Galad, the flame (aka the oneness)

[jsbrads]

Galad's behavior seems very much like the oneness (as selena/lanfear called it) right up until Galad needed the oneness to fight eamon valda then he seems very unlike he knows what the oneness is

[brown_hound]

Two words-

 

Embracing Saidin....

 

 

 

[OptimusPrime]

The flame and void is only linked to channeling in Rands case that we have seen so far. The oneness is a concentration trick used by some expert swordsmen; Rands version is the same but he uses the flame and void to help himself embrace the Source. The oneness is not embracing saidin itself; Rand uses the oneness for concentration. When Rand holds saidin, his senses are enhanced, meaning if he held saidin in the void while swordfighting, he would have a significant advantage over another swordsman who assumed the void without saidin.

[Cirin]

Well, it is the oneness - it's the Flame and the Void that Tam taught to Rand.  As Drekka Mort said, it's a trick of concentration that master swordsman use when they fight, putting them in state of serene concentration.  Rand actually uses the Oneness to help him embrace sai'din.  The idea likely comes from various places, but is likely primarily taken from the Book of Five Rings, by Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary Japanese swordsman.  The five books are Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void.  The Void talks about the correct mental state to achieve to truly master combat, a state of nothingness.

 

Incidentally (and this has probably been said before, but it occured to me just yesterday), Miyamoto Musashi was a short, really ugly guy that was considered the best swordsman of his day and specialized in fighting with two swords.  Sound like anyone we recognize from the Wheel of Time?  :D

[DemandredFO]

So Gaidal Cain got reborn into the past ;D

[Vermillion]

I think the Void is needed to access the true source because even the females do it in their own way.  The flower thing.

[MikeRiley]

In one of the first books somebody tries to coach Rand through it (might be the scene in Tear with Egwene and Elayne) and Rand immediately recognizes it as Tam's flame and the void trick. If you are a channeler, you will sense Saidar in that and be able to draw it. If you are not, it's just a nifty concentration trick.

[Arkane101]

In one of the first books somebody tries to coach Rand through it (might be the scene in Tear with Egwene and Elayne) and Rand immediately recognizes it as Tam's flame and the void trick. If you are a channeler, you will sense Saidar in that and be able to draw it. If you are not, it's just a nifty concentration trick.

Lan first teaches them it between Taren Ferry and Baerlon

 

Also, I think all male channelers use the oneness/flame and the void, because rand says something about Rahvin ignoring the pain he is in when surrounded by a room full of Nynaeve/Moghedien's fire in TAL when Rand captures Caemlynn

[aunt_pol]

Yeah, but every other reference to Galad is about how ridiculously good he is with that sword. The man is a bit too good.

And his PoV - the fight with Valda- shows it: IIRC, he goes on about smelling everything, seeing flies a few yards away, hearing everything - I'm convinced he could learn. He's had a really good focus for his ability, he's channeled everything into being a walking death machine.

And, guys like Flinn and such clearly got through life just fine thanks, with no ill effects from being able to learn, and probably no inclination that they were any different from anyone else until they got tested.

I just think it's highly likely that Galad can channel. his half brother is the Dragon Reborn: his half sister is one of the strongest Aes Sedai in generations. It's stretchin it a bit much to suggest that all that power came down through Janduin and Morgase respectively.

[jsbrads]

The flame and void is only linked to channeling in Rands case that we have seen so far. The oneness is a concentration trick used by some expert swordsmen; Rands version is the same but he uses the flame and void to help himself embrace the Source. The oneness is not embracing saidin itself; Rand uses the oneness for concentration. When Rand holds saidin, his senses are enhanced, meaning if he held saidin in the void while swordfighting, he would have a significant advantage over another swordsman who assumed the void without saidin.

 

nah,not a disadvantage, but a new challenge, being in oneness in his fight with the seachan High Lord would have been a problem, because being so aware of Saidin/Saidar and not embracing is hard for male/women channelers. Back then he did not want to channel.

 

 

[Jillain Sanche]

aunt pol, you may be right! There does seem to be some genetic component to channeling ability, and he is close kin also to Moiraine as a Damodred?

 

That is a brilliant observation, Cirin about the Void and Mushashi's book.

 

Ah, remember when we first met Elayne and Gawyn, Gawyn seemed a nice reasonable guy, and Elayne was all about putting down Galad and so stiff-necked in her dislike of him she would not be named his sister? And over time, Gawyn has become the one most rigid in his perspective and likely to do wrong again. Galad made weird choices in his growth but may live long enough to reform the Whitecloaks and become somewhat less rigid when miss thing Berelaine gets ahold of him. Ah, the anticipation.

[Kaznen]

The flame and void is only linked to channeling in Rands case that we have seen so far. The oneness is a concentration trick used by some expert swordsmen; Rands version is the same but he uses the flame and void to help himself embrace the Source. The oneness is not embracing saidin itself; Rand uses the oneness for concentration. When Rand holds saidin, his senses are enhanced, meaning if he held saidin in the void while swordfighting, he would have a significant advantage over another swordsman who assumed the void without saidin.

 

nah,not a disadvantage, but a new challenge, being in oneness in his fight with the seachan High Lord would have been a problem, because being so aware of Saidin/Saidar and not embracing is hard for male/women channelers. Back then he did not want to channel.

Surok was kicking Rand's behind because Rand wasn't seeking the void because saidin was there.  It was when he did take the void (while ignoring saidin) he was able to cut down Surok.

 

And Rand new the Flame and the Void before Lan started teaching it.  Tam, a blademaster, taught it to Rand.

 

 

 

[Thor]

But he really only mastered the oneness from Lanfear! Hum she really could have taught him so much. Well just as well I guess, else we wouldn't have a story :P

[supergirlfriday]

By book 18, Galad will be M'Hael at the Black Tower  :D

[Elend]

Incidentally (and this has probably been said before, but it occured to me just yesterday), Miyamoto Musashi was a short, really ugly guy that was considered the best swordsman of his day and specialized in fighting with two swords.  Sound like anyone we recognize from the Wheel of Time?  :D

 

...how come I never noticed this before?

 

You, sir, win the internet.

[Harbin]

Yeah, but every other reference to Galad is about how ridiculously good he is with that sword. The man is a bit too good.

 

However he got crushed by a village boy with a quaterstaff :)

[FarShainMael]

A lucky, ta'veren village boy, but yeah.. he no doubt has Jearom's sympathy!

 

[RembrandtQ.Einstein]

aunt pol, you may be right! There does seem to be some genetic component to channeling ability, and he is close kin also to Moiraine as a Damodred?

 

That is a brilliant observation, Cirin about the Void and Mushashi's book.

 

Ah, remember when we first met Elayne and Gawyn, Gawyn seemed a nice reasonable guy, and Elayne was all about putting down Galad and so stiff-necked in her dislike of him she would not be named his sister? And over time, Gawyn has become the one most rigid in his perspective and likely to do wrong again. Galad made weird choices in his growth but may live long enough to reform the Whitecloaks and become somewhat less rigid when miss thing Berelaine gets ahold of him. Ah, the anticipation.

 

Genetic component with channeling? Yes there is. But why concentrate on his Damodred family line? The fact that he is the half-brother of Rand, the Dragon Reborn, is more than enough of a genetic connection to a channeler no?

[aunt_pol]

I think Jillain was just pointing out the extra channeling link provided by Moiraine. Every little helps, probably.