Re: Have to disagree about the Cleansing. - Edit 1
Before modification by RugbyPlayingAshaman at 01/10/2010 10:11:58 PM
The way I read it the various circles strength was QUITE relevant; it allowed them to not only match but defeat multiple Forsaken in battle. No doubt the fact that the most experienced channelers were leading each circle helped, but the reason I think the Forsaken survived is that once they realized they were outmatched they ran. The only who didn't, of course, is also the only one who didn't survive. That the rest aren't all mindtrapped leads me to believe even the DO realizes he demanded the impossible that time.
Demandred was dodging massive attacks when he encountered Damer Flinn's mixed Circle - he felt his defensive weave absorb more energy than it should, and started fighting back.
Graendal encountered a Circle of women, one of whom had an angreal. She walked straight towards them.
Cyndane encountered a woman with a vastly more powerful collection of angreal and ter'angreal. She fought back and held her ground with an impressive seismic tremor to signal that she wasn't afraid of confronting a more powerful channeler.
Aran'gar encountered a mixed Circle with a sa'angreal - he tried to destroy the leader, missed and ended up fighting the survivors after lethally injuring one of the men.
The common theme is that even if the Forsaken didn't destroy all of their opponents, for the most part, they escaped after defeating vastly more powerful enemies. They didn't run away and have their weaves immediately powerless.
Keep this in mind, as well - none of the Forsaken we saw who fought started running as soon as they confronted these opponents. They stood their ground and if anything, the only one that came closest to fleeing was Demandred, and in terms of what we've heard, he should be the one least threatened.
I think Shannows main point is correct; as he says, we've seen that stronger channelers have an innately greater facility with the Power. They'll also be able to practice weaves weaker channelers may be able to form, but can't activate (and suddenly I'm thinking about how Sorilea was able to show Caddy the Traveling weave despite the fact Egwene had only recently rediscovered it, which factors into my "Is Sorilea the Darkfriend, or Bair?" theory. ) So, yeah, it's POSSIBLE a college QB will be more accurate than an NFL QB with a stronger arm, but it's hardly the rule, because the pros stronger arm has given him the chance to throw a lot more passes to a lot better receivers covered by a lot better defenders.
But we've also seen much weaker channelers with Talents, affinities and skills that enable them to compete and exceed what stronger channeler can do in at least their one area of expertise. Keep in mind that any Yellow Ajah Sister can exceed Rands' healing capacity, and we've already met a member of the Kin that can maintain a Shield that can hold a vastly more powerful channeler.
The real analogy would be: A pro NFL QB might have a stronger arm, but it is the person that has a weapon or tool they can use skillfully that will win an actual life or death fight. What use is bragging about how much you can bench press in optimum, controlled conditions when you are on a battlefield where a single piece of shrapnel, no matter how small, can be fatal?