Thom and Moiraine's relationship...

[Rand alThor]

When Moiraine gave Thom that letter, Thom kept reading it and reading it. Thom told Mat that it was from someone special. In the letter it starts off with "My Dearest Thom" or something of the like. Did they have some type of past relationship that occured, because to me it kind of came out the blue that Thom and Moiraine were so fond of eachother.

[Kadere]

Nobody really knows the connection between the two of them. I believe you can find another thread about this topic on here. It's not really believed that they knew each other prior to the beginning of the books, but that's not totally clear since Thom's nephew had connections with the Aes Sedai and Thom was in Caemlyn. So it's very possible they did know each other, but not intemitally.

 

It's also really NOT out of the blue. Ever since The Eye of the World you can see connections growing between the two of them. When they first meet some of the things they say to each other hint at affections. Thom is also very protective of Moiriane from the boys, yet wants the boys to be free of her because he knows what can happen. Their talk in Tear in Shadow Rising also gives hint to something, and of course Egwene's vision of Thom being the one to save Moiriane.

 

There are a lot of people who think they may even end up together, since Morgase is obviously going to end up with Tallanvor. I personally don't see it going anywhere special, since the Last Battle is going to come, and either or both of them may very well die. I also never really bought the connection, but you can see that something's going on.

[Guest cwestervelt]

They may not have me each other prior to the start of the books, but they would definitely have known of each other. At some point, Moiraine even let Thom know that she knew exactly what his past position was. Considering Thom's past position, he would have been aware of any high ranking nobility from other neighbouring countries. After all, Moiraine grew up in the Sun Palace had a significant claim to the throne as Laman's niece. She wasn't some obscure minor personage.

[dalic]

Remember Moiraine's trip to Rhuidean. She learned things of the future. So she probably knew they would end up together if they survive the Tower of Ghenji. And also I think she says to Egwene and Nynaeve that she knows the face of her future husband better than they know theirs. All in all I don't think they had any prior relationship. Especially considering Thom's aversion to Aes Sedai.

[Rand alThor]

Remember Moiraine's trip to Rhuidean. She learned things of the future. So she probably knew they would end up together if they survive the Tower of Ghenji. And also I think she says to Egwene and Nynaeve that she knows the face of her future husband better than they know theirs. All in all I don't think they had any prior relationship. Especially considering Thom's aversion to Aes Sedai.

 

Great thinking, I'm surprised I hadn't thought of that. There is a very realistic chance of that happening.

[TaeaDawn]

OK.. hadn't thought of Morraine and Thom in that light before, but he would certainly make a good Warder for her... A blue sister would probably be better protected (and her interests as well) by someone of Thom's ability.

[Inara]

with moiraine's attitude to danger, she definatly needs another lan, but i can see what you mean about thom and a blue.

i think they would be better unbonded though, and married.

they are both smart, and will respect that in aech other, it will be a great match.

[Groningen]

The ring told Moiraine a lot, including the fact that she should not try to bed Rhand. As that would spoil her plans. Now that is specific information! It showed many possibilities. Why is it hard to believe that it showed her her husband?

[Ilyena]

I always asumed that the rings showed moiraine her true husband, but then there's the question of how was moiraine able to say she knows the face of her future husband better than the girls, if she hadn't been in rhuidin yet?

I think Min had one of her viewings concerning moiraine and thom, and was probably able to verify that it was thom when all of the heros stopped there in tEotW.

[dalic]

OK.. hadn't thought of Morraine and Thom in that light before' date=' but he would certainly make a good Warder for her... A blue sister would probably be better protected (and her interests as well) by someone of Thom's ability.[/quote']

 

 

i agree. he also needs to be her warder because he's old Thom and she is still young even for Aes Sedai.

[menzarra]

In case ya haven't read KoD, the letter gets explained.

[Rand alThor]

In case ya haven't read KoD, the letter gets explained.[/quote

 

It doesn't explain their relation in the letter.

[drsarav]

In EOTW, chapter 8, while Tam is recovering from the Trolloc attack, Lan voices dislike for Thom:

 

"I do not like that man. There is something about him I don't trust. I did not see a hair of him last night."

 

Might this be because he senses an attraction between Moiraine & Thom, even this early? Or, is he on to something about Thom's real allegiances that we haven't caught on to yet?

[RobertAlexWillis]

I think that is just typical Lan type suspicion.

 

But really, Moiraine and Thom have every reason to get the hots for each other. They're both And I think she knows its coming, at least as early as their time in the Stone of Tear. She sets him to follow Elayne and Nynaeve, but she also promises him the information he wants most, and says "I will teach you that not all Aes Sedai are like those Reds, Thom. You must learn that." (The Shadow Rising, Deceptions, p.246) Also, she told the girls earlier, "I could wager that I know the face of the man I will marry better than either of you knows that of your future husband." (The Shadow Rising, Doorways, p.105)

 

Now obviously neither of these is conclusive. Moiraine is nothing if not a mistress of ambiguity. But they are indicative, especially in light of subsequent events. It is easily possible that after some initial attraction, she recieved confirmation in the rings of Rhuidean.

 

But they'll make a good match. And you really wouldn't want to line up against them ....

[t_6005]

Oh, God, you morons, think Family right off the bat.

 

Thom had an intimate connection with Morgase for many years. She was married to a Damodred from Carhien (Taringail, I believe it was). They were apparently never close, but still. Politics being the way it is, and Andor and Carhien being the way they are, it stands to reason that Moiraine, as a daughter of the House of Damodred, would have dealings with Morgase and Andor, and therefore Thom, the Grey Wolf or Fox or whatever he was at that point. It's both politics and family mixed into it. You can see it best in the direct conversation they have together, where both pretend to not know the other yet point out facts about the other's life, which Moiraine only wins by virtue of being Aes Sedai and bringing up Owyn, Thom's channeling nephew.

[Luckers]

There are hints about the nature of Thom's and Moiraine's feelings since the beginning. Comments like 'she's a fine women' etc etc.

 

I don't think any substantive prior relationship exists. I rather doubt, indeed, that they were even aware of each other in more then passing. They arn't pretending to not know each other... they are saying they have heard of each other. If they had met before why would they never mention it once? There is no extra significance except that both were trying to manipulate the other.

[RobertAlexWillis]

Yes, their encounter in the Stone of Tear is mostly Daes Dae'mar style verbal fencing. And since Moiraine went to the Tower at a young age, it is unlikely that they had any kind of meaningful conversation, much less relationship, at the time. (When he was the Grey Fox, Thom had more than enough of a relationship already going on, thank you very much.) Moiraine was probably focused mostly on removing a potential influence on Rand when she sent Thom to Tanchico, but the method she chose (promising him the information he wanted, and indirectly expressing her sympathy) indicates that she, at least, had developed some attraction to him. She chose the gentlest method that would be effective.

 

 

It's interesting to wonder what else happened though. She never saw him after that before she went through the ter'angreal, and it seems like a pretty big jump from their conversation in the Stone to "My dearest Thom."

[DemandredFO]

Deas Demar is I think a big reason and maybe what he did for Morgase(killing Tarangil) had an impact. Also the fact that he may know more about the world in general than she does. The doorway could have showed her a future with Thom if she didn't kill Lanfear. Just my thoughts.