DRAGONMOUNT

Howdy, my sagacious sojourners of Dragonmount! Welcome back to "It Works in Theory," Dragonmount's theory blog headed by some bloke I happen to share an identity with. Sorry for the delay in new blog entries lately. Life in general has been very busy, and recently I've also been splitting my writing time between here and the write-ups for the Wheel of Time Cage Match fights Dragonmount has set up. In case you haven't kept up with all the fights, here's a link to the forum that contains all the contests. And now, for our disclaimer:   WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert!!! WARNING!!!   This blog is based on theories that will include facts and material from the latest books in the series, so if you have not read through Towers of Midnight, continue reading at your own risk! This serves as notice to inform any random passersby or guests who might accidentally be reading this that the blog will soon begin spraying conjecture and hyperphilosophy. Please do not disturb or alarm normal residents of the blog; they have long since developed resistance to the toxic ideas and theories. We hope all enlightened individuals and other patrons who have not been touched by the harmful vapors of this blog yet will soon vacate to avoid being harmed, and dedicate all merits from the Compassionate Mantra to these persons and all other creatures, so that they may be reborn in a land far from this blog's deadly reach.   I decided to be a little ambitious this month and make February "Darkfriend Appreciation Month" (in addition to it being National Black History Month, Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month, Exotic Vegetable and Starfruit Month, as well as Pull Your Sofa off the Wall Month). Every week we shall cover a different notable Darkfriend from the series, discussing their impact on the storyline, their relationship to various theories, and other things relative to each one. This week, I am excited to say that we shall open up the month by examining none other than Padan Fain himself, everyone's favorite deranged dagger-wielding fiend.   Unfortunately, Padan Fain recently met his end in our Cage Match contest against a worthy opponent in al'Lan Mandragoran himself (I even got the privilege to write the scene for that fight!). I noticed some took this fairly hard, so it was obvious that not only is Fain somewhat of a fan favorite when it comes to characters devoted to the Shadow, but his powers and abilities have helped him gain a large amount of respect and appreciation from the fandom of The Wheel of Time. Luckily, he has not met his end yet in the books, and will most assuredly play a large role in the last book of the series.   It would be somewhat foolish to discuss Fain without first covering what made him into the creature he is now, because his history intertwines him with other major characters in the book. Padan Fain was first introduced to us as a peddler who visited the Two Rivers somewhat regularly, but it didn't take long before it was revealed that he had been a Darkfriend for over 40 years. After Rand, Mat, and Perrin leave and start their adventure, Ba'alzamon captures Fain and "distills" him, somehow granting Fain the ability to track down the three ta'veren. His bond to them forced him to follow them into Shadar Logoth, where he encountered the ages-old entity known as Mordeth, and instead of possessing Fain's body completely like Mordeth had long dreamed of doing to escape and infect the world with its evil, it merged with Fain, creating a new, more powerful adversary for our heroes.   The merging helped instantly grant Fain some remarkable attributes, like the ability to not only resist a Myrddraal's fear-inducing gaze but to also be able to make them cower before him like a child would to a bully. Incidentally, Fain won his matchup in our Cage Match fights when he went up against Shaidar Haran, who is a kind of super-Myrddraal himself, and I honestly wouldn't be surprised at all if the two were to actually meet and have a similar outcome in the last book. Other powers and abilities have also emerged throughout the series, helping Fain to evolve into one of the most dangerous foes for Rand to have to deal with.   I first wanted to share a concept that was brought before me by someone who reads my blog (which I'm sure he does as some sort of self-mortification for past deeds) and has occasionally shared his perspective on key issues and theories regarding this series. His idea is that Rand and company will not just defeat, but also destroy the Dark One. Fain will somehow be bottled up inside the sealed Bore, and will turn into a "young" Dark One, presumably to resurface again in future turnings of the Wheel. While I found this idea very intriguing, I initially was somewhat resistant to it because I had always believed that the Dark One was somewhat of an equal to the Creator and could never be destroyed, only simply contained. After all, if the Creator himself (or herself) wasn't able to destroy him, how would anyone be able to?   After looking through some passages, however (with the help of my remarkably resourceful research assistant), I found that there could be some subtle foreshadowing of this type of event. When Fain is imprisoned in Fal Dara and Rand and Egwene visit him in his cell, he taunts Rand with a rhyme:     I even got the title of my blog from this fun little rhyming quote. It seems to hint that Fain also wants to and will break the Wheel of Time and the Pattern (all shall be free), yet also believes he will never die. This might simply seem to be the musings of a madman, but then we have another quote:     Will Fain's hatred for Rand grow so much that he ends up taking Shai'tan's place and battles his own millenia-long struggle to make the world pay? An interesting possibility, to say the least.   