Nynaeve's Arc

[Luckers]

Go.

[Mr. Micawber]

Dear Team Jordan,

 

You know that excruciating description of Asha'man Naeff's madness? Good writing.

 

And I wanted to let you know, I'm not going to sleep tonight. Because that was one of the single most disturbing scenes I've read in this series.

 

My skin is still crawling.

 

Thanks!

 

Mr. Micawber

[GB]

Nynaeve was awesome in this book.

 

i laughed when rand tells her she needed some new insults.

 

but she is shaping up to be a great Aes Sedai.

 

we havent had any indication of her being pregnant right?

 

and her curing madness is unexpected , do you think egwene will tell her not to show this to sisters because it is so close to reversing compulsion and sisters might learn compulsion again?

[Michelleharper]

Nyneave is amazing. That's all I got to say about that.

[TheTuninator]

Nynaeve was great, she's become one of my favorite characters.

 

Speaking of which, does she show up in the latter half of ToM at all? I didn't notice her, and given the circumstances with Lan, this leads me to believe she may be up to something. Especially since she promised to return to Rand.

[MierinWru]

I love the fact that she's actually on Rand's side. She always stayed true to herself.

 

While Egwene went from annoying teenager to Amyrlin and got corrupted by the White Tower. Which means she thinks that the White Tower (and its influence) is more important than the actual war against the Dark One. 

 

Funny how Egwene noticed Nynaeve being influenced by Rand. I don't think she'll manage to pull her over to her camp, though.

 

 

[Cyf]

One comment more on Dragonmount than anything else. I've seen people say that Nynaeve's discovery of healing madness is a DEM. It is not. A Deus ex Machina is a plot element that pulls someone's bacon out of the fire that has no previous support. Ishy says in the first book that the sisters could heal LTT's madness, though even they probably couldn't keep him lucid for long. Semi mentions Graendal was skilled at healing madness. And so on.

 

No DEM at all. In fact, I'm thinking this is basically foreshadowing of her donig it to Rand. I think...well, that's not for this thread, but I think during the Last Battle, Rand will basically get overwhelmed by the Shadow and Nyn will keep him lucid. Or something along those lines. Or at least, I think it's a possibility.

[Kidicaris]

I love the fact that she's actually on Rand's side. She always stayed true to herself.

 

While Egwene went from annoying teenager to Amyrlin and got corrupted by the White Tower. Which means she thinks that the White Tower (and its influence) is more important than the actual war against the Dark One. 

 

Funny how Egwene noticed Nynaeve being influenced by Rand. I don't think she'll manage to pull her over to her camp, though.

 

I have to be upfront with my bias. Nynaeve has been one of my favorite characters in WoT ever since TEotW. In fact I was irritated when RJ created channelers that cast a shadow on her abilities--like any female channeler who was better at Healing. I just never thought Nynaeve got the credit she deserved. I guess WoT in the age of the Last Battle is a little crowded with legendary heroes, but I think Nynaeve surely is legendary among Aes Sedai--to me.

 

Of course it would have been amazing if she failed the testing, or decided that being Aes Sedai was not worth selling herself--and possibly Rand, out. It would have opened an interesting can of worms, in this age where the White Tower is not the only option for channelers. The shocked responses from some of the testers to Nynaeve's statement that she would be with Rand irritated me. Surely not all channelers will be required to fight the DO personally, but it's not like Nynaeve is a light weight. She's the strongest female Aes Sedai in the White Tower by a large margin, where else would she be? Fighting a few trollocks in Chachin? The surprise seemed to be even more telling though, and I wonder what these Aes Sedai imagined they would be doing in the Last Battle themselves.

 

It's a shame we got no indication from any Aes Sedai pov of real practical preparations for the Last Battle. Sure Egwene is trying to form an alliance of channelers--but this is all for future apprentices. What about Greens practicing as the damane do--to fight. Are the other Ajahs ready to leave their logic, laws, and books for a day to kill some shadow spawn? The Aes Sedai had a very poor showing with the Seanchan raid, this doesn't bode well. In fact they attempted to prevent Nynaeve from even joining them... Seriously...

 

Thank god Nynaeve is ready for it. God I wish we got some good battle pov's from here during the Mesaana confrontation. All we got was a blurb about her remaining below to fight off the BA ambush.

