Does anyone else buy into the theory that Szeth & Jasnah *could* switch orders (so Szeth becomes an Elsecaller and Jasnah a Skybreaker)? I know it's kind of out there but I feel like we genuinely have a few indications there's something there.
Okay, I should probably explain, I've seen a few people theorising in the tags and this is based on my interpretation of what "true" Skybreakers are meant to be like, and bits and pieces from Wind and Truth.
Firstly in Wind and Truth we see Szeth renounce his Skybreaker oaths, and also see Jasnah really struggle in a philosophical debate with Taravangian. The first clearly sets Szeth up for finding new oaths, and the second, to me, also plays in Jasnah having really struggled with the 5th Ideal, summoning Elsegates, and of course to some extent failing in her philosophy of utilitarianism.
We don't yet know Jasnah's exact ideals but from the RPG we know Elsecallers, like Lightweavers, have highly personal ideals about "Aspirations" around individual growth and self-improvement. I'm of the belief that Jasnah had set these around her utilitarian world-view and now that that's been torn down she may have to renounce her oaths.
So why would she become a Skybreaker instead? Well, there seems like a lot of evidence to me that the "true" Skybreaker ideals revolve around finding genuine justice (what some people may call natural justice) and following a certain moral philosophy and embodying those principles. This is backed up by the general purview of the ancient Skybreakers, as well as a reinterpretation of the Skybreaker ideals we know:
2nd: "I swear to seek justice, to let it guide me, until I find a more perfect Ideal." - This to me corresponds forming the sense of justice before having decided on a moral philosophy
3rd: "I swear to follow..." - This need not be a person, but can be a code, so one could say "I swear to follow a code of utilitarianism"
4th: This is the "crusade" ideal, which could be interpreted in many ways, such as uprooting unjust systems.
5th: "I am the..." - In the Nale Skybreakers this is "the law" but is generally a principle of embodiment, so you could similarly make a statement about other philosophies. This seems further exemplified to me by Szeth emphasising his ability to act as he wishes and make his own decisions.
So with these aspects in mind I actually think Jasnah will see herself having hit a stumbling block as an Elsecaller, and seek a new way to pursue justice (note also her focus on eliminating slavery), which would bring her naturally toward Skybreakers... Not to mention seeking justice for whatever happened to her in her past...
This brings us to Szeth, I admit the evidence is weaker here but if he's to remain relevant to the story, and Jasnah is to take up the role of the Skybreaker, it would make sense he fills Elsecaller. For some "harder" evidence we know Szeth has in the past felt an affinity for the Elsecaller blade, but often struggled with Transportation. This to me sets him up for a story of self-improvement in the future. He's also now worked through his past troubles of being able to make decisions for himself, and understands there isn't necessarily a "right" answer to every scenario. To have him go further on this journey feels like it fits exactly into "individual growth and self-improvement", where he can become his own person and self. It may also be worth mentioning that Szeth's wife in the epigraphs of Wind and Truth is part of "Jasnah's order", which is still presumably either the Veristitalians or Elsecallers, either of which is still very Elsecaller-aligned.
I think there's probably lots of points I missed, but hopefully people see this thinking isn't coming out of nowhere.
On balance I do think it's more likely Jasnah remains an Elsecaller, because we haven't properly explored that order yet and likely won't get that opportunity with Szeth, but I do think it would be an interesting narrative direction.
