Dyelin a darkfriend? (possible spoilers)

[Leopoled Boothe]

Has anyone else considered this possibility? Somehow to me she seems a little too compliant with Elayne, a bit too eager to get close to her and gain her trust. In other words concerning Elayne's cause Dyelin seems a little too good to be true. Seems as though the Shadow could be using her to get close to Elayne in a similar way that it used Aran'gar/Halima to get close to Egwene. Moreover, I have noticed a trend in WOT where whenever a potentally good character is going to turn out to be trouble he/she is initally disliked by one of the major good characters:

 

Rand didn't like Taim

Rand didn't like Dashiva

Perrin didn't like Aram when they met is EotW

Moiraine didn't like Elaida

Wonder Girls didn't like Liandrin

Brigitte doesn't like Dyelin

 

Of course one notable exception to this trend is Selene. I don't remember anyone disliking her.

 

I must admit that one major problem with this theory is the question of why the Shadow wouldn't just use Dyelin to gain control of Andor which she could have easily done. But who knows there could be some reason why keeping an eye on and/or controling one particualr Aes Sedai is more important than controling an entire nation (this AS does happen to be carrying Rand's children after all).

 

Discuss

[Luckers]

Caldevwin disliked Selene. But then Rand did like Dashiva. And everyone disliked Taim, Elaida and Liandrin. I dont really see a pattern... and certainly not one that can be used for looking at Dyelin. What of Berelain? Most people didn't like her, but she's a good guy. Byar and Dain Bornheld are both bastards, yet they led to the turning of the Children of the Light to a worthwhile goal. Most people dont like Cadsuane for that matter... and what of Moiraine and Nynaeve? Is Moiraine a bad guy, or even just a fool that is hurting the lights chances of victory, like Elaida?

 

The fact is that Dyelin has proved herself an asset to both Elayne and the Light. Her joining with Elayne served to bring about unity. Without her, the fight would have fallen to Arymilla and Ellorien. If those two had gotten in it, Andor would have fallen apart, which would have served the Shadow much more then an Andor unified under Elayne--remember, Andor is the strongest nation in Randland (ignoring the Seanchan). Destroying it would have been a worthwhile goal for any darkfriend.

 

On a personal level ive liked Dyelin since her meeting with Rand. She didn't fawn, or back down even though she knew he could have crushed her and any resistance she offered. I don't think a darkfriend would have acted in that manner.

[Beckon]

I was also going to say Rand didn't really dislike Dashiva. He was more bemused by him. At most he wondered how sane he was.

[mikey sedai]

this is something i feel quite strongly about, and i definatly think Dyelin is a darkfriend.

she could of stopped the war instantly by publishing her support of Elayne, something she professes to believe. the other Houses would of fallen behind her and left Amyrilla with only her 'guests' as support.

but by not publishing her support, she has prolonged a civil war, thus destabilising a country which would of been one of Rand's staunchest allies!

[Luckers]

Its not as simple as that. Her publishing her support early on would not have handed the throne to Elayne. Ellorien and the others would not have supported Elayne in that situation--they supported her in the end only because with Arymilla fallen, and Sylvase and Lir and Karind backing Elayne, there would be no chance of another House gaining the required numbers.

 

Arymilla certainly wouldn't have, and remember she had five Houses backing her. Dyelin's support of Elayne early on would have forced Luan and the others to support a viable candidate--whilst they were supporting Dyelin they were harmless.

 

She did not prolong the war, she lessened it dramatically by supporting Elayne, and working on her behalf. When the moment was right, and the resulting effect at its greatest, she DID publish Tarwin for Elayne. Had she wanted to escalate the situation she would have merely needed to remain silent. Or better yet, spoken her own claim. Luan and Ellorien would have supported her--they were asking her if they should in that scene, and she annouces the support of Tarwin for Trakand as a way of telling them no. Thats what a darkfriend would have done.

 

There is a reason that the chapter in which Elayne finally gets the crown is called The Importance of Dyelin. Without her Andor would still stand devided at the beginning of Tarmon Gai'don.

[mikey sedai]

to be honest i just don't like her

[Leopoled Boothe]

Caldevwin disliked Selene. But then Rand did like Dashiva. And everyone disliked Taim, Elaida and Liandrin. I dont really see a pattern... and certainly not one that can be used for looking at Dyelin. What of Berelain? Most people didn't like her, but she's a good guy. Byar and Dain Bornheld are both bastards, yet they led to the turning of the Children of the Light to a worthwhile goal. Most people dont like Cadsuane for that matter... and what of Moiraine and Nynaeve? Is Moiraine a bad guy, or even just a fool that is hurting the lights chances of victory, like Elaida?

 

Good point. Very good point. I'll have to concede this point to you. Though I do think that Dain and Byar still have more trouble to cause, and will get their comeupance from Perrin.

 

The fact is that Dyelin has proved herself an asset to both Elayne and the Light. Her joining with Elayne served to bring about unity. Without her, the fight would have fallen to Arymilla and Ellorien. If those two had gotten in it, Andor would have fallen apart, which would have served the Shadow much more then an Andor unified under Elayne--remember, Andor is the strongest nation in Randland (ignoring the Seanchan). Destroying it would have been a worthwhile goal for any darkfriend

.

 

So it would seem but that is just my point, Dyelin just seems a little too good to be true. I've already admitted that I'm not sure what motivation the Shadow could have for wanting Andor united under Elayne. Perhaps Dyelin feels she can manipulate and control Elayne. I believe Dyelin knows of Rand and Elaynes relationship and that Elayne plans on allying Andor with The Dragon Reborn. She probably figures that Rand trusts Elayne and therefore with her on the Lion Throne he will never suspect that Dyelin is working Andor against him. This is alot of conjecture I know, but the Shadow's motive can be hard to figure at times. I mean as long as Mallar was in the Palace why not have him bump off Elayne and Dyelin? That would have assued the Throne for Arymilla. Alot of people are all to ready to blame Rand for killing Morgase so it probably would not have been hard to pin their murders on Rand too especially considering that Elayne had recently kicked Rand out of Camelyn. So for whatever reason it seem feasible that the Shadow might want Elayne and Dyelin alive for the moment.

 

On a personal level ive liked Dyelin since her meeting with Rand. She didn't fawn, or back down even though she knew he could have crushed her and any resistance she offered.

 

I agree that Dyelin is a very likable character. This is why here revelation as a darkfriend would be such a shocking plot twist.

 

I don't think a darkfriend would have acted in that manner.

 

Well, if Dyelin is a darkfriend then certainly the difference between her and most is that she is actually a competent one.

[Myyrth]

I think her being a Darkfriend would be amazing, but it would need to have a purpose. Some sort of convoluted and twisted plot of the shadow.

 

She would immediatly become my favorite character in the series.

[Leopoled Boothe]

I think her being a Darkfriend would be amazing, but it would need to have a purpose. Some sort of convoluted and twisted plot of the shadow.

 

Well, does the Shadow do any other kind :twisted:

 

She would immediatly become my favorite character in the series.

 

Either way she's up there on my list. She was one of the few things that made Elayne's Camelyn POV's pallatable. What is Birgitte's problem anyway?

[Luckers]

I agree with Myrrth... if she did turn out to be a darkfriend, i think i would fall in love.

[RobertAlexWillis]

Hear hear! She's not, of course, but if she were, she would be by far the most competent Darkfriend we've seen.

[Toy and Minion]

I never even considered Dyelin to be a darkfriend. But if she were...that might just be like ol' RJ.