Who are Mat's Aes Sedai?

[Eleint]

Here's something I'm curious on, in my re-read, that I was thinking about earlier.  Egwene has a dream of Mat weighing two Aes Sedai on a balance scale, and something big, the fate of the world perhaps, was involved.

 

Who are these Aes Sedai?

 

I'd always thought it was Joline and Teslyn, but the wording it seems to be that each one is on one side of the scale, and that doesn't fit them really.  At least to me.  And Edesina is with them as well so it's not just two, really.  These are pretty much a core group in spite of Teslyn protecting Mat and Joline being a major sulky biatch sort.

 

Anyway.  Who do you think?

 

I was thinking of options and thought it could be Cadsuane and Moiraine -- Mat does have to rescue Moiraine, and Cadsuane has more or less taken her position, he might have to choose for Rand, and the choice is important.  Egwene and Elaida is another, and would put a somewhat ironic tinge on it, as Egwene was so condenscending to Mat.  Some say Verin is going after Mat to give him the Horn of Valere and such -- it'd be interesting if he had to trade her for Moiraine (with her blessing, maybe).

 

Anyway, those are options I can see.  Anyone have any others?

[Shard]

When I did my most recent re-read of the books I believe firmly that he has NOT done this yet. The wieghing of one AS versus another means to me that he is Choosing one over the other. He has done that yet, so far in all those moments he's choosen "all" or "both". What I think may end up happening is that when he is in the Tower of Ghenji he will be presented with Two Morianes and only one will be the real one. I know it may be a cheesy thing for some but I can really see the Finn's doing something like this to be honest.

[Matrim DeLaneous]

I believe it relates to the two he rescued from the Seanchan in Ebou Dar.  Teslyn & Edesina.  This rescue leads directly to his encounter with Tuon.  Of course, this union with the Dotnm's has HUGE and far reaching ramifications in the story. 

[Eleint]

Issue with that is ... that doesn't fit the balance scale.  It seems to imply that he's choosing between them on the balance scale, and he didn't for Edesina and Teslyn.  There was no 'choice' involved between them. He just rescued them both.

 

As for Moiraine vs Moiraine in *Finland, maybe.  I kind of hope it's not something like that, though...unless there's a twist involved.  Honestly, I like it linked to Moiraine in some way for another reason. *ANOTHER* prophecy saw him putting his eye on a balance scale, and that these are linked makes sense.

[Shard]

I agree I thought at first it was Teslyn and Edesina but as said he didn't choose between them. He took both!

 

Again I know it does sound a bit cheesy and been there done that, but getting Moraine seems to be very critical and I do think he's a gambler so it still fits.

 

Though one idea that now sounds a but more plausible now that I have thought of it is Moriane vs Cadsuane. It may be a bit like choosing which AS to go with, like say they both come up with a plan or action and it's down to Mat to choose between them. So I can see that as well, so there are two ideas one more literal Moriane vs Moraine and one more subtle and vague with Moraine vs Caddy.

 

Also another option is the fact we don't know what body Cyndane is in, it's possible that she's in Moraine's body. I know I have seen that theory around as well. So there can be a Lanfear vs Moraine.

 

I do agree with the whole Eye on balance scale and that seems to be his bet or what it will cost him to make the bet.

[metria31183]

I agree I thought at first it was Teslyn and Edesina but as said he didn't choose between them. He took both!

 

Again I know it does sound a bit cheesy and been there done that, but getting Moraine seems to be very critical and I do think he's a gambler so it still fits.

 

Though one idea that now sounds a but more plausible now that I have thought of it is Moriane vs Cadsuane. It may be a bit like choosing which AS to go with, like say they both come up with a plan or action and it's down to Mat to choose between them. So I can see that as well, so there are two ideas one more literal Moriane vs Moraine and one more subtle and vague with Moraine vs Caddy.

 

Also another option is the fact we don't know what body Cyndane is in, it's possible that she's in Moraine's body. I know I have seen that theory around as well. So there can be a Lanfear vs Moraine.

 

I do agree with the whole Eye on balance scale and that seems to be his bet or what it will cost him to make the bet.

