Adolin - Bondsmith?

[DSCrankshaw]

So I’m putting this forward less as a theory I’m trying to convince people of, than as an idea I’ve been thinking about but haven’t really decided how I feel about it. And that idea is that Adolin Kholin is an incipient Bondsmith—meaning that he’s showing signs of Bondsmithing, even if he isn’t really there yet.

So why do I think that? Let’s take the signs in order:

• Connecting with Maya. We’ll start with the early part, where he got her to speak her name and started to sense things from her in Oathbringer, in the Battle of Thaylen City. She wasn’t awake yet, but he had started a connection.
• Bonding with Gallant. Most Rhyshadiums only choose one rider. But Adolin formed a strong enough connection with Gallant to not only ride him, but also be able to summon him without calling. (RoW, Ch. 35)
• Attracting the Lost Deadeyes. It’s still not clear what drew them, but it was clearly connected to Adolin and Maya.
• Waking Maya. The Trial is probably the first strong sign that what he’s doing isn’t normal Connection. He felt what she felt, was able to offer some of his strength, and felt “a warmth deep within him.” (RoW, Ch. 94)
• Connecting to his Shardplate. I thought at first that this might be part of his bond with Maya, the same way that Radiants’ bonds with their spren draw lesser spren to be their Armor. The problem is that it’s the wrong type of spren. Adolin’s armor appears to be Flamespren (the Dustbringer armor), whereas Maya is a Cultivationspren, the type which makes Edgedancers, whose armor is Lifespren. But he was able to sense what his armor was feeling, give it instructions that it continued to follow, and hear its voice while fighting the thunderclast.
• Speaking what sounds a lot like a Bondsmith ideal: “Yes. I’ll lead them. They don’t need a swordsman. They’ve got plenty. They need a leader. I’ll do it. But I could use a little help right here. Please.” (WaT, Ch. 133). From the Stormlight RPG:

Spoiler

The RPG says that while “the general themes of the Bondsmith’s oaths are roughly the same, the three Bondsmith spren each are so different in nature and personality that the individual words of their Ideals can present entirely differently. … Broadly, the Third Ideal is about becoming a better person and leader over time. It requires the Bondsmith to acknowledge the mistakes they’ve made, and to learn from these missteps to better serve their people and keep their oaths.”

Granted, I can’t really spot the second ideal, which is generally to “seek peace and cooperation, to resolve conflicts as nonviolently as possible, and to mediate disputes as best they can.” Not that that’s incompatible with Adolin’s personality or actions, I just can’t point to him saying words to that effect. But Szeth showed that it’s possible to speak Ideals out of order.

• Awakening his Shardplate. Of course, the problem with speaking a Bondsmith Ideal while locked in an aluminum room is that no one can accept your Words. Except your Armor. Apparently, they can. So Adolin woke up his Shardplate, and was able to summon them like a Radiant.
• Founding the Unoathed. This is a big one. While it was Maya who brought them, it was Adolin who connected them to his friends. While seeing through Maya’s eyes and speaking to beings in Shadesmar, which is a whole other level of Connection as well. I’m not sure we’ve seen Radiants, even Fourth Ideal ones, see through their spren’s eyes.
• Renewing his father’s Bondsmithing. This is just a guess, but Dalinar said his Bondsmithing that allowed Adolin to speak Azish would last a few weeks. It had been over a month and a half, which in Roshar is fifteen weeks (10 weeks per month), in Adolin’s last POV, and it was still working. Sort of. “The Connection that Dalinar had made for him was starting to slip. It now took Adolin a few minutes every morning before the words started making sense.” That sounds to me like Adolin is renewing the Bond himself, as it otherwise doesn’t make much sense for it to start working only after he puts effort into making it work each day.

I’ll add one other thing from the Stormlight RPG:

Spoiler

The RPG lists a bunch of examples of Purposes, which every PC is supposed to have. It gives some examples, most of which very clearly map to one of the books’ main characters:

For example, “You have an unrelenting need to defend those who can’t protect themselves” is clearly referring to Kaladin.