I actually think Fain will end up playing a different role in the Last Battle, however, and one that surprisingly might benefit the forces of Light. I won't be the first one to notice that there are some odd similiarities between Fain and another gaunt, villainous character from another famous epic fantasy series you may have heard of, The Lord of the Rings. Who am I speaking of? Why, Gollum, of course. Both characters went through some unspeakable torture and transformation at the hands of evil forces, and both have a knack for being able to follow the heroes around wherever they go (if only Rand could find some elven rope, maybe then he could try to tame ol' Fain like a good Smeagol). Fain even seems to have a similar appearance in a way.     So, what could fate have in store for Fain, if he is somewhat of a mirror of Gollum's role in The Lord of the Rings? Unfortunately, he won't be able to clutch the Dark One to him and fall cackling into a lava pit, so that option is gone. He could perform some other act, though, which he might intend to do as an evil act, but which might end up serving the Light in the end. He could be the one who spills Rand's blood on the rocks of Shayol Ghul, an event that is exalted in both the prophecies of the Light AND of the Shadow (an oddity I will eventually cover when I discuss the "Blood on the Rocks" topic more in depth). Fain also holds a serious grudge against the Shadow for turning him into what he was, in addition to the Shadow-fighting evil of Mashadar. He even seems to share Rand's ability of identifying Darkfriends:     Another character parallel for Padan Fain is Mordred from the story of King Arthur. Fans of this series have probably noted many similarities and parallels to the Arthurian Legend, most notably Rand's role in the books as the Fisher King (click here for a great article from Linda at the 13th Depository on the Rand/Fisher King relationship). Several things link Fain and Mordred; Fain's soul merged with Mordeth, which is obviously very similar to Mordred, both seem to have nearly unmatched ability even though they don't really achieve what they want, both have a connection to their nemesis (Mordred was Arthur's son, Fain went mad from the process that made him Rand's hunter). And out of all of the villains and even allies that might end up taking Rand out, Fain seems both best equipped and unequal in his desire to be the one to kill Rand (Lanfear/Cyndane is definitely up there in her hatred of Rand, but there's just enough reasonable doubt to give Fain the edge here).   There are many ways in which Fain killing Rand could possibly end up being a good thing, which would definitely entrench Fain's "Gollumness" in the series. Dark Rand 2.0 could be terrorizing the countryside and Fain could dispatch him, not knowing of the difference in his alignment. It would help satisfy prophecy, which could enable other things which have yet to happen to unfold. Then there's that whole Blood on the Rocks thing that we are still unsure of. Either way, I'm looking out for Fain to possibly have a redeeming moment before the last book ends. After all, Egwene herself wonders in the first book if the "No man can stand in the Shadow so long..." quote could apply to Fain, and even though Moiraine is somewhat hesitant, it is definitely a possibility.   The last facet of Fain's character that I wanted to explore has to do with a symbolism that is inherent in Robert Jordan's writing. Padan Fain, or even Mordeth or Mashadar, seems to be absent from all prophecies. Egwene or any of the other characters who can Dream never catch a glimpse of him. Even Min, whose ability lets her see auras around anyone who impacts the Pattern significantly, comes up short.     Robert Jordan commented on Fain's unusual nature a couple of times, giving us more hints as to his role in the series:     Jordan also remarked in another Q&A session that Fain was his wild card, a character that existed outside the structure of the Pattern and could act unpredictably. In playing cards, the "wild card" is usually the Joker, which draws its roots from a Tarot card called the Fool. The Fool is a part of the Major Arcana of the Tarot deck, but it is unique in that all of the other cards in the Major Arcana come with a number assigned to them, but the Fool was always either unnumbered or number zero. There is another article at the 13th Depository that goes much deeper into this subject, and I definitely recommend reading it. Basically, the Fool card can be said to represent the Unknown. That which cannot be easily categorized or even defined. The supernatural, or perhaps even past it. It could even be said that it represents infinity, or even a singularity.   The point is that Fain doesn't have to play by the rules set forth by the Pattern. His transformation could be said to be a cosmic accident, and yet most philosophers would point out that accidents are never as random as we think them to be. Another friend and reader (and mentor) of mine put forth another idea to me recently, that Rand ultimately will end the cyclical nature of his world and have reality continue in a linear time model using the Horn of Valere. Some time ago, I wrote one of my favorite blogs, which covered the topic of eternal return and the cyclical nature of the Wheel of Time (click here to read that entry), and pointed out that cyclical time didn't have to be viewed as such a horrid concept. However, if something were to happen that broke Rand's world out of its cyclical time model, I'm not sure if the Horn of Valere would be necessary--but I'm almost positive Fain would have to be involved.   Well, that's it for this week. I hope everyone enjoyed this week's read. Of course, as always, let me know what you think in the comments. Next week, we'll be covering another favorite character of mine: Slayer! Also, as you can see, I pay close attention to any thoughts, ideas, or theories sent to me from anyone else, so if you have some thoughts about anything in the series and you would like someone to discuss them with, please shoot me a pm or email me at hazelkrs110@hotmail.com. I don't check my email that often, to be honest (or my pm box for that matter), but I promise to read and respond to anything you send. Till next time!