[Random Man]

One comment more on Dragonmount than anything else. I've seen people say that Nynaeve's discovery of healing madness is a DEM. It is not. A Deus ex Machina is a plot element that pulls someone's bacon out of the fire that has no previous support. Ishy says in the first book that the sisters could heal LTT's madness, though even they probably couldn't keep him lucid for long. Semi mentions Graendal was skilled at healing madness. And so on.

 

No DEM at all. In fact, I'm thinking this is basically foreshadowing of her donig it to Rand. I think...well, that's not for this thread, but I think during the Last Battle, Rand will basically get overwhelmed by the Shadow and Nyn will keep him lucid. Or something along those lines. Or at least, I think it's a possibility.

I have a feeling her healing Naeff was more a literary excuse for Nynaeve to try the same thing with Rand, and thereby reveal the "Light-sanity" or whatever you might call it that she found. Other than that, it shows Nynaeve's growing prowess as a healer and gives some insight into the nature of the madness -- we've been told that the taint is a catalyst for insanity but Nynaeve was actually able to find the evidence of the physical damage done to the brain. So it's also a neat bit of world building.

 

Nynaeve was completely awesome in this book. Her testing was such an enjoyable chapter -- one of the top three on my list. The only scene I was a bit apprehensive about was her meeting in T'A'R with Egwene. IMO Egwene showed complete lack of decorum in the way she put Nynaeve in her "place" and I felt a bit uneasy about seeing Nynaeve being...bullied, for lack of a better term. But then Nynaeve turns around and offhandedly says she'll do the testing, completely dismissing Egwene's claims that the weaves are difficult and complicated. So there, miss high-on-her-seven-striped-stole! I can't wait to see what Nynaeve does in aMoL. Rand promised her he wasn't going to abandon Lan and she has the bond now, so I'm thinking we'll see some sort of triumphant rescue at Tarwin's Gap involving her and Rand.

[AutomatedTeller]

Nynaeve was awesome. And her achievements were well-established by Egwene - married to a king, took down a forsaken and, oh... cleansed the True Source.

 

I really don't understand the Egwene hate. I really, really don't get it. I mean, in something like 8 months, she goes from being an apprentice to an attempted puppet leader, to being the actual leader who freaking saves the White Tower (probably the most important organization on the side of Light that exists) from itself and the Black Ajah and then takes down a forsaken of her own. And yet, she gets dinged for... i dunno what. Thinking that the plan of a guy who might be dangerously insane might be a bad one?

 

Anyway - back to Nynaeve.

 

I think she's going to be the model for a new type of Aes Sedai - Egwene saved the White Tower, but Nynaeve will be the one who will be it's heart for years to come.

 

I think that if Egwene were to tell her to not show how to cure madness, she'd say "Stick it. Mother." In that way, she is like the Aiel - defends her own well.

[The Watcher and Wanderer]

One comment more on Dragonmount than anything else. I've seen people say that Nynaeve's discovery of healing madness is a DEM. It is not. A Deus ex Machina is a plot element that pulls someone's bacon out of the fire that has no previous support. Ishy says in the first book that the sisters could heal LTT's madness, though even they probably couldn't keep him lucid for long. Semi mentions Graendal was skilled at healing madness. And so on.

 

No DEM at all. In fact, I'm thinking this is basically foreshadowing of her donig it to Rand. I think...well, that's not for this thread, but I think during the Last Battle, Rand will basically get overwhelmed by the Shadow and Nyn will keep him lucid. Or something along those lines. Or at least, I think it's a possibility.

I have a feeling her healing Naeff was more a literary excuse for Nynaeve to try the same thing with Rand, and thereby reveal the "Light-sanity" or whatever you might call it that she found. Other than that, it shows Nynaeve's growing prowess as a healer and gives some insight into the nature of the madness -- we've been told that the taint is a catalyst for insanity but Nynaeve was actually able to find the evidence of the physical damage done to the brain. So it's also a neat bit of world building.

 

Nynaeve was completely awesome in this book. Her testing was such an enjoyable chapter -- one of the top three on my list. The only scene I was a bit apprehensive about was her meeting in T'A'R with Egwene. IMO Egwene showed complete lack of decorum in the way she put Nynaeve in her "place" and I felt a bit uneasy about seeing Nynaeve being...bullied, for lack of a better term. But then Nynaeve turns around and offhandedly says she'll do the testing, completely dismissing Egwene's claims that the weaves are difficult and complicated. So there, miss high-on-her-seven-striped-stole! I can't wait to see what Nynaeve does in aMoL. Rand promised her he wasn't going to abandon Lan and she has the bond now, so I'm thinking we'll see some sort of triumphant rescue at Tarwin's Gap involving her and Rand.