When I read this one, I thought, “oh, that’s Adolin”: “You define yourself by your connections with others, and you’re intentional about seeking others to care for and surround yourself with.”

Maybe I’m wrong, and it’s not about him at all. For that matter, while Brandon had input to the RPG, he didn’t write every word, so even if it’s about Adolin, it may not be Brandon’s conception of Adolin.  But it did strike me how closely this maps to him, and how much, when put in those terms, it sounds like it fits a Bondsmith.

So that’s why I think Adolin may be a Bondsmith, but how?

He doesn’t have a Bondsmith spren. He only kind of has a Radiant spren, if you count Maya, but they don’t have a Nahel bond that grants Surgebinding. I don’t have an explanation, but I do have a few thoughts:

• He’s a Bondsmith squire. Squires become so through their Connection to their Knights. Adolin is the closest person who is not already a Radiant to not one, but two, Bondsmiths. Dalinar always saw Adolin as his heir and protégé. It’s an obvious Connection that should allow for Squirehood.
  • Pros:
    • It seems to work within our current understanding of the Radiant system.
  • Cons:
    • It shouldn’t continue to work after Dalinar is dead.
    • It should require Stormlight. We’ve seen people use Stormlight without realizing it, but it certainly shouldn’t continue to work now that Stormlight’s gone.
    • Squires lose their power when more than fifty miles from their Knight. Some of the above examples may have happened within that range (bonding with Gallant, first connecting with Maya at the Battle of Thaylen City, Maya perking up after visiting Urithiru), but there’s a lot of big stuff that happens outside of it. But see below.

The Stormlight RPG provides an additional pro and con.

Spoiler

• Pro:
  • Unique among Radiant Squires, Bondsmith Squires retain their abilities for months after being separated from their Radiants.
• Con:
  • Bondsmith Squires don’t gain Bondsmithing. They only get normal Tension and Adhesion—like what Stonewards and Windrunners get.

However, both of these may be because it’s supposed to allow players in the RPG to become Bondsmith squires, without giving them Bondsmithing’s unique and overpowered abilities, and without requiring them to stay close to either Navani or Dalinar. It may not accurately describe what happens to book characters, who are allowed to break the rules.

 

• Bondsmithing works differently now. The Bondsmithing we see with Dalinar and Navani is very distinctly the version created by Honor to keep the powers more carefully controlled. Other versions of Bondsmithing existed before (notably, Ishar, when he opened the portal, did not use Stormlight and did not seem to glow, though technically that was Transportation, not Bondsmithing), and very likely could exist afterward. When Honor, Odium, and Cultivation agreed to limit the power of their followers, Honor foresaw: “If one of us were to die, then our followers would be able to draw power without being bound—as our will was what maintained the covenant.” (WaT, Ch. 115) With the original Honor and Odium dead, and Cultivation now fled, the wheels are coming off, and we may see Bondsmithing (and perhaps other Surges) without Radiant bonds again.
• It’s not Bondsmithing, or perhaps more accurately it’s a more organic type of Bondsmithing. This is my original theory, and I still like it, though I’m leaning more towards mixing it with number 2. What Adolin is doing is making Connections. It’s something that everyone can and does do in the Cosmere, and we’re told repeatedly that Adolin is absurdly good at it. He learns and remembers the names of his men, jokes with them and befriends them and wins over even those who initially dislike him. He talks to his sword, and his armor, and his horse, and truly believes it makes a difference, until he is eventually proven right. It’s not that he has some supernatural ability that makes him good at making Connections, it’s that Connection is what creates supernatural abilities in the Cosmere.

So, what now?

