AlmightyGir

I'm sort-of in the opposite camp. While I really enjoy the connections to other books/places/people in the Cosmere, I dislike that SA is becoming something that makes less sense if you haven't read the other Cosmere series.

Depends, really... Have we got any confirmation that burning, for example, steel that's not *sourced from Scadrial* produces the same powers with the same potency for off-world mistborn? The power level of Radiants and their relative scale in the Cosmere is yet to be determined. I'd imagine they're quite high up there though.

Literally all of them. As long as they've sworn high enough ideals to heal via stormlight, and they have access to stormlight, they will never succomb to the plague. If they have any Edgedancers with them, they could potentially reverse the effects of the plague on the population, too.

Are you sure about that? We went from the industrial revolution to sending Sputnik into space in 44 years. And that's without magic, or the intervention of god biengs like Shard Bearers.

It's likely the simplest explanation: The contest of champions allowed Odium to recruit a champion for himself. There was no direct stipulation as to how he could go about doing that. And given the timey-wimey nature of the spiritual realm, he likely just talked to Gav for long enough in his child years, to convince him that he could right all the wrongs of his life. We don't know enough about Alethi (or any other Rosharan for that matter) legal code when it comes to children, particularly princes/kings in waiting, and what they can or cannot legally agree to. It's highly likely that Big T just convinced Gav to stick around for a bit, and that he could provide the solution to his emotional problems if he did.

I liked the original release of WoR best. The reissue is fine, but I think Kaladin killing Szeth was very much within his character, and had a bigger emotional impact on the story, as well as Kaladin's progress as a radiant. But that's just me.

Yeah, there are certainly some similar themes between Windrunners and Stonewards, they largely go after the same thing, but approach it in different ways.

I had wondered if we would learn this through the TTRPG... I can't imagine Sanderson wouldn't have given them the ideals for at least some of the radiant orders, the playable ones at least. So the Stonewards are: The Second Ideal “I will stand when others fall back.” Take on challenges and difficult tasks, especially those that others have already refused. Support your friends and allies in their moments of doubt, weakness, or struggle. Refuse to give up in the face of adversity. Through improvisation, problem-solving, or sheer grit, see yourself and those relying on you through. The Third Ideal “I will be the foundation on which others can build.” Provide support to people who look like they’re in need, especially if they’re too stubborn to accept it. Delay your own goals and other ambitions — or even fail them, for the sake of helping others achieve theirs. Put yourself in danger for a cause that doesn’t directly benefit you. The Fourth Ideal Unknown what words specifically are used, could be described on the next page... But thematically, they could revolve around: Learning to recognize the limits of self-sacrifice, distinguishing between harming yourself by overextending, and genuinely supporting others. Recognizing that you cannot meet every need or expectation placed on you, and learning to prioritize without abandoning the spirit of service. Reaching balance so that you continue to serve meaningfully, without burning yourself out or crumbling under impossible standards. I imagine the second ideal might be spoken when seeing people around you retreating from overwhelming odds, while you are compelled to hold the line. Or maybe when a problem or puzzle presents itself that others are giving up on, but you push through and find a solution. The third ideal might be spoken by a Stoneward as they make they realise that if they stop chasing down a foe now, they can aid their allies in building fortifications ready for the next wave, putting aside personal beef for the greater benefit of others. Or perhaps even something more mundane, they decide to donate all their gems to an orphanage instead of paying off their mortgage early.

Here me out here: 1. Stick.

Are the shardblades created from deadeye spren pure Tanavastium? Or are they an alloy of Tanavastium and Korellium? One would assume the latter, in varying degrees in either direction... Deadeye Honorspren being pure Tanavastium (or close to) and deadeye Cultivationspren being pure Korellium (or close to). What would burning *those* chips do?

Interesting, I'd never heard of this retcon. That does beg the question though, could someone just swallow a bead of Tanavastium or Raysium? And if so, what would they do? Also, I believe in-world, they've already discovered that Ettmetal is incredibly volatile, it basically reacts to water and acid the way Cesium does in real life. So I imagine if someone swallowed it, they'd simply explode. Violently. Maybe if they swallowed a bead of it, encased in oil, inside glass?

Not turn into, *are*.

I mean exactly what I said...

What if spren are dragonborn? What if that's how they ultimately manifest?

A couple of notes here: I think you're also cherry picking, by highlighting this line. But there is an interpretation mis-match as well. This, to me at least, reads that "As Big T gave in to Honor's wishes, Honor was more willing to fully bond to Retribution". This means that actually, T has less control, not more. Are we to take T's perspective as cosmeric gospel now? This is how he views Harmony, and himself. It's not objective truth. The same also goes for Retribution. Give a few decades and T will already have started to pull heavily towards the combined intents of: KEEP YOUR OATHS OR GET THE STICK. If anything, he's now even more vulnerable, as all someone needs to do is convince the powers that he has broken his word, any word, and he could potentially find himself compromised. And while T is probably one of the smartest people on Roshar, are we sure he can out-play other shards who are millenia old at this point?

Words of Radiance is like Barney Stinson's playlist:

I think there's an inherant Connection between Shardblades, Spren, the Spritual Realm, and the real-world band Machine Head. Brando Sando is secretly a big metalhead, change my mind.

Words of Radiance, it was hype from start to finish.

Have we considered: Syl and Wind are now the same being?

Surely it would be Moash.

Nale is a more complex example than you give him credit for... All of the Heralds made this oath (or a slight variation of) when forging the original Oathpact: Nale, however, later became not just the Herald of Justice, but became a Skybreaker with his own bonded Highspren as well. Even as late as Rythm of War, he says: But his becoming of a fifth ideal Skybreaker, combined with the influence of his Highspren (who we've seen, seem to have some kind of agenda among their own group), and his millenia of existence have seemingly caused him to forget his principal role: To protect the land, and hold back the darkness. He's also seemingly forgotten the implication that protecting the land and holding back the darkness, means to also protect the people Nale has spent the better part of a hundred years acting entirely rationally, passionless, and ultimately flawed as he went around hunting potential Radiants in an effort to stop the Desolation from returning. Using the letter of the law to justify his actions. Battar, also swore to hold back the darkness, and protect the land. The same oath they all swore. She swore that on her Honor. Regardless of anything else the Heralds have done since, this is their primary oath.

There are several political figures that speak and yet show zero intelligence.

Sentience, not sapience. Not yet, at least.

Warlight will replace it, just like Lifelight and Towerlight work for Radiants too.

The Heralds are already Spren, so Kaladin is already that.