Which of The Seven Ajahs do you feel has been MOST Underused in the series?

[Demiandre]

*sneak behind Fish with a black knife and stab him in the back. He pulls his hood away and laugh machiavelically at the corpses laying at his feet "haha! One less among the C.S.S.! No more than 10 remaining"*

 

Well, Cads save their reputation a bit. But she is so far away from typical nowaday Aes Sedainess that she doesn't count in my opinion...

[The Fisher King]

*sneak behind Fish with a black knife and stab him in the back. He pulls his hood away and laugh machiavelically at the corpses laying at his feet "haha! One less among the C.S.S.! No more than 10 remaining"*

 

Well, Cads save their reputation a bit. But she is so far away from typical nowaday Aes Sedainess that she doesn't count in my opinion...

 

Demi. Don't you know I walk around in a <strike>bullet-proof</strike> cuendillar vest??? ;)

 

Ok, in all seriousness - and with sincere interest in not PISSINNNG OFF a Mod OR Beating a Dead Horse - I am still, so many years later, truly puzzled by the Cad-Hate.

 

Except for Moraine, NO other Non-Taveren in the entire series has been as capable, direct or productive as this character. Do people not like her because shes a b!tch??? WOT is FULL of A-Wholes (see what I did there, lol? ;) and Beyatches.

 

WOT is ALSO filled with those who have happily decided that Rand with a knife in his back would make them feel warm and fuzzy. It can be argued that, except for Min and Nynaeve, Cadsaune has cared about Rand the Person far more than any other character.

 

Yes, he is her tool to achieve victory in the Last Battle. BUT: We also have more than one POV of her showing care and compassion for the 'boy.'

 

Sister Cadsaune Mehlindra of Far Madding ROCKS!

 

 

Fish

[Sid]

IMO the White Ajah has really done the least of any Ajah. They helped the Red depose Siuan. They contemplated.... stuff.

 

Yellows as a whole have done not much. Not a single Yellow was involved in Mat's healing at the Tower. Samitsu healed Dobraine from the brink of death. She gave Rand some healing in ACoS too. But what is it exactly that they do with their time? "Healing is Air, Water and Spirit" for 3000 years. I've never heard of them offering their services for people that are sick or injured, unless they happen to be around when it happens.

 

Grays have done quite a few things, with some success and some failure. Merana actually gave Rand a piece of her mind, which he totally deserved. They got the situation in Tear figured out so that rebellion is over with.

 

The Reds' reason for existence is now gone, but that doesn't mean they've been inactive or underused. Highly infected with Black Ajah members (somewhat due to their Ajah head and general mission probably), they are now crippled, yet are trying to accomplish things (Tarna, Pevara, etc) and have the Keeper of the Chronicles from their Ajah (Silviana). Egwene has ideas for their new mission statement, and I'm betting they'll rise to meet whatever this is (eventually).

 

Browns had Verin, which seems the equivalent of 10 capable sisters, but what of the other 100 or so members? Danelle played a part in the tower coup, but I'm not even convinced that was even Danelle. Adealas was retired and came back to join the rebellion and did some stuff in Ebou Dar, tried to wring info out of Ispan and got killed for it. Otherwise... uh...

 

Blues had Moiraine and Siuan and numerous people that got killed. Being a small Ajah to begin with, they're dwindling fast but as for accomplishments per capita there's no question they win. 2 forsaken taken down and 1 dragon reborn found not to mention 2 ta'veren brought into the world. Yeah.

 

Greens kind of fail, other than Cadsuane basically saving Rand's life at the cleansing amongst other times, the rest of the Ajah is kind of slacking. Their performance at the Seanchan invasion was pitiful. Maybe it's a wake up call? Bera and Kiruna waded into Dumai's Wells (against orders) which means they have faith in their small army of warders to work hard and keep them safe no matter how dumb they act. Because if they don't they'll go mad and die.

 

 

I would say in order of usefulness, effort, or general accomplishment we have

Blue - Very accomplished

Red - Very active

Green - Cadsuane does a lot

Brown - Basically all Verin

Grey - Just doin' their job

Yellow - Healed some people that may have died otherwise

White - Jack Squat

[The Fisher King]

IMO the White Ajah has really done the least of any Ajah. They helped the Red depose Siuan. They contemplated.... stuff.

