Wasn't Tuon being a bit stupid trying to collar two Aes Sedai?

[False Dragon1991]

Its the bit where she was getting annoyed with the Aes Sedai making out like they were her equal so she goes out of her way to make a point and humiliate them. Its a very good demonstration of her attitude towards channelers and the idea of the White Tower as a powerful body; they are animals she thinks of with contempt. But, isn't she being a little stupid relying on her slave managing to quickly collar both Aes Sedai, who are powerful enough to literally blow her to pieces by thinking it? Bearing in mind she doesn't know about the three oaths and should assume any loose damane is dangerous? Whats to stop either seizing them in air? I have to be honest the series can be really inconsistent. You have Ashaman who can kill hundreds of people instantly and other times Aes Sedai are easily knocked out or manhandled. I also don't like how Aes Sedai go through all this intense training and testing and have access to all this lore. But the Seanchan can collar any channeler, have no body of knowledge at all and yet their conscript damane are stronger?  

 

As an aside I didn't like how Matt seemed to be dignifying this attitude of hers or was sort of agreeing that they had been annoying and needed to be taught a lesson. Tuon is 100% in the wrong. The Seanchan are evil. Their war is weakening the dragon and his efforts to fight the Dark One. She ignores this because she is a bigot and an imperialist who thinks all channelers are animals and all people should obey her because shes descended from Arthur Hawkwing? By that logic Berelain should rule Randland. Those Aes Sedai are perfectly reasonable in wanting a ceasefire to a stupid war. Theres a difference between Matt thinking Aes Sedai are high handed and overfull of themselves to Tuon's belief they are subhuman and the White Tower must be annialated. Yes, he does object, but he is far too lenient in his judgement of Tuon for what is a  repulsive thing to do and an attitude that he does not seriously challenge. Theres too much of an undertone that "yeah I kinda agree with you on Aes Sedai being bossy" for my taste. I get that he wants to marry her and so doesn't want to insult her. But, why is he not encouraging her to make peace with Rand (his friend and as the commander of the Redband) and stop killing thousands of people and enslaving female channelers so sadistic suldam can torture them?   

 

TBH I don't like how the books are more and more presenting the Seanchan as potential allies instead of the vile enemies they are. I want to see them driven into the sea, not compromise with a bunch of nazis. I was actually disappointed that Perrin allied himself with them. They are much, much worse than the Shaido. I can clearly see that these instances are deliberately meant to make us start warming to the idea and sympthise a bit more as we see them in a positive light. But thats just meh IMO and at odds with the fact that their society is evil. I actually wanted to see Trollocs and Myrdaal massacre a few Seanchan armies to teach them a few lessons in humility. Its annoying how powerful they are atm.    

[Rhienne]

I found Tuon and Mat's relationship hard to accept due in part to some of the reasons you have outlined.  Obviously they have to marry each other due to prophecy, but I find it difficult to believe that Mat would try to love someone whose core values are so different from his.  Especially when you consider that not only are Egwene, Elayne, and Nynaeve AS that he knows, but his own sister Bode is now training to be an AS, and also essentially an animal to Tuon.  I think there are a lot of unresolved issues between Tuon and Mat, the majority of which would be deal-breakers.  

[Suttree]

 But, isn't she being a little stupid relying on her slave managing to quickly collar both Aes Sedai, who are powerful enough to literally blow her to pieces by thinking it?

 

Not really, she is used to most channelers obeying her and clipped the a'dam one one while instantly shielding the other:

 

KoD Ch. 9

   But Tuon folded her hands in her lap beneath the table and sat very straight, looking right through the Aes Sedai. Her face was as stern as it had ever been for him. “Selucia,” she said quietly.

