[Hume]

Whiskeyjack me thinks.

though Dujek is possible.

[Trotts]

its often mentioned that, at least in the 2nd army, people wanted whiskeyjack to be emperor. at one point someone mentions that dujek was being groomed ot be heir, but someone else is all like, pffft kells gonna live forever and never give up the throne

[Tiste Simeon]

I always believed it was Apsalar...

[werewolfv2]

had it in my head it was Whiskeyjack.

[Tiste Simeon]

I guess I don't have any evidence for it, but if you think about it, it makes sense... She was young, vulnerable and a deadly killer. Thus, they could shape her how they wanted her... And have someone who is a confident decision maker (ie killers confidence) who trusts them, for they were the ones helping her, even after she tried to kill them...

[Set'alahd Crool]

@Tiste
But Kal and Fid clearly never fully trusted that she was free of cotillion's influence.

I think WJ.

[Folken]

There are two possible answers.
A) The one we get in GotM where Dujek is pitched as the heir. Again only speculation on the part of the soldiers
The one pitched in MoI & HoC (& I believe GotM, if someone could verify) where WJ is pitched as the rightful successor to the Throne. He choose not to cause more unrest than there already was after Laseen took the Throne in the chaotic way she did. The HoC one is where, iirc, the renegade Fist is thinking to himself that he would have gladly followed WJ and that he betrayed them all by stepping aside

My opinion it has to be WJ, since Kalam is the one thinking on it.

2nd Simeon where do you even GET Apsalar from? Why would Kalam sit a teenager, which he barely knew, onto the Throne?

[Trotts]

i think the idea is that apsalar was originally possessed in order to murder laseen, and the speculation is that after the assassination apsalar would take the throne

[werewolfv2]

Trotts said:

i think the idea is that apsalar was originally possessed in order to murder laseen, and the speculation is that after the assassination apsalar would take the throne

but I dont think that would fit in with Kalam and QB having an idea on whom the throne should fall to.

[Folken]

guys seriously pointless discussion.
There is only one person that Kalam and Quick would ahve in mind and that would be WJ.
The theory with Sorry/Apsalar has no leverage because that MIGHT have been the plan of Kel and Dancer. But certainly not that of Kalam and Quick Ben. Kill the empress and BB's, meaning WJ, gain control of the Empire simple as that

[garden_rake]

Jen said:

guys seriously pointless discussion.
There is only one person that Kalam and Quick would ahve in mind and that would be WJ.
The theory with Sorry/Apsalar has no leverage because that MIGHT have been the plan of Kel and Dancer. But certainly not that of Kalam and Quick Ben. Kill the empress and BB's, meaning WJ, gain control of the Empire simple as that

thats pretty much what i thought

but....... would WJ have gone along with it? all the evidence we have would seem to suggest not - so why would kalam, in particular, bother?

[Folken]

It's not about WJ going along with the plan, once Laseen is killed WJ, for the good of the empire and its people, would have had no choice BUT to take the throne. Remember WJ had no idea what Kalam was planning.
But I have a feeling that Quick had sent Kalam on a fools errand. Killing Laseen would have destabalized the entire empire even more than it already was and no one wants that. There was a reason why WJ didn't just kill Laseen and take the throne all those years ago.

[Trotts]

information from moi

Spoiler

in moi whiskeyjack and dujek have a long conversation about the stability of the empire, and at one point its mentioned that kalam was allowed to go on his mission because he needed "to be convinced in person"

@jen'isand (below) not a spoiler, but then its info from moi and this is the dg forum so im just being safe. (using edit instead of a new post to avoid spammage)

[Folken]

There we go, as I said a fool's errand. And not really a spoiler trotts. So WJ did know about it then...well I suppose he could've guessed himself lol. Foolish of me to think him that stupid.

[Tiste Simeon]

Ah... good point Trotts... If WJ knew about it, and he wanted Kalam to go along to make sure he would be convinced the only way - Whiskeyjack protesting wouldn't have made the slightest difference on what Kalam did, methinks.

[Tremolo]

There is always the thought that the highly regarded Dassem Ultor, First Sword, would have been the choice emperor to succeed Kellanved but since he is dead noone really springs to mind.
Perhaps instead some puppet emperor of noble blood that can be easily controlled by a former claw, a cunning wizard and a bunch of grizzly veterans? (well who wouldnt be easily controlled by them )
Comming to think of it, K'azz may be the only malazan noble left after the purges...are we looking at one giant plot to reinstate K'azz as an honourary member of the malazan elite and possibly making him an emperor? Wheels within wheels...or was it eels within eels?