Towers of Midnight Speculation Thread (Spoilers for tGS)

[Firebird]

I think Padan Fain will be used to destroy Shadar Haran as no channeler can even sense the source around Shadar Haran, hence the next most powerful person after channelers...Fain.

Oooooo that's a good one! A Battle of the Baddies! I wonder who would win. SH is tough but PF is a sneaky sonofa....

[Crael123]

I think Padan Fain will be used to destroy Shadar Haran as no channeler can even sense the source around Shadar Haran, hence the next most powerful person after channelers...Fain.

Oooooo that's a good one! A Battle of the Baddies! I wonder who would win. SH is tough but PF is a sneaky sonofa....

 

im not sure if that would work. we have no idea the extent of SH's abilities yet aside from the absence  channeling. i agree though it would be awesome to see that. o better yet they kill eachother!

[maradon]

We know that he can't stay away from the presence of the DO for too long, but that appears so far to be the only weakness we know of. I wander if matt's Medalion will work on SH as it does with the Gholam?

[stormcrow]

The medallion doesn't work like that against every shadowspawn. It would be interesting to find out what limitations there are with the True Power, it seems to be able to penetrate everything, possibly even break cuendillar.

 

I think Padan Fain will be used to destroy Shadar Haran as no channeler can even sense the source around Shadar Haran, hence the next most powerful person after channelers...Fain.

Padan Fain is going to attack a super-Fade with a measly dagger? lol, Shadar Haran is too hardcore to be pitted against Fain, especially considering the skill set SH has, and the fact that he is getting stronger, and the likely possibility that he is the DO avatar.

 

Slayer on the other hand...

[Ashaman DeRouge]

I think there has been a lot of speculation regarding things being wrapped up before the last battle. Who is to say that some of these events will be resolved DURING the last battle? For example:

 

If Rand and Fortuona are in the middle of a battle, who'se to say the DO won't break out then and cause all sorts of chaos, forcing Rand and Fortuona to beat a hasty alliance? Of course, this is assuming Rand dosn't have to do something to enable to DO to break free, but something could happen to force Rand's hand.

 

The Black Tower? Well, the LB starts in a flurry, or Rand starts it unprepared, thinks oh crap to himself and Travels to the BT, and transports everyone present up to the Blight. They all assemble, it all begins, and boom, half or more of the BT start butchering the forces of the Light. (PS I think something like this will actually happen)

 

The Trakand family reunion could take place en route to the Blight. Elayne marching at the head of Andor's forces, meets up with Perrin and co...*shrug*

 

The Ogier would be a kickin' reinforcements boost. The Stump is known to go for a length, but if the LB broke out all over thier butt's, they'd be likely to come running.

 

So just a few examples, but I hope my point rings true. Theres nothing stating EVERYTHING will be solved and in place before the LB starts...In fact the LB would be boring if it DIDNT throw a few surprises around...

 

Stormcrow, it CAN break cuendillar. I think Brandon said it, or hinted it, and I'm also fairly certian the Sad Bracelets used to nab Rand where cuendillar too. Chances are I'm wrong because of that though.

[DemandredFO]

The Ogeir are sorta like the Ents and the Entmoot was supposed to take forever but days after it was convened they were off to go pay Saruman a visit.  I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Ogier preparation in the prologue of Towers of Midnight, or Chap 1 at the latest.

[saidarisnowtainted]

i wonder if the ogier ability to leave the world can be used to seal the dark one away?

[analyticalkeys]

i wonder if the ogier ability to leave the world can be used to seal the dark one away?

 

How do you propose this would work?

[saidarisnowtainted]

I'm not sure but the Ogier's ability in this regard seems so "outside" the "norm" of how things work.  I guess we need more info on how they do it and what it is they do. 

[MatrixM]

Yeah, I've wondered about that. They said they go to another world and I'm guessing they haven't got a rocket/space shuttle. Perhaps a shadow world. but I don't see how a Book can take you anywhere.

[elec1cele]

Padan Fain is going to attack a super-Fade with a measly dagger? lol, Shadar Haran is too hardcore to be pitted against Fain, especially considering the skill set SH has, and the fact that he is getting stronger, and the likely possibility that he is the DO avatar.

 

I know at one point Fain had some Fades he had broken and who where now following his orders.  I think this was when he was trying to lure Rand back to the two rivers with Trolloc attacks.  So I don't think that it would be too big a stretch for him to take on SH.  After all he hates both Rand and the DO about the same if he thought killing SH would harm the DO he would do it, or at least try to.

[analyticalkeys]

Yeah, I've wondered about that. They said they go to another world and I'm guessing they haven't got a rocket/space shuttle. Perhaps a shadow world. but I don't see how a Book can take you anywhere.

 

The Book might be like a portal stone.. how this works though, I have no idea. There hasn't really been enough information given to provide a reasonable conclusion, but that was just my first instinct when I was reading the chapter where they talk about this.

[smileyman]

Yeah, I've wondered about that. They said they go to another world and I'm guessing they haven't got a rocket/space shuttle. Perhaps a shadow world. but I don't see how a Book can take you anywhere.

 

Shadow world make sense to me. Rand and Hurin traveled in the Shadow worlds for awhile way back when. I wouldn't be surprised to see it pop up again as a plotline.

[Tamyrlin Ink]

Sorry if this has been said, but this occured to me:

 

So, in the Age of Legends, Lews Therin sealed the Dark One away with the male half of the Source, and it got tainted.

 

And, in tGS, Rand gains the ability to channel the True Power, the dangerously addictive part of the Source that the Dark One reserves for his Chosen.

