Ask A Simple Question, Get A Simple Answer

[Sharaman]

I was re-reading the Potter series recently, and I was struck by how many characters Rowling killed off, especially in comparison to Jordan.

 

I can only think of 3 important-ish Lightside characters Jordan has killed off - Ingtar, Noal and Arram - and that gives a lot of credit to Ingtar for his redemption - I'm sure there are more.

 

So, my question is: how many even slightly important lightside characters have been killed in this series?

 

ummm... errr... hmmm... Oh! I know! Nicola!

 

Yeah and what was that about, killing off Nicola? I thought Min viewed some bright future ahead for Nicola back in Salidar, or was that for Ariana?

Faolain.

[waffle]

what´s up with that Aes Sedai for whom Min saw a raven tattoo or something similar in the future. The one that got killed fighting black ajah in the dream world

[Sharaman]

what´s up with that Aes Sedai for whom Min saw a raven tattoo or something similar in the future. The one that got killed fighting black ajah in the dream world

Carlinya is a RAFO - we have been told Min may have misinterpreted what she saw.

[blazetheearth]

Does The white aura around Rands mind indicate that he is now continuously connected to the One power?

It's unlikely that whiteness was the One Power--Nynaeve would not see saidin. We don't know precisely what's going with Rand's new inner light. It seems to hurt darkfriends and hold off the madness, plus it seems to have given Rand super-weaving powers.

 

Personally, I think that if you consider that the black splotches that Nynaeve sees on the Asha'man's mind is the madness that comes from the taint of saidin on their minds. Or looked at a different way it could be considered the DO's touch or a piece of the Shadow that has fallen on them. She compares the Taint on Naeff's mind with Compulsion. But when she Delves Rand this is what she sees...

 

The darkness was enormous, covering the entirety of his mind. Thousands upon thousands of the tiny black thorns pricked into his brain, but beneath them was a brilliant white lacing of something. A white radiance, like liquid Power. Light given form and life

 

The line Light given form and life. I think that the white light is the Light's answer to the Shadow's taint. She goes on to say it (the light) coats each of the dark thorns in his mind. To me, it sounds like a buffer, keeping the taint from actually touching his mind. And it is probably a result of Rand breaking down the memory barriers and allowing his current mind to access all for the memories that his soul possesses. Just my opinion.

[Sharaman]

Ok dark compulsion fights light compulsion to a standstill.

Maybe the light is the effect of Fain's dagger wound?

[Nooska]

what´s up with that Aes Sedai for whom Min saw a raven tattoo or something similar in the future. The one that got killed fighting black ajah in the dream world

Carlinya is a RAFO - we have been told Min may have misinterpreted what she saw.

Actually, we have been told that WE may have misinterpreted what Min saw.

[babuada]

Do we have any quote denying that Crystal Throne is a binding chair?

[Zodd]

Were there not two Gholam loose in Randland, not just one? On first reading I thought it was the woman DF who later turned out to be Aran'gar (think it was Halima). Don't think I would have gotten this suspicion without cause. Help?

[Majsju]

Were there not two Gholam loose in Randland, not just one? On first reading I thought it was the woman DF who later turned out to be Aran'gar (think it was Halima). Don't think I would have gotten this suspicion without cause. Help?

 

There has been speculation in the fanbase that there might have been two. Because Herid Fel was klled by one quite some time before the one who went after Mat was activated. However, Brandons confirmation that Gholam can pass through a gateway, unlike other shadowspawn, puts quite a dent in those speculations.

[r2debo]

Why didn't Moiraine and Lanfear use the OP in Finnland to "blast their way out there"?

 

Any thoughts on this? I remember Rand using his fire sword in TDR while walking backwards out of the doorway in Tear. If he was able to use the OP there, why did Moiraine and Lanfear not use it?

[rambling]

Why didn't Moiraine and Lanfear use the OP in Finnland to "blast their way out there"?

 

Any thoughts on this? I remember Rand using his fire sword in TDR while walking backwards out of the doorway in Tear. If he was able to use the OP there, why did Moiraine and Lanfear not use it?

 

The doorway is the key - it melted behind them. The Finns are in a different 'dimension' and you can't just blast your way out, you need an exit or the tool to make one(like Mat).

[johthohar]

Okay, I read in a post somewhere someone was saying Rand's wounds (Sword wound from Ishamael, Dagger slash from Fain) were healed. I was under the impression he still had them. Did I just forget something?

[AuldGoldBeard]

Were the soldiers with Mat at Hinder ever addressed? I know he said something about it, but wasnt sure if anything was noted in TOM.

 

It was and error and has been corrected in later edition.

How was it corrected? Did they simply ride out with them in the new version? Kind of annoyed with the BWS "RAFO" answer if that's the case.

[rambling]

Okay, I read in a post somewhere someone was saying Rand's wounds (Sword wound from Ishamael, Dagger slash from Fain) were healed. I was under the impression he still had them. Did I just forget something?

 

He still has them, I remember a couple of very small mentions in TOM.

[francy]

I was re-reading the Potter series recently, and I was struck by how many characters Rowling killed off, especially in comparison to Jordan.

 

I can only think of 3 important-ish Lightside characters Jordan has killed off - Ingtar, Noal and Arram - and that gives a lot of credit to Ingtar for his redemption - I'm sure there are more.

