So you're saying he didn't have a choice? In that case, that goes for virtually all the actions all the characters take. Going to Rhuidean doesn't mean he has to go in the doorway. Yes, we should be glad he did in the end - we should also be glad the women used the bowl, even though that causes problems for a time, or that Egwene became Amyrlin, all things considered, and decided to take the Tower. Elaida was dangerous and would pose problems for Rand and the last battle. 

My main issue with Mat is his annoying over-protectiveness, he is like my nightmare of an overprotective brother. Nynaeve handled a forsaken in her FIRST meeting with one and yet he seems to think she is helpless like a babe. And he evaluates the looks of all women, it's literally the first thing he does. He doesn't do that with the men. Yes, you can feel that is irrational, but it makes me angry. I hate men who try to flirt with all women and act like all of them are a potential sex partner, the first time they see them. Women are human beings, not just bedmates.

That being said, as I mentioned, I DON'T hate Mat. He has a good heart, which mostly makes up for all his flaws - he is not as cynical as many of the other main characters and never forgets where he comes from. And that whole thing with Tylin, and how little support he got from the others about it, was heartbreaking. So it is impossible to hate him, but he does annoy me on very many levels. To me, he symbolizes the male ego, in many ways. :P 

 

Egwene manipulates anyone and everyone. That is sort of her role for a lot of the mid to late series. And something that makes me dislike her, even though it is understandable.

 

The point is still that Mat is a lazy fool and yet simultaneously an unnecessary risk taker, who complains a lot. But he manages to appear likeable a lot of the time even so. The funny thing is, everyone sees it. And might that way also goad him a bit. But for example, before the escape from Ebou Dar, Thom says Mat, who lectures them about acting reckless, will be the one to do something rash and stupid and grand. He is right. Thom usually is. Mat should listen more to him (and anyone else, really).

 

List the reckless or unnecessary risks that Mat took.

 

It is hard to remember the specific circumstances without going back and rereading, but just from the top of my head, I remember: 1. Entering/conquering Tear 2. The whole Caemlyn/fireworks' guild thing 3. Escaping Ebou Dar 4. Chasing down the girls in Ebou Dar (and Tanchico? Can't really remember anymore what happened there, maybe I am mixing it up with a different situation) 5. Entering the ter'angreal in Rhuidean 6. Never really thinking through what he says, which leads to him babbling off to Seanchans and others while drunk 7. Basically anything else that doesn't involve direct battle or planning battle after the incident in pt 5. 7. Not realizing he should mainly leave meddling to Thom etc., he seems to be completely blind for the non-battle related skills of people around him, such as Thom when it comes to politics / reading currents and people and the women when it comes to doing magic and what that makes them capable of. 8. Taking the knife in Shadar Logoth despite all the warnings. He acted generally reckless in there.

Egwene manipulates anyone and everyone. That is sort of her role for a lot of the mid to late series. And something that makes me dislike her, even though it is understandable.

The point is still that Mat is a lazy fool and yet simultaneously an unnecessary risk taker, who complains a lot. But he manages to appear likeable a lot of the time even so. The funny thing is, everyone sees it. And might that way also goad him a bit. But for example, before the escape from Ebou Dar, Thom says Mat, who lectures them about acting reckless, will be the one to do something rash and stupid and grand. He is right. Thom usually is. Mat should listen more to him (and anyone else, really).

Can't decide. A favourite character is not necessarily someone you love, just a good character. I think a lot of the WoT characters are somewhat stereotypical, but then there's something about all of them which makes them more complex and deeper than what it seems like at first glance.

I really like Nynaeve - she can very annoying at times, but her flaws (incredible stubborness, reluctance to admit she is not always right, vulnerability she tries to make up for by playing tough) are what makes her interesting. And relatable, IMO. So I might go for her - but I also really like Aviendha and Min. Elayne sometimes irks me, although I realize she, like Rand, is trying to fulfil her duty and act the way she believes she is expected to. And I have to say, I respect Egwene even though you cannot always like the way she manipulates people or some of the choices she makes as Amyrlin. But she is not afraid to do what she thinks is best, and to face the consequences if she fails. She is not a coward or tries to justify her mistakes, like Nynaeve and Elayne often do. So, I can't help but respect and command Egwene regardless of the things that make her less than my favourite.

