Ask Simple questions, get simple answers (aMoL version covering the entire series)

[DaoineSidhe]

I think Verin was somewhat playing both sides with the gift of the ring to Egwene.

 

Pro-Light:  She's a "coerced" Black Ajah, and has few options with which to fight against her sister's without being discovered.  She come's across a ter'angreal that no one else knows exists.  This is a tool that can enable Egwene to foil so many plot's by the Shadow.  Think of what would have happened if Verin HADN'T given it to her...

 

Pro-Shadow:  By keeping back some of the notes, and Egwene ends up getting caught, and used per the original plan, then Verin can say she gave it to Egwene without the notes to help make her an easy target for the Shadow.  Also a possibility is that she was instructed by Bel'al to give the ring to Egwene as part of the plan to capture the Wondergirls to use against Rand.

[padanfain]

In one of the first books of the series, after Mat gets healed, he is told that his healing is incomplete and that the dagger sickness will eventually grow in him again.

 

This is never mentioned again, and by the end of the book, instead of succumbing to dagger sickness, he appears to be immune to it. EXPLAIN!!! :-)

[BFG]

I think you're referring to this?

 

tEotW

 

"Yes," Moiraine said quietly, "he still has the dagger." The laughter and talk was still going on among the rest of the Emond's Field folk, but she had noticed his sudden intake of breath and had seen what had caused it. She moved closer to his chair, where she did not have to raise her voice for him to hear clearly. "I cannot take it away from him without killing him. The binding has lasted too long, and grown too strong. That must be unknotted in Tar Valon; it is beyond me, or any lone Aes Sedai, even with an angreal."
   "But he doesn't look sick anymore." He had a thought and looked up at her. "As long as he has the dagger, the Fades will know where we are. Darkfriends, too, some of them. You said so."
   "I have contained that, after a fashion. If they come close enough to sense it now, they will be on top of us anyway. I cleansed the taint from him, Rand, and did what I could to slow its return, but return it will, in time, unless he receives help in Tar Valon."

 

tGH

 

"But it did not, Siuan. We do what we must from necessity, and it was necessary. I have done enough so that Mat will not infect others, but he had the dagger too long before I knew. The link is still there. I had thought I must take him to Tar Valon to cure it, but with so many sisters present, it might be done here. So long as there are a few you can trust not to see Darkfriends where there are none. You and I and two others will suffice, using my angreal."

 

 

   "But quite interesting," Verin said. She had been the fourth Aes Sedai the Amyrlin had chosen for the work. "It is too bad we – I – do not have the dagger so the Healing could be complete. For all we did tonight, he will not live long. Months, perhaps, at best." The three Aes Sedai were alone in the Amyrlin's chambers. Beyond the arrowslits dawn pearled the sky.
   "But he will have those months, now," Moiraine said sharply. "And if it can be retrieved, the link can still be broken." If it can be retrieved. Yes, of course.

 

 

By the end of tGH Mat is dying from the dagger.  When he makes it to TV with the dagger the link is broken in full.

[padanfain]

But RJ never described the link being broken. It is just left to the audience to assume the link must have been broken since Mat is still alive a year later.... In fact, Padan Fain got the dagger and kept it, so Mat never retrieved it to break the link! Or did I miss something? 

[BFG]

At the end of tGH they retrieve the dagger and the Horn.  Mat then travels with the Supergirls to Tar Valon where he's healed and the link broken (first half of tDR).  Fain then later travels to TV and retrieves the dagger.

 

tDR

 

   "Is Mat all right?" Nynaeve demanded. Sheriam raised her eyebrows.
   The Amyrlin Seat turned toward them. "He is as well as he can be," she said coldly. "Only time will tell. Carrying something with Shadar Logoth's taint for so long... who knows what effect it will have on him? Perhaps none, perhaps much. We will see. But the bond with the dagger is broken. Now he needs rest, and as much food as can be gotten into him. He should live."

[padanfain]

Ok, I remember that part now! Thanks for reminding me... 

[Victoria Sedi]

Who is the grey haired woman Rand sees in the cave right before he passes out?????

[jedman67]

Who is the grey haired woman Rand sees in the cave right before he passes out?????

