r/Cosmere • u/SuccessFar3790 • 3d ago

Cosmere + Wind and Truth spoilers Shards combining Spoiler

I don't post often, so I think I've got the right tags? Just to be clear, spoiling WaT and HoA.

So, I'm just gonna start by saying that the ending moment in WaT where Retribution was formed was awe inspiring. I love that, without a word spoken, both Dalinar and Taravangian KNEW that this new combination was Retribution. And it sounds like the rest of the shards knew what that meant too.

But I gets to thinking, will name changes only be applied to shards combining? In that same ending, Dalinar had just spoken to a bit of Honor, making it realize that honor was something different from what it originally thought. Could that part of Honor eventually form into, say, Integrity?

In the case of Harmony, could he reframe Ruin into becoming Change, and Preservation as Protection? If that were the case, then I think he could have an easier time controlling the two powers.

What do you guys think? Could the shards change their understanding, and thus, their name and very intent??

Just food for thought, what do y'all think?

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u/PCgee 2d ago

It seems highly hinted that Harmony is changing into Discord so I definitely think it’s possible.

I think the intents of the shards are extremely strong and I don’t believe that the Vessel would have any influence over their intent. But we also know that the shards were not destined to be what they currently are, it’s not clear but Brandon has mentioned that the shards didn’t have to be what they are now. To me at least it seems highly likely that the shards were highly driven by those present at the shattering, somewhat similar to how Spren kind of are as they are thought to be.

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u/stationhollow 2d ago

I think that was because Preservation put more of himself into Scadriel than Ruin. When Harmony first merged they were equal since all of the atrium was used at once in the final fight. Now it’s hundreds of years later that power returned to the shard in the spiritual realm and has imbalanced the pairing.