gaul - whats his purpose?

[mike hunt's here]

When I think of it - Gaul owes perrin or has Toh to him.  

 

However:

 

where was he when Aram went nuts?

 

In the battle with the whitecloaks/trollocs - shouldnt he have been there to guard perrins back against Byar?

 

 

thats two instances where Perrin almost bit it, but Gaul was nowhere around...yet when Perrins wants to contemplate life, Gaul is always around "sharpening his spear."  

 

Does anyone beside me think Gaul is a big enough character to do a "whoa..." kind of thing and either turn on Big P, or do something almost equally crazy or meaningful?

 

 

I like the guy dont get me wrong, but so far I've only seen him sharpen his spear while complaining that Bain or Chiad wont be his girl. I forget which one he liked.  I'm thinking he spends so much time sharpening his spear that when its time for battle, his time will be too short.  

 

I crack myself up.

 

 

[Ben Jamin]

Could be a Dark friend hoping that Perrin dies, Thats why he is never there

[Galium]

I'm pretty sure that he went with the group of people that went through the aqueduct or sewers or whatever at Malden and didn't join up with Perrin until after Perrin had saved Faile and the others.

 

Not sure about the 2nd battle, but I imagine that in the midst of a giant battle it'd be hard to keep up with another person.

[b3arz3rg3r]

Gaul isn't a bodyguard. I'm pretty sure Gaul would think he was dishonering Perrin if he tried to do something like that. Perrin is a grown man who is quite able to dance the spears from his perspective. He does not need minders.

[Bobwheel]

Gaul was trying to get to Bain and Chaid before the Maidens so he could rescue them and make them his Gai'shan because sometimes maidens marry after they're ready to put off the white.

 

So he was busy trying to get what he wanted to worry about Perrin who can take care of himself.

[mike hunt's here]

Gaul isn't a bodyguard. I'm pretty sure Gaul would think he was dishonering Perrin if he tried to do something like that. Perrin is a grown man who is quite able to dance the spears from his perspective. He does not need minders.

 

I agree.  However why does Gaul hang out with Perrin like a bodyguard?  I never said he was a bodyguard, just that he has Toh to P.  Does that Toh mean hes gotta hang out with big P until he has a chance to repay him...but not by interfering with battles.

 

So basically Gaul is waiting for Perrin to be stuck in a cage so he can chop him down, just like perrin did...

[mike hunt's here]

Now I have to think - have we had any POVs from Gaul?  

 

You would think he is a 3rd to 4th tier character, semi major, but expendable.  We should have some POV.  

 

In fact as far as I can remember, the only Aiel Male point of view is from Rhuarc?  I wonder why that is?

 

wait...do we even have a Rhuarc POV or am i making that up?

[snooze1128]

Now I have to think - have we had any POVs from Gaul?  

 

You would think he is a 3rd to 4th tier character, semi major, but expendable.  We should have some POV.  

 

In fact as far as I can remember, the only Aiel Male point of view is from Rhuarc?  I wonder why that is?

 

wait...do we even have a Rhuarc POV or am i making that up?

 

I'm not sure if we have had a Rhuarc POV.  But IIRC, Gaul and Loail volunteered to close the waygate near the two rivers when Trollocs were using it.  Would be interesting if he's a Darkfriend, but I just think that he's not important enough to gain a POV.

[lsm]

Now I have to think - have we had any POVs from Gaul?  

 

You would think he is a 3rd to 4th tier character, semi major, but expendable.  We should have some POV.  

 

In fact as far as I can remember, the only Aiel Male point of view is from Rhuarc?  I wonder why that is?

 

wait...do we even have a Rhuarc POV or am i making that up?

 

there's never been a pov from either i'm pretty sure...

 

as far as gaul having toh, you'd think that it's been paid since at least the events of the battle of the two rivers. gaul just hanged around since then because bain+chiad attached themselves to faile for some reason, and since the attack on the shaido at malden i dont think gaul has had a chance or even the desire to go separate ways

[Aver]

I think Gaul is the next candidate for chief of the Taardad... I think

[Sid]

His role in TGS and the beginning of ToM was to find things in Malden and give them to Perrin.