 

I recall Lews Therin saying that the Aes Sedai of the AoL refused to help seal the DO away, and that something needed to touch the hole in the DO's prison to make the seal at shut the hole.

 

If Rand uses the True Power to touch the DO's prison, then neither saidin nor saidar can be tainted. The True Power may even be tainted, which works against the DO and the Forsaken who can use it. It might send the remaining Forsaken mad, which could result in another Breaking (which has been prophecised to be caused by the Dragon).

 

It wraps up the DO and the Forsaken for good, lets saidin and saidar remain untainted, and uses Rand's new ability effectively. Even using all three powers together could do it. However, it has the unfortunate side effect of, probably, killing Rand or sending him mad...

 

(Also, sorry if this has been suggested) 

[RenaldFanwar]

Padan Fain is going to attack a super-Fade with a measly dagger? lol, Shadar Haran is too hardcore to be pitted against Fain, especially considering the skill set SH has, and the fact that he is getting stronger, and the likely possibility that he is the DO avatar.

 

I know at one point Fain had some Fades he had broken and who where now following his orders.  I think this was when he was trying to lure Rand back to the two rivers with Trolloc attacks.  So I don't think that it would be too big a stretch for him to take on SH.  After all he hates both Rand and the DO about the same if he thought killing SH would harm the DO he would do it, or at least try to.

 

kicking around run-of-the-mill Fades is one thing.

even standing straight before the super-fade is another thing,not jst because of the physical aspects. The True Power is widely accepted as more powerful than One Power(i read that in an interview with BS).

the only chance of fain doing SOMETHING to SH is if SH was fast asleep dreaming of the Day of Return ;D, and Fain crept up on him. :-)

Apart from that scenario, I don't see anything holding back SH from burning the hell outta Fain the moment he pokes his head out

 

[MatrixM]

So, if True Power is stronger, then Rand would be pwned by Moridin?

Unlucky.

[emyali]

maybe we all will be surprised with a sort of allies or cooperation between the white tower and the seanchen .. =) i know its probably crazy thought .. but there is just something with Egwene's dreams keep linking her in a good way with the seanchen

 

Egwene was the star of The Gathering Storm, but i still believe she will have a quite powerful role in the next book as well..

 

i think its the time that Berelain will finally shine (i love the woman ^.^)

[elec1cele]

kicking around run-of-the-mill Fades is one thing.

even standing straight before the super-fade is another thing,not jst because of the physical aspects. The True Power is widely accepted as more powerful than One Power(i read that in an interview with BS).

the only chance of fain doing SOMETHING to SH is if SH was fast asleep dreaming of the Day of Return ;D, and Fain crept up on him. :-)

Apart from that scenario, I don't see anything holding back SH from burning the hell outta Fain the moment he pokes his head out

 

I don't know see what the TP supposedly being more powerful then the OP, has to do with Fain vs SH. 

 

also regarding the powers of SH:

The Gathering Storm Book Tour, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Lexington, KY 10 November 2009 - Stormleader Team reporting

Brandon hinted at some severe limitations on Shaidar Haran to affect the physical world. He says that a lot of actions that people assume to be those of Shaidar Haran in the book in one particular scene were physically carried out by Elza. He further indicated that Shadar Haran would have been incapable of physically placing the collar himself.

 

So he has severe physical limits those could come into play in a fight.  If SH can channel the TP which is implied in one of the scenes that would certainly give him an advantage.

 

I don't know that Fain could win the fight but I don't think it would be a one sided smack down either. 

[AvroChris]

I really hope that Rand sets up a meeting with Gawyn, but sends Morgase along instead. That might force him to re-evaluate his prejudices a little...he might have had a few scraps but he's still one of the most annoying people around right now.

[Aleron688]

I really hope that Rand sets up a meeting with Gawyn, but sends Morgase along instead. That might force him to re-evaluate his prejudices a little...he might have had a few scraps but he's still one of the most annoying people around right now.

 

welcome to the club lol.  Just about everyone thinks he should be smacked upside the head.. and then shown what a real blademaster is when he spars with Lan (who pwns him)

[Swigaro]

The edge that Fain would have against SH, is sort of the same edge he has against any oponenet.  All he has to do is nick you, once, and you are toast.  He doesn't need to run you through, or score a more traditional killing blow, he just needs to break the skin.  As his power is the antithisis of the DO, I would suggest that SH may actually fare worse than a normal human against Fain.

[analyticalkeys]

If Rand uses the True Power to touch the DO's prison, then neither saidin nor saidar can be tainted. The True Power may even be tainted, which works against the DO and the Forsaken who can use it. It might send the remaining Forsaken mad, which could result in another Breaking (which has been prophecised to be caused by the Dragon).

 

 

The TP is the essence of the DO himself, so I doubt that it would be tainted by touching the DO. Also, the DO would have to grant Rand permission to use the TP, and I don't see why he would do that when Rand's in close proximity.

[naath]

One I haven't seen here yet...

 

Mat is going to have a bee in his bonnet over Tuon becoming Fortuona.  With luck she will kick his arse into next week to teach him a lesson about respecting other people's choices of name.

[imperium3]

One I haven't seen here yet...

 

Mat is going to have a bee in his bonnet over Tuon becoming Fortuona.  With luck she will kick his arse into next week to teach him a lesson about respecting other people's choices of name.

 

Hope not, women in this series do that far too often.

 

RE tainting the True Power: Can't happen. Saidin was corrupted by the Dark One's essence. The TP IS the Dark One's essence.

[lordofsoup]

so i always thought of fain as a gollem type character.  i would love to see SH vs Fain, their polar opposites of each other but are also very similar as well