Stormlight Archive Book 5: Wind And Truth's Ending Explained (2025)

Includes MASSIVE SPOILERS for The Stormlight Archive series through Wind and Truth.Wind and Truth is the final installment of the first arc of The Stormlight Archive, and its ending is perhaps the most complex of any of Brandon Sanderson's works so far. The Cosmere universe has become one of the most popular worlds in contemporary epic fantasy, with Sanderson weaving an extensive tale through several series and standalone titles. Notably, Wind and Truth provides an ending to several character arcs and narratives established in 2010's The Way of Kings, but it also moves drastic events forward that pertain to all of those titles; to the entirety of the Cosmere.

The previous Stormlight Archive books have built up to a brutal ten-day countdown. On day 10, Dalinar Kholin faced off with the god Odium atop Urithiru to determine the planet's fate, with a last-minute plot twist shaking the Cosmere. Kaladin aided Szeth in the completion of his pilgrimage in Shinovar, facing the corrupted Herald, Ishar. Shallan finally overcame Mraize and the Ghostblood leaders on Roshar. Rlain and Renarin released Ba-Ado-Mishram from the Spiritual Realm. Lastly, Adolin Kholin defended Azir, allowing it to remain free while all other fronts faltered.

Who Wins The Contest Of Champions In Wind And Truth's Ending

Odium Wins... Sort Of

As expected, the contest of champions between Dalinar and Odium is far more complicated than expected, and it's hard to say who really wins. Dalinar breaking his oaths means that, by the laws of the contest, Odium won. By all accounts, the remaining protagonists feel the death of Dalinar as a defeat. However, Odium's final POV chapters reveal that he isn't too thrilled about what happened, so it's worth breaking down.

Dalinar spends much of the book venturing through the Spiritual Realm, examining past events pertaining to the Heralds and the god Honor. On day 9, he reviews many of these moments from the perspective of Tanavast, the vessel of Honor who eventually died, transferring his memories to the Stormfather. Honor, displeased with the actions of Tanavast, is highly skeptical of transferring its power to a new vessel and has refrained from doing so for thousands of years. That is, until Dalinar speaks the words, "I understand you."

As many readers had predicted, Dalinar takes the power of Honor and ascends to godhood, though only for a brief time. He realizes that he can't fight Odium head-on as a god as he intended. In the visions, he'd seen Tanavast and Odium's god-on-god clashes and how destructive they'd been. Even if he could win this way, it would likely destroy Roshar. He then sees a final vision with Nohadon, the ancient king who wrote the in-world text of The Way of Kings, who helps him realize what he must do.

First, it's important to circle back to what Odium does. Odium, combined with the intellect and conflicting nature of Taravangian, has a play to trap Dalinar in a lose-lose situation. Throughout the days in the Spiritual Realm, Odium used the voice of Elhokar to trick young Gavinor into hating Dalinar. Gavinor is then left behind in the Spiritual Realm, where he grows to 20 years old, training as a fighter to one day kill his grandfather on Odium's behalf.

This leaves Dalinar with terrible options. He can't kill Gavinor, as it would betray his personal beliefs and prove Taravangian's argument about utilitarianism correct. He can't kill himself, as this would subject him to become Odium's weapon as a Fused, where he would then be used as a warlord, wreaking havoc across the Cosmere. He also can't face Odium head-on with Honor's power, as it would cause too much destruction. So, he chooses to give up the power, allowing Taravangian to take it.

Taravangian now possesses the power of Odium and the majority of the power of Honor, combining to make him the god Retribution. Dalinar dies in doing so, and Odium is free to leave Roshar as he wants. However, with the acquisition of two Shards, Retribution has made himself too powerful. Adolin explained the concept of the Sunmaker's Gambit earlier in the book. Now that Retribution has overextended himself, he's going to be a target for all the other gods in the Cosmere.

As for who wins the contest, it's difficult to say. Retribution is forced to flee Roshar and go into hiding, with the other gods now looming over him. He thought he would have time to prepare for intergalactic war on his terms, but now it's going to come for him. Meanwhile, the people of Roshar will have time to rebuild and prepare for the next conflict without his influence. Dalinar sacrificed his life to buy everyone time, and it will be in the hands of the newly formed Heralds, Jasnah, Renarin, and other protagonists to win the day in the future.

