Official AMOL Cover Art (Spoilers)

[yoniy0]

Nah, I just think they didn't anticipate that Whelan would have the sky in his drawing, considering the scene is of the three in a cave. Once they've seen a few drawings with the sun, they decided (after deliberation, which accounts for the time-lag) to inform him of that as well.

 

EDIT: sorry, that was directed at BBM. I actually agree with what you said, BenevolentCow, I just didn't see it in time.

[Barid Bel Medar]

Indeed, sounds right. I suppose they didn't anticipate the sky being visible.

 

Well, in that case, I go with the idea that throughout the book this "eclipse" is happening. The DO fixing his "eye" on the world, the stronger he gets.

 

Possibly it starts after the Seals are broken. It sounds like it may be an hourglass type thing, when the sun is fully covered, the DO wins.

[Rufae]

Kinda puts a new light on the book title, A Memory of Light. I can see the world being bathed in prolonged darkness as the DO streches his hand across the world making light just a memory to those fighting, and then a sudden bloom of light as Rand is victorious. It sounds like it could be a glorious ending.

[FarShainMael]

It was strange, I don't know what to make of the Eclipse thing. Obviously it is not what I thought it was, fair enough. But it still strikes me as odd. I don't know. It does seem like the eclipse is a fixed state, or the eclipse is happening slowly throughout the book. Like the DO is slowly fixing his eye on the world as he grows in power. It seems strange that such a detail would just be added for metaphorical purposes. And the description is the sun vanishing from the world. But it seems that it wasn't critical to the scene, as it was added after.

 

I can't decide if it is is a literal event or metaphorical. It would be annoying if it was purely metaphorical, and the sun is actually fine in the book. Why would you make stuff up to be metaphorical? But then there is the suggestion that "you might wan't to put in an eclipse" which suggests it is something ongoing.

 

Randlanders must have experienced solar eclipses before; they're fairly common occurrences, occurring 2-5 times a year throughout the world, total and partial. Total ones are rather less common, at about once every 18 months somewhere in the world; here in the UK we saw two such last century, 1927 and 1999. (I missed the latter because of cloud - Grrrrr!!) So a simple eclipse probably wouldn't worry anyone.

 

However, they tend to be short. Totality never exceeds 7.5 minutes, so if the darkness went on for longer than that it would be a bit alarming!

[Matthew79]

The Return of the Sedai!!

Male that Aes Sedai to be exact.

 

In seriousness though, how about Return to shayol ghul?

[FarShainMael]

How about 'Lord of the Twilight' from TDR1?

[Morsker]

The cover art thread lets us know Nyaeve and Moiraine go with Rand to face the Dark One. But why Nynaeve and Moiraine? We know why Rand brings them: he trusts them. But the Pattern guides events at a deeper level, so there are bound to be additional reasons that it has to be these two. What are Nynaeve and Moiraine there to do?

 

My guess for Nynaeve is that she's there to heal Rand's wound, following the Fisher King myth. (I've liked this idea since Brandon revealed that Rand made the food spoil. I want to see the Fisher King connection do something big.) I'd most like the healing to be what seals the Bore, as this also explains why all the tech in the AoL couldn't do it. But regardless, Nynaeve's healing power is unequaled, so if anything healing-related is needed, that's her ticket into this circle.

 

But Moiraine -- we know she has special knowledge from the Finns, but what special talent does she have? There are hundreds of other women who can channel, many with amazing talents. Why Moiraine? All I can think is that we see her do some amazing things with wards in the first book. Maybe she has a powerful talent for wards and this is used to hold back the Dark One or his minions.

 

I'd like to see both women do some channeling, like when Elayne and Aviendha passed the link between them when bonding Rand.

 

edit: I added that it's obvious why Rand chooses these two to come with him; most posters agreed it's about trust. But I'm still curious about what the Pattern put them there to do. Especially Moiraine.

