What is your favorite foreshadowing in the series?

[herid]

The foreshadowings are one of the coolest things about the series and are one of the reasons I keep rereading the books. There is always something more to find.

There are so many great ones and I'm curious to see which ones people like best. Here is my most favorite one so far.

 

This is from LoC, Ch 6. Semirhage is ruminating while torturing Cabriana Mecandes and her warder:

 

The Chosen were no more than pieces on the board; they might be Counselors and Spires, but they were still pieces. If the Great Lord moved her here secretly, might he not be moving Moghedien or Lanfear, or even Asmodean? Might Shaidar Haran not be sent to deliver covert commands to Graendal or Sammael? Or for that matter, to Demandred or Mesaana? Their uneasy alliance—if it could be called by so strong a name—had lasted a long time, but neither would tell her if they received secret orders from the Great Lord, any more than she would ever let them learn of the orders that had brought her here, or those that had had her send Myrddraal and Trollocs to the Stone of Tear to battle those sent by Sammael.

 

If the Great Lord meant to make al’Thor Nae’blis, she herself would kneel to him—and wait for a slip to deliver him into her hands. Immortality meant infinite time to wait. There would always be other patients to amuse her in the meantime. What troubled her was Shaidar Haran. She had never been more than an indifferent tcheran player, but Shaidar Haran was a new piece on the board, one of unknown strength and purpose. And one daring way to capture your opponent’s High Counselor and turn it to your side was to sacrifice your Spires in a false attack. She would kneel if need be, for as long as need be, but she would not be sacrificed.

 

I find this totally great not only because it gets resolved in such an awesome way in tGS but also because it serves as a proof that Semirhage was indeed deliberately sacrificed in an attempt to turn Rand.

 

Here is another one that I really like from tEoTW (which seems to have a foreshadowing on every page).

 

This is from Ch 30, when Perrin and Egwene are hiding from the Whitecloacks in Hawkwings statue:

At the base of the hill he studied the massive, flat rock outlined against the sky, jutting out the slope almost at the crest. There was an odd familiarity to the way the top of the huge slab seemed to form irregular steps, three up and one down. He climbed the short distance and felt across the stone, walking along it. Despite the weathering of centuries he could still feel four joined columns. He glanced up at the step-like top of the stone, towering over his head like a huge lean-to. Fingers. We’ll shelter in Artur Hawkwing’s hand. Maybe some of his justice is left here.

 

This is where Hawkwing's sword Justice is later found and given to Rand.

Rand put on his boots, then did up their buckles.

He stood, reaching for the sword which leaned against his clothing chest. The black scabbard, with its lacquered red and gold dragon, sparkled in the light. Such a strange weapon those scholars had found beneath the submerged statue. The sword felt so old. Was Rand wearing it today as a symbol of something? A sign, perhaps, that he was riding to battle?

-TGS, Ch1

This is way cool and really subtle.

 

Many thanks to Terez for pointing these out.

[PhoenixUK]

Ooh nice one herid, i would never have noticed those. Things like this always make me shake my head in awe at RJ. Then again, given that WOT is 14 bloody books long, it's not surprising that there is so much buried in there

[Bluedust9]

Came in to post Perrin and a lil bit of justice, already done. Blew my mind when I read that quote.

[OptimusPrime]

I really like how Rands wounds foreshadow the method used at the Cleansing

[Ashandarei]

Tower of Ghenjei.

 

Another time, when the eastward shore had become flat grassland again, broken only occasionally by thickets, the sun glinted off something in the distance. "What can that be?" Rand wondered aloud. "It looks like metal." Captain Domon was walking by, and he paused, squinting toward the glint. "It do be metal," he said. His words still ran together, but Rand had come to understand without having to puzzle it out. "A tower of metal. I have seen it close up, and I know. River traders use it as a marker. We be ten days from Whitebridge at the rate we go." "A metal tower?" Rand said, and Mat, sitting cross-legged with his back against a barrel, roused from

his brooding to listen.

The captain nodded. "Aye. Shining steel, by the look and feel of it, but no a spot of rust. Two hundred feet high, it be, as big around as a house, with no a mark on it and never an opening to be found." "I'll bet there's treasure inside," Mat said. He stood up and stared toward the far tower as the river carried the Spray beyond it. "A thing like that must have been made to protect something valuable."

