So... What now?

[Rhienne]

I think we have been told that the Blight retreats far enough back that a good chunk of Malkier can be reclaimed.

[Aulduron]

Unless it breaks the Dragon's Peace, I could see other Borderland nations consolidating into Malkeir, which is not a signatory to said Peace. 

[A Duke]

As to restoring Malkier...  Correct me if I am wrong, but weren't many Borderland fortifications and villages overrun by the forces of the Dark One?  Weren't many villages abandoned and farms left to die?

For those who have freely abandoned home and land in sake of refuge, why not follow the White Crane beyond the battlefields to re-found Malkier

 

Leaving your land temporarily in the face of a trolloc invasion for refuge is hardly "freely abandoned". The question is not "why not" but "why should they".

 

 

If one must start over anyway it is better to do so in a manner history will remember, I say.

 

Sure because what history will remember is a common motif for regular people's actions...

 

Well, all of the borderlands were trashed to one degree or another. Probably a lot of people looking for new homes.

 

So why head for Malkier? the easiest solution is to go to the unharmed southern countries. The solution that complies with heritage, tradition and nationalism is going back to your own land.

 

 

Its probably not unlike the Jews moving to Israel post WW2.

 

It's unlike it on every count. Israel was the ancestral home of the Jews and Jerusalem the holly city the center of their religion, they were praying to return to it for a millennium.

The Jews started coming back to Israel in the late 19th century, half a century before WW2.

The Jews were prosecuted and driven out by the people that lived in Europe. Who is prosecuting the borderlanders? They are the ingenious population of that land.

 

From the way other Borderlanders react to Lan (and anything Malkieri in general), I think they all have some kind of emotional investment in it and would want to see it brought back if possible.

 

Agreed, I can see them donating financially if needed, maybe some temporary labor forces. Not sending their own depleted population to populate a remote land that stood under the blight for decades.

 

but I cant see the forces of the light hunting the shadowspawn in the blight until at least the next generation

 

You only need some channelers. in fact that could be a co-op operation by the various channelers factions to bring them together farther.

[mbuehner]

 

Well, all of the borderlands were trashed to one degree or another. Probably a lot of people looking for new homes.

 

So why head for Malkier? the easiest solution is to go to the unharmed southern countries. The solution that complies with heritage, tradition and nationalism is going back to your own land.

 

First of all- we're not saying 'all' or even most or even relatively many people would need to go to Malkier to make it viable.  Secondly- the Malkier themselves and their decedents will necessarily be the core of that group, thats in the main who we are discussing. A generation before there were enough Malkieri to populate the nation. Some were killed, some assimilated true- but many who settled elsewhere are now refugees again considering how much of the Borderlands were overrun- especially Shienar. They have no homes to return to, and they have a new king and queen offering to lead them back to their homelands. SOME other borderlanders will likely follow given that their homes are wrecked as well, and as I suggested earlier its possible that the lands the blight have disappeared from will show to be in better condition than the the ones overrun by trollocs and/or burned to the ground.

 

 

 

 

 

Its probably not unlike the Jews moving to Israel post WW2.

 

It's unlike it on every count. Israel was the ancestral home of the Jews and Jerusalem the holly city the center of their religion, they were praying to return to it for a millennium.

The Jews started coming back to Israel in the late 19th century, half a century before WW2.

The Jews were prosecuted and driven out by the people that lived in Europe. Who is prosecuting the borderlanders? They are the ingenious population of that land.

 

 

 

Always fun to mistake 'alike' with 'exactly the same on all counts'. I realize the Malkieri wear hadori, not yamakas. And I'm discussing the Malkieri. The pull to return to their ancestral homeland would be similar to the jews pull to return to their homeland. Even people with other options may prefer to return to their homeland to be with their people. Not sure why that is controversial.

[Elynde]

 

As to restoring Malkier...  Correct me if I am wrong, but weren't many Borderland fortifications and villages overrun by the forces of the Dark One?  Weren't many villages abandoned and farms left to die?