[Majsju]

Nyn and Moiraine are simply the two available female channelers Rand trusts the most. He probably trusts Avi and Elayne just as much, and a case could be made for Egwene as well, but all of them are quite distracted by other stuff. Wheras Nyn and Moiraine both has are fully dedicated to see Rand succeed.

And there is of course the amusing aspect of the relationship between Nynaeve and Moiraine - Nyn initially being all about getting revenge on Moiraine, and now they will stand side by side.

[TristanWebb]

Spoilers?

 

Min says that he will fail without Moiraine, so she probably told her the viewing and she volunteered. What she will do? No idea.

[A. Pseudonym]

The Shadow's power is strongest at Twilight, the edge between day and night. If you've ever experienced an eclipse it doesn't result in total darkness just a sort of general dimming like the evening.....

 

So either the eclipse will be a consequence of the increased power of the shadow (metaphorically) or it will facilitate that increased power.

[snooze1128]

I think the reason Rand chooses Nynaeve and Moiraine to accompany him to SG simply because: (a) he knows he needs the company of two women and/or sadir to accomplish his goal, and (b) it's been mentioned a few times throughout the series by Rand himself that Nynaeve is one of the only aes sedai (or of any woman, for that matter) whom he truly trusts. Regardless of her strength or knowledge, Rand's similar trust in Moiraine warrants a spot alongside Rand in SG.

 

In terms of how each will aid Rand at SG, that is a much trickier thing to guess. Nynaeve's healing abilities will certainly come into play (blood transfusion, perhaps), but I'm not sure about Moiraine. I'm also quite confused as to why neither seem to be wearing any super-powerful jewelry (although Moiraine's right wrist is hidden int he cover art). Especially considering that it's explicitly stated at the end of TOM that Moiraine's new bracelet makes her more powerful than she was prior to the Lanfear incident, albeit weaker w/o the aid of the bracelet...

[TootThatHorn]

i believe one reason both will be there is that rand completely trusts them. rand has pointed out that he knows nyneave actually cares about him, and i think its a good thing that moiraine has been gone for 7 books and comes back after rands VoG epiphany. she hasnt been around for him to start to distrust her and go paranoid on her so her return will be momentous and nostalgic. besides that moiraine has always proven to have incredible knowledge that you wouldnt expect anyone to have, so there might be some intense revelations when she shows up. as far as nynaeve, for one she has massive strength in the power and adaptability with her weaving. as for healing, yes she is the best at it and there has been plenty enough foreshadowing that she will do something momentous in regards to healing, so if and when something tragic happens to rand she is the ideal person to be there, should it be something physical to heal, or going to TAR, perhaps healing death.

[fikkie77]

I experienced a total eclipse and I can assure you it got pretty dark. An eclips under a cloudcover will give you twilight, but an eclips under a clear sky gives you total darkness. A very creepy sort of darkness, because all animals turn silent.

[Majsju]

It was strange, I don't know what to make of the Eclipse thing. Obviously it is not what I thought it was, fair enough. But it still strikes me as odd. I don't know. It does seem like the eclipse is a fixed state, or the eclipse is happening slowly throughout the book. Like the DO is slowly fixing his eye on the world as he grows in power. It seems strange that such a detail would just be added for metaphorical purposes. And the description is the sun vanishing from the world. But it seems that it wasn't critical to the scene, as it was added after.

 

I can't decide if it is is a literal event or metaphorical. It would be annoying if it was purely metaphorical, and the sun is actually fine in the book. Why would you make stuff up to be metaphorical? But then there is the suggestion that "you might wan't to put in an eclipse" which suggests it is something ongoing.

 

Randlanders must have experienced solar eclipses before; they're fairly common occurrences, occurring 2-5 times a year throughout the world, total and partial. Total ones are rather less common, at about once every 18 months somewhere in the world; here in the UK we saw two such last century, 1927 and 1999. (I missed the latter because of cloud - Grrrrr!!) So a simple eclipse probably wouldn't worry anyone.