 

Yellows as a whole have done not much. Not a single Yellow was involved in Mat's healing at the Tower. Samitsu healed Dobraine from the brink of death. She gave Rand some healing in ACoS too. But what is it exactly that they do with their time? "Healing is Air, Water and Spirit" for 3000 years. I've never heard of them offering their services for people that are sick or injured, unless they happen to be around when it happens.

 

Grays have done quite a few things, with some success and some failure. Merana actually gave Rand a piece of her mind, which he totally deserved. They got the situation in Tear figured out so that rebellion is over with.

 

The Reds' reason for existence is now gone, but that doesn't mean they've been inactive or underused. Highly infected with Black Ajah members (somewhat due to their Ajah head and general mission probably), they are now crippled, yet are trying to accomplish things (Tarna, Pevara, etc) and have the Keeper of the Chronicles from their Ajah (Silviana). Egwene has ideas for their new mission statement, and I'm betting they'll rise to meet whatever this is (eventually).

 

Browns had Verin, which seems the equivalent of 10 capable sisters, but what of the other 100 or so members? Danelle played a part in the tower coup, but I'm not even convinced that was even Danelle. Adealas was retired and came back to join the rebellion and did some stuff in Ebou Dar, tried to wring info out of Ispan and got killed for it. Otherwise... uh...

 

Blues had Moiraine and Siuan and numerous people that got killed. Being a small Ajah to begin with, they're dwindling fast but as for accomplishments per capita there's no question they win. 2 forsaken taken down and 1 dragon reborn found not to mention 2 ta'veren brought into the world. Yeah.

 

Greens kind of fail, other than Cadsuane basically saving Rand's life at the cleansing amongst other times, the rest of the Ajah is kind of slacking. Their performance at the Seanchan invasion was pitiful. Maybe it's a wake up call? Bera and Kiruna waded into Dumai's Wells (against orders) which means they have faith in their small army of warders to work hard and keep them safe no matter how dumb they act. Because if they don't they'll go mad and die.

 

 

I would say in order of usefulness, effort, or general accomplishment we have

Blue - Very accomplished

Red - Very active

Green - Cadsuane does a lot

Brown - Basically all Verin

Grey - Just doin' their job

Yellow - Healed some people that may have died otherwise

White - Jack Squat

 

The part that I bolded seems beyond weird to me. Perhaps an authorial oversight. Maybe Jordan INTENDED for a Yellow or two to be there Healing Mat.

 

 

Fish

[Demiandre]

Apparently, not a single one, cuendilar'allein :) I checked, and there are two whose Ajah is not mentioned. The rest are Siuan, Leane, Sheriam, Anaiya, Alanna, Serafelle, Verin. And a supplementary White. One chance out of seven for the two to be Yellow. One chance in 14 for both being Yellow. Which isn't accurate, as it isn't considering the Aes Sedai's Ajah repartition and respective abilities.

 

Which - if I accurately understood circle - is silly, as it is more effective with talented people than powerful channelers. It could be argued that Anaiya is a strong Healer, even if Blue. But Siuan, who can't heal more than a bruise, melding the flow??

[OptimusPrime]

Im happy with the Blue Ajah for Moiraines dedication to finding the Dragon Reborn, and Suians involvement in that. The Blue Ajah I think have been represented very well. Also, I think the Red Ajah, despite Elaidas antagonistic input, has been represented well. They are dedicated to dealing with male channelers and they have done plenty of that.

 

Cadsuane, with what she did at the Cleansing alone, gave me everything I ever wanted from the Green Ajah. The Ashaman at Dumais Wells put up a great defense system against the Shaido army and their pesky Wise Ones, but Cadsuane coordinated incredible tactics at the Cleansing against the Chosen! She was my favorite Aes Sedai for a while because of how well she represents her Ajah, and just her general kickass manner right up til the end of KoD. KoD was an awesome book, what with Cadsuanes thunder and the forming of the Bashere-Logain-Loial trio.

 

The Yellows lack of direct involvement is understandable. Clearly the knowledge that was lost in the Breaking crippled the Aes Sedai in many ways and when an Ajah like the Yellow, who once might have been able to do amazing things with the Power, lose their knowledge they are left almost incapanle in comparison. Obviously that is important to Nynaeves development as well, she is like a renewal of everything the Yellows might have lost, she even knows most of what there is to know about herbs and whatnot. She could be head of the Yellows in the rebuilding of the White Tower after Tarmon Gaidon.

