Hindsight in COT

[mwayneknight]

One of the reasons why i believe that RJ was one of the greatest authors is how he puts little remarks in books that have no meaning untill way later in the series.

 

In the prolouge in COT (the portion with gabrelle(the aes sedai that is bonded to logain), she makes a remark in her mind about how the ashaman did not give the captured aes sedia to not harm the black tower(since the bond would make them obey that no matter what). She thinks that it is a weird thing not to order that since they are captives.

 

Thinking about it now it makes total sense since they obviously will be there to help shatter it from Taims hands(kinda learning that a bit in the AMOL prolouge). I find this very fascinating how RJ had everything timelined and outlined in this series.

[Razdif]

It will be interesting to see when/how they defeat the black tower because Rand has been ignoring them for a while and we have no idea why just that they're apparently a lower priority. This is helpful in understanding Elaida's prophecy now, up to this point I've been assuming that the white tower will help Logain but now that may not be the case. What do people thinking about the white tower helping defeat the black? They seem to be the only force capable but maybe it will all be done internally.

[shortkut]

I think it will be internally with help from the sisters bonded inside. Once all seems lost, logain will arrive with some AM and the salidar AS camped outside

[hjustinpace]

I think it will be "internal." I.e., Logain's faction plus bonded sisters plus Asha'man who have been away from the BT plus Rand's faction of AS plus the AS camped outside the BT.

 

(But for the presence of the dreamspike and Avienda's vision of the future, I might be inclined to argue the bad guys would win--damage is done to the BT, black AS walk its grounds, and the good guys escape to reconvene. It's still a possibility though.)

[Stubby]

don't forget the Two Rivers long bow.

only weapon they have that the Ashamen can't feel being used.

take out the tower guards from a distance!!!!

[Solmyr]

Logain and all the BT men who have not gone over to the Shadow can link with the AS who have not been 13x13'd yet. The linking could be done in several ways, one enormous circle if they need to strike really hard and/or overwhelm another large circle; several large circles to overwhelm any individuals or small circles; small circles fighting guerrilla warfare, especially if they are outnumbered (they seem to be).

 

The main advantage the Resistance within the BT has is that Taim will have to send Asha'man and 13x13'd AS to the front lines sooner or later and weaken his stronghold. As far as I know he hasn't managed to 13x13 enough AS yet and he will probably want to send as many as he can to help form circles, since the Shadow seems to have more male channelers than female (given how much the Black Ajah was weakened in the latest books). This would leave the BT with perhaps enough men, but very few, if any, women, who are Shadowsworn. Then the Resistance can strike with well organized circles and capture/sever/kill most of the dreadlords inside the BT and reclaim it.

[MasterAblar]

The Asha'man are sufficient in numbers to deal with Taim's faction on their own. So they could definitely do it internally without outside help. However, it seems quite likely that there will be some Aes Sedai involved. At least Pevara.

 

Also any order given to the bonded Aes Sedai can be nullified later on. For instance even if Logain had told Gabrelle and Toveine to do nothing that would harm the BT, he could just allow them to do it later on.