The First Ideal of the Knights Radiant is not about morality

It’s about self care

(Spoilers.)

Life before death.

Strength before weakness.

Journey before destination.

At first glance, these might seem like moralistic commands. Protect life, protect the weak, act with honor. Certainly they fit with the Ideals of the Windrunners and Bondsmiths.

But would all ten Orders really agree with these rules? I don’t think so. And that got me thinking. If the First Ideal isn’t about morals, then what is it about?



Life Before Death

Under a moral interpretation, this could mean one of two things. “Whenever possible, do not kill, but rather, protect life.” Or, “See to the needs of the living before you worry about those who are already dead.”

In the first case, there probably wouldn’t be many Radiants who disagree with this command, although there would be a great deal of squabbling over what, exactly, constitutes a necessary death. Skybreakers, for example, would argue for execution of people who commit certain crimes, while Windrunners would more likely argue lenience.



And in the case of the second interpretation, Edgedancers would at the very least put limits on it. They remember those who have been forgotten–including the dead. They may not place the dead in a position of greater importance than the living, but to dismiss the dead because they are dead lies directly contrary to their second Ideal.

View the Ideal through a lens of self-care, however, and you get a much different meaning.

“Choosing to live is always better than choosing to die.”

Life before death is what pulls Kaladin back from the Honor Chasm.



Strength Before Weakness

The moralistic interpretation of this command could easily be a Windrunner’s Ideal. “Protect those who cannot protect themselves.” But the other nine Orders don’t swear to protect. Many of them are not about strength at all–Lightweavers are about truth and lies and cleverness, Truthwatchers about knowledge and observation.

Even if you take it to mean that each of the Orders should act on its own particular strengths rather than infringing on others’ duties, it seems strange that the Radiants should have to vow to follow their own paths. The very structure of ten Orders makes that inevitable.

It is much more significant on a personal level. The Radiants are all broken. Those who speak the Words are all too aware of their own shortcomings–real or perceived.

Which is why this oath comes before everything except a promise to live.

“Your weaknesses do not define you.”

Strength before weakness is what lets Kaladin protect and trust and care even while he struggles. Even when he fears he will let Bridge Four down. It is surgery lessons and stew around the fire and soaring, free, through the night.



Journey Before Destination

More than the first two lines, this is presented as a moral command. Dalinar repeatedly uses this to counter ends-justify-the-means rationalization and to support his adherence to the Codes.



But we see Jasnah argue the opposite.

“And yet those men are off the street. The people of this city are that much safer. The issue that Taravangian has been so worried about has been solved, and no more theatergoers will fall to those thugs. How many lives did I just save?” “I know how many you just took,” Shallan said. The Way of Kings, Chapter 36



If how you accomplish something matters more than what you accomplish, then the First Ideal condemns Jasnah’s actions. Yet she has no qualms about what she did. Nor, it would seem, does Ivory.

Again, Dalinar’s interpretation of this line would most certainly condemn Adolin for killing Sadeas as he did, yet Word of Brandon says that the Willshapers and Dustbringers, at least, would agree with his actions.

As a moral requirement for all then Orders, this Ideal just doesn’t make sense. The Orders are so vastly different in their morality, their priorities, their worldviews, that the First Ideal cannot morally condone all of them simultaneously.

But it can be a reminder for them all.

Journey before destination means Kaladin fights and fails and hurts and heals and triumphs and backslides and picks himself back up time after time after time after time, because it’s not about attaining a happy ending. It’s about seizing happiness along the way.



Life before death. I choose, and will continue choosing, to live.

Strength before weakness. My shortcomings and my bad days do not define me. I will celebrate my victories and take pride in my strengths.

Journey before destination. Each day is an opportunity. I will fight. I will learn. I will grow. It’s not ‘when’ and ‘if’ and ‘maybe someday.’ It’s ‘here’ and ‘now’ and ‘I can do this.’