 

So, my question is: how many even slightly important lightside characters have been killed in this series?

 

ummm... errr... hmmm... Oh! I know! Nicola!

 

Yeah and what was that about, killing off Nicola? I thought Min viewed some bright future ahead for Nicola back in Salidar, or was that for Ariana?

Faolain.

 

Ah, of course... Thank you!!

[ctehguitar]

Hi, new here. I have two questions. First one: Throughout the series I had been under the impression that Mat's memories of other men's lives were actually his own past lives that the Finn's had filled the holes in his memory with. Reading ToM I realized that they were actually just memories of random people who happened to be great military commanders. Correct? If so, why do the Finn want him to be a great general? I think it would have been cooler and made more sense if they were his own past lives.

 

Second question: What the hell are the Towers of Midnight?

[nolirion]

 

Second question: What the hell are the Towers of Midnight?

According to the glossary they are a place in seanchan , according to Lucker it was the forsaken

[Mulk]

Hi, new here. I have two questions. First one: Throughout the series I had been under the impression that Mat's memories of other men's lives were actually his own past lives that the Finn's had filled the holes in his memory with. Reading ToM I realized that they were actually just memories of random people who happened to be great military commanders. Correct? If so, why do the Finn want him to be a great general? I think it would have been cooler and made more sense if they were his own past lives.

 

Second question: What the hell are the Towers of Midnight?

 

second was addressed.

 

For the first, that is correct. As to why, (personal theory here) I think they grabbed at "random" from the people they had sampled and they just happened to all be military men. Random, as we have seen, works in Mat's favor every time. It's not a stretch to see why military commanders would have visited the Finns - questions about what they should do for upcoming battles, current wars and the like, how to survive, etc.

 

Just my take. But I think given Mat's tav'eren nature combined with his luck is what gave him only military minds to draw from.

[ctehguitar]

Thanks, that makes sense.

 

I'm still really unclear about the Towers though, I don't get what their significance was to deserve the book being titled after them.

[Duskfire]

Thanks, that makes sense.

 

I'm still really unclear about the Towers though, I don't get what their significance was to deserve the book being titled after them.

 

Well, like the majority of the later books, the title is metaphorical as well as literal. It references the Seanchan, who are still a major problem, not just present time but also in the future going by Aviendahs vision. Its also in regards to the Forsaken who play quite a prominent part in the book. Midnight is also the dividing point between one day and the next, or in this case, one age and the next. And then all three towers associated; Whitetower, Blacktower and Tower of Gheneji all have dark, sinister stuff involved with them. I dont think it has much to do with the Towers of Midnight location myself except to represent the Seanchan, unless that new ruler is important.

[alligator]

Hi, new here. I have two questions. First one: Throughout the series I had been under the impression that Mat's memories of other men's lives were actually his own past lives that the Finn's had filled the holes in his memory with. Reading ToM I realized that they were actually just memories of random people who happened to be great military commanders. Correct? If so, why do the Finn want him to be a great general? I think it would have been cooler and made more sense if they were his own past lives.

 

Just wanted to add, Mat is a gambler as well as a general. According to the books, those often goes together-- in war you have to be able to take risks. The memories the Finns can give out come from people who visited them and died. Usually the only people to go into the Tower of Ghenjei were gamblers with incentive and knowledge, ie war commanders... so on top of Mat's luck you already have a high proportion of generals' memories to choose from. Does that make sense? :)

[johthohar]

Just my take. But I think given Mat's tav'eren nature combined with his luck is what gave him only military minds to draw from.

 

I always inferred that his luck was part of his tav'eren nature and not a separate ability or attribute. Also, until he sounded the HoV I thought he might be Hawking reborn. That has little relevance now but I just thought I'd mention it for some reason.

 

Just wanted to add, Mat is a gambler as well as a general. According to the books, those often goes together-- in war you have to be able to take risks. The memories the Finns can give out come from people who visited them and died. Usually the only people to go into the Tower of Ghenjei were gamblers with incentive and knowledge, ie war commanders... so on top of Mat's luck you already have a high proportion of generals' memories to choose from. Does that make sense? :)

 

It does make sense that a large number of military commanders would visit the Finns. However, I was under the impression that the "memories given to Mat are from people who visited the Eelfinn" theory was Mat's assumption and, while highly likely, was still not certain. And where does it say they have to have died for their memories to have been given to Mat? I'm I right or was this confirmed somewhere in the books or by RJ/BS?

[Haran]

Whats this Elayne bath-scene i keep hearing about? I can't remember ever reading anything like it? Book/chapter?

[AutomatedTeller]

It's in one of the middle books - Elayne's taking a bath and a couple of the Sea People come in. I'm not honestly sure what the big deal is - people take bath's all the time in the books, but maybe Elayne is mentioned more often than others, I don't remember.

 

Or, maybe it's just a way for those who dislike Elayne to make of her.

[Guest]

ive got a question, i dunno if it has been said already.

 

how far apart can a circle be when they are linked?

 

i remember in TGS that Egwene kept her linked novices in the room behind her, is that the limit practically the limit of distance?

 

at least i dont like the idea that once linked you can stand at opposite sides of the world, i just hope there is some limitation