Is Adonalsium A Part Of Something?

[Steel he/him]

So, Adonalsium shattered long ago, and the Shattering was witnessed by several people, one of which we know is Hoid. From this Shattering there came 16 shards, each with an Intent. All of these events occurred in the shared universe in which all of Brandon's fantasy books are set: the Cosmere. But how do we know that Adonalsium was ever truly whole? What if Adonalsium was a Shard of something else, a bigger/more powerful entity?

 

If so, what then?

 

Well, we know that there is an opposing force to Adonalsium, the "big bad" enemy. But if that's true for Adonalsium, then what if there was one for the bigger thing before it shattered? What if the "big bad" isn't really the big bad, and there is a bigger big bad?

 

Just some random theorizing. Was bored. Feel free to shoot me down with a WoB.

[Mimiddle04]

I have two points I guess.

 

1. It's unlikely Adonalsium was part of something larger.  It is possibility because in literature anything is possible.  And there really isn't any way to say it couldn't be.  But I think it improbable because there are no hints or WoB or anything that indicate there was ever a larger force in the Cosmere than Adonalsium.  Basically my point is his world has to stop somewhere.  I know it doesn't technically have to stop but practicality-wise it does.  It is sort of like at the end of Men in Black when the camera zooms out and the universe we live in is just a marble of the universe those aliens live in and so on and so on.  It's a neat theory, but functionally there has to be an end point that the story focuses on and I think Adonalsium is that end point for Brandon and the Cosmere.
2. I just put a post in this thread explaining myself but I don't think we can definitively say there is a "big bad" that opposes or opposed Adonalsium.  There are other reasons than an opposing force he could have intentionally shattered.

Upon being shown the WoB on theoryland I retract my second point.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Mimiddle04

[Asperity he/him]

 

I have two points I guess.

 

1. It's unlikely Adonalsium was part of something larger.  It is possibility because in literature anything is possible.  And there really isn't any way to say it couldn't be.  But I think it improbable because there are no hints or WoB or anything that indicate there was ever a larger force in the Cosmere than Adonalsium.  Basically my point is his world has to stop somewhere.  I know it doesn't technically have to stop but practicality-wise it does.  It is sort of like at the end of Men in Black when the camera zooms out and the universe we live in is just a marble of the universe those aliens live in and so on and so on.  It's a neat theory, but functionally there has to be an end point that the story focuses on and I think Adonalsium is that end point for Brandon and the Cosmere.
2. I just put a post in this thread explaining myself but I don't think we can definitively say there is a "big bad" that opposes or opposed Adonalsium.  There are other reasons than an opposing force he could have intentionally shattered.

 

I am fairly certain there is a WoB that says Adonalsium had an enemy. I'm sure somebody will cite it momentarily.

[Mimiddle04]

Q:  Was Adonalsium shattered intentionally, and if so, was the intention malevolent?
A:  Yes, and RAFO

 

Q:  Did Adonalsium deliberately shatter itself?

A:  Hmmm, good question! RAFO!

 

Q:  How are you going to finish the Cosmere stuff? Like when you get to book 35, how are you gonna resist like book 36, we're gonna say "Courage is held by a dude named Steve and according to Hoid he's pretty cool." Just extend it another … how are you going to finish?
A:  We'll see. We will see. The thing is there's a beginning, middle, and end to the shattering of Adonalsium and the involvement there. More stories can be told in the Cosmere, but there's a beginning, middle, and end to that. When I finish that, that is the sequence that I wanted to tell.

 

Q:  If Adonalsium shattered with intent, would he always shatter to the same shards?

A:  It is plausible that he could have gone a different way.
Q:  So it could've been different Shards?
A:  Yes, that's plausible.

 

These are the relevant WoB that I can find.  I am not saying there isn't a bad guy that is the reason Adonalsium shattered in the first place.  I even find that likely...But as far as I can tell, using the compiled WoB on this site, we don't have confirmation that there is an evil like that out there.

[the winter system]

Interesting theory. It may not have any proof and may be somewhat of a stretch, but there is no proof against it, for now. 

[luckat she/her]

This WoB talks about something that opposed Adonalsium.
 

CLAYTONPHILLIPS ()

Before Adonalsium shattered, was it consciously opposed by something, be it people or another cosmic force? Is whatever opposed it still around?


BRANDON SANDERSON

Yes. Yes.
 
source

However, as far as I know we don't know anything about it except that it's still around. We don't know if it's a force or an organization or how much power it has. We don't even know if it was responsible for the shattering or could be considered a "big bad".