Very surprised at all of the Lanfear theories out there

[MarkDiLillo]

Hey, my first time posting, but I have been scanning over a good deal of posts here and I am very surprised to see all of the different Lanfear theories. A lot of people seem to interpret her final scene in the last book as being an attempt to trap Rand in some way. And others still interpret her as pure evil and believe she's going to be standing with the shadow til the very end.

 

It seems pretty obvious to me that Lanfear is going to play a major role in the final book and she will be helping the Light in some significant way. Of course she will likely also die simply because it is not fitting for someone who has done so much evil just be completely forgiven.

 

The reason I think it is very obvious - think about what we know of her and how she is presented in the series. As the series is coming to an end we have realized that RJ used a lot of forshadowing in the books and very little was written without a purpose. When RJ released some tidbits of information or presented something to us in the story there is typically always a reason for him doing so. Little has just been randomly thrown into the books for no purpose.

 

With that in mind, let us look at what we know about Lanfear that is different from the other forsaken.

 

1) She was a major character in the series until she died off very suddenly.

2) RJ went out of his way to bring up that Mierin was the one who opened the DO's prison.

3) She is willing to betray the shadow, and showed little true loyalty to the shadow - only to her own desires.

4) She was the only Forsaken to choose her own name.

5) She was brought back to life and has had zero influence on the books since then.

6) She had a personal relationship with Lews Therin and is in love with him still (despite her murderous jealousy and apparent desire to kill him).

7) Something important and unknown has happened to her off screen through the doorway. To assume this will be glossed over and never mentioned is foolish. She clearly got three wishes and if she did not then we will find out why she did not. There is also high probability that she did not die from being drained too fast as was suggested - Moiraine never saw this happen and specifically mentioned that she thought they told her this just to frighten her. Little is said in these books without a purpose behind it and this line purposely left the door open here.

 

So - out of all of the forsaken, Lanfear was presented as unique from the beginning. She picked her own name, she is not loyal to the shadow the same way the others are, and she drilled the bore. She was the Forsaken that got the most screen time during the early books (unless you count Ishamael - who is technically a forsaken but obviously more than that).

 

When RJ presents such a major and unique character in the books...isn't it pretty clear that they are going to play a major and distinct role at some point? At first, her death and ending seemed to fit the story - her jealousy got the best of her and another major character died to kill her and save Rand. This ending seemed to justify her details enough to be fair to her charater. But then she was resurrected...and since then has had no purpose.

 

So far, Lanfear has not played any role other than a crazy evil woman in the series. Now let's think about the role she may play. Would a crazy plot by her to kill Rand in the last book justify all of the details we know about her? I suppose RJ could have had anything in mind, but the logic doesn't make sense for her final role and true purpose in the series to be just to act like any other forsaken and try to kill Rand with her own devious plan. After all, she already tried that once. Does anyone really believe that she's just going to try again and that's the end of her character when she fails? Why would RJ have written in all of these unique facets of the character just to have her act like one of the other generic forsaken? And then give her another life so that she can act like a generic forsaken for a second time? This is rather shallow writing IMO and RJ has shown that he is far from a shallow story teller.

 

What ending could possibly justify all of the unique details of her character? She clearly turns to the light in some fashion and helps them win. The fun is going to be in how she does this because there are a million different ways to write it up. Maybe she doesn't turn back to the light, but instead just betrays the shadow in some form. Any way you slice it, Mierin is going to play a very important role in the last book and it is likely that we will see a huge reveal of her character with some new twists to her that we did not expect.

 

The major reveals and key players in the last book will be Moridin and Mierin. Of course there's a lot more content that we're expecting and will likely get, but the major plot twists and surprises will be with these two IMO.

 

Am I the only one who sees things like this?

[GYLD]

I think that Lanfear showing up in Rand's dreams is in fact a trap, but not one she is necessarily in on. There's room for both the trap and Lanfear turning on the Shadow.

