Includes MASSIVE SPOILERS for Wind and Truth!
The Stormlight Archivehad some of its biggest reveals yet inWind and Truth, yet there’s one Cosmere mystery that’s still unanswered. Brandon Sanderson has carefully woven the overarching narrative for hisCosmere fantasy universe, telling the story of the power struggle between gods through titles likeMistborn,Elantris, and, of course,The Stormlight Archive. That madeWind and Truth’sgame-changing endingall the more exciting, as it affects not only the following five volumes but every Cosmere book Brandon Sanderson has to come. Still, there are plenty of mysteries to be solved.
The Stormlight Archivetakes place on Roshar, a planet that’s been occupied by threeShards of Adonalsium. These three gods have been in conflict for millennia, with Odium and Honor using the planet as the battleground for their proxy war, causing death and destruction in the form of events called Desolations.That leaves the third god, Cultivation, as a source of mystery, as even afterWind and Truth, she’s the major Shard readers know the least about, and her motivations are still an enormous X-factor for the narrative going forward.
Cultivation Left Roshar After The Contest Of Champions
Cultivation Immediately Dipped
Dalinar and Odium’s contest of champions has significant implications for the Cosmere universe, with Taravangian now possessing both Honor and Odium, becoming Retribution. Following his acquisition of a second Shard, all the gods in the Cosmere turned their attention to Roshar, now unable to ignore the threat of Odium with the additional Investiture he has with Honor. Thisadditional attention forced Retribution to flee Roshar, going into hidingand biding his time until it’s right to return. Despite this, Cultivation also flees.
Brandon Sanderson has escaped a major question, which is whether Cultivation is a protagonist or a scheming antagonist.
Wind and Truthhas more information and direct scenes involving Cultivation than any other book so far, with her personally meeting with Odium and trying to stop his plans. She even sends assassins to attack his family in Kharbranth, testing the humanity remaining in Taravangian. Not to mention, there’s plenty of exposition regarding her in Tanavast’s Day 9 POV chapters. This makes it all the more baffling whenshe flees the planet, disappearing when Roshar needs her most. Brandon Sanderson has escaped a major question, which is whether Cultivation is a protagonist or a scheming antagonist.
Cultivation’s Motivations Are Still Unclear After 5 Stormlight Archive Books
What Does Cultivation Really Want?
Cultivation has made some questionable choices throughoutThe Stormlight Archiveand the events leading up to it. She’s the one whoaltered Taravangian to create his fluctuating intelligence and compassion levels, preparing him as a candidate to become Odium’s Vessel. Then, she was also the one who took away Dalinar’s memories, though only temporarily, allowing him to grieve before Odium attempted to turn him into his champion inOathbringer. She also provided Lift with her Lifelight-powered Surgebinding abilities.
Dalinar’s Wind And Truth Plan Is The Biggest Cosmere Change So Far (& Will Have Huge Effects On Future Books)
Dalinar Kholin’s decision in Wind and Truth has drastically changed the Cosmere. Here’s how it affects The Stormlight Archive and Mistborn.
These three decisions were all crucial forThe Stormlight Archive’sstory, but there’s no consistency between them to ensure what side she’s on. She fails multiple times in her efforts inWind and Truthto convince Taravangian to defy Odium’s Intent, leaving a few options. It’s possible Brandon Sanderson wrote himself into a corner with the character and just didn’t want her to get too involved yet. Another option is she’s incredibly incompetent. The last, which has become a popular theorization topic, is that Cultivation wanted the contest of champions to end the way it did.
What Will Happen With Cultivation In Stormlight Archive Arc 2?
Cultivation Could Be Playing Her Own Game
As for what will happen to Cultivation in the next five books, all readers have for now are theories.There might be an update on her whereabouts inupcoming Brandon Sanderson bookslikeMistbornEra 3 or theElantrissequels, but otherwise, it will be a six-year wait untilStormlight 6.In the meantime, there are some interestingtheories that suggest Cultivation’s future sight led her to orchestrate the contest of champions, beginning with her motivation being to escape Roshar herself.
Wind And Truth’s Most Tragic Story Wasn’t The One Stormlight Archive Fans Expected
Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive is filled with beautifully tragic stories, including one in Wind and Truth that no one saw coming.
Cultivation wasn’t the one who wanted to come to Roshar; it was Tanavast. She’s been stuck there for millennia, so it’d make sense to push matters in a direction that would allow her to leave and not take the blame for it. She pushed Taravangian to take Odium’s Shard, pushed Dalinar to reform Honor, and even left the humans ofThe Stormlight Archivewith some protection by giving Lift her Lifelight powers, making her one of the most powerful beings on the planet in the absence of Stormlight.
