Oh... she's helping Rand exactly as he wished her to help him... she just doesn't know it...
DomA Send a noteboard - 06/11/2010 05:08:41 AM
Egwene sure seems to be going about "helping" Rand prepare to defeat the DO in a rather round about manner.
Thats one thing I just don't understand. Yes, the plan sounds dangerous, but I can not only understand the reasoning behind getting TG started ASAP, but I agree with Rand 100%. Why let it all drag out? Before Egwene the Terrible stuck her nose into Rand's business, trying to convince the leaders of the world to go against his plan, the world, as we've seen it, is for the most part, as allied and together as its gonna get. So why not get the jump on ol' Darky?
I'm sure I sound like a Dragonsworn now, but I just can't understand her reasoning behind it (without wondering if she wants to just take control of the whole situation and lead everyone to the Final Battle)
I beg to differ. I understand Egwene's reaction, and I'm pretty sure Rand not only does too, but he's been expecting it all along. The question is then: why did Rand felt he really needed to go to Egwene and lay it all out before her? I bet the answer to that question would be surprising, and interesting... but at the moment only Rand knows.
My hunch, though, is that it's a sign of Rand's newfound humility and wisdom that he went warn the woman who could oppose him, and lead the organization which after him (though a massive step down from him now!) has the better chance to come up with good reasons why he shouldn't break the seals.
The thing is, Rand has all LTT's memories, and he is all too aware that in the AOL he blundered, came up with a flawed plan and still really has no idea how he'll seal the Bore better this time. He's making a massive leap of fait to want to break the seal now, when he still hasn't found the solution, but that too is likely the result of his AOL experiences. In the WOS, when faced with the oppositon of Latra Posae to his plan, LTT chose to put it all on the backburner for years. He was forced in the end to return to his plan, almost right before the DO broke free for real and won...
That's something I don't think Rand wants to repeat. This time, he want to strike before the DO is ready. He is a man who's decided to embrace fully his ta'veren nature, and trust the Creator has programmed things so the Wheel will offer him the solution he needs when he needs it.
But Rand is also more humble than Lews Therin. He is all too aware that the last time, Latra Posae came up with all too reasonnable objections to his "great plan", and that it turned out she was right all along and it turned to near disaster. It's a stalemate between those too really: LTT managed to seal the Bore and buy 3000 years to prepare for the next round, but Latra was right that the risks were enormous and the consequences, while not has bad as she feared (it didn't rip the Bore open), were pretty bad. It sounds like LTT and Latra Posae lost much, much precious time fighting over the other's plan (LTT was hardly wrong to have huge misgivings about the making of doomsday devices tlike the Choedan Kal hat had the power to destroy Creation if misused... Destroying the male CK now that it's only real purpose of undoing the deed of a "god" by cleansing saidin was done is one of Rand's great achievements: he's freed the world from the all the dangers this device could bring post TG), precious time they probably should have spent coming up with a better solution together than either LTT's idea that required touching Shai'tan with the OP, or Latra's plan that involved using a massive amount of the OP right around Shai'tan...
So what Rand decided to do is this: he fully disclosed to the Amyrlin Seat what he intends to do, and then refused to argue and left her a month before he would give her the chance to bring her arguments to him. It's up to Egwene and the Aes Sedai to dig and come up with the rational, convincing arguments why Rand shouldn't break the seals at this point, when he doesn't really know how he'll manage to seal the Bore once it's unsealed once more... Egwene has failed so far, rather focussing on finding people she thought could convince Rand, instead of committing all her resources (Brown Ajah etc.) to finding reasons that could convince Rand he's wrong to make this harsh move.
But Rand expects all this. He thinks he's right, he thinks Egwene finding reasons that will convince him otherwise is a long shot, but he's wise enough now to give her the chance nonetheless, because if such reasons exist, perhaps the WT will find them and present it to him in a month.
Beyond that, Rand has masterfully manipulated Egwene (and I notice a lot of people seem to have completely missed that, so busy they are blaming Egwene for her reaction of fear, a reaction that is natural, considering what she knows about the Dragon's previous harsh plan. Not questionning Rand's plan, not opposing it if she feels it's the wrong decision would be totally irresponsible for the Amyrlin Seat.. Preventing a new Breaking is also one of the WT's main missions...).
Who in the Land has the authority and experience to bring all the nations together within a month, if it devoted all its resouces to it? Only the White Tower does. Rand needed someone to bring the whole world together for him in a month's time, all the monarchs, so he could explain his plan, listen to all the objections and make his final decision, and launch the LB, pass his orders to everyone at once etc. Rand didn't have time to bring all the monarchs together, and he had way more important things to do for his available, and limited, resources. LTT was an accomplished politician and leader. He knew if he went and asked Egwene to gather the whole world in a month's time, she's have asked him why, and when he told her it's because he would launch the LB that day, she might have gotten into her head that a way to oppose this was to make sure what he wanted did not happen. Instead LTT/Rand manipulated her and she fell for it hook, line and sinker. Rand probably knows very well what he'll reveal that day to convince everyone he is right, and he wants the WT to see it's down to opposing most of the world and the Dragon, or agree to join the Dragon's plan. In the meantime, he wanted one thing out of the Tower: unite the world and gather the leaders for him, and gather and mobilize all the resources of the WT for TG. By revealing his plan to Egwene for the seals and stirring her anger, he gave her a reason to do just that, without realizing it's what he wanted her to do for him all along. The Aes Sedai are devious and clever, and even sometime wise, but Lews Therin just went and shown he's a full Aes Sedai too, and has a great deal more political experience, and experience in dealing with powerful political opponents, than any living Aes Sedai. He's got the WT to serve his goals, while believing they are running against the clock to oppose him. Very, very clever.
Whatever Egwene thinks she's doing right now, she's serving Rand exactly the way he thought she could best serve him. He knew he had to make her and the WT angry so their emotions would cloud her mind to his manipulation. And it worked, all too well.
At the meeting, expect Rand to be prepared, to demonstrate massive political skills, and to remind the WT of the part the Fateful Concord played in the mess that came out of the end of the War of Shadow. Not only LTT is too blame for failing to find the solution to the problem of the Bore, and for acting with a risky plan when it was too late for any other choice, because of all the delays and dithering and indecision...
It appears hell hath turned a bit chilly today... (spoilers, in case you couldn't figure it out)
05/11/2010 02:31:27 AM
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Re: It appears hell hath turned a bit chilly today... (spoilers, in case you couldn't figure it out)
05/11/2010 03:37:54 AM
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Re: It appears hell hath turned a bit chilly today... (spoilers, in case you couldn't figure it out)
05/11/2010 09:55:15 AM
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Re: It appears hell hath turned a bit chilly today... (spoilers, in case you couldn't figure it out)
05/11/2010 01:51:20 PM
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Good...
05/11/2010 04:15:44 PM
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Re: Good...
05/11/2010 08:07:49 PM
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Re: Good...
05/11/2010 10:48:06 PM
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Hehehe, if Egwene and others were so accepting, how can so many books be written? *NM*
06/11/2010 01:44:15 AM
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Re: Hehehe, if Egwene and others were so accepting, how can so many books be written?
06/11/2010 04:11:41 AM
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Oh... she's helping Rand exactly as he wished her to help him... she just doesn't know it...
06/11/2010 05:08:41 AM
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Re: Oh... she's helping Rand exactly as he wished her to help him... she just doesn't know it...
08/11/2010 05:18:34 AM
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Re: Oh... she's helping Rand exactly as he wished her to help him... she just doesn't know it...
27/11/2010 11:27:57 PM
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