KKC Theory Wiki

Kvothe Becomes King, Making 'Kingkiller' a Description of His Own End

fringe identity · popularity 217 · 1 source thread

Rothfuss's wordplay may hide that Kvothe himself becomes king, so 'Kingkiller' names his own death or abdication.

About: Kvothe

Also involves: Laurian, Meluan Lackless, Ambrose Jakis, The Lackless Box

The theory§

The theory reads the title 'The Kingkiller Chronicle' as a piece of Rothfuss's habitual wordplay concealing that Kvothe himself becomes king, so that the killing the title names is his own death, abdication, or destruction of the man he was. His Lackless bloodline, the family of his mother Laurian and her sister Meluan Lackless, places him plausibly within a line of royal succession, and his legendary deeds could move others to crown him. The penitent, broken figure of the frame story would suit a king who caused a war and then erased himself, and his pointed refusal to drink a toast to the king in the Waystone is taken as a tell, since a king would not toast himself. The chief rival reading holds that Ambrose Jakis becomes king and Kvothe kills him, and a synthesis is possible in which Kvothe kills a king, briefly becomes king, then abdicates and fakes his own death.

Evidence§

  • Knowing Rothfuss’ love of lingual gymnastics - it’s possible, just possible, that Kvothe himself becomes King. And we know he is a killer several times over. Sort of thing Rothfuss would do, hiding a major plot line in plain sight…
    OP's core claim: title wordplay hides that Kvothe becomes king. — u/faearoundtheedges
  • After all, Kvothe as a Lackless would be in the royal lineage. He has legendary status. If he were King, he’d be in a pretty strong position to start a war. And in the frame he does seem quite penitent…
    OP supports with Lackless lineage, fame, war motive, and penitent frame. — u/faearoundtheedges
  • Kvothe wouldn't drink to the King when the smith's apprentice was leaving to take the kings coin and suggested the toast.
    Refusing the king's toast read as a tell he is himself king. — u/BatHippy
  • in portuguese, the title does translate to "the killer of the king". But idk, might just be a mistake lol
    CounterTranslation evidence cuts against the wordplay; reads as king-killer not killer-king. — u/MorcegoGnomico
  • Kvothe is likely in the line of succession, but would anyone really make him king?—but it’s a cool idea.
    CounterCounter: doubts anyone would actually crown Kvothe. — u/bookwyrm713
  • I've always thought that Ambrose becomes king, and Kvothe ends up snuffing him.
    CounterRival reading: Ambrose becomes king and Kvothe kills him. — u/Baphoshal
  • Maybe as he kills a king he also becomes the king technically but still needs to go into hiding. Probably raked his own death then too
    Synthesis: Kvothe kills a king, becomes king, hides, fakes his death. — u/h-bugg96
  • He’s both, I bet. Kills the king, becomes king, abdicates and Ambrose is presently at war with the Maer over rights to the throne
    Synthesis: Kvothe kills king, becomes king, then abdicates. — u/roseinapuddle

Book refs: NOTW, WMF

Tier reasoning§

fringe correct: speculative title wordplay with rival readings

Contributors§

Source threads§