Matt's Future- giving up half the light of the world

[bjclinton]

So I'm in the middle of a reread- up to WH at this point- and i'm very focused on Matt's storyline since he and the whole Tuon thing are starting to get good.

 

Anyway, one thing that i've always taken for granted is my interpretation of what the finn's told Matt regarding his future. I have always assumed that the "giving up half the light of the world to save the world" referred to something that was very obvious to me, yet i've never seen any postings about it and i've been on these boards for awhile.

 

Since my first read of the series, I always assumed it meant that he was going to have to leave "randland" and spend the rest of his life in Seanchan....reason? not sure- i'm guessing we'll find out in AMoL. That would be "half the light of the world" that he would be giving up (assuming Randland is the Earth of the future and Seanchan is on the other side of the World, it makes complete sense in a metaphoric sense rather than a literal one).

 

Is that just as obvious to everyone else? Does that explain why I don't really see that topic talked about in these forums? I'd be interested in hearing what other ideas people have to say about that line of prophesy.

[Avery]

A common interpretation is that Mat is going to lose an eye.

[Majsju]

Does that explain why I don't really see that topic talked about in these forums

 

You can not have been looking very much, there are numerous threads about this.

 

Using the search function is an excellent way to find answers...

[bjclinton]

Does that explain why I don't really see that topic talked about in these forums

 

You can not have been looking very much, there are numerous threads about this.

 

Using the search function is an excellent way to find answers...

 

actually, i've been trolling this site and actively posting for about a year and a half  ;)

 

as for the search function, i typed in "giving up half the light" and zero results came up. i'm going to have to figure a better way to search the topics!

 

 

[RAND AL THOR]

I have noticed that on this forum, the third page of a discussion tends to have nothing to do with the first page . Hence you question may even have been answered on the last pages of a discussion which is actually titled: 'Is Rand an Ogier?'

 

;D

 

It is his eye.

[xPsychx]

How in the world did yall come up with it being his eye? I'm sorry but I don't see it lol.

[RAND AL THOR]

It something to do with one of the Norse gods (Odin?) who lost an eye.

 

And losing an eye would be like 'giving up half the light of the world' since light enters both your eyes, and losing one would sort of satisfy that.

 

Most people presume that it is part of a deal that Mat may have to make with the Finns. He may exchange his eye for something (maybe so they may leave safely) and Moiraine's function is crucial for the Last Battle, due to Min's viewing.

 

Hence he would be giving up half the light of the world to save the world.

 

Of course he may lose the eye in another way but that may not necessarily satisfy the Finns' statement.

[Fryn]

How you get it is the following. To defeat the finns they need to have iron, however on entry they are denied access if they have any (or so it seems). Half the light of the world could be related to your vision. In Egwene's dream she sees Mat, Thom and one other person in a room. Thom is on a harp, the other man is holding up a fire and Mat is reaching towards his face with his hat pulled around his head and blood dripping down. We know that the three objects needed are fire, music, and iron; and the other 2 are covered which leaves Mat needing to supply the iron.

 

The eye is one of the places in the human body where heavy metals collect, one such being iron.

 

No clue if it will happen, but thats where the theory came from.

[Serenla]

Here is a thread where Mat's prophecies were discussed.  http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,31088.0.html

 

I remain unconvinced that Mat losing an eye is the most logical conclusion...

[Razor]

And I don't think there is any less light in Seanchan or Seandar or what ever it is called.

[Lemno]

As it is he is the husband of the empress and the best general in the world at this moment.

 

If we take the prophecy of "The dragon reborn must unite the north with the east as the west is to the south" and the south/west is united by the Seanchan, can't the "half the light in the world" he has to give up then not be the lands under seanchan rule? To give them up from independence into the new seanchan empire that is.

 

Seeing as all his memories have led up to Hawkwing, he might be the real incarnation of Artur Hawkwing himself. He was interested in battles and spoke some of the old tongue before the horn/dagger/aal/eelfinn things happened. This would satisfy the Seanchan love of the Hawkwing Blood in their leaders as well right?

[RAND AL THOR]

As it is he is the husband of the empress and the best general in the world at this moment.

 

If we take the prophecy of "The dragon reborn must unite the north with the east as the west is to the south" and the south/west is united by the Seanchan, can't the "half the light in the world" he has to give up then not be the lands under seanchan rule? To give them up from independence into the new seanchan empire that is.

 

 

That may satisfy the 'half' bit but what has that to do with 'light' ?

[Lemno]

That may satisfy the 'half' bit but what has that to do with 'light' ?

 

Ehr uhmm... Seanchan have no candles? or uhm... Darn, you make a good point!

 

Although Mat does let his soldiers paint their armour in dark and camouflage colours right? so no more shiny breastplates, no reflections of light!

