Who *are* you, Nakomi? (Full spoilers)

[dirty_bird18]

So trying to wrap my head around the Nakomi entity.

 

A theory of mine is that Nakomi is in essence the caretaker of the wheel/pattern. She has the knowledge of how the pattern is weaved and can be nudged to make certain events happen. Sorta like it is mentioned that the wheel weaves as the wheel wills. Well what if there was a person at the center of that weaving? How I got to this is that there are 7 ages/spokes in the wheel and we know at some point the DO will be released somehow. Thus the Dragon's soul is spun out and we start down the same path again. So let's say in the last spinning of the wheel we go though all the DO being released and the person who is Dragon at that time seals it back up again, as a reward for "winning" or fixing or bringing the pattern back into balance, that person now becomes the caretaker of the pattern in the waking world. 1 caretaker per spinning of the wheel.

 

So let's say Nakomi was the previous winning Dragon in the prior spinning, she is now caretaker. Now as the spinning continues, the same events happen again, DO is released in some fashion, and now it is up to Rand in this spinning to put it back into balance, he does and the final job the prior caretaker has is to transtion her role to the new Dragon(Rand) so that he may now be the caretaker. Thus why both Nakomi and Rand appear to have the same thread/weaving ability within the pattern.

 

My guess is that once Nakomi did her job of making sure Rand survived/transtioned to new role in the end, she will then disappear and now it will be Rands job to be the caretaker, up through the next spinning of the wheel, when this will all happen again. Rands role will then be to help the next Dragon transtion to their role as caretaker, etc, etc, etc.

 

Ramblings of a long time WOT reader.

[Peter Ahlstrom]

This is simply your interpretation of what Brandon said.

@kil

That isn't correct. The concept was based on something found deep in the notes. The character and scenes were all Brandon. RJ never wrote any of her parts.

[Suttree]

 

This is simply your interpretation of what Brandon said.

@kil

 

That isn't correct. The concept was based on something found deep in the notes. The character and scenes were all Brandon. RJ never wrote any of her parts.

 That is a rather AS statement. Please clarify then if I am incorrect. Are you confirming RJ created the character named Nakomi? Thanks.

Do you really think Brandon would screw around with that and add a woman who tells Rand he's doing the right thing?

I think it's possibly what BFG says above. Edited January 24, 2013 by Suttree

[Peter Ahlstrom]

I will clarify that some of what I said in the email from me to Luckers that you quoted above is wrong. I was mistaken on a couple points.

 

If Brandon wanted to clarify otherwise, he would. However, you are stating things as fact that are conjecture, and I'll leave it at that.

[JakeBarnes]

Is Peter trolling us now?

 

Edit: Nevermind. If he had left us with just the first post, it would have been a brilliant jibe.

Edited January 24, 2013 by JakeBarnes

[masaru]

@Peter

Something that would help this discussion for all is confirmation that RJ did indeed write the scene of Rand exiting the mountain and encountering the old woman that talks to him. His answer on twitter seems to indicate that but there seems to be more and more information about the epilogue coming out every couple days and some of it seems to contradict previous statements. 

[The Fisher King]

It's almost inexcusable to take the approach ''Team Jordan'' is taking on this. Brandon admits that HE - not RJ - created Nakomi and that he did NOT intend all the mystery to happen. If this is true, then clear it up - clean up your mess. Whatever happened to the now imfamous quote ''Once AMOL is out I can be much more free'' ?

 

There are multiple questions going tangibly unanswered. We know that Brandon does not call the shots and some of the unanswered things were not specified to be unanswered by RJ so it means that Harriet/Team Jordan are mandating this.

 

I love Harriet more than anybody, and don't mean disrespect, but she has not come off well in this process. She seems sooo ''stern.'' Her refusal to move up the date, her attitude about E Books, her telling Brandon not t answer fans questions, a few other things...I used to see her as this saintly, kind caretaker...I now see her as overly-stern. Again, not an insult - just my view as an admitted outsider.

 

Also, building anticipation for the Encylopedia or Short Story by not answering certain questions now is not acceptable either. Youve sold hundreds of millions of these books...dowe really need to keep milking the cow? The ones wanting answers to these questions are the very same people that BOUGHT all those millions of books and halfway built TOR with their purchases. We have been loyal beyond belief. Is it too much to give us what we want?

 

There will still be plenty of ''mystery'' left - there aren't ANY MORE BOOKS COMING.

