Editors
644
edits
Difference between revisions of "Kaladin"
m
→Appearance and Personality
Ammcclain15 (talk | contribs) |
Ammcclain15 (talk | contribs) |
||
|
Kaladin is a fairly tall man. He is muscular and has multiple scars on his body.{{book ref|sa1|6}} He has tan skin{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} and shoulder-length wavy black hair typical of an Alethi. He is born with dark brown eyes,{{book ref|sa1|1}} though after swearing the [[Immortal Words|Third Ideal]] of the [[Windrunner]]s, his eyes turn very pale blue that glow while holding Stormlight.{{book ref|sa2|87}} Like most Rosharans, Kaladin's eyes have an [[Wikipedia:Epicanthic fold|epicanthic fold]]{{wob ref|4079}} that appear faintly colored amber when he is holding [[Stormlight]].{{book ref|sa1|38}} His face is square and firm with strong lines and a proud chin. He prefers to be clean-shaven but during his time as a slave, he grows a long, scraggly beard.{{book ref|sa1|46}} He is branded on his forehead with a ''sas nahn'' [[glyphpair]] indicating his slavery and a ''shash'' [[glyph]] meaning "dangerous".{{book ref|sa1|2}}
Kaladin is a natural leader who inspires belief and confidence in his men. His squad members in [[Amaram]]'s army call him lucky and believe that being in his squad grants them supernatural protection.{{book ref|sa1|1}} Kaladin also transforms [[Bridge Four]] from a dejected and despondent group with the worst reputation into a highly-motivated and effective fighting force. [[Dalinar Kholin]] remarks that his men are remarkably loyal and think very highly of him.{{book ref|sa1|73}}{{book ref|sa2|75}}
Ever since childhood, Kaladin has had a strong protective instinct, which only grows once he begins discovering and swearing the [[Immortal Words]]. He uses his medical skills to save people, first as an apprentice surgeon and later as a battlefield medic. As a youth, he joins the army so he can look after his younger brother, Tien.{{book ref|sa1|44}} As a squadleader in Amaram's army, he recruits the youngest members with the least training to his squad so that he can train and protect them;{{book ref|sa1|47}}. As captain Dalinar's personal guard, he protects Dalinar and [[Elhokar Kholin|the king]] from assassins on multiple occasions.
Kaladin is deeply conflicted about killing, finding it philosophically hard to justify and the notion that one must kill in order to protect ironic and paradoxical. Although he is a soldier, he has been trained as a surgeon, whose highest calling is to save all lives. Additionally, as a member of the [[Order of Windrunners]], he lives by the [[Immortal Words|Ideals]] of his order, to which protecting life is central. It is further irony that Kaladin's powers of killing appear to be at their strongest when he is actively protecting something or someone. This paradox has plagued Kaladin and [[Syl]], who have both been unable to explain why killing is justified if the protection of life matters.
Kaladin also displays several classic symptoms of clinical depression, amplified by the loss and pressures that are forced upon him. He is prone to depressive episodes, particularly during the [[Weeping]]. Despite the outward confidence he is often able to show, he often feels like a failure, focusing on the many deaths that he feels he could have prevented. During these times, he feels morose and chapters from his point of view describe that he was feeling "gray" and morose spiraling farther into depression.
Kaladin draws a black and white distinction between lighteyes and darkeyes, harboring a deep resentment and distrust for virtually all [[lighteyes]], fueled by the betrayals of people like [[Roshone]], [[Amaram]], and [[Katarotam]]. Ironically, Kaladin himself is noted to have many lighteyed qualities. Many characters remark that Kaladin has the bearing of a lighteyes—meaning a leader or noble, since the term "lighteyes" encompasses these qualities in the Alethi language—and others have noted that "Kaladin" sounds like a lighteyed name, rather than a darkeyed name. Further, when Kaladin comes into his true power as a [[Knight Radiant]], he becomes lighteyed. Kaladin despises these qualities in himself, because they make him more similar to lighteyes.{{book ref|sa2|87}}
Due to his recent struggles, Kaladin shows hostility and resentment, although at times his wit, sarcasm, and intelligence show through. He appears to have got his sense of humor from his mother and is constantly questioning the world around him.
| |||