Favorite "Quiet" Scenes

[aross]

Many of my favorite scenes throughout the books develop characters. These are not great reads because of explosions, swordplay, or even high drama. It's just stuff. Understand? Just people talking or doing what they do or maybe discovering a little something about themselves.

 

So if any of you think, "Cool! My favorite scene is Dumai's Wells!" Don't. Just don't. Because this discussion doesn't give a crap about battles.

 

"My favorite scene is Perrin forging Mah'alleinir. That rocked!" Climax, so again, don't.

 

On the other hand, "I just love it when Elayne pinches Rand's butt," would be just great, if that scene is a favorite of yours.

 

Here are a few of mine:

 

The Eye of the World - Elyas gesturing to Perrin, "They say he can."

 

The Great Hunt - Anything with Hurin. I LOVE that guy. Don't know why...

 

The Dragon Reborn - Perrin in Dermid Ajala's forge.

 

The Shadow Rising - Perrin with the Tinkers, and also, Perrin chewing out the Two Rivers lads.

 

The Fires of Heaven - Mat kneeling over the maps with Lan, and Asmodean staring at him as if seeing him for the first time. Also for that matter, ANYTHING with Asmodean! Killing him off was for me one of the great buzzkills of the Wheel of Time.

 

The Lord of Chaos - Mat calling to Egwene, "The Light shine on you Mother!" I thought that was quintessential Mat. He didn't necessarily believe, or buy in with Egwene as Amyrlin, but mess with Two Rivers Folk? Or his people?

 

Crown of Swords - Mat striking a bargain with Renaile. I loved how his memories and Ta'veren nature both contributed.

 

Path of Daggers - Talmanes and Egwene.

 

Winter's Heart - Anything with Mat and Tuon.

 

Crossroads of Twilight - Almurat Mor and Furyk Karede.

 

Knife of Dreams - Tuon's POVs! And, anything, ANYTHING, with Tylee Khirgan. If I might pick one, "I hope I never have to face you in the field. I'd be honored if you call me Tylee."

 

The Gathering Storm - Egwene in the Tower. Also, Tuon's first audience. Winning Beslan's loyalty. Hearing Tylee even though her opinion flew against convention.

 

Towers of Midnight - Galad confronting Asunawa. Forgive me for tooting my own horn, but following my prologue read, I predicted that Galad had already won. I reasoned that his battle was like Egwene's. I didn't know how, but I simply felt that, like Elaida, Asunawa dug his own grave.

[MasterAblar]

tGS: Rand and Nyneave in "A Conversation with the Dragon".

[Suttree]

tPoD "A Cup of Sleep"

 

"I told them to stay out of sight," Rand said in a harsh voice. "And I’ll take care of Fedwin. Fedwin Morr, Taim; not ‘this one.’" He actually backed to the small table to pick up the silver cup sitting among the lamps. Min’s breath caught.

"The Wisdom in my village could cure anything," Rand said as he knelt beside Fedwin. Somehow, he managed to smile at the boy without taking his eyes from Taim. Fedwin smiled back happily and tried to take the cup, but Rand held it for him to drink. "She knows more about herbs than anybody I’ve ever met. I learned a little from her, which are safe, which not." Fedwin sighed as Rand took the cup away and held the boy to his chest. "Sleep, Fedwin," Rand murmured.

It did seem that the boy was going to sleep. His eyes closed. His chest rose and fell more slowly. Slower. Until it stopped. The smile never left his lips.

"A little something in the wine," Rand said softly as he laid Fedwin down. Min’s eyes burned, but she would not cry. She would not!

"You are harder than I thought," Taim muttered.

[humanraindelay]

Mats letter to Elayne in ToM

Talmanes laughing at mat on the march into Hindor Strap.

Mat and Perrins reunion,

[Manscher]

tGS: Rand and Nyneave in "A Conversation with the Dragon".

 

I absolutely love that scene.

 

I've always been a fan of the whole Far Madding adventure, it gave Rand a chance to be just Rand Al'thor, and not The Dragon Reborn for a while.

[michellem]

Nynaeve and Elayne apologizing to Mat in Ebou Dar.

 

The part with poor Fedwin that is quited above (I just read it before seeing this thread, breaks my heart every time)

 

Vandene's grief when Adeleas is murdered.

