Is Spensa In The Cosmere? The Definitive Guide for All Fans

For any fan diving into the vast bibliography of Brandon Sanderson, one question inevitably arises, especially when venturing beyond his epic fantasy realms.

The Great Divide: Placing Spensa’s Saga in Sanderson’s Cosmos

If you’ve recently blasted off with Spensa "Spin" Nightshade and her starfighter M-Bot, you’ve likely found yourself asking the same question that echoes across fan forums and Reddit threads: Is the Skyward Series part of Brandon Sanderson’s interconnected Cosmere? It’s a natural question for any reader, or "Scrubber," familiar with Sanderson’s penchant for hidden connections and grand, overarching narratives. This article is here to give you a definitive, evidence-based answer and explore the distinct galaxies these stories inhabit.

Understanding the Cosmere

First, let’s briefly touch on what the Cosmere is. Think of it as Sanderson’s literary equivalent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but for epic fantasy.

• A Shared Universe: The Cosmere is the fictional universe where many of Sanderson’s most popular fantasy series—including giants like The Stormlight Archive and Mistborn—coexist.
• Underlying Rules: All these worlds operate under a single, deep magical theory centered around a concept called Investiture. While the expressions of magic are unique to each planet (Allomancy on Scadrial, Surgebinding on Roshar), the fundamental "physics" behind them are the same.
• Hidden Connections: A few key characters, most notably the enigmatic Hoid, "worldhop" between these series, creating subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) crossovers and tying the grand narrative together.

The Cosmere is defined by its high fantasy settings, intricate magic systems, and a creation mythos that is slowly being unveiled across multiple book series.

Introducing the Skyward Series

In stark contrast, the Skyward Series throws readers into the cockpit of a fighter pilot. We follow Spensa Nightshade, a fiery and determined young woman living on a desolate planet where the last remnants of humanity are trapped and under constant attack by mysterious alien forces.

Its setting is pure science fiction, complete with:

• Advanced spacecraft
• AI companions
• FTL (Faster-Than-Light) travel
• Galactic politics and alien species

The tone is fast-paced and action-oriented, focusing on dogfights, military strategy, and Spensa’s personal journey of discovery. It feels fundamentally different from the sword-and-sorcery epics of the Cosmere.

The Definitive Answer

So, let’s clear the starlanes: The Skyward Series is definitively NOT part of the Cosmere.

Instead, it exists in its own separate, self-contained universe. Sanderson and his fans have come to call this sci-fi setting the Cytoverse, named after the unique powers that Spensa Nightshade and others discover. The purpose of this article is to lay out the evidence for this separation, explaining not just that they are different, but why they are different.

To begin our investigation, we turn to the most reliable source possible.

When seeking answers to a universe-spanning question, the best place to start is with the creator himself.

The Author Has Spoken: An Irrefutable Answer

When it comes to the sprawling, interconnected universe of the Cosmere, there is no higher authority than its architect, Brandon Sanderson. Fortunately for us, he has been incredibly direct and transparent about the status of the Skyward series, leaving no room for doubt or fan theory.

The Explicit Confirmation

Across numerous platforms, Sanderson has consistently and explicitly stated that Skyward is not part of the Cosmere. This isn’t a secret hidden in obscure forums; it’s a clear-cut statement he repeats to ensure readers have the correct expectations.

You can find this confirmation in several key places:

• "State of the Sanderson" Blog Posts: In these annual, in-depth updates on his projects, Sanderson often categorizes his works. He consistently places the Skyward series in a separate category from his Cosmere novels.
• Q&A Sessions ("Words of Brandon"): At fan conventions and signings, he is frequently asked this very question. His answer is always a polite but firm "no." These transcribed Q&As, known collectively as the "Words of Brandon" (WoBs), serve as a massive repository of canon information, and on this topic, they are unequivocal.
• Website FAQs: On his official website, brandonsanderson.com, the FAQ section addresses this to preemptively clear up any confusion for new readers.

