Thought(s) on Callandor

[Vassili]

I've been re-reading the series and was considering the way the first three books ended.

 

In all three, the grand finale is a sword fight between Rand and Ishamael. In the first two fights, Rand uses the "normal" sword he inherited from his father, albeit augmented with the One Power. In both cases Ishy sustains serious, one could argue fatal, wounds, but somehow survives and recovers. However, his recovery is not immediate. Throughout TGH he is described as having horrible burns interspaced with healthy flesh that gradually envelopes the burned regions. In TDR he touches his chest as if it still hurts him. When someone is healed with the One Power, the healing is immediate and usually complete. I point this out because it indicates Ishamael was being healed by something other than what we have seen before.

 

In the last confrontation, Callandor succeeds in doing what normal steal and the Power of the EotW could not. The best explanation for this may be the simplest: Rand got in a well placed stab. But maybe it also has to do with Callandor itself. Could the reason Callandor killed Ishamael while the EotW could not be what makes Callandor special?

[thisguy]

I've been re-reading the series and was considering the way the first three books ended.

 

In all three, the grand finale is a sword fight between Rand and Ishamael. In the first two fights, Rand uses the "normal" sword he inherited from his father, albeit augmented with the One Power. In both cases Ishy sustains serious, one could argue fatal, wounds, but somehow survives and recovers. However, his recovery is not immediate. Throughout TGH he is described as having horrible burns interspaced with healthy flesh that gradually envelopes the burned regions. In TDR he touches his chest as if it still hurts him. When someone is healed with the One Power, the healing is immediate and usually complete. I point this out because it indicates Ishamael was being healed by something other than what we have seen before.

 

In the last confrontation, Callandor succeeds in doing what normal steal and the Power of the EotW could not. The best explanation for this may be the simplest: Rand got in a well placed stab. But maybe it also has to do with Callandor itself. Could the reason Callandor killed Ishamael while the EotW could not be what makes Callandor special?

I think that the original wound that Ish received from Rand and which didn't heal right away (chest wound which melted Rand's sword) was supposed to parallel Rand's wound in the side which doesn't heal all the way.

 

I got the feeling callandor killed him because Rand stabbed him and just let raw saidin burn him up from the inside.

[bsmnt23]

During the fight Rand severed the black threads connecting Ishy to what apparently was the Dark One. I dont know if that was an early book-ism as we havent seen the dark threads since, but the dark threads were severed and then Rand gave him the old stabby-stab with callandor.

[Vardar]

During the fight Rand severed the black threads connecting Ishy to what apparently was the Dark One. I dont know if that was an early book-ism as we havent seen the dark threads since, but the dark threads were severed and then Rand gave him the old stabby-stab with callandor.

 

The black threads are what keeps male forsaken sane. He cuts Asmodeans too.

[roocifer]

I've been re-reading the series and was considering the way the first three books ended.

 

In all three, the grand finale is a sword fight between Rand and Ishamael. In the first two fights, Rand uses the "normal" sword he inherited from his father, albeit augmented with the One Power. In both cases Ishy sustains serious, one could argue fatal, wounds, but somehow survives and recovers. However, his recovery is not immediate. Throughout TGH he is described as having horrible burns interspaced with healthy flesh that gradually envelopes the burned regions. In TDR he touches his chest as if it still hurts him. When someone is healed with the One Power, the healing is immediate and usually complete. I point this out because it indicates Ishamael was being healed by something other than what we have seen before.

 

In the last confrontation, Callandor succeeds in doing what normal steal and the Power of the EotW could not. The best explanation for this may be the simplest: Rand got in a well placed stab. But maybe it also has to do with Callandor itself. Could the reason Callandor killed Ishamael while the EotW could not be what makes Callandor special?

I think that the original wound that Ish received from Rand and which didn't heal right away (chest wound which melted Rand's sword) was supposed to parallel Rand's wound in the side which doesn't heal all the way.

 

I got the feeling callandor killed him because Rand stabbed him and just let raw saidin burn him up from the inside.

 

Yes I also thought Ishy's not-completely-healed wounds were supposed to mirror Rand's wound in his side

[thisguy]

I've been re-reading the series and was considering the way the first three books ended.

 

In all three, the grand finale is a sword fight between Rand and Ishamael. In the first two fights, Rand uses the "normal" sword he inherited from his father, albeit augmented with the One Power. In both cases Ishy sustains serious, one could argue fatal, wounds, but somehow survives and recovers. However, his recovery is not immediate. Throughout TGH he is described as having horrible burns interspaced with healthy flesh that gradually envelopes the burned regions. In TDR he touches his chest as if it still hurts him. When someone is healed with the One Power, the healing is immediate and usually complete. I point this out because it indicates Ishamael was being healed by something other than what we have seen before.

 

In the last confrontation, Callandor succeeds in doing what normal steal and the Power of the EotW could not. The best explanation for this may be the simplest: Rand got in a well placed stab. But maybe it also has to do with Callandor itself. Could the reason Callandor killed Ishamael while the EotW could not be what makes Callandor special?

I think that the original wound that Ish received from Rand and which didn't heal right away (chest wound which melted Rand's sword) was supposed to parallel Rand's wound in the side which doesn't heal all the way.

 

I got the feeling callandor killed him because Rand stabbed him and just let raw saidin burn him up from the inside.