No one knows, speculation is that its "Nakomi" who appeared to avihenda on her way to rhudian. Who Nakomi is is a mystery left to us by RJ (i dont even remember that scene at all).

[BlaericNegina]

I have a simple question:

 

What is the fate of Coiren Sedai and other Dat'sang Aes Sedai caught by Aiel in Cairhien? Where they allowed to fight (and die) in Last Battle or had they still to do useless tasks?

 

I think it is not mentioned in the books, but maybe there are other sources about this.

[Durinax]

I have a simple question:

 

What is the fate of Coiren Sedai and other Dat'sang Aes Sedai caught by Aiel in Cairhien? Where they allowed to fight (and die) in Last Battle or had they still to do useless tasks?

 

I think it is not mentioned in the books, but maybe there are other sources about this.

a bunch of them became apprentices (there is at least 2 I think with Perrins group) and the rest where released once they swore to Rand I believe

[Rob Hammers]

Thom presumably killed King Galldrian in TGH after he had his girlfriend assassinated, but I've read somewhere that Thom also killed Taringail.  Is that true and also why he had to flee Camelyn?  Seems to me that may impact Moraine's love for him, not to mention Elayne, Galad and Morgase (if she is alive).

[Rhienne]

He did kill Taringail.  Taringail was plotting to kill Morgase, so Thom killed him instead.  After this, Thom and Morgase became lovers.  Thom left Caemlyn for an extended period of time to find his nephew, Oweyn, who had been gentled by the Red Ajah.  When he returned, Morgase was furious that he had been absent without her leave for so long, they had a big argument and Thom left Caemlyn.

[Rob Hammers]

Damn.  How many times have you read this series...  Thanks for clearing that up.  Do you believe that Galad would agree that Thom did the right thing?  How would Moraine feel?

[Suttree]

He did kill Taringail.  Taringail was plotting to kill Morgase, so Thom killed him instead.  

 

Thom arranged a "hunting accident".

 

TSR Ch. 17 

 "Do you say so? I pay little attention to such things. The works of the mighty are not for a simple gleeman."

   Her smile was just short of laughter, but she spoke as if reading from a page. "Thomdril Merrilin. Called the Gray Fox, once, by some who knew him, or knew of him. Court-bard at the Royal Palace of Andor in Caemlyn. Morgase's lover for a time, after Taringail died. Fortunate for Morgase, Taringail's death. I do not suppose she ever learned he meant her to die and himself to be Andor's first king. But we were speaking of Thom Merrilin, a man who, it was said, could play the Game of Houses in his sleep. It is a shame that such a man calls himself a simple gleeman. But such arrogance to keep the same name."

 

TFoH Ch. 19

Taringail Damodred she had wed for political reasons. He had been married to Tigraine, the Daughter-Heir whose disappearance had set off the Succession when Mordrellein died. Marrying him had made a link with the old queen, smoothing the doubts of most of her opponents, and more importantly, had maintained the alliance that had ended the ceaseless wars with Cairhien. In such ways did queens choose their husbands. Taringail had been a cold, distant man, and there was never love, despite two wonderful children; it had been almost a relief when he died in a hunting accident.

   Thomdril Merrilin, House bard and then Court-bard, had been a joy at first, intelligent and witty, a laughing man who used the tricks of the Game of Houses to aid her to the throne and help strengthen Andor once she had it. He had been twice her age then, yet she might have married him – marriages with commoners were not unheard of in Andor – but he vanished without a word, and her temper got the better of her. She never had learned why he had gone, but it did not matter. When he finally returned she would surely have rescinded the arrest order, but for once instead of softly turning her anger aside he had met her harsh word for harsh word, saying things she could never forgive. Her ears still burned to remember being called a spoiled child and a puppet of Tar Valon. He had actually shaken her, his queen!

[Rob Hammers]

Was that Moraine?  If so, then I suppose she didn't mind Thom killing one of her house.

[Suttree]

Yeah Moiraine seems to be an exception in the Damodred line:

 

TSR Ch. 17

 If he had managed to stagger her even a fraction, she did not show it. "Speculation without facts is always dangerous," she said calmly. "I do not use my House name, by choice. House Damodred had a deservedly unpleasant reputation before Laman cut down Avendoraldera and lost the throne and his life for it. Since the Aiel War, it has grown worse, also deservedly."

