History Literature / RhythmOfWar

* EnergyEconomy: Mraize implies that the wider Cosmere trades mostly in Investiture, which is why Stormlight (which literally falls from the sky) is so valuable. Or rather, it would be, if it could be transported and traded easily. Which, of course, is his goal.

* LiteralGenie: We finally find out exactly what Lift asked the Nightwatcher for: to always remain herself. She ''thought'' she was asking to never age, meaning "myself exactly as I am now", but as Wyndle points out, she got exactly what she asked for -- it's hard to think of anyone else who is quite as strongly ''themself'' all the time as Lift. [[spoiler:While complicated by the fact that Lift's deal was with Cultivation rather than the Nightwatcher, and Cultivation always has her own reasons for doing things, Wyndle still thinks that she core issue is that Lift made a lot of unspoken assumptions with that wording, and they weren't picked up on.]]

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome:
** [[TheArchmage Jasnah]] is not very good at swordfighting. Being a woman who lived in a society where only men were supposed to fight, she never got the years of training and experience lighteyed men get. Fortunately in battle her Blade, Plate and Radiant powers more than make up for it, and she's able to win her duel against [[spoiler: Ruthar]] anyway by [[CombatPragmatist attacking him while]] [[WouldNotHitAGirl he's distracted complaining about having to duel a woman.]]
** Raboniel notes the difficulties of space travel, even in the magic-suffused cosmere. Evidently, the only reliable method of inter-world travel is through the Cognitive Realm. For those who tried to use magic alone, well...
--->'''Raboniel:''' You can’t travel to Braize in the Physical Realm. That would take... well, I have no idea how long. Plus there’s no air in the space between planets. We sent [[GravityMaster Heavenly Ones]] to try it once. No air, and worse, the strange pressures required them to carry a large supply of Voidlight for healing. Even so prepared, they died within hours.

* RousseauWasRight: This is actually a motto among a political faction of Hhnorspren. "Honor is not dead so long as he lives in the hearts of men."

* WretchedHive: The warcamps have gotten bad since basically everyone reputable moved to Urithiru, and then Ialai Sadeas moved back and started using the corruption as cover to actively plot treason.

* DieHardOnAnX: Die Hard in [[spoiler:Urithiru]]. Kaladin mounts a one-man resistance against the occupying singers, without the aid of most of his Radiant powers, and only with the aid of Navani providing resources and intelligence and [[spoiler:the Sibling providing places to hide and a means of communication with Navani.]]

** Honorspren in general behave this way, as you'd expect, but there is a stand out example. The trial has become political, and an exile is offered a pardon if he will testify against Adolin. All truths, [[JediTruth from a certain point of view,]] but he changes his mind at the last minute when Adolin tells him he understands and that all he needs is the truth. Instead he [[RabbleRouser starts a riot]] by using the podium to proclaim that [[RousseauWasRight Honor is not dead as long as he lives on in the hearts of men.]]

* LiteralGenie: We finally find out exactly what Lift asked the Nightwatcher for: to always remain herself. She ''thought'' she was asking to never age, meaning "myself exactly as I am now", but as Windle points out, she got exactly what she asked for -- it's hard to think of anyone else who is quite as strongly ''themself'' all the time as Lift. [[spoiler:While complicated by the fact that Lift's deal was with Cultivation rather than the Nightwatcher, and Cultivation always has her own reasons for doing things, Windle still thinks that she core issue is that Lift made a lot of unspoken assumptions with that wording, and they weren't picked up on.]]

* FictionalColour: [[spoiler:Warlight, the [[YinYangBond fusion of Stormlight and Voidlight]],]] appears as an "impossible" vibrant black-blue, possibly [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impossible_color Stygian blue.]]

** Mixing [[spoiler:Voidlight and anti-Voidlight, or Stormlight and anti-Stormlight,]] creates an explosion not unlike [[spoiler:antimatter meeting matter]].

* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: Venli]] completes the turn she started in ''Oathbringer'', and is joined in turning by many singers who are sick of having replaced human oppression for Fused oppression. Also, [[Spoiler: Leshwi]] joins the fight against Odium after hearing that spren have started to bond singers once more.