I'm still pretty damn sure that Taim is Demandred.

[Mr Ares]

Evidnce for Taim being Demandrads man is leaked in TOM in our scenes at the Black Tower. Remember the guys that are way too advanced that come to the Black Tower that Androl notices in his thoughts? These are simply other dreadlords that have been given to Taim by Demandrad now that the end game has started and the Shadow is starting to play all its pieces on the board. The time for Darkfriends to be hiding in the Shadows has ended. Demandrad is moving his pieces in place before his opening strike.

Surely the Dreadlords would be Moridin's? Given that he's nae'blis, and has his base in the Blight?

 

Moridin told us that Demandrad was given the other Dreamspike and the Dreamspike is at the Black Tower, so this should be pretty obvious.

Actually, Moridin didn't tell us who was given the second Dreamspike. But it shows up in the BT, which is Taim's, so it was probably given to...Demandred? Maybe not impossible, but rather counter-intuitive. I'm rather of the opinion that Taim is Moridin's pupil/lieutenant.

[gambril]

Evidnce for Taim being Demandrads man is leaked in TOM in our scenes at the Black Tower. Remember the guys that are way too advanced that come to the Black Tower that Androl notices in his thoughts? These are simply other dreadlords that have been given to Taim by Demandrad now that the end game has started and the Shadow is starting to play all its pieces on the board. The time for Darkfriends to be hiding in the Shadows has ended. Demandrad is moving his pieces in place before his opening strike.

Surely the Dreadlords would be Moridin's? Given that he's nae'blis, and has his base in the Blight?

 

Moridin told us that Demandrad was given the other Dreamspike and the Dreamspike is at the Black Tower, so this should be pretty obvious.

Actually, Moridin didn't tell us who was given the second Dreamspike. But it shows up in the BT, which is Taim's, so it was probably given to...Demandred? Maybe not impossible, but rather counter-intuitive. I'm rather of the opinion that Taim is Moridin's pupil/lieutenant.

 

Ultimately the dreadlords are Moridin's because Demandrad is Moridin's.

 

Your second point is just an opinion, just as mine is. We won't know until AMOL, obviously.

 

I had thought it was stated in TOM that/by Moridin the other Dreamspike was given to Demandrad, so if it wasn't that's just my mind drawing faulse conclusions hehe. I still stand by the idea that the second Dreamspike was given to Demandrad for his headquarters at the Black Tower. The Black Tower at the end of KOD epilogue is quite obviously (to me) being designed as headquarters for the Shadows General. There's always the possibility that I'm wrong of course.

[Fable]

I do like, as one poster pointed out, that Jordan has instead kept to his cyclical theme and set up Taim to be Rand's equivalent to Demandred. I would find it fitting if Taim actually ended up being the thread that unspools whatever monumental plan Demandred is weaving... even moreso than him being curbstomped by Mat (a distinct possibility).

 

Since it became obvious that Taim isn't Demandred, I've been a fan of the thought that Taim is to Rand what Demandred was to Lews Therin. The only real question is when he turned to the Shadow. I don't think that he started out as a Dreadlord. I think that even as late as Dumai's Wells, Taim was on Rand's side. It was between Dumai's Wells and the Asha'man assassination attempt that Taim flipped I think.

 

Although, the incident with the Grey Man is suspicious.

 

An interesting proposition. My suspicion was always that Taim simply was a Darkfriend the entire time (or at the very least became one on the way to be gentled) and somewhere along the line got an order, probably from one of the Foresaken, that he was to submit himself to Rand's authority with the promise of unbridled power and glory after the Last Battle. That's why I felt LTT was so particularly adamant that if Taim healed Rand it would kill him.

[Darkenmal]

I find the prospect that Jordan simply didn't plan out well enough to surprise people about Taim being Demandred insulting. Speaking as a writer I think if it was his intention he would have stuck to it and he would have 1) validated our suspicions earlier and 2) found a different reveal to wrap into Rand finding out who Demandred is. There really is very little change that happens to your story based on reader reaction because when it comes down to it you're not telling their story, you're telling your story. You write for yourself first.