 

 

I agree completely about Egwene's treatment of Nyn in TAR esp how she gave Nyn the whole lecture about calling her "Mother" but did not make the same demand of Elayne. I mean in this entire series has Elayne ever called Egwene "Mother"?

[Tom Sawyer]

I think Egwene's opinion of Nynaeve spoke so well to Egwene's character. "She disagreed with me? Rand must be using his taver'en abilities to twist her mind. There's no way that a free thinking person can disagree with me because I'm always right by definition".

 

Egwene needs to get together with Richard Rahl so the two of them can sit down and complain about how stupid everyone in the world who's not them is.

[smileyman]

 

I have to be upfront with my bias. Nynaeve has been one of my favorite characters in WoT ever since TEotW. In fact I was irritated when RJ created channelers that cast a shadow on her abilities--like any female channeler who was better at Healing. I just never thought Nynaeve got the credit she deserved. I guess WoT in the age of the Last Battle is a little crowded with legendary heroes, but I think Nynaeve surely is legendary among Aes Sedai--to me.

 

Oddly I've been the exact opposite. Her arrogance and temper have always driven me nuts--but her gathering of fallen Malkieri is my absolute favorite scene in the entire series, and here she's completely awesome. I actually think her character has developed more than any other character in the series. It's not been a sudden change either, like with Rand coming to grips with himself. It's been gradual and almost imperceptible.

 

Of course it would have been amazing if she failed the testing, or decided that being Aes Sedai was not worth selling herself--and possibly Rand, out. It would have opened an interesting can of worms, in this age where the White Tower is not the only option for channelers. The shocked responses from some of the testers to Nynaeve's statement that she would be with Rand irritated me. Surely not all channelers will be required to fight the DO personally, but it's not like Nynaeve is a light weight. She's the strongest female Aes Sedai in the White Tower by a large margin, where else would she be? Fighting a few trollocks in Chachin? The surprise seemed to be even more telling though, and I wonder what these Aes Sedai imagined they would be doing in the Last Battle themselves.

There's absolutely no doubt that she would pass the Testing. Personally I'd rather have had her pass the testing, then look around and say "You know, you Aes Sedai are rather heartless creatures. I don't think I want to be part of this organization after all." Of course that would mean not having Lan's bond, so I don't think she would have ever considered it.

[TheTuninator]

Nynaeve was awesome. And her achievements were well-established by Egwene - married to a king, took down a forsaken and, oh... cleansed the True Source.

 

I really don't understand the Egwene hate. I really, really don't get it. I mean, in something like 8 months, she goes from being an apprentice to an attempted puppet leader, to being the actual leader who freaking saves the White Tower (probably the most important organization on the side of Light that exists) from itself and the Black Ajah and then takes down a forsaken of her own. And yet, she gets dinged for... i dunno what. Thinking that the plan of a guy who might be dangerously insane might be a bad one?

 

Anyway - back to Nynaeve.

 

I think she's going to be the model for a new type of Aes Sedai - Egwene saved the White Tower, but Nynaeve will be the one who will be it's heart for years to come.

 

I think that if Egwene were to tell her to not show how to cure madness, she'd say "Stick it. Mother." In that way, she is like the Aiel - defends her own well.

 

The reason I strongly dislike Egwene in ToM is she hasn't learned the lesson the other characters have; one of humility and their own flaws. She's incredibly formal with even those closest to her, and even those who love her. She demands deference and obedience but doesn't seem willing to reach out to those who used to be close to her. In short, she's what Rand was in TGS, and that's really not good. I'm hoping she has an epiphany like he did, because at the moment Egwene is more than a little bit of an ice queen. Just look at how she treated Gawyn and Nynaeve; someone who loves her and someone who has known her since she was a child, and she never drops the guise of the Amyrlin once, even in private. THAT'S why I disliked her so much in TOM.

 

I'll admit I would have loved to see Nynaeve stick it to the Aes Sedai and simply walk out after that testing, but obviously that was unlikely at best.

[Random Man]

Nynaeve was awesome. And her achievements were well-established by Egwene - married to a king, took down a forsaken and, oh... cleansed the True Source.

