does anyone not like mat?

[Casco]

Mat only chase the girls that want to get caught, so what's the problem? Mat considers the chasing to be more important than the catching. I doubt any of the girls Mat have had, ever believed that he was going to stay. It's must've been obvious to them that he's a playboy, yet they still wanted him. It's their choice, so why blame Mat?

 

I guess the thing that irks me is that Mat is admired for being a playboy and lovable scoundrel. However if the girl characters were to behave like he does then it then they would be labeled a 'chit' and the readers would most likely hate her guts too.

No we wont. Berelain is exactly the same, the only differents is that she do it for her people, mat do it for he want to make girls happy. he only want them to smile :)

[Lord Nik]

Mat is amazing.

 

Since you have all read the books I believe I dont need too much evidence towards this conclusion.

 

People who don't like Mat are obviously confused and delusional 

 

 

 

(The perfect Mix of partier, player, honorable joker and humorous warrior!)

[Serenla]

Mat's my favorite...  Not because is totally awesome, even though he is.  But because he is a complainer.  If I had to take part in saving the world from scary devil dudes, and monsters and what not, I do it.  But unlike Perrin and Rand, who just accept their fate, I'd whine, moan, groan, itch and complain about it the whole time.  Kinda like Mat.  I like the fact that I can relate to that part of his personality. 

[Casco]

I think thats the secret about him, everybody can relate to some part of his personality. He is just..great in anyway :)He is funny, brave (even if he dont think so) good and a very "human" character. I wish i was like he is :D

[trakand_01]

He is the kind of guy who sleeps with a girl and leaves her the next morning.

 

And any of them have ever expected more of him? He's certainly not trying that with Tuon. He's discovered the wonder of respecting a woman who is worth every bit of his effort, and understanding what it means to have her respect.

 

Shame Mehlindra could not kill him.

 

Melindhra was never going to kill Mat. If she'd truly wanted to, she'd have done it far earlier. Melindhra's purpose was to show us the difference between Mat and Rand; whilst Rand refuses to kill a woman, and had Egwene injured and Moiraine 'killed' as a direct result of his weakness, Mat hates it, but will do it if his own life or that of someone else is in serious danger.

 

I guess the thing that irks me is that Mat is admired for being a playboy and lovable scoundrel. However if the girl characters were to behave like he does then it then they would be labeled a 'chit' and the readers would most likely hate her guts too

 

You mean like Berelain (as someone else has said), or perhaps more so Tylin? Or many of the other unnamed girls we've come across? I think it's easy to put personal feelings into it - WE might not like it if a guy just wanted a one-night stand, and might feel the unfairness of men being able to do something and women not - there are lyrics in a Christina Aguilera song (I know, I know) 'Can't hold us down' but I won't quote them. The thing is, this ISNT our world, Mat et al DONT live in 2009. Life is very different and wonderfully, each country has it's own customs. If you dislike Mat so much, do you also dislike Tylin?

 

And what of Lan, if it is his actions that cause offense - anyone reading New Spring will see the similarities in 'notches on the bedhead' between Mat and Lan.

 

Mat only chase the girls that want to get caught, so what's the problem? Mat considers the chasing to be more important than the catching. I doubt any of the girls Mat have had, ever believed that he was going to stay. It's must've been obvious to them that he's a playboy, yet they still wanted him. It's their choice, so why blame Mat?

 

Too right. Personally, I'm nearly 6 years into a monogamous relationship, but I'm well aware, and completely accepting of the fact that this life isnt for everyone. Many of the girls Mat's tumbled were out for a bit of fun - just like many many girls of similar ages in current times. He's mischievous, playful, a bit dangerous - how many girls wouldnt like that?!

[Charlz Guybon]

Not fond of Mat

 

He is the kind of guy who sleeps with a girl and leaves her the next morning. Shame Mehlindra could not kill him.

 

You forgot to add that the girl wants the same thing :-P

 

Berelain acts this way but I don't think she's a chit. They've both only slept with two people respectivly. Mat with Melhindra and Tylin and Berelain with whomever it was she was talking about at the time, if you believe her.

 

Lastly my liking of Mat isn't for going after the women, it's for his abilites in battle, his loyalty to Rand and general sharp wit.

It's implied that he's banging every serving girl he comes across from the Stone of Tear onwards.

 

 

[Shard]

Implication is not proof, though I wouldn't be surprised if he had but as with anything else in this story I rather have proof that he has rather then assume he has.

[Casco]

[it's implied that he's banging every serving girl he comes across from the Stone of Tear onwards.

It is? Sitting and kissing, playing a little with a woman on your knee isnt banging. He charm them, make them laugh and feel good, but i cant find anywhere that he wants to bang them all. Its not his goal anyway.

[Lord Nik]

It's implied that he's banging every serving girl he comes across from the Stone of Tear onwards.

