What Do YOU Think Are The Most MISunderstood Concepts In The Series By Readers?

[The Fisher King]

This is not a topic to ARGUE the concepts, but I just want to know maybe like over the years what has frustrated you the most maybe seeing certain things continually spoken about inaccurately by Readers...which things relating to the series do you think have most often been misunderstood by readers...heres some of the ones I think have been:

 

1 The Origin of Mat's Memories and Skill in BattleKnowledge...

 

2 The Soul/Body Dynamic as Jordan set it up for this series...

 

3 Balefire...need i say more lol???

 

4 Is Rand Insane or Is LTT Really in his Head and What it means?

 

5 The True Nature of Ta'vereness

 

6 The ''To The South'' remark made in Book 7 regarding Demandred's whereabouts

 

7 What Jordan actually MEANT in the famous interview where he said in response to a remark about it being Graendal who killed Asmo ''I don't know why its so hard either''

 

 

8 The true nature of Min's Visions

 

 

Well, those are a few things that *I* think are among the most Misunderstood in the series by readers - me included on a few - What are some things YOU have always felt have been among the most misinterpreted and misunderstood over the years by your fellow readers and fans???

 

 

Fish

[Reyoru]

The whole fain aridhol consumed by its own evil. Sure enmity and division can wreck and destroy places, but to the extent that even taking pebble from the place will kill you?

[Lambada]

I don't think it's fair to say #4 is misunderstood. It is debated ys, but we don't yet know if it's misunderstood. That implies to me at least that the truth has been revealed so we know what signs we misinterpreted.

 

Perhaps once the series is complete we can say that #4 was misunderstood.

 

But most of the others I agree with.

[The Fisher King]

Im with you about SL, Reyoru!!!

 

To me its always been simple:

 

1 SL tainted Aridhol

2 Aridhol Tainted the Dagger

3 Dagger taints fain

4 Fain taints folks...

 

Never saw why it got so mangled by people...though you have to wonder, how come Elaida does not, in turn, taint people???...Hmmm...

 

 

Fish

[The Fisher King]

Fair Point Lambada!!!

 

I mean, i know what iiiiiiii think, but unless Jordan would have ever told us the truth, we really don't know whats going on in Rand's head for real.

 

I mean, we have a SECOND-Hand explanation by Graendal (thru Semirahge) but, while evil people don't always lie, I still don't consider Gran to be the most trustworthy gal around...

 

And thats even assuming that Semirahge was telling the truth about graendal's opinion...which should also be doubted...

 

Fish

[Beren]

Nicola's Foretelling -- The first two sentences don't necessarily HAVE to be talking about each other...

 

Rand Re-imprisoning the Dark One -- Has got to happen in T'a'R based on everything we know of the DO, the Creator and T'a'R otherwise the DO will stay loose. "When the Do is loose in one world, he is loose in every world."

 

Min's Wrong Viewing -- It could be interpreted two ways. Not saying the way I interpret it is the right way, just saying it's a valid interpretation.

 

Logain's Glory -- I think we are all in for a real big surprise on this one.

 

Narishma as "he who follows after" -- Also think we are all in for a big surprise here.

[The Fisher King]

Concerning Logain Ablar, I VERY much agree, Beren.

 

Fish

[Beren]

Concerning Logain Ablar, I VERY much agree, Beren.

 

Fish

 

I don't even like my own theory much less what everyone else says. Unless we get more info on this one, I think I am gonna have to settle for RAFO as there just isn't enough info to say anything for sure. Glory to come with a blue and gold aura, that's it.

 

 

-----------

 

 

As for my Narishma comment, I do think that Narishma is "he who follows after", but I don't think any of us have it right with what exactly that means. An old thread I just read made me wonder if it has something to do with the Eye of the World. After all, it was made against the greatest need that the world would ever face. Was there a mention some where of a quote by RJ that Rand used the EotW for the wrong purpose and about consequences to follow?

[The Fisher King]

Beren...I meant more that I don't feel like his 'Glory' will be a nation to rule or a crown etc...

 

I think it will be something that just really affirms him as a Good Man...

 

I think Logain will do something really selfless and noble at The Last Battle.

 

JMO

 

 

Fish

[Beren]

Beren...I meant more that I don't feel like his 'Glory' will be a nation to rule or a crown etc...

 

I think it will be something that just really affirms him as a Good Man...

 

I think Logain will do something really selfless and noble at The Last Battle.

 

JMO

 

 

Fish

 

Didn't say otherwise. I just think we might all be surprised at what, precisely, that is.

[Lambada]

Rand Re-imprisoning the Dark One -- Has got to happen in T'a'R based on everything we know of the DO, the Creator and T'a'R otherwise the DO will stay loose. "When the Do is loose in one world, he is loose in every world."

But don't forget that "While he is bound in one world, he is bound in all worlds" (potentially paraphrased). This suggests that he could be re-imprisoned in any world.

 

Actually, I know that officially that is a paradox; but it's just occured to me. WHat if the re-binding / breaking free happens in all worlds at the same time? Then both conditions are fulfilled. Of course that opens a whole nother can of worms :D

[Hot_Soup]

Regarding #1, Mat is definitely, no question, a hero that gets spun out time and time again by the Wheel. His memories are HIS memories from previous lives, the Finns...whichever ones....just gave them back to him. It's why he spoke some Old Tongue before he went to the Finns, he was the ONLY Emond Fielder to spontaneously speak on the Old Tongue. It's why after he got broken from the dagger and healed we woke up with memories of battle and was shouting orders to soldiers why he was being healed, all before he went to the Finns.