[Amandera]

I think Gaul is the next candidate for chief of the Taardad... I think

Gaul is Shaarad. Though I agree, he's going to be a chief someday.

 

 

tSR, Ch28

“Colinda, the Wise One of Hot Springs Hold, tells me I think too much for a Stone Dog, and Bair, the eldest Wise One of the Shaarad, threatens to send me to Rhuidean when Jheram dies whether I want to go or not. Beside all of that, Perrin, what does the color of a man’s eyes matter?”

[Entreri]

His purpose is to kick some butt and being one of Perrin's errand boys. 

[Aredeis]

I don't think he's staying for the toh anymore.  I mean, where else would he go anyway?  He's been with Perrin a thousand miles from no where for like 7 books.  He's got his woman there, Perrin's his friend, and everyone is headed to Merrilor.  Not sure he has any higher purpose, good candidate to be a casualty in aMoL imo.

[Viperswhip]

Gaul is like, Syrio from Ice & Fire, but RJ doesn't kill people, so he stuck around a bit too long. He is pretty cool, but probably after being freed from the cage (where he was super cool) and the liberation of the Two Rivers (where he started to lose some of his mysterious man mojo), his coolness faded because he became merely some guy following Perrin around with several thousand others.

[Luckers]

I was always kind of expecting Gaul to be the next car'a'carn post Tarmon Gai'don--like from way back when. I never really expected the clans to shatter apart and always kind of thought they'd establish some sort of Council of Rhuidean and continue in electing or choosing a chief of chiefs.

[aross]

Its understandable that Dragonmount posters read more into characters and quotes than sometimes is warranted.  Often times, the posters spot something that turns out true.

 

In this case, I think not.

 

In myth and story, heroes and kings have sidekicks.  Not necessarily flawed sidekicks like Lancelot was for Arthur, but constant unquestioned companions.  Joshua, brother of Moses.  Enkidu (Gilgamesh).  Patroclus (Achilles).  Samwise Gamgee (Frodo Baggins).  Robin (Batman ;-).

 

As a writer, I believe Robert Jordan looked at his Perrin of Eye of the World and the Perrin he would need to complete his epic.  He figured Perrin would need a companion that would believe in Perrin even when Perrin did not.  So in comes this rock (steady presence) of a character named Gaul, who would befriend Perrin out of gratitude at first, and then admiration later.

 

Any who wish to maintain that Tavereness brought Gaul to Perrin...?  Damn straight.  Yes.  Perrin's taveren nature may not have been all that strong at first, but it was strong enough to bring him Gaul, and it was strong enough to preserve his life until he figured things out.

 

So yes, Gaul has a purpose, but it's really nothing more than meets the eye.

[Suttree]

Its understandable that Dragonmount posters read more into characters and quotes than sometimes is warranted. 

Heh. If you think that happens here try checking out Theoryland! ;)

[TonyMacaroniGlenholmes]

Gaul is the Aiel light relief character for WoT.

 

Theoryland rocks. Its where the mentally-addled yet less-whiney WoT hangs out.

[Suttree]

Oh I spend a good deal of time there am really enjoy it. If you are referring to criticism of the work it has been quite widespread at TL as well. There are threads dedicated to it just as here. You are correct however, people don't complain about the criticism nearly as much and the discussion on the topic tends to be well thought out.

[mike hunt's here]

i like dragonmounts set up better.

[Barid Bel Medar]

I recently thought a bit about this and have it on my aMoL predictions list. 

 

Basically, Gaul will be the one who "rediscovers" the lost Talent of "Singing" (which is what the Tinkers are searching for). 

 

He has strong ties with the Ogier through Loial - who used to sing alongside the Aiel. 

 

Also with Perrin, who has viewings/prophecies that link  him to trees growing - and he also has the strongest ties to the Tinkers. 

 

So Perrin's Ta'veren nature will discover "the Song" which is the Talent of Singing that the Aiel had in the AoL. He discovers that Gaul has it. Perhaps Gaul starts singing because Chiad or Bain dies, or one of the others with Perrin.