 

However, they tend to be short. Totality never exceeds 7.5 minutes, so if the darkness went on for longer than that it would be a bit alarming!

 

And usually when an eclipse happens in our world, there is no need to worry about an evil god being behind it, as a prologue to destroying the world.

Of course, because of those pesky mayans, I would probably have freaked out just a little had there been an eclipse here this year, but that is a different story.... :)

[FarShainMael]

I don't want to worry you, but.......

 

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2012.html

[A. Pseudonym]

I experienced a total eclipse and I can assure you it got pretty dark. An eclips under a cloudcover will give you twilight, but an eclips under a clear sky gives you total darkness. A very creepy sort of darkness, because all animals turn silent.

 

Yeah but in my experience the sky is still bright, relatively, because you're only standing under the moon's shadow. It certainly shouldn't be dark enough to see stars. So it's a a sort of twilight, late evening illumination.

 

I am in a fairly northern latitude, perhaps that is why.

[Majsju]

I don't want to worry you, but.......

 

http://eclipse.gsfc..../OH/OH2012.html

 

Partial does not count, and next total eclipse here is in 2126 :)

[fikkie77]

I experienced a total eclipse and I can assure you it got pretty dark. An eclips under a cloudcover will give you twilight, but an eclips under a clear sky gives you total darkness. A very creepy sort of darkness, because all animals turn silent.

 

Yeah but in my experience the sky is still bright, relatively, because you're only standing under the moon's shadow. It certainly shouldn't be dark enough to see stars. So it's a a sort of twilight, late evening illumination.

 

I am in a fairly northern latitude, perhaps that is why.

It actually gets dark enough to see stars...

 

really: the moment the eclips turned from a sliver to full it instantly turned pitch dark. We could see the edge of the darkness move away from us to the horizon. (I stood on a hill near the town of juniville in northern France).

[RandA lThor]

Maybe the Finn shared knowledge with Moiraine that told her how to transfer a soul into another body (Rand's). This doesn't pertain to the shadow necessarily, and Rand may need her to help him live again.

[Suttree]

Also wondering who Nyn gave her jewelery to and why?

[fikkie77]

2 possibilities: \

- wearing them in the Pit of Doom is dangerous

- someone else needed them more and she voluntariy gave them away.

[Rufae]

ALso, where is Alivia? She was the one who is said to "help Rand die" yet here he marches to his presumed death and she is not in sight.

[Terez]

Also wondering who Nyn gave her jewelery to and why?

 

As for why, I imagine for the same reason she gave them to Alivia at the Cleansing. She was in a link, but not in control, so she couldn't use the ter'angreal, and the strength of the sa'angreal makes the angreal seem a drop in the bucket. Useful in Rand vs Asmodean, but a link is an entirely different scenario.

 

As for who, it could be anyone this time around. Whoever she trusts to 1) make good use of them and 2) return them when she's done. Typically the toys have gone to the strongest channelers, so Alivia is a good candidate again, and Aviendha, and Elayne if she's up to channeling. Cadsuane if she's still alive (which I doubt). I don't see her giving them to anyone else at this point, but anything is possible.

[Durinax]

if I had to make a ranking based on willpower I would have to put both Nynaeve and Moraine near the top.

 

Keep in mind that one of them will have to be in control of the circle.

 

And that Rand having callandor in the pit of doom means that 'all he is can be seized'

 

I think that Rand is going to be possessed by the DO and the women have to try and keep control over him and prevent him from running amok, with Alivia dealing the killing blow.

[Morsker]

Oh, I agree about the trust angle several people mentioned, but the Pattern also has a way of putting the right people in the right places. Egwene's entire arc inside the tower wouldn't've happened if she didn't have special strength in Earth. (It got her captured when she assigned herself to the cuendillar plan.) Elayne has exactly the right Talent to help Mat kill the gholum, and Aviendha has one that leads to her seeing the future of the Aeil.

 

So I'm still hoping to see something special from these two women, especially Moiraine.