I Don't Think Taravangian Is As Big A Threat As We Think.

I don't think Taravangian is as big a threat as we think.

It's been established that Vin only did as well as she did against Ruin because the shards were so opposite. This isn't true for him; Cultivation could probably kick his ass if she wanted. We also saw in secret history how well a shard did if they didn't have a natural connection to the shard: Kelsier had to use connection juice to connect to Preservation. Taravangian did something similar: only connecting by his most emotional day because of his old magic condition. This will likely mean that he too will have a hard time controlling the power. But that's exactly what he thinks he can do at the end of ROW.

His main arc is about his intelligence and it failing him. While Smart Taravangian makes genius plans, these often fail, and at multiple times he's amazed by what Average Person Taravangain or Stupid Taravangian can do. The diagram fails him repeatedly, getting a small part of what he hoped to bargain for, and failing at gaining control of the coalition, because he underestimated other people (Rayse and Dalinar). His greatest triumph, killing Rayse, is done by him at his stupidest.

When he becomes Odium, he's now at his smartest yet, and he immediately seems to forget almost everything he learned. He's now scheming, convinced he's smarter than everyone else. He thinks that despite Cultivation's plans succeeding at every step, despite his being Odium being part of that plan, that he's now running circles around everyone: Cultivation, Rayse, Hoid, and maybe Dalinar. Did he trick Hoid? Maybe, or maybe not - rereading that chapter shows Hoid skipping some boring parts of their conversation the second time through, and shows that he may realize he's now lost breath (he's just lost his second heightening).

I think this book, and the end of the half-series, will end with his defeat, either taking down Cultivation with him, or setting up Cultivation as a future threat. It's also worth keeping in mind that while it feels like the conflict against Odium may be the central threat for the rest of the series, or at least a good part of it, that's not really how Sanderson writes. Only 2/4 existing books have directly been about the conflict with Odium, and no major threat really lasts that long in any of Sanderson's books. The only one close is the Set, but they only really felt like the main foe for the last 1-2 books of mistborn era 2. Ruin only really is a major villain whose presence you feel for 1 book, and while a couple standalones left their villains around, only one (the night brigade, who isn't even the book's main villain) seems like they're going to be used again in a meaningful way.

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Questioner

Can you tell us something about any of the Shards that haven't made it into a book yet?

Brandon Sanderson

Hm... you know what, sure. I can share one of them without causing any issues. It's called Splungommery.

Questioner

That's the name of the Vessel?

Brandon Sanderson

That's the name of the Shard.

Questioner

What does that word mean?

Brandon Sanderson

We're all gonna find out together.

Dragonsteel 2023 (November 84, 2023)

Sutekh: I’m gonna hide here for a bit and turn into a GOD

Sutekh: I, uh. Okay Fenric and Ragnarok were a bit much for me. But I’ll be a god soon—

Sutekh: okay so there’s a Time War but it’s probably fine, better sit this one outWHAT THE HELL IS THE COULD’VE-BEEN KING AHHHHHH

Sutekh: okay so that’s over I’m free might be a good time to come out — wait something’s haunting alongside me, what the hell is “Bad Wolf”

Sutekh: holy me Bad Wolf is ALL up and down the Doctor’s timeline I need to hide until I’m sure she’s COMPLETELY gone

Sutekh: is she still here

Sutekh: oh hi River you’re here again WAIT WHY ARE YOU BLOWING ME UP

Sutekh: okay Amy is clearly not safe for me since she can rewrite time apparently I need to —

Sutekh: wait where are all these tiny brunettes coming from WHO IS CLARA AND WHY DOES SHE KEEP THWARTING ME

Sutekh: WE’RE GOING BACK INTO THE TIME WAR ARE YOU CRAZY? And wait ITS THE FUCKING BAD WOLF AGAIN?????

Sutekh: okay look other me’s trust me don’t come out of hiding it’s not safe

Sutekh: okay Clara’s gone, yay, I’m — wait she’s up his timeline too isn’t she. Medammit. Now I have to wait out TWO OF THEM?

Sutekh: Okay these three are—they’re normal. They’re normal, right? No weird bullshit?

Sutekh: I’m sorry Ruby Sunday is WHAT? I CANT AFFORD TO WAIT TO FIND OUT I CANT KEEP GETTING HIT WITH THIS SHIT START THE PLAN START THE PLAN MAYDAY MAYDAY

Questioner: Hollywood comes to you, says, alright, we've got whatever budget you need, we give you full creative control.

Brandon Sanderson: Woah. Ooh. Oooh. Ooh, you're speaking my language.

Questioner: One thing, it has to be a musical. *all laugh* What do you pick?

Brandon Sanderson: I go get the director of RRR, and I say, alright, you made a musical awesome action movie, show me how to do it. India's really good at that. So, so we do something like that.

Questioner: Which book, or anything, would you...?

Brandon Sanderson: I mean, it feels like you could do any of them. Like, how much of the singing done by the singers counts as musical, right?

But the truth is, Stormlight can't be a traditional film. It's got to be a long-form, right? So, we're down to a few options if we want to do an actual, in theaters, traditional theatrical release. That would depend, right?

Are we making television show or not? If we're making, like, a premium cable sort of thing, then we can go Stormlight. If we're not, then we basically got to go with Mistborn.

Mistborn is the thing that can be contained in a two to two-and-a-half hour film... Warbreaker: The Musical though, huh? Yeah, mhm.