Ciridae Posted January 8, 2017 Posted January 8, 2017 This isn't really a theory, but rather some observations and thoughts that have been bouncing around my head for a while. Basically it seems like the saying "The eyes are the window to the soul" is very applicable in the cosmere. We have many instances where the local magic interacts with a person's eyes in a special way. A good example is how a person's eyes burn and shrivel after their soul has been severed by a Shardblade. The Blade cuts on another realm, leaves most of the body intact, and the only physical manifestation of a severed soul are the burned eyes. This doesn't explain why the flesh turns grey when only a limb is cut, but that seems to work like what the Shades on Threnody do. Staying on Roshar, the eye color of Stormform Parshendi and Radiants changes after having bonded a special spren. The bond is essentially the filling of a crack in the spirit web with sentient investiture, it makes sense that it would manifest as a change of eye color in the Physical Realm if the eyes give us a glimpse of changes to the spirit web. I'm not certain what the relationship between the spirit web and the soul is however, so if anybody knows, that would be very helpful. Savantism is another form of altering the spirit web. If I remember correctly, the Soulcaster-Ardents we see are Transformation savants and their eyes have changed to resemble gemstones. Shouldn't people who's spirit web is altered in other ways also manifest changes with their eyes? It would be interesting to know if similar changes occur for allomantic savants. The only example I can remember is Spook, who's eyes did change but I think we can safely attribute that to the special effects of tin. On the note of Allomancy, Inquisitors are spiked through their eyes. Of course we see that you don't necessarily have to be spiked through the eyes, but it makes sense that the eyes are Hemalurgic binding points in the spirit web. Again, if someone knows more about how the spirit web, the soul, and points on the physical body connect, that would be very helpful. I hope this was somewhat coherent and made a bit of sense, basically it seems the eyes are realmatically important If anybody has other examples or insights or objections, I'd love to hear them! 4
Yezrien Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 Spoiler The agents of Trell in Bands of Mourning are another example. Glowing red eyes. I think you're onto something here. 2
A Windspren he/him Posted January 11, 2017 Posted January 11, 2017 It could have to do with the fact that the Eyes are the body focus of Lucentia (crystal), and the Focus for Roshar is gemstones (from what we've seen).
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