Wind and Truth may have completed a sequence of The Stormlight Archivebut there are still five books left and one of its main arcs has already been established. Wind and Truth The climactic finale sees the coalition defending their territory on multiple fronts, from Dalinar's champion contest with Odium to Adolin's defense of Azimir to Jasnah Kholin's debate with Taravangian. Jasnah is only a supporting character for most of the first five volumes, and her loss of Thaylenah is arguably her defining moment thus far.
Redemption is a common theme throughout Stormlight Archive character arcs. The arc of Dalinar Kholin from Blackthorn to leader of the reformed orders of the Knights Radiant is the most prominent redemption story Brandon Sanderson has told, but these ideas are common in the narratives of several characters, be it Szeth, Venli or even Shallan. Sanderson's books represent a hopeful message that any human being can overcome their past mistakes and build a better life for themselves.
Jasnah Kholin's failure in Wind And Truth will define her in Arc 2
Losing to Taravangian will motivate her in Arc 2
Jasnah Kholin is still alive at the end of Wind and Truthmeaning she will have plenty of time ahead of her to reflect on the defeat humanity suffered in True Desolation. Thaylenah was a valuable part of the coalition she personally championed in Oathand the fact that she was unable to protect him in Wind and Truth will remain with her forever, creating a new arc of redemption. Jasnah is portrayed as one of the smartest characters in the Cosmere, but the assassination of Taravangian's character importantly demonstrates that she has to grow up on her own.
What will hurt her most is that, in some ways, Taravangian wasn't wrong.
Jasnah's redemption arc won't be like Dalinar's, where she has to recover from a reputation for atrocities and villainy. Although Odium has pointed out some of his lowest moments, Jasnah was never as bad as Dalinar in his early days. In her case, the rescue will be more of an internal process. Like Shallan, Kaladin and other characters, Jasnah will likely spend the next few novels learning from these mistakes and defining what makes her a hero. What will hurt her most is that, in some ways, Taravangian wasn't wrong.
Jasnah Kholin is the last character in Stormlight Archive's POV flashback
Sanderson is preparing Jasnah for the finale
Although the fate of many of Brandon Sanderson's children Storm Archive the characters are far from clear, Jasnah Kholin is someone who will definitely be around for a while. Unless something drastically changes, Sanderson has already made it clear who her POV flashback characters will be in the next five books, and Jasnah Kholin is set for book 10. Given that Jasnah was introduced in The Way of Kings but it won't be the central focus until book 10, which will likely be released more than thirty years after its first appearance, looks like she's being saved for something special.
The fact that Brandon Sanderson pairs Jasnah with Wit indicates that there is something special about her. She is an incredibly intelligent character who is just beginning to discover her potential. If she failed in book 5 of the first sequel, then it would work out perfectly for her to understand her mistakes over time, work to improve, and resolve her plot in book 10 with a heroic feat worthy of notoriety throughout the Cosmere.
Why Jasnah's failure in Stormlight 5 is so important
This defeat will remain with Jasnah forever
Original cover of Wind and Truth by Michael Whelan
Failure is not the same for Jasnah Kholin as it might be for another character, especially a failure of this magnitude. Jasnah is an incredibly formidable figure who isn't exactly known for being humble. She is immensely proud of being as intelligent and strong-willed as she is, even willing to be excluded from her family as a heretic rather than conform. Jasnah Kholin's failure is devastating, especially in the form of an intellectual debate where his personal attributes became the reason for his loss.
Jasnah will not forget what happened at Thaylenah. She'll probably tear herself apart for a while, worrying about what she did. But it's a Brandon Sanderson story, and if Jasnah is one of Roshar's great heroes, then out of this concern will eventually come insight and improvement. Jasnah will find her way forward and will eventually grow stronger for the defeat she suffered in Wind and Truthhelping her to be an even more exciting final protagonist for The Stormlight Archive.