• As far as we know, the Nightwatcher has not left Roshar. If she’s been abandoned by her mother, she may start looking for a Bondsmith. Or at least a friend. And you could do worse than be friends with Adolin.
• One of the Splinters of Honor is probably empowering the Unoathed.
  • Dalinar told Honor that “You are not Honor. Not yet. Honor is far more than an oath kept. Learn, see, and remember me. Ask yourself why.”  And, when Dalinar said to “Go. Watch. Learn,” pieces of honor split off and fled while the rest was absorbed by Retribution. (WaT, Ch. 143) Where did those Splinters go? My theory is that they went to learn, probably from the people whom Dalinar most thought could teach it, who had shown him true honor that day: Kaladin, Shallan, Rlain and Renarin, Jasnah, and Adolin. (WaT, Ch. 142)
  • Maya said that the Unoathed’s Blades and Plate continued to work as a side effect of what the Heralds had done to shield the spren, but Maya’s not exactly an expert on Investiture, so I’m going to take that more as a guess than the canon explanation. (WaT, Ch. 147) I think that one of those Splinters of Honor is probably what’s empowering the Unoathed, following the Intent behind Dalinar’s last instruction to it.
  • There was speculation that with Syl possibly inheriting the Stormfather’s role, probably from one of those splinters, she could make Kaladin a Bondsmith. In that case, it seems natural to wonder whether the splinter of Honor empowering the Unoathed could do the same.
• Nothing changes. If theory 2 and/or 3 of the How section are correct, and what Adolin’s doing doesn’t derive from connection to a spren, then he can continue doing what he’s doing without any powerful Splinters of Honor or Cultivation being added to the mix.

So that’s what I’ve been considering about Bondsmithing, and how it might explain a few things (like the Unoathed). I don’t think I’ve figured it out, but there are definitely hints there.

Edited July 30, 2025 by DSCrankshaw
Fixed copy and paste error.

[Use the Falchion]

I like your theory! 

Unfortunately, I don't think Adolin will be a Bondsmith for a few reasons:

 

First, Adolin represents the boots on the ground, Muggle-viewpoint of Roshar. People like him for that. Sanderson likes him for that, or he'd be a Radiant by now. I can't see that changing. 

Second, Adolin views Oaths and Promises as separate things, and he clearly values one over the other. Unless Promises can overcome Oaths for the Nahel Bond, I don't think Adolin will give that up. (Granted, I DO think that Adolin is doing something with Maya similar to a Nahel Bond.) 

Third, Living Spren don't like humans that bond with Deadeyes. That's primarily why Adolin isn't a Radiant, and I don't think that the Godspren will change that. 

 

There's also the theory that Rock will become the Nightwatcher's Bondsmith. I like that theory as well, but I think yours has merit! 

 

Despite all of that being said, I think it's possible for the future to hold more Bondsmiths. I think it'd be funny if:

Adolin became the Bondsmith to the Nightwatcher, Kaladin became the Bondsmith to Syl (aka the Stormdaughter?), and Shallan became the Bondsmith to Sja-Anat. Add in Ba-Ado-Mishram as a Bondsmith to either Renarin or Rlain (most likely Rlain) and Navani keeping her bond to The Sibling, and you've got nearly the entire Kholin Family and their in-laws as Bondsmiths! 

[DSCrankshaw]

23 minutes ago, Use the Falchion said:

I like your theory! 

Unfortunately, I don't think Adolin will be a Bondsmith for a few reasons:

 

First, Adolin represents the boots on the ground, Muggle-viewpoint of Roshar. People like him for that. Sanderson likes him for that, or he'd be a Radiant by now. I can't see that changing. 

Second, Adolin views Oaths and Promises as separate things, and he clearly values one over the other. Unless Promises can overcome Oaths for the Nahel Bond, I don't think Adolin will give that up. (Granted, I DO think that Adolin is doing something with Maya similar to a Nahel Bond.) 

Third, Living Spren don't like humans that bond with Deadeyes. That's primarily why Adolin isn't a Radiant, and I don't think that the Godspren will change that. 