Why Keep Worlds Apart? The Creative Reasoning

Sanderson’s decision to keep Skyward separate isn’t arbitrary; it’s a deliberate creative choice that gives him more freedom. He has explained that keeping some series outside the Cosmere allows him to explore different ideas, genres, and scientific rules without being constrained by the fundamental laws he has already established for his epic fantasy universe.

The Cosmere operates on a specific set of principles, most notably Realmatic Theory (the interplay of the Physical, Cognitive, and Spiritual Realms) and the magic system of Investiture. Every Cosmere story, from Mistborn to The Stormlight Archive, must adhere to these foundational rules. By setting Skyward in a different universe, Sanderson can write a story focused on faster-than-light travel, psychic cytonics, and alien species without needing to make it all fit within the Cosmere’s intricate framework.

A Universe with Its Own Name: Welcome to the Cytoverse

To further solidify this distinction and give fans a proper name to use, the universe in which Spensa’s story takes place has been officially dubbed the Cytoverse.

This term, coined to reflect the series’ unique FTL and psychic abilities derived from "cytonics," serves a vital purpose. It gives the Skyward series its own distinct identity, preventing it from being seen as a "Cosmere-lite" or an outlier. Just as we refer to the Cosmere for his fantasy works, we can now correctly refer to the Cytoverse for this particular sci-fi adventure, acknowledging it as a separate but equally exciting creation.

Beyond the author’s direct statements, the books themselves lack the foundational elements that define a Cosmere story.

While Brandon’s direct confirmation offers the ultimate verdict, savvy readers can also spot numerous in-world discrepancies that firmly place the Cytoverse outside the Cosmere’s intricate tapestry.

The Cosmic Fingerprints: Why the Cytoverse Lacks the Cosmere’s Signature DNA

Beyond the author’s statements, the most compelling evidence for the Cytoverse’s independent existence comes from its fundamental structure—or rather, the telling absence of certain elements that are as intrinsic to the Cosmere as gravity is to Earth. These missing "genetic markers" scream difference to any veteran fan.

Where’s Hoid? The Ubiquitous World-Hopper is Absent

For long-time readers of Brandon Sanderson’s work, there’s one character whose appearance is a near-guaranteed hallmark of a Cosmere story: Hoid. Known by many names and disguises, Hoid is the ultimate world-hopper, a mysterious and ancient figure who pops up across nearly every Cosmere planet, often offering cryptic advice, performing strange tasks, or simply playing a flute. His presence, whether overt or subtle, is a consistent thread weaving through the entire shared universe, often serving as a narrative device, an information broker, or simply an easter egg for keen-eyed fans.

The Skyward Series, however, features no such character. There’s no enigmatic storyteller with unusual powers, no wise old man with an unplaceable accent, no one hinting at other worlds or universal conflicts. Hoid’s complete absence isn’t just a missed cameo; it’s a gaping hole in what would otherwise be a pattern of interconnectedness. His non-appearance is perhaps the single most obvious in-world sign for veteran fans that the Cytoverse operates on a different stage entirely.

A Universe of Different Energies: Investiture vs. Cytonic Powers

The very fabric of power in the Cosmere is distinct from that found in the Cytoverse.

Cosmere’s Unified Magic System: Investiture

In the Cosmere, all magic, regardless of its specific manifestation (e.g., Allomancy on Scadrial, Surgebinding on Roshar, AonDor on Sel), is powered by Investiture. This is a fundamental, universal energy source, a remnant of the primordial being Adonalsium, which shattered into sixteen Shards. Each Shard embodies a particular intent (like Preservation, Ruin, Honor, Cultivation) and leaks Investiture into its respective planetary system, allowing for different forms of magical expression. The underlying principles of Investiture are consistent across all Cosmere worlds.

