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Re: Is there anyone who *doesn't* think Galad can channel? DomA Send a noteboard - 05/06/2010 11:05:50 PM
Or maybe not even that. The Pattern could simply have introduced a mutation into Rand's genetic code to allow him to channel because it needed him to do so. His biological parents need not have had the genes to handle to OP at all. Yes, that would be a remarkable coincidence, but since we're dealing with fantasy, it's a possibilty that shouldn't necessarily be discounted.


Yes, but that's also very unlikely as this isn't the working of the Wheel as depicted in the series (nor as Jordan implied it works), and Jordan was the sort of worldbuilder who felt he needed strict rules for pretty much everything (Brandon is the same, he loves the challenge of making up a lot of rules and then force himself to stick to them. He finds his creativity is motivated by this, as he's forced to find ways to make happen what he'd like to happen in the story). So, the Wheel weaves toward certain things, make different threads cross one another to achieve what it needs, over many generations. It introduces macro "rules" rather than micro manage things through "miracles". It can't twist things so Rand becomes simply invulnerable to the True Power etc. It won't create Heroes, it chooses to make heroes out of worthy souls, with characteristics it can used. Or, for example Min isn't unique, the Wheel has rather re introduced the possibility the Talent, and wove things so Min has it. It's the same for Perrin. The Wheel has not magically made him a wolfbrother, it re introduced the Talent into humanity and wove the Pattern so Perrin has whatever it takes to become one.

It did not choose Tam al'Thor and the Two Rivers at random (that he would raise among "the old blood" has been prophecized millenia ago), the whole ancestry of Rand, Mat and Perrin has been many generations in preparation. You might even say that the History of the area has been shaped so the old blood remained true there, in preparation for the last battle and Rand, Perrin, Mat, Egwene, Nynaeve etc.

That's why we can pretty much assume that Rand's genetic baggage has been shaped through many generations, rather than introduced "magically" by the Wheel when Rand was ready to be conceived.

Jordan has explained channellling is a combination of characteristics of the soul and genetics (he even decided what sort of genes were required). It's part of his "rules", so it's pretty safe to assume the channelling abilities of the characters all stick to these rules.

Years ago, someone with some knowledge of genetics has calculated probabilities for the characters we know the ancestry of. IIRC, Galad was an unknown, because of Morgase (who could learn) and Tigraine (who couldn't), which left us in the dark about Taringail's genetics. Some have speculated Jordan made Moiraine the half-sister of Taringail instead of his sister on purpose top stick to his rules, so the Taringail-Morgase union produced channellers who can learn, Janduin-Tigraine produced a powerful sparker, but Taringail-Tigraine produced a non-channeller, because he didn't want Galad to have the ability.

I'll be very surprised if it's revealed Galad can learn, as surprised as I would that Gawyn can't learn (though I'm not convinced this will be used in the series. Maybe... if he's to marry Egwene, she might ask him if he would be tested and agree to learn if he has the ability. There's not much point in going through all the various pains of a channeller/non-channeler marriage, watching him grow old and weak while herself stays in her prime, and for him to watch himself diminish physically and mentally and feel more and more inadequate for her as he grows old, if he can live as long as Egwene. There's not much point for Egwene either to hesitate to have children - as virtually all AS do, fearing the pains of having to watch them die, then her grandchildren, and her grandgrandchildren etc. if marrying Gawyn has 100% chances of producing children with the ability. So I think before the end, if the relationship goes on, when it's widely known saidin is cleansed, and especially in the case that male channellers reunite with their sisters, Gawyn might end up asking to be tested.)