 

I do like, as one poster pointed out, that Jordan has instead kept to his cyclical theme and set up Taim to be Rand's equivalent to Demandred. I would find it fitting if Taim actually ended up being the thread that unspools whatever monumental plan Demandred is weaving... even moreso than him being curbstomped by Mat (a distinct possibility).

 

On some level I hope Demandred's demise is quick and inglorious. People seem to lose sight of the fact that this series is about the Champions of the Light, not the Warriors of the Shadow. It's like hearing actors talk about how excited they are to play Iago... if you think he's that great a villain you never read the play all that closely. There's a reason Othello gets top billing. If demandred's death is more a whimper it would be a stern reminder of where our interest should be vested in this series.

 

A good side is not without its bad side. I think that RJ focused way too much on the good side. Yes, the good side is supposed to be on the limelight, with evil being mysterious, but there still was(imo) way too few POV's of the evil side. Yes there was plenty, but mostly POV's of darkfriends.

 

I loved the meetings between the Forsaken, the tension that you could feel oozing off the pages when you knew that something was going to happen, and that it was never going to be anything good. Those POV's I wanted more of.

 

I'm also pretty sure there was a reason that RJ wrote that Taim was really angry with Rand when he named him his second, a few centimetres lower then Rand in height and was pretty close to him in the Power, all attributes linked to Damodred.

 

It's not like he just put those in for shits and gigs.

 

Then the fact that the second dreamspike is on the Black Tower. And that 13 x 13 is being performed.

 

Also, I have written some fiction.

[RedRaider]

There is a sh!tload of evidence to support this theory!

 

Re-reading the wheel of time series, I found some things to be a little too obvious.

 

1. "The south had Demandred's markings all over them"

 

2. Taim was VERY angry over being number two to Rand. (When given the pin for Asha'aman)

 

3. Demandred was always just a little less then Lews Therin Telamon in the Age of Legends, which was why he went over to the shadow (jerk).

 

4. Why am I telling you this? Because Taim is a little less in the Power then Rand (80% sure of this), (before book 7) and was mentioned to being "very near to the same height as Rand" But, he was a little smaller in height.

 

Didn't Demandred go to the Shadow because of envy? Because he was a little bit less of a hero then Lews Therin?

 

So many clues that I'm surprised the gang with the mystery machine haven't seen the glowing in the dark footprints already.

 

 

Oh wait, they have.

 

5. Rand is a Aiel, but born a Andorman. It is repeatedly mentioned that he is a lot taller then most people, and very few people from anywhere but the Wastes are anywhere close to his height.

 

6. Taim is a little bit less smaller then Height then Rand, (I already told you this) but because Rand is a Aiel, and because Taim is only a little less in height to him, doesn't that make you suspicious?

 

7. It's not like Authors haven't lied before. On her page with rumours for the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling was asked if R.A.B. was Regulus Arcturus Black (Or some stuff like that) and she flat out denied it. I can't find it on her page anymore, but it was there.. and I was pretty angry when I read it in the book.

 

8. Taim is now peforming 13x13 on his "students" to make them into evil channelers. Logain is also missing, who was/is Rand's most vocal supporter in the Black Tower.

 

9. During Rand's epic battle, Muradon (Pretty sure) An Asha'aman reported a man chanelling, which narrows that list down to.. Taim, Demandred or Moridin (Which I find VERY unlikely).

 

That leaves three choices. Taim is Black Ajah, Demandred is Taim, Or Demandred killed or captured Taim and is impersonating him.

 

10. Oh ya, there is also a Dreamspike on the Black Tower, which Moridin said was given to "someone else". (I need the quote.)

 

11. I'm sure is there a lot more, but you guys get the point. Taim is probably Demandred, and RJ lied only because he didn't want to spoil the whole series for us way in advance. (Makes sense.)