 

Yes I also thought Ishy's not-completely-healed wounds were supposed to mirror Rand's wound in his side

Me, too. The whole - the two of them are linked thing and they've fought over and over a billion times before seems to back it up, too.

[clu7ch]

Just spitballing, but what if Callandor parallels rand. I shall elaborate a little:

It's the sword that isn't a sword. A massively powerful Sa'angreal, with a fundamental flaw that makes it difficult to use, with regards to ones' personal safety.

 

Rand, he had a fundamental flaw - He was going about his life wrong, he thought HE was a sword, and was trying to become heartstone, and nearly snapped. HIS buffer was nonexistent and he nearly drew too much of the one power to contain.

 

The Towers of Midnight - For what has been wrought, page 197

 

"I thought I was being forged into a sword," Rand said, eyes growing distant. "But I was wrong. I'm not a weapon. I never have been."

"Then what are you?" Min asked, genuinely curious.

He merely smiled.

 

So Rand and callandor are both swords that are not swords, I then postulate that they are somehow linked.

[thisguy]

Just spitballing, but what if Callandor parallels rand. I shall elaborate a little:

It's the sword that isn't a sword. A massively powerful Sa'angreal, with a fundamental flaw that makes it difficult to use, with regards to ones' personal safety.

 

Rand, he had a fundamental flaw - He was going about his life wrong, he thought HE was a sword, and was trying to become heartstone, and nearly snapped. HIS buffer was nonexistent and he nearly drew too much of the one power to contain.

 

The Towers of Midnight - For what has been wrought, page 197

 

"I thought I was being forged into a sword," Rand said, eyes growing distant. "But I was wrong. I'm not a weapon. I never have been."

"Then what are you?" Min asked, genuinely curious.

He merely smiled.

 

So Rand and callandor are both swords that are not swords, I then postulate that they are somehow linked.

Sounds good. I always thought Rand used the sword (learning, practicing, etc) to stave off madness.

[Morden]

Callandor is linked to Sha'rah When the fisher king is one a white square it has different attributes from when its on a black square The Fisher King's attributes change depending on what color square it occupies; on white it is weak in attack yet agile and far-ranging in escape; on black it is strong in attack but slow and vulnerable.

 

For Rand to use Callandor he has to let women control it, which weakens him because he cannot use the OP to defend himself, but the amount of power available to the circle is insane giving them a huge advantage on attack.

[Durinax]

Callandor is linked to Sha'rah When the fisher king is one a white square it has different attributes from when its on a black square The Fisher King's attributes change depending on what color square it occupies; on white it is weak in attack yet agile and far-ranging in escape; on black it is strong in attack but slow and vulnerable.

 

For Rand to use Callandor he has to let women control it, which weakens him because he cannot use the OP to defend himself, but the amount of power available to the circle is insane giving them a huge advantage on attack.

IMO Callandor is like a domination band, so with two women in control (and working in concert) they can control rand, even if say the DO 'seizes all that he is'

[thisguy]

Callandor is linked to Sha'rah When the fisher king is one a white square it has different attributes from when its on a black square The Fisher King's attributes change depending on what color square it occupies; on white it is weak in attack yet agile and far-ranging in escape; on black it is strong in attack but slow and vulnerable.

 

For Rand to use Callandor he has to let women control it, which weakens him because he cannot use the OP to defend himself, but the amount of power available to the circle is insane giving them a huge advantage on attack.

IMO Callandor is like a domination band, so with two women in control (and working in concert) they can control rand, even if say the DO 'seizes all that he is'

They said a strong enough man could control the two women.... which now makes sense... why Nynaeve would take off her jewelry and Moiraine would be the second choice as weak as she is!!!!!

[Durinax]

Callandor is linked to Sha'rah When the fisher king is one a white square it has different attributes from when its on a black square The Fisher King's attributes change depending on what color square it occupies; on white it is weak in attack yet agile and far-ranging in escape; on black it is strong in attack but slow and vulnerable.

 

For Rand to use Callandor he has to let women control it, which weakens him because he cannot use the OP to defend himself, but the amount of power available to the circle is insane giving them a huge advantage on attack.

IMO Callandor is like a domination band, so with two women in control (and working in concert) they can control rand, even if say the DO 'seizes all that he is'

They said a strong enough man could control the two women.... which now makes sense... why Nynaeve would take off her jewelry and Moiraine would be the second choice as weak as she is!!!!!

I think it is more a matter of willpower than power wielding potential that is the important thing

[clu7ch]

Agreed Durinax, seeing as that Rand is probably more powerful than a fully bedazzled nynaeve.

[thisguy]

Either way, I'm guessing if Callandor works the same way as a male adam Rand will be in control of the weaving.

[OptimusPrime]

My bet is that it was built to touch the Dark One instead of touching him with weaves. I think he will possess someone at the end, and then someone else has to use Callandor to touch him with a severing weave (the kind that would sever Shaidars connection to SG), that'll weaken the Dark One (he loses the part that was possession the person) but without a backlash on the Source, because he doesnt come into direct contact with it. Then Nynaeve and co will do the Hundred Weaves to fix the Bore.

[clu7ch]

Interesting. May you please elaborate as to why you are convinced that the 100 weaves are the solution? I'm not laughing at you at all, very intrigued actually, just missing something i suppose.