Matt's past life

[Timewalker]

I could be completely wrong about this, I haven't read WoT since AMoL. However, I've been listening to the audiobook on Libby while at work, and I believe Mat is Jak o' the Shadows. It's probably been discussed before, and I have to head back to work so I don't have much time to list my reasons, but I remember thinking that back when I was reading it, and it just came to mind again. 

[Elgee]

Jak o' the Shadows is death.

[Timewalker]

... Wow, I can't believe I either didn't remember, or never figured that out. Either way, it makes much more sense that way. 

[DemandredFO]

Matt is Aemon reborn

[Sabio]

Or of Aemon's blood.  RJ to my knowledge always refused to answer that.

[Timewalker]

On 1/13/2019 at 6:24 PM, DemandredFO said:

Matt is Aemon reborn

 

On 1/13/2019 at 7:46 PM, Sabio said:

Or of Aemon's blood.  RJ to my knowledge always refused to answer that.

 

After reading up more about Aemon, that makes perfect sense. He has his mannerisms quite nicely. 

[Orderofolde]

When Matt is healed in the White Tower, we see his flashback POV as Aemon commanding the Heart Guard.  Aemon was married to an Aes Sedai Queen who drew too much of the OP and melted Manetheran away when he died, and for the betrayal of the Aes Sedai and the men of Aridhol not coming.  Oddly enough, the Ogier supposedly couldn't come in time, yet they had the Ways in which to travel through.  I don't believe they were dark at that time.

 

The parallels between Tuon channeling and being empress of Seanchan and Matt's behavior also lend to him being Aemon. 

[Sabio]

The one thing is in the WOT companion, it doesn't mention him being Aemon.  Sadly it mentions very little about that part.  I have never been able to decide for myself if RJ meant him to be or not.

 

I don't think they were letting anyone use the ways at that time.  Aemon had to march days from the battle he was at to get home, when they could of used the ways.  So I am guessing by that time they were dangerous.  

[Apple151]

it's all irreelevant because Mat really should never have been a key character in the series.

 

RJ's biggest mitake mistake outside of book 4 is Mat's whole arc.

Edited February 27, 2019 by Apple151

[jsbrads]

I like Mat. I dislike Perrin while his wife was kidnapped (most of the time). 

The Aes Sedai speak about blood as if it retains a genetic memory for humans too (a la Assasin’s Creed) it just needs to be unlocked via traumatic events, like Mat’s soul being cleansed of Shadar Logoth taint.

[Sabio]

I am curious why Mat should never of been a main character?  For the series preaching balance Mat made sense.  Perin was the duty and serious one where Mat was the just wanting to have fun one. 

[jsbrads]

That is a very stable trinity.

Mat and Perrin are two extremes

And Rand has to start balanced.

Spock and Bones to Kirk

[wotfan4472]

Which is great. The only other Trinity in anything besides Star Trek is DC's way more famous Trinity. To see a Fantasy variant because the Comic and Sci-Fi ones are awesome is a sign of respect and admiration. To see a fantasy equivalent play out is awesome, too.

Edited March 26, 2019 by wotfan4472

[Kat_152]

On 2/27/2019 at 8:48 PM, Apple151 said:

it's all irreelevant because Mat really should never have been a key character in the series.

 

RJ's biggest mitake mistake outside of book 4 is Mat's whole arc.

 

I don't think the books would be half as fun and exiting if Mat was not a main character.