   Moving up behind Teslyn, the yellow-haired woman bent long enough to take something from beneath the blanket Mat was sitting on. As she straightened, everything seem to happen all at once. There was a click, and Teslyn screamed, clapping her hands to her throat. The foxhead turned to ice against Mat’s chest, and Joline’s head whipped around with an incredulous stare for the Red. Edesina turned and ran for the door, which swung half open, then slammed shut. Slammed against Blaeric or Fen, by the sound of men falling down the wagon’s steps. Edesina jerked to a halt and stood very stiffly, arms at her sides and divided skirts pressed against her legs by invisible cords. All that in moments, and Selucia had not stayed still. She bent briefly to the bed Noal was sitting on, then snapped the silver collar of another adam around Joline’s neck. Mat could see that was what Teslyn was gripping with both hands. She was not trying to take it off, just holding on to it, but her knuckles were white. The Red’s narrow face was an image of despair, her eyes staring and haunted. Joline had regained the utter calm of an Aes Sedai, but she did touch the segmented collar encircling her neck.

 

Bearing in mind she doesn't know about the three oaths and should assume any loose damane is dangerous? Whats to stop either seizing them in air?

 

Yes she does, she knows AS can't be used as weapons. That's why the use captured AS to make sky lights, do mining, etc. Not sure how they would have seized her in air considering one was collared and the other shielded.

 

You have Ashaman who can kill hundreds of people instantly and other times Aes Sedai are easily knocked out or manhandled. I also don't like how Aes Sedai go through all this intense training and testing and have access to all this lore. But the Seanchan can collar any channeler, have no body of knowledge at all and yet their conscript damane are stronger?  

 

Not really. Damane are much better with battle weaves than AS.

 

As an aside I didn't like how Matt seemed to be dignifying this attitude of hers or was sort of agreeing that they had been annoying and needed to be taught a lesson.

 

Mat said they were annoying, he never said they needed to be taught a lesson. In fact he called Tuon out on being able to channel herself and says clearly:

 

KoD

 “I didn’t bring these three out of Ebou Dar so you could take them back.” Mat said firmly,

 

 She ignores this because she is a bigot and an imperialist who thinks all channelers are animals and all people should obey her because shes descended from Arthur Hawkwing?

 

She is a product of her environment. Not sure how you could expect here to think any other way on those two topic. It would be utterly unrealistic.

 

Look Seanchan culture is despicable in the way they treat channelers and the practice needs to stop. That said there really is no other way Tuon could be at this stage of the story. Unfortunately now that the Outriggers will never be written we won't really get to know how Seanchan culture would end up.

[False Dragon1991]

 

 But, isn't she being a little stupid relying on her slave managing to quickly collar both Aes Sedai, who are powerful enough to literally blow her to pieces by thinking it?

 

Not really, she is used to most channelers obeying her and clipped the a'dam one one while instantly shielding the other:

 

KoD Ch. 9

   But Tuon folded her hands in her lap beneath the table and sat very straight, looking right through the Aes Sedai. Her face was as stern as it had ever been for him. “Selucia,” she said quietly.

   Moving up behind Teslyn, the yellow-haired woman bent long enough to take something from beneath the blanket Mat was sitting on. As she straightened, everything seem to happen all at once. There was a click, and Teslyn screamed, clapping her hands to her throat. The foxhead turned to ice against Mat’s chest, and Joline’s head whipped around with an incredulous stare for the Red. Edesina turned and ran for the door, which swung half open, then slammed shut. Slammed against Blaeric or Fen, by the sound of men falling down the wagon’s steps. Edesina jerked to a halt and stood very stiffly, arms at her sides and divided skirts pressed against her legs by invisible cords. All that in moments, and Selucia had not stayed still. She bent briefly to the bed Noal was sitting on, then snapped the silver collar of another adam around Joline’s neck. Mat could see that was what Teslyn was gripping with both hands. She was not trying to take it off, just holding on to it, but her knuckles were white. The Red’s narrow face was an image of despair, her eyes staring and haunted. Joline had regained the utter calm of an Aes Sedai, but she did touch the segmented collar encircling her neck.

 

Bearing in mind she doesn't know about the three oaths and should assume any loose damane is dangerous? Whats to stop either seizing them in air?

 

Yes she does, she knows AS can't be used as weapons. That's why the use captured AS to make sky lights, do mining, etc. Not sure how they would have seized her in air considering one was collared and the other shielded.

 

You have Ashaman who can kill hundreds of people instantly and other times Aes Sedai are easily knocked out or manhandled. I also don't like how Aes Sedai go through all this intense training and testing and have access to all this lore. But the Seanchan can collar any channeler, have no body of knowledge at all and yet their conscript damane are stronger?  

