Egwene: Can she do Rands Job?

[Guest Barmacral]

This was a response I made to a person who feels very strongly against Egwene, however, instead of hijacking that thread, I have decided to create this one to contine the conversation.

 

Egwene in the later books has received better training than Rand, and is slightly more level headed than he can be. True, Rand has a tough job, but so does Egwene, and she probably could do a decent job at being the DR. I agree that she would have trouble facing Rands pain though.

[Tenshin_Xo]

She doesn't have his education (that we know of) in natural philosophy, the taint, the natures of saidin and saidar(well she knows saidar, but not saidin), nor his knowledge from LTT, some of which is weaponry, tactics, natural philosophy, and she just isn't as stubborn as he is. Her strength is from conditioning, Rand's is both conditioning and temperment.

 

Don't get me wrong, her part in KoD shows her to be one of the strongest characters in the series, but do you think she could have spent days in a box being let out only to be beaten and killed two warders bare-handed while it was going on?

[phlpr23]

She's tough because she can take a spanking? .... Rand's everyday constant pain is always worse than that. Also her ability as Amyrlin relies heavily on Siune's advice, while Rand hasn't had anyone like that in a long time due to his trust issues (which he is resolving by starting to open up with Cadsuane) She is also far more arrogent than Rand ever was ... Look how pretentious she already is, can you imagine her as the DR?

[Guest Fire Lord]

No offense to Egwene's admirers, but she'd be horrible as the Dragon Reborn. I admire her strength of character (well, what she started showing in KoD), but in no way does she measure up to Rand.

 

She's tough because she can take a spanking? .... Rand's everyday constant pain is always worse than that.

 

My sentiment as well. Remember Nynaeve's reaction when she was healing him, asking him how he could stand such pain? IMO Egwene would have succumbed to that pain long ago.

 

True, Rand has a tough job, but so does Egwene

 

I understand the gravity of Egwene's task, but how can you even begin to compare that to Rand's? To me that's a bit like... er, I can't find an accurate comparison. There is simply no way. As it is, I think Egwene is not being that good at it. She is too arrogant, too full of herself and her knowledge, most of which, as phlpr23 said, is coming from Siuan. No doubt she would be able to handle her own, but nowhere near as good as she is doing.

 

Her as the Dragon Reborn? *shudders, grabbs the access key to the great male s'angreal, rushes to Shayol Ghul. If I can manage to increase the bore and allow the Dark One partially out, perhaps we may break a deal, and he may decide to not destroy the world. It's better that way.*

 

:D

[Beckon]

This was a response I made to a person who feels very strongly against Egwene' date=' however, instead of hijacking that thread, I have decided to create this one to contine the conversation.[/i']

 

Egwene in the later books has received better training than Rand, and is slightly more level headed than he can be. True, Rand has a tough job, but so does Egwene, and she probably could do a decent job at being the DR. I agree that she would have trouble facing Rands pain though.

 

What better training than Rand? Rand is simply self taught. He's dealt with scores of nobles scheming behind his back, his injuries, the taint, LTT in his head, Taim, running multiple nations...Egwene would have be so busy thumping everyone with Air to teach them manners she'd have to time for anything else. :P

[Kison]

My answer: heck no

 

She's not even nearly as powerful as Rand. If you could recall, he pretty much solo'd both her and Elayne in book 3.

 

Rand definitely has some psychological issues, but the fact that he is able to cope with Lews Therin, Moridin Merging/Sickness, wound in his side, palm brandings, amongst constant attempts to have him killed, clearly proves that he is better fit for the job.

 

I'm not sure who's manipulative skills are better at this point, but Rand's were better as of book 6.

 

His ability to use the Oneness/Void would have him easily withstanding any spankings that Egwene struggled with in book 11.

[Luckers]

I dont think that she has the objectivity to do it. Don't get me wrong, i love her character and think in her own way she's as powerful and dangerous as Rand, but the way she looks at the world...

 

She doesn't have Rand's brilliance when it comes to obscure planning.

[Myyrth]

I don't see much support for Egwene, Unfortunatly for her i'm not here to help her out either.

 

Egwene lacks the intensity and strength of will that Rand possesses. Intelligance, I would say that though Egwene has her tower training Rand surpasses her in both basic education in philosophy and in the Power through his connection to LTT. Egwene is intelligant and clever, but Rand has proven himself to be a master planner (I accept he recieves much help from Bashere and his other allies but he is extrememly intelligant himself.)

 

In the end, Rand was destined to be the DR and whether creator the balancing act of the wheel. He is the one equipped with the courage, fortitude and will to fill the shoes of the dragon reborn.

[Leopoled Boothe]

Nope, not unless she's got the reborn soul of LTT packed away somewhere in he pretty little head. And I think its been well established that Rand has that particular item not so packed away in his head.

[Jarred Darque]

It isnt just the knowledge, the second person in the head, simply phsically I do not beleive that she could meet the demands he has had to go throguh physically. She has virtually no skill in defending herself with anything OTHER than the power, whereas Rand does, has had to use it, and am sure will need it in the future..I mean hell the guy was literally a blademaster less than a year after picking up his first sword.

[Jaric Mondoran]

Egwene has failed to impress me for much of the series, although around Book 7 or so I started to convert a bit. That aside, although she's become as much of an institution in the series as Rand has, I don't see her confronting any decisions in the series as tough as those Rand has faced since Book 4. She gets a vote of no confidence.

[redbj]

no way in the world, eggy is a bit of an eejit.

[Bob T Dwarf]

To answer the original question - no.

 

But, neither could Rand do her job.

 

Probably the major subtext to this entire series is that only through cooperation and trust can the major problems of the world be solved. We're all just cogs in a big machine and it's only when the cogs all turn to a common purpose and with a minimum of friction that the really useful work gets done.

 

The Dragon requires one set of skills and traits. The Amyrlin requires a different set. Together they can accomplish more than either could manage alone.

[redbj]

To answer the original question - no.

 

But' date=' neither could Rand do her job.

 

Probably the major subtext to this entire series is that only through cooperation and trust can the major problems of the world be solved. We're all just cogs in a big machine and it's only when the cogs all turn to a common purpose and with a minimum of friction that the really useful work gets done.

 

The Dragon requires one set of skills and traits. The Amyrlin requires a different set. Together they can accomplish more than either could manage alone.[/quote']

 

brilliant. my thoughts exactly, this is the main reason i find it hard to read elayne thinking on rand and that bloody perrin faile debacle...just talk guys...just talk it through.

 

but on a grander scale i think you've hit the nail on the head on what needs to be done to achieve victory in the last battle....and jordans masterstroke, is his mimicking of real human behavior...all infighting over ridiculous power struggles, when so much more could be achieved as a race.

 

(gets off soap box)

[redbj]

race...sorry(ironic that thats half the problem)....species is what i meant.