What is your Wildest Cosmere Theory??

[Feruchemical Skybreaker]

37 minutes ago, Butt Ad Venture said:

...Skyward and the Cosmere are separate universes. So...M-Bot can’t be a spren.

Yes, I know that this wouldn't work. 

[Realmatic Shadow]

The body we see Hoid in on screen (I think that's how you'd refer to it) is not his original body. The reason behind his inability to cause harm to others directly is something related to the process he used to get the body he has now. He is gathering little pieces of every Shard's Investiture in order to make a new body for himself without the restrictions.
Kelsier used a similar process (or the same one, if Hoid was involved) to gain his new body, and as such is restricted by something similar, though it may not be the same restriction
The 'Survival' Shard returned to Yolen after the other 15 Shards had left, and is camping out there.

[Honorless]

2 minutes ago, Realmatic Shadow said:

The body we see Hoid in on screen (I think that's how you'd refer to it) is not his original body. The reason behind his inability to cause harm to others directly is something related to the process he used to get the body he has now. He is gathering little pieces of every Shard's Investiture in order to make a new body for himself without the restrictions.
Kelsier used a similar process (or the same one, if Hoid was involved) to gain his new body, and as such is restricted by something similar, though it may not be the same restriction
The 'Survival' Shard returned to Yolen after the other 15 Shards had left, and is camping out there.

 Love both of them

And welcome to the Shard!

[aneonfoxtribute]

8 hours ago, Realmatic Shadow said:

The 'Survival' Shard returned to Yolen after the other 15 Shards had left, and is camping out there.

If Survival is a Shard, I want to see him and Kelsier interact, because they are soul mates. Maybe Kelsier could become Survival one day.

[Lccaseiro58]

Kaladin is Hoid descendent.

There's a scene in WoR where Wit/Hoid says "There's a spark of wit in you" and Kaladin immediately thinks that it came from his mother.

[teknopathetic]

22 hours ago, lccaseiro58 said:

Kaladin is Hoid descendent.

There's a scene in WoR where Wit/Hoid says "There's a spark of wit in you" and Kaladin immediately thinks that it came from his mother.

I like the theory that Kaladin's mother is from Kharbranth and that Kaladin will be granted the protection that Odium promised. 

Edited February 24, 2020 by teknopathetic

[jamesbondsmith]

Hey everyone, long time listener first time caller.

One of my theory is that Hoid is trying to become kind of a mini-Adonalsium.

We know that he is going around picking up magic systems from various Shardworlds. We also know that holding onto a Shard in its entirety for long enough will erode your ability to act in ways that are contrary to the Shard's intent.

What if Adonalsium was unable to act against some threat, due to the immense power it holds? This inability may even be the reason for the Shattering. Sure, the new Shardbearers picked up one Shard and left, but they perhaps either weren't aware of the real reason or they believed that 16 portions among 16 people would be sufficient.

Hoid might be trying to gather enough Investiture to become a lesser version of Adonalsium in order to fight this threat. He would still have immense power (or at least immense flexibility of power in a universe where most people have access to comparatively few forms of magic), but be able to act according to his own will.

There is a potential flaw in that the Intents are described as being essentially bits of a more cohesive whole (Odium is described as 'God's own divine hatred, separated from the virtues that gave it context'). However, this wouldn't be the first time that Cosmere characters have accused gods of being inactive in the world (i.e. Wax to Harmony) or even people in the real world accusing God of not using His power to protect people. I don't think we have much concrete information on the Shattering and why it happened, so we don't really know if Adonalsium was able to act in accordance with its wishes or not (assuming it is a being with a will).

Hopefully I haven't made something completely wrong or copied someone else's theory by accident.

[Robot]

Random thoughts:

Dalinar won't survive stormlight since he was originally on Yolen and he wasn't a shardholder.

Ruin is going to be a villain again.

The heralds were voidbinders.

Roshar is getting stormed up in book 9 and book 10 is finding a solution for the survivors.

Odium kills shardbearers by tapping into their hatred.

Cultivation is as much a stormlight villain as Odium if not more.

Shallan is going to betray everyone.

 

 

Edited February 24, 2020 by Robot

[Stormlightning]

Odium wins at the end of book 5 and most of the main cast for the back 5 are Cognitive Shadows.

