Theory: Pigs are invested

[ecohansen]

Pigs are special everywhere in the Cosmere, and probably invested.

 

They are one of the few vertebrates outside of Shinovar on Roshar,  where they provide milk ( http://www.tor.com/2014/06/10/brandon-sanderson-answers-your-questions-about-the-way-of-kings/question 8).

 

They are one of the few surviving vertebrates in the Final Empire--TenSoon ate a pig, and Elend called his father a pig.

 

They are obviously invested in Threnody, and we have it on the word of a certified Preternaturally Wise Child that they have strong personalities and preferences:

 

 

Silence liked to keep a healthy stock, though of course not for eating.  Pigs were said to ward away shades.

Sebruki: The pigs so like it to be clean.  Well, Jarom and Ezekiel do.  The others don't seem to care.

Not hogs. Only someone in one of the forts would be so crass as to eat a pig.

 

In Elantris, Kiin chooses to cook pig on the night he introduces Sarene to his conspiracy.  This at least hints that pigs represent a very high-status food.

Similarly, in Shadows of Self,

Edwarn says to Wax,

"You should join me for Mareweather dinner. We’ll have stuffed pig in your honor.”

On first reading, I thought that that implied that cops on Scadrial were called "pigs", just like earth cops, and it was an insult.  However, it could also be read straight, and be a sign that pigs are a very high-status food in Era 2 Scadrial.

 

Unfortunately, I didn't notice any pigs on First of the Sun.

Edited March 6, 2016 by ecohansen

[hoidhunter he/him]

When someone at a signing asked Brandon for a new fact about Hoid, he wrote, "Hoid loves bacon!"

 

Does it confirm you theory...no...is it neat anyway...yes.

[imriel452]

At the Sheffield signing for Shadows of Self, I asked if there were pigs on Yolen, and Brandon said that yes, there are pigs on Yolen.

[Ari he/him]

When someone at a signing asked Brandon for a new fact about Hoid, he wrote, "Hoid loves bacon!"

 

Does it confirm you theory...no...is it neat anyway...yes.

 

That's hardly a fact about Hoid, Brandon just confirmed he hasn't become a vegetarian or anything. Hell, I'm a vegetarian, and I still understand why people love bacon so much.

[Yata he/him]

Of course Adonalsium was a pig and every World has some pigs like effigies of the maker... also the worlds created by Shards have pigs because they are modulator to the power of creation, without Pigs the Investiture can't reach the Shardworld's focus properly....

[IndigoAjah he/him]

Sorry, Yata, accidental downvote was meant to be an upvote if someone can fix it?

[Rasarr she/her]

Sorry, Yata, accidental downvote was meant to be an upvote if someone can fix it?

 

Done.

 

Also, I like the theory. I have no idea why pigs may be invested, but it's kind of funny. Maybe Adonalsium's human form masqueraded as a pig farmer? 

[Yata he/him]

Done.

 

Also, I like the theory. I have no idea why pigs may be invested, but it's kind of funny. Maybe Adonalsium's human form masqueraded as a pig farmer? 

And of course He Had a horse named Bela 

[GenericMastermindAnt]

And of course He Had a horse named Bela 

 

Quick! We need some more crazy god theories from stuff Brandon has done: 2 is not enough! 

[Runyan Firetree]

On 3/6/2016 at 0:10 AM, hoidhunter said:

When someone at a signing asked Brandon for a new fact about Hoid, he wrote, "Hoid loves bacon!"

 

Does it confirm you theory...no...is it neat anyway...yes.

 

 

On 3/6/2016 at 2:27 AM, imriel452 said:

At the Sheffield signing for Shadows of Self, I asked if there were pigs on Yolen, and Brandon said that yes, there are pigs on Yolen.

 

 

My new head canon is that Hoid loves bacon so much that he facilitated bringing pigs from Yolen to other shard worlds post-shattering in order to always have access to one of his favorite foods.

Edited May 25, 2017 by runyan_ft

[The Invested Beard]

My new head cannon is that Hoid loves bacon so much that he facilitated bringing pigs from Yolen to other shard worlds post-shattering in order to always have access to one of his favorite foods.

 

This.

[Farnsworth]

It's actually pretty common I think for fantasy books to have powerful pigs in them, because they are so 'of the Earth' that they counter intuitively are powerful. The thing that you least expect to have power is powerful.