 

I believe Demandred was a general and a leader. I don't see him screwing around at the black tower. I do see Taim recruiting and training channelers for Demandred. Taim would also have been reckgonized by Rand as Demandred, I think. I can also see Taim training male channelers for the Senchan? Didn't they come up with the male a'dam?

[Wolf505]

I have to throw my two coppers in about Taimendred being a dead end. There's far too much evidence that Taim and Demandred aren't the same person that's already been cited in this thread. I do, however, agree with those who say Taim is not native to the Third Age. There's far too much of him casually throwing around Age of Legends terms he would have no way of knowing ("so-called Aiel" and so forth) and knowing things he would have no reason to just figure out on his own, such as how to test men for the ability to channel. There's a whole thread on that. I think he's probably a Dread Lord who was in a stasis box or vacuole. I don't think he's Moridin since Rand has spoken to Taim since he aquired his "link" to Moridin during the battle with Sammael and I think Rand would have seen through a disguise at that point, although I'm open to the possibility that I'm wrong. Also there's the fact Taim was active during the time Moridin was still Ishamael (he was captured after the visions in the sky at Falme, and Ishamael lived for several more months at least after that before he died at Tear). It'll be interesting to find out who he actually is to say the least.

 

I do have to take strong exception to the idea that RJ would change his mind on Taim being Demandred because some fans figured it out. That's absurd. There are a number of things fans figured out that proved to be true, such as Graendal killing Asmodean, or Mesaana being disguised as Danelle or Verin being Black Ajah. It would be incredibly shallow and out of character of him to change his mind on something like that just to keep the air of mystery around Taim and Demandred. I think it far more likely that he threw out all those hints assuming that's the conclusion fans would come to, just to throw us off track as to Demandred's true identity. It has to be a character that was introduced in TGS or ToM, assuming we've even seen him yet. It's possible his alter-ego (if he even has one) won't be shown at all until MoL.

[gambril]

I do like, as one poster pointed out, that Jordan has instead kept to his cyclical theme and set up Taim to be Rand's equivalent to Demandred. I would find it fitting if Taim actually ended up being the thread that unspools whatever monumental plan Demandred is weaving... even moreso than him being curbstomped by Mat (a distinct possibility).

 

Since it became obvious that Taim isn't Demandred, I've been a fan of the thought that Taim is to Rand what Demandred was to Lews Therin. The only real question is when he turned to the Shadow. I don't think that he started out as a Dreadlord. I think that even as late as Dumai's Wells, Taim was on Rand's side. It was between Dumai's Wells and the Asha'man assassination attempt that Taim flipped I think.

 

Although, the incident with the Grey Man is suspicious.

 

An interesting proposition. My suspicion was always that Taim simply was a Darkfriend the entire time (or at the very least became one on the way to be gentled) and somewhere along the line got an order, probably from one of the Foresaken, that he was to submit himself to Rand's authority with the promise of unbridled power and glory after the Last Battle. That's why I felt LTT was so particularly adamant that if Taim healed Rand it would kill him.

 

Aye, I believe we'll come to find out Taim was given to Demandrad by Moridin to use as he saw fit. Initially, he was sent to Rand (by Moridin or Demandrad...doesn't really matter) to be Demandrads proxy that was watching Rand. Remember in one of those Forsaken meetings (Winter's Heart I believe when Moridin tells them about the CK) one of the Forsaken accuses Demandrad of being derilect in his duties as being the one that was "supposed to be watching over him".

 

Rand made it even better/easier for Demandrad to accomplish his goals/plans when he declared men who could channel to be his and untouchable by Reds and such. Demandrad just incorporated this into his plans and 'promoted' Taim into his proxy that would control his headquarters at the Black Tower when it was secure. And Demandrad laughing with the Dark One at the end of LOC (when all this took place) will make a lot more sense after AMOL.

 

Edit, and to Wolf: Robert Jordan said in one of his fan questions of the week or interviews that he was actually suprised that people thought Taim was Demandrad. He also said that if he noticed fans had started catching on to things that he wanted to remain hidden for later in the story, he would start cutting back on hints he'd give us in the story.

