swirls of colors = a way for Taveren to communicate?

[mellojoe]

In the later books, we see that when Rand, Mat, and Perrin think of one of the others, swirls of colors go off in their head accompanied by a hint of an image of what that person is doing at that time.

 

Mat thinks of Rand and sees the colors plus two people sitting facing each other.  Rand and Nynaeve at the Cleansing.

Perrin thinks of Mat and sees the colors plus Mat talking with a dark-skinned woman.  Mat and Tuon.

 

In every instance, they shake off the thought and the colors and move on with what they are doing.  If instead, though, they concentrated on that image... what could they see?  Could they find a way to turn that to their advantage?

 

(PS:  Haven't read TGS, yet.)

[cortezthekiller]

RAFO

;D

 

[Shadow Rider]

I had the same thought, they can here each other if they concentrated on the person and speak their name it could be as easy as that or maybe it's just the pull of three Ta'veren.

As someone smart once said "and sometimes a Cigar is just a Cigar."

[Fains nose]

Yeh like Mat could walk around with a sign on him saying "rand, when need to talk", and just waits for rand to think about him? Also are the swirls purely because of taverenes or is it some link between the boys unrelated to taveren?

[Duskfire]

I think its alot deeper then that, although I am not sure why. Personally, I think its something to do with three must become one prophecy, which to me refers to Rand, Mat and Perrin, and those colours are somehow involved. Something funky will happen when all three are finally in the same room.

[talligan]

I always figured it was the pattern telling them to reunite for the last battle.

 

Mat also sees Rand and Min doing the nasty during KoD (poor Mat, unluckiest character in the series)

[cortezthekiller]

I just kind of figured it was the extraordinarily powerful ta'veren-ness that goes on.  'Reading' the patter much like Min does, the three most powerful ta'veren of the age distort the pattern so much, that they can literally see each other when they want to.

 

Of course it has to do with the fact that they need to be brought back together (this might be one of those things that served RJ as a plot device more than actual necessary plot... ahem...*cough* ta'veren...).  But I think it's just that the tug the three exert on the Pattern is so strong, it allows them to view the other parts that are as strong. 

 

It's as if each of the three boys are on wave crests in the pattern that are higher than everything else; if they try, they can catch a glimpse of each other through the smaller waves because they rise above the rest of the pattern so much.  Meh... maybe that's a bad analogy...

[yoniy0]

In analyzing the function and meaning of the colors, we must also consider that they're not only brought about by one of the three thinking about the others. When Rand started to cleanse the Source, Mat and Perrin automatically saw him, and neither has been thinking of him at the moment.

[The Fisher King]

I also think it is Team Light's portion of The Pattern trying DESPERATELY to draw them back together - towards each other...because of the fact that things are now RUSHING towards Tarmon Gai'Don, which is now RIGHT around the corner.

 

 

Fish

[Duskfire]

I also think it is Team Light's portion of The Pattern trying DESPERATELY to draw them back together - towards each other...because of the fact that things are now RUSHING towards Tarmon Gai'Don, which is now RIGHT around the corner.

 

 

Fish

 

But wasnt the tugging doing that? Mat and Perrin both feel Rand tugging at them and know they must go to him soon. Seems a bit over-excessive to have the tugging and the colors doing the same thing, particularly since the colors don't really carry any particular feelings along with it.

[aunt_pol]

It's not that long since I read the pertinent bit of COT, and I'm fairly sure the colours practically invaded Perrin's head during the Cleansing, while Mat hadn't a clue until the AS started freaking about it, then he saw Rand and Nyn sitting down.

I always thought that was interesting.

Both Mat and Perrin were fairly distracted by their women at the time, but Mat had to be told something was going on.

Is it something to do with the wolfy side of Perrin, perhaps? Wolves can tell a channeler on sight too, and I'm sure it's not for the lack of wrinkles.

[yoniy0]

Oh, you're right. Funny, I didn't remember it that way. Still, the AS didn't make him think of Rand, so the colors still came of their own accord:

Joline went on arguing, but he did not bother to listen. Whenever he thought of Rand or Perrin, colors swirled in his head. A part of being ta’veren, he supposed. This time, he had not thought of either of his friends, but the colors had suddenly been there, a fan of a thousand rainbows.

[mellojoe]

I also think it is Team Light's portion of The Pattern trying DESPERATELY to draw them back together - towards each other...because of the fact that things are now RUSHING towards Tarmon Gai'Don, which is now RIGHT around the corner.

 

 

Fish

And, I think, at this point in the game Team Light is losing.  Everything is falling apart, so the Pattern is doing whatever it can to protect itself.

 

Maybe?

[Ozzie_aiel]

they see the other person, not hear or touch, so unless the only thing to communicate is "Check out Mins Birthmark!" or something, it wont work

[aunt_pol]

But, Ozzie, they haven't tried to see what can be done in/with the swirls. Each of them tries to shake it out of his head the minute it happens. Ther'e surely some usefulness in it, even if they just used it with blackboard signs lol...

[Ozzie_aiel]

You want them to write "Check out Mins birthmark!" on a blackboard? Not very subtle and I'm guessing Min will find out soon as well.

 

The swirls are a cruse form of communicating. They're saying "Yep, still alive here!" The images could be saying "here I am"

[aunt_pol]

Perhaps if the three of them all think about each other at the same time, and concentrate on it, rather than dismissing it, something cool will happen.

[ROB_88]

i wanna see what will happen when they finally do get together.

like if Rand is talking to Mat about a battle-plan, maybe he then see an image of Mat, maybe froma different angle and see himself in there aswell

[Shadow Rider]

they see the other person, not hear or touch, so unless the only thing to communicate is "Check out Mins Birthmark!" or something, it wont work

 

Actually they can hear the other..... Mat said Rand was mumbling something he couldn't quite hear.

[FarShainMael]

In analyzing the function and meaning of the colors, we must also consider that they're not only brought about by one of the three thinking about the others. When Rand started to cleanse the Source, Mat and Perrin automatically saw him, and neither has been thinking of him at the moment.

 

In another thread, I noted that the colours also appeared in Perrin's head when he thought about Mat's father, not Mat himself; and when he mentioned the Prophecies, Hawkwing and the Seanchan Empress. Are there any other examples of this indirect effect, does anyone know?

 

[OptimusPrime]

I think communication would be possible but as has been said theres no sound. Although I wonder if Rand could channel an eavesdropping weave when thinking of them? One thing though, I am betting that Rand could think of Mat and then Travel to a place that he can see, behind Mat for example.

[aunt_pol]

@Drekka Mort: not a bad ideer there...

[FarShainMael]

And shout 'boo!'

 

[yoniy0]

FarShainMael, could you remind me when that thing with Hawkwing was? I remember reading your post, but I'm too lazy to look for it now. Regarding Perrin's thinking of Mat's father, I don't think that's the same. If he would think of Abell Cauthon and see Mat, that's one thing, but even in his mind he calls Abell 'Mat's father', so he inadvertently thought of Mat at the same time.

[aunt_pol]

@ FSM: lmao