 

The Browns I think have also been represented well by Verin, she knows her fair share of the prophecies, she knows the game well, and the way she reacted to the Black Ajah thing and the effect that had are surely as worthy a representation of the Brown Ajahs organisational skills as we have had so far. Good lass Verin.

 

This is going to sound really wierd. I think Alviarin is a brilliant representation of both the White Ajah AND Black Ajah. She is one of my favorite Aes Sedai also, I think shes guna be working at the Black Tower with Taim, overseeing the Aes Sedai who are Compulsion-bonded to the Ashaman. Alviarin could do some damage with those Aes Sedai I think, female Oathbound channelers who are unable to lie AND unable to speak of anything the Darkfriend Ashaman told them not to! Hahaha, Alviarin should send them back to the Tower as sisters who have been in the field throughout the recent Tower troubles, and work some damage through those Aes Sedai who can still legally say they arent Darkfriends and cant say why theyre doing the bad stuff because of the way the bad dudes are using the Compulsion bonds!

 

I cant really remembers anything about the Greys doing anything. Negotiators, meant to deal with rulers and whatnot, but there have been Ta'veren about and Darkfriends and whatnot, so even if the Greys did have some involvement theyd have a hard job.

 

I dont think Im unhappy with any of the Ajahs to be honest. I wouldnt mind it if the Reds refurbished to be the Ajah to work directly with male channelers and research the possibility of saidin-saidar rituals and circles.

 

Drekka = GREAT Post! ... I also have not given up all hope on the Red, just yet. I am still on record as STILL being a ''C.S.S.'' (Cadsuane Sedai Supporter)

 

 

 

Fish

 

Thanks! And yeah I dont particularly think she did anything wrong in TGS, I just think her image and input were incredible up until the Shadow took a hand; they did well. Cadsuanes fall from grace was false, and in the end I think it shows how clever Shaidar was being; in the end, one of the few people who were trying to sort out Rands real problems, ie Cadsuane, became an antagonist in Rands eyes because Shaidar got involved and hes still a secret weapon yet. Shaidar did his job, Cadsuane did hers to the best of her abilities considering something existed that she couldnt possibly know about. Also, it is easy for people to blame her for her dealings with Rand, but she doesnt know Rand was acting like the spoilt selfish immortal child that is Moridin, but we did know that, we forget that she wasnt privy to all the facts just like Rand never is and thats why he blunders. Same for Cadsuane in TGS.

 

There! I support Cadsuane, Im just dissapointed that her thunder was ruined and yet Im happy because Shaidar was doing what it says on the tin.

[Random Man]

Apparently, not a single one, cuendilar'allein :) I checked, and there are two whose Ajah is not mentioned. The rest are Siuan, Leane, Sheriam, Anaiya, Alanna, Serafelle, Verin. And a supplementary White. One chance out of seven for the two to be Yellow. One chance in 14 for both being Yellow. Which isn't accurate, as it isn't considering the Aes Sedai's Ajah repartition and respective abilities.

 

Which - if I accurately understood circle - is silly, as it is more effective with talented people than powerful channelers. It could be argued that Anaiya is a strong Healer, even if Blue. But Siuan, who can't heal more than a bruise, melding the flow??

Siuan leading the flows could just be a relic of a time when RJ didn't have all of the complexities worked out regarding linking and such. At that point, I suppose he'd have had the highest-ranking meld the flows. Or, what they did to Mat wasn't exactly straightforward Healing but a severing of sorts, requiring a different weave.

 

The short list of the named Aes Sedai involved makes me suspect Siuan chose those she trusted to get the job done. Likely they wouldn't have wanted the presence of a ta'veren with a Shadar Logoth dagger widely known. At least that's my guess.

[Demiandre]

The problem being Sheriam of course ;D

 

I agree with you for the Amyrlin melding the flows. She could however have found a Yellow she could trust... If she knows from the White, the Brown the Blue the Green, she could have found at least one.

 

But no matter.

 

I'm not really angered by Cads. Or annoyed. I just have an undescript feeling about her. Her way of speaking, or her way of treating others, maybe.

