Why did Galad win the sword fight?

[RobertAlexWillis]

Well ... I mean she is an adolescent girl ... thats pretty realistic.

 

;)

[Cadsuane]

Maybe bilogically mature, yeah. But mentally mature? I remember being 14, and I have to tell you, I did a lot of stupid things I shouldn't have. And now I know better, because I have matured.

You also have to keep in mind that 14 year olds were not treated as children the way they are these days. People expected the girls to be getting married at that age or shortly thereafter, and the boys to be taking on man's responsibilities (Jaimie was a knight by 16, I think). Quite frankly, you would have been less likely to do those stupid things if you were raised in the culture in which this book takes place. It's very hard to compare our personal experiences to what people the same age were doing in that era.

 

 

Amazing how easily Sansa believed that all her family were traitors. I couldn't believe she would that easily betray everyone who had ever raised her.

She was also raised to believe that the king and royal family were the utmost right. She was a romantic who believed it very strongly, and that was taken advantage of. For better or worse, she learned her lesson.

[Ealdur Tinuviel]

So, what you are saying is that if we think of 5-year olds as mature, they'll start making mature decisions?

 

That's akin to saying that if I close my eyes, no one can see me.

 

Just kidding. I see what you are saying. Basically, it sounds like if we gave our kids the opportunity to be mature, by giving them responsiblities, they would mature faster.

 

Makes sense, though I would like to point out that the main thing I was saying was that Viserys kind of threatened her into marrying Khal Drogo. She had no choice, really. It was that, or "waking the dragon."

[Cadsuane]

That, I agree with. But I also think that it wasn't the idea of marriage or sex that was scary so much as it was to someone so totally foreign to her. She didn't know their culture, she didn't speak their language, and he looked pretty damn intimidating.

 

Sansa was younger than Dany, but she was very excited to marry Joffrey because it was the kind of person she always thought she would marry.  ...And she wasn't alone in the world except for an abusive brother whose idea it was in the first place. :S

 

 

And on a side note, I do think that if we treated 5-year-olds as being more mature than we currently do, they would act more mature. Not all of them, and certainly not to the extent a 13-year-old could, but more so than many of them do now. Self-fulfilling prophecy is a real phenomenon.

[Ealdur Tinuviel]

I have always planned on trying something like that with my children someday, to see how they respond to the responsibility being put on them at an eariler age.

 

I've seen kids who have had to feed the family, basically, because the mom was sick or something and the father had left or died. They tend to handle responsibility better as adults because of it being thrust on them at an early age.

[GrandpaG]

I have always planned on trying something like that with my children someday, to see how they respond to the responsibility being put on them at an eariler age.

 

I've seen kids who have had to feed the family, basically, because the mom was sick or something and the father had left or died. They tend to handle responsibility better as adults because of it being thrust on them at an early age.

 

The lucky ones, anyway.  Some are not so lucky.

[Ealdur Tinuviel]

Well, that is certainly true. Sometimes responsibility could be too much for a very young kid, and they could have an emotional meltdown.

[GrandpaG]

See the twinkle in the eye of my avatar?  It looks even cooler in the blown up version in the DM gallery.  Here, combined with the knowing grin, it looks kinda like old Thom would pull your leg a little if he got the chance.  Looks like an elderly prankster.  Nothing at all like me, oh, no!

 

[Ealdur Tinuviel]

Right, that doesn't look like you at all.

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.laughteryoga.org/drkataria/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/israel-125year-old-man-laughing.jpg&imgrefurl=http://wordpress.com/tag/patch-tool/feed/&h=492&w=500&sz=36&hl=en&start=0&tbnid=izMg2xbqbWvTaM:&tbnh=128&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dvery%2Bold%2Bman%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff

 

That is more like you...

[GrandpaG]

Nope.

 

No beard.

[Ealdur Tinuviel]

This one then.

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/8/8c/150px-Old_Hmong_Man_(Sapa_Vietnam).jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.answers.com/topic/hair&h=204&w=150&sz=20&hl=en&start=40&tbnid=6-iqruSSbVXLgM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=77&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dvery%2Bold%2Bman%2Bbeardless%26start%3D40%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

[DragonSpawn]

I like how "on topic" this topic has been the last 2 pages.  ;)

[Ealdur Tinuviel]

lol.