Thanks. I largely agree with what you're saying, especially about Oaths and Promises, which is one reason I lean towards the idea that if it's Bondsmithing, it's a different type that doesn't rely on a Bondsmith spren.

That said, I kind of think that Adolin’s role as Muggle has ended. Even if he's not Surgebinding, he's doing things that normal people cannot, such as peering into Shadesmar through his spren's eyes. I think there's always room for a Muggle character to give us a different perspective. I just don't think it will be Adolin in the back half. (For one thing, I expect his role to be smaller as a POV character.)

And while I think it's unlikely that Adolin will bond a spren like other Bondsmiths, in this new world, there are no Deadeyes, and the dislike for humans who bond Deadeyes doesn't seem like it would extend to the first human to resurrect a Deadeyes.

Edited July 30, 2025 by DSCrankshaw

[alder24]

7 hours ago, DSCrankshaw said:

• He’s a Bondsmith squire. Squires become so through their Connection to their Knights. Adolin is the closest person who is not already a Radiant to not one, but two, Bondsmiths. Dalinar always saw Adolin as his heir and protégé. It’s an obvious Connection that should allow for Squirehood.
  • Pros:
    • It seems to work within our current understanding of the Radiant system.
  • Cons:
    • It shouldn’t continue to work after Dalinar is dead.
    • It should require Stormlight. We’ve seen people use Stormlight without realizing it, but it certainly shouldn’t continue to work now that Stormlight’s gone.
    • Squires lose their power when more than fifty miles from their Knight. Some of the above examples may have happened within that range (bonding with Gallant, first connecting with Maya at the Battle of Thaylen City, Maya perking up after visiting Urithiru), but there’s a lot of big stuff that happens outside of it. But see below.

Bondsmith's squires gain no power nor Surgebinding out of their status. Adolin can't be a squire if he has powers. WoB:

Spoiler

Dan Wells

Sixth Epoch, Year 31, Shashaches 6.3.1.

Bondsmiths

Bondsmiths are, well... different. For starters, there are only three of them at a time, because there are only three spren that can grant Bondsmith powers. Seems kind of strange for a Radiant Order whose whole job is to bring people together, right? But, see, that's where the strangeness continues. Every Order takes squires; that's nothing new. But Bondsmiths sometimes have whole groups of servants who swear oaths but gain no powers at all. Can you imagine? I think there's something beautifully pure about that. They might be the only people in any Order who've ever taken the oaths for purely selfless reasons. They can't do any Surgebinding, they don't get spren, they just... take the oaths. Because oaths are important, and the values they swear to uphold are worth upholding.

And those values, I admit, are pretty great. Bondsmiths unite things - mostly people, but also governments and kingdoms and armies and everything else. They negotiate treaties, and resolve disputes, and help people to see each other as people, instead of as rivals or foreigners or enemies. Their main power (if you can call it a power) is to help people find common ground, and get them to agree on things, and to make those agreements matter. No matter which of the three spren they bond with (and those three spren can produce some very different textures in the bond), the thing all Bondsmiths share is that they bring people together. They make people feel included and important. Sometimes, they're in the middle of those groups, corralling the actions and holding the attention. Sometimes, they're out on the edges, watching the group they created have new ideas and activities and adventures of their own. Either way, the Bondsmith is happy.

#SayTheWords (Feb. 28, 2024)

 

I'm not entirely convinced what he does is Bondsmithing, but it is certainly strange. I am more inclined to believe that he's just good at naturally forming strong Connections, just like your second idea proposes.

Edited July 30, 2025 by alder24

[AsherCrane]

8 hours ago, alder24 said:

Bondsmith's squires gain no power nor Surgebinding out of their status. Adolin can't be a squire if he has powers. WoB:

  Hide contents

Dan Wells

Sixth Epoch, Year 31, Shashaches 6.3.1.

