ChickenBonanza

On the labeling of Shardic Intent. Minor WaT musings.

Firstly and mostly, that the naming of Shards is, largely, irrelevant. To describe the infinite powers of creation, even ones focused as the Shards are, in singular words is a futile endeavor.

They are, however, useful in giving a gist of a Shard’s Intent, so long as one remembers that that word will always be far from perfect, and often fail to fit all facets of a Shard’s Intent.

Let us take the case of Odium. Hatred is too on-the-nose, while Passion does not account for the primacy of ‘angry’ emotion within Odium. Both could be considered correct, both could be considered insufficient.

The truest glimpses we see of Odium’s essence imply its domain as all emotion. Bliss, bravery, lust, hatred. All those raw things. Yet these emotions are separate from all regulating aspects. Odium can only be driven by emotion. The strongest of these is hate. That which festers and stews and grows before explosive release. Anger is a powerful thing.

The more convoluted emotions are said to not be strictly Odium’s domain, but I doubt how true this is. Is ‘love’ truly an emotion? Or is it composed of many little feelings as they apply to another? If love would apply to any Shard, it would perhaps be Devotion, but is Devotion love?

To determine a Shard’s true nature by name alone is futile. In Devotion’s case, the glimpses we see are through Seons, who see serve those they love, and Stormfather-as-Honor’s consideration of Devotion as love and compassion.

But even then, Taravangian-as-Odium is perfectly capable of such things. It is by nature that he feels all suffering, could that resultant grief not apply? Perhaps not. Rayse certainly did not care for such trivialities.

Personally, I would not define Devotion as the opposite of Odium. Such a pairing would better be seen in Devotion and Dominion. The service of others and others serving the self. (If, indeed, that is what Dominion entails. The Skaze’s desire for control could be a reflection of Dominion’s Intent.)

And, as a side note, the coupling of Honor and Odium to form Retribution is a plausible, if shortsighted fusion of Intent. Honor’s desire to adhere to unnatural law coupled with Odium’s desire to act out according to feeling. (Though the following is perhaps more so, in a way. Retribution is sustainable on its own, perhaps, while the following is not.)

Personally, I’d attempt to adhere those forces together in an Intent that could be said to be War. Odium’s raging drive, Honor’s binding by rules, regulation, treaties. Like Retribution, Odium is given a direction to follow, though not tied as strictly to Honor’s relation to the concept of oath. If one plans to wage War against the Cosmere, why not attempt to create a Shard well-suited to such an endeavor? (An Intent aligning to Conquest would not be possible, I believe. Honor does align with consistent overview, but Odium does not. Odium and Dominion might fit Conquest better. War would be conflict for its own sake. Violence, yet structured. Soldiers adhering to orders, yet releasing full their fury upon their foes.)