 

That method worked on Rand thanks to Moiraine and Min and Nynaeve. And luck. And ploting. She did a very great deal for the Light, thanks her, but I don't know. I don't manage to like her.

 

And I don't like people saying she is just the worst character ever, and the same for those who treat her as a Goddess. I'm like one third of the Aes Sedai who neither sided with the Tower, nor the Rebels.

[The Fisher King]

This is very weird. I mean no Yellows being involved in Healing Cauthon from the dagger's Taint in Book 3, The Dragon Reborn.

 

A modern day analagous equivallent would be going to court, accused of murder, and taking no lawyer!!!

 

Or, to be more on point: Going into heart surgery having the NURSES perform the surgery with NO Doctors present, LOL!!!

 

I think this was a gaffe on the author's part. As awesome as RJ was, he WAS human ;)

 

As for Siuan only picking Aes Sedai she felt sure she could trust, well, personally I think its a valid theory, but, I will say that if there was an ENTIRE AJAH (the Yellow) that Siuan couldn't find one Sister among that she felt she could trust, well, she really DID have problems!!!

 

 

 

Fish

[ChrisTrebing]

I'm not sure if what was done to Mat strictly qualifies as healing. They severed his connection to Shadar Logoth, they didn't actually attempt to heal his symptoms as far as I know. I think it was probably more similar to Rand cutting Asmodean's connection to the Dark One than to someone healing somebody else's wounds.

[Lynchgrinch]

Reds

Blues

Browns

Greens

Greys

Yellows

Whites

 

I'm assuming not to include Blacks right? because if i did, they'd be right at the top of my list, they've done a ridiculous ammount of stiring S*** up in the series.

 

Reds have stired soo much too, in good ways and bad ways. Elaida is the obvious biggie, her plotline was so frustraiting to read about, at the end of every Elaida chapter i felt like going for a walk to cool myself down, she's so damn annoying but had the power to turn her character flaws into something huge for the story as a whole. Silviana was an example of the Reds at they're best, she was awesome and justly rewarded by Egwene when she was raised to keeper, i'd love to see more from her.

Everyone seems to forget about Liandrin and all the fuss she would kick up in the early books...i suppose she was realy black though...

 

Blue Ajah have been of vital importance since even new spring, in fact ESPECIALY new spring, Moirane and Siuan. and then there's Liane and sheriam (she's blue right? ) who have done some pretty important things themselves, blocking the south harbour in Tar Valon.....being Black Ajah all along?!?!

i don't think they have as many important minor characters as Red do though, thats why they get 2nd.

 

Brown is simply because of Verin (like everyone else), who is hands down my faveorite Aes Sedai ever. If not for her, well they'd be about as hopeless as the whites and yellows!

 

Green. Mixed emotions, i remember reading in the early books about them being the battle ajah and thinking "cool! cant realy go wrong here!" but later on they just get annoying. Alanna, i can't decide if i hate her or love her. what an idiot for bonding rand on a whim like that, i'd slap her if i could. But then again she is described as being "darkly beautiful" which does manage to conjour up some tasty immages . so yess i have a slight crush on a fictional Aes Sedai? so what, i'm sure you all do too.

In general though i think we have a LOT more to expect from the greens before TG so the next two books should be fun

 

Greys have done some immportant things, mainly helped with windfinder diplomacy etc. But to be honest, they're quite damn boring.

 

Yellows and Whites are the suckiest ajahs IMO, they do nothing. NOTHING. I've read and re-read but not one thing of the top of my head sticks out as "wow that was cool" to be honest not even "wow that was particularly annoying". Alviarin was a nippy as S*** white for a book or 2, then we found out she was actualy black, but we all knew that realy. Yellows, seriously. what a pointless calling. they "heal?" Nynaeve has done more healing than all the yellows put together and in the space of a single book. Waste of space IMO, seems a bit pointless to dedicate your whole extended Aes Sedai life to one school of knowlage. That goes for Greys, whites, yellows and Browns.

[The Fisher King]

Reds

Blues

Browns

Greens

Greys

Yellows

Whites

 

I'm assuming not to include Blacks right? because if i did, they'd be right at the top of my list, they've done a ridiculous ammount of stiring S*** up in the series.