Bondsmiths

Bondsmiths are, well... different. For starters, there are only three of them at a time, because there are only three spren that can grant Bondsmith powers. Seems kind of strange for a Radiant Order whose whole job is to bring people together, right? But, see, that's where the strangeness continues. Every Order takes squires; that's nothing new. But Bondsmiths sometimes have whole groups of servants who swear oaths but gain no powers at all. Can you imagine? I think there's something beautifully pure about that. They might be the only people in any Order who've ever taken the oaths for purely selfless reasons. They can't do any Surgebinding, they don't get spren, they just... take the oaths. Because oaths are important, and the values they swear to uphold are worth upholding.

And those values, I admit, are pretty great. Bondsmiths unite things - mostly people, but also governments and kingdoms and armies and everything else. They negotiate treaties, and resolve disputes, and help people to see each other as people, instead of as rivals or foreigners or enemies. Their main power (if you can call it a power) is to help people find common ground, and get them to agree on things, and to make those agreements matter. No matter which of the three spren they bond with (and those three spren can produce some very different textures in the bond), the thing all Bondsmiths share is that they bring people together. They make people feel included and important. Sometimes, they're in the middle of those groups, corralling the actions and holding the attention. Sometimes, they're out on the edges, watching the group they created have new ideas and activities and adventures of their own. Either way, the Bondsmith is happy.

#SayTheWords (Feb. 28, 2024)

 

I'm not entirely convinced what he does is Bondsmithing, but it is certainly strange. I am more inclined to believe that he's just good at naturally forming strong Connections, just like your second idea proposes.

RPG spoilers:

Spoiler

The OP Spoiler under "The Stormlight RPG provides an additional pro and con." addresses this point. As the RPG has been said to be canon, we must assume that the "sometimes" in your own bolded section is notable. 

Edited July 30, 2025 by Chaos
Spoiler

[Chaos he/him]

Hey @AsherCrane, we are flagging RPG spoilers until the 6th (and Stonewalkers much longer) so I spoiler tagged your message. This won't matter too much longer though.

[DSCrankshaw]

On 7/30/2025 at 4:51 AM, alder24 said:

Bondsmith's squires gain no power nor Surgebinding out of their status. Adolin can't be a squire if he has powers. WoB:

  Reveal hidden contents

Dan Wells

Sixth Epoch, Year 31, Shashaches 6.3.1.

Bondsmiths

Bondsmiths are, well... different. For starters, there are only three of them at a time, because there are only three spren that can grant Bondsmith powers. Seems kind of strange for a Radiant Order whose whole job is to bring people together, right? But, see, that's where the strangeness continues. Every Order takes squires; that's nothing new. But Bondsmiths sometimes have whole groups of servants who swear oaths but gain no powers at all. Can you imagine? I think there's something beautifully pure about that. They might be the only people in any Order who've ever taken the oaths for purely selfless reasons. They can't do any Surgebinding, they don't get spren, they just... take the oaths. Because oaths are important, and the values they swear to uphold are worth upholding.

And those values, I admit, are pretty great. Bondsmiths unite things - mostly people, but also governments and kingdoms and armies and everything else. They negotiate treaties, and resolve disputes, and help people to see each other as people, instead of as rivals or foreigners or enemies. Their main power (if you can call it a power) is to help people find common ground, and get them to agree on things, and to make those agreements matter. No matter which of the three spren they bond with (and those three spren can produce some very different textures in the bond), the thing all Bondsmiths share is that they bring people together. They make people feel included and important. Sometimes, they're in the middle of those groups, corralling the actions and holding the attention. Sometimes, they're out on the edges, watching the group they created have new ideas and activities and adventures of their own. Either way, the Bondsmith is happy.

#SayTheWords (Feb. 28, 2024)

 

I'm not entirely convinced what he does is Bondsmithing, but it is certainly strange. I am more inclined to believe that he's just good at naturally forming strong Connections, just like your second idea proposes.

