Kill Off a Character?

[Shimmer]

maybe not killing them but  i would definitely send faile, cadsuane, egwene and gawyn into permanent exile to Shara or Land of the Madmen. please Brandon?  ;D

[OptimusPrime]

Moridin creates a ball of water that stays centered on Elayne, and she drowns. Gawyn bursts out of the crowd, giving it "NOOOOOOOO-please kill me please kill me please kill me-OOOOO!" and runs Moridin through. Moridins like, "Yeah Im not really human anymore pal." and the color drains from Gawyns face as Moridin starts chuckling, the chuckling becomes laughing, growing into a maniacal cackle, all the while Gawyn is locked in place unable to move. Then Moridins laughter cuts off abruptly, he looks at Gawyn and from an onlookers eyes it looks like Gawyn simply crumbles into dust and os blown away by the wind. And then Moridins cackling begins again, as abruptly as it ended.

[Lena]

Smithing is creating something out of useless lumps of metal, you don't destroy the mountain with the hammer, the pickaxe is the tool of destruction.

That's like saying cooking a steak is something creative, but still the cow has to get slaughtered first.

Same with smithing. you need ore for it. Therefore Nature gets destroyed because of smithing... blalbalbla  ;D Anyway I have nothing against Hammers, but also not against Axes. Perrin is a narrow minded retard, so I understand his motive to throw away the Axe.

 

 

[Swithin]

I'm a little confused by the premise here - I can't tell if this is an unpopularity contest or a question of which death would be best for the story-line.

 

The only character in the list who really irritates me is Elayne, so I voted for her. The difficult thing about Elayne is that the problems she has will only be exacerbated by her continued appearance in the series; she's unaware of her own egomania, almost every victory she's had as a character has been handed to her (and yet she perceives them as the result of her own hard work,) and she seems to have no genuine interest in opening her mind to possibilities that don't mesh with her preconceived narratives. The *one* thing she has that distinguishes her intellectually from any other puffed up little lordling is her facility working with ter'angreal, and even that isn't the result of study and contemplation but of some kooky Talent. The longer she survives and thrives, the more Randland becomes a place where birth and destiny count for more than content of mind and character. There's no possible redemption for her given the current trajectory of her arc, so yeah, an off-screen death which meant that we'd never have to see her again would be nice. Then again, Brandon Sanderson may just make me eat those words (I'm hoping so, actually.)

 

On the other hand, there are a few characters on the list whom I really like and whose deaths could be very potent and meaningful to the story. I wouldn't get any kind of glee from seeing them off it, but I can imagine the death of Cadsuane or Nynaeve being simultaneously heart-breaking and triumphant, depending on the context. Less so for Aviendha or Egwene, who still have a lot left to do and can't really reach a point of closure by tWoT's end. And I'm one of those people who just don't get why people dislike Faile - is it chauvinism, because she's more proactive and wily than Perrin, or feminism, because she's arguably more capable than her husband yet still accedes to remaining 'just' a wife, or something else? She's a damn deadly character who is also in love with a lead... I don't know, I've just never had a problem dealing with this (I wouldn't mind having a wife like her at all!)

[Hadilmir]

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I don't know who you are, but you're now on my list of people who may live when I take over the world. I will disagree on Egwene dying though. It could tie into a plot quite well: she fixes up the Aes Sedai (Might take a few months), Mesaana gets a cheap shot, Aes Sedai 'temporarily' follow Logain/Narishma/New M'Hael's leadership for the Last Battle and then we see them stick together afterwords.

 

But yes, I don't see how anyone could vote any other character on that list while Elayne is an option.

[Random Man]

And I'm one of those people who just don't get why people dislike Faile - is it chauvinism, because she's more proactive and wily than Perrin, or feminism, because she's arguably more capable than her husband yet still accedes to remaining 'just' a wife, or something else? She's a damn deadly character who is also in love with a lead... I don't know, I've just never had a problem dealing with this (I wouldn't mind having a wife like her at all!)