For those who have freely abandoned home and land in sake of refuge, why not follow the White Crane beyond the battlefields to re-found Malkier

 

Leaving your land temporarily in the face of a trolloc invasion for refuge is hardly "freely abandoned". The question is not "why not" but "why should they".

 

Quite simply, because the Blight tends to leave little damage when it receeds (think EotW), but Trollocs destroy the land wholesale.  If one must rebuild, go where people and resources are likely to gather.  In this case, to the call of a new king.

 

 

If one must start over anyway it is better to do so in a manner history will remember, I say.

 

Sure because what history will remember is a common motif for regular people's actions...

 

Actually, in Randland, this appeares to be the a common motivator for vast popluations.  The Hunters of the Horn all want a chance to be remembered in a Gleeman's ballad.  The people of the Borderlands sing old songs of remembrance and recite poems for the same reason.  With the dawning of the 4th Age, rebuilding an old kingdom and earning a place in their version of history books would fit right in.

 

Well, all of the borderlands were trashed to one degree or another. Probably a lot of people looking for new homes.

 

So why head for Malkier? the easiest solution is to go to the unharmed southern countries. The solution that complies with heritage, tradition and nationalism is going back to your own land.

 

Which is, in truth, Malkier.  As I said earlier, the Land of Lakes is probably much more friendly after the Blight's retreat than lands freshly sacked by pilaging hoards of Trollocs.

 

 

Its probably not unlike the Jews moving to Israel post WW2.

 

It's unlike it on every count. Israel was the ancestral home of the Jews and Jerusalem the holly city the center of their religion, they were praying to return to it for a millennium.

The Jews started coming back to Israel in the late 19th century, half a century before WW2.

The Jews were prosecuted and driven out by the people that lived in Europe. Who is prosecuting the borderlanders? They are the ingenious population of that land.

 

Those who followed Lan into battle, while few in number afterward, did long for a return to Malkier.  Many even still possessed a hadori.

[Mr Ares]

 

 

If one must start over anyway it is better to do so in a manner history will remember, I say.

Sure because what history will remember is a common motif for regular people's actions...

 

Actually, in Randland, this appeares to be the a common motivator for vast popluations.  The Hunters of the Horn all want a chance to be remembered in a Gleeman's ballad.  The people of the Borderlands sing old songs of remembrance and recite poems for the same reason.  With the dawning of the 4th Age, rebuilding an old kingdom and earning a place in their version of history books would fit right in.

The Hunters of the Horn hardly qualify as vast populations, given that they are a couple of hundred of the most adventurous people on a continent that could easily have a population in the millions. That some people might seek glory, fame and recognition isn't unreasonable, but these people are a small subset of the population, not the norm. As for the Borderlanders, they don't do what they do to be remembered. They do remember their own (because no-one else will), but it is not a desire to be remembered that drives them. They do it to protect their homes, their lives, their families.

[Rhienne]

 

The Hunters of the Horn hardly qualify as vast populations, given that they are a couple of hundred of the most adventurous people on a continent that could easily have a population in the millions.

Actually, we know about two thousand Hunters took the oath.  

[Suttree]

 

 

The Hunters of the Horn hardly qualify as vast populations, given that they are a couple of hundred of the most adventurous people on a continent that could easily have a population in the millions.

Actually, we know about two thousand Hunters took the oath.  

 

Not sure about the number but that doesn't really change the point being made. 

[Rhienne]

I think the general point is that there is a spirit of adventure and wanting to try new things/see new places among Randlanders.  I think two thousand people is quite a big number given that the majority of people in Randland would not have the financial means to make a journey to Illian, or would be unable to due to family commitments.

[Orderofolde]

 

I think Harriet should make and executive decision on this one.  How can you have 15 book series and that is it?  Yes they should write some more for sure.

I think that what they have written is completely adequate. I would want more, but it wouldn't be at all by Jordan. I don't want WoT to be ruined by other people trying to fill in the gaps. Its up to the reader to decide, and I like that. 

