Discuss Alanna

[Fable]

She cries because she bonded a madman.

 

(that's Rand, by the way, kids.)

 

I doubt that. I think her tears are mainly due to 3 things.

 

1) One of her Warders died in the TR, and we see from Verin's PoV that Alanna had been emotionally unstable for a while before she bonded Rand.

 

2 ) She feels Rand's pain, the wounds in his side are the first thing that gets commented on by Min and Elayne after bonding him. Min says some thing like "Oh, the pain, Rand. How can you stand the pain?"

 

3) The last thing is how Rand treats her, keeping her away from him. Every Green takes her connection to her Warders very seriously, and having her Warder shun her and actively avoid her would be very distressing for her, though it is likely that were she not already in an emotionally unbalanced this distress may have manifested itself as anger, but in her present condition this just adds to the total emotional pressure.

 

Other AS have bonded male channelers who had the effects of the taint on them (until Nyn Healed the taint from them) but we do not see Merise (for example) in tears constantly because of having bonded a madman.

 

I think you neglect a very important fact for the reason of her tears and that is that the Bond was not made with consent. It was forced upon Rand. At the time she did it she made a decision that she thought was logical, but it was one more mistake to list in the White Towers litany of mistakes interacting with Rand.

 

So, I think Alanna is crying because she 1) knows she did something horrible that as yet she has been totally unable to attone for and 2) she was completely unprepared to be on the receiving end of bonding Rand. In effect she didn't bond Rand to herself... she bonded herself to Rand. In a twist she really ends up being subordiante to him in the situation which is probably not what she had planned. She is bonded to a man who she has wronged that will only reluctantly acknowledge her, and when he does there is always a tone of resentment, and she constantly suffers under the pain and sickness that has been torturing him for years. She is also jealous of his bonding with Min Aviendha and Elayne, as it diminishes the importance of her bond. So, yes, she cries, and she has cause, but every reason she has to cry is a reason that stems from her bungling.

 

AS to the black Ajah thing, has she mangled pretty much every situation we've seen her in beyond repair... yes. Does this suggest that she's Black Ajah... no, it simply suggests that she is an Aes Sedai that is not Moirainne. It does not exclude the possibility, but honestly, I don't think it's likely.

[blazetheearth]

I think we can rule out her being Shadowsworn. Whether or not Rand Sedai Himself can sense Darkfriends, Darkfriends do not like being in His presence. I don't think Alana would be able to remain sane and bonded to Him if she was on the Shadow's team.

 

Every Green takes her connection to her Warders very seriously,

 

Yea very seriously. A dog is not just for Christmas after all!

 

I'm not sure in what way you mean that. It is a true statement, but if you are comparing an AS's connection to her Warders with that of an owner and a dog I'm not sure get that from. And since you didn't bring up that Rand was bonded against custom (ie against his will), you don't seem to be referring to this specific case at all, just AS/Greens in general. True, once bonded, most men have as little freedom as your dog, but unlike that dog, the men volunteer to put themselves in that position. Dogs are not and have not been given that choice since they stopped being wolves. And I would really like you to point out the dog owner that would willingly make it so that when the dog is injured the owner feels that pain.

 

The AS cannot truly be held accountable for how they treat the Warders bonded to him. The Warder himself must be held accountable because they go to it willingly even knowing what it will entail. That analogy might have been closer back when men were bonded against their will. And the fact that Rand was bonded against his will is truly a moot point since she was never able to control him with the bond, and she turned around and swore fealty to him at Dumai Wells. Kinda had to swear fealty to one you think of as a dog.

 

But back on the topic of Alanna. I think that if Verin were to send someone to Arafel to help against the invasion, it would have been Kiruna Nachiman not Alanna. After all, Kiruna is brother to Paitar Nachiman, King of Arafel.

[johthohar]

I think we can rule out her being Shadowsworn. Whether or not Rand Sedai Himself can sense Darkfriends, Darkfriends do not like being in His presence. I don't think Alana would be able to remain sane and bonded to Him if she was on the Shadow's team.

 

Every Green takes her connection to her Warders very seriously,

 

Yea very seriously. A dog is not just for Christmas after all!

 

I'm not sure in what way you mean that. It is a true statement, but if you are comparing an AS's connection to her Warders with that of an owner and a dog I'm not sure get that from. And since you didn't bring up that Rand was bonded against custom (ie against his will), you don't seem to be referring to this specific case at all, just AS/Greens in general. True, once bonded, most men have as little freedom as your dog, but unlike that dog, the men volunteer to put themselves in that position. Dogs are not and have not been given that choice since they stopped being wolves. And I would really like you to point out the dog owner that would willingly make it so that when the dog is injured the owner feels that pain.

 

The AS cannot truly be held accountable for how they treat the Warders bonded to him. The Warder himself must be held accountable because they go to it willingly even knowing what it will entail. That analogy might have been closer back when men were bonded against their will. And the fact that Rand was bonded against his will is truly a moot point since she was never able to control him with the bond, and she turned around and swore fealty to him at Dumai Wells. Kinda had to swear fealty to one you think of as a dog.