 

The holes in his memory were there because he was unable to remember his previous lives, and the Finns filled them.

 

That people don't see this is insane to me. 

[Lobododragao]

Regarding #1, Mat is definitely, no question, a hero that gets spun out time and time again by the Wheel. His memories are HIS memories from previous lives, the Finns...whichever ones....just gave them back to him. It's why he spoke some Old Tongue before he went to the Finns, he was the ONLY Emond Fielder to spontaneously speak on the Old Tongue. It's why after he got broken from the dagger and healed we woke up with memories of battle and was shouting orders to soldiers why he was being healed, all before he went to the Finns.

 

The holes in his memory were there because he was unable to remember his previous lives, and the Finns filled them.

 

That people don't see this is insane to me.   

 

 

well they probably don't see it because rj stated that they were random memories from adventurers that went into snake land... and more to the point he straight out stated (he being rj) that the memories were not in any way from mats past life (ves)

 

that being said, yeah mat is one of those misunderstood things

[Hot_Soup]

Regarding #1, Mat is definitely, no question, a hero that gets spun out time and time again by the Wheel. His memories are HIS memories from previous lives, the Finns...whichever ones....just gave them back to him. It's why he spoke some Old Tongue before he went to the Finns, he was the ONLY Emond Fielder to spontaneously speak on the Old Tongue. It's why after he got broken from the dagger and healed we woke up with memories of battle and was shouting orders to soldiers why he was being healed, all before he went to the Finns.

 

The holes in his memory were there because he was unable to remember his previous lives, and the Finns filled them.

 

That people don't see this is insane to me.   

 

 

well they probably don't see it because rj stated that they were random memories from adventurers that went into snake land... and more to the point he straight out stated (he being rj) that the memories were not in any way from mats past life (ves)

 

that being said, yeah mat is one of those misunderstood things

 

Well find me some quotes or I'm just going to be inclined to  believe you're putting your interpretation on something he said

[Beren]

I just read those quotes. I am going to go find them and copy/paste them right now.

 

Edit: Here it is.

 

Week 12 Question: You stated in another interview that Mat's memories came from adventurers who traveled through the ter'angreal. However several of Mat's memories end with the adventurer dying. Since adventurers probably didn't go through the ter'angreal after they died, how could the 'Finns have obtained these memories?

 

Robert Jordan Answers: A good question. I was wondering when someone would ask that. I expected it as soon as Mat started revealing those old memories. At least a partial answer will be coming up in the next main sequence book, so I guess you could say this is a RAFO. But I will say that if I said those adventurers all entered through the two ter'angreal, I misspoke. A good many entered through the Tower of Ghenjei, which was more widely known in earlier years, if never exactly a household name.

 

[Lobododragao]

yay~! I love being lazy :D

[Beren]

And here is the other one.

 

 

# He didn't give any conclusive answer to the Two Rivers channelling paradox, but he noted that many strange occurrences come from there, like inherent ability to speak the Old Tongue under stress.

[Mr Ares]

6 The ''To The South'' remark made in Book 7 regarding Demandred's whereabouts

What is misunderstood about that?

 

I don't think it's fair to say #4 is misunderstood. It is debated ys, but we don't yet know if it's misunderstood. That implies to me at least that the truth has been revealed so we know what signs we misinterpreted.

Pror to KoD, I'd agree, there wasn't enough to be sure. Now, we can be. He's mad, and LTT is real.

[Blackhoof]

If Rand was entirely insane bhe would be running around blowing stuff up, like every insane male channeler for the last 3000 years has been doing. Rand is on the brink, but min and several other factors are keeping him their. But i agree that LTT is real.

[moroten]

Alot of these points that have been made here cant be said to be misunderstood. If there is proof in the series of something and one contradicts that then he/she has misunderstood it. But lots of points have been made where there isnt any proof in the series but mostly speculation.

[Bob T Dwarf]

One of the things I think has beed most misunderstood is how long the Forsaken had been active before we ever meet Rand in The Eye of the World.

 

"Anath" became Tuon's Truthspeaker 2 years before the series begins.  She wasn't alone in being active long before we first meet her as herself.

[somathus]

The Aiel sense of humor

[Mr. Micawber]

One of the things I think has beed most misunderstood is how long the Forsaken had been active before we ever meet Rand in The Eye of the World.

 

"Anath" became Tuon's Truthspeaker 2 years before the series begins.  She wasn't alone in being active long before we first meet her as herself.

 

No, Bob, here's the quote from Winter's Heart:

 

it was less than two  years since Neferi's unexpected death

 

The Forsaken - save for Elan Morin - have all been released for about two years at this point.

 

Ie. She's been Truthspeaker for nearly 2 years before *Winter's Heart*, which means Semirhage was freed about the same time as the rest of them.

[Bob T Dwarf]

Do you imagine "Anath" sprang full grown from the brow of Zeus?

 

Semirhage had to awaken, get used to being alive again, learn the language, scout out where she wanted to establish herself, learn the customs and then finally engineer a way to introduce "Anath" into the higher reaches of Seanchan society.  Once established she then had to single-out Neferi and arrange for her to "accidentally" fall down those stairs and die.  Then she had to engineer her appointment over that of Neferi's understudy.  All without getting caught or even being suspected in spite of Watchers and Seekers and Gardeners and sul'dam and damane and whatever hidden powers the Empress herself possessed.

 

Not even Semirhage could manage all of that in 15 minutes.  It took a good deal of time to accomplish.  And, all of that time before EoTW starts.

[ohaitharguiz]

A lot of things being posted aren't particularly misconceptions, people just don't know what happens.