Who Cares About the Eye of The World? (The Eye, not the Book

[dacovale]

So I'm re-reading Eye of the World, and Rand and his gang hear from three sources that the DO is trying to blind the Eye of the World. "Ba'alzamon" also keeps saying 'The Eye of the World will never serve you!' My question is this, Who cares if the Eye of the World is blinded? Does it do anything? Rand uses it up and nothing bad happens to the world. You never even hear of it again the rest of the series. Why is it so important to the Dark One?

[Kadere]

It's untainted Saidin. With untainted Saidin the Forsaken can regenerate themselves back to full power with no fear of going mad.

[Guest Majsju]

The DO doesn't want Rand to use it, because it means Rand gets to start off his channeling with a huge amount of untainted saidin, which benefits Rand.

 

The forsaken wants it for themselves, because since it's untainted, they can use it without having to rely on the DOs protection, which means they can channel without the DO knowing what they're up to.

[Guest cwestervelt]

Moiraine may have been one of the few people outside the Foresaken, that actually knew what the Eye was. She had been to the Nym and seen it before. I don't know if it was ever mentioned as being general knowledge among the Aes Sedai.

 

Besides, if Ba'alzamon had managed to destroy the Eye, Tarwin's Gap and Sheinar would have been over run. To all appearances, the Eye has served its intended purpose so the fact that it is gone shouldn't have any negative repercussions.

[Luckers]

It also served the purpose of showing that saidin could be made clean.

 

That being said i always found the eye and events founding it confusing and a bit weak. but meh.

[RobertAlexWillis]

Um ... it also protected the Horn of Valere people. I bet Moridin would love to have that in his pocket along about now ... and it, along with the banner, has come in handy for Rand at least once, and there's on more big one coming up.

[Guest cwestervelt]

Your making a big assumption that the Foresaken even knew the Horn was there or even cared much about it. It was thought destroyed before the War of Power. Even if they thought it survived, any power it had was considered a myth. It was only protected because one of the Foretellings that made up the Prophesies said it would be needed.

http://www.wotmania.com/faqtopic.asp?ID=152

 

RJ has confirmed Majsju's statements about the Foresaken (at least Aginor's) interest in the Eye being the ability to Channel Saidin without the Dark One knowing.

[RobertAlexWillis]

I didn't speculate on Aginor's motives. RJ answered that as you pointed out. I was speculating on the Eye's actual importance.

 

However, it is very likely that ISHAMAEL had some idea of what the Eye was protecting, since he had been more or less in contact with the world for, oh, 3000 years or so. And he seems to have been almost totally free immediately following the Strike on Shayol Ghul, and through the beginning of the Breaking, when the Eye was made. I bet he could have gotten his hands on someone who knew what was there. And if Ishy knew, the Dark One knew, so the Dark One's plan (which always seems to be independent of the Forsaken's plans) was to "blind" the Eye, and take what it protected. The Dark One would have no interest in saidin at all, pure or tainted.

[Guest cwestervelt]

I can accept Ishamael knowing it was there. Don't know that I would go so far as having him take any real interest in it, but that's just me.

 

Funny thing about Ishameal. For all his attempts to manipulate what is happening, he ends up being one of the Pattern's biggest resources. If he would have left well enough alone, how much of the Karatheon Cycle wouldn't have been fulfilled?

 

No Seanchan, so no Crystal Throne, return, Falme, sky battle proclamation...

 

His interest in the Eye was what drew Moiraine, allowed the Horn and the Banner to be found, (not to mention saved Sheinar to boot)...

 

Does he never learn? Or is he some sort of Dark Ta'veren. I seem to recall RJ saying there wouldn't be any conceivable reason to create one, but Ishamael sure shows the traits of one.

[Jorik Alarin]

Or is he some sort of Dark Ta'veren. I seem to recall RJ saying there wouldn't be any conceivable reason to create one' date=' but Ishamael sure shows the traits of one.[/quote']

 

I'm aware of RJ's statement on this, but i must agree with you here CW, it does seem very fortunate that Ishy was around to do all these things to help bring about the rebirth and proclamation of TDR.