How Kaladin Becomes King Of The Heralds

Kaladin & The Heralds Form A New Oathpact

While it may seem disappointing at first to know that Kaladin won't be by his friends' side at any of the battles or in the contest, his quest in Shinovar ends up being worthwhile, providing him with an epic conclusion to his mortal arc. He aids Szeth through the pilgrimage in Shinovar, winning the former Assassin in White over to his side through patience and understanding. It turns out that Szeth's pilgrimage was set up by the Herald Ishar, who sought to use him as a replacement for Jezrien, the King of the Heralds who was killed by Moash.

Ishar saw Szeth as the perfect candidate as he lacked human connections to anyone on Roshar. However, in the moment when Szeth is chosen to take that power, Kaladin does so in his place, wanting to save Szeth from an immortal life of violence and turmoil. Kaladin and the Heralds form a new Oathpact, saving the spren of Roshar from Retribution's destruction and casting the Heralds away to return for the next Desolation.

In the final chapter, Kalak awakens to meet Kaladin, who introduces himself as the new King of the Heralds. Rather than Braize, the planet where the Heralds had been held and tortured between Desolations in the past, they've been transported to a new, peaceful location. There, Kaladin will help them rediscover their humanity, as he did with Nale, preparing them for one last fight in the future, where they will be replenished and ready to fight for the good of Roshar.

Shallan's Conversation With Thaidakar & The Future Of The Ghostbloods Explained

Shallan Is Trapped In Shadesmar

Shallan manages to overcome her mentor, Mraize, and his overseer, Iyatil, destroying the leadership of the Ghostbloods on Roshar. Throughout the first arc of The Stormlight Archive, their organization had been meddling with events on behalf of their leader, Thaidakar, also known as Kelsier from the Mistborn books. In one of her last scenes, Shallan meets with Thaidakar, who tells her that, while they're still enemies, he has bigger fish to fry now that Retribution is at large in the Cosmere.

Importantly, Shallan exited the Spiritual Realm and is now stuck in Shadesmar. When Retribution took form, the Radiants lost their powers and stormlight stopped working, meaning she can't use the Oathgate to travel back to Roshar for the time being, setting her up with a dilemma to get back to Adolin. Thaidakar also explains that the creation of Retribution led to Roshar being caught in a time bubble, where time on the planet is moving much slower than the rest of the Cosmere for the time being.

What Ba-Ado-Mishram's Release Means For Roshar

Ba-Ado-Mishram Could Be The Future Of Singers & Humans On Roshar

Rlain and Renarin's story in Wind and Truth is important not only for their individual arcs but also for proving the possibility of coexistence between humans and singers on Roshar. It parallels the story of Garith and his singer partner, who persuaded Ba-Ado-Mishram to treat with them. At that time, Honor convinced the Bondsmith Melishi to betray her, trapping her in her prison. Mishram spent the next 2,000 years locked away in the Spiritual Realm, growing hateful toward humans for what Melishi did.

That's why it matters that Rlain and Renarin, a singer and a human, released her together. Rather than killing Renarin, she listens to Rlain, who explains that the only way for their species to coexist on the planet is to learn to be better and work together. Mishram is posed throughout Wind and Truth as being a significant threat to Odium, and now that he's gone and she's returned, she can build up strength to potentially contend with him. This could lead to a future alliance between humans and singers, with Rlain and Renarin leading by example.

What Roshar Looks Like After The Contest Of Champions

Roshar Is Altered Politically & Ecologically

Roshar has been drastically changed in more ways than one by the events of Wind and Truth. First, the geopolitical situation needs to be addressed. Since Odium won the contest, Urithiru is the only territory that remains with the coalition, which Renarin and Jasnah seek to transform into a democracy. Alethkar is still owned by the singers, the Shattered Plains were signed over to Venli and the listeners, and Thaylenah, Tukar, and Emul all agreed to terms with Odium before the contest. Azir is the last free land still standing, thanks to Adolin and Emperor Yanagawn.

Shinovar, the isolationist kingdom, is still on its own, and Szeth sets off at the end of Wind and Truth to work with their government on a new future. The ecological properties of Roshar are equally important to The Stormlight Archive's narrative going forward. Adolin describes Azir as being one of the final bastions of sunlight while other lands have succumbed to permanent darkness. The highstorms have been significantly weakened, and stormlight is gone from the world.

