It Really Hurt When Hoid Respawned After Being Vaporized And Immediately Frantically Wanted To Go Back.

It really hurt when Hoid respawned after being vaporized and immediately frantically wanted to go back. He's been such a strange character in these 5 books. I've never been able to unhear him saying he'd let Roshar burn before he let Odium free (presuming that is what he meant), but when push came to shove even he admitted that he didn't know if he could do that. He loves that world. He loves the people on it. He didn't want to return because he thought he actually had a chance at stopping Retribution, he wanted to return because people he loved were there and he didn't want them to suffer alone.

It's only after he realizes that Roshar actually has a genuine chance at winning that he stays where he is. Because Dalinar did something wonderful and frightening and brilliant, and Hoid can use that.

He can do more to help by influencing the other worlds to grow in the ways they need to, and trying to convince the other Shards to listen. And so when he does come back to the place and the people he loves, he will be prepared to help them win.