[MarkDiLillo]

I think that Lanfear showing up in Rand's dreams is in fact a trap, but not one she is necessarily in on. There's room for both the trap and Lanfear turning on the Shadow.

 

This could be true too. Though I am more inclined to think that it is another accidental case where Moridin/Rand's dreams merged and the event will just be used as a catalyst for Rand taking action to help her in some way.

 

I fully expect Lanfear to hate him still (as shown in her recent viewpoints) and then at some point he talks to her or requests her soul from Moridin and she does a 180 and goes back to his side when she sees that he is reaching out to save her. I am also expecting something unexpected to be revealed from her time through the portal with Moiraine. She either received 3 wishes that involved loving Rand/LTT or we find out that she had already been through the portal in the past and used her wishes to try and make him love her. I saw a theory floating around that indicates that this is the reason she could be so beautiful and that makes a lot of sense to me even if it's a little wild. Her beauty is something that has been very specifically described as far beyond everyone elses. Loial even describes her as perfect human beauty.

 

Something definitely happens with her that involves sealing the bore though IMO. A very conscious effort was made to let us know that she was the one who drilled the bore, and since then it has never been mentioned again - not by other forsaken, the DO, Lews Therin/Rand, or anyone else. It is likely that this will be revisited in the final book.

[MarkDiLillo]

One of the most important things to remember about Lanfear is that she legitimately wanted to help Rand and legitimately DID help him a lot. Without her, he wouldn't even know how to channel. Without her, he would have already been killed by a trolloc at the stone of tear. The taint was cleanesed because she allowed him to have the two figurines - BOTH of them. She saw him put away the female one in the wall and she still didn't go nuts trying to take it from him.

 

Until she went nutso and Moiraine had to kamikaze her, she was legitimately a good guy for all practical purposes. The only reason she was even considered a bad guy was because she was one of the forsaken and had a history of fighting for the DO against the light. But in the entirity of the series that we've read she has acted on the side of the light and has done little to advance the shadows causes. It wasn't until she was spurned by Rand and reborn into slavery under Moridin did we see her act as a loyal servant to the shadow.

[Sharaman]

Interpolating between quotes from your post.

 

Hey, my first time posting, but I have been scanning over a good deal of posts here and I am very surprised to see all of the different Lanfear theories. A lot of people seem to interpret her final scene in the last book as being an attempt to trap Rand in some way. And others still interpret her as pure evil and believe she's going to be standing with the shadow til the very end.

 

It seems pretty obvious to me that Lanfear is going to play a major role in the final book and she will be helping the Light in some significant way. Of course she will likely also die simply because it is not fitting for someone who has done so much evil just be completely forgiven.

Yes this seems marked - she will play some sort of significant role. Opinions vary on what that role will be obviously.

 

 

 

 

With that in mind, let us look at what we know about Lanfear that is different from the other forsaken.

 

1) She was a major character in the series until she died off very suddenly.

2) RJ went out of his way to bring up that Mierin was the one who opened the DO's prison.

3) She is willing to betray the shadow, and showed little true loyalty to the shadow - only to her own desires.

4) She was the only Forsaken to choose her own name.

5) She was brought back to life and has had zero influence on the books since then.

6) She had a personal relationship with Lews Therin and is in love with him still (despite her murderous jealousy and apparent desire to kill him).

7) Something important and unknown has happened to her off screen through the doorway. To assume this will be glossed over and never mentioned is foolish.

 

At some level, she has been punished by the Shadow - or at least, had her independence circumscribed.

 

 

She clearly got three wishes and if she did not then we will find out why she did not. There is also high probability that she did not die from being drained too fast as was suggested - Moiraine never saw this happen and specifically mentioned that she thought they told her this just to frighten her. Little is said in these books without a purpose behind it and this line purposely left the door open here.

