Search the Community

Just got a message that reads: You are the main character from the last book you read, who are you? Now I realized immediately that I would be someone from the cosmere but I had to think a bit to think of what the last book I read was, then I realized that it is of course secret history so I guess I'm a dead Kelsier. Still, made me appreciate all over again what an amazing book it is, a book about someone who's already dead and interacts with very few other people, it's mostly just Kelsier all alone. And yet Brandon somehow makes it one of the most interesting and engaging reads yet.

Okay, I don't intend to make a theory here (I promise!). I'll describe something that's been bugging me ever since we started learning more about the Surges from various post-WoK WoBs, and especially after WoR. After I do that, I'll let you guys give whatever explanation you can think of. Because I certainly don't know what to make of this. The first inkling of this problem of mine appeared when we learned that there is a form of Lightweaving on Roshar, and that it involved the Surge connecting Pulp and Blood. When I saw that, I felt troubled. "What's Blood got to do with Light?" I asked myself. This nagging feeling that something was wrong intensified when we finally got the Surge name: "Illumination". Illumination. Light. Shouldn't that be more of a Spark (which connotes "fire") and Lucentia (which is Latin for "visibility") thing? What's going on? Then I looked at the other Surges. There is Transformation, the Surge of Soulcasters, which was assigned to Blood and Tallow. Note the term: Soulcaster. Why then isn't it assigned to Spark, which is the Essence of the Soul? And Vapor is the Essence of smoke, the end product of certain significant transformations. So Transformation would have been the perfect Surge for Spark and Vapor, except it was given (randomly, it seemed to me) to Blood and Tallow. Next, there is Transportation. I don't know about you, but I think Blood, which transfers oxygen and nutrients to all the cells in the body, sounds like a perfect Essence for Transportation. I'm not quite sure of what a second appropriate Essence would be (Pulp might fit due to the capillary action that happens in plants), but that's beside the point that the Surge has weird connections. What's Foil (metal) got to do with Transportation?! Then the real weirdness starts. Doesn't Progression sound perfect for Pulp and Tallow (because, you know, fat makes things bigger)? Okay, that was sort of a joke. But speaking of Tallow, doesn't it remind you of Lift's "Slick" ability (because, you know, oil makes things slick)? But that ability is supposed to be from the Abrasion Surge, connected to Lucentia and Spark. It does not make sense! None of this makes sense! If the Essence does not fit, you must acquit! Um... sorry about that... Could anyone help me make sense of all this? Am I just seeing connections that don't really exist? Did Tanavast mess with the Surges when he arrived on Roshar? Or did some other Shard do the messing? Or is there some other more elegant explanation? The only Surge that I think sort of fits its current Essences is Cohesion and Adhesion. I don't even know what to think of Gravitation and Division! Heeelllppp... Edit: Other problems: Why does Talus have both Strong Axial Interconnection ("Cohesion") and Soft Axial Interconnection ("Tension")? And isn't the Tension Surge supposed to be based on surface tension, which is a property of liquids? Edit: Whoops, I accidentally wrote a four-part theory based on this. Sooorrryyy...

A few moments ago in the writing class, Sanderson just revealed that in order for Shallan to produce an illusion of something (presumably with the illumination surge) she must first draw a picture of it. When the video of the lecture is put up, we can get the exact quote, but I just though I'd let y'all know. Edit: realized the topic name was spoilery.