What is the Big Unnoticed Thing? (spoilers)

[Pinzarn]

I too am a little underwhelmed that the ashandarei is the BUT. All of BS's comments about the BUT have led me to believe that this item/comment from books 4 to 6 has never served a purpose.

 

In my opinion, Mat's ashandarei has served many purposes. First, we know from Mat's time at the White Tower that he is rather good with a quarterstaff, and this is pre-Finnland. As the story line progressed, the number of fights and battles that Mat found himself would have seemed more unrealistic is he only ever used a quarterstaff. The ashandarei provided more of a weapon "feel" for his adventures. Also, the inscriptions on the ashandarei have opened many avenues for Mat. If I remember correctly, the insciptions fascinated Tuon. The fact that inscriptions were written in the Old Tongue and Mat was fluent in the Old Tongue, it just seemed to fit.

 

Ever since BS's comments about the BUT, I have been waiting for more of a "throw away" item/comment made way back when. I don't feel that the ashandarei ever fit into that "throw away" mold.

 

To be honest, I would have been more impressed if the BUT was Mat's hat.

[Tenesmus]

My guess for the BUT, was what I noticed in TFOH(?) Lanfear and Egwene BOTH talk about breaking the wards on Rand's Dreams, then nothing becomes of it...ever...until the Epilogue in TOM when we see Lanfear sitting in Rand's dreams... coincdence?

[Bob T Dwarf]

My guess for the BUT, was what I noticed in TFOH(?) Lanfear and Egwene BOTH talk about breaking the wards on Rand's Dreams, then nothing becomes of it...ever...until the Epilogue in TOM when we see Lanfear sitting in Rand's dreams... coincdence?

 

While that and many other points made in this thread are very interesting, the criterion for the "thing" was that it was just that - a thing. An object. Something that could be held.

 

Sanderson has already pointed to the end of Chapter 55, where the Ashandrei gets used, as the answer to what the Big Unnoticed Thing is.

[aynatal2000]

I don't know why you guys are focusing on the Ashendorai (sp?). I thought it was pretty clear that the tBUT was NOT something about Mat's trip to Finnland and what he got there. I thought that was specifically on the list of things to be eliminated from consideration.

 

It was revealed that someone said it wasn't when it actually was.

 

Has anyone thought of the fact that the key may also work with the Towers of Midnight in the Seanchan Empire? We have been given glimpses of the surrounding area of the TOG is ... and some of the scenery has been very different than the area it is in.It has been said it is in another world/dimension, could there be access to it from the TOMs? If so he has a key... and if he has to enter or exit them from the telrhanriod the ashandorai and the amulet keep the Forsaken, the Dreadlords, the Aes Sedai and others from harming him. I think he is going to enter the dream with Tuon or to get Tuon, he is the Prince of Ravens ... and isn't one of the towers the Tower of the Ravens?

[Sharaman]

I don't know why you guys are focusing on the Ashendorai (sp?). I thought it was pretty clear that the tBUT was NOT something about Mat's trip to Finnland and what he got there. I thought that was specifically on the list of things to be eliminated from consideration.

 

It was revealed that someone said it wasn't when it actually was.

 

Has anyone thought of the fact that the key may also work with the Towers of Midnight in the Seanchan Empire? We have been given glimpses of the surrounding area of the TOG is ... and some of the scenery has been very different than the area it is in.It has been said it is in another world/dimension, could there be access to it from the TOMs? If so he has a key... and if he has to enter or exit them from the telrhanriod the ashandorai and the amulet keep the Forsaken, the Dreadlords, the Aes Sedai and others from harming him. I think he is going to enter the dream with Tuon or to get Tuon, he is the Prince of Ravens ... and isn't one of the towers the Tower of the Ravens?

I think the ToR is Seeker HQ in Seandar - not Imfaral.

[nophone]

Its use was really isolated, and in that way it was less impressive than the reveal of Asmo's killer (I mean in Moridin's and SH's chats with Graendal, not that folly in the glossary). But Asmo was already dead and knowing who did it changes nothing, whereas allowing Mat to escape 'finnland was very important indeed. I'm actually quite surprised at the way it was revealed. It seemed that Mat really took his time with that revelation (I mean, once he started thinking in the right direction, it became obvious which way this is going to go. Not that I had any inkling what the Ashandarei was all about before that). For me, it lessened the worth of Noal's sacrifice.

 

 

I completely agree with you, and i was a bit annoyed with the skooby-doo-like after math. Mat should have beat him self up over it for a second or 2... like "if only i had just thoguht of this like 7 min ago, i wouldn't have had to throw my friend to the finns. He doesn't even recant, he just mentions "man, that guy is a hero... or is he... is moraine the real hero???"

 

then... clapping on the backs... "hey hey, i never knew you 2 liked eachother... wowzers! zoiks!"

[Duskfire]

For all we know though, Mat needed to be in that specific room for it to work. After all, his random chance did lead him to that room. He even spun himself around again while he was in there. Granted it may have been the doorway, but it could also just as been for whatever reason that room was the only way to exit using his method.

[joshua]

Has anyone considered Avendesora as the BUT?

[gary0044187]

Has anyone considered Avendesora as the BUT?

