[OB] Dark One and Obrodai: A Cracktheory

[Nicrosil]

The Letters in Oathbringer have sparked a lot of discussion, namely on their authors. The general consensus is that the first is by Endownment, the third by Harmony, and either Autonomy or Ambition as the author of the second.

This theory is not about that, though.

This theory is about Obrodai. 

Quote

We also instruct that you should not return to Obrodai. We have claimed that world, and a new avatar of our being is beginning to manifest there. She is young yet, and--as a precaution--she has been instilled with an intense and overpowering dislike of you.

We know that Obrodai is a world, claimed by the author of the Second Letter. We know Hoid has been there, and has been instructed not to return. Most importantly, we know that a new avatar of the author is manifesting there, who's being taught to dislike Hoid.

Now, why would Brandon include this? Just a bit of fluff to give us a clue about the author? I don't think so. I think Obrodai is a planet we're going to see more of.

I think Obrodai is the setting of Dark One. 

For those that don't know, Dark One is a planned YA cosmere novel Brandon's teased in some State of the Sanderson's over the past few years. From what Brandon said, it's a reverse Hero's Journey, a story about the individual prophesied to destroy the world, rather than save it. Peter confirmed that Dark One is a "modern" cosmere story, like the other modern cosmere stories we've seen. "Modern cosmere" presumably means it's in the same era as Stormlight Archive, Wax and Wayne, and Warbreaker. I could be wrong though, and Peter could mean modern as in the modern Mistborn trilogy.

I will be the first to admit, this theory has a lot of problems and not a lot of proof. For example, the main character of Dark One has been described as male, while the new avatar is female. Brandon could have decided to change the main character's gender between writing that State of the Sanderson and writing Oathbringer. Plus, the magic system in Dark One has been described as electricity based, like Nikola Tesla style stuff; that doesn't easily fit what we know of Ambition or Autonomy. Plus, why would an avatar of those Shards be prophesied to destroy the world? The only real proof I have is that we know there's a young avatar of a Shard forming in the cosmere, and we have a story about a young person with a lot of power in the cosmere presumably waiting in the wings. Really, the only justification for this theory is "wouldn't it be neato...?"

Cause, I mean, wouldn't it be neato...?

 

EDIT: Wow look what I found! A relevant WoB! Obrodai being the setting of Dark One is a RAFO as of December 1st, partially because Dark One keeps popping in and out of the cosmere, so this theory is probably dead in the water!

Edited December 11, 2017 by Nicrosil