Good catch with the eatly crack in Lan's emotionless facade. I never made those connections. 'Believe I was swept up in their escape and wasn't paying attention. 

There's a much simpler explanation for Byar, I think. He's a religious zealot whose also a sociopath. I always thought he'd become a Questioner at some point. His interactions with Padan Mordeth made him moreso.

Why? 2 reasons come to mind. 1 is indoctrination. The other, specifically as it relates to M & L acting together, carrot and stick.

You, sir, are a comedic genius.

Hiya Mashiara. Hope you're still around. I really enjoy your blogs too, as well as many others on here.

I'm surprised no one else mentioned this. I think you've got Mat a little wrong, like a lot of people I suspect. Mat talks a lot of "smack" but his actions don't always coincide with said smack-talk.

There's a passage late in the series when Amrilyn Egg is considering how Mat will fare as CiC of the Light's combined forces. Egg thinks back to the early, mischievous Mat and remembers Mat running into burning buildings and diving into streams, rivers, and lakes? to save those in distress. That's the real, real Mat.

Maybe RJ was intentionally misleading us?

There is something very interesting in Mat's aversion to the One Power though. Since you've made me think about it, it seems more than just psychosis from bedtime stories or old folk tales heard during childhood. It seems much, much deeper and way more personal. Especially with Mat's reaction when being healed/separated from the dagger in Tar Valon. I don't think King Eamon? would react in that manner. And I don't think that was Mordeth.

Hmmm...