Odium Mini-Theory

[Szeth Pancakes he/they]

So, this is something that has been bugging me for a while. In the epigraphs of the Way of Kings (possibly WoR, I haven’t checked ‘cause I’m lazy) it says that Odium is the most dangerous of the 16 Shards. So, if Odium is the antagonist of the Stormlight Archive, then who will be the antagonist of the greater Cosmere plot?

The answer: Odium himself.

Let me explain. It has been established that Odium is raising an army to fight in a “greater war.” Whether Taravangian is continuing this plot is a matter of debate, but for the purpose of this theory, I’ll assume he is. It seems like Taravangian would want to rule the cosmere so that he could “save” it. So, I believe either KoW or SA 10 will end with Odium being freed from Roshar and going to go raise his army  somewhere else during the time between SA and Era 4 Mistborn. It would be a nice ending for the SA characters, but it would leave loose ends for Era 4 to tie up.

Let me know if I missed anything obvious. Or, if you have any thoughts that might help me expand on this.

[a Faceless Immortal he/him]

Yeah, I do agree that Odium seems to be in the prime position to become the main antagonist in the Cosmere. Hoid certainly believes so, Frost seems to agree (Judging by the letter he sent), and he definitely has done some majorly villainous things -- and he probably still has his fingers on many of the events in the cosmere (looking at you, Trell!) 

[+Oltux72 he/him]

On 15.6.2021 at 4:26 AM, Szeth_Pancakes said:

Let me explain. It has been established that Odium is raising an army to fight in a “greater war.” Whether Taravangian is continuing this plot is a matter of debate, but for the purpose of this theory, I’ll assume he is. It seems like Taravangian would want to rule the cosmere so that he could “save” it. So, I believe either KoW or SA 10 will end with Odium being freed from Roshar and going to go raise his army  somewhere else during the time between SA and Era 4 Mistborn. It would be a nice ending for the SA characters, but it would leave loose ends for Era 4 to tie up.

Let me know if I missed anything obvious. Or, if you have any thoughts that might help me expand on this.

I love this. Suitably dark. Can you imagine Hoid's face when Jasnah and Navani set Odium free on the condition that he leave the Rosharan system alone for a suitably long time?

But then who is Trell?

[apepi]

I kind of don't want Odium to be the end villain, after 10 books I think I want something else.

[Frustration]

4 hours ago, apepi said:

I kind of don't want Odium to be the end villain, after 10 books I think I want something else.

he could disappear after the first five.

[apepi]

17 hours ago, Frustration said:

he could disappear after the first five.

I kind of hope Odium loses in the 5th book bad, then it will be about the Odium forces having to rise up from suppression in 6-10. A juxtaposition could be cool.

[OutOfBreath he/him]

I kinda think that since the endgame of roshar must be the combination of the three shards going forward, the villain must be someone else. Maybe hoid if "the good fight" turns out to be the reassembling of the shards. Maybe harmony if the merging would be the bad thing.