Semirhage, Balefire *warning Knife of Dreams spoiler*

[Sting_oP]

When Semirhage is found hiding with the Seanchan, and she blows off Rand's hand with the fireball, why doesn't Rand just balefire Semirhage?  This would go back in time for a bit, and possibly, let him regain his hand.

[Casco]

Balefire is forbidden!!!!

hehe ye, a good thought there. But who knows what have happend if he did kill her with balefire. Semirhage have done ALOT of things lately and killing her with balefire can be dangerous even for Rand.

[Charlz Fel]

Probably for the same reason he did not embrace saidin in the first place: he's afraid Lews Therin will take it away from him again, and then do who knows what (last time, he came very close to killing Rand, etc. and making a second Dragonmount).  Also, we've seen how much trouble Rand has killing a woman under any circumstances.  I doubt he could kill a woman, even Semirhage, in cold blood.

[Roxinos]

In addition to the things Charlz said (because those are two reasons):

 

He doesn't really care that his hand is gone. His biggest complaint about the missing hand is that he has to relearn the sword forms.

 

He hopes to get information out of Semirhage.

[mb]

When Semirhage is found hiding with the Seanchan, and she blows off Rand's hand with the fireball, why doesn't Rand just balefire Semirhage?  This would go back in time for a bit, and possibly, let him regain his hand.

 

Rand's strongest balefire from right now probably would not bring his hand back.

He was unconscious during the time it would have been effective.  Besides undoing her actions and the actions that resulted from hers might produce worse results than what happened.

 

[Sting_oP]

Ah, I forgot about him being unconscious.  That does complicate things a bit... As for the other ideas, I can see validity in everything people are saying.  Although, I can say I would rather have my hand back than Semirhage alive.

[balefireruinssteaks]

plus even though Rand tends to ignore everything wise people tell him, I think it would be difficult for him to use balefire around Cadsuane.  And it seems like he doesn't use it as carelessly as he once did, which I am grateful for.

 

If even the Forsaken are hesitant to use balefire then I think Rand should have taken a hint.

[MikeRiley]

Rand was unconscious less than a minute, I'd say. Battles with the poewr aren't always as long as Nynaeve and Moghedien's in Tanchico. If they aren't that long they are quite quick. Besides, Min rushed to Rand when he tried to get up and she would already have been there if he was out cold for any longer. If he used all his strength with the power to balefire he could easily have gotten his hand back. Look how far back he killed Rahvin - he brought Mat and Asmodean back to life and the fight was fairly long.

 

Semirhage wasn't killed for the same reason Moghedien wasn't, they have a very powerful and knowledgeable prisoner. That being said already, another reason:

 

Killing her on the spot after the fight was over would be murder and Rand and co are the good guys. Semirhage would get a full trial and face execution.

[Mr Ares]

When Semirhage is found hiding with the Seanchan, and she blows off Rand's hand with the fireball, why doesn't Rand just balefire Semirhage?  This would go back in time for a bit, and possibly, let him regain his hand.

You have read the series? You still need to ask? You need to ask why a man who can't kill women, even at the cost of his own life, doesn't use a weapon that by its very nature is damaging to the Pattern, that he has already been warned against using, to kill a potentially valuable intelligence asset, who also happens to be a woman, to regain an extremity he doesn't care about? I don't see why people would even need to ask this, but so many do. Still seems odd.

 

Rand's strongest balefire from right now probably would not bring his hand back. He was unconscious during the time it would have been effective.

Rubbish. He wasn't unconcious that long. His back up had yet to arrive, no-one had gone into the house, they hadn't even taken the knife out of Semi. I don't see why, if he can have a running battle with Rahvin and still burn him back far enough to resurrect Mat, Avi and Asmo, he would be unable to balefire Semi back far enough, given that he wasn't exactly on his back for hours - a couple of minutes at most, most likely not even that. This is just more unsupported rubbish.

 

Although' date=' I can say I would rather have my hand back than Semirhage alive.[/quote']Rand wouldn't. It is quite clear in the chapter he doesn't care about the hand.

[Shard]

Losing his hand is a small price to pay to gain one of the Forsaken. She has too much valuable information just like Asmo and Moggy to just kill her off hand like that. Besides at the rate Nynaeve is going I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up healing his freaking hand anyways.

 

Please note that was a joke and I don't actually think she will.

[lordofsoup]

someone will, but semirhage is supposidly impossible to break, but he also cant see, so he is useless as a channeler if he cant see. 

 

@ i want to see Elayne throw a hissy fit when she finds out

[Roxinos]

He's not blind. He can see. He can still channel. His vision is just a bit damaged and he's sensitive to light.

[MikeRiley]

Yeah, his eyes were a bit burned.. it happens to people from time to time and it does heal doesn't it? The way his vision was described reminded me of descriptions of the lasek eye surgery process people post online from time to time. With eye drops it goes away after a while.

 

It does make him a little too close to the Fisher piece in the board game Moridin plays in one of the books though. The piece that changes sides a few times when skilled people play.

[Tumeric]

It does make him a little too close to the Fisher piece in the board game Moridin plays in one of the books though. The piece that changes sides a few times when skilled people play.

I took that as symbolic of the players within the WOT saga to be merely agents of higher powers - a further iteration of Ishamael's philosophy on the endless nature of the conflict between Light and Shadow.  Cluey old Darkfriend, that one...

 

The inference I drew was that as a play-piece in the hand on a master gamer, one's actions may serve either side, regardless of the piece (ie Rand's) personal intentions.

[Chel Vanin]

The inference I drew was that as a play-piece in the hand on a master gamer, one's actions may serve either side, regardless of the piece (ie Rand's) personal intentions.

 

Yes, but I think Perrin or Egwene dreamed of Rand with a bandage over his eyes and dressed like a beggar. I don't know about the connection to the fisher piece, but that seems to coincidental to not have any meaning. And RJ isn't exactly known for coincidences.

[MikeRiley]

Moridin gets mad that he doesn't know the origin of the game or who the piece represents. We also see something similar with the Snakes and Foxes game. Remnants of an older age, the Wheel keeps turning.. To me both of these games are being played out at each turn. It certainly would be neat to see Moridin playing his game and mad over not knowing! It's foreshadowing either his fall (with that bodyswap theory) or just the battle in general.

[mb]

Rand's strongest balefire from right now probably would not bring his hand back. He was unconscious during the time it would have been effective.

Rubbish. He wasn't unconcious that long.

 

Or perhaps unconscious during the time he would have gotten away with it.

 

[Mr Ares]

Rand's strongest balefire from right now probably would not bring his hand back. He was unconscious during the time it would have been effective.

Rubbish. He wasn't unconcious that long.

Or perhaps unconscious during the time he would have gotten away with it.

What?