 

Reds have stired soo much too, in good ways and bad ways. Elaida is the obvious biggie, her plotline was so frustraiting to read about, at the end of every Elaida chapter i felt like going for a walk to cool myself down, she's so damn annoying but had the power to turn her character flaws into something huge for the story as a whole. Silviana was an example of the Reds at they're best, she was awesome and justly rewarded by Egwene when she was raised to keeper, i'd love to see more from her.

Everyone seems to forget about Liandrin and all the fuss she would kick up in the early books...i suppose she was realy black though...

 

Blue Ajah have been of vital importance since even new spring, in fact ESPECIALY new spring, Moirane and Siuan. and then there's Liane and sheriam (she's blue right? ) who have done some pretty important things themselves, blocking the south harbour in Tar Valon.....being Black Ajah all along?!?!

i don't think they have as many important minor characters as Red do though, thats why they get 2nd.

 

Brown is simply because of Verin (like everyone else), who is hands down my faveorite Aes Sedai ever. If not for her, well they'd be about as hopeless as the whites and yellows!

 

Green. Mixed emotions, i remember reading in the early books about them being the battle ajah and thinking "cool! cant realy go wrong here!" but later on they just get annoying. Alanna, i can't decide if i hate her or love her. what an idiot for bonding rand on a whim like that, i'd slap her if i could. But then again she is described as being "darkly beautiful" which does manage to conjour up some tasty immages . so yess i have a slight crush on a fictional Aes Sedai? so what, i'm sure you all do too.

In general though i think we have a LOT more to expect from the greens before TG so the next two books should be fun

 

Greys have done some immportant things, mainly helped with windfinder diplomacy etc. But to be honest, they're quite damn boring.

 

Yellows and Whites are the suckiest ajahs IMO, they do nothing. NOTHING. I've read and re-read but not one thing of the top of my head sticks out as "wow that was cool" to be honest not even "wow that was particularly annoying". Alviarin was a nippy as S*** white for a book or 2, then we found out she was actualy black, but we all knew that realy. Yellows, seriously. what a pointless calling. they "heal?" Nynaeve has done more healing than all the yellows put together and in the space of a single book. Waste of space IMO, seems a bit pointless to dedicate your whole extended Aes Sedai life to one school of knowlage. That goes for Greys, whites, yellows and Browns.

 

Xactly.

 

 

Fish

[Hand of the Creator]

Alviarin is White.

 

Shes Black (we first find out in TFOH when Fain steals the dagger back).

 

 

 

Fish

 

Being Black doesn't preclude her from being White. Take Sheriam or Verin for example, they are still Blue/Brown respectively.

[Luckers]

What's even more weird is that Siuan guided the flows--in KoD she states directly that she had never been that talented at healing, so why was she weaving such a complex healing?

 

One possible explanation could be that despite the fact that they called it a healing (because it made him better) what was done to sever the connection to the dagger and get rid of the evil was different to Healing, and perhaps something that Siuan had both skill and expertise in.

[Hybrid]

Or perhaps she couldn't trust anyone else with more expertise to meld the flows, and her own knowledge was adequate. After all, she knew he was the Hornsounder, and the other Aes Sedai would definitely have known Mat was important, since he was receiving that much attention (the Amyrlin Seat, a full circle of Aes Sedai, and a sa'angreal). This is after Liandrin's 13 depart, right?

[Ozzie_aiel]

The Whites have been the most underused ajah, by far. These are supposed to be the philosiphers and thinkers of the age. Saying that though, the whites have come up with some interesting Aes Sedai, Alviarin, for one, and a special mention to Sarene (which is a totally appropiate name btw).

 

The Greens haven't been used as well, and I think they're the best Ajah, simply because they are so diverse. Cadsuane is definately the epitome of a Green, talented, brave, no nonsence and to the point.

[moroten]

I also share these thoughts concerning the failings of Aes Sedai. But what you are doing and most people in this topic is targetting specific Aes Sedai of that Ajah. Lets be honest, there are no browns out there like Verin(just an example).

 

- The brown has been very insignificant in the series, they are the master of knowledge but when Moiraine needs answers in The Great Hunt she turns to a green and a white.

- The whites, like Luckers said, they have failed their task.

- The blues. We have seen few of them outside except Moiraine even though the ajah should be controlling the world conflicts(or some sort in that sense), they have no use being bunkered up in the Tower. In all the travels that have been done one would think we would notice some more blues.

