Masema Written Out Like a Sitcom Character

[Sharaman]

I think Brandon is working on extensive notes. This sequence may have been sparked by RJ wondering to himself "When do I bump off Masema? Who does it?" and Brandon doing what he thought was the cleanest excision.

[UncleButcher1980]

Stay still! I've used a Mirror of Mists to hide you, but it ripples if you move. And I can hear them; they're very close now. Don't worry, if anyone asks me, I haven't seen you.

 

Thanks! But I'm sure I am protected the Glory of the Light that is Faile.

 

Ok, that sounded weird.

 

 

I thought it was an absolutely brilliant moment; it's not necessary for every death to be an epic scene. This was just so simple and to the point. And ruthless. Brilliant. And even better it was Faile, the Wheel of Time's greatest female, who did the deed.

Better get your flame-retardant suit on.

 

All quiet so far, the Darkfriends must be sleeping.

 

I think you should be alright.

 

I wouldnt go so far as to say she was the BEST, but i think, in light of recent events, Faile has become much better for readers. and personally, I never actually hated her. The foolishness in earlier books, I believe, stems from the fact that she is 16 years old, which can sometimes be forgotten.

 

In any case, I thought the Masema death was perfectly logical in terms of plot. The whole thing about Masema was the fact that he needed to be put down, but Perrin wasnt willing to do it, even if it endangered the people around him. Having Faile come back and kill him fits perfectly. She does what Perrin cannot, saving him the conflict of doing it himself.

 

What I am trying to say is, even if you didnt like the scene personally, or the way it happened, I dont think that it was a plot shortcut. I think that this was always the way Masema was going to die.

 

I still find that hard to believe, only 16? I know it's right, but it just doesn't sound right. You say foolishness, and I suppose I can concede she was a bit, but to me she always seemed mature and I can't picture her being so young.

[Barid Bel Medar]

Stay still! I've used a Mirror of Mists to hide you, but it ripples if you move. And I can hear them; they're very close now. Don't worry, if anyone asks me, I haven't seen you.

 

Thanks! But I'm sure I am protected the Glory of the Light that is Faile.

 

Ok, that sounded weird.

 

 

I thought it was an absolutely brilliant moment; it's not necessary for every death to be an epic scene. This was just so simple and to the point. And ruthless. Brilliant. And even better it was Faile, the Wheel of Time's greatest female, who did the deed.

Better get your flame-retardant suit on.

 

All quiet so far, the Darkfriends must be sleeping.

 

I think you should be alright.

 

I wouldnt go so far as to say she was the BEST, but i think, in light of recent events, Faile has become much better for readers. and personally, I never actually hated her. The foolishness in earlier books, I believe, stems from the fact that she is 16 years old, which can sometimes be forgotten.

 

In any case, I thought the Masema death was perfectly logical in terms of plot. The whole thing about Masema was the fact that he needed to be put down, but Perrin wasnt willing to do it, even if it endangered the people around him. Having Faile come back and kill him fits perfectly. She does what Perrin cannot, saving him the conflict of doing it himself.

 

What I am trying to say is, even if you didnt like the scene personally, or the way it happened, I dont think that it was a plot shortcut. I think that this was always the way Masema was going to die.

 

I still find that hard to believe, only 16? I know it's right, but it just doesn't sound right. You say foolishness, and I suppose I can concede she was a bit, but to me she always seemed mature and I can't picture her being so young.

 

yes, I do tend to agree. For the most part she did act pretty mature, if strange.

 

The foolishness I meant, however, was the one thing in TSR. Where she tricked Loial and endagered Perrin in the Ways. Now it wasnt entirely her fault, but that WAS foolishness, even if it was for good reasons.

[Dakota]

Masema's death may have been very sudden and blunt, yes. But I didn't mind it too much. It was kind of a let down in that Perrin's whole arc was started off by his task to find the guy and bring him in, and to see him killed off so quickly and only after the majority of Perrin's arc had been resolved was a bit of a let-down.

 

I don't mind it too much though.

A) At this point he was a loose thread in a boring arc, and at this point in the series loose threads need to be wrapped up if the story is ever going to end.

B) After going through books 7-11 with only one major event happening (The Cleansing) and all the rest being fluff and padding, it definately gave me a sense of "Oh my god, things are actually -happening- now!" with a new author at the reins. No disrespect to RJ, but books 7-11 should have been two books with all the unnecessary fluff cut out.

[UncleButcher1980]

Stay still! I've used a Mirror of Mists to hide you, but it ripples if you move. And I can hear them; they're very close now. Don't worry, if anyone asks me, I haven't seen you.

