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The Cthaeh Only Strengthens What Kvothe Already Knows and Does

plausible motive · popularity 83 · 1 source thread

The Cthaeh gave Kvothe no forbidden knowledge, only nudges along his existing path, implying his own choices lead to catastrophe.

About: The Cthaeh, Kvothe

Also involves: The Amyr, Denna, Maer Lerand Alveron, Myr Tariniel, The Chandrian, Haliax, Felurian, Bast, The Sithe, The Stormwal

The theory§

This theory holds that the Sithe deliberately allowed Kvothe to live after his encounter with the Cthaeh, because the Sithe are too dedicated to their charge to simply fail or be lured away — a reading reinforced by Bast's horror on learning Kvothe spoke with the Cthaeh at all. From there it argues the Cthaeh gave Kvothe no forbidden knowledge: it only strengthened things he already knew or was already inclined toward — that the Maer could help him find the Amyr, that he should go to the Stormwal, and that he loved Denna. Because the Cthaeh can see all branching futures and bites to steer victims toward catastrophe, its choice to merely nudge Kvothe along his existing path implies that path was already the most destructive available; Kvothe's own natural choices are enough to produce the worst outcome, which is why he is so strangely nonchalant when Bast lectures him about it. The main objection is that Bast plainly knows things about the Cthaeh that Kvothe does not, which strains the claim that the encounter told Kvothe nothing new.

Evidence§

  • Looking at Bast's reaction after he hears of Kvothe meeting the Cthaeh, we can understand how serious of a charge the Sithe have with preventing anyone from coming in contact with the Cthaeh. … you can bet your ass options 1 and 2 aren't the case. … Meaning they chose to let him live.
    OP argues the dedicated Sithe didn't slip up; they deliberately let Kvothe live. — u/bowiz2
  • The Cthaeh literally just strengthens things Kvothe already knows.** It doesn't give him forbidden knowledge, it doesn't give him a flower or any object that might help him. All the Cthaeh does is everything it can to keep Kvothe on the *path he's already on*.
    Core claim: the Cthaeh added nothing new, only reinforced Kvothe's existing path. — u/bowiz2
  • It confirms Kvothe's suspicion that the Maer can help him with finding the Amyr, it makes sure Kvothe goes to the Stormwal … and it makes him care even more about Denna (Kvothe already knows she's being beaten, this just pushes him further).
    Evidence: each Cthaeh nudge maps to something Kvothe already knew or intended. — u/bowiz2
  • If it barely needed to nudge Kvothe in the "right" direction, that means that what Kvothe would *naturally* do in the future is enough to create that outcome.
    Key inference: Kvothe's own natural choices already produce the worst outcome. — u/bowiz2
  • This also explains why Kvothe is so dismissive of the experience in the present day - he understands that it had no real influence over him or his decisions.
    Explains Kvothe's nonchalance as evidence the encounter changed nothing. — u/bowiz2
  • There is 4th option: not that i believe it. The Cthaeh set up events in the past that would guarantee that Kvothe arrived when the Sithe would be absent.
    CounterCounter: an alternative explanation for getting past the Sithe, not deliberate mercy. — u/twelphknight
  • There's a 4th option, which is that Kvothe didn't tell us the truth either about what the Cthaeh said to him or about his knowledge of it.
    CounterCounter: Kvothe may be lying, undercutting claims about what the Cthaeh said. — u/_jericho
  • So does the Cthaeh really see all possible futures or just some of them related with what it sees in Kvothe's mind?
    Refines theory by questioning the assumed scope of the Cthaeh's foresight. — u/Vardil

Book refs: WMF

Tier reasoning§

tier kept: interpretive but falsifiable, reasonable fit to the encounter

Contributors§

Source threads§