Adhesion the surge of... fluid manipulation?

[Dofurion]

After much thought, I think I've decided to publish this. Basically, what I'm saying is that our understanding of how Adhesion works has been influenced by what the characters see, and this may differ a bit from how it actually works. 

In the Ars Arcanum of Words of Radiance, Adhesion is defined as: "The Surge of Pressure and Vacuum." This is written from Khriss point of view at an undetermined point in time. That definition has been overshadowed by that of the Sibling and supported by the abilities Dalinar displays throughout the story. 

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And Honor's Truest Surge, the Surge of Binding and Oaths, could still work.

—The Sibling describing the Surge of Adhesion

Now, I'd like us to step away for a moment from the way the Bondsmiths use it, and look in the direction of the Windrunners.

We have seen very little of the full lasting POV's, if I remember correctly, the first time was when Kaladin is testing it and sticks a piece of clothing to a wall, and Sanderson is asked the following question:

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Lady Radagu's husband (paraphrased) 

Would a Full Lashing work in a vacuum? If not, is that because it works by creating a vacuum between the lashed objects?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased) 

First, good question. The way Lashings work, it does have to do with pressure. But I can't go into it. I'm going to have to RAFO that one. Again, good question.

Pocatello signing (Dec. 9, 2013)

Based on this WoB we can conclude that Sanderson's opinion regarding Adhesion is closer to that of Khriss than to that of the Sibling.

So, at least for the Windrunners, Adhesion allows them to create vacuums and increase pressure, this can be summed up in a single ability, the manipulation of fluids (more precisely gases), and this is something we know Skybreakers can't do, so it's an ability given by Adhesion.

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Questioner 

Could a Windrunner fly into space?

Brandon Sanderson 

Yeah, it actually wouldn’t be that hard, because Windrunners can control pressure, also. And as long as you have Stormlight, you don’t have to breathe. It’s harder for a Skybreaker. Windrunner… As long as you don’t run out of Stormlight, you could travel between planets as a Windrunner if you have enough Stormlight. Wouldn’t be too difficult. Kaladin could probably do it.

Waterstones RoW Release Event (Nov. 18, 2020)

So... What about Dalinar?

Dalinar can manipulate Adhesion on a spiritual level, and this is what gives said power the definition of "Surge of oaths and connections", but if we don't look, whenever we talk about maintaining the effects that leaves Dalinar, there is talk of hardening with Tension.

But just as I propose above, Adhesion can manipulate atmospheric fluids, (aka gases). And what is Stormlight if not rather investiture in its gaseous form?

That is my proposal for the functioning of Adhesion in Bondsmiths, they have the ability to manipulate the investiture and its interactions as if they were gases manifesting different levels of pressure.

In addition, this gives meaning to many abilities that we have seen, such as the manifestation of Perpendicularity.

[Treamayne]

3 hours ago, Dofurion said:

That is my proposal for the functioning of Adhesion in Bondsmiths, they have the ability to manipulate the investiture and its interactions as if they were gases manifesting different levels of pressure.

Interesting theory. Don't forget we saw a likely application of Physical Adhesion from Dalinar as well (Fixing the Temple in Thaylenah - also possibly a combined application of Adhesion+Tension). Also, we have this WoB that all surges have varying applications to the different realms:

Spoiler

Questioner

So I have a question about surges. So in this book they use this very Spiritual Adhesion. Do all of the surges have applications in each of the different realms?

Brandon Sanderson

To an extent yes, but some of them are more focused on it than others, on different levels.

Oathbringer Chicago signing (Nov. 21, 2017)

So, the Surge of Adhesion's function in the SR is separate (but related) to it's CR and PR functions. Adhesion brings things together - in the PR that's expressed through manipulating Pressure, in the SR that's expressed through Manipulating Connection. Windrunners express the SR version of Adhesion through the combined Lashing - Reverse Lashing, which creates a gravity-well and Connects the target(s) to that well, drawing them in. 

Hope that helps

[Light In the Darkness]

Interesting thoughts on manipulating investiture like a fluid, though the spiritual effects of adhesion are probably very impacted by intent. Dalinar's may also be heavily changed by the influence of tension. Surface tension and intermolecular tension are exceptionally important in fluid dynamics, and the bonds that can spontaneously form in matter are critical to their melting and boiling points - hence why ionic substances, such as salt, which are very polarized and have strong intermolecular bonds, have very high melting and boiling points. This would impact Dalinar's use of spiritual adhesion, lending it to manipulating Bonds instead of the way it manifests in Windrunners:

Windrunners use spiritual adhesion in creating squires. Not intentionally, but their alignment with adhesion is one of the major reasons they gather in such large groups, have so many squires, and bond strongly as teams. This is likely also an SR manifestation of gravitation, though the strength of the interpersonal connections likely comes from adhesion IMO. This would mean that when aided by gravity, adhesion tends towards pressure, like glue, but when aided by tension, it tends towards the creation of bonds that are of real substance, like welding. Thoughts?

[Dofurion]

@Treamayne and @Light In the Darkness Thank you for your comments.

While searching for references to support the hypothesis, I found the following WoB:

Spoiler

Glamdring804 

With Adhesion you can use it to either create negative pressure and stick two things together, or you can manipulate to create pressure bubbles around you, like Kal did facing down the storm. Or say with Gravitation, you can either do a Basic Lashing and change the direction gravity is acting on something, or you can do a Reverse Lashing and change the-- and have something with its own gravity field. So I was wondering then, if that is possibly caused by Pushing and Pulling on Surges?

Brandon Sanderson 

Yes, that is a legitimate interpretation.

MisCon 2018 (May 26, 2018)

I share part of the thinking of the person asking, but from a different perspective that I would like to explain in a post in the general Cosmere section. But basically it comes down to the fact that we could classify the Surges into 2 categories: softeners[<>] and hardeners[><]. And if the Adhesion works as I suggest it would be a great support for this theoretical framework.

• [<>]『Adhesion』
• [><]『Gravitation』
• [<>]『Division』
• [><]『Abrasion』
• [<>]『Progression』
• [><]『Illumination』
• [<>]『Transformation』
• [><]『Transportation』
• [<>]『Cohesion』
• [><]『Tension』

Edited October 29, 2024 by Dofurion