When it comes to the men, I think I would have to say Lan or Thom. They are also older than most of the characters, so they have experienced more stuff, I suppose. Which is one of the reasons. Of the main male trio, I think I like Rand - much for the same reasons as I like Nynaeve. He is a very flawed, stubborn and sometimes foolish character - but it is impossible to truly dislike him. He does what he believes he has to do for the world, he does not always make the right choices in the readers' eyes, but he really changes throughout the series and that change is also something which makes him interesting. Mat is probably my least favourite of the three (actually, of all the five original main characters - Perrin, Rand, Mat, Egwene and Nynaeve). 

Well, exactly. They used his stubbornness against him. They didn't really want him to come with them to Ebou Dar, but figured since he would come with them, they might aswell try to use him. Which is a sort of manipulation, definitely, but I still don't agree they manipulated him to get him to come to Ebou Dar. 

Mat and Rand both think they can make decisions for others, and they see everything else as virtually a delay/distraction. They can be really without respect. They were both convinced Egwene was just too stupid to realise she wasnt the "real" Amyrlin, for example. In some ways they are almost as bad ad Cadsuane when it comes to expecting everyone to do whatever they think they should do, and not respecting that people have other plans. And at least Cadsuane is somewhat of a badass, even though she can be really unlikeable. (She and Rand are similiar in some ways.)

Mat's complaining gets on my nerves because he seems to believe himself and his missions are the only important things in the world. And I guess I also sort of dislike him because he is exactly the sort of guy I dislike in the real world, who is unable to see women as anything else than either a potential bedmate or someone who needs his help but is too stupid or stubborn to realise it, and who aggrandizes his own importance. He is a self-assigned white knight, although he complains about it, and it irks me. But by all means, he is not the only one in Randland who needs to be taken down a notch.

While Rand is horribly arrogant and often foolish, and Perrin both insecure and sometimes blind, their change in behaviour and the way they develop makes sense, considering the way the story goes. I dont think the same holds for Mat, but I am open for arguments.

I wouldnt say the women manipulated him into going to Ebou Dar, they merely knew he would not give up "taking them" to Caemlyn, and figured it was easiest if he comes along. He is incredible - those women, not even bound by the rod could take out most threats themselves, but he seems to consider them helpless. That way of thinking he is the only capable person is his worst trait IMO, but I guess it does have an appeal to quite a few people ;)

Lord of the Rings came out ages ago, yet the movies were popular when they were released 20 years after the books were published. WoT is a timeless story.

I have higher hopes for a series adaption than a movie. The universe is just too huge. It might even be too big for a show. The WoT world is more immense than the GoT world, even though you don't realize it at first because our characters stay on one continent (at least for a long time). 

I don't hate Mat, but I find him incredibly annoying. Why he is such a fan favourite astonishes me. He believes he is always right, treats women like children (some of the women treat him the same way, for sure), refuses to listen to logic and constantly complains about his duties. Not to mention the whole weird thing with Tuon.

Sure, there is something about him that just makes people like him. But to me, he is the by far most annoying and stupid character. He keeps getting intro trouble and he does not understand what is going on around him half of the time - politics is NOT his strong suite.

I see people go like "he is so nice and awesome and the girls are so mean to him", and I'm like... Are we reading the same books? He takes unneccessary risks, and he does not believe anyone - particularly women, even women who have held their own several times - are capable of managing themselves. He rushes after them in places like Ebou Dar and often makes more trouble than there originally was. He does not respect that they have their own lives to live and their own missions - because in his book, whatever they want to do is unimportant, the only important thing is that he keeps them "safe". Had it been up to him, all the women of the series would be locked up in a room and refused to go out - for their own safety. He des not listen to them, and he is mad when they lie to him - which they have to, to be able to do their thing. Most of the cases of him "saving" them stems from him rushing after them wherever they are, causing someone to notice him / follow him which then in turn gets them all into trouble - and then Mat ends up sorting it out, but it wouldn't happen in the first place if he hadn't been such an overprotective fool.

He is so condescending and incapable of seeing that others do not need his "protection", while at the same time complaining that they aren't grateful enough for what they never asked for. Plus, he has that same stupid block on killing women that Rand has. Which also is extremely condescending, in my book. Like women are children (whom most people would have problems killing).