Since the embargo has lifted on the Stormlight RPG, I can address this more directly. The RPG, whose lore is canon as it was developed in partnership with Brandon, reveals that while Bondsmiths have a retinue which swears oaths but do not gain powers, they can also choose squires from among their elite bodyguards who do gain Surgebinding. However, their squires are different: while they gain Tension and Adhesion, they don't get Spiritual Adhesion (aka Bondsmithing), and Bondsmith squires retain their powers for months while separated from their Bondsmiths. So that's both a pro and a con for this idea. I think both these differences are at least partly due to game mechanics, so that players can become Bondsmith squires, and characters in the books don't necessarily follow all the rules. But Adolin as a Bondsmith squire was my least favorite theory,  and I still lean more towards 3 (he's just that good at making Connections) with a little bit of 2 (the old rules about Surgebinding are breaking down).

[Jult]

On 7/29/2025 at 9:40 PM, DSCrankshaw said:

Other versions of Bondsmithing existed before (notably, Ishar, when he opened the portal, did not use Stormlight and did not seem to glow, though technically that was Transportation, not Bondsmithing), and very likely could exist afterward. When Honor, Odium, and Cultivation agreed to limit the power of their followers, Honor foresaw: “If one of us were to die, then our followers would be able to draw power without being bound—as our will was what maintained the covenant.” (WaT, Ch. 115) With the original Honor and Odium dead, and Cultivation now fled, the wheels are coming off, and we may see Bondsmithing (and perhaps other Surges) without Radiant bonds again.

For this bit specifically, the Sibling tells Jasnah that Bondsmiths bonded to ancient forces left by gods.

Quote

"When were you created, Sibling?" Jasnah asked.

"Some six thousand years ago, when the Stones wanted a legacy in the form of a child of Honor and Cultivation. Back when Bondsmith bonded not to spren, but to ancient forces, left by gods."

The general consensus is that the 'ancient forces' the Sibling refers to are Wind, Stone, and Night. Wind was pretty busy with Kaladin during WaT, and Stone was assisting Venli. But we have very conflicting stories on where Night might be.

The Sibling says she left Roshar and that Cultivation replaced her with the Nightwatcher. But the Stormlight RPG World Guide suggests

Spoiler

that the Nightwatcher IS Night. Chapter 3 of the World Guide:

Quote

"She [the Nightwatcher] doesn’t resemble humans as closely in appearance or mindset as do most sapient spren. Instead, she’s closer to her original form as the primal spren of night."

 

So, the Nightwatcher/Night may have taken an interest in Adolin.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

However, I have an additional idea. I plug this theory a lot because I like it (sorry, not sorry). But I think the Four Pure Tones of Roshar and the Fourth Moon imply the existence of a 4th primal spren. And, in this Topic, we played around with several ideas for this being a light/day/dawn spren who is stuck in a deadeye-esque state. Adolin's name translates to "born unto light" and he's got a good record of 'reviving' deadeye spren. He'd be a pretty excellent Bondsmith to pair with this 4th spren.

[Teravangian]

I would argue that these traits he embodies moreso make him fit into stoneward, and his nature would also incline him to joining edgedancer. Would you agree/disagree? Thoughts?

[DSCrankshaw]

6 hours ago, Teravangian said:

I would argue that these traits he embodies moreso make him fit into stoneward, and his nature would also incline him to joining edgedancer. Would you agree/disagree? Thoughts?

I can certainly see the argument that he fits in well with the Edgedancers--I suspect that it's at least one reason that Maya responded to him the way she did.

That said, when it comes to unusual things he's actually done, it all seems to involve Connection in some way, forming and strengthening it, which is Spiritual Adhesion, a surge unique to the Bondsmiths among the Radiants--but again, it wasn't always limited to Radiants, and I'm not sure the rules are quite as enforced as they used to be. And there's still the argument that, when all is said and done, he's really just Connecting with others, and that is something that anyone can do.

[Nitpicking]

On 7/29/2025 at 7:43 PM, Use the Falchion said:

Third, Living Spren don't like humans that bond with Deadeyes. That's primarily why Adolin isn't a Radiant, and I don't think that the Godspren will change that. 