 

Not really. Damane are much better with battle weaves than AS.

 

As an aside I didn't like how Matt seemed to be dignifying this attitude of hers or was sort of agreeing that they had been annoying and needed to be taught a lesson.

 

Mat said they were annoying, he never said they needed to be taught a lesson. In fact he called Tuon out on being able to channel herself and says clearly:

 

KoD

 “I didn’t bring these three out of Ebou Dar so you could take them back.” Mat said firmly,

 

 She ignores this because she is a bigot and an imperialist who thinks all channelers are animals and all people should obey her because shes descended from Arthur Hawkwing?

 

She is a product of her environment. Not sure how you could expect here to think any other way on those two topic. It would be utterly unrealistic.

 

Look Seanchan culture is despicable in the way they treat channelers and the practice needs to stop. That said there really is no other way Tuon could be at this stage of the story. Unfortunately now that the Outriggers will never be written we won't really get to know how Seanchan culture would end up.

 

 

I still think Matt isn't coming down as strongly on this as he should.

 

I don't get how they could be better at battle weaves. I am sure in the early books it says that women who don't recieve mentoring when they manifest the talent die and those who draw too much will burn themselves out. We also learn that you need to be taught the weaves. To me, this makes the idea of somebody with a cattleprod who has no knowledge of weaving can simply goad any female channeler into learning, without accidently burning her out since they would have no idea of the limits, seems a bit stupid. The tower has access to all this lore and is meant to fight Tarmon Gaidon. We never see the suldam actually teach any weaves aside from forcing them to do certain things; which doesn't make sense since certain weaves like travelling are result of thought and observation; not force. I just don't see how you can teach somebody to be a carpenter by hitting them until they do when you yourself have no knowledge of this. Since we never see other damane teaching eachother then how do the suldam know this. Plus, I've read New Spring and Moiraines training about having to channel 99 weaves under intense pressure and life threatening danger should be more intense and useful than what the damane do. Its like comparing a spartan to a slave soldier. I get that the Seanchan need to be a threat, but making them better than Aes Sedai is just bizarre.

 

So the Aes Sedai can't just flinch or jump back or seize them in air before she can clumsily fit such a collar? Plus they don't read her aggressive intent?

 

I am glad you clarified about the 3 oathes and the adam. Didn't see how that could work before.

[Mr Ares]

 

 

 But, isn't she being a little stupid relying on her slave managing to quickly collar both Aes Sedai, who are powerful enough to literally blow her to pieces by thinking it?

 

Not really, she is used to most channelers obeying her and clipped the a'dam one one while instantly shielding the other:

 

KoD Ch. 9

   But Tuon folded her hands in her lap beneath the table and sat very straight, looking right through the Aes Sedai. Her face was as stern as it had ever been for him. “Selucia,” she said quietly.

   Moving up behind Teslyn, the yellow-haired woman bent long enough to take something from beneath the blanket Mat was sitting on. As she straightened, everything seem to happen all at once. There was a click, and Teslyn screamed, clapping her hands to her throat. The foxhead turned to ice against Mat’s chest, and Joline’s head whipped around with an incredulous stare for the Red. Edesina turned and ran for the door, which swung half open, then slammed shut. Slammed against Blaeric or Fen, by the sound of men falling down the wagon’s steps. Edesina jerked to a halt and stood very stiffly, arms at her sides and divided skirts pressed against her legs by invisible cords. All that in moments, and Selucia had not stayed still. She bent briefly to the bed Noal was sitting on, then snapped the silver collar of another adam around Joline’s neck. Mat could see that was what Teslyn was gripping with both hands. She was not trying to take it off, just holding on to it, but her knuckles were white. The Red’s narrow face was an image of despair, her eyes staring and haunted. Joline had regained the utter calm of an Aes Sedai, but she did touch the segmented collar encircling her neck.

 

Bearing in mind she doesn't know about the three oaths and should assume any loose damane is dangerous? Whats to stop either seizing them in air?

 

Yes she does, she knows AS can't be used as weapons. That's why the use captured AS to make sky lights, do mining, etc. Not sure how they would have seized her in air considering one was collared and the other shielded.