 

I am so let down that many times in this process Brandon has promised something and then when his promised point in time has arrived...been wishy-washy and refused what was promised citing that it had been mandated not to do it after all and he wasn't allowed. Brandon's been left with egg on his face a few times and I now wonder if, in these instances, he's done it for kicks and said and promised things without ever really intending to deliver.

 

All that said, what Brandon HAS done is appreciated.

 

 

Fish

Edited January 24, 2013 by The Fisher King

[CanUFeelTheLove?]

Wait a second. You know, when I read amol I just assumed the older lady Rand sees when he exits the bore is Alivia, as she's going to help Rand die. Is it Nakomi?

[PhoenixUK]

I remember when people asked Tolkien, who is Tom Bombadil, he said that there should always be something in a story which is a mystery to even the author, Maybe that is what Nakomi is too

[CanUFeelTheLove?]

I thought Tom Bambodil was another Maia who never returned to the Undying Lands... but I get your drift.

[Rand the Plumber]

Bela. Or is that covered by "Creator-avatar"?

 

Seriously, I can make neither head nor tail of Nakomi. I resented her from her first appearance and I had hoped for her to be explained away briefly somewhere near the beginning of AMoL. None of the options available seem in any way satisfactory.

Edited January 24, 2013 by Rand the Plumber

[jwillis7]

I remember when people asked Tolkien, who is Tom Bombadil, he said that there should always be something in a story which is a mystery to even the author, Maybe that is what Nakomi is too

Tom Bombadil was at the begining of the story, Nakomi is part of the ending plot, who could play a huge role in what we did not see...  these are not the same.

 

its just cheap writing, instead of being able to drop hints and leave clues BS put in things for us to wonder about (verin's letter, nakomi) that he knew were not going to be answerd.

Edited January 24, 2013 by jwillis7

[CanUFeelTheLove?]

I liked verin's letters. I don't mind Nakomi at all, but i can see how people want answers. The more that I read that they've put a kaybash on giving the fans an answer the more I want to know the inspiration behind the character AND why we're not supposed to know.

[The Fisher King]

I actually could care less (yes, that's how you use THAT phrase, lol) who Nakomi is. I NEVER cared. ... What works me up is the PRACTICE that Team Jordan has now taken in refusing to asnwer questions fans have. It is inexcusable. See my above post. It is sickening.

 

 

Fish

[Vambram]

Fish, I don't mind if some questions are never fully answered. What's wrong with having something mysterious to theorize about? Why must ALL questions be fully answered to your satisfaction?

[Entreri]

At this point, I don't give a damn. They/Team Jordan can keep that worthless "knowledge" to themseleves.

[JACKSONROY]

I voted for "Creator-Avator" but I also like the idea someone brought up about Nakomi being the previous Dragon to do what Rand did somehow still around (time travel, body trade, being super old, etc). I know Dragons are always male but that doesn't he can't be in a female body. Seems far-fetched still, but no more than the others =)

 

What ties does Verin have to Aiel?

I didn't know the Dragon always had to be male... I mean I figured that it would always be Rands soul reincarnated but this triggers a thought!

 

The major theme in WoT is the 2 half's of a whole, or balance, or good vs evil, or some form of this, i.e. Flame & Dragons fang, Saidin Saidar, and most recently; Egwene's death of balefire vs what ever it is she did.  So heres a wild thought - What if Nakomi is the couter part The Dragon, now there really isn't any proof here except that for there to be a dragon there must be it's couter part.  You could say it is Lanfear as she sees herself as this but even if it is not Nakomi I wonder who it is.  Maybe Egwene?

[JACKSONROY]

Has anyone thought about Nakomi possibly being Sharina Melloy?

 

I haven't got any proof on this yet, but her mannerisms seem to be similar and somehow Sharina managed to be in Nyneaves testing for Accepted so there is some possibility that she may have some powers we haven't been told about.  I'm in the middle of trying to puzzle out Sharina's relevance but there is something strange about her storyline.  Feel free to add to my interest in Sharina, i would love so added info on her.

[CanUFeelTheLove?]

The only thing that comes to mind as a possibility for Nakomi is if Tigraine hadn't actually died but had returned to the waste and lived somewhat like a hermit. 

