Theory About Gawyn's Hate-On For Rand

[TalonSpiritCat]

Ok, I know I'm behind in my series reread when I just started Lord of Chaos this morning...

 

So Gawyn believes that Rand killed Morgase and he holds to that belief no matter what, colouring his hatred for Rand.  Why just believe that 1 rumour so strongly?

 

Told to him by a peddler in the Prologue who arrives just at the hill-top camp while the Aes Sedai meet with the Shadio Wise Ones.

 

 

My wild theory is that the Peddler is the ever-corruptive Padin Fain, just brushing through enough to turn another possible ally against Rand.

[buckeyebull64]

Gawyn, when he hears the rumor, is not the man he once was.  He's lost his sister, brother, supporting a cause he's at odds with; he's volitile.  He hears the rumor and goes off the handle, likely just a spur of the moment reaction. 

 

Then, we see him when he meets Egwene again, and he's more collected.  She trys to protect Rand from him, and him from Rand, but inadvertainly does more damage than the peddler, I think, because she says he didn't, can't prove it, offers to prove it, never does...all this reinforces the notion Gawyn has already.  Given his feelings for Egwene (pure as the driven snow), he likely thinks of her as still naive and trying to protect her childhood friend.

 

If the peddler was supposed to be Fain, I think RJ would have dropped more clues.  There's usually SOMEthing to go on.

[algspkr]

I don't see Fain being willing to work as a peddler after his visit to Shadar Logath.

[mb]

I also agree that the peddler was not Fain.  Fain's peddler days I take ended on Winternight.

 

The peddler Gawyn met with I think would be just simply a peddler.  That one seems to be the first non-dark peddler we seen in the series.

 

[Locke]

I've always not liked how Gawyn hated Rand.  But I also don't like it when characters lack certain information in books.  I wonder why Egwene didn't tell Gawyn about how she was with Rand when he heard of Morgase's "death" and how he decided to go to Caemlyn after that.

[moroten]

I've always not liked how Gawyn hated Rand.  But I also don't like it when characters lack certain information in books.  I wonder why Egwene didn't tell Gawyn about how she was with Rand when he heard of Morgase's "death" and how he decided to go to Caemlyn after that.

 

That is something thats been bugging me aswell. Egwene could have done so much more explaining the situation but she didn't bother, snogging Gawyn was more important, just one piece of the puzzle that makes me hate her.

 

I really doubt that that peddler was Fain, just dont seem his personality, for example when Gawyn grabs him around the collar he is visible afraid, Fain wouldnt do that for anyone now. Wasnt it around this time that Fain set up the whitecloak assassins agaisnt Rand in Caemlyn?

[ErikTheBald]

Could he have been Compelled?  Mesaana is in the Tower after all.  When the Warders made an attempt to free Suian,  Gawayn landed on the wrong side. 

 

[mb]

Could he have been Compelled?  Mesaana is in the Tower after all.  When the Warders made an attempt to free Suian,  Gawayn landed on the wrong side.

He has not shown the symptoms.

Elaida might have been an influence in his behavior.