[OB] Odium's Champion and mental illness

[Sparks]

Crazy theory.

After reading the newest Chapters I'm increasingly convinced Renarin and Elhokar as potential Champions for Odium are red herrings being thrown out by Brandon.

Reading about Dalinar under the spell of the Thrill and presumably the touch of one of the Unmade, it's clear that it induces a form of psychosis, including delusions of invincibility, unnatural rage and aggression and loss of judgement. Which led me to hypothesize, what if every Unmade can touch and alter humans like that?

What if one of the Unmade can induce hopelessness and deep depression or even bipolar thinking that can alter judgement and behavior as well?

Kaladin has been battling severe depression since the start of tWoK.  But given how the Thrill works, it may not even be completely natural mental illness. Kaladin may be in the claws of one of the Unmade, and Brandon may be seeding hints of Kaladin (or at least a darker version of Kaladin) being influenced into being Odium's Champion through the touch of the Unmade on his mind. I can only imagine the state of mind any human would have with all nine shadows touching them.

The key to this would be to tear away Syl. Syl hangs a lampshade on it, "My job is to bring light and joy and chase away shadows when you're being a dour idiot, Kal." I think this will be another one of Brandon's clever ironies before the series is done. As Syl's influence on Kaladin increases, his depression (and the touch of the Unmade?) shrinks and he becomes less...odious. As Syl's influence wanes and she grows more distant in the first and second book, when Kal was considering suicide or letting Elhokar die, his depression was worse.  We saw with Dalinar that the closer he came to Radiant, the less the Thrill was able to affect him.

And just as removing Syl from the equation would be the key to making Kaladin Odium's champion, reviving Syl would be the key to redeeming Kaladin and defeating Odium.

 

[Stark]

While it is possible, I don't think so.  Given how much Brandon has discussed the importance of properly writing a character who suffers from depression, having it be part of their character rather than the defining attribute of said character, I don't personally see him undermining that stance by having an Unmade be responsible for said depression.  If it turns out that there is some mystical monster to slay, or magical cure for Kaladin's depression, to me that would cheapen the effect of having a character who fights through that struggle every day.

 

I think that would undo a lot of the good that has come from this character, having his depression be magically induced.  It changes the narrative, making his depression more of a focus, making Kaladin like many other characters in fiction who have depression.  Their whole story becomes a focus on the fight against depression.  That is so counter to everything Brandon has said so far on the subject and Kaladin's arc.

 

Today's chapters have done much to lessen the impression for many, including myself, that Elhokar will be the champion.  Same for Renarin, though I did not buy into that.  So while we are still trying to figure out who, I think it is more likely to have Sadeas resurrected as Odium's sock puppet than to have Kaladin's depression be linked to one of the Unmade, causing him to be the champion of Hatred.  Doesn't fit for me.