 

You have Ashaman who can kill hundreds of people instantly and other times Aes Sedai are easily knocked out or manhandled. I also don't like how Aes Sedai go through all this intense training and testing and have access to all this lore. But the Seanchan can collar any channeler, have no body of knowledge at all and yet their conscript damane are stronger?  

 

Not really. Damane are much better with battle weaves than AS.

 

As an aside I didn't like how Matt seemed to be dignifying this attitude of hers or was sort of agreeing that they had been annoying and needed to be taught a lesson.

 

Mat said they were annoying, he never said they needed to be taught a lesson. In fact he called Tuon out on being able to channel herself and says clearly:

 

KoD

 “I didn’t bring these three out of Ebou Dar so you could take them back.” Mat said firmly,

 

 She ignores this because she is a bigot and an imperialist who thinks all channelers are animals and all people should obey her because shes descended from Arthur Hawkwing?

 

She is a product of her environment. Not sure how you could expect here to think any other way on those two topic. It would be utterly unrealistic.

 

Look Seanchan culture is despicable in the way they treat channelers and the practice needs to stop. That said there really is no other way Tuon could be at this stage of the story. Unfortunately now that the Outriggers will never be written we won't really get to know how Seanchan culture would end up.

 

 

I still think Matt isn't coming down as strongly on this as he should.

 

I don't get how they could be better at battle weaves. I am sure in the early books it says that women who don't recieve mentoring when they manifest the talent die and those who draw too much will burn themselves out. We also learn that you need to be taught the weaves. To me, this makes the idea of somebody with a cattleprod who has no knowledge of weaving can simply goad any female channeler into learning, without accidently burning her out since they would have no idea of the limits, seems a bit stupid. The tower has access to all this lore and is meant to fight Tarmon Gaidon. We never see the suldam actually teach any weaves aside from forcing them to do certain things; which doesn't make sense since certain weaves like travelling are result of thought and observation; not force. I just don't see how you can teach somebody to be a carpenter by hitting them until they do when you yourself have no knowledge of this. Since we never see other damane teaching eachother then how do the suldam know this. Plus, I've read New Spring and Moiraines training about having to channel 99 weaves under intense pressure and life threatening danger should be more intense and useful than what the damane do. Its like comparing a spartan to a slave soldier. I get that the Seanchan need to be a threat, but making them better than Aes Sedai is just bizarre.

AS have a decently rounded knowledge of channeling, but the Seanchan have much more experience training damane and using them as weapons of war, and the damane are far more likely to have had actual experience in battle. They also can't be burnt out - the a'dam functions in many ways similarly to a link, and links prevent burning out. Also, learning weaves can be done in a variety of ways, such as showing a weave. Plus, sul'dam are seemingly capable of shaping the weaves themselves, so they don't really need anyone else in order to train. The AS are better all rounders, but look at the specialisms of the Ajahs - Greys, Browns, Blues and Whites don't even need the OP to fulfil their mission statements, Yellows are specifically focused on Healing (not killing), and the Reds track down men who can channel - while the ability to fight with the OP is useful, many of the people they would deal with would be untrained and lacking in knowledge. The investigatory skills to track those men down in the first place would be of more use than the ability to blow holes in an army. It is only the Greens who should be capable of matching the damane on the field. It's not comparing Spartans to slave soldiers, it's comparing soldiers to militia, and claiming it to be implausible that the professional soldiers are better at fighting than the part-timers.

[Suttree]

So the Aes Sedai can't just flinch or jump back or seize them in air before she can clumsily fit such a collar? Plus they don't read her aggressive intent?

 

Aggresive intent?

 

KoD Ch. 9

   But Tuon folded her hands in her lap beneath the table and sat very straight, looking right through the Aes Sedai. Her face was as stern as it had ever been for him. “Selucia,” she said quietly.

   Moving up behind Teslyn, the yellow-haired woman bent long enough to take something from beneath the blanket Mat was sitting on. As she straightened, everything seem to happen all at once. There was a click, and Teslyn screamed, clapping her hands to her throat.

 

Tuon didn't tip her hand and Selucia is supposed to be a common maid servant. None of the AS know she is a highly trained bodyguard and hence don't pay attention to her actions when she reaches beneath the pillow.

