Mat and the red doorframe answers

[Patrick]

I was just re-reading The Shadow Rising and I came to the part where Mat goes into the doorframe ter-angreal and the answers to one of his questions was that part of his fate "To die and live again, and live once more a part of what was!". I was just wondering what this meant for Mat?

[TheDiceAgain...]

"To die and live again" refers to his death during attack on Camelyn and and his subsequent resurrection (sort of) when Rand balefired Rahvin back into the past to a time where he was alive again.

 

"As part of what was" could mean a few things to my mind and I'm not sure if one has been confirmed.

 

The first interpretation refers to his memories of other men's lives. The memories are "what was" and they are now "part of" him, so this could be the meaning.

 

Another might be that it refers to the founding of the Band of the Red Hand, which was a legendary army from the past and as its General he is certainly "part of what was".

 

Finally, it might refer to Seanchan. The Seancchan are Artur Hawkiwing's armies returned and Matt is now Prince of the Ravens, officially Seanchan royalty, most definitely "part of what was" if you subscribe to this theory.

 

Personally, I think it refers to the memories, but that just an opinion, not something that has been confirmed as far as I know.

[ONeill]

I thought that "To die and live again, and live once more a part of what was" refered to when he hung from the Tree of Life, for a couple of days, and to live a part of what was, is the knowledge that he was given. The knowledge of people since the breaking of the world.

[arogan]

ya that was what i thought to patrick

[Genesis_XVI]

RJ denied this on the Tor site. I myself thought the same. Apparently he was extremely close to death, but not there yet. Rand saved him just in time. So he died in Caemlyn.

 

Re: Patric's three asertion, I think it is both the memories and the band. They go hand in hand.

 

:)

 

Genesis_XVI

[Angel of Death]

Yeah, he didn't die. Cos the power can't save people form death. (Rand DID use the power didn't he - I can't fully remember).

[AcE]

(Rand DID use the power didn't he - I can't fully remember).

 

No, he used CPR ... The thought of using the power made him remember the little girl in the Stone when he tryed to bring her back

[Genesis_XVI]

With the ironic thing being that he used the one power - in the form of balefire - to reverse Matt's death. But yeah, he definitely didn't use the One Power at Rhuidean, he used an old form of CPR (which he had learnt by observation from Master Luhan).

 

- Genesis_XVI

[Angel of Death]

k thanks.

 

And how/when does Luahn use/know CPR.

[Zardi]

Rand's narrative mentions it right before he uses it on Mat: Master Luhan had used it back in Emond's Field to revive a boy who had almost drowned.

[Patrick]

Thanks.

[Covenant]

I recall RJ saying that the situation in Camalyn did NOT constitute the "die and live again" prophesy the red doorframe told him. The reason for that is simple. Time was literaly reversed so he was never killed in the first place. :)

[Guest cwestervelt]

I read a quote by RJ saying that said the opposite. The Camelyn incident did qualify as Mat dying and living again. I can't find it right now though. If I find it back, I will post a link.

[Graendals favourite]

I wonder if living again what was might mean he would get sucked into the world of the dead, like that merchant on the road in KoD. Though I don't think he'd survive that or get out of there...

[Guest Majsju]

Bill Garrett's report of RJ's appearance at Balticon 30 (April 1996) mentions: "(Jordan noted that Mat's death by lightning and subsequent undoing of his death when Rand balefired Rahvin, fulfills a prophecy about living, dying, and then living again.)" Tim Kington reports that, when asked how long Mat had hung from the Tree of Life in Rhuidean, RJ replied, "Long enough to be almost dead" (emphasis mine) [post-COT signing, Dayton, OH, January 16, 2004].

 

http://www.darkfriends.net/wheel/2_nondark/2.1_taveren/2.1.3_mat-horn.html

[Covenant]

I stand corrected. Thanks Maj. :)