How will Elayne's preganancy fit into aMoL?

[Ender]

Hi all,

 

This is my first post and firstly let me say how fascinating some of your comments have been. It really has enriched my experience of the WOT series.

 

Just wanted to know if anyone has had any thoughts as to why RJ would introduce Elayne's pregnancy at this late stage of the story and is there any speculation as to the intention?

 

If aMoL is the last book then these children can't possibly play a role in their own rights. There's no time for character development unless there's as a chapter or two dedicated to events years down the track. It's even plausible they won't even be born by the end of it. So why has RJ introduced them?

 

I know there must be a purpose but currently I'm not seeing it.

 

To me it seems he has disabled one of the main characters (regarding her ability to channel at least) at a time when she needs to be at her strongest.

 

Here are several theories I came up with but all seem a bit weak on their own.

 

1) To imbue further strength to Elayne's character to demonstrate her capabilities even under extreme conditions. (I wouldn't have thought this necessary, she seems strong enough already).

 

2) To introduce some abnormality (not talking physically) to the unborn children. Perhaps they will have uniquely special powers that can be activated from within the womb. After all, they are the children of the Dragon Reborn and have a mother that is currently bonded to three people in unique ways.

 

3) To provide a sense of freshness through rebirth that helps us to get over the darkness and decay of the plague ridden events that will be no doubt be a predominant feature in the final book.

 

 

Any other theories would be appreciated. Thanx.

[AcE]

Rand is still like stone, he fights only because he has to, because there is noone else...

 

...i suspect his children will play a part in helping to 're-humanize' him.

 

I can see no other purpose for the children at this late stage in the story

 

I could be wrong heh probably am, but thats my opinion :)

[kittydesmond]

Wild speculation and subject to much scrutiny~

 

"What if" due to the nature of both parents, Elayne (when she is able to grasp the source) is able to channel both male and female power through her unborn children as if linked??

 

At the end of KOD I was feeling that as long as Elayne wasnt under stress (or emotional) she had an easier time grasping the source...

 

Fire away, I said it was wild speculation...

[jo]

Maybe to make the story realistic. If we had all the major characters at their strongest, most powerful would it be as exciting? With Elayne pregnant it's like oh crap there's one less Aes Sedai to fight...

 

Also maybe it keeps her out of the battle and more with Andor.

 

And I have to agree that it'll help Rand.

[algspkr]

It is how the Shadow will win. Nobody will bother to tell Rand that Elayne is pregnant, and he will start marching into Shaoul Goul to confront the Dark One. Rand will be fighting for all he is worth and starting to win, when Elayne will suddenly have a major contraction causing Rand to slip because of the beliefe that she is being tortured. The Dark One will consume Rand in his moment of weakness.

[Ender]

Yeah, I can see Elayne's pregnancy being used to re-humanise Rand and/or to offer it as a means to add excitement/tension by having Rand discover it the worst time. If this is the case then I'm sure RJ will pull it off with flying colours.

 

However, I guess I'm considering the possibility of something more dramatic, perhaps along the same lines as Kittydesmond's theory.

 

Here's my thinking...

 

RJ has an enormous amount to cover in his last book. So much that many answers will need to come through inference.

 

For example, he has already mentioned Min having a viewing regarding Aviendah's 4 kids and how there is something strange about them. Perhaps the answer to their strangeness will be demonstrated via Elayne's babies. Then RJ wouldn't need to write another word regarding Avi's kids.

 

Perhaps if these babies have special powers that are accessible due to linking with their mother this could be used as a powerful weapon.

 

Maybe I'm going off on a tangent but the way I see it RJ has had a couple of decades to think about how his main characters will fight the last battle. I guess I'm expecting this to be one of the several Aces he has up his sleeve.

 

I suppose if this were one of the Aces then it should at least have been alluded to in one of the prophecies or the viewings. The only one I can think of is the one regarding the Royal line of Andor being the key to winning the last battle. I had always thought this referred to Rand, Elayne, Gawyn, etc.. But what if it refers directly to Elayne's babies?

[jo]

What if there is no significance and RJ just wanted someone in the series to get pregnant? I mean if nobody got pregnant I think that would be more significant:

 

No one in Randland is pregnant? OMG! What could this mean? Hmmmm... Maybe the DO is touching the world and creating miscarriages everywhere! Maybe everyone is going to switch bodies... Maybe they'll all become wolves and leap into TAR and start another world and Randland will become the dreamworld!

