Question on Odium's full power

[+Ookla the Leafy]

This is probably a repeat question, but I'd like to start a thread on this...How is Odium so powerful? My understanding was, that when Adol(...) was shattered, each of the Splintered pieces of (him) were equally distributed? How is it that Odium has managed to Shatter so many other Shards? And one other thing...All the other Shards are...ideas? (Honor, Cultivation, Ruin, Preservation, etc). What is Odium? What does that even mean?

[Chasmgoat]

odium means a deep hatred.

[Bagelparadox]

I'm not sure about the main part of your question, but "odium" is the Latin word for "hatred," and basically means the same in English.

[Shard of Reading]

8 minutes ago, Leafygeans said:

This is probably a repeat question, but I'd like to start a thread on this...How is Odium so powerful? My understanding was, that when Adol(...) was shattered, each of the Splintered pieces of (him) were equally distributed? How is it that Odium has managed to Shatter so many other Shards? And one other thing...All the other Shards are...ideas? (Honor, Cultivation, Ruin, Preservation, etc). What is Odium? What does that even mean?

So, I have no idea how he has managed to shatter so many other shards, but I do know that odium means hatred

Ninjas! Yay!

[Chinkoln]

I am going to assume that when you said “Adol” you meant Adonalsium. He is so powerful because of what he is. Preservation couldn’t destroy a shard, it isn’t in its nature. Cultivation helps growth, not destruction. Honor wouldn’t be able to because it would be morally wrong. Odium however, means hatred. He hates any opposition so he works to defeat it, and he has that power. Ruin could also have that power, but he is bound to Scadrial and isn’t at his full power, because he doesn’t have his body. If he was unbound from Scadrial and had his body, he would have more power than Odium, but not the experience.

[Gilphon]

So Odium doesn't have any more raw power than the others Shards. The common theory is that he beat Devotion and Dominion by turning them against each other. Ambition he beat, with difficulty, in a dramatic 1-on-1 duel. 

And, then, well, there are a lot of unanswered questions about how exactly Odium's interactions with Honor and Cultivation played out. But if he could've won a direct fight against them, he wouldn't have been forced into thousands of years of stalemate before he somehow found a way to kill Honor. Indeed, he's still trying to avoid letting Cultivation get the first strike on him- she's a threat to him even without Honor.

[Weltall]

We have a WoB on how Odium got an edge over the Shards he's splintered, though it's not precise.

Quote

ericth

What is Odium's edge. Vin and Ati killed each other but Rayse has downed 3 shards and survived. Was it skill, ability, numbers or possibly un-dispersed power?

Brandon Sanderson

Some combination of the above.

Words of Radiance Los Angeles signing (March 5, 2014)

This WoB predates us learning that Odium also killed Ambition, hence only mentioning three Shards. Related to the question of numbers, Brandon has said that Odium would work with other Shards under the right circumstances.

Quote

Questioner

Could-- would Odium ever work with another Shard? Maybe not pick up another one--

Brandon Sanderson

If he were in charge. Yes, this is within the realm of possibility of what Odium would do. In fact, that may have happened at various points *sly smile*.

Shadows of Self San Francisco signing (Oct. 9, 2015)

One theory for how he defeated Devotion and Dominion (his first victims) is that he had help from another Shard, possibly Autonomy who is known to meddle in other worlds and is the leading candidate to be 'Trell'. That Autonomy could be argued to be an opposite to Dominion in the same way that Odium and Devotion are opposites doesn't hurt the idea, though we don't know enough about those intents to be sure. Other relevant WoBs:

Quote

Khyrindor

Odium seems to have a bad track record when it comes to killing Shards. He was wounded versus Ambition, and he's trapped on Roshar. Yet, he's credited in killing Devotion and Dominion. My question is: was Autonomy significantly involved and would Odium have been able to do it on his own and still be okay to--

Brandon Sanderson

RAFO. It is dangerous to attack a Shard with one Shard. Let's say that. And a wise Shard would try to avoid that confrontation unless there are specific reasons they think they would have an advantage.

Skyward Seattle signing (Nov. 10, 2018)

Quote

Moridin997 (paraphrased)

Did Bavadin in any way help Odium splinter Dominion and Devotion?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Uhh...

Moridin997 (paraphrased)

(sensing an incoming RAFO): In any way...

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Uhh... Yes... Yes, you could say that...

Lisbon signing (Nov. 7, 2016)

It should be noted that the second WoB gives Brandon so much wiggle room that it's almost meaningless, but there you go.

So in short, Odium has a bunch of factors working for him, some may be more important than others in any given situation and there are some possibilities we can suspect but can't prove right now.