rywall182

That quote doesn’t indicate anything other than it was a good thing she died- just as it would also be a good thing if Odium died. It does not at all imply Ambitions death would be better than Odium’s. Further, you’re creating a false dichotomy- that it was either destroy Ambition, or nothing- there’s zero evidence for that claim. Slaying Odium could have been an option, we don’t know for sure, but why are you certain it wasn’t an option?

For Mercy to voluntarily join this battle, and consciously fight alongside Odium, Mercy would have had to believe that Ambition was an even larger threat to the cosmere than Odium. That it was an even larger mercy to the cosmere to take out Ambition, rather than Odium, that seems highly unlikely: 1. Odium already splintered Dominion and Devotion by this point 2. Odium is constantly referred to as the most dangerous of the 16 So either we had a three-way battle (which would be a bit strange, so that seems unlikely) or Mercy fought alongside Ambition. Yes, Odium would need to face down two shards- splinter one- and have the other retreat. Considering though, that he did this exact thing, not only on Roshar with Honor/Cultivation, but quite possibly took on Dominion and Devotion simultaneously (though we dont know the precise details there either)- thats not at all far fetched.

A few thoughts here: The plan for BAM need not have come to fruition by TLM, for this theory to be valid- the conflict is almost certainly on-going. Continuing holding BAM captive throughout SLA 5, isn't a shut down of their plan, its not an invalidation- just a delay (which would explain why they dont have access to BAM yet in TLM)- and I think that is the most likely outcome. TLM takes place after SLA 5, though we do not know how long after, its safe to assume however that it takes place before SLA Era 2. SLA 5 will surely be contained in 10 days- the climax of Era 1 happens at the end of those 10 days, so it doesn't make sense for the story to carry on much past that (barring epilouges). Which means that Shallan will have to have shut down the ghostblood's plan for BAM permanently within that time frame. 10 days. The only way the Ghost Blood's plan for BAM to be peremantly shut down is for BAM to be released onto Roshar. This seems to be the conflict: Kalak seems to be implying BAM should be re-released- as it created this massive wound to Roshar. Releasing BAM onto Roshar isn't something Shallan would do without Dalinar's approval- and he would most certainly would not approve that before the contest of champions, given how random an element that would introduce (UNLESS: Kalak thinks it could improve Dalinar's chance of victory- and I dont see how that could be OR Kalak goes rouge and does it on his own- also unlikely considering how indecisive he is about everything) And an event of this magnitude isn't going to happen between eras, and its unlikely to happen in an epilouge. Therfore- it stands to reason that this conflict transcends Era 1- thus it not coming to fruition by TLM is no issue. If I am correct about this theory- its not something Brandon would go to all this length to create, only for it to not pan out: If I am correct, the ghostbloods WILL get their hands on BAM- but there isn't enough time for them to do so in SLA 5- so its certainly a Era 2 item... If I am correct.

My guess on the title: "The Conflicts" While I'm not certain of that- I think that it will be focused on what was referred to in The Sunlit Man, as "the conflicts": the war between the shards with invested beings serving as proxies. The deal between Dalinar and Odium in RoW made clear that Odium is free to send his agents out into the cosmere to "focus on the true war". At the point of the Sunlit Man (which I think its fair to believe this novel will take place during that time or after), its clear that Odium (baring some disaster for Odium in upcoming novels, which is quite possible, though I think unlikely- as Tarvangian is being propped up as THE big bad), is embroiled in that war. Autonomy is certainly involved- and Sazed will have become Discord- freeing him to act sporadically and certainly become involved. Scadrians are cosmere aware and world-hopping- conventional space travel (even lightspeed space travel, likely hyperspace jumps) is, if not commonplace, possible to select organizations and peoples, like The Night Brigade. I imagine the book will be released after SLA 5- so spoilers for that novel are a non-issue. The setting (or perhaps even settings given the nature of this conflict) is, I have no idea. It's possible Dalinar loses his duel with Odium's champion and (or is somehow subverted and loses in another capacity)- and thus Odiums champion in the conflicts. We could be seeing a Odium serving Dalinar- bound by oaths, waging war with the rest of the cosmere. That is a terrifying possibility, and I think a likely one- remember, TOdium is this big bad- he simply wont suffer a devastating loss right days after ascending, Brandon will make him more frightening than that- and it leaves so many options open for the future of the Cosmere. Wit may achieve (some) of the coalition he is looking for, not an entire cosmere united against Odium, but surley some of the shards will band together- Harmony/DIscord will be in this coalition I am certain, though as a unreliable/unpredictable ally. For the other shards- to quote the letters from SLA: This is Autonomy- I believe they will be their own agent- their intent makes that all but assured despite their interesting fondness for Odium's "initiative", an alliance would be impossible between Autonomy and Odium- impossible for Autonomy and anyone. Endowment may be an ally in this coalition- impossible to say. Invention may stay aloof. Not a chance that dude gets involved unless someone shows up on his door step, even then, give him intent- their hands could be tied even worse than Harmony's. This is a very interesting statement, fascinating even: What could Sazed possibly find disturbing in his correspondence with Mercy? Mercy clashed with Odium, thus implying a willingness to do so again (I think)- so Mercy must have said something further that was off-putting, but what? Bloodthirst seems unlikely given Mercy's intent, pacifism seems possible but hardly disturbing, and a willingness to unite with Odium is flat impossible. I think its likely joins this fight in some capacity, perhaps not as part of the coalition however. Valor is certainly in. Virtuosity splintered themselves, so they are out. Ambition is dead Dominon is dead Devotion is dead That leaves the sides as: Team 1: Harmony/Discord Valor (maybe Endowment) (maybe Invention) (maybe, though more likely than Endowment/Invention- Mercy) Team 2: Odium Team 3: Autonomy Team 4 (The Disengaged): Whimsy (maybe Endowment) (maybe Invention) (maybe Mercy) Possible Team 5 Mercy on their own Then I believe there is another unknown shard out there, perhaps two? Someone please set me straight here- but they are another wild card element. Anyway, this is all pure speculation, of course (forgive me if I sound too certain). I most likely got something grossly incorrect, but I do think this future book is regarding the conflicts—and even if it's not, I think the conflicts will likely shape out to be something like this. EDIT: I completely forgot about Cultivation- She will either side with Team 1, (meaning that TOdium will have done something to piss her off- and I think that very, very likely. Tarvangian did say "Oh you wonderful creature, you have no idea what you have done". That's fairly foreboding.) OR (and perhaps even if Tarvangian upsets her)- she will do as she has done for the past thousands of years- stand aside, maneuvering in the shadows. That being said- she did not always to do- before Honor's death she fought Odium, at least, her agents did- which makes me lean towards Team 1 for her.

