Did Brandon Sanderson Hate Min? (Potential Spoilers, to be Safe)

[Maedelin]

So I am re-listening to A Memory of Light and it hit me.  Does Brandon Sanderson dislike Min Farshaw?  After her near-death by Rand's unwilling hands, she kind of fell off the narrative map.  In A Memory of Light, Rand has very close, somewhat tender (I'm sorry, I find Sanderson's prose lacking) scenes with Aviendha and Elayne.  But not Min.  In fact, her final scene with Rand (Conscious, and in his original body) has Cadsuane in it, asking the boy what he gave Min.  Rand never answers this, either to the Aes Sedai, or to the reader.

 

Shortly after the woman who flipping sees visions in things is merely acting a clerk, a clumsy way (IMO) to get her to the Seanchan Empress.  In the end, it leaves me wondering if she was ignored by Sanderson because he wasn't too fond of her.  Is this the case?  Does anyone else agree?  Did he ever say anything about his opinion of my second favorite character?

[Sabio]

I just always saw it as he already had so much time with Min, that in the last few days he had a lot of catching up to do with the other two.  For the rest it seemed weak but he had to find a reason for her to get to Tuon so she could expose Moghi.  After all she couldn't channel, fight well, etc.. So BS I felt was limited to how she could be of use, either bandage people or use her visions.  I just think it was probably tough to find a way to make her have a use.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Sabio said:

I just always saw it as he already had so much time with Min, that in the last few days he had a lot of catching up to do with the other two.  For the rest it seemed weak but he had to find a reason for her to get to Tuon so she could expose Moghi.  After all she couldn't channel, fight well, etc.. So BS I felt was limited to how she could be of use, either bandage people or use her visions.  I just think it was probably tough to find a way to make her have a use.

 

That's about the same way that I saw it too for Min. After the Last Battle starts, what more can a seer really do?

[Maedelin]

12 hours ago, Vambram said:

 

That's about the same way that I saw it too for Min. After the Last Battle starts, what more can a seer really do?

 

I am afraid I must disagree with your statement, as Min was beneficial in turning around Tuon's army at the end.  Who knows what else she could have done if the generals had put her in their planning meetings.  She was utterly ignored.  If she were there, perhaps she could have told everyone the generals were being corrupted after a potential vision.

 

Just because she does not have military acumen, she solved milennia old riddles of ter'angreals, foresaw various important aspects of the fighting before and during AMoL, and possibly could have kept Siuan and Bryne alive as she would have still seen the aura of death around them. (I'm paraphrasing right from the book)  There could have been many things a -person who can see the future- could have done to help the armies of the Light.  Instead, they had her copy messages, and run errands.

 

Of all three of the women in love with Rand, she was the most underutilized, and because of that, it made me think that perhaps Sanderson wasn't fond of her.  Perhaps he just didn't know how to write her.  Perhaps both.

[Illian Tear]

Well she didn't need to be the one to figure out that the generals were being corrupted because Mat also saw it and planned for it to happen by not telling anyone his plans until right before they happened.

[BFG]

I would guess the bigger problem is with who knows her talents. Around Rand the only people who know what she can do are Min (spent life trying to keep it secret), Rand (who a, wants her safe and b, will do what she wants) and several Aes Sedai (the majority of whom will undervalue her because she isn't Aes sedai). As far as most people are concerned she's his lover and that's it, so why would they trust her to do anything? As soon as Tuon discovered her abilities she made use of them (if not in the most effective way, then in a way that makes sense for someone that doesn't understand the ability)  

 

I'm not sure it's a case of Sanderson disliking the character, more that the character wasn't in a position to be utilised easily

[Sabio]

1 hour ago, Maedelin said:

 

I am afraid I must disagree with your statement, as Min was beneficial in turning around Tuon's army at the end.  Who knows what else she could have done if the generals had put her in their planning meetings.  She was utterly ignored.  If she were there, perhaps she could have told everyone the generals were being corrupted after a potential vision.

 

Just because she does not have military acumen, she solved milennia old riddles of ter'angreals, foresaw various important aspects of the fighting before and during AMoL, and possibly could have kept Siuan and Bryne alive as she would have still seen the aura of death around them. (I'm paraphrasing right from the book)  There could have been many things a -person who can see the future- could have done to help the armies of the Light.  Instead, they had her copy messages, and run errands.

 

Of all three of the women in love with Rand, she was the most underutilized, and because of that, it made me think that perhaps Sanderson wasn't fond of her.  Perhaps he just didn't know how to write her.  Perhaps both.

When the actually fighting started and she figured out the sword's trap, her main purpose had been fulfilled.  She isn't a general and couldn't really add anything to military matters.  Rand wanted her to aid Egwene, but with the Aes Sedai and Seanchan hating each other, I think using Min to send messages back and forth was a good idea.   Her main purpose was to see rand ready for the last battle.  Remember her visons always come true, so if she said ohh don't do that I see you're going to die it wouldn't of mattered.

 

Her viewing of Siuan hadn't changed, if they stay together they live, if not they die.  When Siuan suddenly showed up without Bryne, it was too late.  It was Siuan's fault, she assumed she fulfilled Min's viewing without ever asking Min if she still saw it.  Had Siuan asked if Min still saw it, Min could of said yes.  Min didn't know of their near deaths during the WT fighting, so Min had no reason to warn  Siuan that the image was still there.

[DemandredFO]

Maedelin my guess is even had RJ lived to never finish WOT, Min would've faded. Her visions are important but when you're in the thick of battle, fire is more valuable than Sight. One the themes or whatever you'd call it of WOT is lack of communication, no one talks to one another. Though in Min's case I think keeping Sight to herself was wise because if she spread it around, it would've gotten back to a not-so-friendly Aes Sedai. Also, if your main problem is Brandon, know that RJ died and the series barely got greenlit to finish. Was it perfect no, Brandon admitted that but RJ bears a large amount of blame.

[agreddon]

On 3/1/2018 at 10:29 AM, Maedelin said:

 

Of all three of the women in love with Rand, she was the most underutilized, and because of that, it made me think that perhaps Sanderson wasn't fond of her.  Perhaps he just didn't know how to write her.  Perhaps both.

 

 

I'm gonna have to disagree with you on that one and state that more than likely we had gotten more than enough screen time with her.  If anything, I would have wondered if the other two were just booty calls compared to Min the Love of Rand's Life had they not been brought up more in the ending in relation to Rand.  And downright hate?  No, I don't think so or it would have come in more clearly and I think Harriet wouldn't have wanted anything like that