Cultivation Theory

[bnel21]

So I've had this idea kicking around in my head, and I haven't seen anything in the forums around here that suggested the same(either that or my searching ability is lacking).  So here it is:

Could Cultivation be the 'red mist' that Sazed shows to Wax and the one infiltrating Scadrial under the guise of Trell?  For the basis of this I am assuming that Odium is defeated and Rayse killed at the conclusion of Stormlight 5.  Rather then Dalinar uniting Honor and Odium, Cultivation picks up the shard to create an intent that is hatefully destructive in its quest to grow things.  

Scadrial is seemingly frozen - I believe Harmony mentions how little progress has been made because he made the Elendel Basin too perfect.  The planet is not being 'cultivated'.  Cultivation in combination with the Odium Shard would be compelled by intent to change this.  Destroy what is currently there, then cultivate it as she sees fit without the influence of Harmony.  

Cultivation has been playing the long game to take out Odium/Rayse.  Perhaps the death of Tanavast caused Cultivation's vessel to stray off the path of benevolence and she decides to remake the Cosmere as she sees fit.  

This is highly unlikely, and I'm sure it has a ton of holes or even a WoB that completely debunks it, but Autonomy or Odium just seem too obvious a choice to be Trell/Big Bad.  A Cultivation/Odium pairing would be interesting to say the least.  

Thanks for reading!

[+Invocation]

The first half of Stormlight and the Era 2 books are happening in conjunction ever since the timeline got revised. Unless I have that backwards.

[Honorless]

Hahahaha! I've been for that theory myself for quite a while. Cultivation is closer to Ruin's entropy than Preservation's stasis.

But it most likely is Autonomy or both Odium and Autonomy. Too many hints: from Bleeder's statements about freedom from Harmony, to the use of the word 'Trell', to the newspaper clippings "vote for passion! vote for freedom!"

Edited October 29, 2019 by Honorless

[RShara]

It's not too likely. Cultivation doesn't seem like she'd be interested in invading another planet, and she's got her hands full with Roshar.

[+Harrycrapper]

1 hour ago, Honorless said:

Hahahaha! I've been for that theory myself for quite a while. Cultivation is closer to Ruin's entropy than Preservation's stasis.

But it most likely is Autonomy or both Odium and Autonomy. Too many hints: from Bleeder's statements about freedom from Harmony, to the use of the word 'Trell', to the newspaper clippings "vote for passion! vote for freedom!"

I'm inclined to agree with you, but it is worth noting Brandon is a big fan of red herrings. I've seen enough good arguments for Dominion that I don't think we can easily conclude that Autonomy is interfering on Scadrial, though she is a leading candidate.

[Karger]

2 hours ago, Honorless said:

Hahahaha! I've been for that theory myself for quite a while. Cultivation is closer to Ruin's entropy than Preservation's stasis.

But it most likely is Autonomy or both Odium and Autonomy. Too many hints: from Bleeder's statements about freedom from Harmony, to the use of the word 'Trell', to the newspaper clippings "vote for passion! vote for freedom!"

Freedom to grow.  To change.  To do better then harmony.  A move fast and break things philosophy that would be at odds with Harmony's stated mission of balance.  I could definitely see that.  I could also see how such a philosophy would appeal to Bleeder.  The faceless immortal's claim that they are wary of the change could be problematic to this theory.  However a Rage Cultivation would be worried about that change for certain reasons.  Galactic empires are notoriously ambivalent to change after all.

[Chiberty]

11 hours ago, Invocation said:

ever since the timeline got revised.

Link? Last I remember, MB era 2 was with SA arc 2.

[+Invocation]

2 minutes ago, ChickenLiberty said:

Link? Last I remember, MB era 2 was with SA arc 2.

Quote

Lance Alvein (paraphrased)

How about the general number of years Warbreaker is from [The Hero of Ages] and [The Alloy of Law/The Way of Kings]?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

RAFO - the reason that timeline questions are being RAFOed right now is because the final times are still not 100% solid, and Brandon said that he doesn't want to give us a time and then have it change around again (like what happened to [The Alloy of Law] being moved to the same time as [The Way of Kings] instead of being a bit earlier), so he won't answer any timeline questions until after he has the final timeline correct in his own system.

Hal-Con 2012 (Oct. 30, 2012)

 

[bnel21]

10 hours ago, Invocation said:

Lance Alvein (paraphrased)

How about the general number of years Warbreaker is from [The Hero of Ages] and [The Alloy of Law/The Way of Kings]?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

RAFO - the reason that timeline questions are being RAFOed right now is because the final times are still not 100% solid, and Brandon said that he doesn't want to give us a time and then have it change around again (like what happened to [The Alloy of Law] being moved to the same time as [The Way of Kings] instead of being a bit earlier), so he won't answer any timeline questions until after he has the final timeline correct in his own system.

Here is a later WOB that states that Alloy is after SL 5, so this is maybe not quite as dead in the water as I thought.  Just very unlikely!

 

Quote

 

PhantoMonstrosity

Before Ruin and Preservation showed up on Scadrial, was aluminum already antimagical? Also, is [The Alloy of Law] between Stormlight 5&6?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes, [The Alloy of Law] is after Stormlight 5. Specific timing will depend on how long I make the 5/6 gap once I get there.

#NookTalks Twitter Q&A with Barnes & Noble (Feb. 16, 2016)