Nicola's Foretelling

[thisguy]

"the Lion sword, the dedicated spear, she who sees beyond. Three on the boat and he who is dead yet lives.The great battle done but the world not done with battle. The land divided by the return, and the guardians balance the servants. The future teeters on the edge of a blade."

 

Seems to me the story will go on after Tarmon Gaidan. I wonder if the ship will be taking Rand to another battle front where the Seanchan will be trying to take over more of the land.

[Vardar]

But why a boat? Boats are nigh useless to channelers nowadays.

 

Unless of course it has to do with the Sea Folk.

[thisguy]

But why a boat? Boats are nigh useless to channelers nowadays.

 

Unless of course it has to do with the Sea Folk.

Yeah, I made a guess somewhere else that it might have something to do with the seafolk:

1. because they really haven't come into the story very much;

2. this just came to me - Elayne spent that time with Nynaeve on the raker going to Tanchico. She learned the seafolk weaves to speed the ship along. Remember? Wonder if that will come into play. She also became close with that ship's Windfinder.

[thisguy]

Do we know anything about the Seafolk prophecies for the Coramoor?

[lolguy26]

“The White Tower shall be broken by his name, and Aes Sedai shall kneel to wash his feet and dry them with their hair.”

“The Stone of Tear has fallen, and war breaks over the nations of the land. Those that once ruled have returned, and have been driven back for the first time.”

That s all i could find

[thisguy]

Thanks, I just found another bit:

 

"

We must wander the waters until the Coramoor returns, and serve him at his coming.

He shall wield the One Power, and hold the Sword that cannot be touched. The Aiel shall come over the Dragonwall to his call, the Stone of Tear shall fall, and war shall break over the nations of the land. Those who once ruled shall return, and shall be driven back for the first time.

The White Tower shall be broken in his name, and Aes Sedai shall kneel to wash his feet and dry them with their hair.

He shall bring us to glory and all the seas of the world shall be ours."

Because of the Seanchan, either that last bit is incorrect or what Aviendha saw was incomplete.

[thisguy]

"and he who is dead yet lives..".

 

After reading the Fain time perception powers in other threads - I wonder if that's what goes on with Rand, maybe he only thinks he's dead because of something Fain does.

[Terez]

"the Lion sword, the dedicated spear, she who sees beyond. Three on the boat and he who is dead yet lives.The great battle done but the world not done with battle. The land divided by the return, and the guardians balance the servants. The future teeters on the edge of a blade."

 

Seems to me the story will go on after Tarmon Gaidan.

 

RJ said it would briefly, but you're assuming here that 'great battle' refers to the Last Battle. I don't think it does, at least partly because there would be no real reason to bring Rand back if the Last Battle was already done. Also, the future teetering on the edge of a blade is pretty dire and doesn't seem likely to have anything to do with the Seanchan. It's possible, but not only is it not on a level with the threat of the Dark One, we have no real reason to believe that Rand is essential for that solution. There are more clues. What is the point of Rand dying in the first place? What purpose does it serve? If Rand's dying is to have a purpose it has to have something to do with his chances for success in the end game, and dying to sever his connection to Moridin is a purpose worth dying for. That would mean he still has something left to do when he returns. Also, the Aelfinn said the two must be as one for him to win; in this scenario, the land is still divided by the Return.

[thisguy]

You may be right, but they may want to bring Rand back for some promise made to the Seanchan that we don't know about yet - or something else that is unknown yet.

 

Thinking about it - Maybe the road to Shayol Ghul is not a road but a river of some sort - like the River Styx...

[Durinax]

You may be right, but they may want to bring Rand back for some promise made to the Seanchan that we don't know about yet - or something else that is unknown yet.

 

Thinking about it - Maybe the road to Shayol Ghul is not a road but a river of some sort - like the River Styx...

it would make sense for there to be a body of water between SG and the Mountains of Doom, since SG used to be an island resort.

[thisguy]

You may be right, but they may want to bring Rand back for some promise made to the Seanchan that we don't know about yet - or something else that is unknown yet.

 

Thinking about it - Maybe the road to Shayol Ghul is not a road but a river of some sort - like the River Styx...

it would make sense for there to be a body of water between SG and the Mountains of Doom, since SG used to be an island resort.

Bam! You, sir, are making sense. Please, continue.

 

Do you think the DO will serve drinks?

[lolguy26]

maybe some ancient age of legends drink maybe some age of legend wine he has down in the wine cellar

[thisguy]

maybe some ancient age of legends drink maybe some age of legend wine he has down in the wine cellar

You know, maybe the Dark One just wants someone to appreciate him and have a drink with sometimes. ;)

[Moxyll]

Also, the Aelfinn said the two must be as one for him to win; in this scenario, the land is still divided by the Return.

 

Do we know that refers to the land though?

 

"The north and the east must be as one. The west and the south must be as one. The two must be as one. To live, you must die."

 

That seems like four separate thoughts, of which the first two happen to be similar. If the fourth was related somehow to the political control of the lands, I could see the third being related as well, however since it's so disparate it leads me to believe otherwise.

 

I feel like the third thought is saying that Rand and Lews Therin must be one if he is to win and survive... which has already happened.

[thisguy]

Also, the Aelfinn said the two must be as one for him to win; in this scenario, the land is still divided by the Return.

 

Do we know that refers to the land though?

 

"The north and the east must be as one. The west and the south must be as one. The two must be as one. To live, you must die."