It's the final countdown! Our Wheel of Time cage matches come to an exciting conclusion this week. Don't miss this spectacular event!   Many of you have probably taken an online Ajah test, just for kicks. One of our posters from the General Discussion forum made the most thorough Ajah test I've encountered so far. Come check it out.   The Band of the Red Hand Social Group chose Love Songs as their music theme for February. Keep an eye on the thread I linked above for more details on this month's events.   The Gray Ajah from the White Tower & Warders Social Group wants you to celebrate Valentine's Day with them. Look here for a guide to the week's events.   One of our role players has been trying on different personalities in a diverse array of character portrayals. You can read this interesting twist on traditional role playing here.   If you haven't been to our Twitter account recently, you may be missing out on free goodies! We've been advertising a lot of giveaways lately.   That's it for now! Dwynwen out.

Welcome to Week 5, the final week of our Wheel of Time Cage Matches!   For those of you who are dying to know who the winners were for last week, here they are:   1.) Moridin vs. Nynaeve (Winner = Moridin) 2.) Mat vs. Lan (Winner = Mat)   We are now down to our last two fighters--one channeler and one non-channeler going up against each other:   Mat vs. Moridin   We also have a Consolation Match featuring two characters who were not in the original matches, for the sake of sheer hilarity:   Narg vs. Bela   Please head to this forum in order to participate. You will need to register for our forums in order to post and vote. Votes posted in the comments section of the front page or anywhere other than the appointed thread polls will not count! Also, please read this before posting in the other threads. That thread has a lot of information in it, including our tournament schedule.   Who will win? Will it be handsome Mat or hideous Moridin? Will the consolation prize be taken by the enigmatic equine or the terrifying Trolloc? You decide!

It's Wednesday, which means Tor.com has a treat for us. As I mentioned last week, during the weeks between Brandon Sanderson's "musings" on each Wheel of Time book, Tor.com will post eBook art wallpaper for each of the books.   This week, the featured eBook wallpaper is for The Eye of the World. The artwork is by David Grove. Here is the image:     What do you think of the art?

We have just two weeks left of our cage matches. The fights have been getting more intense, and this week is certainly no exception. Who do you think the winners will be? Make sure to let your voice be heard by voting in the relevant polls.   The denizens of our General Wheel of Time Discussion forum are in a playful mood this week. They want to hear your thoughts on what self-help books written by the Forsaken might look like. I had a ball just reading this thread. Would you actually buy any of the self-help books listed in the thread? I think I'd buy Lanfear's guide to catching and keeping a man.   Some people from our TV Show and Sports Discussion forum have been placing bets on NFL games. The Super Bowl was yesterday, so head to the thread I just linked to discuss it. Did you correctly predict who won?   Purity is this month's theme for the Artists, Crafters, and Writers Guild's monthly challenge. Since this is a common theme in art, I'm hoping that many of you will take this challenge.   The Aiel Social Group will be hosting a Spears and Hearts Week from February 7th through 14th. Love and romance will be in the air, and you can participate in games, poems, and even a dance. Everyone is welcome to come play!   The Kin Social Group has plenty of activities planned to celebrate February, including a Valentine cards exchange. Keep an eye on this thread throughout the month for updates.   What happens when a fine warrior agrees to teach sword fighting to a merchant's clumsy son? Find out in the role play Of Swords and Sons.   Would you like to see goofy pictures of Brandon Sanderson from his recent Taiwan trip? If so, they can be found on this Facebook page.   That's all for this week!

