What does it mean to be 13X13'd?

[Kal-El814]

With the Verin reveal at the end of tGS and increasing speculation that there's some 13X13'ing happening at the Black Tower, I've been trying to think of exactly what it means to become a Darkfriend by this method.

 

We know from Verin's activities that it's possible to be a Darkfriend that can channel but actively work against the DO at least to an extent.

 

So... what happens when someone gets 13x13'd as opposed to becoming a Darkfriend willingly? Is there some sort of Compulsion involved in which the victim desires to work for the DO actively, or is it merely that the requisite oaths are forced on them, but they'd be subsequently reluctant? The description of what's happening in the BT would seem to imply that people become willing Darkfriends, but I couldn't find anything definitive.

 

Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere, I didn't see it using the search frature, on the WoT Wiki, encyclopedia or through rereading the relevant bits of tDR. If it's been answered, a link and a lock or delete would be fine by me.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

did you ever see that episode of angel, smile time i think, where the evil alien monster puppet things use people like puppets? i think it's like that, without the visible puppet-hole.

[herid]

With the Verin reveal at the end of tGS and increasing speculation that there's some 13X13'ing happening at the Black Tower, I've been trying to think of exactly what it means to become a Darkfriend by this method.

 

We know from Verin's activities that it's possible to be a Darkfriend that can channel but actively work against the DO at least to an extent.

 

So... what happens when someone gets 13x13'd as opposed to becoming a Darkfriend willingly? Is there some sort of Compulsion involved in which the victim desires to work for the DO actively, or is it merely that the requisite oaths are forced on them, but they'd be subsequently reluctant? The description of what's happening in the BT would seem to imply that people become willing Darkfriends, but I couldn't find anything definitive.

 

they become willing darkfriends. RJ commented on this

 

Week 15 Question: When a channeler is forcibly turned to the Dark, is his/her former personality lost to eternity? Are they in a permanent state of mindless Compulsion? Furthermore, can a channeler forcibly turned to the Dark return to the Light unaided?

 

Robert Jordan Answers: They are not in a mindless state of Compulsion. Their former personality is twisted, the darker elements that everyone has to some degree elevated while what might be called the good elements are largely suppressed. I don't mean things like courage, which is useful even to villains, but they are unlikely to be very charitable, for example, and forget any altruistic impulses. Call it being turned into a mirror image of yourself in many ways. It is very unlikely that a channeler forcibly turned to the Shadow could find a way back to the Light unaided. For one reason, by virtue of the twisting he or she had undergone, it is very unlikely that he or she would have any desire to do so.

[Kal-El814]

Well, that just about sums it up! Thanks for posting that!

 

If a mod would like to lock this, that's fine with me. Thanks again.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

'k, but that's a really excellent episode of angel. seriously.

 

the RJ explanation sounds an awful lot like what happens when the transporter switches you up with your goateed mirror world self on star trek. which was an OK episode, but really not close to smile time quality.

[nnokwoodeye]

I always wondered if that means that some people who are turned that way refuse to serve the dark one out of arrogance. after all, if they are ambitious enough, and think that the dark one could be defeated they might want to take over the world for themselves...