I don't think he would do that- he'd want some time to build hype around it before it was dropped. What I CAN see him doing, though- is lying about the movie being on hold or delayed because of the strike (as it reportedly is)- then dropping a full-length trailer and announcing it's been filmed, completed, and will be released in three months. In fact, as I write this- I've half convinced myself that's exactly what will happen.

There has been a lot of discussion and theorizing, surrounding why the ghostbloods want Ba-AdoMishram. I think there are several reasons- but there’s one possibility I haven’t seen, any discussion around- Could it be that Kelsier believes BAM could bestow metallurgic abilities to Scadrians? Kelsier is desperate to defend Scadrial- we saw this at the end of The Lost Metal- he tells Sazed that they need access to their most powerful resource, Mistborn and feruchemist- he asked Sazed: “is there a way to expand our access to metal born? They have the seed inside them don’t they, the heart of preservation?” BAM was able to connect directly to the singers and grant forms of power. To quote directly from RoW Chapter 114: “I’ve been speaking to Kelek, the Herald. He seems to think the reason you’re hunting him is because of an Unmade. Ba-AdoMishram? The one who Connected to the singers long ago, giving them forms of power? The one who, when trapped, stole the singers’ minds and made them into parshmen? “Why do you want the gemstone that holds Ba-Ado-Mishram, Mraize? What are you intending to do with it? What power do the Ghostbloods seek with a thing that can bind the minds of an entire people?” I don’t think it’s a leap to assume Kelsier could believe BAM could bestow metallurgic abilities. How the mechanics of that could work I have no idea, maybe it’s not possible- allowmantic abilities can be granted by lerasium, but we know it existed before the ascension of the lord ruler- perhaps that was merely a result of “having the seed of preservation inside of them”, instead of needing to draw directly from preservation’s body in the form of lerasium. The origins of feruchemy is entirely unknown- perhaps a result of scadrians being of both ruin and preservation. Could BAM bring this out of them, by connecting to Scadrians? BAM functioned as a lesser Odium before granting forms of power. The key difference is that this method of using investiture seems to be external, versus being born with it as on Scadrial- however, all forms of investiture originally are bestowed somehow (lerasium). Yes, BAM is of Odium not Harmony- but perhaps BAM could enhance those latent abilities, bring them to the surface. I’m not sure, all of this speculation- but given Kelsier’s overwhelming drive (protect Scadrial) and Shallans quote above, it seems like a strong motivating factor for wanting BAM.

For those of you not familiar, Chat GPT is an incredibly versatile AI, you ask it questions and it spits out answers. I decided to ask it “How many shards are there in Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere?”.. the answer below is interesting… Its obvious flaw is that it listed Dominion, Devotion, and Endowment twice. It also did not list Whimsy and Mercy. What I find fascinating though is that it listed a few I’ve never heard mentioned, let alone by Brandon. I’m not sure how it came up with what it did. But the three of interest to me: Pains, Justice, and Treachery. Anyone have thoughts here?

I noticed some continuity errors in the SLA5 prologue read by Brandon. 1. Several times in the previous 4 books, Dalinar thinks to himself how Gavilar considered Taravangian a friend, there’s a heavy implication that they spent a great deal of time together. But Gavilar in the prologue was surprised to see Taravangian at their meeting, it was the first time he attended, and he did not know him well. 2. In the same vein, Tarvangian mentions in one of the previous books how knowledge of Gavilars visions helped inform the diagram- but given the events of the prologue- there’s no way Tarvangian could have had access to those visions or any knowledge of them. 3. Aesudan, in Oathbringer, tells Elhokar that she was finishing his fathers work. They he had found a spren, but couldn’t figure out how to bond it. That’s never mentioned in the prologue. Void light and anti-void light are, but there’s no mention of finding, having or attempting to bond with a void spren. In essence 1 and 2 reveal that the relationship between Gavilar and Taravangian was deeper than the prologue indicated. I’d report this directly to Brandon’s team, but I do not know how to contact them. I can find the exact passages quotes given a bit of time to find them.