Handy Man (No ToM spoilers, please.)

[ArayaTruth]

As far as Rand losing his hand goes, yeah, I saw that one coming from miles away. RJ foreshadowed that significantly. I can’t grasp exactly what it means for Rand and his allies at Tarmon Gai’don. Will he somehow get another hand of some sort before then? The appearance of the Fisher piece of sha’rah makes me think so, since the piece displays injuries to the side and the eyes alone. How this may come about, I have no idea. For now, I assume that Rand will have only one hand when Tarmon Gai’don arrives.

 

Swordplay

 

If Rand needs to wield Callandor during Tarmon Gai’don (as it seems he must, based on multiple prophecies), he must first relearn how to fight with a sword. RJ wrote that “most forms required two hands.” (KoD 27) We have seen evidence of this in many of the other books in the series. Rand must teach himself or find another teacher who can teach him to swordfight with only his right hand. Too bad Lan can’t teach him this time, eh? He did such a good job last time . . . But Rand will have to do without. Lan has his own problems.

 

To Channel or Not to Channel?

 

Based on what RJ wrote in KoD 27 “A Plain Wooden Box”, I have a theory. RJ writes: “Strangely, he could still feel his hand. It seemed he should be able to make a fist with the fingers that were no longer there . . . He could still feel the whole hand.”

I think (and hope) that Rand will still manipulate saidin with his left hand, though his hand no longer exists. He senses his hand and fingers, still. He should have the ability to manipulate saidin with the mental picture and sense that he has of his hand. Or so I hypothesize.

[Smokey Bear]

Strangely, he could still feel his hand. It seemed he should be able to make a fist with the fingers that were no longer there . . . He could still feel the whole hand

 

Maybe that's just phantom pains

 

But if Rand can saidin up a sword... I think maybe he should be able to create himself a new hand too :)

[Muad Cheade]

Rand "feels" his hand through his link with Moridin. We see evidence of this in tGS when Moridin flexes his left hand in pain.

 

As for the rest, it is not wielding Callandor as a weapon that is in the prophecies. It is using it with two other individuals that is referenced. Swordplay may come into play but it is plausible for Rand to learn to fight with one hand.

[herid]

As far as Rand losing his hand goes, yeah, I saw that one coming from miles away. RJ foreshadowed that significantly. I can’t grasp exactly what it means for Rand and his allies at Tarmon Gai’don. Will he somehow get another hand of some sort before then? The appearance of the Fisher piece of sha’rah makes me think so, since the piece displays injuries to the side and the eyes alone. How this may come about, I have no idea. For now, I assume that Rand will have only one hand when Tarmon Gai’don arrives.

 

Swordplay

 

If Rand needs to wield Callandor during Tarmon Gai’don (as it seems he must, based on multiple prophecies), he must first relearn how to fight with a sword. RJ wrote that “most forms required two hands.” (KoD 27) We have seen evidence of this in many of the other books in the series. Rand must teach himself or find another teacher who can teach him to swordfight with only his right hand. Too bad Lan can’t teach him this time, eh? He did such a good job last time . . . But Rand will have to do without. Lan has his own problems.

 

To Channel or Not to Channel?

 

Based on what RJ wrote in KoD 27 “A Plain Wooden Box”, I have a theory. RJ writes: “Strangely, he could still feel his hand. It seemed he should be able to make a fist with the fingers that were no longer there . . . He could still feel the whole hand.”

I think (and hope) that Rand will still manipulate saidin with his left hand, though his hand no longer exists. He senses his hand and fingers, still. He should have the ability to manipulate saidin with the mental picture and sense that he has of his hand. Or so I hypothesize.

I think Maud Cheade's explanation is about the hand is the right one. as for using a sword with one hand, yes Rand will have to learn but sword-fighting is hardly his most vital skill at this point. also, he is going to get his hand back one way or the other. this is evidenced by "he shall hold a blade of light in his hands and the three shall be one".

using his missing hand while channeling is an interesting idea but I don't think he needs his both hands too often for that. the only time I remember when he needed them both specifically was for channeling Arrows of Fire during the attack on Algarin's manor house in KoD.

[Mats Spare Hat]

Sheesh, I thought the whole being able to still feel his hand thing had to do with his nerve endings still being lively.

 

*shrug

[Kal-El814]

Sheesh, I thought the whole being able to still feel his hand thing had to do with his nerve endings still being lively.

 

*shrug

 

The way it's described in the book is very similar to the way a real life phantom limb situation would feel.

[FarShainMael]

I'm reminded of something.. Any Larry Niven fans out there?

