The Red Ajah

[Caelan Arendor]

Let us turn our attention today to the Red Ajah. What do we truly know about them?

 

They hunt men who can channel and subject them to gentling—a fate that often plunges these men into profound despair and ultimately death, once their will to live has been extinguished (Such a deed I would unhesitatingly deem to be murder). The nature of the Red Ajah is frequently marked by a pathological hatred of men, whom they treat with contempt regardless of guilt or innocence. Their fervent zeal sometimes leads to miscarriages of justice, as they bypass proper trials. Their obsession with eradicating male channelers blinds them to other, often far greater and more perilous threats, and estranges them from potential allies. 

 

Here we must name one of the most unsympathetic characters to stride across the whole of the cycle: Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan. Once Amyrlin, she ruled with paranoia and cruelty, silencing dissent and crushing opposition. Her harsh leadership style alienated many sisters and fostered instability. Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan, once she seized the Amyrlin Seat, sought to immortalize her reign through vast and extravagant building projects within the White Tower. (I don't remember the details, but I do not believe,  that she ever intended to construct a golden ballroom....Without, of course, wishing here to make any allusions!)

 

So much for today, its already late into the evening and I wish to finisch a novel (SF) of Frederic Brown. Wish you allt the very best, 73 from

 

Calean, --.../...--

[HeavyHalfMoonBlade]

I think the Red are given an unfair press. I think given their obvious opposition and trepidation to Rand, Jordan plays them a bit heavily into the villain category. 

 

I get their distaste for Warders, as it plays so nicely into opposition with the Green, but it is a little strange as they would need someone watching their back. I guess you could say that Warders are protecting from mundane sources of danger, where the Reds need protection from the One Power more so need help from Sisters. 

 

They also are manipulated by the Black rather easily with Elaida and the illegal gentling of men around Rand's birth (the discontinued Thom's nephew story line). Which I suppose is both a criticism and a softening circumstance. They shouldn't have been that easy to manipulate and they were not really that bad of their own accord. 

 

Pevara was a welcome addition to the Reds. And Silvianna, to be fair, to make them more relatable. 

 

Though one of the worse criticisms of the Reds for me is that Cadsuanne was the most successful male channeler hunter. Why have an Ajah dedicated to that purpose if a bored and insufferable Green is going to be more successful singlehandedly? 

[Starla Yilmaz]

I agree that the Reds are unfairly represented since Jordan has them as antagonists to Rand. I think it would be slightly more realistic for them to be one of the most beloved Ajahs (after the Yellow) since they are the ones taking care of the mad male channeler threat. 

[bringbackthomsmoustache]

8 hours ago, HeavyHalfMoonBlade said:

Though one of the worse criticisms of the Reds for me is that Cadsuanne was the most successful male channeler hunter. Why have an Ajah dedicated to that purpose if a bored and insufferable Green is going to be more successful singlehandedly? 

Cadsuanne did have the minor advantage of a ter'angreal that not only detected male channeling but revealed the exact direction it was occurring in.