other man - who could learn to channel ...Mat for example?

[Anajon]

What do you think will any of the other guys ever try if they could learn to channel?

 

They are not born with the spark but Mat and Galad at least have a big chance of being able to learn.

Channelling seems to run in families - Mat's sister has the spark, a lot of other boys from the two rivers are at the black tower...Galad's half sister (Elyane) his aunt? (Moraine) his half brother (Rand)- he is really good with the void, too!

Thom would be another possible...

[Jellybelly]

Well, even though a familiy member has the ability, the chance is still miniscule.

[Jedimuppet]

Channeling doesn't really run in families. Do you remember in Salidar when they had all those girls? One of the AS was remarking how weird it was to have a grandmother mother, and daughter - all with strength. Her next thought was that it's rare for the mom to pass the spark on to the daughter, and unheard of for three generations.

J

[Anajon]

but at the same time the Aes Sedai think that they have made the wrong choices by not having families and killing all the male channlers - because there are less and less girls who can learn.

 

And in the sea folks we can see that it clearly runs in families, the windfinders are three generation channlers + sisters and so on...

[Ilyena]

I agree, though I don't think anyone of the main characters would want to learn... They (Mat at least) have enough trouble with the power as it is.. and the Captain Commander of the White cloaks learing to channel? That's very unlikely.

[Guest cwestervelt]

There is significant evidence throughout the books that channelling is "genetic". That is one of the big reasons the Sharan's keep there channellers secluded. Elayne and her mother are both able to channel, albeit very little in her mother's case. The Two Rivers, having such a closed gene pool, has an abnormally high number of channellers. Even some of the Aes Sedai speculate on channelling being bred out of the people by the relentless hunting down and severing of men with the ability. Now that they are getting mixed so much more with the outside, the numbers will likely start to decrease. It all a part of the "old blood running true".

 

The best analogy I can think of is that of a latent gene. Just because your parents can't channel, doesn't mean the Talent won't manifest in you. In the same way, having channelling parents greatly increases your odds but doesn't guarantee that you will.

[Guest cwestervelt]

Mat would definitely not want to learn. Perrin likely would not as he isn't very comfortable even with his wolfishness.

[SinisterDeath]

Unless of course, both parents can channel.. Then the children are almost gaurnteed able to channel.. Its like a 1 in 4 chance they can't channel if both parents can.

[Guest cwestervelt]

Something like 1/4 yes. At least if the Punnett squares apply the same as with simple genetics.

[alCal]

Maybe, but that's just speculation since we know nothing certain about how it works.

 

I don't think that Mat can learn to channel. That he would be able to learn is perhaps more likely than others, because of the old blood, but I don't think RJ would give one more of the main characters that ability. It would just make it less interesting if everyone could channel. And as both CW and Ilyena said, Mat wouldn't be interested in learning even if he could. It's more likely that he would run away

[Anajon]

I just imagine something like - Tuon and Mat coming to Ewgene's rescue at the white tower - the sisters pressure Tuon in learning to channel - Mat gets really up set when half of the two river boys and girls who can channel walk in and tell Mat that he should have a go at it himself - I think he will faint :-)

[alCal]

Yep.

Not exactly his dream scenario. 8)

[Paradoxic]

There is good reason to think that our good friend Mr. Captain of the White Cloaks Galad (or is it the other brother? I can never remember which is which) may begin to channel if anyone does... but I don't think that he will given that we're coming up on the last book and all.

 

I do not see Mat or Perrin learning because that isn't their part in this world... they have other tasks. Tuon however... hmm... yeah, that'll be fun.

[Guest cwestervelt]

They may be teachable, but they don't have the spark. They (or at least Galad) are passed the age where they would begin channelling on their own.