 

He specifically said he did this with the Asmo mystery because he felt he had given enough clues and coupled with the fact he knew fans had caught on to those clues and rightly figured out who had killed Asmo.

[moratcorlm]

I had thought it was stated in TOM that/by Moridin the other Dreamspike was given to Demandrad, so if it wasn't that's just my mind drawing faulse conclusions hehe. I still stand by the idea that the second Dreamspike was given to Demandrad for his headquarters at the Black Tower. The Black Tower at the end of KOD epilogue is quite obviously (to me) being designed as headquarters for the Shadows General. There's always the possibility that I'm wrong of course.

It wasn't.

[gambril]

I had thought it was stated in TOM that/by Moridin the other Dreamspike was given to Demandrad, so if it wasn't that's just my mind drawing faulse conclusions hehe. I still stand by the idea that the second Dreamspike was given to Demandrad for his headquarters at the Black Tower. The Black Tower at the end of KOD epilogue is quite obviously (to me) being designed as headquarters for the Shadows General. There's always the possibility that I'm wrong of course.

It wasn't.

 

Thanks for being an ass, buddy.

[capuga]

Edit, and to Wolf: Robert Jordan said in one of his fan questions of the week or interviews that he was actually suprised that people thought Taim was Demandrad. He also said that if he noticed fans had started catching on to things that he wanted to remain hidden for later in the story, he would start cutting back on hints he'd give us in the story.

 

He specifically said he did this with the Asmo mystery because he felt he had given enough clues and coupled with the fact he knew fans had caught on to those clues and rightly figured out who had killed Asmo.

 

Well one of us will probably need to provide the quotes but my recollection of this is almost completely the opposite. I thought he said that he had to give out more clues then he expected because not enough of the fans were catching on to the killer. He thought we had enough info to figure it out and was disappointed that people kept asking about it.

[gambril]

Edit, and to Wolf: Robert Jordan said in one of his fan questions of the week or interviews that he was actually suprised that people thought Taim was Demandrad. He also said that if he noticed fans had started catching on to things that he wanted to remain hidden for later in the story, he would start cutting back on hints he'd give us in the story.

 

He specifically said he did this with the Asmo mystery because he felt he had given enough clues and coupled with the fact he knew fans had caught on to those clues and rightly figured out who had killed Asmo.

 

Well one of us will probably need to provide the quotes but my recollection of this is almost completely the opposite. I thought he said that he had to give out more clues then he expected because not enough of the fans were catching on to the killer. He thought we had enough info to figure it out and was disappointed that people kept asking about it.

 

The third sentence I remember and you're right about that. The first two sentences, I'm not sure; would have to look it up. It'd take me a while to get around to it and finally finding it I think - too bad Terez isn't lurking or someone like that cuz they usually seem to be able to find stuff like that instantly lol. I had thought I had read it on Thirteenth Depository where Linda set up a page dedicated to Jordan's interviews and responses to fans Questions of the Week so it's somewhere in there.

[Wolf505]

Edit, and to Wolf: Robert Jordan said in one of his fan questions of the week or interviews that he was actually suprised that people thought Taim was Demandrad. He also said that if he noticed fans had started catching on to things that he wanted to remain hidden for later in the story, he would start cutting back on hints he'd give us in the story.

 

He specifically said he did this with the Asmo mystery because he felt he had given enough clues and coupled with the fact he knew fans had caught on to those clues and rightly figured out who had killed Asmo.

 

Yes, my point was there's no evidence he ever changed an actual mystery because fans figured it out. He just changed how many hints he was giving out regarding a given mystery. He also is on record multiple times unequivocally stating that Taim is NOT Demandred. I think we can safely say that Taim is not Demandred, even without RJ's statements to that effect. In Winter's Heart, for example, there are two BIG things that refute the Taimendred theory: Kisman getting orders from both Taim AND Demandred seperately, and Demandred not recognizing Damer Flinn in his POV at the battle at Shadar Logoth.

