Is Lan Overrated??

[Suttree]

If anyone is over rated, in my humble opinion, its Gawyn.

 

BS is on record saying Gawyn is much more lucky than he thinks.

[amegakure]

Maybe my horrible memory hqs failed me again but have rand and lan sparred/fought and if so who won. also what's some opinions on swordsman rankings assuming rand had two hands and all that good stuff

 

And lan is cool stuff but I don't believe he's the best and I agree gawyn and galad are overated!!

[Stitch]

According to http://wot.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline Lan was born in NE 953 and it is now (as of The Gathering Storm) NE 1000(or perhaps it has turned 1001); so that makes him around 47 or so. For a swordsman using the blades and the forms described by Jordan/Sanderson, Lan probably uses a more eastern style of combat - so there is more emphasis on the speed and skill factor, rather than muscles.

 

Now in the real world, by 47 he would have slowed down a bit, though he would probably still have most of his muscle had he kept in shape, which is fair to assume. However, we are told that Warders age more slowly than normal people and it is fair to assume that the Aes Sedai will be capable of providing a fair (if not more than fair) exchange for the lack of modern medical treatments... therefore his condition is likely to be better than it would be for a real person at 47, and given descriptions of his appearance and physique mid (possibly late) 30s is probably closer to the mark in terms of his physical conditioning. By that age, he might have lost a little in terms of speed, however his physical power would be undiminished and his skill polished over some 30 or so years of life-and-death combat.

 

The slight loss of speed would be negligible given those extra years of experience; even given should he face a 20 year younger (27 years old) version of himself...

 

 

As for ranking who of those characters we KNOW? Not enough information... however, proven by spars rather early on (but lacking recent evidence)

Galad > Gawyn

Lan > Rand

 

 

 

Oh, and as a 6'3" guy who is reasonably quick despite his bulk, I once got my ass handed to me by a 6th dan in his early 60s - he hooked my leg out from under me, stomped on my knee to jump up then kicked me in the head (softly - it was a low contact spar). Just cause they are old doesnt mean much.

[WhiskyJack]

In game of thrones, a small guy with wooden sword wipes floor with 5 fully armored swordsmen!

 

There is something to be said about experience too. People underestimate how important that is. And yes, Lan is probably struggling to keep his form. But he doesn't fight for fun and that's why he wins.

[Zentari]

Gawyn is overrated, Lan is not.Lan has been stated to be at the top of the game where sword combat is concerned.

[Hyronimus]

working with the text...Lan feels the bond change to Nyn and feels...better(no quote on me) anyway it illistrates a point RJ seems to make that the state of mind really, rally helps in terms of combat, think Mat vs the Golem-that wasn't just luck. now in the terms of ability that RJ goes for Lan has never been in a better state of mind. basiclly there is no one in the world who could beat him in terms of....soul...I mean if he dies there will be a pile of halfmen around him no one is so perfectly in tune with his blade and what one could do with it.

[Kahsm]

People don't seem to realize that Gawyn was very recently bonded. We haven't seen him fight since then. We don't know how much the bond amplifies things, but he could be a force to reckon with now...

 

Not even sure if the RJ/BS quotes factor that in since he hasn't done anything since.

[capuga]

Maybe my horrible memory hqs failed me again but have rand and lan sparred/fought and if so who won. also what's some opinions on swordsman rankings assuming rand had two hands and all that good stuff

 

And lan is cool stuff but I don't believe he's the best and I agree gawyn and galad are overated!!

 

Lan was training Rand, so they sparred frequently. We don't get any real mention of a "winner" except early on but we can assume that Lan was winning. As for rankings we have RJ/Brandon quotes for the following: Lan>Rand(two hands)>Galad>Gawyn. No official ranking for anyone other than those 4 so we have to speculate based on the text. For instance, I would put Valda between Rand and Galad based on his fight with Galad. He seemed to be the better technical swordsman, and likely would have won if he hadn't toyed with Galad and had been as dedicated to the fight as Galad.

[Vanion]

Lan = Bad Ass Personified.

 

Do I really need to go on?

 

..Probably..

 

Lets look at some real life facts.

 

I am a fairly accomplished swordsman. I've been training in Niten Ichi-ryū for quite a few years, and consisted of my going to Japan each year for what was normally 3 months at a time in order to train.

 

5 years into my training, I would have been 19. Prime of my life. I was in amazing physical condition and was considered the paragon student. And I had my ass handed to me by a man in his 80's. And when I say "handed", I mean he beat my ass so thoroughly that I spent about 15 minutes getting acquainted with the dirt.

 

Youth does not guarantee victory. This was a man in his 80's who spent the better part of his long life dedicated to the perfection of his style. This wasn't some tournament style exhibition either. It was me in the arrogance of youth thinking that he should make way for the new breed of swordsman, and I was quickly humbled.