- The Green, just a major fail. Wonder if they know any simple aggresive weaves at all, go to the borderlands to practice otherwise.

- The Grey, we havnt seen much of the successfull talks but we have gotten some backstories that arent that long back. Imo this is the one ajah that is doing its job the best. Talks can fail but atleast they are doing what they should.

- The Yellow, most people turn to the local "wisdom" for healing, dont even think about going to the tower which are in most cases way too far away. The yellow should set up hospitals that are close to the people that need them, not sit in the tower and wait.

 

Thats my list. We can all mention single examples in each Ajahs that has had major influence in the story and has done their job, but that person is not the average aes sedai of that ajah.

 

Sharpen up Aes Sedai!

[Random Man]

What's even more weird is that Siuan guided the flows--in KoD she states directly that she had never been that talented at healing, so why was she weaving such a complex healing?

 

One possible explanation could be that despite the fact that they called it a healing (because it made him better) what was done to sever the connection to the dagger and get rid of the evil was different to Healing, and perhaps something that Siuan had both skill and expertise in.

To argue against my own point which you so eloquently restated, Mat experienced the severe hunger associated with traditional Healing -- and it lasted for a LONG time. So that suggests traditional Healing to some extent -- although it could have been something different, yet related, and something Siuan did have experience in.

 

Or perhaps she couldn't trust anyone else with more expertise to meld the flows, and her own knowledge was adequate. After all, she knew he was the Hornsounder, and the other Aes Sedai would definitely have known Mat was important, since he was receiving that much attention (the Amyrlin Seat, a full circle of Aes Sedai, and a sa'angreal). This is after Liandrin's 13 depart, right?

Yes, it was, IIRC...at least Siuan was aware of Liandrin's association. It was stated or thought by...someone (don't remember who, one of the girls?)...that it was possible the Aes Sedai might just let Mat die so that they could find another, more convenient Hornsounder. So perhaps Siuan couldn't trust any other Aes Sedai to not make a ... mistake, as some might have done so even with "noble" intentions -- one might have thought it better to let him die than risk the Hornsounder remaining tied to the evil of Shadar Logoth, for instance.

 

Also, about the "no Yellows," I thought it was remarked earlier that we don't know the Ajah of two of the Aes Sedai involved. That doesn't mean they weren't Yellows. Why does everyone else seem sure they were not?

[Demiandre]

I merely stated there was one chance out of 14 for both of them being Yellow. That's all.

 

Morotten : Vandene and Adeleas are Green and Brown, not White. And most of us did comment on the Ajah's purposes, not only of the vest Aes Sedai of those Ajah.

 

Oozie_Aiel, is it Sarene or Seaine. I don't remember the former doing something incredible...

[chuckievi]

I think overall the Grey Ajah gets a bad rap, they are one of the few Ajahs out there in the world doing what they are supposed to do. My rankings in order of success/usefullness at their particular roles are:

 

1.) Reds - they cull the male channelers like wildfire

2.) Greys - they have been out in the world negotiating treaties while the rest hide in the towers

3.) Browns - their whole job is to be boomworms, and they do it well

4.) Blues - If Siuan had been free to roam the world, I think they might have even found Rand and co earlier

5.) Whites - I don't have much to say either for or against the Whites.

6.) Greens - pretty useless as the battle Ajah, but they do slightly more than the Yellows, who utterly fail

7.) Yellows - where are the hospitals? Yeah I didn't think I saw any. A doctor who shuts him/herself up away from the people...real effective.

[Luckers]

1.) Reds - they cull the male channelers like wildfire

 

Yet make no effort to cleanse saidin. Their job is stopping another Breaking of the World, is it not?

 

2.) Greys - they have been out in the world negotiating treaties while the rest hide in the towers

 

They have been out in the world negotiating the appearence of Aes Sedai importance. Elayne and Nynaeve achieve more with honesty then Merillile did--and she is supposed to be one of the very best Greys.

 

3.) Browns - their whole job is to be boomworms, and they do it well

 

Their job is to arm the world with knowledge, as Verin states. They learn and learn and learn, but where are the efforts to implement this knowledge? Rand has done more for the gathering of knowledge in a year than the Brown Ajah has in the last millenia.