 

Hm... pretty poor reasoning, I guess I just don't want to see old Mat lose an eye

[RAND AL THOR]

I guess I just don't want to see old Mat lose an eye

 

We're all with you on that one. :D

[Mr Ares]

Seeing as all his memories have led up to Hawkwing, he might be the real incarnation of Artur Hawkwing himself.

No he couldnt. If he was Hawkwing, Hawkwing would thus have been spun out of T'a'r. Thus, he would be unable to appear in TGH after Mat blew the Horn.

This would satisfy the Seanchan love of the Hawkwing Blood in their leaders as well right?

No. Being a reincarnation is not the same as being a descendant. He is not the first, we have no reson to believe him the second.

[Asmo]

It's more likely that Mat is a descendant of that ancient king of Manetheren.

 

But it does really look that Mat's eye is dhoomed (lol). I mean, it does seem like an obvious interpretation.

[wconn1979]

With the interpertation, and Egwene's dream "Mat, placing his own left eye on a balance scale." TDR Ch 25 he very well could lose an eye though we dont know for sure why or how.

 

"To marry the Daughter of the Nine Moons! To die and live again, and live once more a part of what was! To give up half the light of the world to save the world! Go to Rhuidean, son of battles! Go to Rhuidean, trickster! Go, gambler! Go!"

[RAND AL THOR]

 

"To marry the Daughter of the Nine Moons! To die and live again, and live once more a part of what was! To give up half the light of the world to save the world! Go to Rhuidean, son of battles! Go to Rhuidean, trickster! Go, gambler! Go!"

 

This is one of my most favourite phrases in the book.

[runner1]

I guess I just don't want to see old Mat lose an eye

 

We're all with you on that one. :D

Ha, get him an eye-patch like Uno and it completes the aura of gambler and rogue with the, ahem, one eye for the ladies. ;D ;)

 

[deathgate]

I guess I just don't want to see old Mat lose an eye

 

We're all with you on that one. :D

Ha, get him an eye-patch like Uno and it completes the aura of gambler and rogue with the, ahem, one eye for the ladies. ;D ;)

 

 

Arg. I read through this whole thread and was going to say the same thing. Has anyone thought of a way to use "light" as they use it in reference to the creator? As in walk in the light. Is there a way to give up half of the goodness that fits?

[DuDZiK]

Wow... alot of good points here and alot of things I had never even thought to consider, but this probably takes the cake:

 

With the interpertation, and Egwene's dream "Mat, placing his own left eye on a balance scale." TDR Ch 25 he very well could lose an eye though we dont know for sure why or how.

 

"To marry the Daughter of the Nine Moons! To die and live again, and live once more a part of what was! To give up half the light of the world to save the world! Go to Rhuidean, son of battles! Go to Rhuidean, trickster! Go, gambler! Go!"

[CUBAREY]

Arg. I read through this whole thread and was going to say the same thing. Has anyone thought of a way to use "light" as they use it in reference to the creator? As in walk in the light. Is there a way to give up half of the goodness that fits?

 

 

 

Well how about this. In order to win TG Matt convinces Tuon that the Seanchen forces in Randland must fight for the light at TG instead of immediately returning to Seanchen to re-establish the empire. This means that while the forces of the light win TG the Continent of the Seanchen (The Western Hemisphire and thus "half the world") remains in chaos and in the hands of Darkfriends (probably High Blood Noble's) who Semi had set or ordered to revolt when she killed the Empress and the royal family. This would explain the plot of the outrigger novel centered on Mat and Tuon that RJ had planned to write in the future.

[bjclinton]

That was the other point that i wanted to make....I find it hard to believe that the Outrigger Novels would be based in Randland, simply because it would be almost impossible for the story to focus around Matt and Tuon like RJ planned while still haven't all the other characters running around...they would be a distraction to him.

 

To clarify how moving to Seachan would force him to give up half this light, i'll try to explain better.

 

If you live in the USA, you have a different 12 hours of light than you do if you live in China- half way across the world. Same theory that i'm using here. He would be giving up the 1/2 of the (literally) light that he's used to seeing in Randland to move to another part of the world where night is day where he comes from and day is night.

 

So far, we have seem no proof that putting his eye on the scale or having blood run down his face is tied directly into the giving up half the light of the world prediction/prophesy.

[Morindin]

Hi,

 

I am going from memory here, so I might be wrong and it would not be the first time...

 

I seem to remember Matt figuring out or suspecting that the finns can experience life thru the eyes of others and therefore can see thru Matt's eyes...

 

Now if he has still his eyes to go rescue Moiraine, they would kinda see him coming no?!

 

Therefore he takes his eye out to save Moiraine, which is essential to saving the world...

 

Am I right in my assumption?

[Mr Ares]

Now if he has still his eyes to go rescue Moiraine, they would kinda see him coming no?!

 

Therefore he takes his eye out to save Moiraine, which is essential to saving the world...

You think it reasonable for him to gouge out both of his own eyes just so the enemy won't see him coming? Seems a trifle excessive to me.