What is the importance of Olver?

[Rand alThor]

At first I thought Olver was Gaidal Cain, just like everyone else on the board. Timeframe doesn't work and RJ already shot it down. When RJ was asked about it, he said he was surprised it lasted this long, and said that Olver is important for another reason. He already told Mat how to get into the Tower of Ghenji, so what else will Olver do that has importance?

[flexxx]

I hate bringing kids into fantasy stories, it's too cliche with a small agile boy. It's not as awful in WoT as it is in the Elenium by Eddings, but ut's still an annoying character.

[Guest Majsju]

Well, there's still the need for them to figure out what Moiraine meant when she told Thom to remember everything he knew about the game. The game Mat has thought several times that Olver will grow tired of when he realizes the only way to win is to cheat.

 

Combine that insight with the knowledge they have of what they are not allowed to bring into finnland, and they might be on to something...

[elmindreda]

i didnt think that he was important really but i think that is me. I thought he was just something to thicken the plot a little. *shrugs*

[Rand alThor]

Wouldn't that be messed up if he was one of the Forsaken? The chances are slim-to-none, but it would still be crazy.

[Spiked Pillow]

closer to none, I would say. I imagine all will be revealed next book though

[Red States Rule!]

Olver is in reality Asmodean, who changed form to escape the DO.

 

Or could it be that like in the Death Gate cycle.... the dog was Haplo's soul, that Olver is Mat's physical manifestation of being able to love?

 

O L V E R mixed up is L O V E R

 

Boy have I been reading too many right wing nut job articles lately.

[Inara]

his name is also remarkebly similar to Oliver, who is an orphaned boy, in hard times, finds a protector and family.

that is, dickens' oliver twist.

RJ likes doing this

artur hawking sur paendrag (sp)= king arthur pendragon,

luthair paendrag is similar to uther pendragon who was arthurs father)

 

i'm sure you have see all this already, which is why we know that the names really dont have that much impact on their charcter besides the obvious similarities

 

olver intoduces a comic element to mats reactions to him, and shows us that he can be responsible and is not always joking around

[A Nightmares Nightmare]

Maybe Olver has already done what he was supposed to do.

Wasnt he the reason Mat went back to Ebou Dar during the return of the Seanchan? Otherwise, Mat could have escaped, but never met Tuon.

[algspkr]

I think Olver will play a role in TG, possibly as a messenger boy or something. There is a real life paralel though I'm not certain it is delibrate in Andrew Jackson who served as a messenger boy in the Continental Army during the American Revolition and later became a general and the President.

[Jellybelly]

How on earth can you call that a real-life parallell?

[Red States Rule!]

Unless Olver is Rand Al Thor Reborn.

[Mardragon]

Unless Olver is Rand Al Thor Reborn.

 

Ok that's confusing.

 

I actually suspected that Olver might be a gholam. I.e there were three made (or was it five?), and we know that one looks like an ordinary man but the other 2 are unaccounted for. I thought maybe Olver's extraordinary ugliness might be a hint or something.

A gholam is more likely to look like an ordinary person though- someone who would blend into the background I guess. A little kid would be a perfect (and creepy) disguise though wouldn't it?

 

A rather daft idea I guess and I doubt it is right. He would probably have made a move on Mat by now I would think. Unless he figures theres no rush since theres spying to be done and lots of people to eat...... ;)

 

 

 

Yeah, I'm going with the hints concerning the Tower and the Eelfinn etc...

[MsDanya]

i dont think he is important at all.. he's just a character..

[Guest Majsju]

i dont think he is important at all.. he's just a character..

 

Well, when RJ went out and stated that Olver wasn't Cain, he said that Olver had another reason for being in the story. Which can be taken as a hint that he will be important in AMOL.

 

And I stick to my belief that Olver will be the one who figures out the connection between the game and the finns, and what it means for the rescuing mission to succeed.

[Winter Mist]

I think that's what'll happen too - children often have a different perspective on things - sometimes simpler, but it is often the simplest things which get overlooked when dealing with intricate plots.

 

It could be something equally random that Birgitte will see the likeness or be reminded of Gaidal Cain and find the courage or strength to do something if she needs to. Character symbolism being what it can be sometimes...

[dalic]

I skimmed through the entries so if someone mentioned this I apologize.

 

Olver is obsessed with beating the snakes and foxes game. There was the whole scene where Mat wonders when Olver will realize the game cannot be beat without cheating. I don't know if Olver will be the third to go with Mat and Thom into the Tower of Ghenji, but I do believe Olver will be key to figuring out the best way to cheat the real snakes and foxes. Hence bringing out Moiraine to do whatever it is she is to do for Rand.

[Oderry]

I don't get why the easiest explanation of Olver's  importance isn't mentioned. To me, he was brought in for Mat's character development, to have him look out for someone other than himself, to grow up and stop being childish. He becomes the master general for the armies of the light, he had to learn to care for more than his own hide.

[solarz]

On 3/10/2018 at 7:14 PM, Oderry said:

I don't get why the easiest explanation of Olver's  importance isn't mentioned. To me, he was brought in for Mat's character development, to have him look out for someone other than himself, to grow up and stop being childish. He becomes the master general for the armies of the light, he had to learn to care for more than his own hide.

 

That's a very good point!

[Caden335]

On 5/23/2006 at 12:51 PM, Rand alThor said:

At first I thought Olver was Gaidal Cain, just like everyone else on the board. Timeframe doesn't work and RJ already shot it down. When RJ was asked about it, he said he was surprised it lasted this long, and said that Olver is important for another reason. He already told Mat how to get into the Tower of Ghenji, so what else will Olver do that has importance?

I have a guess about Gaidal Cain. During the Towers of Midnight we hear Jur Grady mention his baby son, who is supposedly very ugly for a baby. Since we've supposedly already heard that Gaidal Cain reincarnated was mentioned in the series, well 2+2 is 4.

[Denver Steve]

 I agree with Solarz.  Also, Olver has that major role at the end of the last battle.

But in all fairness, that wasn’t known in 2006.