[Acorn]

I was searching my Kindle version for reference to an answer for another thread, and I came across something that I have yet to see come to life... Unless I'm an idiot.

This, as the description said, may involve information from the other books to answer me. I have read all the series up to The Crippled God, and only that because I wanted to go through the series a third time before I get to it, and I haven't been able to spend much time on it (I have a 3 month old baby I try to spend all my free time with).

Anyhow. It says:

'It is you! Delat! You shape-shifting-bastard!' (Shadowthrone)

This is a quote from GotM, a little beyond half-way through the book, at the end of the sequence where Quick Ben out-smarts Shadowthrone.

Now, if you have information on the SHAPE-shifting part, I'd like to know it... I know about the "creation" of Quick Ben, and how he became the wizard that he is, in the sense that was explained in MOI (the Whiskeyjack/Rake Conversation, may have been in a different book, I'm bad at that, they all seem to string together in my head.)

So I know it's not about the Soul-shifting. Which is obviously a totally different thing than Shape-shifting.

So what does ST mean? Is Quick a Soletaken of some sort? or has he found some way to manipulate Warrens to change his appearance? Or can he use his magic to completely change his shape?

It's left unclear for a long long time in the book series, IF it's ever cleared up at all... I don't remember it being shown that he can change forms.

Anybody know? I mean, I may have missed it somewhere, two or three times.. But I can't say for sure.

[worry]

I believe he started out in the shape of a single diploid cell, and over time (like years and years, not just minutes or even days) he shifted shape into a larger, hardier human adult.

[Salt-Man Z]

I've always assumed ST was speaking metaphorically.

That said, people have noted other signs of possiblye Soletaken-ness with QB, like the occasional scent of spice, and there was one thread where people were noting a possible pattern to him touching his face. I dunno, I'll go with the metaphor until it's made more explicit later.

[Acorn]

worrywort, on 23 July 2012 - 12:10 AM, said:

I believe he started out in the shape of a single diploid cell, and over time (like years and years, not just minutes or even days) he shifted shape into a larger, hardier human adult.

I was pretty certain Ben just popped out full grown and full of power. With a grin on his face, a scheme in his head and a tremble from the entire Pantheon.

[worry]

That's how Bellurdan was born, pity his mother.

[Acorn]

I just saw in Bonehunters:

Spoiler

Quick Ben telling Tayschrenn that he was "Kribalah Rule" (Rule the Rude)... That he "more than held my own - pulling you [Tayschrenn] out of trouble once"... Which implies that Tayschrenn didn't recognize Quick Ben - Thus making it seem that Quick Ben can change his form to some degree.

[Kanese S's]

Salt-Man Z, on 23 July 2012 - 03:07 AM, said:

I've always assumed ST was speaking metaphorically.

That said, people have noted other signs of possiblye Soletaken-ness with QB, like the occasional scent of spice, and there was one thread where people were noting a possible pattern to him touching his face. I dunno, I'll go with the metaphor until it's made more explicit later.

He touches his face because it interests him that in human form he doesn't have a bill there, due to him being a soletaken platypus.

[Nod the Wiser]

I wondered about that too ...

[LinearPhilosopher]

Kanese S, on 26 July 2012 - 06:11 AM, said:

Salt-Man Z, on 23 July 2012 - 03:07 AM, said:

I've always assumed ST was speaking metaphorically.

That said, people have noted other signs of possiblye Soletaken-ness with QB, like the occasional scent of spice, and there was one thread where people were noting a possible pattern to him touching his face. I dunno, I'll go with the metaphor until it's made more explicit later.

He touches his face because it interests him that in human form he doesn't have a bill there, due to him being a soletaken platypus.

I take it they don't have detective hats in malaz?

[Ruthan Good]

This is somewhat spolery, so...

Spoiler

Wasn't it strongly implied in one of the later books (TCG in fact) that one of the Quick's souls was a soletaken? Furthermore, wasn't it also implied that Quick's plan was to collect all these souls so he could be badass?

...this is probably one of the rare pieces of modern fiction where plot points are all either strongly implied, somewhat implied, or characters just lie....

[Mekeritrig]

On the subject of Kribalah Rule, I've always wondered how it is that Kellanved didn't recognize him as the Shadow high priest he has a grudge against.

[Tiste Simeon]

The name Ben Adaephon Delat seemed to mean something to Ruthan Gudd (the other "Who the dickens IS he??" character) and it was the last name Delat that really struck him. Now, based on Shadowthrones exclamation of "Delat!" in GOTM, I posit that QB was someone pretty darn special even before the 12 souls shenanigans. However, he is a master of staying low, so it is entirely possible that he has been masquerading as others throughout time. I also think that the 12 souls were just a ploy to power up.

I know that doesn't add much, but it made me wonder about who the original QB was, before the 12 souls. I mean, yeah, we know about his sister etc. but who's to say that him as a child wasn't another version of him being sneaky and staying low for a bit?

[Luperci]

Tisteon Simeonus, on 14 April 2014 - 05:27 PM, said:

The name Ben Adaephon Delat seemed to mean something to Ruthan Gudd (the other "Who the dickens IS he??" character) and it was the last name Delat that really struck him. Now, based on Shadowthrones exclamation of "Delat!" in GOTM, I posit that QB was someone pretty darn special even before the 12 souls shenanigans. However, he is a master of staying low, so it is entirely possible that he has been masquerading as others throughout time. I also think that the 12 souls were just a ploy to power up.

I know that doesn't add much, but it made me wonder about who the original QB was, before the 12 souls. I mean, yeah, we know about his sister etc. but who's to say that him as a child wasn't another version of him being sneaky and staying low for a bit?

I recall a different thread where in an interview with SE someone asked a question about QB and Steve we might get to see him in Forge of Darkness but prob wouldn't recognize him. Lets also not forget the conversation he has with himself at the end of either TCG or DOD where he talks to Mother Dark while riding the horse shade he conjured out of the building. Also the fact that none of his teammates from the Bridgeburners trusted him unless it was a matter of life and death, always keeping their distance when needed. QB is one of the most mysterious people in the series and I hope one at least well get some answers.