Szeth's Arc & The Knights Of Wind And Truth In-World Book Explained

Szeth Found His Humanity Thanks To Kaladin

Szeth undergoes the most transformative arc in Wind and Truth, going from a broken man believing himself unworthy of autonomy and life to a reformed person, to a man with ideals and purpose of his own. The flashbacks see him corrupted by the voice of Ishar, believing Shinovar to have been plagued by an Unmade, leading to the actions that have him outcast as "Truthless." The purpose of these scenes is to demonstrate his early humanity through his family and how external circumstances led to him being broken.

But no one is beyond redemption or repair in The Stormlight Archive, and Szeth's return to Shinovar sees him overcome his personal demons, facing off with his sister, father, and other characters from his past. At the end of the story, he believes Kaladin sacrificed himself to save him and finds Tien's wooden toy horse and his own toy sheep from childhood left behind. This sets him on a path to live his own life, as Kaladin requested of him. He seeks out help to bury Kaladin's body, meeting Masha, the woman who would then become his wife and write The Knights of Wind and Truth to honor his and Kaladin's quest.

What Wind And Truth's Ending Means For The Cosmere

Retribution's Creation Has Sent Ripples Across The Cosmere

Wind and Truth's ending has enormous implications for the broader Cosmere. As mentioned, the ascension of Retribution means gods from around the Cosmere will be looking to stop Taravangian and his two Shards. Wit/Hoid found his way back to Scadrial with the help of Ulaam, a kandra who appears in The Lost Metal and Tress of the Emerald Sea, and is now there plotting his next move, unable to return to Roshar. His apprentice, Sigzil, escaped the planet with the Dawnshard and met Szeth's previous spren. Sigzil's story continues in The Sunlit Man.

The Real Meaning Of Wind And Truth's Ending Explained

Wind And Truth Demonstrates The Flaws In Taravangian's Beliefs

Wind and Truth, and by extension, the first arc of The Stormlight Archive, offer intense thematic material on top of the dense world-building and plot. The central debate of the contest of champions, Kaladin's argument with Nale, and Jasnah's moral dilemma is about the moral theory of utilitarianism, which essentially suggests that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. The contest of champions forces Dalinar to face an impossible moral question, being forced to choose between the life of his grandson and the life of everyone else.

Taravangian desperately wants Dalinar, Jasnah, and others to see things the way he does: that personal feelings must be overcome in order to help the greater good. He believes that, in order to build a beautiful world for the largest majority of people, sacrifices must be made. Alternatively, Dalinar poses that the value of each individual human life is priceless. Sanderson's narrative agrees with Dalinar's theory, suggesting that Taravangian's utilitarian views, though sometimes tempting, are inhumane.

Perhaps the most important thematic scenes in Wind and Truth are those related to Taravangian and Kharbranth, the city where his mortal self led a purposeful life with a family, friends, and an appreciation for its populace. In one interlude, Taravangian is shown crushing Kharbranth with a tsunami, seemingly ridding himself of attachment to the human world. However, Wind and Truth's final Taravangian POV reveals that he didn't actually kill anyone there but instead transported them to a model version of Kharbranth in the Spiritual Realm, keeping those people alive.

Taravangian is a deeply conflicted individual, but even he has some shreds of humanity remaining in him. He wants to prove himself devoid of attachments so he can act on what he claims to be the greater good, but really he's just a hypocritical man who wants power, spreading self-righteousness. That's why he's so infuriated by Dalinar avoiding his trap. Ultimately, he knows Dalinar was right. The Stormlight Archive poses a hopeful message about humanity's ability for positive change and growth, and the unique value of each individual.

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The Stormlight Archive

The Stormlight Archive is an epic fantasy series by Brandon Sanderson, set on the storm-ravaged world of Roshar. The series follows multiple characters, each with their unique storylines, as they navigate political intrigue, ancient prophecies, and powerful magic. Central to the story are the Knights Radiant, legendary warriors with magical abilities who must return to save their world from impending destruction. The series explores themes of honor, leadership, and the burden of power.

Created by

Brandon Sanderson

Character(s)

Kaladin Stormblessed , Shallan Davar , Dalinar Kholin , Adolin Kholin , Jasnah Kholin , Szeth-son-son-Vallano , Navani Kholin

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