Book 3, Chapter 36

[Ryandotorg]

Why does Rand kill the woman he says is a merchant and all her guards?

[Thrasymachus]

Because he's going a little nutty, out there all alone with his paranoia and neverending nightmares and the pressure of a destiny he doesn't want and is still trying to convince himself is an Aes Sedai trick.

 

Oh, and also because they're darkfriends, but I don't think Rand had any real way of knowing that, nor do I recall it being explicitly confirmed (though it may have been), even though they did have a Gray Man in their midst.

[Parmley88]

He knew that they were darkfriends because he was able to see the Gray Man traveling with them.

[Sabio]

He didn't see the gray man until after and wondered where the guy came from.  Mostly it was these people traveling that late at night out in the middle of nowhere when no normal merchants would be traveling that late.  She also didn't seem very surprised to see him there.

[Elder_Haman]

On 11/25/2020 at 12:38 PM, Thrasymachus said:

Because he's going a little nutty, out there all alone with his paranoia and neverending nightmares and the pressure of a destiny he doesn't want and is still trying to convince himself is an Aes Sedai trick.

 

Oh, and also because they're darkfriends, but I don't think Rand had any real way of knowing that, nor do I recall it being explicitly confirmed (though it may have been), even though they did have a Gray Man in their midst.

And as Rand's sanity starts to fray, he also begins to believe he has some insight into who is and isn't a darkfriend.

[wotfan4472]

It was a good move on his part.

Especially with the Grey Man attack here being the result of Nyneave being told by Siuan what Callandor is, according to RJ.

In fact Mat and Perrin's encounters are all a result of it too.

It screams of it being an attack by one of the Forsaken looking for him. Most likely Be'lal, since he is guarding the blade.

Edited July 24, 2021 by wotfan4472

[Thrasymachus]

Unlikely, as Be'lal's plan was to have Rand take Callandor from its warding, then take it from Rand, and use it to set himself up as highest among the Chosen.  Killing him before he got there would be rather counterproductive to that end.  Most likely it was somebody from the Darkfriend Social from the prologue of the Great Hunt, who was high enough ranking to ask a fade for the assistance of a Gray Man.  The most likely Forsaken behind it, if a Forsaken indeed was, would be Sammael, since it was in or near his "territory" though that's not really his style.  It could conceivably be Rhavin, or Demandred or Asmodean, or even Ishamael at this point, but their only motive would be to prevent him from taking Callandor, and for Ishy, possibly to punish him for failing to be turned to the Dark yet.  Demandred is likely off playing with the Sharans.  Graendal and Moghedien wouldn't stick their necks out that far, Semirhage would be busy wrangling the Seanchan, and Messana the White Tower.  Lanfear doesn't want him dead, and Balthamel and Aginor are dead.