Verin Mathwin in Detail

[Caelan Arendor]

Verin Mathwin is one of the most striking figures in our book series. I must admit that it was only quite late — though I can no longer recall the exact point in the story when - I began to suspect that this seemingly unremarkable, slightly scatterbrained, maternal figure might be something more than a curious scholar and teacher of the Brown Ajah.

 

Her belonging to two Ajahs compels her to play a dual role with a double charge: on the one hand, she gathers information about the Ta’veren, delves into prophecies, and studies the very structure of power; on the other, she has sworn allegiance to the Dark One and must carry out his commands and weave intrigues.

Yet it becomes increasingly clear that she uses her position within the Black Ajah to study it from within and to identify its members. In the end, she meets a martyr’s death: Verin Mathwin died after revealing to Egwene al’Vere a decisive secret about the Black Ajah.

 

She took a poison of her own making to ensure she could deliver her revelations before the Black Ajah silenced her. Thereafter she passed peacefully, knowing that her sacrifice had strengthened the Light.

 

As I mentioned at the outset, I hold Verin in a certain esteem, and I would be delighted to hear your thoughts on her.

[HeavyHalfMoonBlade]

The hour of my death thing is, how can I put it?, dumb. Yes, it gives an "aaaah" moment to the reader, but it doesn't really make sense. Especially where a Black Ajah member could realistically expect to be executed if caught, that the Oaths would stop working for the hour before their inevitable, inescapable and alloted execution makes no sense. It isn't a "no one could ever have thought of this" moment, it is only a "I bet a reader never thought of this" mechanic. 

 

But not terrible. One can assume no real darkfriend would try, and no one but darkfriends would be admitted to the Black. 

 

But still... Why even gave Oaths if it is so unimportant? 

 

But yeah, Verin is awesome. She is troubling from the start. How she pushes her way into Mother's secret confidence, how she destroys knowledge about the world of dreams and dreamers, and obviously isn't playing straight when she gives the Wonder Girls info that points straight to Ebou Dat as if it was random nonsense. 

 

She uses compulsion on those loyal to the Tower (or only darkfriends?), and she is on Rand's side all the time a way few are. 

 

She is great, but the denouement was a little lacking. Inescapable Oaths should not be so easy to get around, imho. 

[Starla Yilmaz]

I remember relating to Verin my first time around, like, here is a "real" Aes Sedai. I did catch on that she was a darkfriend around book 7 or 8 iirc. I distinctly remember that there was an inconsistency in something she said, and I was like, "Hold up, did she just lie? OH SHIT SHE DID WTF!" I don't remember the book or the details, just my reaction. That was one of the spoilers I searched online to see if I was right about, because I stopped reading before the big reveal.

 

Yes, that seems like a stupid, crazy loophole the Dark One would leave for someone to get out of their oaths with. I like to think that it's the Creator's hand at work to combat the Dark One. They do say that no one is too far gone in the Shadow that they cannot be redeemed after all.

 

By the way, you can start to pick up her mini lies and inconsistencies in The Great Hunt. Since I knew she was Black Ajah, I was on the lookout. Very slight and subtle, but they're there.

[Andra]

Early on, I thought Jordan had made a mistake in The Great Hunt when he had Verin say flat out that Moiraine had sent her to join Rand and the hunters.  Then shortly after, had Moiraine deny she had done anything of the kind, and wonder why Verin went.

 

Turns out. it wasn't a mistake.  It was just foreshadowing ten books ahead of time.

[Elgee]

That whole reveal of Verin to Egwene was presumably written by Brandon, not Robert. It's consistent with his judging of the level of intelligence of the average reader. Or maybe age. 

[Caelan Arendor]

18 hours ago, Andra said:

Early on, I thought Jordan had made a mistake in The Great Hunt when he had Verin say flat out that Moiraine had sent her to join Rand and the hunters.  Then shortly after, had Moiraine deny she had done anything of the kind, and wonder why Verin went.

 

Turns out. it wasn't a mistake.  It was just foreshadowing ten books ahead of time.

I believe this was the first time it made "click" with me and I suspected something afoot. But there was still the option that Verin didn't lie and it was just some sort of misunderstanding. As it turned out later, well it wasn't.