 

4.) Blues - If Siuan had been free to roam the world, I think they might have even found Rand and co earlier

 

If Siuan had been free we might have diplomatic relations with Shara. I don't see how Rand would have been found earlier, but I do think Moiraine and Siuan represent Aes Sedai actually doing their jobs. I've not heard of any other Blue or their missions--much less their success rate.

 

5.) Whites - I don't have much to say either for or against the Whites.

 

It was their responsibility to pull the other Ajahs back from failure. In failing to do so they become responsible for the failures of all the other Ajahs, and thus the worst of them.

 

6.) Greens - pretty useless as the battle Ajah, but they do slightly more than the Yellows, who utterly fail

 

Yup. Where were they when Malkier fell. Where were they when Shienar was assualted through Tarwin's Gap? That being said, they do have Cadsuane though. Her simple existence offsets many failures.

 

7.) Yellows - where are the hospitals? Yeah I didn't think I saw any. A doctor who shuts him/herself up away from the people...real effective.

 

Yup. More significantly, aside from Nynaeve can anyone find a single incident of a Yellow goint out of her way to heal? Oh, when confronted with someone injured they will heal them, but is there a single reference to active effort on their behalf, like Nynaeve going to help that child in tGS? I'm fairly sure there isn't. Not in the entire series.

[The Fisher King]

1.) Reds - they cull the male channelers like wildfire

 

Yet make no effort to cleanse saidin. Their job is stopping another Breaking of the World, is it not?

 

2.) Greys - they have been out in the world negotiating treaties while the rest hide in the towers

 

They have been out in the world negotiating the appearence of Aes Sedai importance. Elayne and Nynaeve achieve more with honesty then Merillile did--and she is supposed to be one of the very best Greys.

 

3.) Browns - their whole job is to be boomworms, and they do it well

 

Their job is to arm the world with knowledge, as Verin states. They learn and learn and learn, but where are the efforts to implement this knowledge? Rand has done more for the gathering of knowledge in a year than the Brown Ajah has in the last millenia.

 

4.) Blues - If Siuan had been free to roam the world, I think they might have even found Rand and co earlier

 

If Siuan had been free we might have diplomatic relations with Shara. I don't see how Rand would have been found earlier, but I do think Moiraine and Siuan represent Aes Sedai actually doing their jobs. I've not heard of any other Blue or their missions--much less their success rate.

 

5.) Whites - I don't have much to say either for or against the Whites.

 

It was their responsibility to pull the other Ajahs back from failure. In failing to do so they become responsible for the failures of all the other Ajahs, and thus the worst of them.

 

6.) Greens - pretty useless as the battle Ajah, but they do slightly more than the Yellows, who utterly fail

 

Yup. Where were they when Malkier fell. Where were they when Shienar was assualted through Tarwin's Gap? That being said, they do have Cadsuane though. Her simple existence offsets many failures.

 

7.) Yellows - where are the hospitals? Yeah I didn't think I saw any. A doctor who shuts him/herself up away from the people...real effective.

 

Yup. More significantly, aside from Nynaeve can anyone find a single incident of a Yellow goint out of her way to heal? Oh, when confronted with someone injured they will heal them, but is there a single reference to active effort on their behalf, like Nynaeve going to help that child in tGS? I'm fairly sure there isn't. Not in the entire series.

 

Luckers, I thought you were in the camp that WANTED to see some of the ''Old Guard'' Aes Sedai acieve some bit of Redemption before we call it a day???

 

 

 

Fish

[Demiandre]

Marillin Gemalphin. She has been healin stray cat, and giving them food and milk. Yes, she didn't heal humans, and she is black, I know. But I had an occasion to contradict Luckers :)

 

Sorry, she is Brown, not yellow...

[Charlz Fel]

1.) Reds - they cull the male channelers like wildfire

 

Yet make no effort to cleanse saidin. Their job is stopping another Breaking of the World, is it not?

 

 

I think this is grossly unfair. The Tower tried for centuries after the Breaking to find some way of dealing with male channelers other than gentling. They discovered some interesting things about linking (which are now known only to the Black Ajah), but their total failure to find any way of addressing the problem has discouraged everyone since from working on it.

