What’s up with Slayer? (No ToM spoilers, please.)

[ArayaTruth]

I find Slayer’s character confusing. I understand that Rand’s uncle (Lord Luc) and Lan’s cousin (Isam) merged to form him, and I know we don’t really know how or why or anything like that . . . I just can’t make sense of some of the things that he does and some of the appearances he makes. Looking at other posts, I know that I missed some important events (such as an apparently epic and unfinished showdown between Slayer and Perrin), since I have yet to read ToM. Here’s a good example of what I mean:

 

Winter’s Heart 10

 

In “A Plan Succeeds,” Slayer shows up in TAR and eavesdrops while Egwene, Elayne, and Nynaeve meet. They discuss the Kinswomen and what to do about the Oath Rod. They detect Slayer in the midst of eavesdropping. He disappears. (He takes the form of Lord Luc. They recognize the resemblance to Rand. It amuses me that Egwene says Luc could have been Rand’s uncle, by the way. She hits the nail on the head, unknowingly.) It seems as if Slayer intended for the three women to see him. He hid very poorly. He warns them of the danger of eavesdroppers, in a way.

 

Does Slayer Have a Hidden Motive?

 

Why warn the women? Does Slayer secretly want those opposing the Foresaken to win? Both Rand and Lan connect with one half of Slayer. Does he sympathize with the two of them deep down inside, despite what he says at the end of WH 22? (“It really was a pity. He had rather looked forward to killing his nephew and the wench.” Slayer thought this after killing an old couple sleeping in the room where Rand and Min should have been. Slayer took the form of Lord Luc, at that point.)

[balefired-ed2]

I have always seen Slayer as a sort of Angel of Death who wont be happy until the world is raining blood. Since he spent many seasons in the abyss, he seems to be acting with a lot more speed and chaos than other dark siders. I am going to enjoy reading the ending to this very interesting character.

[Terez]

He might have wanted Elayne to recognize him as Luc (not that she remembers him - he disappeared before she was born - but she knows the general features of the Andoran royal line and there are probably portraits hanging about). He's definitely a darksider, though - no ambiguity there.

[sleepinghour]

Slayer stepped out in the open after Nynaeve changed into the Malkieri garb from her Accepted test, so it's possible that's what caught his interest. Slayer was involved with the Gray Man who tried to kill Egwene and Nynaeve in TDR, and also encountered Nynaeve once in T'A'R, so he probably knew who they were, but might not have known yet about Nynaeve's marriage to Lan.

[mb]

From how I take the scene, Slayer did not intend to be seen. Hence the fleeing and changing of bodies.

 

As for why he was there in the first place, perhaps it related to orders given before hand; maybe same orders mentioned later in the book.

[Sharaman]

Not much use debating this subject without ToM spoilers frankly.