I don't really see the point/interest of making Galad a channeller, however. That's pretty much a non-issue with him. He's a WC, but he doesn't hate or fear channellers. He doesn't want to have no purpose in life, so if he had the ability, he'd insist on learning in order to serve with his skills. Gawyn, it's less certain. I don't think it would be as easy/automatic for him to cope with the fact he has the ability.
This message last edited by DomA on 05/06/2010 at 11:09:13 PM
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Is there anyone who *doesn't* think Galad can channel? - 05/06/2010 02:36:20 AM 1589 Views
Re: Is there anyone who *doesn't* think Galad can channel? - 05/06/2010 03:17:56 AM 923 Views
He cannot. This passage is similar to one in New Spring - 05/06/2010 03:36:19 AM 715 Views
As he has not been tested, we don't know either way *NM* - 05/06/2010 04:37:49 AM 346 Views
Re: He cannot. This passage is similar to one in New Spring - 05/06/2010 11:27:35 PM 661 Views
Elayne had the Spark actually - 06/06/2010 03:32:05 AM 610 Views
Re: Is there anyone who *doesn't* think Galad can channel? - 05/06/2010 05:45:49 AM 652 Views
Re: Is there anyone who *doesn't* think Galad can channel? - 05/06/2010 11:05:50 PM 702 Views
The Flame... - 05/06/2010 03:45:18 AM 640 Views
I would be a little surprised if he could. - 05/06/2010 06:51:02 AM 562 Views
uh, me. and thousands of others. it's called the void, which tam can do. *NM* - 05/06/2010 07:09:52 AM 303 Views
Wait?? Tam must have some channeling genes since Rand is his son.... *NM* - 05/06/2010 06:21:40 PM 304 Views
you're kidding right? *NM* - 05/06/2010 06:30:54 PM 298 Views
wow *NM* - 05/06/2010 08:39:39 PM 294 Views
I'll be the one to actually say it... - 06/06/2010 12:43:30 AM 631 Views
On the fence - 05/06/2010 12:44:45 PM 665 Views
Re: On the fence - 05/06/2010 11:22:52 PM 615 Views
Re: On the fence - 06/06/2010 03:27:06 AM 592 Views
Re: On the fence - 06/06/2010 02:22:35 AM 634 Views
Re: On the fence - 06/06/2010 03:27:54 AM 492 Views
They still see channelers as Dark Friends. - 10/06/2010 03:51:44 PM 673 Views
More likely they'd do what the Seanchan would when/if Tuon Channels - 13/06/2010 12:21:12 PM 676 Views
As you pointed out - 13/06/2010 02:08:34 PM 675 Views
Only for the short term - 13/06/2010 02:48:54 PM 683 Views
Perhaps. Perhaps not. Nothing is completely static. - 13/06/2010 05:41:59 PM 803 Views
right, cause in a few months they are going to change more tahn 1000 years of doctrine *NM* - 13/06/2010 10:32:56 PM 362 Views
Yes. Exactly. In three days two Aiel clans ended a blood feud. - 14/06/2010 03:14:42 AM 803 Views
None of these situations is really the same - 14/06/2010 03:18:59 PM 710 Views
Re: None of these situations is really the same - 14/06/2010 03:38:42 PM 668 Views
I think you are overstating the situations below - 14/06/2010 06:02:12 PM 644 Views
Nonesense. The Sul'Dam hadn't started channeling. - 14/06/2010 07:26:12 PM 738 Views
The sul'dam who have realized what they are know it's just a matter of time - 14/06/2010 07:50:52 PM 765 Views
As sul'Dam they need to be taught to channel. - 14/06/2010 10:38:33 PM 636 Views
Actually women soldiers are NOT common in WoT - 23/06/2010 07:50:13 AM 888 Views
They are common enough in Seanchan and with the Aiel though - 27/06/2010 03:47:18 PM 596 Views
I'm inclined to say no - 06/06/2010 07:48:11 AM 761 Views
I don't. - 09/06/2010 03:28:30 PM 718 Views
As others said, there is no real reason to believe that. *NM* - 09/06/2010 03:44:00 PM 367 Views
me *NM* - 09/06/2010 11:25:14 PM 385 Views

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