Jaks
| Jaks | |
|---|---|
| Died | Battle of the Tower, Tanatashev 1173[1] |
| Profession | Bridgeman |
| Groups | Bridge Four, Sadeas army |
| Residence | The Alethi warcamps |
| Homeworld | Roshar |
| Universe | Cosmere |
| Introduced In | The Way of Kings |
Earless Jaks was a member of Bridge Four on Roshar.[2] He was killed during the Battle of the Tower.[1]
Appearance and Personality[edit]
Like many of the other Bridge Four members, Earless Jaks did not take kindly to Kaladin’s leadership at first, and was openly hostile towards him.[2][3] He gained respect for Kaladin over time, becoming a willing part of the team.[4]
Attributes and Abilities[edit]
Jaks had some level of artistic ability, as he was chosen to paint designs on carapace armor designed by Leyten.[4]
History[edit]
It is not known how Jaks became a bridgeman or how he lost his ears—in fact, it is not clear if he was actually earless, or if it was just a nickname.
When Kaladin got the squad assigned to stone gathering duty (while secretly gathering knobweed sap), Earless Jaks approached him with Dunny, towing a wooden sled bearing a large stone. As they loaded the boulder into the wagon, Earless Jaks scowled at Kaladin. When Kaladin complimented him, Earless Jaks just glared at him and stalked off.[2] His contempt for Kaladin continued during chasm duty, joining in when Sigzil and Moash gibed the bridgeleader.[3]
“He cares about looking important. Even if he was in the army, I’ll bet he spent his days cleaning out latrines. ”
—Earless Jaks taunting Kaladin during chasm duty[3]
After Kaladin performed an advanced kata, Earless Jaks was presumably among the bridgemen who gained a newfound respect for Kaladin.[3] He questioned Kaladin's plan to escape the warcamps, but was presumably among the bridgemen who agreed to learn how to fight after realizing that there was no good alternative.[3] After Bridge Four secured Parshendi carapaces and Leyten fashioned armor from them, Earless Jaks purchased blue and white paint and drew designs on the new armor.[4]
Jaks died in the Battle of the Tower alongside Malop and Narm.[1] Kaladin lamented that he couldn’t save the three of them, although he tried his best to focus on the fact that the others had survived.[5]
Kaladin remembered him along with Malop, Beld, Pedin, Rod, Mart, Goshel, Nalma, Dallet and the squad, and Tien while trying, and failing, to say the Fourth Ideal of the Windrunners.[6] Kaladin remembered failing Jaks and other members of Bridge Four when Moash confronted him in Toralin Roshone's manor.[7]
Trivia[edit]
- Some early versions of The Way of Kings had a typo that spelled his name as "Earless Jacks".