 

The foreshadowing is pretty blatant but I still was surprised(in a good way) by just how big a part the ToG played in the story. I also like just how early it was foreshadowed that Mat would go in there searching for "treasure" also known as "salvation of the world/Light"- in book 1- while it's actually resolved/dealt with in book 13.

[Hopefire]

It's not quite foreshadowing, but near the start of The Eye of the World, while other people are getting up in arms about Fain the man who declared himself Dragon, Cenn Buie is the one who recognizes and says aloud that the winter has been harder and that the crops are coming along slower than they should be. He might be a cantankerous old duffer, but he was right to suspect that something was up.

 

 

Another that isn't quite foreshadowing, more like dramatic irony, comes from Rand. And it might well be my favorite line in the series.

 

"What kind of need would be great enough that we'd need the Dragon to save us from it? As well ask for help from the Dark One."

-Rand al'Thor

 

 

And my second favorite:

"Is that all there is for me? To abandon him again and again? To betray him, fail him, again and again? Is that what there is for me?"

-Egwene al'Vere

 

Given how things stand at the moment, I'd say Egwene nailed it in one right there.

[Aquarius]

Verin and Ingtar in tGH:

 

Hurin's grin was at the same time triumphant and perplexed. "I found them, Lord Ingtar. Lord

Rand. I tracked them to their lair."

"Lair?" Ingtar said sharply. "You mean they're hiding somewhere close by?

"Aye, Lord Ingtar. The ones who took the Horn, I followed straight there, and there was

Trolloc scent all around the place, though sneaking as if they didn't dare be seen, even there. And

no wonder." The sniffer took a deep breath. "It's the great manor Lord Barthanes just finished

building."

"Lord Barthanes!" Ingtar exclaimed. "But he . . . he's . . . he's. . . ."

"There are Darkfriends among the high as well as the low," Verin said smoothly. "The

mighty give their souls to the Shadow as often as the weak." Ingtar scowled as if he did not want

to think of that.

[Evoke]

Tarmon Gaidon

[herid]

Came in to post Perrin and a lil bit of justice, already done. Blew my mind when I read that quote.

 

yep, this one is amazing. I doubt I would ever notice it myself. as I said Terez pointed it out to me.

 

It's not quite foreshadowing, but near the start of The Eye of the World, while other people are getting up in arms about Fain the man who declared himself Dragon, Cenn Buie is the one who recognizes and says aloud that the winter has been harder and that the crops are coming along slower than they should be. He might be a cantankerous old duffer, but he was right to suspect that something was up.

 

 

Another that isn't quite foreshadowing, more like dramatic irony, comes from Rand. And it might well be my favorite line in the series.

 

"What kind of need would be great enough that we'd need the Dragon to save us from it? As well ask for help from the Dark One."

-Rand al'Thor

 

 

And my second favorite:

"Is that all there is for me? To abandon him again and again? To betray him, fail him, again and again? Is that what there is for me?"

-Egwene al'Vere

 

Given how things stand at the moment, I'd say Egwene nailed it in one right there.

lol, yes, I'm not sure RJ wanted this to be a foreshadowing but it there is a certain dark irony here.

Tarmon Gaidon

You don't like your foreshadowing too subtle, do you?

 

Verin and Ingtar in tGH:

 

Hurin's grin was at the same time triumphant and perplexed. "I found them, Lord Ingtar. Lord

Rand. I tracked them to their lair."

"Lair?" Ingtar said sharply. "You mean they're hiding somewhere close by?

"Aye, Lord Ingtar. The ones who took the Horn, I followed straight there, and there was

Trolloc scent all around the place, though sneaking as if they didn't dare be seen, even there. And

no wonder." The sniffer took a deep breath. "It's the great manor Lord Barthanes just finished

building."

"Lord Barthanes!" Ingtar exclaimed. "But he . . . he's . . . he's. . . ."

"There are Darkfriends among the high as well as the low," Verin said smoothly. "The

mighty give their souls to the Shadow as often as the weak." Ingtar scowled as if he did not want

to think of that.