[SinisterDeath]

Umm, not necisarilly.. There are plenty of Asha'man who were in there 30-40's and didnt even know they could channel. The difference is, Rand was basically "forced" to channel. Had mat been able to, doesn't mean he accepts that he can and is able to, or will believe he can when people says he could.. I think that madalion would make it a bit tough though. :P

[Guest cwestervelt]

By having the "spark" I mean they will channel whether any one teaches them or not. The Asha'man in there 30's and 40's were those who could be taught but without someone to teach them, they would never have started channelling on there own. In Seanchan terms, those with the "spark" are Damane, those who can learn (like Tuon) are Sul'dam.

[Angel of Death]

When i read the title, I immediatly thought of Thom.

 

I have always thought that Thom could learn. I thought this first when someone said - a long time ago - that maybe Thom could channel sighting the blue flash in whitebridge and his nephew owen? could channel. I thought its unlikley he can channel, at his age he would have to know - or be dead. So i thought maybe he can learn.

[dalic]

Maybe using the Power is passed father to daughter or mother to son.

[Mugah]

First time posting but ive been lurking for a little while.

 

Sinister, I dont belive that Mat's medallion affects saidin as he asked to be free of as and as dont use saidin. Also he has died due to a saidin attack.

 

As for other people that can channel, the only person i suspect is Tam Al'Thor. This is because he taught Rand about the flame and the void. Remeber that Lan was a little confused when Rand said something about it the first time because for people that cant channel it is just the void. He has never heard somebody say anything like that before. We all know that the flame turned out to be saidin. If Tam couldn't channel then he was tought by someone who could and didn't realize it. Thoughts?

[Guest cwestervelt]

First time posting but ive been lurking for a little while.

 

Sinister' date=' I dont belive that Mat's medallion affects saidin as he asked to be free of as and as dont use saidin. Also he has died due to a saidin attack.

 

As for other people that can channel, the only person i suspect is Tam Al'Thor. This is because he taught Rand about the flame and the void. Remeber that Lan was a little confused when Rand said something about it the first time because for people that cant channel it is just the void. He has never heard somebody say anything like that before. We all know that the flame turned out to be saidin. If Tam couldn't channel then he was tought by someone who could and didn't realize it. Thoughts?[/quote']

 

The "Flame" in the "Flame and the Void" is not Saidin. Don't forget, Lan (and likely most/all other blademasters) uses it. The "Flame and Void" is a purely mental technique to develop utter calm. You feed all emotion into tht Flame until you are in an emotionless Void (the Oneness). Saidin and Saidar can then be grapsed.

[SinisterDeath]

Sinister, I dont belive that Mat's medallion affects saidin as he asked to be free of as and as dont use saidin. Also he has died due to a saidin attack

 

Not quite true Mugah.

The lightning is NOT a direct SAIDAN attack. Aes Sedia could do the same thing to mat, had they wanted to.

Lightning works on the basis that you alter the particles beneath a certain part of the ground, causing lightning to be a targeted effect. It is not a direct saidan/sadar attack, meaning Mat is vulnerable to it. Its like the same concept of throwing a chair at mat with the one power, its not a direct attack.

[Guest Majsju]

Mat's medallion does indeed protect him against Saidin. Which we saw when Halima tried to channel something at him in Salidar.

 

As for Mat having died from Saidin, that's not exactly true. Mat died from lightning caused by Saidin. No weave touched him directly, it's the same thing as using the power to throw things at him, which we've seen done several times.

[Siswaiaman]

But after that someone makes the crack that the medallion did not save him from a man's channeling, i can't remember if it was rand or mat.

[Guest Majsju]

It was Rand who made the comment, and obviously he didn't realize the difference between touching directly with the OP, and touching indirectly, like being hit by a stick, or struck by lightning.

[Siswaiaman]

But when Nynaeve is attacked by Mog with balefire, she describes it as a great amount of saidir being upon her all at once. If certain things don't have to be connect to the target in order to function (lightning, balefire, fireballs) then they would ideally never waste out because of range. In Winters heart, Lannfear is described weaving a net of lightning and casting it towards Rand and Nynaeve, and doing the same with a fireball.

Therefor the weave must accompany the assult.