Galavantes

Firstly breaking the 4th wall and having a self aware character are not the same thing. Technically you are only breaking the 4th wall if the character addresses the audience directly. That may not be something that Brandon believes is even possible for Hoid. In much the same way that a 2 dimensional creature may be aware of a 3rd dimension, but not actually able to interact with it.

 

Secondly I'm not saying this will affect the plot. It might not even be something that Brandon ever intends to directly reveal. The way I picture it is that Brandon believes that Hoid evolved beyond his own expectations, and giving him sentience is Brandon's way of expressing that.

 

Finally I'm not even saying I believe this is true, it probably isn't. But it IS the very first thing that I thought when I read that line. So I put it here because it's original. It did say "crazy theory" right there in the topic line. And while it may ruin the immersion for you, it doesn't for me. So to each his own I suppose. But the fact that you can't take it seriously really has no impact or relevance at all, nor does it add anything of value to the discussion.

So back on topic.  

I dont really understand how it would be possible for Harmony not to win vs Odium.  His two shards are possibly the best for attacking and defending.  

 

It's entirely possible that Harmony has no intention of battling Odium at all. We think of Harmony as being good because he is Sazed, but really he is balance. Like a true neutral character. Now if Odium gets out of control and seriously throws off the balance in the cosmere then yeah maybe...but until then I find it more likely that Harmony would actually just attempt to manipulate events to keep everything in line, rather than throwing down for a battle royal.

“I’ve many.” The man shook Kaladin’s hand. “I began life as a thought, a concept, words on a page. That was another thing I stole. Myself. Another time, I was named for a rock.”

 

Maybe this only strikes me because I also had a concept for a character that was aware he was inside a book. But maybe...maybe Hoid is actually aware of not only the Cosmere, but of OUR world as well. 

Slightly crazier:

The cognitive realm is Brandon's imagination. Hoid knows this, and therefore he is able to move through Brandon's mind to reach into his other novels.

The idea that Hoid "Stole himself" could refer to the very real fact that characters often evolve through story telling in ways that even the author didn't predict. Perhaps Brandon ended up going places with Hoid that he never intended to, and feels like the character ran away with itself.

 

Just a possibility. 

If a feruchemist were to store any attribute, let's just say health, while they were also dumping all of their Identity into another metalmind, would the gold metalmind become universal? Ie: any feruchemist could tap into it? Could be an interesting mechanic.

This might not deserve it's own thread butttt, Brandon did also confirm at the signing that we would find out where shardblades come from in book 2.

 

Edit: Also just realized which forum I posted this in, not sure how to move it to the Stormlight section.

Ok guys I just left the Raleigh signing with Brandon! First of all it was an awesome experience and Brandon goes way above and beyond to connect with his readers. It's amazing. Now this was a Wheel of Time signing and most of the question were WOT related, however there were some cosmere questions asked. I was the only 17th sharder there (I asked) so most of them came from me lol. So forgive me if the questions I got in weren't the most advanced. But here is what I have, cosmere related first:

Q: Why did TLR have to spend time old?

Brandon: He didn't have to. He allowed it to happen, it was a sign of his weariness.

Q: Is Harmony more powerful than other Shards?

Brandon: More powerful or more potent?

Me: Um, powerful.

Brandon: Harmony is two shards in one.

Me: Could he take Odium?

Brandon: His two shards are at odds with one another.

(This was interesting to me, from his name being Harmony I had assumed Ruin and Preservation merged seamlessly. Brandon seems to be implying that while Sazed can utilize the power of both shards, he can't simply add them together)

Q: Have we met the recipient of "the letter"?

Brandon: Who's we?

Me: The readers.

Brandon: Some people have, you probably have not.

Me: So Beta readers?

Brandon *smile*

Q: The fact that Odium has bested other shards implies he is more powerful. Is odium inherently a more powerful shard or is it a matter of his nature?

Brandon: Both factors play a role.

Q: Is the fact that shadesmar is more dangerous to travel to through Sel related to the battle between Odium and it's shards there?

