Ask A Simple Question, Get a Simple Answer (No AMoL Spoilers)

[Vardar]

I doubt Be'lal knew exactly how events went down at the Eye of the World, if he even knew of it at all.

 

He knew they were dead, and his spy network should have told him Rand was there. A good Villian should be prepared.

[EmperorAllspice]

Question: Why did Ba'alzamon wait for Rand to be RIGHT next to Callandor before swooping in to try and kill him. Couldn't he have rocked out of the shadows at any time and caved Rand's skull in with a folding chair?

[Vardar]

Question: Why did Ba'alzamon wait for Rand to be RIGHT next to Callandor before swooping in to try and kill him. Couldn't he have rocked out of the shadows at any time and caved Rand's skull in with a folding chair?

 

Nope. He had to wait for Rand to actually touch it, or reach through the barrier.

 

But yea, you would have thought he'd have waited quietly until he touched it then BAM blast him from behind.

But remember, evil villians, they have to do stupid things. Tell you their plans, approach you before they should so you "realize your death." Pride, it brings about their downfalls.

[EmperorAllspice]

Wait, why did Ba'alzamon NEED Calandor out of it's enclosure? I thought he just wanted Rand dead?

[Vardar]

Wait, why did Ba'alzamon NEED Calandor out of it's enclosure? I thought he just wanted Rand dead?

 

Only Rand's hand could remove Callandor. It's the way the weave was set up. So he wanted it, and thus needed Rand to remove it first before he killed him.

[EmperorAllspice]

Ba'alzamon wanted Callandor? But he started firing lightning at Rand BEFORE Rand even made a move for Callandor IIRC

[Vardar]

Ba'alzamon wanted Callandor? But he started firing lightning at Rand BEFORE Rand even made a move for Callandor IIRC

 

Cause he's dumb! He was trying to scare him into taking it. He missed Rand on purpose. He wasn't patient enough to wait in the shadows, he wanted to make sure Rand would grab it.

 

It's all a little confusing it you look too deep into it. Be'al assumed (for some reason) that Rand wouldn't grab the sword (When Rand paused) so he went to scare him into taking it by making him think he had no choice. Thus the fake attack. I suppose we're supposed to think Be'Al was worried about the AIel taking the stone or something and thus running out of time? IDK.

[EmperorAllspice]

... are we thinking about the same character?

[Vardar]

... are we thinking about the same character?

 

Crap. No. I see we aren't, lol reading comprehension fail on my part. Be'Al wanted Callandor, Balz is just crazy.

[EmperorAllspice]

Btw, when Ba'al was cornered by Rand, he cried out for the Dark One to help him. A ball of darkness then fell into his hands and Ba'al suddenly looked triumphant.

 

... then Rand stabs him.

 

Was there a purpose to that ball of darkness? Why include mention of it if he didn't do anything with it?

Edited September 7, 2012 by EmperorAllspice

[Vardar]

Btw, when Ba'al was cornered by Rand, he cried out for the Dark One to help him. A ball of darkness then fell into his hands and Ba'al suddenly looked triumphant.

 

... then Rand stabs him.

 

Was there a purpose to that ball of darkness? Why include mention of it if he didn't do anything with it?

That was Balz (Ishy) not Be'lal. And IDK to be honest he just calls for aid, not necessarily to the DO. . Maybe TP?

[EmperorAllspice]

I know. but he goes by the name Ba'alzamon. (Ba'al). I know he's not Bel'al. :P

[Durinax]

if two woman linking cannot be straight added (strength wise). How does a man and woman linking effect power levels, would that be straight addition?

[yoniy0]

Probably not, but you do have the benefit of being able to use both saidin and saidar in the same weave (or, rather, in two codependent weaves).

[mb]

With all linking, I take the strength of the circle is more than the strength of any of its individuals but less than the sum of their strengths. Not entirely certain.

[Sharaman]

IIRC this is true. It's mentioned somewhere by RJ as part of the automatic buffering that happens in a circle.

[Durinax]

I know he went on record to state that in womens circles the power level isn't the sum total, I was wondering if this was different in mixed gender circles, or would the same rules apply where as woman A B C in a circle creates a power level != to A + B + C, but with saidin added in too so men A B C != A + B + C, then the two values added up or some such

[Luckers]

I know he went on record to state that in womens circles the power level isn't the sum total, I was wondering if this was different in mixed gender circles, or would the same rules apply where as woman A B C in a circle creates a power level != to A + B + C, but with saidin added in too so men A B C != A + B + C, then the two values added up or some such

 

Cross gender circles use more of each members strength than female only circles, though still not the whole strength. There are other oddities, such as that a cross gender circle can create larger gateways than single gender or single channelers of an equivelent strength,

[EmperorAllspice]

Did Bel'al plant the dream of Callandor in Rand's head? He was set up in Tear, and his dreams had apparently started bleeding into the citizens, and Rand was generally considered too inexperienced to wield Callandor when he did, so did Bel'al kinda urge Rand to jump the gun a bit on the prophecies?

[Mulk]

He wasn't anywhere near Rand when Rand started dreaming of Callandor. None of the Forsaken knew where he was, aside from maybe Lanfear, and we know Lanfear at the time didn't want Rand dead (the probable outcome of going to Tear) - she wanted him loving her.

 

I always took it to be born of the desperation of needing to know beyond any doubt whether he was in fact the Dragon Reborn.

[thisguy]

He wasn't anywhere near Rand when Rand started dreaming of Callandor. None of the Forsaken knew where he was, aside from maybe Lanfear, and we know Lanfear at the time didn't want Rand dead (the probable outcome of going to Tear) - she wanted him loving her.

 

I always took it to be born of the desperation of needing to know beyond any doubt whether he was in fact the Dragon Reborn.

Could be. I thought it was the Pattern moving him and his inexperience with the Power projected this powerful need of Callandor to other people in the area.

[EmperorAllspice]

Then what was Bel'al's plan? Was his nickname THE NETWEAVER (meaning a patient and cunning schemer) just a bunch of garbage?!

[thisguy]

Then what was Bel'al's plan? Was his nickname THE NETWEAVER (meaning a patient and cunning schemer) just a bunch of garbage?!

Maybe, you're right. Maybe he put the compulsion in Rand's head to come and get Callandor. But, I thought Be'lal deciding to take Tear as his nation was the plan. He knew Rand would have to come for Callandor sooner or later, to fulfill the prophecies.

[EmperorAllspice]

I guess I'm just bitter that Bel'al is specificallysaid to be intelligent and cunning yet we don't really see it in action. It's a phenomenon called an informed ability. He took control of Tear, sure, but all of the Forsaken appear quite capable of attaining high positions in cities. I thought he specifically stood out above the rest. Guess I was wrong.

 

His ultimate strategy of "Getting Callandor by giving it to Rand then beating him and taking it from him" seemed a bit ill thought out for a supposedly cunning schemer

[thisguy]

I guess I'm just bitter that Bel'al is specificallysaid to be intelligent and cunning yet we don't really see it in action. It's a phenomenon called an informed ability. He took control of Tear, sure, but all of the Forsaken appear quite capable of attaining high positions in cities. I thought he specifically stood out above the rest. Guess I was wrong.

 

His ultimate strategy of "Getting Callandor by giving it to Rand then beating him and taking it from him" seemed a bit ill thought out for a supposedly cunning schemer

To be honest, with the exception of Moridin, most of the Forsaken don't seem all that smart (maybe Demandred, too). They just seem like a bunch of powerful egotistical grown kids usually ruled by their crotch and lust to be number one.