 

Skill, dedication and constant training is what gives victory. Not age.

 

So, when I say Lan isn't overrated, I say it based on practical experience. Its the old one's who'll pitch you a beating.

[trench]

Reading the post above made me think of an experience I had. I had just finished boot camp and had some "training" in fighting. I thought I was a real bad mother. While I was home on leave I mouthed off to my father. I pretty much told him where to go, and what to do if he didn't like it. To keep the story short, within the next 20 seconds I was on the ground bleeding. I didn't think that fat old man could move that fast, heck I didn't think anyone could move that fast. When I looked up pop was sitting in his chair drinking a beer and told me if I ever wanted to try again I was welcome. Now I am not trying to sound tough (because time has proven again and again that I am not)but I had been in a bunch of fights, I ran with a rough crowd growing up and had just finished Boot Camp where I had been taught how to actually fight.

 

But in the end none of that mattered. Because the 52 year old Vietnam veteran and bar room brawler beat me down without trying. Now he is 65 and I am certain he could beat me down almost as easily. Experience always trumps youth. Lan always wins.

[Elan Tedronai]

If anyone is over rated, in my humble opinion, its Gawyn.

 

BS is on record saying Gawyn is much more lucky than he thinks.

 

 

 

you make your own luck. downing three bloodknives in a cramped room is no mean feat.

 

yeah we all know sanderson says lan is number one. But in the real world age eventually will catch up to you. If jon jones fought randy couture today, randy would get wrecked. Gawyn is too good with a sword and he is a quick learner. He has beaten every single foe except for mat )during his early days at the tower) Not even sleete a man who has beaten lan twice could defeat him even with the aid of another warder.

 

A youngish lan would be able to take out anyone. But an old current lan will be exposed to a young talent.

[Elan Tedronai]

No, I don't think Lan is overrated... And I agree with some of the others - Warder Bond! Thats enough for me...

 

If anyone is over rated, in my humble opinion, its Gawyn. He isn't taver'en, he can't channel, he isn't bonded (well, wasn't bonded) so there is really no excuse for his amazing meteoric rise to blademaster - better than anyone he encounters, best of the best, blah blah blah. I know - he was good before, when he is training with Galad at the White Tower, and when Matt knocks him on his backside, Matt notes he is good but not as good as Galad. He would have continued on with his training off screen. Still, when we encounter him in later books, he is suddenly the best of the best and its annoying... It doesn't ring true to me, not like Lan or Rand...

 

Sorry if I've irked the Gawyn lovers! But I would love to see a contest with Lan and Gawyn - and see Lan knock Gawyn on his rump!

 

LOL

 

 

gawyn is simply talented. as was said by gareth bryne. confirmed to all of us when he took out his teachers in one night during the tower coup. lan is not taveren, can't channel either and yet he is greatest swordsman in randland today. Talent is what matters.

[solarz]

Not even sleete a man who has beaten lan twice could defeat him even with the aid of another warder.

 

Where did you read that Sleete beat Lan even once, nevermind twice?

[capuga]

Not even sleete a man who has beaten lan twice could defeat him even with the aid of another warder.

 

Where did you read that Sleete beat Lan even once, nevermind twice?

 

When they sparred, Sleete could beat him 2 out of 5 bouts. That was when Lan was younger and likely not at the top of his game.

[RyanL24]

My great big question is this... why does everybody think that Lan is the best? Because RJ said so?

 

Yes

 

Nobody thinks he would answer a question with false information?

 

No

 

Alright. It's just something I've been pondering lately. Been reading a lot of the interviews, because I've learned since joining that just because you've read 13 books doesn't mean you know anything about this series. I keep coming across things like this:

 

 

First AOL chat October 1994

 

 

 

 

 

Batlar: I'm curious, what happened to the Black Ajah's Warders? Did they kill them?

 

 

RJ: Those who did not die on the night that Liandrin and the others left, died not long thereafter. Not all of them had warders, remember. And not just the Reds. [but Asne's and Eldrith's Warders are still around in book 9. I'm confused. - Raina]

 

 

 

 

So maybe you could say that he wouldn't answer with false information intentionally, but Jordan did give plenty of incorrect answers one way or the other...

[capuga]

My great big question is this... why does everybody think that Lan is the best? Because RJ said so?

 

Yes

 

Nobody thinks he would answer a question with false information?

 

No

 

Alright. It's just something I've been pondering lately. Been reading a lot of the interviews, because I've learned since joining that just because you've read 13 books doesn't mean you know anything about this series. I keep coming across things like this:

 

 

First AOL chat October 1994

 

 

 

 

 

Batlar: I'm curious, what happened to the Black Ajah's Warders? Did they kill them?

