Elhokar Kholin

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Elhokar Kholin
by KiebieArt
House Kholin Spouse Aesudan Children Gavinor Parents Gavilar, Navani Siblings Jasnah Relatives Dalinar, Adolin, Renarin
Born	1147[citation needed]
Died	Siege of Kholinar [citation needed]
Abilities	Shardbearer
Titles	King of Alethkar
Nationality	Alethi
Homeworld	Roshar

Elhokar Kholin (Alethi pronunciation: [ˈɛ·lo·kar koˈlɪn] E-lo-kar ko-LIN) was the king of Alethkar directly following his father Gavilar.

Appearance and Personality

Elhokar has light green eyes. He keeps himself clean-shaven. His face is "almost too handsome" with full lips, a broad forehead, and a firm chin. He bears a resemblance to his father, though Elhokar has fewer scars than Gavilar did.

Elhokar suffers from a deep paranoia and fear of assassins, especially after his father is killed. Because of his suspicious nature, he wears his Shardplate far more often than other Shardbearers. He dislikes people mentioning his father, believing correctly that the Alethi often compare him unfavorably to Gavilar.

Despite his own uncertainty in his ability to rule, Elhokar is capable of making decisive action and manages to control the Highprinces, if just barely. He is also a capable warrior, despite being easily defeated by his uncle. His wife Aesudan manages the kingdom in his absence.

• Images of Elhokar
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  Elhokar in his uniform by User: Sheep

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  Elhokar and the mirror by User: Sheep

History

Elhokar mainly serves as an unwitting obstacle to Dalinar as his uncle attempted to unite the Highprinces. Elhokar's father and the former King of Alethkar, Gavilar was assassinated by Szeth, prompting the ten Alethi Highprinces to declare war on the Parshendi under the Vengeance Pact, after they claimed responsibility for the assassination. Due to Elhokar's youth and paranoia his ability to rule was questioned by those under his rule and he maintained a weakened authority over the ten Highprinces. The King's paranoia stemmed from the assassination of his father and he feared that he would meet the same fate, although he overcompensated on the battlefield and often acted recklessly to the dismay of his family and guards. This paranoia was furthered by his ability to see strange creatures (possibly truthspren) in mirrors. Due to this ability it is theorized that Elhokar could become a Soulcaster like Jasnah and Shallan Davar, and be able to Soulcast without the use of a fabrial.

Elhokar's deep fear of assassination caused him to fake an assassination attempt on his own life by cutting the girth strap on his saddle, in order to trigger an investigation on those who wish him dead. Although this rash action placed suspicion on his uncle Dalinar, this method did yield results as it was found that weakened gemstones were placed in his Shardplate by a yet unknown individual.

He was almost assassinated by Moash and Graves on multiple occasions. When Moash comes into the palace to kill Elhokar, he is saved by Kaladin who then speaks the third ideal of the Windrunners.

Death

Elhokar is slain in Kholinar while trying to escape to the city's Oathgate with Adolin, Kaladin, Shallan, Skar, Drehy, and Azure. During their escape, the city is invaded by a parshmen army and several Fused. The army kills almost the entire Wall Guard, but it is Moash who slays Elhokar, by stabbing him through the chest and eye. Immediately before his death, Kaladin hears the king begin to utter the First Ideal, and sees the king start glowing with Stormlight, but the king was not able to finish the words before he was run through by Moash. Later, Hoid rescues a Cryptic hiding near the scene of his death.

The king's son, Gavinor, however survives and remains in Kholinar with Drehy and Skar while the others are transported to Shadesmar. The former three, along with Vatah, Red, Ishnah, and a local merchant are rescued by Kaladin after a scribe sent by Dalinar informs him of their location. After the fall of Kholinar they managed to escape and send for help via spanreed.

Character Development

Elhokar began his character arc in Way of Kings as a spoiled and somewhat childish character who technically ruled Alethkar, but was not taken seriously by anyone, including Dalinar, who performed most of Elhokar's actual duties.

As the series progresses, Elhokar becomes matures and sees the flaws in himself and his rule. He goes so far as to formally hand off most of his power to Dalinar as highking, while requesting to remain in power of Kholinar, insisting that he is not a terrible ruler, but that Alethkar needs an exceptional ruler if Roshar is to survive what is to come. He also tries to step up and take responsibility as king, and goes to Kholinar with Kaladin, Skar, Drehy, Shallan, and Adolin in an attempt to recapture the city. On their trip, Elhokar tells Kaladin to rule if and when the king himself fails in his duties, admitting that Kaladin is a natural hero, while the king is prone to mistakes. Kaladin notes that this humbled Elhokar is very different from the general impression he had of the king.

Shortly before his death, Shallan sketches Elhokar as a righteous and proud king and Elhokar, moved by the drawing, is inspired to be a good ruler for his people, despite all the faults he finds within himself. He is clutching this drawing when he is killed, using it as inspiration to become a Radiant. Unfortunately for the king, he is stabbed to death while speaking the First Ideal, unable to complete the words in time to save himself.

Attributes and Abilities

As aforementioned, it is theorized that Elhokar could have become an innate Soulcaster, one who does not require the use of a fabrial in order to Soulcast.

“ I see their faces in mirrors. Symbols, twisted, inhuman ”

— Elhokar Kholin

This seems very similar to the apparitions that Shallan observes in her drawings.

“ a figure with a sharp, angular symbol hovering above its collar instead of a head ”

— Shallan Davar

As these "cryptics" are linked with Shallan's ability to Soulcast, it seems likely that Elhokar could have the potential to gain the same abilities.

Shardwielding

Elhokar is a Shardbearer, with both a Shardblade and Shardplate. His Shardblade is called Sunraiser and is long and thin with a large crossguard. It is etched with the ten basic glyphs up the sides of the blade.

He also owns several additional sets of Plate and Blade, that are often loaned out. His father's Shardplate and Shardblade, Firestorm, are among these.

Notes

Preceded by Gavilar Kholin

King of Alethkar

Succeeded by Jasnah Kholin

Footnotes

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