 

From what little we've seen of the Finns, and also what we know about faerie folk in Celtic legend from where the finns are borrowed, they don't tell direct lies. They may twist the truth like As Sedai but they don't lie. They also keep bargains - if you make a bargain with them, they will try to find a way to cheat/ kill you that doesn't break the exact terms of the bargain. But they never outright go back on their word.

So, it boils down to what exactly they told Moiraine, and what she interpreted it as. Without direct reportage, better to assume that the Finns didn't lie. If they did directly say "we drained Lanfear too fast and she died as a result" then that is what they did.

 

 

 

So - out of all of the forsaken, Lanfear was presented as unique from the beginning. She picked her own name, she is not loyal to the shadow the same way the others are, and she drilled the bore. She was the Forsaken that got the most screen time during the early books (unless you count Ishamael - who is technically a forsaken but obviously more than that).

 

When RJ presents such a major and unique character in the books...isn't it pretty clear that they are going to play a major and distinct role at some point? At first, her death and ending seemed to fit the story - her jealousy got the best of her and another major character died to kill her and save Rand. This ending seemed to justify her details enough to be fair to her charater. But then she was resurrected...and since then has had no purpose.

 

So far, Lanfear has not played any role other than a crazy evil woman in the series. Now let's think about the role she may play. Would a crazy plot by her to kill Rand in the last book justify all of the details we know about her? I suppose RJ could have had anything in mind, but the logic doesn't make sense for her final role and true purpose in the series to be just to act like any other forsaken and try to kill Rand with her own devious plan. After all, she already tried that once. Does anyone really believe that she's just going to try again and that's the end of her character when she fails? Why would RJ have written in all of these unique facets of the character just to have her act like one of the other generic forsaken? And then give her another life so that she can act like a generic forsaken for a second time? This is rather shallow writing IMO and RJ has shown that he is far from a shallow story teller.

 

This is where we enter the realms of creative writing. What you're doing here and in the following is second-guessing the plot of a story that could go half a dozen or more ways. Yes RJ used foreshadowing but he also tossed around red herrings to conceal exactly what he would do.

 

 

What ending could possibly justify all of the unique details of her character? She clearly turns to the light in some fashion and helps them win. The fun is going to be in how she does this because there are a million different ways to write it up. Maybe she doesn't turn back to the light, but instead just betrays the shadow in some form. Any way you slice it, Mierin is going to play a very important role in the last book and it is likely that we will see a huge reveal of her character with some new twists to her that we did not expect.

 

The major reveals and key players in the last book will be Moridin and Mierin. Of course there's a lot more content that we're expecting and will likely get, but the major plot twists and surprises will be with these two IMO.

 

Am I the only one who sees things like this?

 

I'm sure you could set this as an exercise to a creative writing class and you'd surely get many different "solutions" if not so many as a million. Since you've said it yourself - why are you very surprised at all the Lanfear theories out there?

[Feral]

she is not loyal to the shadow the same way the others are

 

I don't think any of the Forsaken are loyal to anything but their own power.

 

Personally I hate the thought of Lanfear redeeming herself in anyway. She just comes across too evil and too insane. That glimpse we saw of her at the end of ToM seemed nothing like what we've seen of her before.

 

And besides, if any of the Forsaken are going to have some sort of redemption I want it to be Graendal.

[MarkDiLillo]

she is not loyal to the shadow the same way the others are

 

I don't think any of the Forsaken are loyal to anything but their own power.

 

Personally I hate the thought of Lanfear redeeming herself in anyway. She just comes across too evil and too insane. That glimpse we saw of her at the end of ToM seemed nothing like what we've seen of her before.

 

And besides, if any of the Forsaken are going to have some sort of redemption I want it to be Graendal.

 

I'm really not sure why so many people like Graendal. She's a great villain, but why on earth would she ever get redemption? What has she ever done to suggest that she would even want it? She is a pretty standard bad guy if you ask me.