 

yes, the Ingtar foreshadowings are very nice because they are more subtly masked then most other foreshadowings. Here is another one

Ingtar let his horse fall back beside Perrin’s. Sometimes, to Perrin’s eyes, the crescent crest on the Shienaran’s helmet looked like a Trolloc’s horns.

-TGH, Ch28

 

Most other foreshadowings use the same standard trick - they are stated either as joke or by claiming that something is impossible or won't happen.

That's why it's very easy to spot as foreshadowings repeated early jokes that Egwene will become Amyrlin or repeated scornful denials that Rand can cleanse saidin or Nynaeve can Heal stilling. They really stick out as sore thumbs. Some are somewhat less obvious but still can be picked off because they follow the same pattern. For example, I was fairly sure that the following one was a foreshadowing quite early on.

 

When the girls discuss the clues left for them to hunt Balck Ajah:

“She is right,” Elayne said disgustedly. “I have built a bridge out of straw. Worse than straw. Wishes. Maybe you are right, too, Nynaeve. What use is this—this rubbish?” She snatched one paper out of the stack in front of her. “Rianna has black hair with a white streak above her left ear. If I am close enough to see that, it’s closer than I want to be.” She grabbed another page. “Chesmal Emry is one of the most talented Healers anyone has seen in years. Light, could you imagine being Healed by one of the Black Ajah?” A third sheet. “Marillin Gemalphin is fond of cats and goes out of her way to help injured animals. Cats! Paah!” She scrabbled all the pages together, crumpling them in her fists. “It is useless rubbish.”

-TDR, Ch25

Uhm, no Elayne, it's not rubbish. Every single one of these will come to play a role although you'll have to wait for some ten books to be Healed by Chesmal.

 

or this one when Nynaeve thinks:

 

She realized she had not told Egwene about Egeanin. Perhaps best not to stir up Egwene’s memories of her captivity. Nynaeve could remember all too well the other woman’s nightmares for weeks after she was freed, waking up screaming that she would not be chained. Much the best to let it lie. It was not as if Egwene need ever meet the Seanchan woman.

-tSR, Ch 52

 

ok, it hasn't quite come to pass but it surely will soon. Egeanin has recently arrived in Tar Valon and is set to play some role in Egwene's impending confrontation with the Seanchan.

 

here is another one which sort of uses the same trick but is certainly much harder to spot (I don't think I ever would before it gets resolved)

 

When Nynaeve grumbles about Teodrin's attempts to break her block.

“I am not very good at surrendering,” she said. Unless there was no point in fighting, anyway. Only a fool went on where there was no chance at all. She could not breathe under water, she could not fly by flapping her arms—and she could not channel except when angry.

-LoC, Ch 13

well, I doubt Nyn will ever fly by flapping her arms but the other two come to pass eventually.

 

The Ingtar foreshadowings and especially the Justice foreshadowing don't use those standard tricks and are therefore much harder to spot as foreshadowings even on rereads.

[Aquarius]

The Ingtar foreshadowings and especially the Justice foreshadowing don't use those standard tricks and are therefore much harder to spot as foreshadowings even on rereads.

I used to call that an "Ingtar forshadowing", like everybody else, but to mee, when I reread tGH, it clearly was a Verin forshadowing.

[herid]

The Ingtar foreshadowings and especially the Justice foreshadowing don't use those standard tricks and are therefore much harder to spot as foreshadowings even on rereads.

I used to call that an "Ingtar forshadowing", like everybody else, but to mee, when I reread tGH, it clearly was a Verin forshadowing.

which one? this one?

"Lord Barthanes!" Ingtar exclaimed. "But he . . . he's . . . he's. . . ."

"There are Darkfriends among the high as well as the low," Verin said smoothly. "The

mighty give their souls to the Shadow as often as the weak." Ingtar scowled as if he did not want

to think of that.

You are right, that might be a Verin foreshadowing too but it's certainly an Ingtar foreshadowing.

[Pygmalion79]

"Lord Barthanes!" Ingtar exclaimed. "But he . . . he's . . . he's. . . ."

"There are Darkfriends among the high as well as the low," Verin said smoothly. "The

mighty give their souls to the Shadow as often as the weak." Ingtar scowled as if he did not want

to think of that.

You are right, that might be a Verin foreshadowing too but it's certainly an Ingtar foreshadowing.

