What motivates Highprince Dalinar in the War of Reckoning?

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Dalinar’s Motivations

1. Duty and Honor — Dalinar feels bound by a moral code to act as more than a warmonger. He tries to lead by example, reforming how the Alethi warcamps operate and insisting on honor in combat and leadership. He’s driven to be a unifier rather than just another highprince seeking glory or wealth.

2. King Gavilar’s Legacy — After Gavilar’s assassination, Dalinar is haunted by his brother’s intentions and the unresolved purpose behind his actions. He sees himself as forced to pick up where Gavilar left off — challenging the status quo and seeking unity among the highprinces.

3. Unification of the Highprinces — A big part of Dalinar’s role in the war is his fight to bring together the fractious, competitive highprince houses into coordinated action. He tries new strategies (like pairing highprinces for gemheart runs) to force cooperation and reduce infighting.

4. Preparation for Greater Threat — Dalinar isn’t just focused on winning the War of Reckoning — he has visions, warnings, and prophecies about the return of the Voidbringers and something called the Everstorm. Much of what he does (often against popular opinion) is with that looming disaster in mind.

5. Self-Redemption and Identity — Dalinar wrestles with how others see him (the Blackthorn, a fierce warrior) versus who he wants to be: someone who leads with wisdom and restraint. His personal growth — learning from his past, trying to slip the trappings of violence — powers many of his more unorthodox decisions.

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Dalinar’s motivations are multi-layered: the war is only one front of his struggles. He’s balancing politics, prophecy, personal demons, and a real desire to reshape Alethkar into something better. If you want a deep dive into how these motivations evolve scene by scene, I can walk you through them.