 

More to the point it has been left to the reader's imagination to fill in the gaps and to allow the story to unfold within our own minds.  There are people out there that have already written their version of the outriggers and continuations.  I'd toss the dice against Mat himself that someone has already penned stories with Rand's kids and the newly born Heroes of the Horn.

[Porter]

Dont forget the shadowspawn though...the trollocs may be effectively destroyed, but there are all sorts of other evil things in the blight that will need killing eventually...Malkier might be reclaimed eventually, but I cant see the forces of the light hunting the shadowspawn in the blight until at least the next generation...the number of able bodied men to reproduce has been decimated by battle and the land has been almost entirely stripped of food...priority number one is fixing the food situation and number two is having kids so they can grow up and keep the food production going and help rebuild...

 

I can see it now.

 

 

 

But Tuon, it's my duty to reproduce. Rand would have wanted it, can't you see? All these poor women have no husbands and no children to care for... I mean really, there's only 1 thing to- STOP throwing things at- I swear if Selucia comes in here I will tie you both up by your fingernails. flaming women, can't see past themselves

[threadnecromancer]

I think it is reasonable for a lot of people to go to southern Malkier (and other restored land) Borderlanders are dutiful and if you leave the land uninhabited you are just asking for the Blight to return. If the people fail to realise said duty then presumably their lords will ensure that they accept it. This is far too good an opportunity to miss. Does anyone recall what happened with King Easar and the Shienarans? Jordan implied that Lan could end up master of a tidy little northern empire but I think that would depend upon how the northeastern royals fared.

[Occams whiskey bottle]

Malkier would be the new land of opportunity. Europeans emigrated to the United States because the US offered them better options than in their homelands. The same would be true with Malkier. Lan's budding kingdom is going to need blacksmiths, a lot of them, so other than Caemlyn, Malkier will be the place to go. They are also going to need food, supplies, farmers, and other resources, and that means even more new jobs, and more potential. Like others have mentioned Lan developed an extremely loyal following. You don't just walk away from everything and risk your life for a stranger just because you are bored. Most likely the people who decided to follow Lan were men in search of a purpose, and that purpose now is reestablishing Malkier. I don't think that it is farfetched in the least that Malkier rises again...

[wotfan4472]

It is very good to know that Malkier will rise again. Also that in a way, its Queen (Nynaeve) will be a very accepted descendant of Manetheren no less, which is really neat, considering how both the Borderlanders and Lan react when first encountering the Two Rivers folk.

[ratswot]

My question is now that the taint has been cleaned from Saidin will men be respected in TWOT again?

[Thornan]

My question is now that the taint has been cleaned from Saidin will men be respected in TWOT again?

 

In my estimation, not for some time yet. It's not even widely known that Saidin is cleansed, let alone widely accepted.

[wotfan4472]

But Logain's actions in stopping Moghedien at the very end of the Last Battle will reverse this trend once that story spreads.

[Rhienne]

There may be some problems before some of the Asha'man are healed of their pre-existing madness.

[Darki'n]

What happens in the future?

 

Mat and Tuon return to Ebou Dar; Rand travels along the coast. Mat makes Teslyn his Aes Sedai advisor, and when they're leaving for Seandar, Teslyn manages to free  some damane during the small chaos. Unfortunately one of them is Moghedien. Rand arrives in Ebou Dar just in time to join Mat, hides in a ship and travels to Seanchan. Moghedien becomes the "Raven Empress" from Aviendha's vision and does bad things.

 

Maybe not likely, but we can think nearly anything now that the series has ended. Why not?

[Rhienne]

I certainly think its interesting that we're left with two Forsaken 'at large' - Moghedian and Graendal.  Obviously they are both unlikely to be a threat in their current status, and I would imagine Graendal would be executed, but it certainly leaves some possibilities open.  I had assumed all the Forsaken would be killed at TG.