Avoiding the taint

[Wantanswers]

RJ: Okay, then you know about the political struggles that were going on, and the different plans to try and end the War of the Shadow, and seal up the….and why various groups thought that one plan or the other was the best way to go. And in the end, what resulted was the so-called “Fatal Covenant” [it was actually the “Fateful Concord” – Terez], which had the female Aes Sedai swearing not to go along with Lews Therin’s plan, that they would not support it. The result of this was that Lews Therin carried out his plan with only male Aes Sedai, so there were only male Aes Sedai channeling there, which was a lucky thing, because if there’d been women as well, then both saidin and saidar would have been tainted. And his plan worked, except for that one side effect of the backblast which tainted saidin and caused him and the men there with him to go mad there and then, and other male Aes Sedai to go mad slowly as they touched the Source and began to absorb bits of the taint. But that’s why saidar was not tainted, because there were only men there channeling during this act of sealing up the Dark One’s prison.

I am worried that this will happen if they are going to seal the Bore again, and wondered how that can be avoided. The only idea I got was the use of a Well. A Well isn’t (or needn’t be) connected with the True Source, as is shown by Cadsuane and Nynaeve in Far Madding. Nevertheless I doubt that those two ter’angreal are big enough to seal the bore.

 

In the Eye of the World they found a cave that was filled with clean saidin. The saidin couldn’t have been clean if it was connected with the True Source, so IMO that cave must be a Well too. We also know that the Eye of the World was saved by Loial’s Singing. Now I wonder:

1. Will the Eye of the World be used to reseal the Bore.

2. Can they find it again

3. Can they refill it again

4. Can it be refilled with a cocktail of saidar and saidin or is there somewhere as big a well for saidin.

 

If a well is used the backblash can't hit back on the True Source, because the channelers aren't connected with it.

[wintermute]

Good point about the Eye being a (huge) well. I suppose it was, at that.

 

The impression I got was that the Eye moved around because of Someshta's abilities. Now that he's dead, I would think that the Eye is now fixed in one location in the Blight.

 

Would they refill it? Didn't the ancient Aes Sedai sacrifice their lives in creating it? As hinted in Rand's vision in the glass columns. Of course, with saidin having been cleansed, refilling it might not require the channelers' lives any more.

 

It seems to me that the taint on saidin was due to the Dark One's touch on the saidin-made Patch. If there were a way to make the Bore whole again (i.e. without a Patch made of saidin/saidar), then presumably no such backlash would occur. Alternatively, the new Patch might be made of some other buffer material (Shadar Logoth evil perhaps?) which would also save the True Source.

[OptimusPrime]

RJ: Okay, then you know about the political struggles that were going on, and the different plans to try and end the War of the Shadow, and seal up the….and why various groups thought that one plan or the other was the best way to go. And in the end, what resulted was the so-called “Fatal Covenant” [it was actually the “Fateful Concord” – Terez], which had the female Aes Sedai swearing not to go along with Lews Therin’s plan, that they would not support it. The result of this was that Lews Therin carried out his plan with only male Aes Sedai, so there were only male Aes Sedai channeling there, which was a lucky thing, because if there’d been women as well, then both saidin and saidar would have been tainted. And his plan worked, except for that one side effect of the backblast which tainted saidin and caused him and the men there with him to go mad there and then, and other male Aes Sedai to go mad slowly as they touched the Source and began to absorb bits of the taint. But that’s why saidar was not tainted, because there were only men there channeling during this act of sealing up the Dark One’s prison.

I am worried that this will happen if they are going to seal the Bore again, and wondered how that can be avoided. The only idea I got was the use of a Well. A Well isn’t (or needn’t be) connected with the True Source, as is shown by Cadsuane and Nynaeve in Far Madding. Nevertheless I doubt that those two ter’angreal are big enough to seal the bore.

 

In the Eye of the World they found a cave that was filled with clean saidin.

 

Lews Therin said he had to touch the Dark One with something. I theorize that Callandor was built for that very thing, to deliver a weave, touch the Dark One, without him being actually touched by the Power/weaves directly. That way if there is a backlash, Callandor would act as a barrier. Therefor, no Taint.

[mb]

The Eye I take to be also gone.

The Green Man's fate I take was bound with the fate of the Eye.

Loial I take did not save the Eye.

Someshta's abilities I take have nothing to do with the Eye moving.

 

About a Well, Wells I take can only be used in steddings.

 

About Callandor, I doubt it could prevent another Taint.

 

 

To me, Treesinging would be the best chance of sealing the Dark One.

Unless the Creator suddenly decides to interfere.

[Ferdawoon]

Crossroads of Twilight book tour 23 January 2003, Washington DC Borders Books and Music - Soni reporting

 

Soni: So the Eye of the World is a well, right?

RJ: [pauses] Yes and no. It's in the same class of objects as a well, but on a different scale.

Soni: So could it be refilled by a male channeler?

RJ: No. Remember, lots of Aes Sedai died to make it.

Soni: To keep it pure.

RJ: That, among other things. Look, a normal well is like this water glass. [he gestures] The Eye is like a liquid nitrogen canister.

Soni: So are wells made with the opposite half of the power that they were meant to contain, like Rand did at Shadar Logoth.

RJ: [sly smile] No, they don't work like that.

 

There is also a comment about the Light and Power he can channel when drawing from the Eye and if the Light that is mentioned is significant, but I cant seem to find the quote again. I found this though

 

Jeff Edde on Twitter - 12 January 2011

Can Rand channel Light & Power as a result of touching the EotW, or does he have access to it because he is who he is?

Brandon: It was the power in the Eye, so far as I know.