 

He wrote a series of short stories featuring a character called Gil Hamilton, who was an asteroid miner (Belter) and who lost an arm in an accident. While he was waiting for a limb transplant he experienced the 'phantom limb' effect. He also discovered he could do a form of telekinesis (moving objects by thought), but this power was limited to the reach of his 'phantom' arm.. and he did not lose the power after he got his transplant. (Psi powers and transplants are common features of Niven's work.)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gil_Hamilton

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

luke skywalker, and the doctor, and probably a few other fictional similars, got their hands back. i could see rand being healed perfectly after he's deaded and having all his parts back. dunno until i read it, tho.

[Sharaman]

@FSM Gil the ARM -yeah :)

Rand could get an arty hand of many types. WoTland technology is certainly upto putting one together, even without the OP.

Or he OP himself an (invisible) hand of air if he wants one and tie off the weaves and control it by OP.

But OTOH, why does Rand want a hand?

[icspots]

Based on what RJ wrote in KoD 27 “A Plain Wooden Box”, I have a theory. RJ writes: “Strangely, he could still feel his hand. It seemed he should be able to make a fist with the fingers that were no longer there . . . He could still feel the whole hand.”

I think (and hope) that Rand will still manipulate saidin with his left hand, though his hand no longer exists. He senses his hand and fingers, still. He should have the ability to manipulate saidin with the mental picture and sense that he has of his hand. Or so I hypothesize.

 

You don't actually need your hands to manipulate the OP, and you don't manipulate it with your fingers. This is commented on when comparing Aiel weaves to Aes Sedai weaves.... Many sisters use their hands when they weave something (a fireball for instance) because they learned that weave from someone else who used their hands, and that motion becamae a "part" of the weave. Since that was the way they learned it they have great difficulty making the same weave work without using their hands as the second weave you learn for the same purpose generally never works as well as the first one (eg. Aviendha has issues Traveling since she can't remember how she initially did it when running from Rand). There was a Cadsuane POV where she was thinking about the differences in Aiel vs. Aes Sedai weaving and how while the motions weren't necessary they basically became so over time. She also thinks that there may once have been Sisters who didn't need to use their hand to throw a fireball. As mentioned Rand does use his hands for some weaves such as the Arrows of Fire when LTT took over the OP and they were fighting off the Trollocs attacking Algarain's manor.

 

So it's possible that while Rand may have some difficulty making any weaves which he would normally use both hands for, but it's not as if by losing a hand he's lost the ability to channel Saidin at all.

[mb]

I recall a thread from version 7 of this forum talking about the loss of his hand.

 

Sword fighting during Tarmon Gaidon seems unlikely right now. Rand did not practice during the time frame of Gathering Storm.

 

The books do not tell the kind of hand Callandor would be held with. It probably originated from fans.

 

If Rand regains his hand or gets a prosthetic, sword fighting would depend on how much he remembers and/or on how much time he would have to practice.

[seanzor]

TG is already starting I don't think there will be any sword training for Rand, He has more important things to do.

[Terez]

The opening poster asked for no TOM spoilers did s/he not?

[Luckers]

Indeed.

[seanzor]

my bad but I don't think that it is too much of a spoiler, it would be kind of a joke though if it hadn't started by the AMOL

[Luckers]

Lol, no--anything spoilerized was hidden from sight. If you don't know TG is beginning you don't belong on this board at all. :)

[FarShainMael]

@FSM Gil the ARM -yeah :)

 

By Finagle, you've got it

 

Rand could get an arty hand of many types. WoTland technology is certainly upto putting one together, even without the OP.

Or he OP himself an (invisible) hand of air if he wants one and tie off the weaves and control it by OP.

But OTOH, why does Rand want a hand?

 

So he can use a sword, which he does not disdain (unlike Taim )

 

Also, there's the small matter of Nuada Airgetlám, king of the Tuatha Dé, who lost an arm in combat:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuada_Airgetl%C3%A1m

 

Having lost his arm, Nuada was no longer eligible for kingship due to the Tuatha Dé tradition that their king must be physically perfect, and he was replaced as king by Bres, a half-Fomorian prince renowned for his beauty and intellect. The Fomorians were mythological enemies of the people of Ireland, often equated with the mythological "opposing force" such as the Greek Titans to the Olympians, and during Bres's reign they imposed great tribute on the Tuatha Dé, who became disgruntled with their new king's oppressive rule and lack of hospitality. By this time Nuada had his lost arm replaced by a working silver one by the physician Dian Cecht and the wright Creidhne (and later with a new arm of flesh and blood by Dian Cecht's son Miach). Bres was removed from the kingship, having ruled for seven years, and Nuada was restored. He ruled for twenty more years.