 

Moreover, the only thing that allowed Rand even the slightest realistic hope of cleansing the Source was his possession of access keys to the Choedan Kal. (At one point, he considered using Callandor, but I think it's clear in retrospect that that was just wishful thinking.) The Aes Sedai did not have any access keys, and had no way to obtain any.

[balefireruinssteaks]

My two cents:

 

Blue Ajah - basically the political Ajah. I think Moiraine and Siuan are probably the more notable since they found the Dragon Reborn but this Ajah has had more Amyrlins than any other Ajah, and helped rebuild the Tower after Bonwhin made a disaster of things. Effective.

 

Red Ajah - seems like an Ajah full of angry lesbians. While they are important in finding men who channel, they clearly were not doing very well because Rand and Taim found as many male channelers as there are female channelers and the Red Ajah only found about ten in the last twenty years. They let their fear of male channelers and disgust of men distract them from really studying men with the spark versus men who could be taught to channel. I think Pevara, Tsutama, and Silviana are redeeming women in this Ajah.

 

Gray Ajah - Seems like they have been doing what they can, with negotiations and dealings with Kings and Queens as well as placing Gray sisters with leaders (Annoura). They seem to at least be doing what their Ajah was intended to do so although I think there haven't been a lot of negotiations to be done lately (Sea Folk), they seem to be spot on.

 

Brown Ajah - I do like Verin, of course, and Nesune seems pretty amazing; catching a lot of subtleties that other Sisters seem to miss. She figured out Egwene was in the room with Rand ("a mysterious sister" anyway) and also took note that Galina didn't want to talk about Alviarin. The Brown Ajah is useful but it seems the sisters of the Ajah are too busy trying to make their individual names famous that they miss the function of the full Ajah.

 

Green Ajah - Most noteable Aes Sedai came out of this Ajah so I think it's impressive in history. Caraighan, Cadsuane and seven Amyrlins have been Green including Shein Chula who is mentioned often. Cadsuane nearly unvieled the Black Ajah years ago. The current roster of Green Ajah seem to lack the focus and direction that seems to have stopped with Cadsuane. I think Reanne Corley exhibits qualities of a competent Green Sister even though she never got to pass her test and become Green. Disappointing is a good word for the current Green Ajah but not for the Green Ajah altogether. They've really done some stuff.

 

White Ajah - introverted and seclusive. I don't think they realize what they are capable of, so they stick to what they consider logical; mathematics and logistics and what not. Alviarin proves that logic works when she works out that Mesaana must be in the Tower posing as a Sister. But for the most part the White Ajah hasn't really done a lot. They seem a far cry from Serielle Bagand, the last White Ajah Amyrlin and a force of nature in her own right.

 

Yellow Ajah - with only three Amyrlins, the Yellow Ajah seems to serve its purpose. Even Romanda says that having eyes and ears for the Yellow seems silly since their purpose is Healing. I think now that Traveling is around again, a network of eyes and ears could be useful to call Aes Sedai if an outbreak or plague happens, or a particularly awful case of something is found. The same way that Semirhage was whisked across the world to Heal people could happen again now with sisters in the Yellow. I think they serve their purpose as well as the Gray...battle wounded are Healed, sicknesses are Healed, Matt was Healed, Rand was Healed, etc. And of course, it was from the Yellow Ajah that stilling/gentling was Healed.

 

------------------------------------

 

I think two things to think about for Egwene would be, if she even knew about the first...What was the purpose of the original Ajah? Mesaana mentions "the ajah" to Alviarin and I'm curious what it was and what was its function? Did it split into the seven Ajahs? Or did that come later?

 

Also I think it will take someone like Egwene, who has no affiliation with a particular Ajah to meld the Ajahs together in a single purpose: fighting Tarmon Gaidon right now, and taking care of the world after. The Blues need to weigh the politics of the nations, the Reds need to work with the male channelers, the Grays need to continue to administer negotiations among the White Tower and various nations, the Browns need to focus on how to reseal the Bore and the Whites need to use their logic to facilitate that plan, and the Yellows need to continue to find new ways to Heal (although a lot of Healing weaves can be shifted slightly to make some very destructive manipulations of the human body...as when Sareitha and Adeleas are killed with the weave, or when Temaile says "I will stop her heart")

 

The White Tower can be massively effective if they stop with the personal ambitions and bickering for the purposes of their Ajahs. Working together seems to be the only way to...well, make it work.