 

Lanfear is consumed by her jealousy and really only went over to the shadow to get her lost love back. And then throughout the series she's helped the good guys more than the bad guys and has openly declared her intentions to overthrow the shadow. She basically is a love sick idiot that can't get over rejection. There's plenty for readers to identify with there and forgive her for if she redeems herself. With Graendal...she's just an evil witch really. Why would anyone want to forgive her? She has shown no qualities that aren't considered "bad guy qualities".

 

Lanfear is the typical bad guy who turned evil only because she wanted her lost love back. In the end she will probably die performing some vital action to save the good guys and she will fully redeem herself. Everyone will understand that she really just wanted the love of her life back and she was willing to give up everything to get him back - including her soul. Obviously she's a little more complex than that so it's not quite so black and white, but she seems to be following this trend of so many other characters in different stories.

 

After all, there has to be at least ONE forsaken that turns to the light (we would think so at least) and I really don't see any of the others turning. Asmo turned because he had no other choice. For awhile, I was considering that Moridin might end up back in the light but it really doesn't look like he's going in that direction. Graendal hasn't shown any signs of it, and Demandred hasn't been in the books yet. That really only leaves Moghedian and Lanfear. And Lanfear seems to have been perfectly setup for this; especially with her latest scene.

 

As for all of the forsaken really only beign loyal to their own power...this is true, but at the same time we are just suspecting it. They seem to have all adopted the shadow as their source of power and are content to rule underneath the DO. Lanfear is the only one who has flat out said she will destroy the DO if Rand will help her. Her loyalties lie towards her love for LTT first and foremost and her love for power second. Otherwise why wouldn't she have just taken the figurines and found another male forsaken to rule the world with? If she wanted power before everything she would have done that.

[Thorgan]

No matter what happens I'm pretty sure she's going to die :D

 

Keeping her alive after the last battle would be strange.

[Sharaman]

Maybe she'll be transmigrated all over again?

Perhaps into Alanna's body - wonder what implications that would have for the bond and rand's rather tangled love-life.

[MarkDiLillo]

I'm not sure why, but for some reason I feel like Mierin will survive the last battle. Even though all logical signs indicate that she's toast...

[Feral]

she is not loyal to the shadow the same way the others are

 

I don't think any of the Forsaken are loyal to anything but their own power.

 

Personally I hate the thought of Lanfear redeeming herself in anyway. She just comes across too evil and too insane. That glimpse we saw of her at the end of ToM seemed nothing like what we've seen of her before.

 

And besides, if any of the Forsaken are going to have some sort of redemption I want it to be Graendal.

 

I'm really not sure why so many people like Graendal. She's a great villain, but why on earth would she ever get redemption? What has she ever done to suggest that she would even want it? She is a pretty standard bad guy if you ask me.

 

Lanfear is consumed by her jealousy and really only went over to the shadow to get her lost love back. And then throughout the series she's helped the good guys more than the bad guys and has openly declared her intentions to overthrow the shadow. She basically is a love sick idiot that can't get over rejection. There's plenty for readers to identify with there and forgive her for if she redeems herself. With Graendal...she's just an evil witch really. Why would anyone want to forgive her? She has shown no qualities that aren't considered "bad guy qualities".

 

Lanfear is the typical bad guy who turned evil only because she wanted her lost love back. In the end she will probably die performing some vital action to save the good guys and she will fully redeem herself. Everyone will understand that she really just wanted the love of her life back and she was willing to give up everything to get him back - including her soul. Obviously she's a little more complex than that so it's not quite so black and white, but she seems to be following this trend of so many other characters in different stories.

 

After all, there has to be at least ONE forsaken that turns to the light (we would think so at least) and I really don't see any of the others turning. Asmo turned because he had no other choice. For awhile, I was considering that Moridin might end up back in the light but it really doesn't look like he's going in that direction. Graendal hasn't shown any signs of it, and Demandred hasn't been in the books yet. That really only leaves Moghedian and Lanfear. And Lanfear seems to have been perfectly setup for this; especially with her latest scene.

