The Aes Sedai, favorites and otherwise (spoilers)

[Bodewhin]

What it says on the tin. 

 

The Aes Sedai, who do you enjoy, who not so much? 

 

Moiraine is a special case, she's definitely in a class all her own. Her dedication and steadiness is something that really sets her apart. For others, I enjoy Verin, Leane, Suian, Pevara and Teslyn.

 

I don't enjoy Eliada (we're supposed to hate her I think?) Joline, such a brat to deal with and her Warders were like bad bodyguards lol, and Alanna annoyed me, I never once sympathized with Alanna or understood her motives.

 

Sheriam was an odd case for me, because I never liked her (just rubbed me the wrong way) but I never suspected she would turn out to be Black Ajah. 

 

Cadsuane is another odd case, because I never really had an affinity for her, yet I did understand her and I thought she was quite complex. She was interesting, even if I found myself frustrated by her more often than not. 

 

Anyhow, that's a bit for starters!

[HeavyHalfMoonBlade]

Agree with your list. Alanna being torn up with grief at the death of her warder just seemed to mean that she was constantly irrational which did not lead to great characterisation. Though I guess that was a deliberate choice. 

 

I'd add Silvianna and Anaiya to the list of favourites, it was nice to have Aes Sedai that had admirable qualities. 

[Loose Theremin]

Among the main Aes Sedai I didn't have any favourites. Many of them were admirable and did their duty no matter what. But they weren't the kind of people I would want to spend time with outside of business hours.

 

Siuan, Verin and Leane had their amusing character traits so I viewed them more favourably than Moiraine who was very mission focused.

 

Anaiya was genuinely nice but she was a minor character.

 

To me that was a flaw in Robert Jordan's WoT. The Aes Sedai were very important players and there should have been a handful of the significant ones who were likable as well as admirable. RJ managed it with at least one of the Wise Ones so I don't know why he didn't do the same with some of the main Aes Sedai.

[Figs and Mice]

If I have to pick favourites : Verin , Suian and Pevara.  Actually didn't mind Joline either - though I really can't blame Mat for dealing with her in rather ungentlemanly fashion in Knife of Dreams  🙂

[Bodewhin]

I liked Silviana as well. It was nice to have some Red Ajah like her and Pavera who seemed different and more sympathetic than the typical evil Reds that seemed in the majority.  

 

One thing I was thinking about recently,

The White Tower was interesting to me because it was created as a flawed organization. It was not clearcut as good or bad, and a lot of members were actually disillusioned and out-of-touch with the world outside, which surprised me my first read as I expected them to be more the heroes. Learning that Moiraine was an exception rather than the norm made for a fun reading discovery upon first read. 

 

I'm also a Celtic nerd, so the Flame of Tar Valon called to mind The Flame of Brigid (aka Brigid's Fire) which was fascinating to me. 

 

[Tovya]

Honourable mention for Saerin 🙂

[dwn]

I like the Black Ajah hunters; it was one of my favourite minor plot arcs. I really wish it didn't completely fizzle out because it foreshadowed that Pevara's secret Asha'man warder would be playing a critical role therein.

 

The Kin and the newly gathered novices by the SAS were also interesting side plots that ultimately went nowhere. Nicola in particular was underused.