 

Well, back on topic, as per EotW, I dont think the Creator would interfere with anything.

 

Also, despite what was said about Galad pretending to be less skilled than he was throughout the whole duel, I disagree. He and Valda were both evenly matched, and it wasn't until the end that he pretended to be more tired than he was.

 

That was when Valda was toying with him. So Valda's overconfidence, and Galad's intuitiveness.

[Darkness Incarnated]

Allow me to stay on 'topic' a moment longer. Not to be harsh or anything, but Sansa is without doubt the stupidest character I have ever encountered. For someone who should be almost a grown woman (in their times), she is hopeless. Arya is younger but ten times sharper, despite the fact they were brought up together. I guess it's their personalities. Hopefully she'll not grow up to be like her aunt, the one Little Finger pushed over the cliff.

 

Now, to go off topic, if RJ had had no need of Galad or Valda, who would have won? Logically speaking.

[Digbe]

I think that pretty much all of the reasons stated previously hold water and accumulate to an accurate depiction as to the why... 

 

About taveren:  Look at every character who shares the same blood as the dragon reborn... They are ALL very powerful in what they do and are placed high in their social caste position.  There does appera to be the possibility that both Gawyn and Galad (Goofus and Gallant...if anyone remembers where that comes from 10 bonus points!!!) are taveren.

 

Does anyone recall which aes sedai or novice has the ability to sense taveren? And if there is the possiblilty that they interacted with either of the two brothers?  I dont think that the character arcs crossed but they might have and if they did, RJ would have made mention of it if they were taveren and a taveren sensing aes sedai was near them...

[Xynocide]

I am new so please bear with me.

 

Galad had luck with him. Valda was over confident. Easily stated facts in the book for both. I'm sorry but you can't hold a heron marked blade and say "i'm joe smoe." Heck NO! "I AM A BLADE MASTER!!!!" for all the world to hear. And with that you will have over confidence problems.

 

Our masterful story teller has plans for Galad. Hence a little of the Creator got involved, but that's ok.

 

If you think about it who better to bring the White Cloaks to the side of the Rand than a half brother that does the 'right' thing for no other reason than it is the 'right' thing to do. Fighting against the D.O. on the side of a known person even if they channel is more 'right' than fighting one or both single handedly. It would be an interesting test for Galad to find the leaser of two evils.

[Ealdur Tinuviel]

Allow me to stay on 'topic' a moment longer. Not to be harsh or anything, but Sansa is without doubt the stupidest character I have ever encountered. For someone who should be almost a grown woman (in their times), she is hopeless. Arya is younger but ten times sharper, despite the fact they were brought up together. I guess it's their personalities. Hopefully she'll not grow up to be like her aunt, the one Little Finger pushed over the cliff.

 

Now, to go off topic, if RJ had had no need of Galad or Valda, who would have won? Logically speaking.

 

The fact of the matter is, he doesn't plan it out as he writes.

 

He already had the whole encounter planned out in his head. There is not a question of what he needed to happen, only what did happen because he had planned it out so. RJ does not say "Okay, I have no use for this character and I am not sure where I can take this thread, so what do I do?" No, he already knows what happens.

 

As for that little  bit about RJ being "Creator," well, he is NOT "The Creator", his is "the creator." The only time he has ever incorporated himself into the book was when there is an angreal that is depicted as a "jolly man, holding a book in his hands." That is him, and he is NOT a WoT god.

[Xynocide]

There has to be more than "he already knows." In every story the characters have to have some freedom to grow or you have stories set to a track that they can't escape from and it rings a false story.

 

I'm sorry to offend. I had not ment any one to jump on the little bit that RJ was the Creator. There were far more words and ideas in my text than that.

[Ealdur Tinuviel]

RJ, being asked that if he could have a cup of tea with one of the characters, who it would be and why: "...since I created them, I know exactly what they would say in response to any given question or comment, word for word..."

 

There's more.

 

RJ on whether the saga has taken on a life of its own: "...I created the story. I created these characters and I am an old testament god with my fist in the middle of their lives. The characters do what I want. The story goes where I want."

