research for Gaidal Cain as Olver

[Lacey]

A friend gave me an idea I am trying to research. Is it possible for Olver to be Gaidal Cain reborn? The books tell us Gaidal Cain has been reborn, but he was at Falme when Mat blew the horn... this is the last I remember there being solid evidence he had not been reborn yet. So, supposing he was born the day after... could he be Olver? I am having trouble figuring out how many years it has been from the last appearance of Cain. I am trying to see if that amount of time matches up with Olver's age. When Mat first meets Olver he guesses his age at about 6 or 7. Let me know what you think, or any information you may have.

 

P.S. I did a little research on the web, and it seems like this is a very popular theory... It seems it is a draw between people who think it is possible and people who say there is no chance. What's your $.02?

[Narg]

rj said he wasnt.

[Lady Saravhem]

I have always thought so. and people keep insisting that he is not. Telling me RJ says no, but once you get the comparision in your head it hard to let go. Most ppl round here are of the opinion the he is not.

[Lacey]

I am more than happy to make my own decision :) RJ might have said he is not, but I have not seen any statement by RJ on the subject. Does anyone know how many years have passed, in the story, since the horn blown at Falme and Mat meeting Olver? I just want to figure out if it could be possible.

[Lady Saravhem]

two years tops I think, and that's at the upper most reach, could be less. It's hard to keep track after 11 books.

[slayerA]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birgitte_Silverbow

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_Wheel_of_Time_characters#Olver

[Guest Barmacral]

Olver is something like 10 years old now. In the first book Egwene is 16, and by book 11 she is 18 I think. Thats only two years or so, not nearly long enough for Olver to be Gaidal.

 

Cool idea though.

[Lacey]

Thanks to everyone for helping me figure out the span of years between. I was thinking it was not long enough, but I wasn't sure. I get too caught up in the story to really puzzle it out. I must say... searching for the time span has got me rereading the series... so it was not all for nothing. Thanks for the links Slay, but still no direct link to RJ... just someone saying he said it. I am not trying to be difficult. I honestly just don't want to be completely talked out of this theory... I'm attached to it. :) Thanks all.

 

I have a few more theories, but I still have not thought about them enough... really just gut feelings... with a little more research in the books I might be able to speak them outloud. :)

[Master of the Blades]

Gaidal Cain appears first in (TGH The Grave is No Bar to my Call) on Nov. 21 998 NE.

Olver first appears in (LOC A Different Dance) on Oct 31.

 

Olver is a young boy of eight or nine. and the time elapsed is less than a year. Hence Gaidal Cain cannot be Olver. We have seen Gaidal in intervals in Tel'Aanrhiod

but since time flows differently there it is hard to pinpoint from the last appearance.

[Guest cwestervelt]

RJ might have said he is not' date=' but I have not seen any statement by RJ on the subject. [/quote']

 

Will this suffice?

 

http://www.steelypips.org/wotfaq/2_nondark/2.2_rest-chars/2.2.5_gaidal.html

Many explanations were proposed to explain this, but none of them were really consistent with the other information we have about the Heroes of the Horn and T'A'R. And anyway, RJ made the question moot at a post-COT signing in Dayton, OH [report by Tim Kington]:

 

Q: Is Olver Gaidal Cain?

RJ: No. I didn't really think that this would last as long as it has. The timing is wrong. He has another reason for being there besides being a red herring, though.

[gaishain]

Man I wish people would stop bringing this up. RJ has flat out said that Olver is not Cain.

[Hannah Banana]

Maybe Taim is Gaidal Cain.

 

Or maybe Olver killed Asmodean.

 

MAYBE GAIDAL CAIN KILLED ASMODEAN!!

[reyler]

Has Gaidal Cain actually been reborn yet? At what point in the pre-lifespan does that happen? Maybe he just got taken off the shelf in readiness. That would be kind of nuts for Birgitte if he happened to be one of Elayne's uterine tenants.

[Mercer]

^ 10 points for the best rephrasing of 'babies' I've heard this month.

[Lacey]

gai'shain - uhh sorry... I did not realize this had been brought up a million times. I have only been visiting this or any WOT forum for a couple months. I did not realize this was such a warn out topic. Such hostility.

 

cwestervelt - thanks! Although, I hate to admit it is true.

[kobra_khan69]

I know what ya mean about it being hard to get out of your head. I was expecting it as well and even after RJ said it wasnt him I am still thinking it should be.

[Guest cwestervelt]

gai'shain - uhh sorry... I did not realize this had been brought up a million times. I have only been visiting this or any WOT forum for a couple months. I did not realize this was such a warn out topic. Such hostility.

 

cwestervelt - thanks! Although' date=' I hate to admit it is true.[/quote']

 

You caught me on a good day. Normally I grab my torch and pitchfork when Olver = Gaidal gets brought up.

 

For some insight into the hostility engendered by your post...

http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3660&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=olver+gaidal&start=15

http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1548&highlight=olver+gaidal

http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=602&highlight=olver+gaidal

 

RJ drove a stake through the heart and nailed the coffin closed on it a couple years ago but it still crops up every couple of months. It's kinda like Taimandred and The Two Servants that way.

 

Try doing a google for "olver gaidal cain" and you get page after page of results on the subject: http://www.google.com/search?q=olver+gaidal+cain&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1