[Hellgrammite]

Pff, isn't it obvious:

 

In AMoL, the case of Nakomi is used to represent Harriet, who is coaxing the 'hero' BS <ridiculous eye rolling> who is carrying the dead man 'RJ' to the end(of the story), from the Pit, where the conclusion of WoT, should the work of this series have gone unfinished, would have remained.

 

I loathe the analogy, it's retarded, but it stupidly, stupidly, sort of works.

 

You know, it might have been Brandon's way of honoring Harriet and putting her in the story.  Jordan is in it as the bearded angreal, and BS has his sword in it.  Maybe her role as Jordan's caretaker as he was dying.

[TLHansum]

Ive just decided to call Nakomi the 'rudder' for the wheel.  The wheel uses ta'veran effects to promote a cyclical effect, and though its never made entirely clear, the 'random' effects it causes helps promote a cyclical conclusion to each spoke of the wheel.  Sometimes the wheel needs someone to die, so they trip over a gnat and fall headdown the stairs.  It needs a child to live, so when he falls off a balcony he lands perfectly fine.  Each tiny piece guides the wheel on course in its cyclical nature. 

 

Nakomi is just a person representing the wheel that turns the course of future history back towards a cyclical path if it gets off course.  Nakomi didn't seem to do much in her meeting with Aviendha, but from an authors perspective, without her appearance the wheel would have gone off course, and therefore giving him reason to include her.  In my opinion, if Nakomi hadn't appeared, the future that Avi saw would have happened.  The wheel rejected this future and Nakomi was spun for a brief time to correct the path.

[bigdoug1971]

I think people make too big a deal about Nakomi.  There are always going to be questions and theories about a book when it's finished.  We don't even know for sure it was Nakomi at the end when Rand carried Moridin from the Pit of Doom.

 

 

 

 

 

It doesn't take anything away from the story to have her thrown in there.  Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.  It was an emotional rollercoaster for me and the best book I've read in a long time.  I'm not satisfied with the ending, but at the same time, I will admit I never wanted it all to end anyway.

[Julian Cook]

I think people make too big a deal about Nakomi.  There are always going to be questions and theories about a book when it's finished.  We don't even know for sure it was Nakomi at the end when Rand carried Moridin from the Pit of Doom.

 

 

 

 

 

It doesn't take anything away from the story to have her thrown in there.  Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.  It was an emotional rollercoaster for me and the best book I've read in a long time.  I'm not satisfied with the ending, but at the same time, I will admit I never wanted it all to end anyway.

 

 I disagree, having Nakomi

does take away from the book(s) as do many other things that happened in the

last few.  When you spend so long reading

the series you understand that there are some rules to the universe that’s

created by the author.  Yes they can bend

the rules but to pull things out of the air is just a lie to the reader. 

[PhoenixUK]

I cant help feel but that Sanderson had to put something in to get Aviendha in the right frame of mind when she went to Rhuidean, couldnt think of how to do it, stuck Nakomi in, then decided to not bother explaining it. I think I read AMOL too quickly so ive missed where she appears in the epilogue, will have to reread. 

 

 

 

 

I dont think any of the suggestions so far fit v well. The Creator has spoken to Rand twice - once at the start of his journey, once at the end, and thats it. Egwene time travelling, or speaking from the Pattern after her death, dont fit either. So i have to label this as unexplained. Hard to see how a Jenn Aiel could survive all this time. Even if she was trapped in some sort of stasis, or via one of those vacuoles which Moridin stuck Moghedien in for a while, that would not explain how aware she was of the past, present and future. The best explanation I can think of is that she is some sort of ghost or something, related to the Pattern and reality breaking down as the Dark One breaks free. 

[CanUFeelTheLove?]

I dont think any of the suggestions so far fit v well. The Creator has spoken to Rand twice - once at the start of his journey, once at the end, and thats it. Egwene time travelling, or speaking from the Pattern after her death, dont fit either. So i have to label this as unexplained. Hard to see how a Jenn Aiel could survive all this time. Even if she was trapped in some sort of stasis, or via one of those vacuoles which Moridin stuck Moghedien in for a while, that would not explain how aware she was of the past, present and future. The best explanation I can think of is that she is some sort of ghost or something, related to the Pattern and reality breaking down as the Dark One breaks free. 

 

You know what? That's actually an excellent explanation, as far as I'm concerned. The dead were walking the earth and interacting with people. Both RJ and BS showed us moments where that was to the detriment of people, this is a moment where it is to their gain.