 

Min, Aviendha and Birgitte hurrying away from Rand and Elayne getting down to buisiness.

 

That's what I can remember right now.

[Sephie913]

A Conversation With the Dragon, definitely. The Color of Trust, I think is the name of another chapter.

Rand leaving Bandar Eban and all the food being spoiled. It's excruciating to read, but the part where claustrophobic Rand is forced to bargain with the Sea Folk in that little chair in that little room. "I win again, Lews Therin."

Perrin talking with Rand in the beginning of TDR. Perrin on the way back to Carhien in the beginning of ACoS.

Anything in the beginning of the series, when nobody knows what they're doing. Mat going off on nyneave near the end if EotW. Mat being flippant at any point.

 

There's more, but those are the hits.

[DrunkenWarder]

The first part of "Prologue: What the storm means" from TGS in which Renald Fanwar looks at the clouds in the northern sky. The whole scene with him staring at the clouds and later when his friend blacksmith Thulin travels to join the army in the north is definitely a remarkable one.

[michellem]

Oh yes, that is amazing.

 

Also, when Rand is walking around Ebou Dar disguised. Not sure if that counts as a climax, or a session between two climaxes.

[andrewks]

Mat kissing Tuon.

 

Rand and Mat walking to Rhuidean.

 

Rand and Aviendha's conversations.

[Alric]

Siuan and Leane deciding dress up Min as "Elmindreda":

Suddenly Siuan looked amused; Min felt her hackles rising.

 

“I fear that won’t be enough. Min in a dress is still Min in a dress to anyone who looks dose. You cannot always wear a cloak with the hood up. No, you must change everything that can be changed. For one thing, you will continue to go by Elmindreda. It is your name, after all.” Min winced. “Your hair is almost as long as Leane’s, long enough to put in curls. For the rest. . . . I never had any use for rouge and powder and paints, but Leane remembers the use of them.”

 

Min’s eyes had grown wider by the word since the mention of curls.

 

“Oh, no,” she gasped.

 

”No one will take you for Min who wears breeches once Leane makes you into a perfect Elmindreda.”

 

“Oh, NO!”

 

Also later on when she runs into Gawyn and Galad and pulls of a hilarious and excellent impersonation of Elmindreda.

 

 

[Alric]

Egeanin's thoughts when figuring out the truth about sul'dam and how f****ed up the Seanchan really are and becoming friends with Elayne and Nynaeve in tSR. Great character and the realization was well done.

 

Bayle Domon in the same book, turning out to be a very decent man for contributing to charity despite being a smuggler.

 

Moiraine showing off her fishing skills(!)

 

The Healing of Siuan and Leane.

 

Siuan and Egwene bonding and being silly and funny right before Egwene laid down the Law before the Hall on their way from Salidar.

Min reading the note Rand got from Herid Fel about her.

 

Lan telling Moiraine "You're a cool one, Aes Sedai" after she had killed Merean with a knife (New Spring).

 

Moiraine and Siuan taking the oaths together (New Spring).

 

The reactions to Loial showing up in Emond's Field (tSR).

[Never]

The start of The Dragon Reborn, after Rand caused the earthquakes, he talks to Perrin, talking about all the people dying for him.

 

The one I always mention, Moiraine's letter to Rand.

 

Start of tGH, when Egwene thinks to herself that no one will be allowed to harm Rand.

 

There are so many. God, I need to read through the whole thing again!

[michellem]

I'd amost forgotten Moiraines fishing skills! I do think it is sad to see how little of the girl in New Spring is left in her (or is visible even in her own POV, anyway)

 

 

One of my favourites:

The first-sister "bonding" ceremony. I think it is beautiful.

[The Fisher King]

I really liked that scene in either COT or KOD. It might be weird of me, but I just liked it.

 

Basically, Rand, Loial, Cadsuane, Verin and I think maybe Nynaeve are literally just sitting around talking in that room in that manor house. Its right before Logain arrives. I think Loial is taking notes and Cadsuane is knitting. Its just nice. And kind of a rare moment in the series.

 

 

Fish

[The Fisher King]

Pretty much every single moment of that amazing chapter in book 2 where Moiraine is visiting Adeleas and Vandene. First there's that long (and wonderful) talk between Moir and Lan then the nice long talk with Adeleas (or was it Vandene?)

