Something about Thom Merrilin

[redbj]

it certainly helps to explain the link between them.

 

does anyone else have anything else to add to the thom-mor link.

 

it just seems so bizarre that its kept so hush hush...and that it doesnt mean anything.

[Balefire to da face!]

A couple of things, since I am in the process of rereading tEotW...

 

1. A small detail that no one brought up is that Lan himself is the one that mentioned he did not see Thom in the fighting. Very strange indeed that Lan, being Mr. Superwarder, would not see Thom. I always found that strange, but took it at face value that it was just Jordan indicating that Thom was a very stealthy and adapt fighter with his knives. Who knows, maybe there is more to it.

 

2. It seems likely to me that Moiraine did recognize Thom. Her reactions to him may not have been outward, but are consistent with a Moiraine looking at the big picture, I think. One might argue that Moiraine would not have wanted Thom around the boys knowing about his past, but she also knew just how desperate thier escape from the Two Rivers was going to be, and that someone as handy as Thom might make the difference between life for death. Which, to Mat and Rand at least, did turn out to be the case.

 

After writing all that, something popped into my mind and I had to look it up. On pg 52(paperback) of the tEotW Moiraine refers to Thom as "Master Bard" at least twice before Thom corrects her and say he is a simple Gleeman. She also makes two veiled statements to Thom that I can't really dig any meaning out of. I'd have to quote the whole page to get the full meaning, so if you are interested go check it out. It's definitely indicative of Moiraine knowing who Thom is. She doesn't even hear his name and she is calling him Master Bard....

[ZippoSeiCair]

  Maybe Thom singed his cloak pulling people out of a burning building and it had nothing to do with the fighting, if Lans comment wasn't as to how stealthy Thom was.

  And the comment "He didn't get his cloak singed sitting next to the fireplace" Forgive me if I'm off, but that comment doesn't necessarily mean he was fighting.

[Blackhoof]

Something else that occured to me...

 

Thom wass a renowned Court Bard and killed Moiraine's half-brother. When he shows up in Emond's Field in TEOTW, wouldn't we expect Moiraine to know him? Even if she doesn't know his face she'd have heard the name wouldn't she?

 

Who's Moiraines half-brother? I dont remember anything about that.

[Luckers]

Taringail, who was married to Tigraine and later Morgase. Galad, Gawyn and Elayne's father--at least reputedly. Some suggest Thom may be Elayne's father. I've no position on the matter.

[Balefire to da face!]

Taringail, who was married to Tigraine and later Morgase. Galad, Gawyn and Elayne's father--at least reputedly. Some suggest Thom may be Elayne's father. I've no position on the matter.

 

Wait, wasn't Taringail Galad's father but not Elayne and Gawyn's? I don't remember the specifics, but I know that Elayne and Gawyn are full bro and sister, while Galad is only thier half brother.

[Elgee]

That's because they have different mother's  :)

 

Taringrail Damodred was first married to Tigraine, who was daughter heir at the time. They had 1 son, Galad.

Gitara Moroso sent Tigraine off to the Aiel Waste, and Taringrail married the next daughter heir, Morgase. They had Gawyn and Elayne.

 

 

[a5m]

Galad's mother was Tigraine and is father was Taringail. He shares a father with Elayne and Gawyn whose mother was Morgase. That's what give Elayne some right to the Sun Throne.

[Balefire to da face!]

Gotcha, thanks guys.

[Kaznen]

Something else about Thom's "not power wrought knives."  When they got on the spray Thom threw two of his knives and killed a trolloc (it might have been in the woods or SL) but he then comments, "My very best knives."

 

If he had a pair of power wrought knives they would have been the best pair. 

[Mr Ares]

Some suggest Thom may be Elayne's father. I've no position on the matter.

WOT FAQ doesn't think much of the idea: "At a post-ACOS signing [Dunwoody, GA, 9 October, 1996], RJ strongly denied that Thom was Elayne or Gawyn's father." http://www.siliconcerebrate.com/faqs/wotfaq/2_nondark/2.5_lurv/2.5.4_thom-el-dad.html

[Vordreller]

Some suggest Thom may be Elayne's father. I've no position on the matter.

WOT FAQ doesn't think much of the idea: "At a post-ACOS signing [Dunwoody, GA, 9 October, 1996], RJ strongly denied that Thom was Elayne or Gawyn's father." http://www.siliconcerebrate.com/faqs/wotfaq/2_nondark/2.5_lurv/2.5.4_thom-el-dad.html

Indeed. I'm thinking Thom just happened to be there at the time that Elayne was a baby. She remembers pulling his mustache. That doesn't necessarily mean he's her father. He was the bard of the court at that time, so he lived in the palace. I wouldn't consider it odd that the bard of the court was allowed to be near the child at times. Children love music after all. And who better to tell a bedtime story than the royal bard himself?

[pxnsolid]

he was also house bard before Morgase ascended the throne, he was around before she married Taringill (sp?) he helped her win the throne and strengthen her position afterwards.