 

Thanks! But I'm sure I am protected the Glory of the Light that is Faile.

 

Ok, that sounded weird.

 

 

I thought it was an absolutely brilliant moment; it's not necessary for every death to be an epic scene. This was just so simple and to the point. And ruthless. Brilliant. And even better it was Faile, the Wheel of Time's greatest female, who did the deed.

Better get your flame-retardant suit on.

 

All quiet so far, the Darkfriends must be sleeping.

 

I think you should be alright.

 

I wouldnt go so far as to say she was the BEST, but i think, in light of recent events, Faile has become much better for readers. and personally, I never actually hated her. The foolishness in earlier books, I believe, stems from the fact that she is 16 years old, which can sometimes be forgotten.

 

In any case, I thought the Masema death was perfectly logical in terms of plot. The whole thing about Masema was the fact that he needed to be put down, but Perrin wasnt willing to do it, even if it endangered the people around him. Having Faile come back and kill him fits perfectly. She does what Perrin cannot, saving him the conflict of doing it himself.

 

What I am trying to say is, even if you didnt like the scene personally, or the way it happened, I dont think that it was a plot shortcut. I think that this was always the way Masema was going to die.

 

I still find that hard to believe, only 16? I know it's right, but it just doesn't sound right. You say foolishness, and I suppose I can concede she was a bit, but to me she always seemed mature and I can't picture her being so young.

 

yes, I do tend to agree. For the most part she did act pretty mature, if strange.

 

The foolishness I meant, however, was the one thing in TSR. Where she tricked Loial and endagered Perrin in the Ways. Now it wasnt entirely her fault, but that WAS foolishness, even if it was for good reasons.

 

Yes, can't argue with that. Though I was always equally ticked off with Perrin for being stubborn.

[HighWiredSith]

I still feel like Masema was intended to be a far more critical character in terms of the larger story line. He was introduced almost immediately after Rand declared himself The Dragon Reborn, back when there was this strong sense that he would become as much a cult or religious leader as he would a military leader. Both Masema and the Whitecloaks represented two religious factions on opposite ends. Over time, this entire angle to the story was dropped or lost. The Whitecloaks have been all but insignificant and whatever uprising Masema led was all but pointless.

 

I should probably bring this up in another thread but after Lord of Chaos there was a definite shift in the series from the male characters to the female. Suddenly story arcs involving Perrin, Rand, and even Matt on occasion were being written over or neglected in order to spend to bulk of the exposition following Egewene and the Rebel Aes Sedai, Elaine/Avhienda/Birgitte and their efforts to secure Andor, as well as a great deal of time focusing on the inner failings of Eliada in the White Tower. Suddenly, by KoD and now TGS, Perrin is on the one hand willing to let thousands be killed in a battle to save Faile while at the same time refusing to consider any plan to sneak or break her out and yet can't kill Masema. You have Matt sort of floundering around mooning after Tuon and all but neglecting his charge from Rand in order to do so, and even Rand, the freaking Dragon Reborn making amateur mistakes, pissing off the Aiel, unable to see the inherent problems in Taim being in charge of the Ashaman, and seemingly screwing up on every other turn. At the same, it seems that every decision Egewne and Elaine make are the right ones, they are written as both mature, intelligent, and somehow wise despite being extremely young an inexperienced while the three main male characters seem to float around, doing stupid things, and being saved by little more than Ta'verin. I can't help but feel that this is one of the main reasons so much of the intrigue amongst the major factions of the first five or six books has been lost at this point in the series. Even were you to go by number of pages, even in TGS (and I'm just shy of a third of the way thru), the number of pages devoted to Egwene are easily twice that devoted to Rand/Perrin/Matt.

[yoniy0]

The Whitecloaks have been all but insignificant

I was wondering if I should say something or if I'll end up just causing more harm, but I decided it's best to comment here for all to see.

 

Everyone, @HighWiredSith's still working through TGS (at least he was when last I've heard). Please let's not speak here about whatever role the WC have to play in ToM.

[mb]

About the Wise One Dream, it only told that Masema was a danger to Rand; not whether if they meet or not.

 

About Faile dying, it cannot happen before Perrin gains Saldaea's throne; Viewing of Broken Crown, Viewing of falcon & hawk.

 

 

If Masema did not die, it would not have mattered to me if/when he died. I do not see his plot line as a waste.

 

From Aram (by Masema's orders) attempting to kill Perrin, I think there could have been a chance of Perrin using poison on Masema (either he himself or through another person).