For me, it's Faile's unbending insistence that Perrin accept and adopt the Saldaean traditions and behaviors between a husband and wife while rejecting those of Perrin's upbringing. It's pure ethnocentrism on her part -- she expects Perrin to do it all her way regardless of how uncomfortable it makes him. Yes, she's a strong-willed Saldaean princess, but some of the things she claims to do on his behalf are so alien to him they end up having the opposite effect (and she never seems to care!). A husband needs his wife to be jealous in order to know she cares about him? Really? Seems to me that all Faile's jealousy does is upset Perrin because he's acculturated to viewing jealousy in a negative light. They need to get into shouting matches because she's got a thing for make-up sex? Perrin would rather not get into a fight to begin with, yet before her capture he started acting this way just to please her regardless of how it bothered him. When he ends up being blunt with her about how discomforting these things are, she just lectures him. It wouldn't kill her to realize that he was brought up differently and maybe try to meet him in the middle at least a little bit, by, say, not acting jealous all the time just for his "benefit."

[Swithin]

I don't know who you are, but you're now on my list of people who may live when I take over the world. I will disagree on Egwene dying though. It could tie into a plot quite well: she fixes up the Aes Sedai (Might take a few months), Mesaana gets a cheap shot, Aes Sedai 'temporarily' follow Logain/Narishma/New M'Hael's leadership for the Last Battle and then we see them stick together afterwords.

 

First off, thanks for the free pass. That's a load off my mind!

 

The reason I think Egwene shouldn't be dying soon is because of her development over tWoT. Many of the main characters have had their own story of personal growth, and most of those fit into one of a few patterns: finding a purpose and training for it, knowing their purpose but lacking the wisdom or resolve to accomplish it (and gaining it,) overcoming personal deficits and growing up, etc. Anyway, Egwene and Aviendha have run the course of being trained (officially and by circumstance) to be good leaders, to be useful to others. The closure I'm expecting for this type of arc doesn't end with a singular event (some symbolic victory or redemptive sacrifice) but sets the character to work, leaves him or her in the place where their growth can be best put to use.

 

I guess Egwene could have a short tenure as Amyrlin and still be very transformative and important, but it seems to waste all of the experience she's accumulated - after seeing her go through so much to become capable of being one of the great Amyrlins, I'd like her to apply that and do good in the world for a long time (same with Aviendha becoming a Wise One.) You're right that her death could be played well... I'd just rather she didn't die now that I like her so much more than I used to.

 

 

For me, it's Faile's unbending insistence that Perrin accept and adopt the Saldaean traditions and behaviors between a husband and wife while rejecting those of Perrin's upbringing. It's pure ethnocentrism on her part -- she expects Perrin to do it all her way regardless of how uncomfortable it makes him.

 

Well, those are very good points. They don't bother me so much (Perrin did *choose* to be with Faile, after all, and loves her for exactly who she is,) but I can understand where you're coming from. Personally, I think she's acted in good faith. She never said she'd be acquiescent or easy to satisfy; she's been very open that she's demanding, but the trade off is that she's genuine with her feelings, brutally supportive, and loyal to the death. It's been a while since I've read tDR, but IIRC before they actually hooked up she was having a hard time deciding how to act around him - she certainly kept him at arm's length because she knew that getting involved with her came with a lot of strings attached. He chose to tough it out, and proved to her he could handle it.

 

Anyway, thanks for answering the question. I hadn't considered Faile in that way, and I can see now why she'd get on your nerves. Agree to disagree? :)

[TheBeerPatriot]

And I'm one of those people who just don't get why people dislike Faile - is it chauvinism, because she's more proactive and wily than Perrin, or feminism, because she's arguably more capable than her husband yet still accedes to remaining 'just' a wife, or something else? She's a damn deadly character who is also in love with a lead... I don't know, I've just never had a problem dealing with this (I wouldn't mind having a wife like her at all!)

