KKC Theory Wiki

Ambrose Jakis Descends From Iax, the One Who Stole the Moon

fringe identity · popularity 54 · 1 source thread

The Jakis name evolved from Iax/Jax, making Ambrose a descendant of the moon-thief whom Kvothe must kill to free the moon.

About: Ambrose Jakis, Iax

Also involves: The Moon, Kvothe, The Lackless Box, Auri, The Boy Who Stole the Moon

The theory§

Names in the Four Corners visibly drift across centuries, most plainly in Lockless becoming Lackless. This theory applies that drift to Ambrose's surname, deriving Jakis from Iax by way of Jax, and concludes that Ambrose Jakis descends from the shaper who stole the moon. It leans on Kvothe's quip, when Anker jokes that rich students think they can buy the sun, that Ambrose could probably afford the sun and enough to buy the moon besides. Folding in the widespread theory that the king Kvothe kills is Ambrose or his father, the proposal is that Kvothe must kill him to free the moon, mirroring the Jax tale in which the moon's name is stolen and locked away, possibly within a thrice-locked chest. A linguistic counterpoint notes that the Spanish translation deliberately changed Jakis to 'Anso' so that the Jackass, Jackass song would still pun (jackass / asno), implying the surname was chosen for the joke rather than to encode Iax.

Evidence§

  • There are a lot of names throughout the story that seem to have morphed with time, Lockless/Lackless etc.
    Establishes the premise that surnames drift over time, the basis for the derivation. — u/Forbiddenfrog
  • Anker says about the rich kids thinking they can buy the sun and kvothe says (of Ambrose) this one could probably afford it and maybe enough to buy the moon too
    In-text hint linking Ambrose specifically to the moon. — u/Forbiddenfrog
  • what if Ambrose is a descendant of Iax who stole the moon? Iax to Jax to Jackis. As time went on and language evolved.
    Core claim: the surname Jakis derives from Iax via Jax. — u/Forbiddenfrog
  • It's pretty commonly theorised that Ambrose or his father is the king Kvothe kills. What if it's because he has to, to free the moon.
    Motive: Kvothe must kill Ambrose to free the moon. — u/Forbiddenfrog
  • What if book 3 mirrors the jax story, so ambrose (jax) finally catches kvothe (moon) and traps his name in the thrice locked chest
    Refines the Jax-tale parallel into a book-three plot prediction. — u/SageOfFools
  • I recently read a theory that Jax was the first lackless and the lockless box carried by the family contains a portion of the moon, so going of that theory and yours it's very possible that ambrose "technically" could … Own a portion of the moon
    Adds Lackless-box link tying Ambrose to ownership of the moon. — u/archerjaxx
  • Not likely since in spanish they deliverately changed jackis to “anso” so the jackass jackass song made sense (jackass=asno)
    CounterCounter: the surname was chosen for the Jackass pun, not to encode Iax. — u/D0ng3r1nn0
  • Long story short, I think the Jackis/Jax connection is a cold trail. I think he chose Jack ass before he went with Jackis.
    CounterCounter: argues Jax/Jakis link is a dead end driven by the Jackass joke. — u/Ragnanicci

Book refs: NOTW, WMF

Tier reasoning§

fringe confirmed: linguistic leap, top comments counter the Jakis-Iax link

Contributors§

Source threads§