Characters as of TOM

[gambril]

After perusing a similar thread but not, I was curious what others thoughts of the main characters are as of Towers of Midnight. Specifically, favorite/most liked characters and sneer worthy/least liked characters. I think 3 of each works, if you want to add more or just one feel free. Also, I'd like it very much if this thread doesn't evolve into denigrating others for their choices and opinions, thanks!

 

Favorites:

 

1: Matrim Cauthon hands down above the rest!

 

2: Nynaeve Al' Meara - me thinks your passion is very endearing :)

 

3: Light Rand - about time we had a complete feeling protagonist!

 

Least Liked:

 

1: Egwene Al' Vere - your hubris is unparalled honey

 

2: Gawyn - just meh

 

Hm, couldn't really think of other main characters that I really dislike so I'll leave mine at 2 I suppose.

[moratcorlm]

Ten of my favorite characters: Nynaeve, Mat, Tuon, Elayne, Moghedien, Alviarin, Logain, Ishamael, Lanfear, Asmodean

Ten of my least favorite characters: Egwene, Perrin, Sevanna, Gawyn, Alanna, Ingtar, Suroth, Sheriam, Balthamel, Aginor

[Ananta]

Favorites:

 

1. Mat - He's just bloody awesome.

 

Rest of my favorites in no set order: (Light) Rand, Nynaeve, Ituralde, Bryne, Verin, Logain, Taim, Tuon and Lan

 

And then my least favorites:

 

 

1. Masema - I hate his kind. The religious crazies who think they can do whatever they want because of a higher calling.

2. Jaret Byar - He just annoyed me from beginning to end.

3. Gawyn - I just don't like him

 

Rest of my least favorites in no set order: Galad, Sevanna, Most of Black Ajah due to being utterly retarded, Be'lal

 

 

EDIT: I can't believe I forgot about Masema. Johthohar's post reminded me about him. So edited the list a bit.

[johthohar]

Top Three:

 

1. Rand - One of the better protagonists I've ever seen. And so flawed/conflicted. And now, post-epiphany, he has epic badassery to boot! Easy A.

 

2. Mat - I'm not as crazy about him as everybody else, but you can't help but love the guy. And I can easily identify with his sense of humor and the way the ladies are all over him.

 

3. Logain - Another male channeler with total badassery who isn't a total douche and/or kissing Rand's ass all the time. Not to mention he bonded Aes Sedai and treats them like dogs. Always a plus.

 

More in no particular order:

 

Aviendha - She's like a warrior princess without the sweet frisbee weapon.

Perrin - Would have been on the other list pre-ToM.

Egwene - Just to piss off the haters lol.

Tam - Adoptive father of the Dragon Reborn and blade master/badass-archer/pretty-good-with-a-bow-staff.... win.

Lan - No nonsense badass.

Nynaeve - Hands down best Aes Sedai there is.

Verin - Sacrificing your life, values, morals and possibly your soul to help the good guys win? Epic.

Ishamael - One of the better antagonists I've ever seen. How RJ made the bad guy almost pure-evil and somehow still a bit sympathetic is beyond me. And you gotta love his narcissism.

Gawyn - Also to piss off the haters. And because he was overshadowed by his older half-brother and not only doesn't resent him but idolizes him. That's character.)

Balwer - The sneaky little dude is a badass spy. Sweet

Ituralde - Who else would (almost) die to hold the capital city of a country other than his own?

Noal - I never really wondered about him being Jain, but the reveal was awesome.

Moiraine - The only Aes Sedai (Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne aside) that I don't hate.

Fain - He reminds me of Gollum. And I love the fact that there is a variable out there that nobody (in story) ever really considers in relation to the Last Battle.

Min - Her dedication to Rand is pretty cool. And the fact that she's a simple country girl doing all the big research on bore sealing.

Flinn - Male version of Nynaeve.

Shaidar Haran - Anybody who humiliates Forsaken is cool in my book.

Loial - He's like a huge teddy bear.

Thom - A court bard who can kill you 20 ways with his pinkie finger.

 

 

I think that's about it.

 

Bottom Three:

 

1. Elaida - HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE!!!!!! I'm surprised nobody else mentioned her. She was a total crazy bitch to begin with and then she gives the secret of traveling to the Seanchan? Wow....

 

2. Cadsuane - What a stupid expletive-deleted. She is the epitome of what is wrong with Third Age Aes Sedai. She's like a hybrid of Hilary Clinton and a stuffy British woman.

 

3. Masema - I was literally cheering when he died. Religious zealots piss me off beyond belief.

 

More in no particular order:

 

Valda - Haha! Your reign as LCC was "cut" short!

Tuon - And people say Egwene is arrogant? Tuon is ten times worse! Not to mention she is fighting against the forces of the Light and distracting attention from the war against the Shadow.

Asunawa - Inquisitor = douche

Dain Bornhald - Another zealot.

Jaichim Carridin - Inquisitor + darkfriend = super douche

Galad - The world isn't black and white dumbass! Though he is slowly starting to redeem himself.

Couladin - Fake-ass dragon tatoos.