Basically it's RJ thinking about how funny it is that on the first reading you'll miss the significance of the exchange, on the second reading you'll be feeling clever thinking that you understand its significance, and on the final rereading you'll be thinking about how cleverly Jordan invested the scene with significance.

[herid]

"Lord Barthanes!" Ingtar exclaimed. "But he . . . he's . . . he's. . . ."

"There are Darkfriends among the high as well as the low," Verin said smoothly. "The

mighty give their souls to the Shadow as often as the weak." Ingtar scowled as if he did not want

to think of that.

You are right, that might be a Verin foreshadowing too but it's certainly an Ingtar foreshadowing.

Basically it's RJ thinking about how funny it is that on the first reading you'll miss the significance of the exchange, on the second reading you'll be feeling clever thinking that you understand its significance, and on the final rereading you'll be thinking about how cleverly Jordan invested the scene with significance.

Yes, you are right, this scene now does have a new meaning now. But I still view it as mostly an Ingtar foreshadowing. Verin was always an extremely dodgy and suspicious character. Ingtar was not supposed to be. He was sort of hidden in plain sight. This scene was a subtle hint about his true nature.

 

speaking of Verin, I still can't understand why she told such an easily discoverable lie when she told Ingtar and co that Moiraine sent her to join them. what was the point of it? she didn't need Moiraine's authority to join Ingtar's party. She is very careful about lying at other times.

[DocBean]

I always thought Verin's lie to Perrin about Moraine sending her was Jordan's clue that she's a darkfriend.

From that moment on I believed she was a darkfriend, and that I was incredibly clever for catching it.

But you're right, it's not as subtle as I thought it was at the time; certainly not typical of Jordan.

 

I didn't trust her even after her conversation with Egwene. I'm not sure I do now, years of mistrust are hard to forget.

I probably would have tossed her letter out the day she gave it to me.

[Mats Spare Hat]

"...to spit in the dark one's eye on the last day"

 

 

Whacky probable non-foreshadow, but it enables my goofy thought that the secret ingredient to reseal the DO, is a big honking Aiel-brand loogie.

[herid]

"...to spit in the dark one's eye on the last day"

 

 

Whacky probable non-foreshadow, but it enables my goofy thought that the secret ingredient to reseal the DO, is a big honking Aiel-brand loogie.

I don't think that qualifies as a foreshadowing at this point. It might in the end though. we'll see. I do find it curious that when Rand goes into a trance at the great sa'angreal in TGH and supposedly "reaches for the core of who he was, what he was" this saying is what comes out.

[Pygmalion79]

"...to spit in the dark one's eye on the last day"

 

 

Whacky probable non-foreshadow, but it enables my goofy thought that the secret ingredient to reseal the DO, is a big honking Aiel-brand loogie.

I don't think that qualifies as a foreshadowing at this point. It might in the end though. we'll see. I do find it curious that when Rand goes into a trance at the great sa'angreal in TGH and supposedly "reaches for the core of who he was, what he was" this saying is what comes out.

Would this be fulfilled if resealing the Bore requires that the Aiel relearn Singing, and the Song turns out to involve a lot of guttural noises and spitting?

[Mats Spare Hat]

"...to spit in the dark one's eye on the last day"

 

 

Whacky probable non-foreshadow, but it enables my goofy thought that the secret ingredient to reseal the DO, is a big honking Aiel-brand loogie.

I don't think that qualifies as a foreshadowing at this point. It might in the end though. we'll see. I do find it curious that when Rand goes into a trance at the great sa'angreal in TGH and supposedly "reaches for the core of who he was, what he was" this saying is what comes out.

Would this be fulfilled if resealing the Bore requires that the Aiel relearn Singing, and the Song turns out to involve a lot of guttural noises and spitting?

 

 

*Shrug...Doesn't have to be that complicated as far as being a song or whatnot. Just thought it'd be on the dopey side of hilarity, snort-inducing, if spit was the hitch. Like the other dude, I did think the whole Rand at the CK in TGH spouting the phrasing was always a little eyebrow twirky.

 

Given it was pretty much just another tip that Rand's part Aiel...the goober horking's just kind of out there. If it happens I'll probably let out a 'ha!' but if not, no big deal. Just something funny to think about eh?

