her efforts, Eshonai did not drown, instead she died shortly after from wounds inflicted during her fight for survival in the chasm.{{book ref|sa4|117}}

Eshonai thinks little of [[Jaxlim]], her mother, due to her memory loss, though Eshonai still respects her.{{book ref|wor|i|4}} However, their bond is strong enough that Eshonai somewhat overcomes the singled-minded influence of stormform; when her mother refuses to change to stormform and is rounded her up with the other dissenters, Eshonai assigns her old squad members to guard them, seemingly aware they would assist them. She does not give chase when they escape, either.{{book ref|wor|i|8}}

Eshonai has a difficult relationship with her younger sister and her views.{{book ref|sa4|88}}{{expand}}