Moghedien - Weak.

Alanna - Rapist.

Slayer - Wolf killer.

Any Aes Sedai - Other than Nynaeve, Egwene, Elayne and Moiraine.

 

 

 

Wow. That was way more thorough than I planned.

 

 

 

Note: Did I spend way too much time on this? Yes. Did I waste potentially productive hours at work? Yes. Was it worth it? Meh. Do I care?.......

[Ananta]

Top Three:

 

1. Rand - One of the better protagonists I've ever seen. And so flawed/conflicted. And now, post-epiphany, he has epic badassery to boot! Easy A.

 

2. Mat - I'm not as crazy about him as everybody else, but you can't help but love the guy. And I can easily identify with his sense of humor and the way the ladies are all over him.

 

3. Logain - Another male channeler with total badassery who isn't a total douche and/or kissing Rand's ass all the time. Not to mention he bonded Aes Sedai and treats them like dogs. Always a plus.

 

More in no particular order:

 

Aviendha - She's like a warrior princess without the sweet frisbee weapon.

Perrin - Would have been on the other list pre-ToM.

Egwene - Just to piss off the haters lol.

Tam - Adoptive father of the Dragon Reborn and blade master/badass-archer/pretty-good-with-a-bow-staff.... win.

Lan - No nonsense badass.

Nynaeve - Hands down best Aes Sedai there is.

Verin - Sacrificing your life, values, morals and possibly your soul to help the good guys win? Epic.

Ishamael - One of the better antagonists I've ever seen. How RJ made the bad guy almost pure-evil and somehow still a bit sympathetic is beyond me. And you gotta love his narcissism.

Gawyn - Also to piss off the haters. And because he was overshadowed by his older half-brother and not only doesn't resent him but idolizes him. That's character.)

Balwer - The sneaky little dude is a badass spy. Sweet

Ituralde - Who else would (almost) die to hold the capital city of a country other than his own?

Noal - I never really wondered about him being Jain, but the reveal was awesome.

Moiraine - The only Aes Sedai (Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne aside) that I don't hate.

Fain - He reminds me of Gollum. And I love the fact that there is a variable out there that nobody (in story) ever really considers in relation to the Last Battle.

Min - Her dedication to Rand is pretty cool. And the fact that she's a simple country girl doing all the big research on bore sealing.

Flinn - Male version of Nynaeve.

Shaidar Haran - Anybody who humiliates Forsaken is cool in my book.

Loial - He's like a huge teddy bear.

Thom - A court bard who can kill you 20 ways with his pinkie finger.

 

 

I think that's about it.

 

Bottom Three:

 

1. Elaida - HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE!!!!!! I'm surprised nobody else mentioned her. She was a total crazy bitch to begin with and then she gives the secret of traveling to the Seanchan? Wow....

 

2. Cadsuane - What a stupid expletive-deleted. She is the epitome of what is wrong with Third Age Aes Sedai. She's like a hybrid of Hilary Clinton and a stuffy British woman.

 

3. Masema - I was literally cheering when he died. Religious zealots piss me off beyond belief.

 

More in no particular order:

 

Valda - Haha! Your reign as LCC was "cut" short!

Tuon - And people say Egwene is arrogant? Tuon is ten times worse! Not to mention she is fighting against the forces of the Light and distracting attention from the war against the Shadow.

Asunawa - Inquisitor = douche

Dain Bornhald - Another zealot.

Jaichim Carridin - Inquisitor + darkfriend = super douche

Galad - The world isn't black and white dumbass! Though he is slowly starting to redeem himself.

Couladin - Fake-ass dragon tatoos.

Moghedien - Weak.

Alanna - Rapist.

Slayer - Wolf killer.

Any Aes Sedai - Other than Nynaeve, Egwene, Elayne and Moiraine.

 

 

 

Wow. That was way more thorough than I planned.

 

 

 

Note: Did I spend way too much time on this? Yes. Did I waste potentially productive hours at work? Yes. Was it worth it? Meh. Do I care?.......

 

In Tuon's defence, that's the way she was grown. That's the way their society works. So her arrogance can be excused with that. xD

[Majsju]

Favourites...

Egwene

Mat

Nynaeve

Moridin

Rand

 

No likey...

Tuon

Gawyn (though TOM redeemed him, a little)

Elaida

[Red Hand Man]

My $0.02:

 

Favorite -

1. Mat - He's a dude that wants to mess around, pretty awesome. I guess I'd like to think my train of thoughts tends to follow his most closely.

2. Nynaeve - She's shown the most growth and most feeling and most connection to what's happening around her.

3. Rand - His mental evolution is just excellent.

4. Ishydin - Complete confidence, only person in the entire series who really understands what is going on. Probably even including post-VoG Rand al'Telamon.

5. Taim - He is in your face and a bad dude. Don't mess with him. Heck, don't even speak out of turn or you'll get blasted into a wall.

 

Least Favorite -

1. Faile - Helps cast political ties for Perrin, but not much else, I got the sense that her captivity was necessary, but getting her out of it faster would have been hard to keep from seeming cliche.