Siah Aimians primarily live in the Reshi Sea and ocean of Roshar. They have epic Atlantis cities.

Hoid is not trying to become the next Adonalsium and never was.

Moash will be redeemed.

[Truthless of Shinovar]

The Unmade were originally the Dawnshards. I kinda forget the reasoning for this one, maybe I just read it in a thread or had one of those random 2:00 AM thoughts

[aneonfoxtribute]

Autonomy helped Odium kill Dominion and Devotion because of the ones we know, those two shards are the least autonomous (since they both rely on other people for it to actually exist)

[Frustration]

All magic in the Cosmere is centered on Mist and Metal Adoalsiums name literally has -ium a metallic suffix in it. The relationship is overtly obvious in Mistborn, but Shardblades are metal formed from mist and Dragon steel, has a metal in the title. Why I don't know but It's important. 

[Robot]

2 hours ago, Booknerd said:

All magic in the Cosmere is centered on Mist and Metal Adoalsiums name literally has -ium a metallic suffix in it. The relationship is overtly obvious in Mistborn, but Shardblades are metal formed from mist and Dragon steel, has a metal in the title. Why I don't know but It's important. 

The shard of preservation is involved there, it wouldn't be too surprising that Leras preserved the system.

[Channelknight Fadran]

COVID-19 is intended to quarantine all of earth so that everyone goes insane. When people "crack" because of the insanity they form cracks in the spirit web and sooner or later we'll all be Radiants.

[Frustration]

5 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

COVID-19 is intended to quarantine all of earth so that everyone goes insane. When people "crack" because of the insanity they form cracks in the spirit web and sooner or later we'll all be Radiants.

If that where true I would have been fifth oath years ago

[teknopathetic]

No one really dies on Roshar, but they stay around as cognitive shadows of varying strengths

Evidence:

Spoilers All Stormlight Archieve

Spoiler

Near Zero: Death rattles and visions
Low Level: hearing the screams of people that one has murdered
Medium Level: Daliar's wife forgiving Dalinar
High Level: Nohadon being more than a memory, light coming from the Way of Kings
Extreme Level: Fused and Heralds

Some of theories (not sure which one I like best):

1. Honour and/or Cultivation as intents allow for cognitive aspects to either be held to the planet by oaths, to allow the dead to be cultivated and used. Possibly hatred/spite can keep people in this realm to certain extents as well

2. Whatever is trapping Odium in the system is having a weird effect on souls trying to leave the system as well. 

3. Spren can't leave the system, and the souls of people on Roshar have a special connection that allows them to resist the pull of the beyond.

Edited April 1, 2020 by teknopathetic

[Frustration]

47 minutes ago, teknopathetic said:

 3. Spren can't leave the system, and the souls of people on Roshar have a special connection that allows them to resist the pull of the beyond.

One problem, sorry I know how it feels for a theory to die. Eshoni went to the Beyond.

[teknopathetic]

On 2020-03-31 at 10:11 PM, Booknerd said:

One problem, sorry I know how it feels for a theory to die. Eshoni went to the Beyond.

Oh good point, but perhaps Parshendi are different. We haven't heard anyone complain of Parshendi mental screams after a battle, and we haven't seen a Parshendi death rattle. 

Or, and I know Brandon has said otherwise, Eshonia manages to come back as a Fused of her own making (I know its been deconfirmed, but maybe Brandon would lie). 

Edited April 21, 2020 by teknopathetic

[Frustration]

1 hour ago, teknopathetic said:

Oh good point, but perhaps Parshendi are different. We haven't heard anyone complain of Parshendi mental screams after a battle, and we haven't seen a Parshendi death rattle. 

Or, and I know Brandon has said otherwise, Eshonia manages to come back as a Fused of her own making (I know its been reconfirmed, but maybe Brandon would lie). 

Not likely, there is a reason RAFO exists, or we could have a first example of returning from the Beyond(not likely)

[Staenbridge]

In an upcoming Stormlight book it's going to be revealed that Odium likes to manifest his connection to the more mindless members of the Fused as a sort of rope-like lead, which he pulls on when he needs to stop them from departing to the Beyond on death.  

Odium reigns

Odium rains

Odium reins. 

