Shard namedrops

[TheoreticalMagic]

Since we now know all sixteen original Intents, as well as the existing composites (Retribution and Harmony/Discord), I've been keeping an eye out for any time a Shard's Intent pops up in text in a way that could be potentially significant. Maybe it'll come to nothing, but its fun to speculate at possible foreshadowing, so if anyone else notices where various Intents pop up in passing, feel free to note it here!

For instance, in Chapter 67, we have this exchange:

Spoiler

Quote

 

“I am glad,” May said, continuing to write, “that you and I did not work out as a couple. I think we’d have hated one another eventually. I’m glad you found someone better suited to you, though I thought you and Shallan a strange pairing until I realized something. You both share the same sense of whimsy.”

“I don’t have a whimsical bone in my body, May.”

May eyed him, then kept writing.

 

Is this a guarantee of anything? Of course not. The Shards' Intents are still fairly common words....it seems inevitable that there must be some occasion when they're the right word choice without it actually having a deeper significance.

But given that we spent multiple books theorizing that Dalinar would Ascend to become a new Vessel - which he technically did, but not in any long-lasting way - now I can't help but wonder if we were looking at the wrong Kholin all along. Maybe there's more than one angle from which its noteworthy that Adolin's basically the only member of his family not fully entrenched in the framework of Rosharan Investiture....Adolin Kholin as a potential future Vessel of Whimsy, could be very interesting IMO.

Especially because one of Adolin's most defining character traits is his utter disinterest in power and his commitment to staying grounded and Connected with others - he wants nothing to do with anything that sets him up as higher than anyone else, really. And one of the most consistent themes throughout these first five books is the idea that the people who don't want the power of a god are the preferred picks for ending up with that power.

 

Edited January 7, 2025 by TheoreticalMagic

[Treamayne]

You may be interested in these threads. Just keep in mind that they are not in the SPoiler Zone, so WaT references should be avoided if possible, or properly spoiler tagged if needed:

• Mercy is Worrying
• Shardic References

Hope that helps