 

Cyndane is not in Moiraine's body.  Cyndane as described as having silvery blonde hair.  Moiraine has dark hair.

[Eleint]

Cyndane is not in Moiraine's body.  Cyndane as described as having silvery blonde hair.  Moiraine has dark hair.

 

Cyndane took over Birgit's body!

 

Ahem. Yeah, different appearances altogether, unfortunately.

 

I'm almost done with my re-read, so idly considering things.

[Caedn of the Taardad]

In all likelyhood, I have to go with the Cadsuane vs Moirane option as most plausible right now.  I would make a bit more sense for it to be Moirane vs Egwene-rescue one or the other first/only, except that Egwene has the dream, so it would be a bit less likely that she would see herself on that scale as onle another Aes Sedai.  Besides, a Senachan has to rescue her...

[zzyzx_scarecrow]

Why not Elaida vs. Egwene?  The Tower vs. the Tower in Exile?

[cloglord]

He did make a determination between the two.  One of the two warned him with a note that was left in his pocket, and he felt beholden to help the sister that he thought had done it.  He incorrectly thought that Jolene has done it, when in fact it was Tesyln, (IIRC, I may have them switched around in my head.)  But because he had incorrectly weighed which one was his secret benfactor he ended up promising to help the wrong sister instead of just feeling slightly guilty about abandoning someone who he felt slightly beholden to.

[mb]

Voted Other, I think we do not yet know enough.

The most likely from the rest of the choices would be the choice of Amyrlin; tough other prophecies seem to tell that it will be Egwene.

 

[Gentled Ben]

I've always figured that Cyndane is in Cabriana Mecandes' body.

[Shard]

That is a good possibility actually.

[Elgee]

That's a good possibility. I'm trying to remember now: did she appear to any AS in they Cyanide ... pardon, Cyndane form? I THINK she only met Alivia at the Cleansing, but I can't recall off-hand now.

[RobertAlexWillis]

It is certainly possible that Cyndane is in Cabriana Mecandes' body ... the only difference in their descriptions is that Cyndane has long silver hair, whereas Cabriana had pale blond hair.  However, the change in hair color could be achieved in any number of ways, and Lanfear always did like silver ... I imagine having Ilyena colored hair would have pissed her off to no end.

 

Cyndane's voice is low and breathy ... a possible side effect of Cabriana's extended screaming under Semirhage's gentle questioning.

 

And no, Cyndane has not been seen by any Aes Sedai.

[Majsju]

I've always figured that Cyndane is in Cabriana Mecandes' body.

 

That is by far the most popular theory.

Either it is Cabriana, or the body comes from someone we have never seen at all.

[Elgee]

Thanks for the info, RAW.  ;D

 

Would be interesting to see if/how she's exposed, then.

[Sab]

Would also explain the killing of anyone who was close to Cabriana Mecande.

[Elgee]

I think that was done so that they couldn't expose Halima.

[RobertAlexWillis]

No reason it can't be both.

[Elgee]

I hadn't actually considered that ... but surely more AS than just those 2 friends would know what Cabriana looks like?

[RobertAlexWillis]

True, which is why Cyndane is avoiding unnecessary contact with Aes Sedai.

[Shard]

Though isn't that how Messana is posing as a AS that was out of the tower for so long no one was even sure what she looked like anyways?

[RobertAlexWillis]

No, Mesaana is probably disguising herself as Danelle, who looks roughly like her, but has been in the Tower pretty much all along.  Danelle doesn't (or didn't, since I doubt she's still alive) have many friends, though, and is described as dreamy even for a Brown, which makes impersonating her fairly easy.  Any lapses at first would just be attributed to her absent-mindedness.

[General Cauthon]

but surely more AS than just those 2 friends would know what Cabriana looks like?

 

Cyndane wouldn't have the ageless face, so it wouldn't be obvious that that she was Cabriana. Remember that the AS didn't recognize Siuan and Leane right away. A close friend is more likely to recognize her, which could be why her closest friends were killed.

 

On a side note: Wouldn't Semirhage recognize her, and realize that she must be Lanfear reincarnated?