KKC Theory Wiki

The 'Kingkiller' Moniker Foreshadows Kvothe Committing Regicide

well-supported prophecy · popularity 87 · 1 source thread

Kvothe's epithet 'Kvothe the Kingkiller' foreshadows that he will literally kill a king at some point in his story.

About: Kvothe

Also involves: Chronicler

The theory§

This theory observes that in the sixth chapter of The Name of the Wind, Chronicler recites 'Kvothe the Kingkiller' among the legends attached to him, yet across two full books no king is ever shown to die by his hand. The series title itself, The Kingkiller Chronicle, makes the same promise. The reasoning is straightforward foreshadowing: an epithet planted this prominently and left unpaid points to a regicide still to come in Kvothe's story. The flippant alternative, that he earned the name killing monarch butterflies, is dismissed. Adjacent readings note that the act could come within an as-yet-unwritten chronicle of the killing, that the Maer Alveron is described as a king in all but title, or that the moniker may itself be partly Kvothe's own embellishment, since Chronicler never independently confirms any king's death.

Evidence§

  • in the 6th chapter of NotW Chronicler mentions one of the Kvothe's monikers - "Kvothe the Kingkiller".
    OP's starting observation: the epithet is established early in the text. — u/P_Nh
  • Despite this moniker never surfacing again in 2 books, I highly suspect that it's foreshadowing his involvement in regicide at some point.
    OP's core claim: an unpaid epithet foreshadows a future regicide. — u/P_Nh
  • Alternative explanation: he might have earned such a name through killing a lot of monarch butterflies, but I highly doubt that.
    OP pre-empts and dismisses the flippant non-regicide reading. — u/P_Nh
  • There could be a Chronicle about his kingkilling.
    Refines: the killing may occur in an as-yet-unwritten chronicle. — u/FlightAndFlame
  • It could be alluding to his part in getting Maer Alveron a bride (Maer Alveron is described every bit a king without the crown and title)
    Refines target: the 'king' may be Maer Alveron, a king in all but title. — u/Acidholo666
  • Or he overthrows the monarchy
    Alternative mechanism: regicide via overthrowing rather than personal killing. — u/pjscott90
  • What is interesting is Chronicler never in anyway alludes to Kvothe having killed anyone. Seems a huge thing to skim over. I think its more of Kvothe overemphasising some event.
    CounterCounter: Chronicler never confirms a death; moniker may be Kvothe's embellishment. — u/tynkerd
  • The whole thing about him killing a king may be a hoax made up by evil chandrian.
    CounterCounter: the kingkiller claim may be a fabrication, not real regicide. — u/P_Nh

Book refs: NOTW ch 6

Tier reasoning§

tier upgraded: the series title and frame both name Kvothe as a kingkiller, strong textual support

Source threads§