I was happy it was blooming again, I am uncertain whether it was mentioned as healthy in a previous book, but I am certain it is not the BUT, because in previous posts other people have said the Ashanderai was the BUT

[didymos]

Has anyone considered Avendesora as the BUT?

 

Brandon has told us what it is: the ashandarei.

[joshua]

Clearly I missed that. Thank you for eloquently and italic-ly being the second to mention I am a little late.

[JenniferL]

It's mentioned many, many times in this thread. Please read before posting. Thanks.

[joshua]

It was an honest mistake. I don't see that it necessitates 3 people calling me out.

[RedRaider]

Tuon's ability to channel, perhaps?

[lordofsoup]

Does this mean that any power-rought metals can be used to escape from the Tower? or is it only the Ashandarei. I never thought of it as a ter'angreal, but I suppose that Elayne could have made Mat's medallions into knives.

[Pinzarn]

Has anyone considered Avendesora as the BUT?

 

Brandon has told us what it is: the ashandarei.

 

I disagree.

 

Please cite where Brandon specifically said it was the ashandarei. Up to this point, the confirmation has been that it is the "end of chapter 55".

 

I agree that more than likely this points to the ashandarei, but to stating it as fact from the authors mouth is pushing the limits. If I missed the specific ashandarei confirmation, I'll admit it, but I would also like to see the citation of the confirmation.

[Axon]

Brandon said that the BUT was more intriguing to him than the identity of Asmodean's killer. Apparently, not everyone thinks so.

 

Had I read this in RJ's notes, I would have agreed. Still, BJS just phrased things wrong - it's not that this was a big, unnoticed thing, but rather, this was a big, different use of a noticed thing. Ashandrei did not fit into any other of Mat's requests, though the writing on it, I suppose, was meant to mislead.

 

I am impressed that RJ's intent was to use the Ashandrei as the key to escape since way back.

[didymos]

Has anyone considered Avendesora as the BUT?

 

Brandon has told us what it is: the ashandarei.

 

I disagree.

 

Please cite where Brandon specifically said it was the ashandarei. Up to this point, the confirmation has been that it is the "end of chapter 55".

 

I agree that more than likely this points to the ashandarei, but to stating it as fact from the authors mouth is pushing the limits. If I missed the specific ashandarei confirmation, I'll admit it, but I would also like to see the citation of the confirmation.

 

He's told us by virtue of the fact that there's nothing else at the end of Chapter 55 which could possibly be the Unnoticed Thing. Only the ashandarei meets all the criteria he'd stated. If you're gonna insist on Brandon actually saying "Ashandarei!" before calling it well and truly confirmed, fine, but as far as I'm concerned that's just pedantic hairsplitting.

[bloody ashs]

I never thought about mat weapon! it was news to me when I read it.

[Dragons_Eggman]

BRCayen: @BrandonSandrson I can't figure it out....what was the "little thing" that was missed at the start of the series?

 

BrandonSandrson: @BRCayen End of chapter 55.

 

 

The question above to me makes reference to the "little thing", which is what BS is replying to, was there anything else in the conversation that specifies that the BUT is what BS is actually referring to?

 

I've read through the entire thread and everyone seems to take it for granted that BS is referring to the BUT, however the above question doesn't mention the BUT. Am I missing something from the Twitter conversation?

[Crael123]

Has anyone considered Avendesora as the BUT?

 

Brandon has told us what it is: the ashandarei.

 

Yeah it is obvious. And i havnt even finished the book I just read that bit

 

And is it just me or was there like WAAAAAAAAAY more interviews with brandon for TGS than with TOM?

[Adamdidit]

There was also the little unnoticed thing from book 3 that a few have said is probably Noma. I have a different take. In book 3, Mat blew the Horn, and him basically demanding it back in this book seems to have gone quite unnoticed.

[Mr Ares]

There was also the little unnoticed thing from book 3 that a few have said is probably Noma. I have a different take. In book 3, Mat blew the Horn, and him basically demanding it back in this book seems to have gone quite unnoticed.

Maybe the rest of us just noticed that he blew it in book 2?

[Adamdidit]

this is the first time since that he's expressed any kind of desire to get it back

 

which might be important if he's ever going to blow it again

[Kestrel]

This whole thing is overrated. "GOTCHA! Nobody noticed the ashandarei!" Give me a break.

 

Yeah, we noticed it all right. A long time ago. An ancient weapon, a quarterstaff/spear with a very nasty oversized bayonet. Very handy tool for close-in fighting. Hey, Mat let the 'finns set the price for his return to Rhuidean, and they needed SOMETHING to hang him from.

 

Big unnoticed thing we all overlooked? Maybe.

 

Except:

 

-- The ashandarei is apparently something from one of those past lives Mat partially remembers. But he has no recollection of the ashandarei nor anything special about it. Birgitte is the one who recognizes it, and even she doesn't have anything more to offer.

 

-- The ashandarei doesn't do anything to clue Mat or us in about a special nature. It doesn't land point down on a "foxes and snakes" board. It doesn't point to the Tower like a compass points north. It doesn't hum or vibrate when near the tower.

 

-- It has an inscription apparently added by the 'finns. "Thus is our treaty written; thus is agreement made. Thought is the arrow of time; memory never fades. What was asked is given. The price is paid." I don't see anything in that inscription about special features, or escape, or fending off the 'finns. Do you?