 

High five to Mat ;D

[Shard]

I agree Casco, there's only proof that he has slept with Two woman and that's Melhindra and Tylin. He hasn't even gotten past first base with Toun yet.

[water_seeker]

I never really assumed Mat was "getting some" with the girls he came across.  RJ never went into detail about sexual encounters, but at the same time, he let us know when they happened.  I'm sure if Mat went to bed with someone we'd get a morning after scene...

[Owners.Inc]

I've always thought that Mat's whining was annoying in TSR and TDR. idk, i just wished he'd shut up in those two books. maybe that's just me.

[Eleint]

Regardless of the Wonder Girls' disapproval, does it really matter if he -is- 'getting some' a lot?  As long as the girls he's 'getting some' from are willing and know he's not going to be asking them to marry him, and it's pretty obvious they do, then who cares?  As long as everyone involved knows the situation, it's not an issue.  It's not like he's the only one in the books who's like that.  There's an implication that many of the Aiel Maidens have flings.  It's all right because everyone knows they don't marry until they give up the spear, and that's not common.  Same thing, people know how it stands.

 

I personally think he is 'getting some' more than once or twice, though not every girl he meets by any means.

 

As for when, I find that interesting.  I didn't like Mat /up to/ TDR.  He started getting interesting then from the time he woke up in Tar Valon.  He was cool.  I didn't think he was whiney at all then.

[Lord Nik]

As for when, I find that interesting.  I didn't like Mat /up to/ TDR.  He started getting interesting then from the time he woke up in Tar Valon.  He was cool.  I didn't think he was whiney at all then.

 

I didnt find him whiney either but he got interesting from then on because we get Mat's POV for the first time in the Dragon Reborn. When he wakes up in Tar Valon. Thats when Mats awesome personality is revealed!. Also in the Great Hunt and most of the first book Mat is busy getting corrupted by the dagger....

[safwd]

Again i say that i love Mat, he is my favorite character. I always liked him but i too think he picked up greatly during his time in the tower after the dagger was removed. His fight with Galad and Gawayn is still one of my favorite scenes.

 

Now, i also think that he has probably given a couple Willing (I repeat Willing) bar maids/serving girls a tumble, even though it has never actually been said. But in fantasy/medieval settings Barmaids tumbled.

Again it has never been shown but i would also bet that at least Thom and Julian have given a few a tumble as well.

[water_seeker]

Again it has never been shown but i would also bet that at least Thom and Julian have given a few a tumble as well.

 

I'd disagree with this...mainly because of Thom and that girl we find him with...he just seems too monogamistic (is that a word?).  As for Julian...he seems to be too proper.

 

I'm seeing more depth to Mat's character the older I get.  After Moiraine contains the taint from SL in tEotW he really just wants things to stay the same...He is scared.  He's running from the Light knows what, he's just had his life history shredded, the ppl he grew up with are changing (especially at that point Perrin)...

 

Jump ahead to tGH.  Rand is scared that he's going to pull a "kinslayer" so he distances himself with Mat and Perrin (and Loial).  Mat's response was a stiff face, a "very well," and a warning to Rand that if he decides to leave at the same time then it's Rands responsibility to stay clear.  IMHO, he's hurt and confused...and he acts like a normal teenager (towards Rand) when they're hurt and confused until he realizes why Rand did what he did.

 

In tDR I feel sorry for him...He goes out of his way to save the girls and he gets short shrift for all his efforts.  He puts his life on the line for people who don't appreciate it and he'd do it again.

 

And we've all heard how cool he becomes in tSR.

 

Originally he was 3rd out of the 3 for me, but now I see a great deal of character and development...so yeah, if a little fornication is blinding anyone from the rest of Mat, then it's their loss.

[Eleint]

I'd disagree with this...mainly because of Thom and that girl we find him with...he just seems too monogamistic (is that a word?).

 

Oh, when Thom is officially with someone, as in a real relationship, I couldn't dream of him cheating.  But Mat's the same way, he thinks outright he won't be able to do a kiss and tickle anymore, though he can still look and maybe have a dance.

 

But Thom definitely gets some once in a while.  In Ebou Dar, the lady Olver gets his lessons from, Thom mentions that he has to play for her before she lets him put his head 'on that tremndous bosom'.  I rather doubt he's just doing that, and he definitely wasn't in a monogamous relationship with her.  Nor did he seem to find it wrong to have that fling.

 

I daresay Thom's like Mat, but less overt.  He is, after all, a Master of Daes Dae'mar.  He likes his trysts to be more subtle.

[Lord Nik]

Thom was *with* quite a few in the stone. Just doing a re read and there are many blunt hints of Thom getting it on.

(stop thinking of a fine bosom for once) he said that somewhere also lots of smiles and other suggestions of Thom doing..... Ladies...