KKC Theory Wiki

Cinder Is the Wind Kvothe Actually Called on Ambrose

fringe identity · popularity 86 · 1 source thread

Kvothe summoned Cinder, a Chandrian 'chaos wind,' not Aerlevsedi, when he called the wind on Ambrose.

About: Cinder, Kvothe

Also involves: The Moon, Ambrose Jakis, Elodin, The Cthaeh, Naming, The Chandrian, Haliax, Skarpi, Maer Lerand Alveron, Denna

The theory§

This theory identifies the Chandrian Cinder with the wind, arguing that the wind Kvothe called down on Ambrose was not Aerlevsedi but a Chandrian wind-entity. Its central thread is that the Tehlin-costumed Cinder in Skarpi's tale is named 'Erlus,' which in the audiobook is pronounced 'airless,' linking Cinder to air. The reading explains why repeating Aerlevsedi in Elodin's trance produced nothing, and treats the Cthaeh's taunt that Kvothe 'haven't managed to catch wind of him in all this time' as a deliberate pun tying Cinder to the wind. A further leap reads 'Erlus' as a homonym of 'Heirless,' binding Cinder to House Alveron, though this rests only on the coincidence of air and heir sounding alike. The notion gathers some support from the wind that saves Kvothe from an arrow loosed by Cinder's bandits, and from the idea that each Chandrian Name calls a specific natural force, so Cinder might be commanded as Aerlevsedi or unleashed as a chaotic destructive wind.

Evidence§

  • the name Skarpi calls Tehlin-costumed Cinder, Erlus, stuck out. It’s pronounced “airless.”
    OP's core link: Cinder's name Erlus sounds like 'airless', tying him to air. — u/Ohheyliz
  • Kvothe didn’t call Aerlevsedi when he called the wind on Ambrose. He called a *chandrian* chaos monster wind. … That’s why nothing happened when Elodin had him repeat Aerlevsedi when he was in his trance.
    Central claim: the wind on Ambrose was Cinder, explaining Aerlevsedi's failure in the trance. — u/Ohheyliz
  • the Cthaeh backs this up when he says … You think you’d recognize those big black eyes of his, but you didn’t even catch wind of him. Get it? *catch wind?!*
    OP reads the Cthaeh's 'catch wind' as a deliberate pun tying Cinder to the wind. — u/Ohheyliz
  • Erlus is also a homonym for “Heirless,” which could mean that he’s the patriarch of the House of Alveron.
    OP's further leap: Erlus = Heirless, binding Cinder to House Alveron. — u/Ohheyliz
  • each chandrian name is like calling a specific natural disaster. … So, Cinder can be called and controlled by calling Aerlevsedi, or you can call Ferule and get the chaotic destructive wind. Same guy, two outcomes.
    OP refines: each Name commands a force, so Cinder is both Aerlevsedi and chaotic wind. — u/Ohheyliz
  • The wind saves Kvothe from an arrow launched by one of Cinder's bandits. … *A gust of wind saved me. His arrow struck harsh yellow sparks from a stone outcrop not two feet from my head.*
    Adds supporting evidence: wind saves Kvothe from Cinder's bandit's arrow. — u/chainsawx72
  • the coincidence that air and heir sound similar has you chasing a rabbit.
    CounterCounter: the air/heir homophone is coincidence, not evidence. — u/danny29812
  • Kvothe did not call Cinder’s name, he called the name of the wind … Over and over again, he calls the name of the wind to do a variety of different things … Are those *all* Cinder? Did Cinder learn CPR to help Denna breathe in Tarbean?
    CounterCounter: Kvothe calls the wind many times for many purposes; they can't all be Cinder. — u/impregTA

Book refs: NOTW, WMF

Tier reasoning§

tier holds: built on homophone wordplay, heavily countered

Contributors§

Source threads§