Moridin and Rand

[Thanatos]

Just something I noticed in my current re-read.

 

In tGS chapter 15, Moridin gives Rand the philosophical side of himself.

 

"We are all reborn," Moridin continued, "spun back into the Patern time and time again. Death is no barrier to my master save for those who hav known balefire. They are beyond his grasp. It is a wonder we can remember them."

 

This is something I have thought about for some time. This raises a very interesting question. Why can we remember them. If balefire destroys you before the moment you were killed, shouldn't this cause some sort of paradox that would erase them from your memory?

 

We know that Ishidin was a philosopher in the AoL, and that was why he went over to the Shadow. It seems kind of weird that he would be waxing philosophical about this.

 

Probably nothing, but wanted to get some of your opinions.

[MarkDiLillo]

Just something I noticed in my current re-read.

 

In tGS chapter 15, Moridin gives Rand the philosophical side of himself.

 

"We are all reborn," Moridin continued, "spun back into the Patern time and time again. Death is no barrier to my master save for those who hav known balefire. They are beyond his grasp. It is a wonder we can remember them."

 

This is something I have thought about for some time. This raises a very interesting question. Why can we remember them. If balefire destroys you before the moment you were killed, shouldn't this cause some sort of paradox that would erase them from your memory?

 

We know that Ishidin was a philosopher in the AoL, and that was why he went over to the Shadow. It seems kind of weird that he would be waxing philosophical about this.

 

Probably nothing, but wanted to get some of your opinions.

 

You are the creator of the balefire so you would remember them just fine. Technically, others who witnissed the balefire should probably not recall the event occuring though.

[OptimusPrime]

You can remember them because they were only burnt out of the Pattern a short time if that makes sense. Rahvin wasnt wiped from history completely, just part of it. The memory paradox IMO relates to the balefiring itself; Rahvin never killed Mat or Avi, that part of history didnt happen. In a strangely literal sense, Rand remembers an event that never happened

[Thanatos]

I was thinking along those same lines as well. Still seems kind of weird that Moridin would bring this up so casually though. I wonder if there will be any significance in aMoL(highly unlikely).

 

Thanks for the thoughts.

[Terez]

You are the creator of the balefire so you would remember them just fine. Technically, others who witnissed the balefire should probably not recall the event occuring though.

Asmodean was able to puzzle out what happened to him because others remembered having seen him dead. Nynaeve remembered seeing Rahvin turn to motes before disappearing completely, but Rand didn't see it at all.

[OptimusPrime]

I was thinking along those same lines as well. Still seems kind of weird that Moridin would bring this up so casually though. I wonder if there will be any significance in aMoL(highly unlikely).

 

Yeah I wondered why he was giving away the big secret too. Perhaps he thinks Rand has already learned it, but tried to insinuate that its a straightforward permakill regardless of the balefire power level... so if Rand were to then use a tiny ammount of balefire the balefired soul might still have a chance of being caught...

 

I duno. Maybe Moridin just had a weak moment.

[MarkDiLillo]

You are the creator of the balefire so you would remember them just fine. Technically, others who witnissed the balefire should probably not recall the event occuring though.

Asmodean was able to puzzle out what happened to him because others remembered having seen him dead. Nynaeve remembered seeing Rahvin turn to motes before disappearing completely, but Rand didn't see it at all.

 

I always interpreted that to mean that it was because he blindly shot at Rahvin and the balefire blinded him or something similar. He just didn't happen to see that fraction of a second where Rahvin was blasted. Other times, when Rand balefires people he has no problem seeing them.

[Terez]

In this case it was the amount of balefire used, which caused Rahvin to disappear more quickly than normal. Nynaeve barely caught it.

[LemonPastie]

I also believe it was the cross sectional area. The darkhounds he hit with small amounts of BF, Rahvin he hit with a wide column and the rest of the column would have obstructed his view

[mb]

One reason for Moridin making the comments might be Rand's taveren effect.

[Ishna]

I started thinking of the title A Memory of Light from a different perspective after this post.....Refering to balefireuse? Althogh the titles of Jordans books often have a lot of of meanings , some obvious some less obvious.