 

Another for me is in TSR (or maybe FOH?) when Mat and Rand are just quietly standing there observing the Shaido, Mat is one of the first to recognize how deeply Couladin hates Rand, and Mat just softly warns his friend "You watch your back with that one, Rand. I mean it."

 

 

Fish

[damandred]

Tuon' PoV in KoD, were Talmanes has brought the band into Altara and she finds out Mat knows the Dragon Reborn, plus has his own private army.

That scene was very satisfying for me as she had been treating him like crap for two books.

 

Also from KoD the part were Perrin and the Seanchan are getting supplies in town, and some guy vomits a load of beetles. Everyone's terrified but Perrin just takes it in his stride.

[ArthurOysgelt]

Perrin stopped suddenly in front of a door, and despite his size he seemed oddly hesitant. He drew a

deep breath, looked at his companions, took another breath, then slowly opened the door and went in. One by

one the rest of them followed. Rand was the last, and he closed the door behind him with the utmost reluctance.

It was the room where they had eaten the night before. A blaze crackled on the hearth, and a polished

silver tray sat in the middle of the table holding a gleaming silver pitcher and cups. Moiraine and Nynaeve sat at

opposite ends of the table, neither taking her eyes from the other. All the other chairs were empty. Moiraine's

hands rested on the table, as still as her face. Nynaeve's braid was thrown over her shoulder, the end gripped in

one fist; she kept giving it little tugs the way she did when she was being even more stubborn than usual with

the Village Council. Perrin was right. Despite the fire it seemed freezing cold, and all coming from the two

women at the table.

Lan was leaning against the mantel, staring into the flames and rubbing his hands for warmth.

[DrunkenWarder]

I also like all scenes with Lan traveling through the Borderlands trying to avoid everyone but ending up with an army of his own, especially the way his "army" is being built up. One becomes two...

[DrunkenWarder]

Tuon' PoV in KoD, were Talmanes has brought the band into Altara and she finds out Mat knows the Dragon Reborn, plus has his own private army.

That scene was very satisfying for me as she had been treating him like crap for two books.

 

Yes, that was very good scene. I liked her amazement not only because she had treated Mat like garbage, but because she treated (and still treats) almost everyone like that. It was high time she changed her view of him.

[condonmc]

"By the way, that dress you are wearing is green.".......Blubberd like a baby with what follows..i always did like Verin..Wondorful gal..

[aross]

@Jarlaxle:

 

Yep, completely agree! That scene is one of the great ones in the Wheel of Time or in any book. Just goes to prove that you don't need a fight to tell a great story.

 

Another question for all... if you had to choose books that are "meaty" or "bony", which would those be? The meaty ones force you to choose a favorite scene among many. The bony ones force to find a single scene that you can read without cringing. I looked it over and found, not surprisingly, that the "boniest" was also my least favorite book. And the meatiest was among my favorites.

 

Bony - Path of Daggers. I swear to you, if I hadn't remembered Egwene and Talmanes, I wouldn't have come up with anything at all. Almost left that one blank!

 

Meaty - A tough one... but for me it was The Dragon Reborn. With Mat's rise, and Perrin and Faile while their storyline sizzled, and Moiraine at her best, and The Black Ajah Hunters, Juilin, Mother Guenna, etc, etc, etc. So much good reading. And MY meatiest.

[Pinzarn]

Couple that are tied to some of the aforementioned story lines:

 

--Where the Deathwatch Guard enters Mat's camp, and the DW Guard starts talking to Thom as if he was the general. Then he is directed to Tylin's Toy.

 

--The various scenes where Mat glances at a map or battle formation and starts thinking if it is a good tactic or a poor one.

 

--Nynaeve's travels to the Borderlands to help rally support for Lan.

 

--At the battle of the White Tower with the Seanchan where the Aes Sedai try to take control from Egwene and she puts them in their place.

 

--The side scenes at the battle of the White Tower with the Seanchan where the various Aes Sedai realize that the only people doing well against the Seanchan are from the Novice floors.

 

--The scene where Rand is told of Alaana's side effect from the trio bonding him as their warder.

[michellem]

I totally can't remember what that sideeffect is *scratches head*

[Manscher]

She passes out for 3 days, and when she finds him in Far Madding, she's rather angry at him.