Shallan's mother and father (with answers from WoB Omaha)

[Macen he/him]

So. I asked Brandon which Secret Group, if any Shallans mother is in. He quickly RAFO'd that.

Next. I have been brewing a theory based on another conversation here about Lin Davar (will link when I get home). Based on his slow and steady decline into nearly constant rage and the rage he causes in others I thought he may have been influenced by Odium.

I asked if he was influenced by Odium and he said yes!

So stoked I didn't get RAFO'd on that one.

Just left the signing. Time to drive home.

[Macen he/him]

Oh. I also asked if more than one type of spren could be bonded and he more or less said (I didn't record it) that it's not impossible.

[Argent he/him]

Oooh, that's interesting! I wonder how Odium did it - would he need a medium like Ruin, or can he be more direct?

[Macen he/him]

Oh. I also asked if more than one type of spren could be bonded and he more or less said (I didn't record it) that it's not impossible.

[PorridgeBrick he/him]

Bleck. This kinda ruins his character, IMO. It was far more interesting when he was complex, being a good guy that destroys himself and turns into a monster. Now that magic is in the picture it seems too... pat, simple. I hope there isn't too much of this with other characters.

[Observer]

Bleck. This kinda ruins his character, IMO. It was far more interesting when he was complex, being a good guy that destroys himself and turns into a monster. Now that magic is in the picture it seems too... pat, simple. I hope there isn't too much of this with other characters.

 

I seriously doubt that it was all Odium. In fact, I doubt Odium could have come in in the first place if he wasn't a little bit nuts, kind of like Ruin, who also needed insanity to work. His pain and rage were all his own, Odium just tried to push him a little further, probably into turning to the Ghostbloods.

[Seloun]

Bleck. This kinda ruins his character, IMO. It was far more interesting when he was complex, being a good guy that destroys himself and turns into a monster. Now that magic is in the picture it seems too... pat, simple. I hope there isn't too much of this with other characters.

 

I seriously doubt that it was all Odium. In fact, I doubt Odium could have come in in the first place if he wasn't a little bit nuts, kind of like Ruin, who also needed insanity to work. His pain and rage were all his own, Odium just tried to push him a little further, probably into turning to the Ghostbloods.

 

I think it does take a fair bit away from Lin's arc, mainly because the influence of Odium removes a lot of his responsibility for his actions. If it had been all Lin, we have a person whose heroism eventually proves to his downfall; a thoughtful inspection of how good intentions can ultimately turn bad. If it's all Odium, it's about a hero who gets replaced by an evil robot; not quite as interesting since they're basically two different people being examined.

 

Obviously the 'real' story is somewhere in the middle, and hopefully we'll find it's a light touch (maybe even an incidental one), but it does take something away from the deeper (well, arguably) interpretation.

[bartbug he/him]

I hope Brandon was Aes Sedai-ing you. After all, it could he argued that the Thrill is an Odious influence.

[Awesomeness Summoned he/him]

Or just that he was an angry, hateful man so it was his odium that was destroying the family

[Macen he/him]

I think it was middle ground. Just like how spren bond with someone with cracks int heir soul. Odium was slowing influencing him from the cracks in his soul. I don't think odium was all of it, just helped push him along the way.

[marianmi]

I wonder if it was odium keeping him from hurting her, protecting her to maker her odiums champion...

In any case, her father knew she had a shardblade, so that means Odium knew, right from the start.