Baseless Identity Theory

[Guest Jacob Santos]

I was thinking about the Q&A that Brandon did on the forum talking about Identity or brushing it aside for later. I just rather see what others think and perhaps maybe provide some ideas to the possibilities. Plus it is fun thinking this through.

I don't know. I have the feeling that I'm wasting my time writing this. Of well, laugh at the silliness. Or not.

Realmatic Theory

My thoughts on the subject is that everything has spiritual, physical and cognitive representations. I will include the Cosmere or Galaxy as well. I know that is crazy and most probably not the case. It is my interpretation of the hints that Brandon has stated in the past. The first and foremost is that the shards do not have to power the magic and also that much of the magic is already established prior to the shards existing.

Well, Liar is not canon (was never canon really), but I don't need it. I'm going to assume that magic existed prior to the Shards being held by anyone and also that no one held Adonalsium prior to it shattering. If this is correct and the mention of 'Gods' being dead. It could either be assumed that either a prior event also shattered Adonalsium and there were holders of the Shards, which passed on and Adonalsium reformed or the Gods Hoid was speaking of is more of the Greek variety, meaning not true deities, but used to explain natural forces (as well as attempt to appease them).

The point is that it is my belief that Adonalsium is part of the Cosmere. Perhaps a fragment of raw connection to the Identity of the Cosmere. Much like super Lerasium bead a physical manifestation of what was left over in the creation of the Cosmere. Given that Brandon has stated that multiple Lerasium beads have the same effect as a single shard, then it sort of makes sense.

If the Shadesmar is the Cognitive representation of the Cosmere and obviously the Physical is the Real World that everything physical also interacts with. Where does Adonalsium fall into. Is it the Identity? I don't remember the description of the shards. They can be held, but they appear to be more non-physical or mist like from what little I can remember from Mistborn ending. Adonalsium appears more like a focus allowing raw access to the Identity of the Cosmere or Galaxy than anything of the Identity of Cosmere or Galaxy.

Also, the emotional representations of Adonalsium sort of draws an conclusion that it could be the cognitive part of the Cosmere (granting my baseless, incomplete theory is true, which it is not). If that is the case, then is Shadesmar the Spiritual?

Identity = Soul?

I haven't thought this through fully. Here is what I have so far thought of. Yeah, I know.

If the Galaxy has an Identity and part of that Identity fuels the magics, then everyone and everything would have to have a connection to the Cosmere's Identity. What is powering the magics is the spiritual part of the Cosmere and what gives access to that is that everyone shares a connection to the Identity of the Cosmere. The Cosmere Identity is malleable as is most other people's Identity with resistance. Or at least malleable to a certain degree, depending on how strong the Identity of person and which magic they are using. It is said that Lerasium manipulates or rewrites the person's spirit-web in order to better use the magics. I believe that it also manipulates the Identity to give it better more powerful connection to the Identity of the Cosmere, bringing the person closer to the source of power.

Something that Brandon has said, makes me think that, even if everything is incorrect, that Identity has to do with connection to the Spiritual realm or at least a connection to the Cosmere itself. This might not be anything new, but the epiphany came to me, so forgive me. The proof really is within the quote (don't have it with me of course) that Identity might be used to make a person less visible, err, not the correct term. People around them would naturally notice them less. A person with greater Identity would have people notice them more and have a greater influence. An example would be Dims(?) from WarBreaker. When they give their breath, they are giving parts of the their Identity. This may give some proof to the separation of spirit-web and Identity, since they don't give up or rewrite their ability to take breaths.

If this is true, then taking more breaths increases the Identity and I would also assume that given the power of Lerasium and the fact that many beads would make someone Shard-like. That an infinite amount of breaths (with being returned) would also give a person Shard-like abilities and power. So what is Adonalsium and why does it has such a great impact? I believe that while the individual magics of the planets are in turn connected to the Identity of the planets and therefore limited in scope of power, Adonalsium is connected to the Cosmere's Identity and closer to the source of power. That or Adonalsium comes from a very, very powerful magical system that would give raise and fall to 'gods'.

Connected Hivemind(?)

Well, my personal biases are interfering with this part. I'm certain this is not true, but oh well. If you throw enough darts, one is bound to hit center right? No? Well, I do suck at throwing darts.

If Identity connects everything and everything is connected to the Cosmere, then the universe and its rules are set by its perception. This is not to say that Humans define the rules based on their perception, because everything has its own cognitive force being driven by its Identity.

If enough people perceive a rock as an apple, then that rock will not all the sudden change to an apple, even if everyone believes that the rock is definitely an apple. The reason is that the rock perceives itself as a rock and its Identity overrides or is equal to the Identity of all of the people. Since everyone is separate and their Identity is separate, it does not compound or combine to override the Identity of the rock.

However, if the spirit-web allowed access to transform the rock, then the rock would accept the perception based on the strength of the Identity of the person attempting to transform the rock. Granting the person also had enough fuel to complete the task. It might also have to work within the Cognitive. Meaning you have to be able to tell the rock that it is an apple and the rock accepting this will change to an apple. Simply willing it won't work, because its Identity will interfere. Of course, there might be magics undiscovered that do allow this, but the principle would still have to work at some cognitive level since the magics on Roshar works that way.

This also means, in my theory at least, that the Identity of a person doesn't leave. It goes back to the Spiritual Realm, where ever that may be. It is my belief that the reason the soul of Vin and Elend could not be returned is that it relies on the Identity connected also through the Cognitive realm. All three connections must be made in order for a body to function. In a sense, this might be how Warbreaker (forget the name) works. The spirit-web appears to allow reconnecting the Identity of a person. However, the cognitive connection is limited and the Identity is also weakened.

On second thought, it is not logical for everything to be connected. My bias be damned.