 

RJ, on whether or not he had the whole storyline down before he wrote EotW: "Yes. There were a good many details I didn't have, but the story line, the major events; those were all in my head. I could have written the last scene of the last book more than 15 years ago. And what happens in that scene would not be any different from what I intend to happen now."

 

Well, I think Galad dying would be a pretty major detail...

[Ealdur Tinuviel]

I'm sorry to offend. I had not ment any one to jump on the little bit that RJ was the Creator. There were far more words and ideas in my text than that.

 

No, no, you don't have to walk on eggshells around me or anything. This is a series discussion. You did not offend me in any way. Don't be sorry for saying what you believe.

 

Sorry for the double post, guys.

[Guest cwestervelt]

I think that pretty much all of the reasons stated previously hold water and accumulate to an accurate depiction as to the why... 

 

About taveren:  Look at every character who shares the same blood as the dragon reborn... They are ALL very powerful in what they do and are placed high in their social caste position.  There does appera to be the possibility that both Gawyn and Galad (Goofus and Gallant...if anyone remembers where that comes from 10 bonus points!!!) are taveren.

 

Does anyone recall which aes sedai or novice has the ability to sense taveren? And if there is the possiblilty that they interacted with either of the two brothers?  I dont think that the character arcs crossed but they might have and if they did, RJ would have made mention of it if they were taveren and a taveren sensing aes sedai was near them...

 

The novice would be Nicola.  As to either Galad or Gawyn being Ta'veren, I doubt it.  They aren't supposed to be that common.  Don't forget, Logain can also see Ta'veren.  It's noted somewhere that he recognized Rand as one in Cairhein when the Aes Sedai were taking him to see Morgase.  He would likely have seen both of them many times at the White Tower, but he never mentions it anywhere.  I quite certain Suian is also posseses the Talent and never made any mention of it in anyone other than Rand, Mat and Perrin.

[RobertAlexWillis]

It is indeed highly unlikely that Gawyn and Galad are ta'veren.  Ta'veren has nothing to do with blood, so being related to Rand does not make it any more likely.  Per RJ, someone already living is made ta'veren by the Pattern at need.

 

( http://www.wotmania.com/faqtopic.asp?ID=150 )

 

The Wheel creates ta'veren at need, making someone who is already alive one. You aren't born ta'veren. Can you imagine being around a ta'veren who is teething?

 

And "Goofus and Gallant" was a cartoon about manners in the children's magazine "Highlights".  I'm old.

 

 

 

 

 

[Digbe]

[move]Ding Ding Ding!!![/move]

 

10pts!!!  Page 14 was always my favorite.  You know, the precursor to Waldo.

[Ealdur Tinuviel]

Yeah, I would assume that the wheel spun out three sufficiently strong ta'veren, and would not have felt the need to spin out any more.

 

Also, you stole my points! Though in truth I never would have guessed that...

[GrandpaG]

Allow me to stay on 'topic' a moment longer. Not to be harsh or anything, but Sansa is without doubt the stupidest character I have ever encountered. For someone who should be almost a grown woman (in their times), she is hopeless. Arya is younger but ten times sharper, despite the fact they were brought up together. I guess it's their personalities. Hopefully she'll not grow up to be like her aunt, the one Little Finger pushed over the cliff.

 

Now, to go off topic, if RJ had had no need of Galad or Valda, who would have won? Logically speaking.

 

The fact of the matter is, he doesn't plan it out as he writes.

 

He already had the whole encounter planned out in his head. There is not a question of what he needed to happen, only what did happen because he had planned it out so. RJ does not say "Okay, I have no use for this character and I am not sure where I can take this thread, so what do I do?" No, he already knows what happens.

 

As for that little  bit about RJ being "Creator," well, he is NOT "The Creator", his is "the creator." The only time he has ever incorporated himself into the book was when there is an angreal that is depicted as a "jolly man, holding a book in his hands." That is him, and he is NOT a WoT god.

 

Sorry, but I have to disagree.  There is documented proof in Fiddlesticks in the 3000 years in confinment thread.  One of the later posts, I think.