are you a male but your favorite character is a female?

[moratcorlm]

I've seen it put forth that Nynaeve's actions in that chapter "redeemed" her character, that it made her likable. I certainly thought the chapter was touching, but for those for whom it was enough to flip a switch from 'no' to 'yes' it must have signaled some hitherto unseen change in her character, been interpreted as an action indicating that she had found her proper place. I think you can see where I'm going with this, and while I'm interested in the responses this thread produces, I suppose I overreacted in charging in in defense of my Nynaeve, so in the interest of not starting a flame war I'll leave it at that.

[Jak o' the Shadows]

Disliked Moraine in the first couple books.

 

DESPISED Nynaeve in the first few books.

 

DESPISED Matt in the first 2-3 books.

 

Loved Elayne when she was introduced and through most of the series.

 

Was indifferent to Egwene.

 

Was indifferent to Rand.

 

 

 

Now, I think Moraine is amazing...we fully see the commitment her character will go to. Nynaeve is my 2nd fav character overall. What a rise from my original opinion! She's exactly what the story needs. A strong counterpoint to the hero. And I find myself agreeing with all her decisions/choices in the 2nd half of this series.

 

And Matt is my fav character of all. Hooligan to the rescue! Not your typical 'hero'...

 

Egwene gained a lot of respect with her 'punishments'...but more recent events have me dreading her character collapsing to 'the standard AS form'.

 

Elayne is the character right now that if I could slap in the face and tell her to 'SHAPE UP'...I would. Yep. She's fallen that far in my book...

 

 

1. Matt

2. Nynaeve

3. Rand

bottom. Elayne

 

 

PS. The whole sexist debate...well, it's warranted. This whole book has sexist characters/ideas. From AS Green vs. Red spectrum's of using men, to hate/fearing them, how females have been in power for centuries, all the 'womens circle' vs. 'town council', even the (arguably) most powerful kingdoms (Seanchan too!) run by women...this whole series is about pitting the sexes against each other. And in most cases it's women dominating men. I'm not a sexist (male) but all the overtones are enough to make anyone a bit defensive and prickly on the subject. It's only in a few cases do we see authentic cooperation/trust (NewRand-Nynaeve) that sort of point to a unity/healing of what it SHOULD be like.

 

 

But Egwene and Elayne need to get their high horses before I (and other readers I'm guessing) will remember that we like them. That's not sexist. It's the GD truth!

[Kaznen]

I like Avi, Sorilia, Mo, Verin, Birgette (she is frickin' awesome!) and just about all of the Maidens and non-Shaido WOs. Faile was on-off-on again and what love Egwene gained from me in KoD and tGS was squandered in ToM. "The Golden Crane" got me to love Nyneave.

 

I did like Min but she became a lethal distraction to Rand. Some of the AS (even a few reds) are pretty cool.

 

But I never liked Elayne.

[Gentled Ben]

Mat and Egwene are my favorites.

[Fains nose]

I don't know how anyone can like Nynaeve, she's just a bitch.

Well, no, it takes a very loose reading of her chapters to come to the conclusion that she's just a bitch, but it is her very "bitchiness" that makes her so entertaining and likable. At least for those people who didn't dislike her before "The Golden Crane," which is a rather telling dynamic, really.

 

shes not a bitch, shes awesome. if you had done all the things shes done,(defeated forsaken, black ajah, cleansed the taint, tamed the womens circle as a teenager) youd have that attitude too

[blazetheearth]

I don't know how anyone can like Nynaeve, she's just a bitch.

Well, no, it takes a very loose reading of her chapters to come to the conclusion that she's just a bitch, but it is her very "bitchiness" that makes her so entertaining and likable. At least for those people who didn't dislike her before "The Golden Crane," which is a rather telling dynamic, really.

 

shes not a bitch, shes awesome. if you had done all the things shes done,(defeated forsaken, black ajah, cleansed the taint, tamed the womens circle as a teenager) youd have that attitude too

 

I can understand why people thought her a bitch early in the series, but I definitely think she has grown out of it entirely especially in ToM and with the whole "Will he ride alone?" thing. Her scene with the Malkeri gem merchant still brings me to tears every time I read it. But really for me she started improving in TEoTW while in Baerlon. She was the first of the main characters to see how much leaving the TR had changed the others, and the first to alter how she dealt with them based on that awareness (her conversation w/ Rand in the hallway).

[Arani Lepenque Aes Sedai]

I'm male, 16

 

Ranking

1. Nynaeve

2. Cadsuane

3. Zen Rand

4. Min

5. Elayne

6. Tam

7. Aviendha

8. Birgitte

9. Rand

10. Saerin

 

At the bottom goes

1. Tuon

2. Elaida

3. Sevanna

4. Mat (Before Winter's Heart)

5. Byar

6. Whitecloaks in general

7. WH - ToM Mat

8. Mad Rand

9. Idiotic Aes Sedai like Romanda

10. Dain