KKC Theory Wiki

The Woman Kvothe Promises to Speak Of Is Devi, Not Denna

fringe identity · popularity 271 · 1 source thread

Kvothe's Chapter 49 vow to tell 'how he met her' may point to Devi, since he had already met Denna before reaching Imre.

About: Devi, Denna

Also involves: Kvothe, Imre, The Eolian

The theory§

This theory contends that when Kvothe announces he will 'speak of how I met her,' framing the telling around the events that carried him across the river into Imre, the woman cannot be Denna, since he had already met Denna in Roent's caravan well before reaching Imre. Devi, who appears only after Kvothe arrives in Imre and who has shown an interest in him, is offered as the more consistent referent. The reading is heavily contested. A few chapters later Kvothe says of his unfinished story, 'she's waiting in the wings at the Eolian,' and his description of first hearing her voice twinning with his own during a song points squarely back to Denna. The strawberry motif at the Waystone, where a bottle shatters and the smell of strawberries fills the air at the mention of 'her,' is also tied to Denna. The structural counter is that this is a tragedy: were Devi or Auri at its centre, there would be no kingkilling, whereas Denna is the figure built to sit at the heart of a spiral of misunderstanding and ruin.

Evidence§

  • So in the name of slow care, I will speak of how I met her. And to do that, I must speak of the events that brought me, quite unwillingly, across the river and into Imre.
    OP's anchor: the telling frames meeting 'her' around the crossing into Imre. — u/Awitlessbastard
  • Now this may seem odd as a majority of the fan base may think it’s Denna. But he’s already met Denna, in Roents caravan. So this leads me to believe that it’s Devi.
    Core argument: Denna was met before Imre, so 'her' must be someone met after. — u/Awitlessbastard
  • now that Kvothe has money and doesn’t have to rely on her for that they may begin to court. She has made sexual advances on him before so it’s a possibility.
    OP supports plausibility: Devi has shown romantic interest in Kvothe. — u/Awitlessbastard
  • Devi has the possibility of being there the stage is set after all. But just because the stage is set doesn't mean the show could not have been stolen by a foolish child's fancy.
    Commenter refines: Devi could be 'in the wings' too, the obvious choice misdirecting. — u/vaxlith
  • A few chapters later Kvothe says "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten what I'm working towards, she's waiting in the wings at the Eolian" or something pretty close to that.
    CounterCounter: later line points to the woman waiting at the Eolian, i.e. Denna. — u/Clydas
  • *"In some ways, it began when I heard her singing. Her voice twinning, mixing with my own. Her voice was like a portrait of her soul: wild as a fire, sharp as shattered glass, sweet and clean as clover."* It’s Denna.
    CounterCounter: first hearing her sing and voices twinning points to Denna. — u/LNinefingers
  • the hints of Strawberry smelling wine point to Denna rather than the Strawberry-blond Devi. … The smell of strawberries filled the air alongside the sound of splintering glass. … She smelled of strawberry, and her lips were a dangerous red even in the moonlight.
    CounterCounter: strawberry motif at the Waystone ties 'her' to Denna, not Devi. — u/Sandal-Hat
  • But Denna, she is the girl to be at the center of a tragedy, of a spiralling of bad decisions and misunderstanding and quite foreseeable consequences.
    CounterStructural counter: only Denna fits the tragedy and kingkilling at the story's heart. — u/hic_erro

Book refs: NOTW

Tier reasoning§

tier fringe confirmed: contradicted by Eolian/strawberry counter-evidence, all top contributors countered

Contributors§

Source threads§