Personally, when I read that I just thought that it meant that Hawking was sensing that the pattern required Rand to declare himself the Dragon Reborn.

I thought of it as just a one time occurence that Hawking was sensing at that moment. Not that the banner has to be there every time, but that the pattern required it this time only.

It transforms a few others too.

Rand = Richard Rahl

Amrylin = Mother Confessor

Tam = Kahlan Amnell

Is there a prophecy related to Rand using Callandor in the LB?

I was thinking that Narishma would be the one to use callandor with two female channelers and that this would fit with the "who draws it out shall follow after" prophecy.

@Aquarius,

Thanks for the quote. It just struck me as something out of the ordinary, especially knowing that he loses his hand. RJ always seems to slip something in there when you aren't looking.

Not sure if it means anything though.

cheers

Here's one...

in aCoS CH41, when Rand makes a gateway and has a thought about Dashiva losing a hand... there is a line in the book here that says something about 'something red and jagged spiderwebbed across the void' (i'm paraphrasing).

What?

is this foreshadowing to him losing a hand and the irony is the red spiderweb? or is dashiva up to something? this one confused me to no end.

Also, on the next page there is a similar description used. I think that it was for the blue lightning dashiva weaves over illian... ?

I read this chapter last night and I can't remember the specifics.

has this been discussed?

Alright, this may be a bit confusing. And I aplogize if this has already been covered in an older topic, but...  I had a thought, could the reason Rand was able to channel the True Power when he was wearing the Domination Band be because of his link to Moridin?  The reason I thought of this is I still have a hard time believing that the Dark One simply gave him [Rand] permission to channel the True Power without him even asking for the permission in the first place.

 

Any thoughts on this idea? ???

This has been discussed somwhere else, i can't recall where though.

I think the consensus is that the DO used Semi as bait to entice Rand to use the TP. She put him in a situation where his only hope was to reach out to the DO and his TP.

I think the DO wants this because it gives him a connection to Rand, or maybe there are other effects of the TP that we don't know about. We know it's extremely addictive and dangerous, but we don't know what happens to someone who walks in the Light when they touch the TP. Does it begin to corrupt them like Shadar Logoth objects?

I'm sure we will find out just how much the DO can influence Rand in the next books. He's going to have to come to terms with using the TP.

How do the wise ones choose who leads? is it just whoever is the best leader or is there something else going on?

Egwene mentions in aCoS that she hasn't figured out how they do it... but Egwene and all AS seem so blind sometimes that maybe choosing a leader based on her leadership qualities is so confusing for them they can't figure it out.

 

Obviously the wise ones don't choose based on ability in the one power.... any thoughts? has this been figured out already?

The honor that only the years can bring. If I remember correctly.

maybe that's it.

I think it's in book 4 or 5 where Amys and Bair (i think it's these two) are kind of jockeying for position, and there is a scene where they go off together for a while and when they come back Bair does all the talking but later it comes out that Amys is the leader.

So maybe when there are two wise ones that are close in honor or age/wisdom they come to a personal agreement as to who leads.

How do the wise ones choose who leads? is it just whoever is the best leader or is there something else going on?

Egwene mentions in aCoS that she hasn't figured out how they do it... but Egwene and all AS seem so blind sometimes that maybe choosing a leader based on her leadership qualities is so confusing for them they can't figure it out.

Obviously the wise ones don't choose based on ability in the one power.... any thoughts? has this been figured out already?

 

Oh I hated her guts when we got to see her in TDR. Not so much in TSR, and for some reason I don't care about her pursuing Perrin, though now that you mention it I guess that's a bit morally questionable. Probably because I don't care for Faile one bit.

Hands down, though, now that you know her, who's the better person?

Oh, yeah, Aviendha would slit her throat in a second. The way she was ready to off Min when she first heard of her, she cracks me up.

Berelain i liked from the beginning, Faile i like now after reading the last book. She redeemed herself a lot in my opinion by killing Masema (although i still would have liked Rand to do it himself).

What does everyone here think about the Berelain/Rhuarc relationship? just father/daughter or is there something else? He seems to treat her like a daughter, but I don't see why he would. I don't remember if that weirdness is ever explained... i certainly didn't get it.

But it usually takes me a few re-reads to catch on to these things.

I also have been wondering about egwene's headaches starting before she even goes to salidar, and before Halima and her meet... Maybe it's nothing, but I am currently reading the series again and it caught my attention.

One thing that has always confused me (or maybe it's just that it annoys me so much) is the Faile/Perrin relationship.

Lots of people throughout the series who meet Faile seem to think that Perrin has no idea what he's got himself into. Is that just because Faile (or all Saldean women) wants her husband to stand up to her, yell at her and hit her back every once in a while? or is there more to it?

And what is berelain up to? why would she go after perrin, who is married and is obviously not interested in her. just to annoy Faile...??

man that whole plotline really drives me up the wall everytime i read it.

No, it was like this:

Graendal's face contorted, and Rahvin prepared to shield himself against whatever the two women might hurl at one another, prepared to Travel at even a whiff of balefire. Then he sensed Sammael gathering the Power, sensed a difference in it-Sammael would call it seizing a tactical advantage-and bent to grab the other man's arm. Sammael shook him off angrily, but the moment had passed. The two women were looking at them now, not each other. Neither could know what had almost happened, but clearly something had passed between Rahvin and Sammael, and suspicion lit their eyes.

Sammael intended to use the friction between the two ladies to get ahead, possibly to rid himself of them. Rahvin didn't want part of this, and in conveying his feelings to Sammael he tipped off the girls.

I see what you mean now. I put too much thought into the 'arm-grabbing' thing. It makes sense that Rahvin would just be grabbing Sammael to get his attention or to stop him from doing something rash.

I have a question that I am unsure of.

I think it happens in the prologue for The Fires of Heaven.

At one point Rahvin seems to reach or touch sammael, almost as if they are about to link. I think there is a reference to sammael recoiling or glaring over "something they almost did". They do this after Rahvin senses a threat from either Lanfear or Graendal.

Now, I thought that male channelers cannot link because they need a woman.

So either they CAN link, or my question is what are they up to?

Sorry i can't quote directly, i don't have the books handy.

Hopefully someone remembers what i'm talking about.

At one point i thought this might be the "big unnoticed thing in books 4-6", but i don't recall any other mention in later books.

thanks