 

I guess the only way some people will drop this theory is if/when we are told who Demandred and Taim both are -hopefully- in AMoL. I say hopefully because if it isn't revealed straight out, Taimendred may NEVER die.

[capuga]

Edit, and to Wolf: Robert Jordan said in one of his fan questions of the week or interviews that he was actually suprised that people thought Taim was Demandrad. He also said that if he noticed fans had started catching on to things that he wanted to remain hidden for later in the story, he would start cutting back on hints he'd give us in the story.

 

He specifically said he did this with the Asmo mystery because he felt he had given enough clues and coupled with the fact he knew fans had caught on to those clues and rightly figured out who had killed Asmo.

 

Well one of us will probably need to provide the quotes but my recollection of this is almost completely the opposite. I thought he said that he had to give out more clues then he expected because not enough of the fans were catching on to the killer. He thought we had enough info to figure it out and was disappointed that people kept asking about it.

 

The third sentence I remember and you're right about that. The first two sentences, I'm not sure; would have to look it up. It'd take me a while to get around to it and finally finding it I think - too bad Terez isn't lurking or someone like that cuz they usually seem to be able to find stuff like that instantly lol. I had thought I had read it on Thirteenth Depository where Linda set up a page dedicated to Jordan's interviews and responses to fans Questions of the Week so it's somewhere in there.

 

Yeah, there seem to be a few people around here that can find and post that stuff real quick. I need to get one of them to train me.

[hawkinja]

So is this the quote that proves demandred is not Taim.

 

Week 4 Question: At recent book signing following the release of Crossroads of Twilight, it was reported that you confirmed that the Forsaken Demandred has never posed as the man known as Mazrim Taim, who was introduced to Rand at the beginning of Lord of Chaos. Have you confirmed that Demandred has never posed as the man known as Mazrim Taim, leader of the Black Tower?

 

Robert Jordan Answers: Yes. Demandred has never posed as Mazrim Taim. All right, those of who fell over from the shock of a simple, straightforward answer can get up off the floor now. Sometimes, simple and straightforward can be the most devious of all, as any student of Aes Sedai will tell you.

Because imo posing sounds impersonating every now and then. But i could be wrong, what do ya think?

[gary0044187]

So is this the quote that proves demandred is not Taim.

 

Week 4 Question: At recent book signing following the release of Crossroads of Twilight, it was reported that you confirmed that the Forsaken Demandred has never posed as the man known as Mazrim Taim, who was introduced to Rand at the beginning of Lord of Chaos. Have you confirmed that Demandred has never posed as the man known as Mazrim Taim, leader of the Black Tower?

 

Robert Jordan Answers: Yes. Demandred has never posed as Mazrim Taim. All right, those of who fell over from the shock of a simple, straightforward answer can get up off the floor now. Sometimes, simple and straightforward can be the most devious of all, as any student of Aes Sedai will tell you.

Because imo posing sounds impersonating every now and then. But i could be wrong, what do ya think?

yeah, they quote that, I find the last part, "Sometimes, simple and straightforward can be the most devious of all, as any student of Aes Sedai will tell you," the most telling. Jordan said "Demandred has never posed as Mazrim Taim," not, "Damandred is not(has never been) Mazrim Taim."

 

I don't care, but people use the words of the guy who invented Aes Sedai as proof, when just reading AS we know that what you think you hear is not always what you hear.

[capuga]

So is this the quote that proves demandred is not Taim.

 

Week 4 Question: At recent book signing following the release of Crossroads of Twilight, it was reported that you confirmed that the Forsaken Demandred has never posed as the man known as Mazrim Taim, who was introduced to Rand at the beginning of Lord of Chaos. Have you confirmed that Demandred has never posed as the man known as Mazrim Taim, leader of the Black Tower?

 

Robert Jordan Answers: Yes. Demandred has never posed as Mazrim Taim. All right, those of who fell over from the shock of a simple, straightforward answer can get up off the floor now. Sometimes, simple and straightforward can be the most devious of all, as any student of Aes Sedai will tell you.