2. Elayne - Similar to Faile in that RJ seemed to write himself into a situation where it had to take awhile to do things to seem more realistic...

3. Elaida - Incredibly childish, even for an AS, given that she spent a good 15-20 years outside the WT as an AS (this seemed to have helped Moraine, why not her?)

4. Byar - Felt his character was too obvious, he just kind of stared you in the face and did it...

5. Demandred - Other than a few decent tight-lipped one-liners, he's mostly absent, but considered a major player...

 

Side Note: I'm not a huge fan of Padan Fain, however, the thematics of him in tEotW are probably one of the biggest reasons I became engrossed in the series. The (intentional) parallels to LotR really drew me (and many other readers, I imagine) in and halfway in, suddenly took them in a new direction. So, he's in a special category.

[RembrandtQ.Einstein]

Likes;

 

Ishamael/Moridin - Despite having so little screen time he has a real depth behind him. Odd for an antagonist is his complete lack of malice, hatred and anger. Everything he does is by calculation, reason and logic. He is also the only Forsaken to have sworn for reasons other than greed, envy or self-entitlement. His actions also show a different strain of character. He stood up and held a speech in the Hall of Servants, declaring his defection in a public arena, and beckoning/reasoning with the assembled Aes Sedai to not listen to passion but to reason and join him. He also never seems to indulge in pettiness or needless cruelty for self-satisfaction, which appallingly some of the protagonists such as Nynaeve, Elayne or Egwene are actually wont to do.

 

Furthermore he seems by far the wisest in Randland. He was already respected as a leading philosopher and thinker in his own time, considering the primitive state of the Third Age, I would say he is the wisest living being walking Randland. He simply considers himself to be fulfilling the right destiny and end an incessant infinite turn of wheels, which he sees as a repugnant form of slavery and a cosmic joke. His intense conflict with the existence of the wheel/pattern and all it entails with it's weaving's is probably also why he prefers to use the True Power amongst other things.

 

 

Taim - Another notable antagonist. He is cold and intelligent. Likewise he gets very little in the way of comeuppance, considering how he debased, humiliated and embarrassed Elayne in her own royal chamber. He carries in him the seeds of greatness and would make a fearsome leader. His motivations are also completely in the dark and it's hard to tell if Taim is directly connected to the Forsaken or simply a ruthless man cutting himself a piece of the pie in a world rent in turmoil.

 

 

Galad - An exemplary man who actually sticks to his word and convictions. He is the definition of a Knight in shining armor. He saw the faults of the WT where others chose to look away and it is rather telling that he is hero-worshipped by his in almost all qualities inferior brother Gawyn and detested by his envious sister Elayne who dislikes that his charismatic aura perhaps outshines her own.

[cgk84]

My current top five, in no particular order;

 

Rand - Icey calm mixed with killer lines. Stupendous! But then I've always liked Rand and been able to relate to him. Even when he was at his most rage-prone and dangerous because I think that's exactly how I would have ended up had I been in his situation with his frustrations.

 

Mat - What can I say about him that hasn't been said before? Easily one of the most likeable characters ever written.

 

Ituralde - A late-comer to series but foreshadowed in early books whenever people spoke in awe of the 5 Great Captains. He always had the potential to be a great character and that was delivered upon. When people write the songs of the Last Battle they'll sing how it was Rodel Ituralde who drew first blood against the Shadow!

 

Jahar Narishma - He who will follow after. I love the fact that the Asha'man are so arrogant. They deserve to be since most of the (loyal) ones will fight and die far harder than any Aes Sedai in the Last Battle. And Narishma addressing the sisters in their camp was arrogance personified. The Aes Sedai need to realise that the Asha'man, Wise Ones, Damane as a whole are either superior channellers, better people, or both.

 

Birgitte - I hate the fact she is little more than a palace guard for a brat who has long since lost any (little) likeability she once had. But I'll always have a soft spot for Birgitte for the way someone was FINALLY able to explain to said hated character just how incredible a feat Mat busting her out of the Stone actually was what an ungrateful little trollop Elayne was for not even so much as a thank you for Mat.

 

 

 

My least favourite at the moment would be in no particular order;

 

Gawyn - as someone above said; meh. The bulk of his scenes from the split in the Tower onward have just been meh, unless someone or something good is in it to rescue it. Just as meh as the man himself.

 

Egwene - I've rarely wanted to punch a female character in a book as much as I have her the past four or five books. Although it may not have the desired effect with this particular woman it would be satisfying nonetheless.

 

Elaida - A Bond-villain style of almost pantomime bad guy. When she shouldn't have been stroking a white cat menacingly she should have been foaming at the mouth.

 

Elayne - I could go on all day... I really could. But I'll keep it civil and say that this whole Andor storyline of hers has dragged on far too long and has been near totally irrelevant. It should have been done and dusted inside a half a book and left at that. I'll be willing her to die the hardest come the Last Battle. Preferably in the most irrelevant of ways, to match her character and contribution.

 

Faile - No real hatred, she just bores me. Endless manipulation does not a pleasant character make.