[jamesbondsmith]

Some more that I came up with in the process of discussing/arguing other theories on the forum. I won't be too devastated if it turns out I'm wrong, though.

Bondsmiths are in charge of drafting laws in Urithiru/generally for radiants, and Skybreakers enforce them. This is why Nale holds so fanatically to Ishar's word.

This one is really out there, but at least three orders have oaths that differ between each individual. Lightweavers effectively have no set oaths, and the Windrunners and Skybreakers (who are the only ones whose oaths we have seen from more than one person) have different wordings of the same ideals. This made me wonder if Dalinar's oaths were similarly personalised. I always did find it odd that his 2nd and 3rd Ideals were both two sentences/clauses, where most of the others are singular. So, a wacky theory is that the basic 3rd Bondsmith Ideal is 'I will take responsibility for my actions', and Dalinar merely added the part about become a better man for himself. So, if Gavilar had become a Bondsmith, he would have sworn to take responsibility for heinous actions in the same way that Thanos takes responsibility for killing half the universe. This allows him to create and rule a theocracy by causing a desolation (stated to kill 90% of humanity), without violating the Bondsmith Ideals or principles of 'guiding' and 'pious'.

[Chiberty]

10 hours ago, jamesbondsmith said:

Some more that I came up with in the process of discussing/arguing other theories on the forum. I won't be too devastated if it turns out I'm wrong, though.

Bondsmiths are in charge of drafting laws in Urithiru/generally for radiants, and Skybreakers enforce them. This is why Nale holds so fanatically to Ishar's word.

This one is really out there, but at least three orders have oaths that differ between each individual. Lightweavers effectively have no set oaths, and the Windrunners and Skybreakers (who are the only ones whose oaths we have seen from more than one person) have different wordings of the same ideals. This made me wonder if Dalinar's oaths were similarly personalised. I always did find it odd that his 2nd and 3rd Ideals were both two sentences/clauses, where most of the others are singular. So, a wacky theory is that the basic 3rd Bondsmith Ideal is 'I will take responsibility for my actions', and Dalinar merely added the part about become a better man for himself. So, if Gavilar had become a Bondsmith, he would have sworn to take responsibility for heinous actions in the same way that Thanos takes responsibility for killing half the universe. This allows him to create and rule a theocracy by causing a desolation (stated to kill 90% of humanity), without violating the Bondsmith Ideals or principles of 'guiding' and 'pious'.

Sadly:

Quote

LiftIRL (paraphrased)

Which part of the two in Dalinar's oath in the end of book three - y'know, "I will take responsibility [...] If I must fall I will rise each time a better man" - would you say encompasses the Third Ideal of the Bondsmiths best? The neutral version of it, what would it be?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

*he thought a bit, hummed* It would be about the second part, mainly about getting better - I will rise each time a better man.

ICon 2019 (Oct. 16, 2019)

 

[Crimson_Russ]

Vin and Elend will return one day.

Their bodies are just lying there, perfectly preserved, waiting for their souls to return to them.

I know Brandon has said something like 'their stories having been told' or something, but that doesn't mean they can't be part of another story.

It's like Chekhov's Gun, only I guess Sanderson's Corpse in this case.

There is nothing anyone can say that will turn me away from this theory.

[Eternal Khol]

On 3/31/2020 at 7:22 PM, teknopathetic said:

Spren can't leave the system

There's a few spren on Scadrial

 

[Use the Falchion]

6 hours ago, Crimson_Russ said:

Vin and Elend will return one day.

Their bodies are just lying there, perfectly preserved, waiting for their souls to return to them.

I know Brandon has said something like 'their stories having been told' or something, but that doesn't mean they can't be part of another story.

It's like Chekhov's Gun, only I guess Sanderson's Corpse in this case.

There is nothing anyone can say that will turn me away from this theory.

I both love and hate this so much. I would KILL to see Vin and Elend again, although I don't think they'd currently like how they fit into mythology and society. And given the technology upgrade may come with quite the learning curve. 

That being said, I could see a plot for it. Harmony figures out how to bring back one from the Spiritual Realm, something Hoid may have been trying to do since Dragonsteel. As such Hoid figures that he needs to gain Harmony's power either by splintering the shard and keeping the vessel alive, or becoming a new host for the shard and using his extreme amount of Investiture to anchor him against the corruption of the Intent. Kelsier doesn't want this to happen to Harmony and doesn't want Hoid to win, so he fights Hoid in an epic, space-opera trilogy. ...yeah, it's a little weird and would never happen, but that's how I could see it going!

