The man in Tel'Aran'Rhiod

[trakand_01]

So i'm reading book 9, WH. I've just read the chapter where after Elayne is poisoned, she and Nynaeve go into TAR and meet Egwene. They discuss everything that Norry told Elayne about the Borderlanders army (which we know contains 13 aes sedai) and everything else.

 

At the end, they see a man, who has obvioulsy been eavesdropping (we also learn shortly after that Temaile was there too, behind a column and someone was in one of the ante-rooms at the back, but as yet we dont know who). He looks like an older version of Rand, with grey at his temples, and a blue wool coat.

 

At first my thought was Janduin, but then they put such emphasis on the fact that 'this man was not aiel' that i thought, well who can it be then? He ran away, which seemed odd as RJ contrasted it with Egwene simply 'thinking' herself to the doorway, and them still being able to hear his footsteps; it seems he was there in the flesh, or surely he would simply have vanished, not fled?

 

Who was he? Was it Rand, although why would he look so old, and why would he flee? Nynaeve said he 'reminded' her of someone, and Egwene said 'Rand' which suggests that he simply had a strong look of him, like a relative would, and was not actually him.

 

So not Janduin, and to be honest I can't even remember if Janduin is dead? So who else could it be?

 

the only thing I can think is Luc. I may have gotten my family history wrong but wasnt Luc Tigraine's brother? That would make him Rand's uncle and it's quite likely he'd look similar. I dont remember Perrin thinking Lord Luc in the Two Rivers looked like Rand though, which is what is making me doubt.

 

It would be sensible that Luc would be there more in the flesh though; maybe like he entered the wolf dream as Slayer?

[marcbreault]

I think Luc went into the Blight and somehow merged with Isam, Lan's cousin.  He was the son of the people who messed things up for malkier and caused it to be swallowed up by the Blight.  Together he and Luc form Slayer and I think their appearance changes depending on whether they are in the world of dreams or not.  Luc is Rand's Uncle so there would be a resemblance. 

[Darth_Andrea]

I think Luc went into the Blight and somehow merged with Isam, Lan's cousin.  He was the son of the people who messed things up for malkier and caused it to be swallowed up by the Blight.  Together he and Luc form Slayer and I think their appearance changes depending on whether they are in the world of dreams or not.  Luc is Rand's Uncle so there would be a resemblance. 

 

Lets not forget that it was Luc who killed Rand's biological father as well, nice tidy little family connections all over the place.

 

[glow=green,1,500]Darth_Andrea[/glow]           

[Guest Dreadlord]

Slayer can change between Isam and Luc whenever he wants, but he must go to T'A'R to do so. They are like two people with one body and one mind, but different peraonalities. I can remember which book but in one of the late ones we gt a Slayer POV and we see him change between Isam and Luc-Slayer was sent to kill Rand and Min later on. Im sure in the POV it mentions, in Lucs thoughts, that he had killed Aes Sedai, but that he didnt enjoy it as much as Isam did, or something along thse lines. The point being it is not a split personality type thing, it it a single being able to change his bidy from Isams to Lucs and vice versa, and each time he changes he takes on the personality of the current one yet remembers everything that happened whilst using the face of the other. Hopefully that makes sense

[trakand_01]

Yes that makes sense, and I understand the whole Luc/Isam thing, what i'm asking is;

 

Is it Luc in TAR when the girls are meeting?

 

And who was the person in the ante-room at the back, do we find out?

[Luckers]

Yes, the man was Luc. There was another, who may have been the one in the ante-room, though indeed that might have been Temaile. It's not sure, in any case though there were definately three people watching. Luc, Temaile and an unknown third.

 

As to who the third was, the obvious suggestion is Aran'gar, who was by then watching Egwene's dreamwalking--and indeed is specifically mentioned by Egwene just prior to their discovery of Luc. Beyond that it may have been Demandred, who has watched the hall in Andor before, Moridin who is generally a snoop, and Cyndane, who may or may not have been placed as an opperative in Andor around that time (Sylvase).

[trakand_01]

Thanks, yes the one in the ante-room was the unknown- Temaile specifically stated she'd hidden behind a column to avoid notice.

 

Thanks for the help!