Because imo posing sounds impersonating every now and then. But i could be wrong, what do ya think?

yeah, they quote that, I find the last part, "Sometimes, simple and straightforward can be the most devious of all, as any student of Aes Sedai will tell you," the most telling. Jordan said "Demandred has never posed as Mazrim Taim," not, "Damandred is not(has never been) Mazrim Taim."

 

I don't care, but people use the words of the guy who invented Aes Sedai as proof, when just reading AS we know that what you think you hear is not always what you hear.

 

There are actually several other quotes were RJ flat out says that Taim is not Demandred. This is from the WOTFAQ:

 

How do we know Demandred is not Taim? --Updated

Posted on July 1st, 2010 by Jennifer Liang

[Leigh Butler]

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Taim is not Demandred in disguise.

 

How do we know? Because RJ said so.

 

Q: "It's been said that you mentioned that Mazrim Taim is not Demandred. There seems to be some confusion on whether or not you said that."

 

A: "Mazrim Taim is not Demandred."

 

[Matthew Julius, post-COT signing, Dayton, OH, January 16, 2003]

 

Tim Kington concurs:

 

Q: "Taim is clearly not Demandred, right?"

 

A: (Disgusted) "I've said that before, and it's not Taim, it's Ta-eeem."

 

The same response was also reported on wotmania.com, in LiveJournal's Wheel of Time community, and in several emails.

 

You don't really expect that to end the debate, do you?

We have multiple reports from multiple independent sources all saying the same thing; evidently RJ felt that the counterevidence provided in WH (the double set of orders to the renegade Asha'man, Demandred's failure to recognize Flinn at the Cleansing) was sufficient to answer the question, and decided to stop beating about the bush on the subject. That effectively closes the topic as far as I am concerned.

 

FAQ policy has always been that the author's word is canon. If RJ says a thing is so, it's so. And with that I'm afraid the die-hard Taimandred fans will have to be satisfied.

 

(See section 1.5.6 and section 1.4.10 for more discussion on what Taim is up to.)

 

Okay, fine. If Demandred isn't Taim, then who is he, smartypants?

We don't know.

 

There have been a lot of names bandied about as possibilties; Bashere, Masema, and the mysterious Taraboner seen in Arymilla's entourage outside Caemlyn [COT: 15, Gathering Darkness, 371] seem to be the most popular.

 

All of these can be debunked or contested for various reasons, but it's not necessary to do so:

 

Q: "Have we yet seen the alter ego Demandred presents to the Third Agers on-screen?"

 

A: "No." (I asked twice to make sure.)

 

[Michael Martin, Dayton OH signing]

 

So, if Demandred is disguising himself as someone, it's not someone we've met in books 1-10. He might appear in either Knife of Dreams or The Gathering Storm, but hasn't done something suspicious enough to put us on his trail.

 

But even if you believe that RJ is a liar, there is plenty of in text evidence to disprove Taim=Demandred such as:

 

- The renegade Asha'man have orders from both Taim and Demandred in Winter's Heart. Why maintain a disguise amongst your followers?

- Taim knows Flinn quite well but Demandred does not recognize him at the cleansing.

 

I'm sure there's more but I'm suddenly drawing a blank. But between the many RJ quotes and the in-book evidence it amazes me that this theory still has any life.

[Lironah]

Given all of the evidence that people originally thought meant that Taim was Demandred (no, I'm not going to quote it all, and yes, I was a believer), there are really only 3 possibilities.

1: Taim is one of the other male Forsaken.

2: Taim is another person from the Age of Legends.

3: Taim was brainwashed/controlled like a puppet by somebody, which make him act like he was from the Age of Legends.

 

I find #3 both unlikely and unnecessary. #2 is plausible, but probably also unnecessary, as it's highly unlikely that we wouldn't have seen him meeting with the other Forsaken. If #1 is the case, then we have exactly one living candidate: Moridin. About whom, might I add, nobody has been complaining about not seeing his alter-ego. Just because he didn't use one when he was still Ishamael doesn't mean he wouldn't.