 

I really don't understand the Egwene hate. I really, really don't get it. I mean, in something like 8 months, she goes from being an apprentice to an attempted puppet leader, to being the actual leader who freaking saves the White Tower (probably the most important organization on the side of Light that exists) from itself and the Black Ajah and then takes down a forsaken of her own. And yet, she gets dinged for... i dunno what. Thinking that the plan of a guy who might be dangerously insane might be a bad one?

 

Anyway - back to Nynaeve.

 

I think she's going to be the model for a new type of Aes Sedai - Egwene saved the White Tower, but Nynaeve will be the one who will be it's heart for years to come.

 

I think that if Egwene were to tell her to not show how to cure madness, she'd say "Stick it. Mother." In that way, she is like the Aiel - defends her own well.

 

The reason I strongly dislike Egwene in ToM is she hasn't learned the lesson the other characters have; one of humility and their own flaws. She's incredibly formal with even those closest to her, and even those who love her. She demands deference and obedience but doesn't seem willing to reach out to those who used to be close to her. In short, she's what Rand was in TGS, and that's really not good. I'm hoping she has an epiphany like he did, because at the moment Egwene is more than a little bit of an ice queen. Just look at how she treated Gawyn and Nynaeve; someone who loves her and someone who has known her since she was a child, and she never drops the guise of the Amyrlin once, even in private. THAT'S why I disliked her so much in TOM.

 

I'll admit I would have loved to see Nynaeve stick it to the Aes Sedai and simply walk out after that testing, but obviously that was unlikely at best.

Agreed. I'm not typically an Egwene-hater. Usually I stick up for her. But in TOM she seemed to have become much more arrogant after her raising and the reunification. She even brought me to sympathize with Gawyn, who was IMO purposefully written to be a singleminded, arrogant, bull-headed...well, his sigil is a charging bull, after all. I just didn't care for the apparent change in character, makes me concerned that the stole's gotten to her head.

[karehiro]

Nynaeve was incredibly awesome this book. The madness healing and the testing solidified why she's one of the best characters and greatest female channeler of the 3rd Age that we know by far. It's also gratifying to see that as many people predicted, she will play a pivotal role in Tarmon Gaidon. Now, there's a couple of things I was interested in hearing thoughts on

 

1) What do you guys think about her being called back to the Tower and her new type of "interaction" she has with Egwene?

-For me, while I did like the testing and the viewpoints that she brought to the Tower, I did NOT like this development at all. I found that the reason why Nynaeve became so awesome in the first place was when she pretty much left the Tower/Aes Sedai influences and became sort of an independent force. She made great strides as a character, made SIGNIFICANT accomplisments, and really her adventures kinda gave me a sense that she could be another Moiraine type of character/figure. Now, she still can do that, but I feel going back to the Tower and being beholden to the Tower and Egwene would only set her back as a character. I mean, don't tell me I was the only one who rolled my eyes when Nynaeve was forced by Egwene to submit to her sense of authority, or when both Siuan and Egwene made observations on how Nynaeve was "taking Rand's side" or spending too much time with him simply because she felt that he'd proven himself competently and that the White Tower wasn't always the final abritrer on things.

 

2) What are your thoughts on the evolution of Rand and Nynaeve's relationship (in the platonic sense of course)? It seems that they've grown not only to trust and respect, but genuinely like each other. Just look at these instances:

 

 

"A Vow", pg 210-211

"Maybe you're right," Nynaeve said.

Elayne looked troubled.

This was a more lukewarm reception than Egwene had expected. She'd thought that the Wise Ones would resist her, while Nynaeve and Elayne would immediately see the danger.

Nynaeve has been around him too much, Egwene thought. She was likely caught up by his ta'veren nature. The Pattern bent around him. Those near him would begin to see things his way, would work--unconsciously--to see his will done.

That had to be the explanation. Normally, Nynaeve was so levelheaded about these sorts of things [....]

 

 

"Use a Pebble", pg 221

Rand stepped up to Nynaeve. "You care for my people. Thank you."

"I care for any who need it," Nynaeve said.

"As you've always done," Rand said. "Along with caring for some who don't need it."

"Like you?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I've always needed it. That and more."

Nynaeve hesitated. That wasn't something she'd ever expected him to admit. Why hadn't he gotten ride of that old cloak? It was faded and dull.

 

"Use a Pebble", pg 222

"[....] We must face him while still strong. That is why I must break the seals."

"I . . ." Nynaeve said. "I think I actually believe you." She was surprised to realize it.

"Do you, Nynaeve?" he asked, sounding oddly relieved. "Do you really?"

"I do."

"Then try to convince Egwene. She will stop me, if she can."

