YMMV tropes for Rhythm of War. YMMV tropes for the entire Stormlight Archive are here.
- I Knew It!:
- Fans speculated that the unintelligent spren that gathered around Radiants would combine into Radiant Shardplate once a Radiant reached the Fourth Ideal, which Kaladin dramatically confirmed during the climax.
- Rhythm of War heavily implies that Thaidakar, leader of the Ghostbloods, is actually Kelsier, something fans have guessed since the organization was first introduced in Words of Radiance. Brandon later confirmed it.
- Moral Event Horizon:
- Gavilar crossed it once his treatment of Navani and the rest of his family was revealed. In previous appearances, at worst he started the end of the world as part of a poorly-thought-out plan to make a stronger kingdom, but he seemed like a pretty alright guy and those around him seemed to like and respect him. But alone with Navani, he reveals that all he cares about is his legacy, and despises his family. He considers Elhokar pathetic, Jasnah a disobedient child, and Navani a Gold Digger with no real accomplishments—even though he keeps her too busy to tinker and discover by burdening her with organizing and running the kingdom, then making arbitrary decisions without her input. It's so bad that, years after his death, Navani doesn't believe herself to be a scholar, only a patron. Suffice to say, fans cheered when Szeth killed him.
- If he hadn't crossed it when he murdered Elhokar and later Roshone, Moash certainly crosses it after killing Teft, which had no justification, be it vengeance or a misguided attempt to help someone, save for hurting somebody else by their loss.
- Shocking Moments: This is a Brandon Sanderson book, after all...
- "We CHOSE!" It's hard to tell what's more surprising: the words themselves (revealing that the bonded Radiant spren chose to take part in the Recreance along with their Knights) or the person who's saying them (the previously-mute Maya).
- Taravangian using Nightblood to kill Rayse and become the new Vessel for Odium.
- In one of the last chapters, Shallan heavily implies that Thaidakar, the leader of the Ghostbloods, is actually Kelsier. Later confirmed in The Lost Metal.
