My current theory on Adonalsium

[Potus]

Hey all, it's your President.

So I came to believe in this theory after listening to Cosmere podcasts and reading WOB's. I most likely fused facts and opinions from them to make it, but once I did I feel like it makes sense. There is a lot of discussion on why Adonalsium was shattered, and we won't be able to know for quite a while. Some others want to know what Hoid's role in the shattering was (and what he's doing now obviously). Anyways on to the theory, sorry for rambling off the telepromtper.

We know that Harmony has a difficult time taking action in the world of Scadrial and most likely the Cosmere as a whole. We know that this due him holding both Preservation and Ruin, polar opposite shards which has a negating effect on his ability to act. Now for Adonalsium, before the shattering it is assumed that whoever he/she/they were held all the shards/powers of creation as a single entity. Now I think that holding all the various Intents as a single being most likely had a similar effect on the holder as we observe in Harmony. In my opinion, Adonalsium did not have the will or the ability to act outside of the initial creation of the universe (if it was responsible for that). And it is in my opinion that Hoid was most likely close to the Vessel of Adonalsium and could not stand to see his friend suffer a life as a vegetable essentially. So maybe that is what caused the need or desire to shatter Adonalsium, to end the suffering of his friend. And maybe now after many centuries/millennia, Hoid has figured something out about Shardic powers and could be trying to revive his long lost friend but have them no longer be a vegetable. Sorry if this doesn't make sense, I'm not the best at typing things up.

[RShara]

The way I see it, Adonalsium was a complete personality. So he didn't have just a few (or 16) intents driving him, but a full mind, with all the nuances and context that it entails. We know that Ado created all sorts of crazy weird stuff beyond just the Cosmere, like...all of native-Rosharan life and who knows what else. I don't think he would have the handicaps that the current Vessels experience from having just one facet of a personality.

[+Extesian]

I agree with Shara but it does link into my idea that the Shattering involved 'injecting' something into adonalsium that broke it in half, with power continuing to be injected until it broke in half again, and again, and again, leaving 16 components. Basically like fission. Never have been able to propose each division to come up with the shards we know. 

[Fatikis]

I actually considered this idea that Adonalsium was bound by shardic intent. It is an interesting concept. A being torn between so many conflicting intents that they are unable to take any action. If we encounter a bearer with 3 shards we could know for certain.

The main problem with this theory is that it implies these intents always existed. We've been told that adonalsium could have theoretically shattered in different ways. To me this implies that distinct intents did not exist pre-Adonalsium. You also run into the issue of how Adonalsium ever would have wielded the power. Perhaps he could have done so in the time before the shardic intents took over. If this is the case where was the power concentrated prior to Adonalsium?

There is also a problem with your idea is that Hoid is somehow his friend here. How could this being interact with anyone? Even communication would likely be beyond its ability. Unless you are suggesting Hoid just makes friends with vegetables. He does enjoy talking. 

Edited August 14, 2018 by Fatikis

[Calderis]

I'm with R. 

Adonalsium, in my opinion is the source of the intents. They were created by literally ripping the mind apart with the power killing the entity itself, but imprinting pieces of it on the parts. 

If it were paralyzed by the conflicting intents I don't think anything could have happened pre-shattering involving it, and on a scale of creation we know things did... But there also had to be reasons for the Vessels to have sought its death. Not all of them were driven by greed for power. 

[Fanghur Rahl]

11 hours ago, Potus said:

Hey all, it's your President.

So I came to believe in this theory after listening to Cosmere podcasts and reading WOB's. I most likely fused facts and opinions from them to make it, but once I did I feel like it makes sense. There is a lot of discussion on why Adonalsium was shattered, and we won't be able to know for quite a while. Some others want to know what Hoid's role in the shattering was (and what he's doing now obviously). Anyways on to the theory, sorry for rambling off the telepromtper.

We know that Harmony has a difficult time taking action in the world of Scadrial and most likely the Cosmere as a whole. We know that this due him holding both Preservation and Ruin, polar opposite shards which has a negating effect on his ability to act. Now for Adonalsium, before the shattering it is assumed that whoever he/she/they were held all the shards/powers of creation as a single entity. Now I think that holding all the various Intents as a single being most likely had a similar effect on the holder as we observe in Harmony. In my opinion, Adonalsium did not have the will or the ability to act outside of the initial creation of the universe (if it was responsible for that). And it is in my opinion that Hoid was most likely close to the Vessel of Adonalsium and could not stand to see his friend suffer a life as a vegetable essentially. So maybe that is what caused the need or desire to shatter Adonalsium, to end the suffering of his friend. And maybe now after many centuries/millennia, Hoid has figured something out about Shardic powers and could be trying to revive his long lost friend but have them no longer be a vegetable. Sorry if this doesn't make sense, I'm not the best at typing things up.

The problem with that line of thinking is that if true it would have a similar effect on you and me; we all contain all 16 of the Shards’ intents as part of us as well, and for the most part we aren’t paralyzed with indecision. The problem with Harmony is that it consists solely of two intents that are both equal and in direct opposition to each other. Adonalsium would not have had this problem, at least not to the same extent.