 

Also a perfect reason for RJ to be surprised that we leaped upon Taim being Demandred, if by doing so we completely missed the mark.

[Terrel88]

If Taim is Moridin, I'll be gutted. I posted on here the day after KoD came out that I felt he was, and Bob Kluttz gave me a nice, frank e-mail detailing how I was completely wrong (The overlapping orders giving to the renegade Asha'man) :D

[Durinax]

Taim is just a 3rd age man, who has been turned to the DO and it evil. . . I think he is much like demandred but he is not demandred.

[Tom Sawyer]

I think that all the Taim-Demandred comparisons in LoC were deliberate because RJ wanted people focusing on that to shift attention away from Aginor hanging around Rand. Then at the end of WH when it was revealed who Aginor was, RJ made it very clear that Demandred had no association with the Black Tower and couldn't be Taim.

 

That being said, I've thought that Taim was Demandred since book six and while facts may be malleable, my opinion is not, so I'm sticking with that theory. If, in the final book, it turns out that they're different people entirely, I will hold to the assertion that Sanderson read RJ's notes incorrectly and wrote it wrong because they're definitely the same person.

[Durinax]

wow why cant people accept taim is in fact taim and not anyone pretending to be anyone

[gary0044187]

wow why cant people accept taim is in fact Demandred and not anyone pretending to be anyone

I agree.

[Elend]

Taim is obviously Gaidal Cain.

 

And Demandred is Olver.

[Darkenmal]

Taim is obviously Gaidal Cain.

 

And Demandred is Olver.

[Mr Ares]

So is this the quote that proves demandred is not Taim.

 

Week 4 Question: At recent book signing following the release of Crossroads of Twilight, it was reported that you confirmed that the Forsaken Demandred has never posed as the man known as Mazrim Taim, who was introduced to Rand at the beginning of Lord of Chaos. Have you confirmed that Demandred has never posed as the man known as Mazrim Taim, leader of the Black Tower?

 

Robert Jordan Answers: Yes. Demandred has never posed as Mazrim Taim. All right, those of who fell over from the shock of a simple, straightforward answer can get up off the floor now. Sometimes, simple and straightforward can be the most devious of all, as any student of Aes Sedai will tell you.

Because imo posing sounds impersonating every now and then. But i could be wrong, what do ya think?

yeah, they quote that, I find the last part, "Sometimes, simple and straightforward can be the most devious of all, as any student of Aes Sedai will tell you," the most telling. Jordan said "Demandred has never posed as Mazrim Taim," not, "Damandred is not(has never been) Mazrim Taim."

 

I don't care, but people use the words of the guy who invented Aes Sedai as proof, when just reading AS we know that what you think you hear is not always what you hear.

RJ wasn't in the habit of giving AS answers.

 

 

I think that all the Taim-Demandred comparisons in LoC were deliberate because RJ wanted people focusing on that to shift attention away from Aginor hanging around Rand. Then at the end of WH when it was revealed who Aginor was, RJ made it very clear that Demandred had no association with the Black Tower and couldn't be Taim.

 

That being said, I've thought that Taim was Demandred since book six and while facts may be malleable, my opinion is not, so I'm sticking with that theory. If, in the final book, it turns out that they're different people entirely, I will hold to the assertion that Sanderson read RJ's notes incorrectly and wrote it wrong because they're definitely the same person.

Emma: Was Taimandred a deliberate ruse to lead your readers astray, or were you surprised (by the all of the theories connecting Taim to Demandred)?

RJ: I was surprised...but I wasn't going to disabuse you of it for a while. I like to watch you squirm.

At least you're honest about your desire to stick to a theory with no basis in fact, which contradicts a mass of evidence. So many people who do that still try to pretend they're being rational.

 

 

Taim is obviously Gaidal Cain.

 

And Demandred is Olver.

A plausible theory at last.