"Rand . . . she has called me back to the Tower. I'll need to go today."

Rand looked saddened. "Well, I suspected that she might do that eventually." He took Nynaeve by the shoulder in an odd gesture. "Don't let them ruin you, Nynaeve. They'll try."

"Ruin me?"

"Your passion is part of you," Rand said. "I tried to be like them, though I wouldn't have admitted it. Cold. Always in control. It nearly destroyed me. That is strength to some, but it is not the only type of strength. Perhaps you could learn to control yourself a little more, but I like you as you are. It makes you genuine. I would not see you become another 'perfect' Aes Sedai with a painted mask of a face and no care for the feelings and emotions of others."

 

 

"Use a Pebble", pg 223

"Go to Egwene," Rand said, releasing her shoulder. "But when you can, I would like it very much if you returned to me. I will need your counsel again. At the very least, I would like you by my side as I go to Shayol Ghul. I cannot defeat him with saidin alone, and if we are going to use Callandor, I will need two women I trust in the circle with me. I have not decided upon the other. Aviendha or Elayne, perhaps. But you for certain."

"I will be there, Rand." She felt oddly proud. "Hold still for a moment. I won't hurt you. I promise."

 

"Use a Pebble", pg 224

Nynaeve nodded, then--feeling foolish--gave him a hug before hurrying off to seek out Narishma and Flinn. A hug. For the Dragon Reborn. She was turning as silly as Elayne. She shook her head, thinking that perhaps some time in the White Tower would help her regain her levelheadedness.

 

"A Choice", pg 313

"[....] I'll be fighting in the Last Battle alongside Rand. What if I were to get to Shayol Ghul and discover that, without balefire, I could not help the Dragon stop the Dark One? Would you have me choose between a foolish oath and the fate of the world?"

"You think you're going to Shayol Ghul?" Rubinde asked, incredulous.

"I'm going to be there," Nynaeve said softly. "It is not a question. Rand has asked it of me, though I would have gone if he hadn't."

 

"A Testing", pg 749

"You know me, Min. Well, I promise you, I feel more like myself now than I have in months. I feel more like myself than I ever did as Lews Therin, if that makes any kind of sense. It's because of Tam, because of the people around me. You, Perrin, Nynaeve, Mat, Aviendha, Elayne, Moiraine. He tried very hard to break me. I think if I'd been the same as I was so long ago, he would have succeeded."

 

I just found this to be very interesting. It would seem as if Nynaeve somewhat took Moiraine's place in Rand's mind as the Aes Sedai/partner he could trust above else. I personally like this development and I wonder who the other woman Rand linked to will be. I'm hoping that it's Moiraine since she still has a part to play which will save the world according to the Prophecies.

[Duskfire]

I really don't understand the Egwene hate. I really, really don't get it. I mean, in something like 8 months, she goes from being an apprentice to an attempted puppet leader, to being the actual leader who freaking saves the White Tower (probably the most important organization on the side of Light that exists) from itself and the Black Ajah and then takes down a forsaken of her own. And yet, she gets dinged for... i dunno what. Thinking that the plan of a guy who might be dangerously insane might be a bad one?

 

I dont dislike Egwene for that; it is understandable. Its mostly Rands fault for not explaining his reasons. However, going against him and not bothering to come up with a solution of her own is retarded. Theres not even a hint that she has researches looking into ways of sealing up the DO again, not even a smidgen. All she does is try and get rulers allied with her against Rand, with no thought about what to do afterwards. Not only that, but the way she treats everyone around her. Nynaeve sticks up for Rand, and Egwene automatically thinks that its just Rands ta`veren swaying her opinion. And she is so extremely hypocrtical its not amusing. beyond hypocritical.

 

It doesnt help the fact that we know shes wrong :P

[Jeangray]

Nynaeve has always been one of my favorite characters, even at her most intransigent ;). She has been consistently funny and ready to jump in and use her skills for good. Once she had a glimpse of what was at stake, she immediately rolled up her sleeves and tried to do what she could to save the world. None of those volumes and volumes of whining and desire to use Pattern-given abilities for selfish goals that we had from some other characters .

It is good to see her abandoning her many biases and generally growing up in the last volumes.

 

Having said that and given that I am always glad to see a MoA for Nynaeve, I still find her Healing of the taint madness (on the first attempt, too!) pretty problematic. It is yet another step towards completely demolishing the accomplishments of AoL and really reducing the pathos of the Breaking.