No, he isn't a Radiant because he absolutely refuses to even consider a Radiant bond.

[Use the Falchion]

On 8/12/2025 at 6:05 AM, Nitpicking said:

No, he isn't a Radiant because he absolutely refuses to even consider a Radiant bond.

It's a little of both, because it would involve giving up Maya. The Kaladin thinks the Honorspren would like Adolin if he gave up Maya, and he won't give up Maya, so he's not considered nor would he consider it. 

[Nitpicking]

15 hours ago, Use the Falchion said:

It's a little of both, because it would involve giving up Maya. The Kaladin thinks the Honorspren would like Adolin if he gave up Maya, and he won't give up Maya, so he's not considered nor would he consider it. 

He has a bond with Maya, but neither of them is interested in the Radiant oaths. Maya even mocks the First Oath in WaT.

[The-Rizzler]

Adolin would have made an amazing champion for Odium to exploit.  All of the pieces were there.  We spend over 3,600 pages learning about his prowess with a sword, his willingness to kill (Sadeas) for what he believes is right, him trying to find his place in a world now dominated by Radiants, and his anger at Dalinar for killing Evi.  How poignant would it have been for Odium to use these emotions to turn Adolin against Dalinar and given him an actual purpose?  A battle of champions where Odium sets the rules and seemingly transports Adolin to Rathalas before Dalinar sets the city ablaze, allowing Adolin the opportunity to duel his own father without any Radiant abilities to save his own mother.  Of course, Dalinar wouldn't see any of that - he would just see an enraged and out of control Adolin intent on killing his own father and refuse to attack, desperately trying to get Adolin to see the truth before Adolin strikes Dalinar down.

 

That would have been pretty cool and would have given Adolin's character arc a purpose beyond the eyes for which we come to see the fashion of Roshar, or being an emotional punching bag for Shallan.  But having Dalinar battle a literal baby's cool too, I guess?

[Use the Falchion]

On 8/18/2025 at 9:04 AM, Nitpicking said:

He has a bond with Maya, but neither of them is interested in the Radiant oaths. Maya even mocks the First Oath in WaT.

Kaladin thinks he'd be able to bond a Radiant before his bond with Maya was really explored back in the beginning of RoW. 

From Chapter 12 of RoW

Quote

"You're a storming fool," Kaladin said. "We need to get you a spren. Why hasn't an order picked you up yet?"

Adolin shrugged. "I'm not a good fit, I guess."

"It's that sword of yours," Kaladin said. "Shardbearers do better if they drop any old Shards. You need to get rid of yours." [Sidenote - Kaladin has a point here. Even at the end of WoR, the FIRST thing that Dalinar has to do once he's bonded the Stormfather is get rid of the Shardblade he was using.] 

"I'm not 'getting rid' of Maya."

"I know you're attached to the sword," Kaladin said. "But you'd have something better, if you became Radiant. Think about how it would feel to-"

"I'm not getting rid of Maya," Adolin said. 

At this point in the story, Adolin knows Maya is a Deadeyes; she has told him her name and was resummoned back in about 7 seconds. No one knows anything else, nor has anyone been able to prove anything else. No Spren can confirm that Maya's name is indeed Maya (they don't until later on in the book), and Vyre clearly thinks what Adolin did during the Battle of Thaylen Fields is repeatable, as he's been practicing. As far as others are concerned, just like Kaladin says, Adolin is fully capable of becoming a Radiant, but his attachment to a sword (a budding bond that no one knows about just yet) is stopping him. 

On Adolin's side, he'd have to give up a friend in Maya, and he's not going to do that, so it's not worth considering. 