 

To expand on what Mr Ares said keep in mind Damane have been fighting almost non-stop for 500 years ever since the consolidation started. Meanwhile the AS have not had many large scale battles since the Trolloc Wars. So no overall they are not better channelers but when it comes to "battle weaves" they are superior.

[False Dragon1991]

 

So the Aes Sedai can't just flinch or jump back or seize them in air before she can clumsily fit such a collar? Plus they don't read her aggressive intent?

 

Aggresive intent?

 

KoD Ch. 9

   But Tuon folded her hands in her lap beneath the table and sat very straight, looking right through the Aes Sedai. Her face was as stern as it had ever been for him. “Selucia,” she said quietly.

   Moving up behind Teslyn, the yellow-haired woman bent long enough to take something from beneath the blanket Mat was sitting on. As she straightened, everything seem to happen all at once. There was a click, and Teslyn screamed, clapping her hands to her throat.

 

Tuon didn't tip her hand and Selucia is supposed to be a common maid servant. None of the AS know she is a highly trained bodyguard and hence don't pay attention to her actions when she reaches beneath the pillow.

 

To expand on what Mr Ares said keep in mind Damane have been fighting almost non-stop for 500 years ever since the consolidation started. Meanwhile the AS have not had many large scale battles since the Trolloc Wars. So no overall they are not better channelers but when it comes to "battle weaves" they are superior.

 

 

Its still a careless risk to take with two people who could quite easily turn you to ash or blow you up; just to prove a point. 

 

The tower has knowledge of linking which should compensate for this though surely? If they know what Moiraine does then I fail to see the lack of destruction talent. In Eye of the World she pretty much blows up an army of trollocs all by herself. Come to think of it the White tower also has access to angreal; the seanchan do not appear to. Whilst the damane were pretty much massacred by the conscript ashaman when Rand led those 6000 soldiers against them. Which suggests they aren't quite that good at battle weaves. The main strength that I notice is really the ease with which they seem to have captured Aes Sedai by shielding them so an adam can be applied. As well as the fact that none of their enemies aside from Rand has lots of channelers. Hence why they seem to think fighting Aeil is easy (IMO Aeil should be much, much better than most Seanchan and certainly their auxiliaries. They are spartans who can fight a guerilla war).

 

 

I dislike how they have walked over most of the factions aside from Rand thus far and I also find Perrin caving in to their demands a little annoying. These people truly do deserve to be devoured by the Dark One and I actually felt good when Semiurge said she'd destroyed their empire.   

[Suttree]

Whilst the damane were pretty much massacred by the conscript ashaman when Rand led those 6000 soldiers against them.

 

Well the asha'man are the single best channelers when it comes to being weapons. That is basically all they do. It goes asha'man, damane, AS, WFs/WOs if you were to rank the order of whose best with fighting weaves. Regardless when it comes to the Damona campaign I find it curious that people seem to forget despite heavy losses the Seanchan had adapted and were closing in on Rand's position:

 

tPoD

   Bashere knuckled his thick mustaches with a wry laugh. "You want to find them. Look out there." He swept a gauntleted hand across the hills to the west. "I can’t point to a particular spot, but there are ten, maybe fifteen thousand close enough to see from here, if those trees weren’t in the way. I danced with the Dark One getting through them unseen to reach you. Maybe a hundred damanedown there. Maybe more. More coming, for sure, and more men. Seems their general has decided to concentrate on you. I suppose it isn’t always cheese and ale being ta’veren."

 

Which suggests they aren't quite that good at battle weaves....As well as the fact that none of their enemies aside from Rand has lots of channelers.

 

There is nothing in the series that suggests that.  As for numbers that is incorrect. The WOs have huge numbers, they have just never really fought with the OP before.

[False Dragon1991]

Only after he had wiped them like a dirty arse all the way to Ebou Dars doorstep. Those 6000 killed many times their number, they caputred dozens of damane and killed many more. Had he brought more than 6000 he would have splattered them.

 

I am refering to the Shaido. All their wise ones are with Sevanna so the Seanchan have never faced Shaido who have channelers before. Though I dislike the casual attitude towards the Aeil. They are spartans who can do guerilla warfare and are expert trackers. Much better than a taraboner conscript or some Samurai wanabees (see what I did there! :D) in insect helms.  