 

As for all of the forsaken really only beign loyal to their own power...this is true, but at the same time we are just suspecting it. They seem to have all adopted the shadow as their source of power and are content to rule underneath the DO. Lanfear is the only one who has flat out said she will destroy the DO if Rand will help her. Her loyalties lie towards her love for LTT first and foremost and her love for power second. Otherwise why wouldn't she have just taken the figurines and found another male forsaken to rule the world with? If she wanted power before everything she would have done that.

 

Well the reason I like Graendal is because for me her reasons for going Darkside are the most reasonable. She wanted a life of luxury and that was the best way to get it. Being evil just seems to be a by product for her. And she's sane, unlike Lanfear. I don't buy Lanfear just went over because of Lews Therin, I think she would have done so anyway eventually and RJ has made comments that seem to confirm this. And even if it was just because of him and jealousy, and she wants to help Rand, her main motive is still power.

[ice9planet]

I'm not convinced Lanfear is the tragic character you think she is. She's more the type that lusts for power. The fact that most of the Forsaken are self-serving gluttonous people just makes more sense to me. Lanfear is more the type that the word no makes her angry. Generally the fortunate wealthy and powerful people like to have all doors open to them and when someone denies them of anything its more of an ego trip than anything. Lews Therin kicked her to the curb and she manifested the 'How dare you dump me' attitude. She's vindicative and spiteful towards him/Rand because of this.Her coming to the Light would involve some sort of promise/commitment from Rand which I would hope Rand couldn't give her.The fact bthat shes reaching out to Rand is probably based on some sort of desperation, and that she probably wants to use rand because Moridin has her and Moggie on a leash, and again, that ego comes back into play. A poweful and wealthy person being put on lockdown doesnt bode well with them.

[jwillis7]

So i don't know if this has been said but... in the dark prophecy in the end of ToM it says

 

"...the prison of the Greatest One shall grow weak. like the limbs of those who crafted it."

 

so bear with me, if Lannfear helped make the bore and then LTT sealed the bore would the bore not be the prison. and then could Moridin and co. not be trying to make the prophecy happen by breaking her bones over and over again. just a thought

[OptimusPrime]

Cyndane will become the fourth member of Rands harem. Shes better looking than the others, and more experienced. Go Rand!

[Sharaman]

Howdya know she's more experienced?

Hotter yes, but she's always projected as being a one-man woman and rabid about it, to boot.

For all you know, LTT was the first and only relationship she had.

[MarkDiLillo]

So i don't know if this has been said but... in the dark prophecy in the end of ToM it says

 

"...the prison of the Greatest One shall grow weak. like the limbs of those who crafted it."

 

so bear with me, if Lannfear helped make the bore and then LTT sealed the bore would the bore not be the prison. and then could Moridin and co. not be trying to make the prophecy happen by breaking her bones over and over again. just a thought

 

She didnt make the prison - she just opened it. That line in the prophecy is almost certainly referring to Rand/LTT and his allies IMO.

[Duskfire]

Moridin/Dark One are using her; I havent decided yet whether its with or against her consent. But its just another plot of the Shadows against Rand. And I dont like her chances of surviving when stuck between Moridin and Rand :P

 

I wouldnt be surprised if a Forsaken survived, but I doubt it would be her. More likely Graendal or Moghieden.

[Guest Emu on the Loose]

I'd really like to see Mierin survive the series. It'd be a thoughtful gesture on RJ's part if he had wanted a Forsaken to experience an honest redemption. Only Ishamael and Mierin have had their philosophical backgrounds illustrated well enough to flesh out such a transformation.

 

Anyhow, the topic creator makes many points that I myself have deduced over the years. There are other points along these same lines. For example, she gets her own chapter icon, which is exclusive among all the Forsaken. That icon is a crescent moon, an exception to darkness yet also, by being crescent, an exception to itself. "Lanfear" means "daughter of the night." Why not "mother," given her role as Bore creator? In what way is she a product of the Shadow, as a word like "daughter" would indicate? And as for the name "Cyndane," what the heck does "last chance" refer to?