For me, it's Faile's unbending insistence that Perrin accept and adopt the Saldaean traditions and behaviors between a husband and wife while rejecting those of Perrin's upbringing. It's pure ethnocentrism on her part -- she expects Perrin to do it all her way regardless of how uncomfortable it makes him. Yes, she's a strong-willed Saldaean princess, but some of the things she claims to do on his behalf are so alien to him they end up having the opposite effect (and she never seems to care!). A husband needs his wife to be jealous in order to know she cares about him? Really? Seems to me that all Faile's jealousy does is upset Perrin because he's acculturated to viewing jealousy in a negative light. They need to get into shouting matches because she's got a thing for make-up sex? Perrin would rather not get into a fight to begin with, yet before her capture he started acting this way just to please her regardless of how it bothered him. When he ends up being blunt with her about how discomforting these things are, she just lectures him. It wouldn't kill her to realize that he was brought up differently and maybe try to meet him in the middle at least a little bit, by, say, not acting jealous all the time just for his "benefit."

Thank you Random Man for this post-this succinctly summed up my hatred of Faile.  I'm in the middle of re-reading Shadow Rising, and she is simply despicable in this book.  Gawwwwwwwd.  And to reduce Perrin to a single-minded dolt of thinking that without Faile he is nothing...can I vomit now please.  Gahhhh

 

I agree with the top two picks of who should be knocked off-Cadsuane always struck me as a deux ex machina with her sudden appearance in Crown of Swords.  Granted, she's slightly more  rational and coherent than Faile, but detestable at times.

 

Egwene-she's irritated me at times with her supercilious manner, but she won me back in KoD and TGS.

 

Elayne-I really liked her in the first 4 books of the series.  She started getting irritating in books 5 & 6.  I do like her interactions with Mat in ACOS, I think she finally came around on him.  In books 9-10 I could not stand her plotline.  It got a little better in KoD, but I'm looking for her to take some strong actions in the last two books.  I like her enough not to hate her.

 

Aviendha-this one I don't understand.  Well-rounded character, fierce...and hot! What's not to like? ;)

 

Nynaeve-even though I don't agree with it, I can understand why some people don't like some of her past actions, especially in TDR and LOC with Mat.  However, she's had so many great moments, from breaking her block to The Golden Crane chapter in KoD.  She's a keeper with some great scenes to come.

[Hadilmir]

First off, thanks for the free pass. That's a load off my mind!

 

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Egwene is my favorite among the super-girls, so don't get me wrong, I was just saying that Egwene's death would have the biggest impact among these characters. I would be disappointed if she dies (RJ already said a lot of people are going to die during TG, including some favorites)

[gambril]

Gawyn.  Snivering bootlicker that he is.

[Fains nose]

What is with the term supergirls, i dont hear anyone refering to Mat Rand and Perrin as the superboys. Anyway i have this worry that Mat will die, saving/avenging Tuon, just siuans story about her uncle, Mats constant talk of how he hated dying, and talk of an outrigger about Mat and Tuon to mislead us makes me think Mat will die. Would this be a bad thing? RJ would have  wanted to get the biggest emotional response out of the readers from the last book, what more efective way than to kill off the most beloved character, it would certainly make me cry if it was done right and knowing that RJ had the ending in mind since he started writing i think it will be. Think about it, we have come to terms with the fact that Rand will die, no one cares that much about Perrin,  Mats death would be so powerful and unexpected. The risk is that it might make the series hard to reread knowing what will happen to Mat, but we will find out what happens to everyone anyway.

[JW]

Kill Perrin kill him now. You get rid of him and his oh so boring story line, and you also kill faile because she automatically drops out of the story line. Victory is sweet, and if we are really lucky they might take cadsuane with them. Killing perrin would also make the ending more difficult for the good guys, more suspence.

[Red Hand Man]

Who said Avi?  I'll smack a punk.  >:(

 

I'd kill of Eggs because I think she is meant to die, though Avi might get some seriously stuff done to her on the way to Rhuidean :(