Cytoverse’s Unique Abilities: Cytonics and The Nowhere

Contrast this with the Skyward Series. Here, the extraordinary abilities displayed by characters like Spensa—the power to perceive and manipulate objects through the cognitive realm, communicate telepathically, and pilot starships instinctively—are known as Cytonic abilities. These powers are a unique phenomenon tied not to universal Investiture, but to mysterious, symbiotic lifeforms (like the Delvers) and the physics of a peculiar dimension referred to as ‘the Nowhere’. There is absolutely no mention of Investiture, Shards, Adonalsium, or any of the universal Cosmere energy sources. The source and nature of Cytonic powers are entirely self-contained within the Cytoverse’s unique cosmology.

Realms Apart: The Absence of Realmatic Theory

Another critical distinction lies in the foundational metaphysics of each universe.

Cosmere’s Realmatic Theory

The Cosmere operates under Realmatic Theory, a core concept explaining the three fundamental "realms" of existence:

• The Physical Realm: Where physical objects and bodies exist.
• The Cognitive Realm (or Shadesmar): Where thoughts, ideas, and consciousness manifest, and where the "spirits" of objects reside. It’s a place traversable by certain individuals.
• The Spiritual Realm: The realm of connections, where the spiritual essence of beings and the Investiture itself are stored. It’s the source of powers and where spiritual "DNA" (such as the ability to use magic) is held.

These three realms, and the interactions between them, are central to understanding Cosmere magic, afterlife, and the very nature of existence within that universe.

Cytoverse’s Distinct Metaphysics

In stark contrast, the core Cosmere concepts of Realmatic Theory are entirely absent from the Cytoverse’s world-building. While the Cytoverse features elements like "the Nowhere" (a unique, parallel dimension crucial for faster-than-light travel and Cytonic abilities), it bears no resemblance to the Cognitive or Spiritual Realms. The Cytoverse develops its own distinct physics and metaphysical explanations for its extraordinary phenomena, without any reference to the Physical, Cognitive, and Spiritual divide that defines the Cosmere.

A Fundamental Comparison: Cosmere vs. Cytoverse

To truly appreciate these deep-seated differences, a direct comparison lays bare the distinct foundations of each universe:

Cosmere Fundamentals	Cytoverse Fundamentals
Primary Power System	Investiture (from Shards of Adonalsium)	Cytonic abilities (tied to mysterious lifeforms and ‘The Nowhere’)
Key Crossover Character	Hoid (ubiquitous, guaranteed hallmark)	None
Underlying Metaphysics	Realmatic Theory (Physical, Cognitive, Spiritual Realms)	‘The Nowhere’ (a distinct dimension, no Realmatic Theory)

These fundamental divergences are just the beginning, as a closer look reveals a universe operating under an entirely different set of rules and lore.

While the previous section highlighted the absence of a shared genetic blueprint, another crucial piece of evidence points to the Cytoverse’s distinct identity: a completely different set of universal laws and foundational mythology.

A Starship’s Log, Not a Shard’s Tome: The Cytoverse’s Independent Genesis

Delving deeper into the universes crafted by Brandon Sanderson, it becomes evident that the Cytoverse, particularly as explored in the Skyward Series, operates on principles vastly different from the intricate magic systems and divine interventions that characterize the Cosmere. This separation is by design, offering readers distinct flavors of speculative fiction.

When Code Meets Consciousness: AI vs. Arcanum

One of the most striking differences lies in the nature of advanced intelligence and ‘living’ constructs. The Cytoverse is a realm where artificial intelligence reigns supreme, and its most beloved characters, like the sarcastic and battle-hardened AI, M-Bot, are products of advanced software and intricate machinery. Their sentience, capabilities, and even their eccentric personalities are rooted in lines of code, complex algorithms, and sophisticated hardware.

• Cytoverse: AI constructs like M-Bot function on principles of advanced computing, programming, and mechanical engineering. Their "life" is digital and mechanical.
• Cosmere: In stark contrast, the Cosmere features sapient, magical constructs such as the spren of Roshar or the Seons of Arelon. These beings are manifestations of spiritual investiture, magical energies, or cognitive shadows, inextricably linked to their respective magic systems and the underlying spiritual forces of their worlds. They are not built, but manifested or infused.