[Durinax]

Tam, everytime he is described as a stone, a flood could wash around him without uprooting him. Then during the later exchanges when they channel at him and he does nothin but talks to the person as if nothing happens :P

[Evoke]

Tarmon Gaidon

You don't like your foreshadowing too subtle, do you?

It's been 20 years in the making. After this, there will be nothing left to look forward to.

[Songstress]

 

 

When Nynaeve grumbles about Teodrin's attempts to break her block.

“I am not very good at surrendering,” she said. Unless there was no point in fighting, anyway. Only a fool went on where there was no chance at all. She could not breathe under water, she could not fly by flapping her arms—and she could not channel except when angry.

-LoC, Ch 13

well, I doubt Nyn will ever fly by flapping her arms but the other two come to pass eventually.

 

I'm re-reading right now (first full re-read, but then I'm a newbie) and just came across this the other day. Loved it. :)

[spoke]

When Perrin is talking to Lord Bashere his father in law he says that if Faile is taken away, he will come after her and take her back. Even into the middle of an armed camp. --Malden--

[Terez]

I have thought about making a collection of all the WoT foreshadowing but there is sooooo much of it, most of it very innocent and clever. Brandon noticed this one while he was working on TOM (not that we had never noticed it before):

 

A slender woman, nearly as dark as her stark black gown and tall even had she been Aiel, stood behind the girl's chair with her arms folded and ill-concealed impatience. Her wavy black hair was short, but not shaved at all, so she was neither of the Blood nor so'jhin. Imperiously beautiful, she put Tylin and Suroth both in the shade. He noticed beautiful women, too, even when he did feel hit in the head with a hammer.

 

It was not the presence of Suroth or the strangers that jerked him to a halt, though. The dice had stopped, landing with a thunder that made his skull ring. That had never happened before. He stood there waiting for one of the Forsaken to leap out of the flames in the marble fireplace, or the earth to swallow the Palace beneath him.

Funny, that he thought Semirhage was beautiful...

[capuga]

I have thought about making a collection of all the WoT foreshadowing but there is sooooo much of it, most of it very innocent and clever. Brandon noticed this one while he was working on TOM (not that we had never noticed it before):

 

A slender woman, nearly as dark as her stark black gown and tall even had she been Aiel, stood behind the girl's chair with her arms folded and ill-concealed impatience. Her wavy black hair was short, but not shaved at all, so she was neither of the Blood nor so'jhin. Imperiously beautiful, she put Tylin and Suroth both in the shade. He noticed beautiful women, too, even when he did feel hit in the head with a hammer.

 

It was not the presence of Suroth or the strangers that jerked him to a halt, though. The dice had stopped, landing with a thunder that made his skull ring. That had never happened before. He stood there waiting for one of the Forsaken to leap out of the flames in the marble fireplace, or the earth to swallow the Palace beneath him.

Funny, that he thought Semirhage was beautiful...

 

Alright, I'm going to be dumb and go ahead and ask just to make sure I'm not misunderstanding - You're refering to it being funny because she later impersonates the DotNM whom Mat ends up marrying? If so, then I'll agree to liking that one also.

[herid]

I have thought about making a collection of all the WoT foreshadowing but there is sooooo much of it, most of it very innocent and clever. Brandon noticed this one while he was working on TOM (not that we had never noticed it before):

 

A slender woman, nearly as dark as her stark black gown and tall even had she been Aiel, stood behind the girl's chair with her arms folded and ill-concealed impatience. Her wavy black hair was short, but not shaved at all, so she was neither of the Blood nor so'jhin. Imperiously beautiful, she put Tylin and Suroth both in the shade. He noticed beautiful women, too, even when he did feel hit in the head with a hammer.

 

It was not the presence of Suroth or the strangers that jerked him to a halt, though. The dice had stopped, landing with a thunder that made his skull ring. That had never happened before. He stood there waiting for one of the Forsaken to leap out of the flames in the marble fireplace, or the earth to swallow the Palace beneath him.

Funny, that he thought Semirhage was beautiful...

ah yes, this is a nice one. but it's quite obvious on even the first reread. some of the others (especially the one with Justice) are very hard to spot even on multiple rereads.

BTW, whatever happened to dice in Mat's head? they seem to have completely disappeared in TGS and ToM. I think they are only mentioned once in ToM.