KKC Theory WikiSomething Terrible Happened to Sim, and Bast Is His Living Echo
Bast's uncanny resemblance to Sim in manner and devotion suggests Sim died, possibly by Kvothe's fault, and Kvothe keeps Bast close as a surrogate.
The theory§
Bast and Simmon share an uncommon cluster of traits: joyfulness, devotion to Kvothe, a love of poetry, a fondness for fine boots, and the habit of warning Kvothe three times before disaster. Rothfuss reserves such deliberate doubling for narrative groundwork, so the resemblance is read as intentional rather than coincidental, casting Bast as a living echo of Sim whom Kvothe keeps close out of grief. Kvothe's tenderness and unusual leniency toward Bast support this, as does the way Sim is remembered in the narration: almost sanctified, never spoken of badly, idealised in exactly the manner people reserve for the dead. The early authorial aside that the three drunken friends 'will never grow old or die' reads as bitter foreshadowing, and the recurring note that Sim cannot lie, paired with Kvothe's promise to one day teach him how, hints that a lie may be what gets him killed. Branching from the core claim, several lines of reasoning hold that Sim's death is Kvothe's fault and has estranged Wilem, with Kvothe's toast to 'friends who deserved better than what they got' and his sword's name, Poet-Killer, taken as confirmation.
Evidence§
It occurred to me that Bast and Sim are very similar. Not just in how they’re described physically, but in mannerism as well. Joyful, chasing and delighting in women, devoted to Kvothe. The poetry. The way they speak to Kvothe as well.
OP's core observation: Bast and Sim share physical and mannerism traits. — u/JCtheWanderingCrowIt clicked when I read about Sim telling Kvothe three times to stop. He and Bast have some incredibly identical mannerisms. … This kind of similarity only crops up when Rothfuss is laying the groundwork. He hasn’t had characters that are similar for no reason.
OP: the doubling is deliberate authorial groundwork, not coincidence. — u/JCtheWanderingCrowKvothe always seems a little… sad, for lack of a better term, when he interacts with Bast. He’s super lenient and almost doting to him. … I think Bast reminds him of Sim. … And I think it’s because something bad happened to Sim.
OP's conclusion: Kvothe's sad leniency to Bast points to something bad happening to Sim. — u/JCtheWanderingCrowNote how sim is never remembered badly. … In all other events Sim appears in he is remembered as a nearly perfect friend. How do we remember dead friends?
Refines theory: Sim is idealised in narration, as people remember the dead. — u/JustcallmeSoulThere is some similarities about boots, sim is excited about boots, asking people did they like his new boots, Bast also has fine pair as observed by nawarees
Adds evidence: shared fondness for fine boots links Bast and Sim. — u/Atomsmasher_kalKvothe often mentions sim can’t lie. And “one day I’m going to teach you how to lie”. I fear the lie is what causes his death.
Adds evidence: Sim can't lie, hinting a lie causes his death. — u/relishlifeOne of the names for Kvothe’s sword is poet killer. Kvothe’s toast is to friends who deserved better than what they got.
Adds evidence: Poet-Killer sword and the toast suggest Kvothe killed a friend. — u/WacDonaldMy theory is that Sim is dead, it's kvothe's fault and Will hates him now.
Refines theory: Sim's death is Kvothe's fault and estranged Wil. — u/roilenosThis theory depends on Bast, in some way shape or form, reminding Kvothe of Sim. … I'll never believe it, handful of parallels notwithstanding.
CounterCounter: the whole theory rests on an unproven premise the commenter rejects. — u/aerojockey
Book refs: NOTW, WMF
Tier reasoning§
tier downgraded: builds a speculative inference chain (parallels to Sim dead to Kvothe's fault to surrogate) on circumstantial evidence
Contributors§
- u/JustcallmeSoul — extended · 306 pts
- u/SilasRhodes — clarified · 60 pts
- u/roilenos — extended · 52 pts
- u/greyest — corroborated · 45 pts