Welcome to Week 4 of our Wheel of Time Cage Matches!   For those of you who are dying to know who the winners were for last week, here they are:   1.) Nynaeve vs. Lanfear (Winner = Nynaeve) 2.) Moridin vs. Logain (Winner = Moridin) 3.) Padan Fain vs. Lan (Winner = Lan) 4.) Mat vs. Birgitte (Winner = Mat)   We are now down to four fighters: two channelers and two non-channelers. Our first match for this week is in the channeler bracket, and our second match is in the non-channeler bracket:   1.) Moridin vs. Nynaeve 2.) Mat vs. Lan   Please head to this forum in order to participate. You will need to register for our forums in order to post and vote. Votes posted in the comments section of the front page or anywhere other than the appointed thread polls will not count! Also, please read this before posting in the other threads. That thread has a lot of information in it, including our tournament schedule.   Who will win? Who will have made it this far only to fail spectacularly? You decide!

Starting today, Tor.com will be posting exciting new tidbits for fans to enjoy on Wednesdays.   The first type of content to which they will be treating us involves none other than Brandon Sanderson. Sanderson will be posting informal "musings" on every Wheel of Time book. You can read his first entry, which is on The Eye of the World, here. The plan is to have Sanderson post one of these every other week, but given his understandably busy schedule, this plan is not set in stone.   During the weeks between the "musings," Tor.com will post eBook art wallpaper for each of the Wheel of Time books. They will feature The Eye of the World next Wednesday.

Tor Books announced today that From the Two Rivers, the first half of the first Wheel of Time novel, is available immediately in eBook edition for $0.99. This price promotion will last until the release of A Memory of Light, sometime later this year. (Read our speculation on the AMOL release date.)   Originally released in this form in 2002, From the Two Rivers is an illustrated edition of The Eye of the World up until Shadar Logoth.   The $0.99 ebook edition is clearly geared towards encouraging new readers, as well as giving old fans a launch point for a re-read. From the Two Rivers contains an additional prologue, written by Robert Jordan, called "Ravens". It focuses on a 9-year-old Egwene and foreshadows much of her future personality.   Buy it Now: Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble Nook | iTunes (iPad)

Yes, as I've been wont to do at the start of my roundups lately, I am going to point you towards our Wheel of Time cage matches. This is the biggest event we have had in a long time, so don't miss it!   Egwene is not in our cage matches this year, but that doesn't mean we aren't fond of talking about her. This thread is part of the Structured Wheel of Time Discussion forum, so be sure to read this before posting.   If the Aiel had pets, what would they be? The Aiel Social Group would like to hear your thoughts on this interesting question. I've certainly never thought about this before.   The Black Tower Social Group is hosting a Wheel of Time Trivial Pursuit Game. Sign-ups are in this thread. Even if you do not play, this looks like it will be fun to watch.   The Shayol Ghul Social Group is putting together an elite team of thirteen people to help make their group a better place. Visit the thread I linked above to see how you can apply for the team.   The Green Ajah from our White Tower Role Playing Group is going on a field trip! See what adventures befall them in All the Right Moves.   Finally, as always, keep an eye on our Twitter and Facebook accounts for links to more interesting things.

Welcome to Week 3 of our Wheel of Time Cage Matches!   For those of you who are dying to know who the winners were for last week, here they are:   1.) Birgitte vs. Min (Winner = Birgitte) 2.) Lan vs. Thom (Winner = Lan) 3.) Padan Fain vs. Shaidar Haran (Winner = Padan Fain) 4.) Selucia vs. Mat (Winner = Mat)   We are now down to eight fighters: four channelers and four non-channelers. Our first two matches for this week are in the channeler bracket, and our last two are in the non-channeler bracket:   1.) Nynaeve vs. Lanfear 2.) Moridin vs. Logain 3.) Padan Fain vs. Lan 4.) Mat vs. Birgitte   Please head to this forum in order to participate. You will need to register for our forums in order to post and vote. Votes posted in the comments section of the front page or anywhere other than the appointed thread polls will not count! Also, please read this before posting in the other threads. That thread has a lot of information in it, including our tournament schedule.   Who will win? Who will end in glory, and who will end up gory? You decide!