[Suttree]

Only after he had wiped them like a dirty arse all the way to Ebou Dars doorstep. Those 6000 killed many times their number, they caputred dozens of damane and killed many more. Had he brought more than 6000 he would have splattered them.

 

You need to look at the overall picture. The whole purpose of Bashere's strategy was quick surprise strikes with fewer numbers. A direct head to head campaign would have been far different. Further that is why the Seanchan military is so impressive. They lose battles but don't lose wars. Again you have to understand they had adapted to Rand's tactics and were closing in as the quote clearly states. It took a nuclear blast(that included Rand slaughtering his own men with Callandor) to escape the day.

[False Dragon1991]

 

Only after he had wiped them like a dirty arse all the way to Ebou Dars doorstep. Those 6000 killed many times their number, they caputred dozens of damane and killed many more. Had he brought more than 6000 he would have splattered them.

 

You need to look at the overall picture. The whole purpose of Bashere's strategy was quick surprise strikes with fewer numbers. A direct head to head campaign would have been far different. Further that is why the Seanchan military is so impressive. They lose battles but don't lose wars. Again you have to understand they had adapted to Rand's tactics and were closing in as the quote clearly states. It took a nuclear blast(that included Rand slaughtering his own men with Callandor) to escape the day.

 

 

The way I see it. The Seanchan at this point shouldn't be in a position to threaten Rand in the long term. The Forsaken have effectively destroyed their empire and thus meaning they will have no more reinforcements from their homeland. Even if they have moved hundreds of thousands of soldiers and colonists; these are a finite supply. Remember they can only collar as many people as they have suldam. Since they aren't training locals in this caps the effective numbers of damane they can possibly use.  They seem to be increasingly relying on conscripts from the local population. With both the local troops and for arguments sake, if they started using locals to act as suldam, the risk of defections becomes that much greater. Not only are these troops less reliable, but poorly motivated and inferior. Compare to Rand who has probably the best army in the world with his aeil which number in the hundreds of thousands. A huge body of male channelers who are stronger than most female channelers since the idiots don't know how to llink meaning they cannot block a male channeler most of the time. The biggest and best fleet with the Sea Folk. Then Rand has two other tavern working with him who both have highly trained and motivated armies. Matt is a military genius. I also question how long all these auxiliaries would be willing to fight the Dragon reborn knowing that the Last Battle is coming, for the sake of a foreign overlord who are enslaving thousands of people. 

 

You say that they can learn, don't lose wars and I do remember that line from the text. But the odds simply are not with the Seanchan. Even before you consider Egwene, Elayne and all the rest. Every sdoldier and suldam they lose is irreplaceable at this point. They are outnumbered and outclassed in almost every field by one or another of Rands forces. Whilst relying on questionable auxiliaries to make up for it. Galad and the Whitecloaks defecting is a good example. The potential for Rand n co to kill those sorts of numbers in a short space of time is also very much there IMO.

[Mr Ares]

.

[Mr Ares]

 

 

Only after he had wiped them like a dirty arse all the way to Ebou Dars doorstep. Those 6000 killed many times their number, they caputred dozens of damane and killed many more. Had he brought more than 6000 he would have splattered them.

 

You need to look at the overall picture. The whole purpose of Bashere's strategy was quick surprise strikes with fewer numbers. A direct head to head campaign would have been far different. Further that is why the Seanchan military is so impressive. They lose battles but don't lose wars. Again you have to understand they had adapted to Rand's tactics and were closing in as the quote clearly states. It took a nuclear blast(that included Rand slaughtering his own men with Callandor) to escape the day.

 

 

The way I see it. The Seanchan at this point shouldn't be in a position to threaten Rand in the long term. The Forsaken have effectively destroyed their empire and thus meaning they will have no more reinforcements from their homeland. Even if they have moved hundreds of thousands of soldiers and colonists; these are a finite supply. Remember they can only collar as many people as they have suldam.

 

That's not true. They can collar as many people as they have a'dam, and they can make a'dam. They can't use more damane than they have sul'dam, unless they double up, but that's not really an issue, as most of the time they won't need to mobilise every sul'dam they have at once. Also, bear in mind that damane significantly outnumber sul'dam, so it's going to be a long time before it becomes a problem.

