What exactly is the Eye of the World

[Red_count]

Can somebody tell me what exactly is the eye of the world?I have read most of the books and i just can`t remember what was its purpose?Was it only to save the Valere thing and the Dragon`s flag.Who created it(the eye) and how(i know it`s the Force of course).

[SBoydW]

If I remember correctly, and interpreted correctly, the eye of the world was the large well of untainted saidin that was discovered in the first book that Rand used to defeat Aginor.

[Thor]

What I don't understand is, why bother losing so many lives to create a pure well of saidin, when the DR was going to be exposed to tainted saidin anyways?

[DemandredFO]

If I understand your question correctly on purification and loss of life, it was because there was no anti-evil like Shadar Logoth to break the taint on Saidin. As for why Rand couldn't have used tainted saidin to kill Ishamael, especially since he had used tainted saidin to heal Bela and kill Gode(sp) darkfriends, I have no idea, maybe it says somewhere but if so I forget

[Thor]

I'm not asking why there was loss of life when making the pure saidin.

 

I;m asking why bother losing so many lives for essentially a non-cause.

[RobertAlexWillis]

It was a safeguard to make it less likely that anyone but the Dragon could get the Horn and the Banner.

 

It was made by the Aes Sedai, under the direction, presumably, of Solinda Sedai, who has the Banner and Callandor in Rand's flashback to Jonai's POV (in TSR, chapter 26 The Dedicated). Solinda Sedai has a task for Someshta (who we later see guarding the Eye) and is waiting for "Kodam and his fellows" apparently the male Aes Sedai who died to make the Eye clean.

 

The Banner and Horn were put in the Eye, and Callandor placed in the Stone, apparently in response to some Fortellings made by Deidre Sedai (which probably form the root of the Kraethon Cycle). But don't underestimate the Banner's importance, especially in connection to the Horn (with which it was hidden). Hawkwing said "Something holds me." until Rand produced the Banner at Falme, even though he had already recognized Rand as the Dragon. Keeping the Horn safe, and as importantly, tied to the Dragon, was worth the cost to the male Aes Sedai who died, especially since they were doomed to go mad anyway.

[Thor]

That didn't explain why they had to make a pool of pure saidin. What, could a pure pool saidin prevent the decay of the banner and/or rusting of the horn? :?:

[SBoydW]

That didn't explain why they had to make a pool of pure saidin. What, could a pure pool saidin prevent the decay of the banner and/or rusting of the horn?

 

 

Loial had the same question.

 

From tEotW Chapter 50 page 669 (hardback)

 

"I always wondered," Loial said uneasily. "When I read about it, I always wondered what it was. Why? Why did they do it?And how?"

 

"No one living knows." Moiraine no longer looked at the pool. She was watching Rand and his two friends, studying them, her eyes weighing. "Niether the how, nor more of the why than that it would be needed one day, and that that need would be the greatest and most desperate the world had faced at that time. Perhaps ever would face."

 

So the answer is who knows? Maybe it was prophecied somewhere maybe not. The books don't say that I know of.

[Thor]

Or maybe RJ really did only thought of writing one book. :shock:

[RobertAlexWillis]

That didn't explain why they had to make a pool of pure saidin.

 

Yes, it did. The reason is right here:

 

It was a safeguard to make it less likely that anyone but the Dragon could get the Horn and the Banner.

 

Encasing it in a pool of pure saidin made it so that only a very strong male channeler could reach it. That narrowed the number of people who could possibly reach it to only a handful, one of whom was the person for whom it was intended, the Dragon.

[Thor]

Why pure? Why not tainted? The taint doesn't weaken saidin, it just makes it disgusting.

[RobertAlexWillis]

Why pure? Why not tainted? The taint doesn't weaken saidin, it just makes it disgusting.

 

The Dark One's influence can have a physically corrosive effect over time, like what is happening to the seals. Even though cuendillar is supposed to be indesctrucible, the focus points are crumbling. The Aes Sedai didn't want to risk the taint in saidin damaging or destroying the things it was supposed to be protecting.

[Thor]

But that still doesn't mean that only the Dragon Reborn can have access to it.

[RobertAlexWillis]

But that still doesn't mean that only the Dragon Reborn can have access to it.

 

You are correct. But it makes him part of only a very small group who could access it, while preserving the artifacts.

 

It wasn't foolproof, but it was good enough to work. Basing it on saidin gave the Dragon an advantage over everyone else, since he always seems to be the strongest of the male channelers, and kept all non-channelers out. And making sure the saidin was pure protected the items inside from being corroded or corrupted.