[jedman67]

I don't believe that Thom was responsible for Galldrians death (not that he couldn't have had any part in it) but he was most likely killed after the death of Lord Barthanes after Rand & co. left Carhein to find Fain.

I'm now remembering that Barthanes was torn apart - the gholam or a really pissed Forsaken?

[Suttree]

I don't believe that Thom was responsible for Galldrians death (not that he couldn't have had any part in it) but he was most likely killed after the death of Lord Barthanes after Rand & co. left Carhein to find Fain.

 

It's pretty obvious Thom killed him:

 

TGH

  "Galldrian," he said flatly. What has that bloody shepherd gotten me into? What have the Aes Sedai gotten us both into? But it was Galldrian's men murdered her.

   There must have been something of his thoughts on his face. Zera said sharply, "Dena wants you alive, you fool! You try to kill the King, and you'll be dead before you get within a hundred spans of him, if you come that close!"

   A roar came from the city walls, as if half of Cairhien were shouting. Frowning, Thom peered from his window. Beyond the top of the gray walls above the rooftops of the Foregate, a thick column of smoke was rising into the sky. Far beyond the walls. Beside the first black pillar, a few gray tendrils quickly grew into another, and more wisps appeared further on. He estimated the distance and took a deep breath.

   "Perhaps you had better think about leaving, too. It looks as if someone is firing the granaries."

   "I have lived through riots before. Go now, Thom." With a last look at Dena's shrouded form, he gathered his things, but as he started to leave, Zera spoke again. "You have a dangerous look in your eyes, Thom Merrilin. Imagine Dena sitting here, alive and hale. Think what she would say. Would she let you go off and get yourself killed to no purpose?"

   "I'm only an old gleeman," he said from the door. And Rand al'Thor is only a shepherd, but we both do what we must. "Who could I possibly be dangerous to?"

   As he pulled the door to, hiding her, hiding Dena, a mirthless, wolfish grin came onto his face. His leg hurt, but he barely felt it as he hurried purposefully down the stairs and out of the inn.

 

Pretty positive it was confirmed somewhere as well but can't recall where at the moment.

[BFG]

ToM

 

 

"Well, Andor doesn't have a court-bard," Mat said.

"Yes," Thom said, looking over the scroll. "But there's a pardon written in here too, for any and all crimes—known and unknown—I may have committed in Andor or Cairhien. I wonder who told her. . . ."

"Told her what?"

"Nothing, Mat. Nothing at all. We have a few hours until dinner with Elayne. What do you say we go buy you a new coat?"

"All right," Mat said. "You think I could get one of those pardons, too, if I asked for it?"

"Do you need one?"

 

I think this chapter has some of the better Mat dialogue in the latter three books.

[Rob Hammers]

Apparently, Elayne forgave Thom for arranging her father's death.  That's good stuff.  Do you guys transcribe text for these posts or do you cut and paste from Kindle/iBooks?  It is impressive.

[jedman67]

Apparently, Elayne forgave Thom for arranging her father's death.  That's good stuff.  Do you guys transcribe text for these posts or do you cut and paste from Kindle/iBooks?  It is impressive.

both 

 

@Sutt/BFG: thanks for the quotes; i completely missed the ToM one. Again, I don't think he [personally] killed Galldrian, but those quotes are certainly suggestive that he had a hand in it (not that would make much of a difference). Also, the Thom line is a bit blunt. ("I wonder who could have told her that I murdered the king of Carhein in revenge for killing my lover? Nah, couldn't be that.")

[Durinax]

the grrmesque moment was the Rhuarcs death?

[MasterAblar]

I think it was birgitte's death.

[Durinax]

ah I didn't even think of that one, I just thought Rhuarc cause his was the absolute worst death possible for an aiel

[Occams whiskey bottle]

I have two simple questions.

 

The first is if there is any talk of re-editing the final 3 books into a single large eBook? I think doing so would be a huge improvement because it would break up the long constant battle scenes of the final book.

 

What books did Robert Jordan write cover blurbs for? I only know of books by George R.R. Martin and J.V Jones, but there must have been more. Right?