Unanswered Cosmere Mysteries in The Stormlight Archive After Wind and Truth

This article contains significant spoilers for Wind and Truth!

The Unfolding Mysteries of The Stormlight Archive

Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive delivers groundbreaking twists in its latest installment, Wind and Truth, while still leaving an enigmatic Cosmere puzzle unresolved. Sanderson masterfully crafts a narrative that explores the conflicts among divine entities across his expansive Cosmere universe, which includes notable series such as Mistborn and Elantris. The shocking conclusion of Wind and Truth adds layers not only to the upcoming five volumes of The Stormlight Archive but also to every Cosmere tale yet to come. Nevertheless, numerous uncertainties remain for fans to dissect.

Understanding Roshar and Its Divine Conflict

The narrative unfolds on Roshar, a planet influenced by three shards of Adonalsium, which has been marred by the ongoing hostilities between these deities. Odium and Honor, in particular, utilize Roshar as their battleground in a covert war, resulting in devastating Desolations. In this cosmic struggle, the third deity, Cultivation, presents a perplexing enigma; even following the events of Wind and Truth, her character and intentions remain largely unexplored, injecting unpredictability into the story’s trajectory.

Cultivation’s Departure After the Contest of Champions

In the monumental Contest of Champions between Dalinar and Odium, significant ramifications ripple throughout the Cosmere. With Taravangian seizing both Honor and Odium, he emerges as the new force known as Retribution. This shift compels all cosmic powers to focus on Roshar, as the amalgamation of these Shards poses an unprecedented threat. Faced with the escalating danger associated with Odium’s newfound power, Retribution finds it necessary to retreat into secrecy, waiting for a moment to make his return. Yet, Cultivation also chooses to vanish at this critical juncture.

Sanderson effectively sidesteps the pressing inquiry regarding Cultivation’s allegiance. Is she a benevolent force or a covert manipulator?

Ambiguous Motivations: Analyzing Cultivation’s Actions

Throughout the narrative arc of The Stormlight Archive, Cultivation’s motivations often seem contradictory. Notably, she is responsible for altering Taravangian’s cognitive abilities, effectively grooming him to become Odium’s Vessel. Additionally, she temporarily erased Dalinar’s memories, allowing him a moment of sorrow before Odium attempted to co-opt him as a champion in Oathbringer. Furthermore, she bestowed Lift with extraordinary Lifelight-powered Surgebinding abilities.

Each of these actions plays a pivotal role in the unfolding story, yet the lack of cohesion in her objectives raises questions about her true nature. In Wind and Truth, her efforts to sway Taravangian against Odium’s Intent are unsuccessful, leading to a few interpretations: Sanderson might have constrained her character’s development, perhaps intentionally delaying her involvement, or she may simply be inept. A more tantalizing theory suggests that Cultivation engineered the Contest of Champions’ outcome to serve a greater purpose.

Future Implications for Cultivation in Arc 2

As we look ahead to the next five volumes in The Stormlight Archive, speculation regarding Cultivation’s fate runs rampant among readers. Upcoming works from Sanderson, such as Mistborn Era 3 and potential Elantris sequels, might shed light on her whereabouts, yet we will have to wait a considerable six years for Stormlight 6.

Current theories postulate that Cultivation, possessing foresight, may have orchestrated the events surrounding the Contest of Champions, primarily driven by her desire to exit Roshar. Unlike Tanavast, who yearned for connection with the world, Cultivation has spent ages ensnared within her limited domain. Thus, it stands to reason that her actions could be a strategic maneuver to facilitate her departure while avoiding accountability. By influencing Taravangian to embrace Odium’s Shard, prompting Dalinar to reform Honor, and empowering Lift with her formidable abilities, Cultivation may be safeguarding her own interests while maintaining a modicum of control over the unfolding chaos on Roshar.

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