It turns out that the Breaking happened because everybody in AoL were fools, who didn't really look into healing the madness? Really?! Either that of Nynaeve is just a super-special snowflake who has a Talent that the Pattern didn't bother to bestow on anybody until now. Either way, ho-hum.

 

As to the testing - major MoA and of course Nyn had a point in her criticism of the AS. But IMHO it is too much of a fan service too. Because, what if it is not Shadowspawn, but another nation that is endangering your beloved spouse, your family, your nation? What do you do then, as a channeler? Do you use OP on the battlefield to protect them and eventually bring about War of the Shadow-like destruction as everybody else follows suit?

Because that seems to be Nyn's answer and that is exactly what WT's training and testing procedures as well as intimidation of non-affiliated channelers were supposed to prevent (and largely did). And it was the right course of action, IMHO.

 

And why on earth was the fact that Nyn is a wife of a king even mentioned? Surely that should have had zero bearing on her passing or not.

 

I am glad that Nynaeve will be there "at the end of all things" with Rand, though. And how great is it that she is honored and delighted by an invitation to participate in, by all appearances, a suicide mission? That's my girl!

[Mulk]

Healing the madness would have been pointless without removing the taint - at least that's how I see it. The other part of the problem as I see it was that there were too many of them to catch them all. I think, even if the AS back then could permanently heal the madness (as opposed to Ishamael's claim of only a few minutes of lucidity) you'd have found a sizable number of those men committing suicide as LTT did after their eyes were opened to all that they did as a madman.

 

I don't have any WOT scripture, as it were, to back this up, but I look at the effect of the taint as similar to the effect of, say, certain kinds of allergies with no treatment you can access to reduce your sensitivity. Your susceptibility to it increases over time. I have trouble with my hands when certain things (tomato juice is the worst offender by far) come into contact with my skin - my fingers break out into clear blisters. It used to be that it took a period of time to make that happen, but now even a moment's touch is enough to make that happen. I think the mind becomes more susceptible to the taint the longer it is in contact with it, such that you could not permanently heal the madness because you can't keep the taint out of the affected man's mind.

 

Again, just my two cents.

[Sharaman]

If Nyn set up a circle, and took control, she'd have a shot at healing Rand.

Whether that would also remove his LTT memories and the light blossoming in his head is a different matter.

[Cut Strand]

Was removing the taint from Naeff a good thing?

 

It allowed him to sense the presence of Myrdraal, right? Or at least he thought he did. Yeah, he also complained about difficulty sleeping (because of "Shadowman Sense"/paranoia).

[AutomatedTeller]

Naeff never sensed actual Mydraal's - he just thought he did. That was his insanity, seeing things that weren't there.

[Bob T Dwarf]

I think she's going to be the model for a new type of Aes Sedai - Egwene saved the White Tower, but Nynaeve will be the one who will be it's heart for years to come.

 

I think that if Egwene were to tell her to not show how to cure madness, she'd say "Stick it. Mother." In that way, she is like the Aiel - defends her own well.

 

Can't happen. When you take the job you agree to follow the boss's orders.

 

If she ever even thought she might need to tell Egwene to "Stick it!", she should have refused the summons and simply sent back the garishly ugly ring.

 

You don't make a corrupt Age better by starting off with lies and deception.

 

The biggest disappointment from Nynaeve in this book is her agreeing to not just take the test but also to take the vows. Dumbdumbdumb.

[Mystica]

You don't go about slapping your Amyrlin either, but Cadsuane has been known to do just that to more than one Amyrlin.

 

Personally, I too would have found it rather a brilliant twist int he story if Nynaeve didn't end up Aes Sedai. Would have kind of made it go full circle from where she used to be with her 'I hate Aes Sedai' mantra. She could have chosen to become a Wise One instead (not that much different from being a wisdom), if she could have stomached their training. I think she'd have made a kick-ass Wise One, personally. And their system of choosing leadership through wisdom and honor feels much more in tune with her own views than the Aes Sedai one.

[David Selig]

I loved Nynaeve here. She really has been great in the last few books. A bit of a shame she gets much less PoVs now than in the earlier 7-8 books even though she's much more enjoyable to read about IMO.

 

I loved when she explained to the Aes Sedai testing her how stuid their tradition of maintaining a calm appearance at all costs is. It would've been better if she had just said "I don't want to be an Aes Sedai since it would mean being a colleague to a bunch of arrogant idiots", but I guess you can't have everything.