 

It's inevitable that her role in AMoL will be huge, plotwise. For it not to be would be a major failure of drama in the structure of the series.

 

I don't know if she'll end up redeeming herself or not. If she does, I'd like for her to live. I think she deserves it. Besides, it's too cliche for a bad guy to betray the other bad guys and then get killed because of moral imperfection of letting a bad guy--even a lapsed bad guy--escape the usual bad guy punishment of total defeat.

 

I'd like for her and Rand to go quietly off someplace and live out their lives together in obscurity. I think that would be fitting for both of them. I also wouldn't mind seeing them rule the world together, but somehow I doubt that's gonna happen. =P

[Dream]

Lanfear isn't the lovestruck, misguided person seeking redemption that some of you make her out to be. She's power-hungry, and more so than the other Forsaken.

 

From Wot Interview Database:

 

Letter to Carolyn Fusinato from RJ - 1 February 1994

 

Lanfear holding back and doing good for Rand's sake? Ha! She was psychically fixed on possessing a man who never loved her. Even with that, her desire for Rand was as much a desire for power as for him. To be the one to deliver the Dragon Reborn to the service of the Shadow; that would set her above the other Forsaken. And learning that the access ter'angreal for the two huge sa'angreal were still in existence....Sure, she wanted his love--not least because it had been denied her; Lanfear was a woman who claimed a right to anything she wanted--wanted his devotion, but even more than his body, Lanfear wanted power, the power possibly to replace the Dark One, even to replace the Creator. For Rand's sake? Not a chance.

 

 

I personally think Ishamael will be the one to betray the Dark One. Not redemption, just straight out betrayal. For one, he's the only one in position to betray the Dark One. Two, he's not interested in what the Dark One can offer him (power and immortality). Three, he only joined the Dark One because they share the same goal. If he can achieve his goal through a different means, there's no reason for him to remain loyal.

[MarkDiLillo]

Lanfear isn't the lovestruck, misguided person seeking redemption that some of you make her out to be. She's power-hungry, and more so than the other Forsaken.

 

From Wot Interview Database:

 

Letter to Carolyn Fusinato from RJ - 1 February 1994

 

Lanfear holding back and doing good for Rand's sake? Ha! She was psychically fixed on possessing a man who never loved her. Even with that, her desire for Rand was as much a desire for power as for him. To be the one to deliver the Dragon Reborn to the service of the Shadow; that would set her above the other Forsaken. And learning that the access ter'angreal for the two huge sa'angreal were still in existence....Sure, she wanted his love--not least because it had been denied her; Lanfear was a woman who claimed a right to anything she wanted--wanted his devotion, but even more than his body, Lanfear wanted power, the power possibly to replace the Dark One, even to replace the Creator. For Rand's sake? Not a chance.

 

 

I personally think Ishamael will be the one to betray the Dark One. Not redemption, just straight out betrayal. For one, he's the only one in position to betray the Dark One. Two, he's not interested in what the Dark One can offer him (power and immortality). Three, he only joined the Dark One because they share the same goal. If he can achieve his goal through a different means, there's no reason for him to remain loyal.

 

I never said she was seeking redemption. Far from it actually. I just think that RJ has set her up from the beginning to be very unique when compared to the other major bad guy characters. Even in the Aiel flashbacks we have a section talking about how she had not always been evil. There are so many facets of her character that are purposely detailed (compared to other forsaken) that it is fairly obvious she has an important role left to play that will set her apart from the other Forsaken. Even Ishamael is not detailed the way Lanfear has been in the series. Most people agree that she has an important role left to play...so the challenge is to determine what her role will be. If you look at all the clues and details that RJ has revealed about her character its starting to pretty clearly set her up as a tragic character that will somehow turn from the shadow. Her last bit in ToM pretty much cemented it in my mind.

