Olver, Elayne, and Caemlyn

[Mr Ares]

You have a point. Why is that wording so specificif it is just supposed to mean at Shayol Ghul. Also, why else would they make the revelation that the Black Tower is made up of rocks from Shayol Ghul? It seems fishy.

They made the revelation because they were asked. Given that they are inclined to keep important plot details secret, I would say that this suggests the BT featuring SG stone is something of a non-factor. An interesting tidbit, perhaps, but not relevant from a plot perspective. If it does play a part in the books, it would have to be mentioned in the books. Why spoil the surprise if it will come up in AMOL?

Mr Ares, you have a point, but they have given us some information to keep us guessing. Besides, this was just foreshadowing, not actually giving something away. They are just hinting that the rocks might be Rand at the Black Tower. Also, I remember someone saying that the BT was Rand's business and he may take that to heart. I can see him and Logain owning Taim.

It's not foreshadowing anything, it is giving something away. We previously did not know that the BT was made, in whole or part, from rock taken from SG. We do know that now. It doesn't hint that Rand could bleed there to fulfill prophecy, although it does open it up as a possibility, but that possibility needs to be in the book if it is the correct answer. And if it has to be in the book, why tell us beforehand? It gives the game away for no good reason, spoils a surprise for no good reason. The best reason to tell us such a thing is because it will play no part in the series. It gives us something interesting to talk about, but doesn't spoil anything.

[RandA lThor]

You have a point. Why is that wording so specificif it is just supposed to mean at Shayol Ghul. Also, why else would they make the revelation that the Black Tower is made up of rocks from Shayol Ghul? It seems fishy.

They made the revelation because they were asked. Given that they are inclined to keep important plot details secret, I would say that this suggests the BT featuring SG stone is something of a non-factor. An interesting tidbit, perhaps, but not relevant from a plot perspective. If it does play a part in the books, it would have to be mentioned in the books. Why spoil the surprise if it will come up in AMOL?

Mr Ares, you have a point, but they have given us some information to keep us guessing. Besides, this was just foreshadowing, not actually giving something away. They are just hinting that the rocks might be Rand at the Black Tower. Also, I remember someone saying that the BT was Rand's business and he may take that to heart. I can see him and Logain owning Taim.

It's not foreshadowing anything, it is giving something away. We previously did not know that the BT was made, in whole or part, from rock taken from SG. We do know that now. It doesn't hint that Rand could bleed there to fulfill prophecy, although it does open it up as a possibility, but that possibility needs to be in the book if it is the correct answer. And if it has to be in the book, why tell us beforehand? It gives the game away for no good reason, spoils a surprise for no good reason. The best reason to tell us such a thing is because it will play no part in the series. It gives us something interesting to talk about, but doesn't spoil anything.

Well, they have given away some things in the questions and I think they gave this to us to start a discussion about whether this idea is true or not.

[Mr Ares]

You have a point. Why is that wording so specificif it is just supposed to mean at Shayol Ghul. Also, why else would they make the revelation that the Black Tower is made up of rocks from Shayol Ghul? It seems fishy.

They made the revelation because they were asked. Given that they are inclined to keep important plot details secret, I would say that this suggests the BT featuring SG stone is something of a non-factor. An interesting tidbit, perhaps, but not relevant from a plot perspective. If it does play a part in the books, it would have to be mentioned in the books. Why spoil the surprise if it will come up in AMOL?

Mr Ares, you have a point, but they have given us some information to keep us guessing. Besides, this was just foreshadowing, not actually giving something away. They are just hinting that the rocks might be Rand at the Black Tower. Also, I remember someone saying that the BT was Rand's business and he may take that to heart. I can see him and Logain owning Taim.

It's not foreshadowing anything, it is giving something away. We previously did not know that the BT was made, in whole or part, from rock taken from SG. We do know that now. It doesn't hint that Rand could bleed there to fulfill prophecy, although it does open it up as a possibility, but that possibility needs to be in the book if it is the correct answer. And if it has to be in the book, why tell us beforehand? It gives the game away for no good reason, spoils a surprise for no good reason. The best reason to tell us such a thing is because it will play no part in the series. It gives us something interesting to talk about, but doesn't spoil anything.

Well, they have given away some things in the questions and I think they gave this to us to start a discussion about whether this idea is true or not.

What important things have they given away? Things that later went on to have plot relevance? Things that were only later revealed in the books?

[RandA lThor]

You have a point. Why is that wording so specificif it is just supposed to mean at Shayol Ghul. Also, why else would they make the revelation that the Black Tower is made up of rocks from Shayol Ghul? It seems fishy.

They made the revelation because they were asked. Given that they are inclined to keep important plot details secret, I would say that this suggests the BT featuring SG stone is something of a non-factor. An interesting tidbit, perhaps, but not relevant from a plot perspective. If it does play a part in the books, it would have to be mentioned in the books. Why spoil the surprise if it will come up in AMOL?

Mr Ares, you have a point, but they have given us some information to keep us guessing. Besides, this was just foreshadowing, not actually giving something away. They are just hinting that the rocks might be Rand at the Black Tower. Also, I remember someone saying that the BT was Rand's business and he may take that to heart. I can see him and Logain owning Taim.

It's not foreshadowing anything, it is giving something away. We previously did not know that the BT was made, in whole or part, from rock taken from SG. We do know that now. It doesn't hint that Rand could bleed there to fulfill prophecy, although it does open it up as a possibility, but that possibility needs to be in the book if it is the correct answer. And if it has to be in the book, why tell us beforehand? It gives the game away for no good reason, spoils a surprise for no good reason. The best reason to tell us such a thing is because it will play no part in the series. It gives us something interesting to talk about, but doesn't spoil anything.

Well, they have given away some things in the questions and I think they gave this to us to start a discussion about whether this idea is true or not.

What important things have they given away? Things that later went on to have plot relevance? Things that were only later revealed in the books?

Well, sometimes, they don't give things away for certain, I'm not actually sure and I don't want to search through the interviews, so I would appreciate a quote, but I know for certain that he has hinted at things by saying RAFO and smiling at the same time to a yes or no question.

[Barid Bel Medar]

I will have to say, Mr Ares is right here. Very, very rarely we have been given important information BEFORE it is used in the books. Yes, there are examples of important information being clarified, however, this is done AFTER the respective scene or scenario in the text. For example, we are given the information that Jain Farstrider was indeed that old man in Graendal's Palace way back when. Important information to be sure, but it was given AFTER Jain had died. RJ was very particular about that, he frequently said "RAFO, it might be used later in the series..." Brandon is even more reluctant, out of respect for RJ and Harriet, to reveal anything important like this.

 

Now, that is not to say that Harriet has changed the policy here and decided to give us a hint like that. However, history suggests that this is not the case.

[RandA lThor]

I will have to say, Mr Ares is right here. Very, very rarely we have been given important information BEFORE it is used in the books. Yes, there are examples of important information being clarified, however, this is done AFTER the respective scene or scenario in the text. For example, we are given the information that Jain Farstrider was indeed that old man in Graendal's Palace way back when. Important information to be sure, but it was given AFTER Jain had died. RJ was very particular about that, he frequently said "RAFO, it might be used later in the series..." Brandon is even more reluctant, out of respect for RJ and Harriet, to reveal anything important like this.

 

Now, that is not to say that Harriet has changed the policy here and decided to give us a hint like that. However, history suggests that this is not the case.

Even with this, there is still a possiblity that this can happen. Also, he may not have known that fans would pick up the connection so fast.