 

My current wildest theory is one potentially backed by a Death Rattle or two and combined with a less crazy theory I have. 

 

TL;DR - Odium - or Rayse rather - will lose, but will enact two final things before his downfall. First is that he will erase the Highstorms and block all of Honor's Investiture from entering Roshar through conventional means. Instead there will be storms neverending, but they don't bring any light. This is the Night of Sorrows. Secondly Odium will agree to the Contest of Champions, and his Champion will be Adolin and Shallan's child. 

 

To start with the less crazy theory, I have previously posited that the Everstorm, the True Desolation, and the Night of Sorrows are three separate events. The True Desolation began when Taln broke, the Everstorm was created to keep the True Desolation from ending, and the Night of Sorrows will be Odium's last trump card where he destroys the Highstorms in Book 5, creating a permanent period of Weeping; after all, do we not weep in our sorrows?

“

Quote

 

A man stood on a cliffside and watched his homeland fall into dust. The waters surged beneath, so far beneath. And he heard a child crying. They were his own tears. ”

—Collected on Tanatesev 1171, 30 seconds pre-death, by the Silent Gatherers. Subject was a cobbler of some renown.

 

I'm not sure this one has too much to do with that theory, but I feel like it could fit in there somewhere. Like Szeth realizing that in Book 5 Shinovar is lost, and despite his cleansing he cannot save it. The water surging is because he knows they have failed, and he knows what comes next. The child crying is Szeth hearing a sort of cognitive shadow of himself. 

 

Destroying that source of Investiture will stop any new Radiants from appearing, and it will be up to Lift and Renarin in book six to figure out how to bring back the storms. (Although I do have an adjacent theory about how this can be fixed earlier, and how Adolin is leading that front.)

 

Anyways, as Odium's last gambit, he agrees to the Contest of Champions, and chooses his Champion, Shallan and Adolin's child. This will happen in Book 4 as Shallan attempts to bond with Sja-Anat, but will be revealed in Book 5.

 

Quote

 

I hold the suckling child in my hands, a knife at his throat, and know that all who live wish me to let the blade slip. Spill its blood upon the ground, over my hands, and with it gain us further breath to draw. ”

—Collected on Shashanan 1173, 23 seconds pre-death, by the Silent Gatherers. Subject was a darkeyed youth of sixteen years. Sample is of particular note.

 

 

 

This death rattle points us to the child that may be our heroes' downfall. Many have guessed Oroden, but he is already a year old I believe, and by the time Rhythm of War and Book 5 come around, while he may still breast-feed I'd hardly call him suckling. No, this is a newborn and one prominent enough that we will know what happens when he or she is born. Thus, Sanderson comes to ask the iconic question of killing Hitler as a child or before he committed any atrocities, would it be moral to do so? But even in asking the question, Sanderson has already given us the answer. Life Before Death.

 

 

 

Quote

 

“So the night will reign, for the choice of honor is life... ”

—Observed circa Ishi 1173 by Taravangian. Subject was King Valam of Jah Keved.

 

 

 

"So the night will reign," eh? Sounds a lot like the Night of Sorrows. And "the choice of honor is life," seems to me like our heroes have a shot at victory, but they also know that in doing so this one act they will undermine everything they have stood for. This action would break them, much like how the revelations of humanity's origin and the actions against the Parshendi broke the previous group of Radiants. And to set right was once wrong, the Radiants will let the child live and hold out to fight another day (also correcting the mistake the Heralds make at the beginning of the book). 

 

There is also the back cover of The Way of Kings, written by in-world creatures. 

 

Quote

There are four whom we watch...One of them may redeem us. And one of them will destroy us. 

Many people thought that may have been Szeth. Others later thought it might have been Dalinar. Still some think it maybe Kaladin. But have we ever considered Shallan, not because of her, but through her?

 

So there it is, Shallan is the harbinger of doom and the bearer of Odium's champion. This will spell an end to Roshar as we know it, but not THE end. IS THIS WILD ENOUGH FOR YOU GOOBERS!?