 

Things we know:

 

- Lanfear drilled the bore.

- She was not always evil.

- She turned to the shadow partly because she loved LTT.

- As Lanfear, she has never once done anything but help and protect Rand until she went crazy.

- Rand is now LTT for real.

- Rand doesnt know how to seal the bore.

- Lanfear is not happy about her current situation.

- She appears remorseful for what she's done (assuming you dont think this is an intentional trap with her acting the part...a theory that I find absurd)

 

Does it get any more obvious than this?? There are a hundred ways this can go down, but she is set up on a spring board to be the one major antagonist that is going to turn to the light. I fully expect her to sacrifice herself somehow to save the day.

 

As for Ishamael...it's really hard to say what is going to happen with him. I am still holding to the thought that he may be a past champion of the light that was turned to the shadow. On one hand, I can't see him being anything but evil...but on the other hand, I have a feeling that in the very end all of the forsaken are going to abandon the DO. It really is hard to say what's going to happen in the end.

[Pandemonium]

Didn't Lanfear leave some kind of weave on Rand at the end of TGH? I remember Lanfear channeling something on Rand right after his fight with Ishamael while he was still unconscious. I wouldn't be too surprised to see this weave come back into play.

[MarkDiLillo]

Didn't Lanfear leave some kind of weave on Rand at the end of TGH? I remember Lanfear channeling something on Rand right after his fight with Ishamael while he was still unconscious. I wouldn't be too surprised to see this weave come back into play.

 

Its implied that she healed him.

[Dream]

- Lanfear drilled the bore.

Okay.

 

- She was not always evil.

She was not always evil, but she has always been power-hungry.

 

- She turned to the shadow partly because she loved LTT.

She turned to the shadow mostly because she was spiteful and power-hungry.

 

- As Lanfear, she has never once done anything but help and protect Rand until she went crazy.

Lanfear was a Forsaken. Even Verin has done some bad, bad things.

 

- Rand is now LTT for real.

Okay.

 

- Rand doesnt know how to seal the bore.

He thinks he does and we don't know what he's thinking.

 

- Lanfear is not happy about her current situation.

Okay. She mostly blames LTT.

 

- She appears remorseful for what she's done (assuming you dont think this is an intentional trap with her acting the part...a theory that I find absurd)

Your opinion does not constitute evidence. There are many clues suggesting the scene with Cyndane is a trap and that brings her motivations into question. She might truly be remorseful and an unwilling participant. We don't know for sure, but to trust her? I don't.

 

I don't think Lanfear was ever meant to be a tragic character and I think the quote I provided earlier supports that. She's basically getting what she deserves right now. She was a major character earlier in the books and I do hope she plays an important part in the end. I hope she goes down in a blaze of glorious rage, cour'souvra be damned.

[MarkDiLillo]

To each their own. I can see it going either way really, but if she just dies in a blaze of glory then there are two questions I have:

 

1) Why did RJ resurrect her if she's just going to become a random bad guy that dies uselessly in the end?

2) Why is her character so unique and detailed compared to fellow Forsaken?

 

In most normal novels, these questions could be ignored. But RJ was exceptionally detailed and presented little to us in the stories without purpose behind it. So why did he resurrect Lanfear and then have her play zero part in the story since her resurrection? He wouldn't have done this just for the sake of being random. Furthermore, why has he spent time clearly pointing out the details of her character and differentiating her from others? RJ doesn't seem to be the type of author that just adds in random facts and trivia like that without them leading somewhere in the end.

 

Maybe she won't be tragic, but I am willing to bet quite a bit that she will play an unexpected and important role in the last book.

[Dream]

I don't know why RJ does what he does. At the top of my list of Forsaken Why?'s would be Be'lal. Why, Be'lal, why? We don't get much on-screen action of Forsaken being impressive. I'm hoping for big things from ALL the remaining Forsaken.