 

That seems like four separate thoughts, of which the first two happen to be similar. If the fourth was related somehow to the political control of the lands, I could see the third being related as well, however since it's so disparate it leads me to believe otherwise.

 

I feel like the third thought is saying that Rand and Lews Therin must be one if he is to win and survive... which has already happened.

Could be. Could also be that the Northeast must be Seanchan and the Southwest Rand and the two separate kingdoms must act as one.

[Terez]

Also, the Aelfinn said the two must be as one for him to win; in this scenario, the land is still divided by the Return.

 

Do we know that refers to the land though?

 

"The north and the east must be as one. The west and the south must be as one. The two must be as one. To live, you must die."

 

That seems like four separate thoughts, of which the first two happen to be similar. If the fourth was related somehow to the political control of the lands, I could see the third being related as well, however since it's so disparate it leads me to believe otherwise.

 

I feel like the third thought is saying that Rand and Lews Therin must be one if he is to win and survive... which has already happened.

 

Lots of people feel that way, but it doesn't make any sense in the context really. The Aelfinn do try to get away with sneakiness, but we have this whole thematic thing with the Seanchan that has been building since TEOTW, and it's going somewhere. Mat and Tuon are at the forefront of that, and so the obvious geographical interpretation of the entire passage fits. And as Rand said, they were not two men, and never had been. Rand had to accept that, sure, but Lews Therin has been an aspect of Rand himself from the get-go. In other words, we know the 'two must be as one' thing as it relates to the Seanchan is going to happen anyway, so there's no need to search for alternate explanations. It also fits with the Biblical description of marriage: the two become one flesh. It's an obvious reference to the act of consummation, which has yet to occur.

[FarShainMael]

Also, the Aelfinn said the two must be as one for him to win; in this scenario, the land is still divided by the Return.

 

Do we know that refers to the land though?

 

"The north and the east must be as one. The west and the south must be as one. The two must be as one. To live, you must die."

 

That seems like four separate thoughts, of which the first two happen to be similar. If the fourth was related somehow to the political control of the lands, I could see the third being related as well, however since it's so disparate it leads me to believe otherwise.

 

I feel like the third thought is saying that Rand and Lews Therin must be one if he is to win and survive... which has already happened.

 

I'm of the opinion - following the geographical theme - that the 'two' here are Andor and Cairhien, which are now united under Queen Elayne.

 

(ETA: There's a comment in TWRJWoT that 'Andor and Cairhien have been at war more times than any two nations except Tear and Illian'. That needed to be sorted before going into the Last Battle.)

 

I also think that 'if you would live, you must die' referred to VoG.

 

But that's JMO.

[Morden]

The Two Must Become one....

 

Aes Sedai used to encompass male and female...

 

Enough said

[Terez]

That's not how it happened in Aviendha's vision of the future. That's not to say everything will be the same as Aviendha saw it, but it's hardly 'enough said'.

[Wool-headed lummox]

the Lion sword, the dedicated spear, she who sees beyond

Elayne, Aviendha, Min. Rand's three lovers.

 

Three on the boat and he who is dead yet lives

Probably the same trio, plus Rand after his death and resurrection. Why on a boat? Perhaps they can't channel, for instance due to being in the vicinity of Shaol Ghul.

 

The land divided by the return

One third of Randland is already conquered by the Seanchan.

 

and the guardians balance the servants

Ashaman balance the Aes Sedai.

 

The future teeters on the edge of a blade

Which blade? Callandor? Justice? Fain's dagger?

[Suttree]

The Two Must Become one....

 

Aes Sedai used to encompass male and female...

 

Enough said

 

LOL

[Terez]

The future teeters on the edge of a blade

Which blade? Callandor? Justice? Fain's dagger?

 

1. The blade can be metaphorical. In the mirror dream, the phrase was a scale tilting first one way, and then the other.

 

2. If the blade is literal, IMO it's probably Justice, since the remaining hurdle to jump is the Seanchan truce.

[Wool-headed lummox]

The north and the east must be as one

Borderlands and the Aiel? Borderlands and the eastern nations of Randland (Cairhien, Tear?) Both?

 

The west and the south must be as one

The Seanchan seem to have already fulfilled this. Unless more southern nations need to be included, like Illian.

 

The two must be as one

Rand and Lews Therin? More likely, Rand and Moridin. Unless this is a continuation of the previous two statements, meaning that the resulting north-eastern and south-western blocks (Dragon's lands and Seanchan lands) need to further become as one, in order to pose a consolidated and unified force against Shadowspawn/Dreadlords/Darkfriends.

 

To live, you must die

Rand will die and come back to life. Somehow. Body swap with Moridin?

 

The blade can be metaphorical

A metaphorical blade seems like an overly comfortable and overly generic way of saying "the future is uncertain". Which is a banal truism that doesn't need to be stated in a foretelling, not even at the end of it.

 

[if the blade is literal, IMO it's probably Justice, since the remaining hurdle to jump is the Seanchan truce

This is a good idea, Rand may use Justice to secure a truce with the Seanchan, it is after all Hawkwing's own sword.

[Sharaman]

Wouldn't the Seanchan just call Rand a thief and demand he hand over Hawkwing's property to Hqawkwing's rightful heir?

That is after all, pretty much what they're doing with the whole of WoTland.

[FarShainMael]

Wouldn't the Seanchan just call Rand a thief and demand he hand over Hawkwing's property to Hawkwing's rightful heir?

That is after all, pretty much what they're doing with the whole of WoTland.

 

I consider it just possible that Rand IS Hawkwing's rightful heir..