KKC Theory Wiki

The Waystone Bar Fight Reveals Kote's Damaged Hand and an Arrowcatch

plausible mechanism · popularity 107 · 1 source thread

Kvothe's restrained bar-fight moves expose an injured hand, and the scene hints he has installed an arrowcatch in the Inn.

About: Kvothe

Also involves: Waystone Inn, The Adem, The Cthaeh, The Lackless Box, Sleeping Bear, Arrowcatch

The theory§

This theory reads the framing-story bar fight at the Waystone as quiet evidence of two concealed truths. First, that Kote's hand is damaged: despite his Adem training, his strikes are oddly restrained, a kick described as not a sharp kick of the sort that breaks bones, and his attempt at the two-handed Adem grip Sleeping Bear fails, consistent with a hand he can no longer fully use. The hand injury is reinforced in the frame when Kvothe looks down at his folded hands while discussing the Rhinna, the panacea flower that can mend any wound, and by the recurring motif of his left hand drawing his troubled attention. Second, that the fight hints at an arrowcatch installed in the Inn, extended by some to the reading that the whole Waystone is built to trap the Cthaeh's 'arrows', since anyone the Cthaeh has touched is like an arrow shot into the future. A competing view holds the arrowcatch belongs only to the thrice-locked chest Kvothe built, not the Inn as a whole.

Evidence§

  • The Bar Fight reveals that Kote has a damaged hand … The fight also shows that Kote has installed an Arrowcatch in the Inn
    OP states the two core claims of the theory — u/darkironbrightcopper
  • Not a sharp kick of the sort that breaks bones, but a hard kick that sent him sprawling backward.
    Restrained strikes show Kvothe holding back despite Adem training — u/darkironbrightcopper
  • Here's the important thing about Sleeping Bear: it requires two hands. … So here's a first sign that Kote has damaged hands. Sleeping Bear requires two hands. And he fails at it.
    Failed two-handed grip points to an unusable hand — u/darkironbrightcopper
  • he looked down at his wrist and made the motion again, but his hands merely scrabbled uselessly at the soldier’s scarred fist.
    Two-handed Break Lion counter fails; hands scrabble uselessly — u/darkironbrightcopper
  • There was a strange, soft, ringing noise, like a padded bell being struck in a distant room.
    Hatchet on chest rings oddly, cited as proof of arrowcatch — u/darkironbrightcopper
  • Regarding the arrowcatch, I believe the entire Waystone Inn is designed to trap the 'arrows' of the Cthaeh, and even probably the Cthaeh itself. … anyone influenced by the Cthaeh would be like an arrow shot into the future.
    Extends arrowcatch reading to the whole Inn trapping Cthaeh's arrows — u/chainsawx72
  • he said, looking down at his folded hands on the tabletop.
    Frame Rhinna/panacea scene reinforces hand-injury motif — u/Sandal-Hat
  • For the arrow catch, I don't think there's one specifically installed in the inn. I believe the arrow catch mechanism is exclusively related to the chest.
    CounterCounter: arrowcatch belongs only to the chest, not the Inn — u/jmil1080
  • the supposed evidence that has "a damaged hand" his hand is inability to apply a joint locks he has never used successfully before … My money is going to stay firmly on Kvothe being a poor fighter.
    CounterCounter: failures explained by weak technique, not injury — u/Zhorangi

Book refs: NOTW, WMF

Tier reasoning§

damaged-hand reading is well-grounded; arrowcatch part speculative, net plausible

Contributors§

Source threads§