KKC Theory Wiki

Elodin Lost His Mind Trying to Open the Four-Plate Door

plausible mechanism · popularity 134 · 1 source thread

Elodin cracked attempting the four-plate door with the name of stone, foreshadowing a fatal Fela attempt in book three.

About: Elodin, The Four-Plate Door

Also involves: Fela, Kvothe, Simmon, The Archives, Naming, The Arcanum, Alder Whin

The theory§

This theory proposes that Elodin lost his sanity during his time as Chancellor by attempting to open the four-plate door in the Archives using the name of stone, succeeding enough to trigger some consequence but not to pass, and dragging his giller Alder Whin into the same break. The case rests on a literal reading of Elodin's remark that standing before the door 'almost killed me', set against the established fact that his breakdown coincided with his chancellorship. It predicts Kvothe and Fela, whose acquaintance begins at the four-plate door, will make the same attempt in book three, with the cost falling on Fela rather than on Simmon, earning Sim's lasting blame and accounting for Kvothe's hinted great betrayal. The reading aligns with Elodin's teaching that locked doors are locked for a reason, though it is complicated by Kvothe's own account of being 'caught red-handed and forced to leave', which suggests expulsion over a framed offence rather than a death.

Evidence§

  • The most information we're explicitly given about how Elodin lost his mind is that it happened while he was chancellor, no one speaks on it and he was put in the crockery as a result, but he broke out.
    OP's starting fact: Elodin's breakdown coincided with his chancellorship. — u/Benomusical
  • My best guess is that it has to do with the four-plate door. After Kvothe is promoted to Re'lar he asks Elodin if he could tell him what's behind it, and Elodin says, "I can still remember what it was like, standing down there looking at the door, wondering. Merciful Tehlu it almost killed me."
    Core claim: Elodin's 'almost killed me' line ties his break to the four-plate door. — u/Benomusical
  • I think Elodin means it literally almost killed him trying to get past the four-plate door. He probably tried to use the name of stone and was successful enough to cause something to happen but not really get past it. I suspect he had his giller Alder Whin with him, which is why he lost his mind too.
    Mechanism: Elodin used the name of stone, partly succeeded, and broke Alder Whin too. — u/Benomusical
  • My suspicion is that Fela and Kvothe will attempt a similar thing in book three. Kvothe meets her by the Four-Plate door when he sneaks into the archives. … I think in book 3, Kvothe will rope her into trying to open it with the name of stone, and Fela will experience something similar to what Elodin/Alder Whin did.
    Prediction: Kvothe and Fela repeat the attempt, with Fela paying the cost. — u/Benomusical
  • A lot of people have theorized that Sim will die given how Kvothe talks about him … I think instead Sim will blame Kvothe and be unable to forgive him. Kvothe mentions at one point that once you were in Sims bad books you were stuck there.
    Consequence: Sim won't die but will never forgive Kvothe over it. — u/Benomusical
  • Elodin remarks that doors are locked for a reason. A Stone door makes more sense as a wall meant to be sealed rather than a doorway meant to be opened. At her core Fela knows this to be true and will side with the Amyr because of it.
    Refines: the door is a wall meant to stay sealed; Fela's death may be the great Betrayal. — u/ManofManyHills
  • My honest opinion is that the four plate door won't play a big role in the series. … It's a red herring.
    CounterCounter: the door is a red herring, not central to the plot. — u/TheLastSock
  • If he was forced to leave the university because he got someone killed, I feel like his line at the end of WMF would read differently. … "When the time came, I was caught red-handed and forced to leave the university". … If Fela died because of him, he'd be accused of manslaughter and noisily expelled or even criminally trialled.
    CounterCounter: Kvothe's 'caught red-handed' line implies framing/expulsion, not a death. — u/ShanonymousRex

Book refs: NOTW, WMF, NOTW ch 44

Tier reasoning§

Elodin's 'almost killed me' line gives reasonable support; plausible confirmed

Contributors§

Source threads§