Blademaster Worthiness

[Finnssss22]

And then Mat almost faints. Later on, he also mentions that he isn't nearly as good as Tam or his own father, who wins the quarterstaff almost every year at Bel Tine.

 

He only believes that he is not as good as his Da or Tam at this point. His "Manetheran Blood" and Aemon's memories have already come out to a great degree along with his luck.

Later after he gets the memories from the Finns, he states how they were instrumental in knowing how to use his ashandarei.

IMO, Aemon's memories also contributed to Mat's skill and instincts at this point in time, even if mostly subconsciously.

[Suttree]

And then Mat almost faints. Later on, he also mentions that he isn't nearly as good as Tam or his own father, who wins the quarterstaff almost every year at Bel Tine.

 

He only believes that he is not as good as his Da or Tam at this point. His "Manetheran Blood" and Aemon's memories have already come out to a great degree along with his luck.

 

True, although it is noted his father wins the contest at Bel Tine every year except when Tam has a few times. Wonder when the boys are allowed to start competing? Either way it's probable his skills with the staff are already considerable given what his father would teach him and how confidant he was going into the fight with Galad and Gawyn.

[Rose]

And then Mat almost faints. Later on, he also mentions that he isn't nearly as good as Tam or his own father, who wins the quarterstaff almost every year at Bel Tine.

 

He only believes that he is not as good as his Da or Tam at this point. His "Manetheran Blood" and Aemon's memories have already come out to a great degree along with his luck.

Later after he gets the memories from the Finns, he states how they were instrumental in knowing how to use his ashandarei.

IMO, Aemon's memories also contributed to Mat's skill and instincts at this point in time, even if mostly subconsciously.

Yes, that's what it seemed like to me too. I just pointed it out because that's what he was thinking at that point. He didn't think he was that good, but he still thought he could beat both Gawyn and Galad, and he wasn't counting on his luck until after he realized he was much weaker than he thought. It all seems to indicate that a blademaster would really be in danger of being beaten by an opponent with a quarterstaff. It doesn't mean Mat could be a blademaster. They're just two different weapons.

[Gabriel Kross]

the way I understand it though, you cannot become a blademaster unless you use a blade, hence the term blademaster...

[Rose]

My point exactly.

[Guest Fenrisulfr]

So i know I'm a little late to this conversation and a very new member but i just started rereading through the series and i think the passage of I'm not half as good as my da' who wins beltine every year except when tam enters could be fairly important. I've only seen that to become a blade master you must either defeat one in single combat with witnesses or be judged by 5. I haven't seen anywhere where it says that to defeat him in single combat one must use a sword and when the trainer talks about how Jearom the best blade master ever was only defeated once by a farmer with a quarterstaff. Now stay with me because this is where some of you might think I'm crazy but for tam to get one of the rarer of the Heron marked blades being power wrought i can only think of a few appearances of them and most by high nobility such as kings. I feel like Jordan wouldn't have included the story of Jearom for no reason, which leads me to wonder if it was Tam who was the person who defeated him, as we have never heard how Tam earned his or when Jearom was alive I think its a likely coincident especially with his original intention to write the story of Tams journey in the sequel to new spring. do you guys think this is too far fetched of a possibility?

[XoMeltdownoX]

So i know I'm a little late to this conversation and a very new member but i just started rereading through the series and i think the passage of I'm not half as good as my da' who wins beltine every year except when tam enters could be fairly important. I've only seen that to become a blade master you must either defeat one in single combat with witnesses or be judged by 5. I haven't seen anywhere where it says that to defeat him in single combat one must use a sword and when the trainer talks about how Jearom the best blade master ever was only defeated once by a farmer with a quarterstaff. Now stay with me because this is where some of you might think I'm crazy but for tam to get one of the rarer of the Heron marked blades being power wrought i can only think of a few appearances of them and most by high nobility such as kings. I feel like Jordan wouldn't have included the story of Jearom for no reason, which leads me to wonder if it was Tam who was the person who defeated him, as we have never heard how Tam earned his or when Jearom was alive I think its a likely coincident especially with his original intention to write the story of Tams journey in the sequel to new spring. do you guys think this is too far fetched of a possibility?

 

I got the impression that Jeorom lived a quite a while before the series began. I could be totally wrong. Just my impression.

[kght22]

So i know I'm a little late to this conversation and a very new member but i just started rereading through the series and i think the passage of I'm not half as good as my da' who wins beltine every year except when tam enters could be fairly important. I've only seen that to become a blade master you must either defeat one in single combat with witnesses or be judged by 5. I haven't seen anywhere where it says that to defeat him in single combat one must use a sword and when the trainer talks about how Jearom the best blade master ever was only defeated once by a farmer with a quarterstaff. Now stay with me because this is where some of you might think I'm crazy but for tam to get one of the rarer of the Heron marked blades being power wrought i can only think of a few appearances of them and most by high nobility such as kings. I feel like Jordan wouldn't have included the story of Jearom for no reason, which leads me to wonder if it was Tam who was the person who defeated him, as we have never heard how Tam earned his or when Jearom was alive I think its a likely coincident especially with his original intention to write the story of Tams journey in the sequel to new spring. do you guys think this is too far fetched of a possibility?

err, i think you should re-read tam explaining (not very specificly) how he earned his blade in tgs. and keep in mind that he was a pretty high ranking member of the companions in illian, not to mention he was teaching two rivers people how to use the sword, as well as aram. if he had simply got the sword by defeating a blademaster with a quarterstaff, i doubt he would exhibit skill with the sword. it is a cool idea, but it just doesnt work.

[Luckers]

So i know I'm a little late to this conversation and a very new member but i just started rereading through the series and i think the passage of I'm not half as good as my da' who wins beltine every year except when tam enters could be fairly important. I've only seen that to become a blade master you must either defeat one in single combat with witnesses or be judged by 5. I haven't seen anywhere where it says that to defeat him in single combat one must use a sword and when the trainer talks about how Jearom the best blade master ever was only defeated once by a farmer with a quarterstaff. Now stay with me because this is where some of you might think I'm crazy but for tam to get one of the rarer of the Heron marked blades being power wrought i can only think of a few appearances of them and most by high nobility such as kings. I feel like Jordan wouldn't have included the story of Jearom for no reason, which leads me to wonder if it was Tam who was the person who defeated him, as we have never heard how Tam earned his or when Jearom was alive I think its a likely coincident especially with his original intention to write the story of Tams journey in the sequel to new spring. do you guys think this is too far fetched of a possibility?

 

I got the impression that Jeorom lived a quite a while before the series began. I could be totally wrong. Just my impression.

 

I was under that impression too, but there is no evidence one way or the other. I think in my head I was mixing him with Ishara's husband, Souran.

[Maleshub]

Didn't Hammar Gaidin say that Jearom only lost once in his lifetime and 10K duels, to a farmer with a quarterstaff. If his end was by the end of a sword, or if he suffered a defeat in a sword duel, then we'd probably get that piece of information in that context.

 

"During his lifetime, Jearom fought over ten thousand times in battle and single combat. He was defeated once. By a farmer with a quarterstaff."

[Azrayne]

no' you'd be hard pressed to kill a skilled opponent with your staff because it would require you to get in a shot against an unprotected point and it's not as solid as a club.

 

Well you'd need to go for the face or neck, but a solid blow with a 7 foot quarterstaff to the neck or skull or nose/eyes would be extremely debilitating at the least.