The Relevance Of The Whitecloaks

[EmperorAllspice]

Do you think the Whitecloaks have been criminally underused in the story? Hear me out.

 

It really feels like, for a force that's as large and as well trained as the Children of the Light are said to be, and considering their credentials (having one of the 5 great captains as their strategic mind, the only antagonistic one for that matter), it really feels like they should've had more of an impact on the plot than they've ended up having. All of Niall's scenes merely set up stuff that never really comes to pass. Then he dies, then after the Seanchan force them out, they've just been meandering around. Their scenes are pretty much Dramatic Irony incarnate and it's getting all but painful to watch/

 

They were featured heavily in The Sadow Rising, but their relevance in the plot is linked almost entirely to Fain and they end up not really doing much there either. They're not a particularly competent threat, and they're don't seem like worthwhile allies compared to everything else that Team Light has going for it.

 

They feel a bit like The Prophet. A character included primarily so that Robert Jordan could do a big Take That at religious zealots. In fact, both of them pretty much serve as a manifestation of Religious Bigotry. But The Prophet is at least a major enough threat to warrant Rand's attention and is now a big player in Perrin's storyline.

 

I'm only on Crossroads, so maybe they achieve some sort of greater purpose. But they're definitely coming across as really underutilized so far

[shortkut]

They are used more

[Rhienne]

I do agree with you, but at the same time I think if every group had been used to their full potential the series would never have ended!  I think the Atha'an Miere and the Tuatha'an had a lot more potential, as well, and in a similar way.  The cultures of these organisations were very detailed and well developed, but their actions didn't really live up to it.  I think to some extent its just part of RJ's talent at world building that every side character and side organisation was so well developed in conception that there screen time doesn't live up to expectations.

[Hagazussa]

I think the Whitecloaks was intended to be villains and dangers for the main characters early on and was used well for that, but that as the main characters become more powerful they quickly outgrow the Whitecloaks, in many ways the WCs are like the slime in most JRPG games, a threat in the beginning, but then they are just not able to be a threat to the characters anymore as the main characters have become just to powerful for them.

[Zorlon]

I... oops, thought I was in the spoiler forum.

[tuesdae666]

Have to remember that the whitecloaks aren't particularly popular in Randland. Under Niall they could have amounted to something, but after that, they just lost direction.

[salvierda]

Have to remember that the whitecloaks aren't particularly popular in Randland. Under Niall they could have amounted to something, but after that, they just lost direction.

Niall was an insightful and interesting and inteligent character. I always found it amusing and interesting the way he interpreted rumours and the worlds events. what i found disappointing, is that it almost seemed that not one of his plans came to fruition. fair enough, the whitecloaks are generally disliked in randland, but Niall was attributed as one of the Great captains, he has years of experience, not to mention that the whitecloaks essentially own a nation and thus a relatively relevant and cohesive political power. i too think it was a shame that as an antagonist he did not acomplish more.

 

I think the Whitecloaks was intended to be villains and dangers for the main characters early on and was used well for that, but that as the main characters become more powerful they quickly outgrow the Whitecloaks, in many ways the WCs are like the slime in most JRPG games, a threat in the beginning, but then they are just not able to be a threat to the characters anymore as the main characters have become just to powerful for them.

The individual whitecloaks, or groups of them, as mentioned above, where villains early on. yes the characters did outgrow them, yet the political achinations of the group as a whole could continue to provide Challenges greater than they were. I mean they were basically the only formalised standing military body which was essentially independent and well trained.

[jedman67]

I honestly felt like the whitecloaks were a nuisance. Beholden to nobody but themselves, they had a way of causing trouble that was incredibly annoying for the reader. I think that was intentional by RJ, however, seeing the whitecloaks in TGS and TOM was just a nuisance, a distraction for the plot. The Lord Captain Commander seemed to have difficulties grasping himself/world philosophy that I would find understandable in someone younger.