Brandon: It is indirectly related.

Q: Have any Chasmfiends managed to mature? Or have they all been caught before they could finish?

Brandon: You've already seen one. The enormous Chasmfiend that Dalinar fought was one that had successfully matured. You haven't seen what they start out as...

***Wheel of time spoilerThis post has been reported for attempting to skirt the rules

for the sake of having everything together I'm going to include the WoT answers here. If a mod wants to move this section somewhere else (or replicate it) then please do.

HERE THERE BE SPOILERS, if you haven't finished A Memory of Light do not continue!

Q: Was Hopper's soul forged into Perrin's hammer?

Brandon: Jordan's notes do not specifically say anything about this, but I believe that it was.

Q: Does Matt still have his luck now that he is no longer Ta'veren?

Brandon: Yes, his luck is an inherent part of his soul. The heros of the horn call him the gambler because they remember him from his past lives. Being Ta'veren did amplify his lucky, especially towards the end.

Q: Does the Light of Tar Valon (anti-balefire) insert threads into the pattern?

Brandon: It rebuilds the pattern.

Q: Did the creator ever manifest during the series?

Brandon: Um, RAFO haha

(immediately after)

Q: Who was Nakomi?

Brandon: *laughs* RAFO.

(Everyone in the group now assumes that Nakomi was the creator)

(Me): Did the creator speak directly to Rand twice?

Brandon: The same voice spoke to Rand in the Eye of the World and A Memory of Light.

Q: Was Elan's soul destroyed?

Brandon: I don't know. I believe it was.

Q: How did Rand light his pipe at the end?

Brandon passed this question to Harriet..

Harriet: *smile* I remember Jim laughing as he wrote that scene. I personally believe that this is the first sign that the next age is totally different than the one that the books took place in. Even mundane things are completely different.

(New magic system?)

Q: Why didn't we see the conversation between Artur Hawking and Tuon?

Brandon: I prefered to leave that to the imagination of the reader. But I think that Artur was more sympathetic to the Seanchan than most readers believe. Remember that he did not like Aes Sedai. And while he was part King Arthur, he was also part Alexander the Great. He was a conqueror.

Q: Can being burnt out be Healed?

Brandon: Yes, but not in the same way (as stilling). No one knows how.

Q: If someone is burnt out, and they are reborn, will they be able to channel?

Brandon: Yes. But only if they are respun into the pattern, moving a soul into a new body does not heal it. This is why Lanfear retained her weakened abilities when the DO put her soul in a new body.

Q: When Olver summed the Heros of the Horn, only one hero immediately left the main group. Was it Noal or Brigette?

Brandon: It was Noal. Brigette wasn't summoned back in the same place as the rest of them, because she still had a connection to Elayne she was summoned back to where she died. There was a lot of funky stuff going on with Brigette.

Q: Is Brigette going to be reborn as one of Elayne's daughters?

Brandon: No.

Q: Do we know where Gaidal Cane is going to show up?

Brandon: There is enough information to figure it out. *grin*

Me: Are you saying it should be intuitively obvious to the most casual observer?

*Harriet laughs*

Brandon confirmed that both Min and Matt returned to Seanchan.

That's it guys, there were some questions I didn't get a chance to write down, if I remember them I'll throw them up here too.

Good suggestions so far everyone. Rainbow I sent you a PM about my account. I'll be at the Raleigh signing in February.

I think I'll definitely ask why TLR had to spend time old, as that never made sense to me either. I'll get as many of the others in as I can. Keep them coming.

Ok so first of all I've lost access to my primary account and the site won't let me reset my password. If a mod could help with that that would be great.

Anyway, I have been selected as a "Memory Keeper" for the Memory of Light signing tour. So I will be sitting down personally with Brandon over dinner. I realize the signing is for WoT rather than a cosmere book, however I suspect he will be answering questions.

So my question to the forums is this: Supposing I can only ask one or two questions, what would the members here most like to have answered? Either WoT or Cosmere. Keep in mind we want to try to ask questions that won't get Rafo'd.