Since they aren't training locals in this caps the effective numbers of damane they can possibly use.  They seem to be increasingly relying on conscripts from the local population. With both the local troops and for arguments sake, if they started using locals to act as suldam, the risk of defections becomes that much greater. Not only are these troops less reliable, but poorly motivated and inferior.

All the armies rely on irregulars and conscripts - the Westlands nations do not maintain large standing armies. Further, defection has always been a problem - the history of the Seanchan Empire is one of numerous rebellions against Imperial rule, including a significant number with damane. Further, for many life in the new Seanchan Empire is an improvement (Tarabon had descended into chaos before the Seanchan brought order) or no real difference (given that Amadicia was hardly known for its freedoms prior to conquest, one can't help but think that the populace isn't likely to be worse off), so there is precious little reason to defect for many. While new troops might be of a lesser quality to start with, training and combat experience will soon fix that. As long as they can gain troops faster than Rand kills them, they won't lose a war of attrition (and attrition is a stupid way to fight a war anyway). While Rand might have the military power necessary to break the Seanchan, he is hard pressed by the Shadow. He would struggle to defeat the Shadow alone, if he wastes his men wiping out the Seanchan he will lose. So trying to kill them is a strategic blunder that would serve to benefit Rand's enemies.

Compare to Rand who has probably the best army in the world with his aeil which number in the hundreds of thousands. A huge body of male channelers who are stronger than most female channelers since the idiots don't know how to llink meaning they cannot block a male channeler most of the time.

You overstate the importance of linking - usually, you're better off with more but weaker channelers, rather than linking.

The biggest and best fleet with the Sea Folk.

Who have already been defeated by the Seanchan.

Then Rand has two other tavern working with him who both have highly trained and motivated armies.

Ta'veren is both a blessing and a curse - remember that it doesn't serve the interests of the ta'veren, but those of the Pattern. If the Pattern needs Rand to lose, he will lose.

I also question how long all these auxiliaries would be willing to fight the Dragon reborn knowing that the Last Battle is coming, for the sake of a foreign overlord who are enslaving thousands of people.

Well, the Dragon Reborn is hardly beloved. Also, the prophecies are unknown by the majority, who haven't made an in depth study of them. They'll know a few things, but not all the ins and outs. Consider that the Seanchan have the Prophecies of the Dragon as well, and even those at the top don't see a problem with their opposition to Rand. The Dragon is subservient to the Empress (May She Live Forever) - the Prophecies state that he must kneel to the Crystal Throne (sure, that's a corruption introduced by Ishamael, but that's really of no consequence for this point). Imperial propaganda has an easy answer to the "why should we fight the Dragon Reborn" line, one that is sincerely believed by the Seanchan hierarchy. Unless the Dragon Reborn kneels, all is lost - so by refusing to fight him, you doom the world. Also, this foreign overlord is, despite all the enslaving, quite capable of winning the support of the people - they bring the rule of law, order to countries that had descended into chaos, stability. For many, life will be no different, or even better than it was before.

 

You say that they can learn, don't lose wars and I do remember that line from the text. But the odds simply are not with the Seanchan. Even before you consider Egwene, Elayne and all the rest. Every sdoldier and suldam they lose is irreplaceable at this point. They are outnumbered and outclassed in almost every field by one or another of Rands forces. Whilst relying on questionable auxiliaries to make up for it. Galad and the Whitecloaks defecting is a good example. The potential for Rand n co to kill those sorts of numbers in a short space of time is also very much there IMO.

While Rand has the forces to crush any opponent save the Shadow, he cannot do so with impunity because the fight that matters is the one against the Shadow - to suffer crippling losses where it doesn't matter dooms him when he gets to the fight that does. An opponents inability to bring their full force to bear is a strategic advantage to the Seanchan. Their soldiers and sul'dam are as replaceable as anyone else's, and their damane can be taken from the ranks of the enemy - at a stroke gaining a channeler for yourself and denying one to the enemy. Taking the wider strategic considerations nto account, the Seanchan position is not as dire as you seem to believe.