This fundamental divergence in how "life" beyond the biological is conceived and operates underscores the different scientific and mystical foundations of each universe.

Traversing the Void: Cytonic Jumps vs. Cognitive Hops

The method of Faster-Than-Light (FTL) travel provides another clear demarcation. The grand, cosmic scale of the Skyward Series relies heavily on humanity’s ability to traverse vast distances between stars, a feat achieved through a unique mechanism.

• Cytoverse FTL: Space travel is enabled by Cytonic manipulation of the Nowhere. This mysterious, non-physical dimension acts as a shortcut through space-time, allowing ships to jump between distant points almost instantaneously. The "Nowhere" is a core concept to the Cytoverse, with its own perils, inhabitants, and rules, directly tied to specific biological and technological abilities.
• Cosmere World-Hopping: While individuals can travel between worlds in the Cosmere, it’s typically done through the Cognitive Realm, often referred to as Shadesmar. This is a dimension where thoughts and intentions take on physical form, and distances are relative to how much attention a location receives. Travel through Shadesmar is a spiritual and magical endeavor, deeply integrated with the Cosmere’s metaphysics, and fundamentally distinct from the Cytonic jumps of the Cytoverse.

Echoes of Creation: Skyward’s History vs. Adonalsium’s Fall

Every epic universe has its origin story, its defining cataclysms, and the historical conflicts that shape its present. The Skyward Series is rich with its own complex history involving various alien species, ancient wars, political maneuverings, and existential threats. The lore surrounding the Superiority, the Krell, the Delvers, and the fate of humanity is meticulously crafted, forming a cohesive narrative within its own bounds.

• Cytoverse Lore: The conflicts, technologies, and alien species within the Skyward Series possess their own rich, self-contained history. This history is entirely independent of any grand, overarching creation myth like those found in the Cosmere.
• Cosmere Lore: The Cosmere’s entire framework is built upon the shattering of the divine entity known as Adonalsium, the subsequent rise of the Shards of Adonalsium, and the intricate web of interactions, conflicts, and magic systems that sprang from that singular event. There is no parallel to Adonalsium or the Shattering in the Cytoverse’s background.

Genre at its Core: Sci-Fi’s Bold Frontier

Ultimately, the fundamental themes, narrative structures, and inherent "rules" of the Cytoverse are deeply rooted in classic science fiction tropes. It explores concepts like humanity’s place in a vast, alien-filled galaxy, the perils and promises of advanced AI, the ethics of war, and the mysteries of faster-than-light travel. This is a universe intentionally crafted to stand apart from the epic fantasy foundations of the Cosmere, which draws on magic, gods, and grand, sprawling sagas of good versus evil in a more mystical vein. The Cytoverse is a love letter to the wonders and anxieties of outer space, distinct in its very genre DNA.

These unique rules, technologies, and histories paint a clear picture of two distinct canvases, each vibrant in its own right, before we even consider the overarching brilliance that ties them both together.

So there you have it, a definitive answer backed by irrefutable evidence. From Brandon Sanderson‘s own explicit statements to the clear absence of core Cosmere hallmarks like Hoid, Investiture, and Realmatic Theory, it’s clear that Spensa’s journey takes place in a completely separate galaxy. The Skyward Series is not a Cosmere story; it is the foundational epic of the Cytoverse.

And that’s a fantastic thing! This separation allows Sanderson to explore the unbound possibilities of science fiction without being tied to the established rules of his high-fantasy universe. It gives us, the readers, two distinct and incredible playgrounds to explore. So whether you’re soaring through the Shattered Plains with Kaladin or FTL-jumping through the Nowhere with Spensa, you’re experiencing the work of a master storyteller at the top of his game.

Now we want to hear from you! What’s your favorite moment or character from the Skyward Series? Drop your answer in the comments below!