[Ender]

What if there is no significance and RJ just wanted someone in the series to get pregnant? I mean if nobody got pregnant I think that would be more significant:

 

No one in Randland is pregnant? OMG! What could this mean? Hmmmm... Maybe the DO is touching the world and creating miscarriages everywhere! Maybe everyone is going to switch bodies... Maybe they'll all become wolves and leap into TAR and start another world and Randland will become the dreamworld!

 

Ok, so Jorden has a sudden concern for the current preganant/non pregant ratio. Jorden ponders: Hey, lets make Elayne pregnant and I might even throw in Faile and Aviendah down the track for good measure. Mmmm.. not sure about that one.

 

Maybe he did it to add realism as you have mentioned. A completely unplanned and random element thrown into the mix that we can all relate to. I've heard of authors doing this to deliberately throw their plans into turmoil thus offering themselves a greater challenge. Would have thought RJ had enough challenges but hey, you could be right!

[chuckievi]

One thought that occurred to me as I read this thread is that there are very few (if no) references to children of women/men who can channel. The only real thing I can think of is the whole "culling mankind" theory about fewer channelers being born (which concidently seems more due to Aes Sedi laziness to search out people who can channel than actual fact). But even in the few snipets of the Age of Legends we have seen there are no references to channelers having children. While Elayne somehow "knows" that being pregnant effects her ability to channel we have no idea where that knowledge comes from. Obviously it has happened before, or she wouldn't know it, but has a female channeler become pregnant from a male channeler? We don't know this, but it may have some relavence to the children being "different" as this would effect Avi's kids as well (assuming they are also Rand's).

 

Another piece that occurred to me was that if the body swapping theory pans out how will that effect Rand. As in if he takes over a body that has used the TP will that have any bearing on the children the body then produces. As given Avi's non-pregnant condition, she would have to become so later, which may contribute to the anomoly that Min saw.

[Zardi]

While Elayne somehow "knows" that being pregnant effects her ability to channel we have no idea where that knowledge comes from.

She could easily have learned that from the Wise Ones. It's even possible that some aiel men who could channel managed to have children before finding out and going off into the Blight.

[Rinog]

I don't remember the names but aren't there two hero's tied to the wheel that are the heralds of a new age. I'm going off of memory here but aren't they a male and female twins? We know that if Rand defeats the DO then the fourth age will be coming pretty quick, maybe these are the Heralds.

[bjclinton]

I've gotta agree w/ you on the idea that these might be the twins spun back into the wheel of time to herald the new age....it'll tie in nicely to find out who/how Gaidal Cain will be reborn as well.

[Gondring]

Itd also tie in with the blood they got coursing (sp) through their veins. Also IF Rand lives through Tarmon Gaidon, then itd be a way to yes, re-humanise him.

Perhaps hes gripped in the madness that Lews Therin underwent (even though the taint is gone) and Elayne gives birth before and brings them to him, and Rand doesnt turn into Kinslayer.

And also, the parents theyd have as "Heralds" a future queen and the Dragon Reborn?

Pretty good opprotunity there. I cant wait to see how he spins it. Babies can be important even if they dont do anything :lol:

[prophetman]

No offense meant at all, but I you all are making a bit too much out of this. Elayne is pregnant because Rand knocked her up . Only RJ really knows, but I have doubts that the baby would create super-linking or do anything extraordinary. Male and female channelers must have had babies before the breaking (correct me if im wrong).

 

That isnt to say that the baby wont be special, just that it probably isnt something really crazy. Also, Rand will likely see Elayne before TG, so I doubt that he would freak out in the middle of fighting the DO.

[GoatFace]

Elayne's baby could be the blood on the rocks. Also, something weird could have happened if the baby was conceived post stream crossing...

[Shawna]

I see the pregnancy as a tie... Min is tied to Rand because she knows she is through her viewings, and so does not fight it. Avienda knows things of her future because of the doorway.

 

But Elayne fights it, and is never quite secure, it seems, in her connection to Rand. She has more difficulty with the idea of sharing him then the other two... so to me it seems a tie to bind her to him, when the circumstances make her want to get mad and say to hell with him.

[Gandaal]

I see the pregnancy as a tie... Min is tied to Rand because she knows she is through her viewings, and so does not fight it. Avienda knows things of her future because of the doorway.