 

 

RJ: Those who did not die on the night that Liandrin and the others left, died not long thereafter. Not all of them had warders, remember. And not just the Reds. [but Asne's and Eldrith's Warders are still around in book 9. I'm confused. - Raina]

 

 

 

 

So maybe you could say that he wouldn't answer with false information intentionally, but Jordan did give plenty of incorrect answers one way or the other...

 

It's true that he would sometimes get a fact mixed up here and there. But for this particular question, it's much easier to say who is on top of your world's swordsmen's list then it is to remember where all the Black Ajah's warders are off the top of your head.

[sleepinghour]

A more than warm breeze stirred, ruffling the dead leaves that carpeted the ground, and with shocking suddenness, Lan was moving, shifting from stance to stance, blade a whirling blur in his hands. Faster and faster, till he seemed to sprint from one to the next, yet all as precise as the movements of a clock. She waited for him to stop, or at least slow, but he did not. Faster. Areina’s mouth slowly dropped open, eyes going wide with awe, and for that matter, so did Nicola's. They leaned forward, children watching candy set to dry on the kitchen table. Even the other Warders really divided their attention between their Aes Sedai and him now, but in contrast to the two women, they watched a lion that might charge any moment.

[...]

Lan still had not slowed. Two grasshoppers whirred up from the leaves behind him, and he spun, sword flicking them out of the air without a pause.

I don't find it hard to believe that Lan is #1 right now.

[paetric]

katana cant cut through chain mail, do you seriously think that this guy would be a legit contender in a worldwide championship? How about if you opened this style up to any combat/martial arts and no rules?

 

Miyamoto Musashi who wrote the book on sword fighting, go rin no sho, was so much better than every one else that he only used a boken. Age had nothing to do with it.

 

But back to your question. I'd think that Lans heritage would also have something to do with it. Wasn't his mother Aes Sedai? Complete and unfounded speculation but perhaps Lan could learn to channel. Perhaps males born with the spark live longer. There could be a whole lot of hidden reasons for Lan still being as good as he is.

[USURP888]

It seems some people like to make up their own stories. Despite what the book says, despite what the author says, people still insists their favorite is the top of the heap.

 

Lan is number one. The Author said so, he's the one who made the story up. BS said so, he's got all the notes. The book said so, all the people who've commented on Lan's skill is right there in the book.

[francy]

People don't seem to realize that Gawyn was very recently bonded. We haven't seen him fight since then. We don't know how much the bond amplifies things, but he could be a force to reckon with now...

 

Not even sure if the RJ/BS quotes factor that in since he hasn't done anything since.

 

I agree, he would be a force to be reckoned with, now he has the bond to amplify his abilities... I dislike the guy, but I wouldn't be able to say who would win between Lan and Gawyn now (age vs experience) - I would want it to be Lan though!

 

LOL

[Justanotherfacet]

O wow i think i wrote some bad shit last night... this girl i met said i was going ape shit and cackling to myself as i wrote something on here.

 

erm apologies to all

 

<3

 

im guessing luckers censored it out?

[francy]

 

Oh, and as a 6'3" guy who is reasonably quick despite his bulk, I once got my ass handed to me by a 6th dan in his early 60s - he hooked my leg out from under me, stomped on my knee to jump up then kicked me in the head (softly - it was a low contact spar). Just cause they are old doesnt mean much.

 

Frikken ouch!! LOL

[francy]

If anyone is over rated, in my humble opinion, its Gawyn.

 

BS is on record saying Gawyn is much more lucky than he thinks.

 

 

 

you make your own luck. downing three bloodknives in a cramped room is no mean feat.

 

yeah we all know sanderson says lan is number one. But in the real world age eventually will catch up to you. If jon jones fought randy couture today, randy would get wrecked. Gawyn is too good with a sword and he is a quick learner. He has beaten every single foe except for mat )during his early days at the tower) Not even sleete a man who has beaten lan twice could defeat him even with the aid of another warder.

 

A youngish lan would be able to take out anyone. But an old current lan will be exposed to a young talent.

 

I have to admit here that I am letting my dislike for Gawyn over ride what the authors are telling us, and in the authors we should trust!

 

:-)

 

However, I still believe that Lan is not over rated, that Gawyn would give Lan a damn good fight - but that Lan would win. My opinion only, mind you!

[francy]

O wow i think i wrote some bad shit last night... this girl i met said i was going ape shit and cackling to myself as i wrote something on here.

 

erm apologies to all

 

<3

 

im guessing luckers censored it out?

 

Damn the time zones - my sleepy night time to your day time! I missed it!

 

What I find funny now though, is that you were with a girl and still got onto the forums to go ape shit and cackle to yourself??

 

Ummm, priorities?

 

:-)

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

O wow i think i wrote some bad shit last night... this girl i met said i was going ape shit and cackling to myself as i wrote something on here.

 

erm apologies to all

 

<3

 

im guessing luckers censored it out?

 

i've always felt computers should come with a "sleepy" post delay function . . .