I love the ongoing discussions of the nature of Awakening. Most of the time, I would fall right in and begin dissecting every little nuance and introducing my own hypotheticals.
However, there is something that bothers me about the whole thing. And I want to say that it goes back to the naming of the magic system- "BioChroma." It's scientific name implies a scientific nature that we all want to immediately get into and apply to real world physics. There is definitely nothing wrong with that. In fact, if this were Mistborn, I'd be all over it. But within this story, it just doesn't fit. Vasher's chapter teaching Vivena was as cliched as any other magic system being explained by "the-teacher-telling-the-new-student" method. Technical terms are thrown out there like new toys from Sony given to a 3 year old. All flashing lights and noise - but in the end it's just another thing to slobber on.
Why I think it doesn't work is the way Brandon writes about it: what and how it deals with colors - its just too poetic. This system is so unique, elegant, and beautiful, that the same old treatment of the "rules" just won't work. I've read Brandon's article on how magic systems should have rules (or at least the harder systems). This system can have rules, but the technical terms and treatment by Vasher just don't mesh with how the magic is delivered. I keep thinking of those art commercials that were on TV awhile back. Without art, the children that would come home would be boring and dull.
For example, what about a daisy? Just a simple beautiful flower we can all picture one (I hope). But what if it was constantly referred to as Bellis perennis - its scientific name?
Just for a moment, stop thinking about the colors as chemical (pigments) or physical (refracted light) and instead think just of the colors. For example, what if we had a cup of blue? It would be like touching music (from the Rhapsody series).
Breaths, as written, are some kind of Emotional Investment of Life. Whatever "Life" is, it takes the form of color. It likes to fill containers made for life (things have to be humanoid, for example).Â
Constantly, Brandon repeats that the colors were not brighter, just more rich. Like turning up the saturation on your TV. But there is not physically more of something - only people with enough Breath are able to see the changes. He also compares the seeing of colors as an art style. When describing the palaces of the gods, and more importantly - the Artisan's Script. I think this is our biggest clue to the nature of this magic system.Â
The only physical change is the greying. Where does the color go? That is the question driving the science part of the debate. But what if Awakening is an art form? What if the mind sees the color shift as a measurement of beauty? What if, when forcing Breath into an item, the inherent magic of that item is suppressed? Not removed, or taken, but hidden? Things closest to Life are easier to Awaken, i.e., they take less breaths. "Filling a container" as Vasher says may not be the right analogy.
So, a red awakened shirt appears grey because its own innate power (minuscule, most likely) is suppressed. But it can move. There is magic, another beings emotional life power, animating it. This power is strong enough to override the item's basic designed function (which may explain shapes).Â
That's my take on it.
What we Know for Sure
Two things are needed to Awaken: 1) Breath, and 2) Intent. It seems a given that 1 breath (your starter kit) is not enough to do much. It seems plausible that you could store it, as Vivena did, and become a "Drab." So, collecting Breath from others is important - an Awakener needs more emotion/life/whatever, just to do cool magic tricks. The second thing, Intent, leads to Commands. Its not just enough to know a command, but you have to form the intent in your mind. Vivena's first awakening proves that the knowledge of Commands is not needed (just easier).