 

But Elayne fights it, and is never quite secure, it seems, in her connection to Rand. She has more difficulty with the idea of sharing him then the other two... so to me it seems a tie to bind her to him, when the circumstances make her want to get mad and say to hell with him.

I doubt that, she has been pretty willing to share him if she has too even if she didn't like the idea originally, and she loves Aviendha (and Min to a lesser degree) too much to do a 360 and demand Rand dump them.

[Aviendha]

My guess would be in the re-humanising of Rand. As others have said, his focus is on the LB and nothing beyond. He has said at one point or other that the best he can hope for is to defeat the DO & die doing so. Once he know about the babes it will give him a reason to live beyond the LB. I think he'll find out about this before the LB. I also think it will hit him like a ton of bricks! He's certainly not expecting something like this :)

[n00l3y]

Well, I have to agree with the re-humanising of Rand. And no, I do not believe that the circumstances of the babies' birth would cause Elayne, Rand, or even themselves to have supernatural powers.

 

Me thinks that this brings about an element which we haven't seen yet. The NEXT generation. Currently, the main characters are about 20-25 yrs old, although they certainly act like a bunch of 10 yr olds :P. Anyway, I don't think TG would destroy the world. In fact, I believe it would bring about a temporary banishing of the DO, but an even greater sacrifice on our heroes' part. So the babies would represent the hope for the world after TG.

 

Oh dear, even I think it's rather far-fetched. Dah well...

[Deus Leonis]

hi first time poster here.

 

my money's on humanizing rand...at the last second to be specific.

just a guess but maybe because of rands "state" he wouldnt be able to "find that punch" to quote RJ unless he realizes what it means to be human again..unless casudane teaches him to feel again...maybe its elayne being pregnanat that makes him realize that he has something to live for...why he needs to save the world not just because he's destined to but because he's human too and has a heart thats filled with 3 women that needs rand al'thor and not the dragon reborn. to hope is not selfishness.

 

(by "state" i mean him thinking of himself as a mere weapon...i dont think weapons can save the world..its the hero that weilds it that does)

 

i think rand needs to realize the difference between power and strength...and maybe its elayne's babaes that going to teach him this lesson.

anyway it fits with the title of the book IMO.

 

i know i know it all sounds too cheezy..but i have a very limited imagination compared to RJ..or maybe im just an optimist. :)

[Dunedain Fal]

I think it has to do more with bringing in the next two heroes of the Horn into life.  At the end of the Great Hunt when Mat blew the Horn, Rand sees two characters, Shivan the Hunter and Calian the Chooser.  They are said to be Heralds of the New Age coming.  When they are born, it signifies the end of an Age and the birth of a new Age, IIRC.  It is my theory that when Elayne's babies are born, since they are a twin and has some significance according to Min's viewings, the end of the Age will come and a new Age is coming soon.

[Guest Dreadlord]

Maybe those twins are Elaynes kids and they symbolise the start of a new Age being born just after their dad saves the world

[trakand_01]

Just wanted to know if anyone has had any thoughts as to why RJ would introduce Elayne's pregnancy at this late stage of the story and is there any speculation as to the intention?

 

I know there must be a purpose but currently I'm not seeing it.

 

Any other theories would be appreciated. Thanx.

 

My theory is that she'll use it to draw attention back to herself when she realises she's not the centre any more  ;)

"What? No-one's asked about me today? What, all day? Quick, Aviendha!! Induce me!!"

 

No seriously, I think there'll be a 'situation' with Rand. The story they've spread is that the babies are Daved Hanlons / whatever he's calling himself and Rand (to my knowledge) doesnt even know she's pregnant yet. Either he's got a big surprise coming from Aviendha or someone, which will likely 'humanise' him (along with Moiraine reappearing), or he'll believe she's betrayed him and it'll tear him apart...

 

Not sure how it'll pan out.

[balefireruinssteaks]

ewwwww, wouldn't that be horrible if Elayne had to actually birth her children on the Rocks of Shoyal Gaul to fulfill the prophecy about his blood on the rocks and stuff.

 

ugh!!!

[RAND AL THOR]

ewwwww, wouldn't that be horrible if Elayne had to actually birth her children on the Rocks of Shoyal Gaul to fulfill the prophecy about his blood on the rocks and stuff.

 

ugh!!!

 

Exactly. I was sick just reading that suggestion!