 

But back on the topic of Alanna. I think that if Verin were to send someone to Arafel to help against the invasion, it would have been Kiruna Nachiman not Alanna. After all, Kiruna is brother to Paitar Nachiman, King of Arafel.

 

It's a reference to the slogan of "Dogs Trust". An animal welfare charity. "A dog is for life, not just for Christmas." He's not really making an analogy at all. What he's saying is that the warder bond is a life long commitment. Does that clear things up?

[blazetheearth]

I think we can rule out her being Shadowsworn. Whether or not Rand Sedai Himself can sense Darkfriends, Darkfriends do not like being in His presence. I don't think Alana would be able to remain sane and bonded to Him if she was on the Shadow's team.

 

Every Green takes her connection to her Warders very seriously,

 

Yea very seriously. A dog is not just for Christmas after all!

 

I'm not sure in what way you mean that. It is a true statement, but if you are comparing an AS's connection to her Warders with that of an owner and a dog I'm not sure get that from. And since you didn't bring up that Rand was bonded against custom (ie against his will), you don't seem to be referring to this specific case at all, just AS/Greens in general. True, once bonded, most men have as little freedom as your dog, but unlike that dog, the men volunteer to put themselves in that position. Dogs are not and have not been given that choice since they stopped being wolves. And I would really like you to point out the dog owner that would willingly make it so that when the dog is injured the owner feels that pain.

 

The AS cannot truly be held accountable for how they treat the Warders bonded to him. The Warder himself must be held accountable because they go to it willingly even knowing what it will entail. That analogy might have been closer back when men were bonded against their will. And the fact that Rand was bonded against his will is truly a moot point since she was never able to control him with the bond, and she turned around and swore fealty to him at Dumai Wells. Kinda had to swear fealty to one you think of as a dog.

 

But back on the topic of Alanna. I think that if Verin were to send someone to Arafel to help against the invasion, it would have been Kiruna Nachiman not Alanna. After all, Kiruna is brother to Paitar Nachiman, King of Arafel.

 

It's a reference to the slogan of "Dogs Trust". An animal welfare charity. "A dog is for life, not just for Christmas." He's not really making an analogy at all. What he's saying is that the warder bond is a life long commitment. Does that clear things up?

 

Yes, thank you. Like I said I wants sure exactly what was meant.

[Annia]

I think we can rule out her being Shadowsworn. Whether or not Rand Sedai Himself can sense Darkfriends, Darkfriends do not like being in His presence. I don't think Alana would be able to remain sane and bonded to Him if she was on the Shadow's team.

 

Every Green takes her connection to her Warders very seriously,

 

Yea very seriously. A dog is not just for Christmas after all!

 

 

 

But back on the topic of Alanna. I think that if Verin were to send someone to Arafel to help against the invasion, it would have been Kiruna Nachiman not Alanna. After all, Kiruna is brother to Paitar Nachiman, King of Arafel.

 

Is Kiruna a particularly manly Aes Sedai, or what?

[FarShainMael]

She must be another Halima

[RedRaider]

Didn't Verin say that Alanna was not to be trusted when they were in the Two Rivers?

[Aquarius]

Didn't Verin say that Alanna was not to be trusted when they were in the Two Rivers?

That's coming from a black ajah :p ... so who knows! Maybe it was juste a way for her to have some sort of private control over Alanna.

[Jak o' the Shadows]

Alanna is straight up confusing. Since the bonding of Rand...always been very, very, suspicious of her.

 

The weeping/mourning can be explained away, but it could also be the result of 'persuasion' by a Forsaken. We've already seen one 'break' Sheriam during her time with the rebel AS. Could be something similar. Visits by a Forsaken, extracting information from her.

 

I personally get the 'creepy' vibe from her, and think she has the potential to be working for the DO.

 

I also think the pairing of her and Verin in the TR was no accident. I think it's a sign that either Alanna is or will repent, and turn back to the light. Perhaps Rand's salvation was also hers. That she, like Egwene, survived torture (if indeed visited by Forsaken) and came through stronger. I think at the time in the TR Verin wasn't sure if Alanna WOULD ever turn back to the light, hence the warning to Perrin.

 

And to her where abouts...what's more North than Arafel? She could be doing some final recon/intell in the Blight...Verin's letter could have been "The time for hiding is over." and she's finally showing her true colors.

[asha man]

 

Bonds Rand and later he senses "Alanna is in a temper and has some scrapes and bruises." I always wondered what happened there.

 

 

I'm pretty sure this happens just after Verin lets the wise ones know that Rand won't be able to feel whatever punishment that they give to Alanna. Before that she was being miss priss and the wise ones were letting it slide because they didn't want to hurt Rand through the warder bond, but once they find out it won't actually hurt him they start treating her like any other apprentice.