[bmcclure7]

19 hours ago, The-Rizzler said:

Adolin would have made an amazing champion for Odium to exploit.  All of the pieces were there.  We spend over 3,600 pages learning about his prowess with a sword, his willingness to kill (Sadeas) for what he believes is right, him trying to find his place in a world now dominated by Radiants, and his anger at Dalinar for killing Evi.  How poignant would it have been for Odium to use these emotions to turn Adolin against Dalinar and given him an actual purpose?  A battle of champions where Odium sets the rules and seemingly transports Adolin to Rathalas before Dalinar sets the city ablaze, allowing Adolin the opportunity to duel his own father without any Radiant abilities to save his own mother.  Of course, Dalinar wouldn't see any of that - he would just see an enraged and out of control Adolin intent on killing his own father and refuse to attack, desperately trying to get Adolin to see the truth before Adolin strikes Dalinar down.

 

That would have been pretty cool and would have given Adolin's character arc a purpose beyond the eyes for which we come to see the fashion of Roshar, or being an emotional punching bag for Shallan.  But having Dalinar battle a literal baby's cool too, I guess?

I suspect it was the plan before oath bringer. We know originally you were not supposed to get any POV from him or so I’ve been told. 

[DSCrankshaw]

10 minutes ago, bmcclure7 said:

I suspect it was the plan before oath bringer. We know originally you were not supposed to get any POV from him or so I’ve been told. 

That was before the current version of Way of Kings, when he was originally going to be killed by Elhokar,  I think, but things changed a significant amount. Adolin became a POV in Way of Kings because Brandon needed someone who was skeptical of Dalinar's visions but still supported him, because Dalinar himself didn't work as a source of self-doubt.

20 hours ago, The-Rizzler said:

Adolin would have made an amazing champion for Odium to exploit.  All of the pieces were there.  We spend over 3,600 pages learning about his prowess with a sword, his willingness to kill (Sadeas) for what he believes is right, him trying to find his place in a world now dominated by Radiants, and his anger at Dalinar for killing Evi.  How poignant would it have been for Odium to use these emotions to turn Adolin against Dalinar and given him an actual purpose?  A battle of champions where Odium sets the rules and seemingly transports Adolin to Rathalas before Dalinar sets the city ablaze, allowing Adolin the opportunity to duel his own father without any Radiant abilities to save his own mother.  Of course, Dalinar wouldn't see any of that - he would just see an enraged and out of control Adolin intent on killing his own father and refuse to attack, desperately trying to get Adolin to see the truth before Adolin strikes Dalinar down.

 

That would have been pretty cool and would have given Adolin's character arc a purpose beyond the eyes for which we come to see the fashion of Roshar, or being an emotional punching bag for Shallan.  But having Dalinar battle a literal baby's cool too, I guess?

Since the Champions had to be willing, I don't think it would have worked if Adolin were tricked into believing he was saving his mother rather than acting as Odium's champion. I'm not saying Gavinor was not tricked into believing things about Dalinar that weren't exactly true, but he knew he was Odium's Champion.

And as I've said before, Taravangian did not care about winning the Contest, he wanted to win the argument about whether a ruler needed to sacrifice the innocent for the good of those ruled. Taravangian needs to be right, because that's exactly what he's done, and he can't accept that it was wrong to do so. He can accept that it's sinful, but not that it's unnecessary. 

Adolin wouldn't work, because if he were a willing champion, he wouldn't be innocent. I'm not sure Dalinar would see him as an innocent even if Adolin were tricked or blackmailed somehow, after Sadeas.

Anyway, this is getting away from the main topic, which is whether Adolin is an incipient Bondsmith, or just that good at making Connections, and is there a difference?

[Endnighthazer]

I don't think Adolin could have ever been the champion post-OB unless we spent a lot of time corrupting him. Yes, he has a lot of traits suited to it (anger, skill, etc.), but OB, RoW, and WAT really emphasize his care for his friends as his #1 trait imo, more than his anger. I could understand him being turned against Dalinar, but I find it hard to believe Adolin would do something that drastic unless he believed that somehow helping Odium would protect his friends - or unless he took a very different path from the end of WoR