Kingkiller Chronicle Theory: Tehlu, Ecanis, and the Mender Heresies

Clip from Episode 7 of our Name of the Wind reread
Full episode here: • Episode 7: Name of the...

[@JT-xg4di]

Discovered this channel recently and really enjoying it. Seems criminally undersubbed

[@kingkillerpodcast8559]

Thanks!

[@Faux.Player]

45:00 I think the true enemy of the story is the Cthaeh/Encanis. He is the driving force in so much death. Prior to being trapped in the tree, he could lie, thus being able to trick anyone into doing the most despicable things. He started the creation war, created the 7, and put Kvothe on the path to disaster.

[@alchemistkwhitz4946]

When I see KKC Podcast, I click fast 👌

[@kingkillerpodcast8559]

Thanks!

[@l9fingers368]

I am sure as I can be that Encanis is the Cthaeh, or the other way around if you prefer. As you pointed out, the language, the phrasing (biting and breaking), but also Tehlu and the iron wheel. Tehlu pinning him to the wheel is analogous to the Cthaeh being trapped in the tree. The tree is almost certainly roah wood. Probably has a high iron content, (remember how hard it was to burn for the blacksmith who made the mounting board for Folly.) The Cthaeh at one point says, "do not try to PIN me with small names boy." It's a small thing, but the word PIN stuck out to me, really the only other times in the book PIN is used is the description of Tehlu pinning him to the wheel. One interesting thing I thought of is, what if Tehlu is trapped in the tree with the Cthaeh, and that is why he cannot lie? In the story, Tehlu stays pinned with the wheel to keep Encanis on it. Maybe they fused together in the fire somehow.

[@kingkillerpodcast8559]

It’s certainly an aspect of Encanis. He also as attributes that align with most of the Chandrian, so my best guess is it’s an amalgamation. Similar to how the story has aspects that align with the Creation War while having a setting well after it with Angels already existing.

[@Faux.Player]

25:00 it seems like trapis is telling the story from the church that is currently in power. It is where Teluh came down and started the church while chasing demons.

[@kingkillerpodcast8559]

No, the Tehlins don’t believe Perial is the virgin mother of Tehlu. Trapis is a Mender. Rothfuss has confirmed that. The Mender and the Tehlins both believe Tehlu is God, but the Tehlins believe the story of Menda is heresy. That’s where the term Mender heresies comes from.

[@Faux.Player]

Is the Cthaeh really Encanis? Only minor spoilers of the middle of the beginning-ish of the first book. The similarities between the two are pretty clear. In the story, Menda, who is the son of Tehlu, ties Encanis (a powerful demon who wants to destroy the world) to a tree where he can't lie without feeling pain and making a loud noise. We know that the Cthaeh only tells the truth, but it does so to cause pain or destruction. What if the iron wheel is actually the tree where the Cthaeh is trapped? In the story of the Creation War, before the Cthaeh was trapped in the tree and presumably could lie to his hearts content, Iax talked to the Cthaeh, which started the war that nearly destroyed civilization. Then the Cthaeh talked to Lanre, who became Haliax and destroyed almost all of the remaining cities. This might be why Lanre said Lyra’s death was his fault, but it was actually because of deceit and treachery. This probably came from the lying Cthaeh. This caused some of the Ruach, including Tehlu, to become invisible angels. After some time, Tehlu stepped in to help humans becoming the human Menda, eventually trapping Encanis in an Iron prison where he can not lie. What if the wood of the tree is so strong because it’s the iron wheel mixed with Menda's god-like power? What do you think about this idea? ---

[@kingkillerpodcast8559]

I think that’s good speculation. We discuss in the clip a lot of what you suggest, as I think Encanis is an amalgamation of The Cthaeh and the Chandrian. Hadn’t considered that the wheel is representative of the tree being made of iron, or something along those lines, but I could see that being true.

[@Faux.Player]

@@kingkillerpodcast8559 In scarpies story he describes encanuse as a demon with a voice like a knife to poison the minds of men. When Encanis first starts speaking on the wheel, this is the first time he has been forced to tell the truth. Encanis said “lord Teluh I’m not Encanis” his voice was pitiful and everyone felt sorry for him. Then the wheel rung out causing him pain. Then Teluh says try no tricks and tell no lies. Maybe the tree prevents the Cthaeh from using this emotion causing energy and he cannot lie. I imagine that he used to act this way, using his power to cause emotions and saying whatever he wanted to cause the most damage.

[@Faux.Player]

@@kingkillerpodcast8559 Also the Cthaeh was not seen by Kvothe even though he tried to look at it. So that description of a face shrouded in shadow isn’t necessarily just Halix. It is also mentioned that Lanre spoke to the Cthaeh prior to betraying the cities. So not sure if that fits. I am not sure what the Cthaeh is but I assume it is one of the Fae created by the Shapers, maybe even created by Iax himself as he supposedly spoke to the Cthaeh prior to stealing the moon.

[@JT-xg4di]

What are the odds that Kvothe travels back in time to fix things, and basically seeds all the stories about Taborlin the Great? The parallels between them are ridiculously strong.

[@kingkillerpodcast8559]

I suppose it’s possible, but since we’re in the present during the frame story and the world has gone to shit, and while we have those stories of Taborlin, it’d mean his time travel mission failed. Or at least only improved matters to a point where it’s still messed up in the frame.

[@JT-xg4di]

@@kingkillerpodcast8559 I'm thinking like, he catches the story up to present, Bast and chronicler inspire him to fix the problem but he's powerless as Kote, and Kvothe is cursed, so he takes on the name of his hero to curb stomp some bad guys across time and space. I dunno, just a random thought. I'm kinda stuck on trying to understand why there are so many parallels between him and Taborlin, like cloak and key and other goodies