Since time passes differently in Tel'aran'rhiod, Birgitte did not know how long it had been since Gaidal had been spun out. She says so herself, and doesn't know when she will be spun out though we know it would still have been years until then.
We, who have knowledge of how much time has elapsed in the real world, know that he is not old enough to be Olver. And incidentally, in a conversation with Nynaeve it is established that the expulsion coincides with birth.
We, who have knowledge of how much time has elapsed in the real world, know that he is not old enough to be Olver. And incidentally, in a conversation with Nynaeve it is established that the expulsion coincides with birth.
Indeed on Birgitte's unreliable perception of time while in TAR.
As for the expulsion, Jordan said in a Q&A that souls gets into body at conception, not birth - so Birgitte was wrong about this too (she had to have been purely guessing). Enough time has passed now, Gaidal is a newborn somewhere.
You forgot to mention to Tom your explanation that Olver is too old to be Gaidal, and that Birgitte was wrong about Gaidal possibly being a boy is confirmed by RJ, and that he also said "Gaidal will have to sit out the LB, because he's too young and has been spun out for another, later purpose".
And he also said he did meant Olver to be a red herring (more accurately, I think Jordan rather made this character ugly to add a bit more concrete sadness to Birgitte's situation, the reader wasn't supposed to be deceived by this, only Birgitte.. those who can count anyway), but that he was in the series for more than that.
The personality of Olver doesn't even fit what we know of Gaidal Cain anyway. Olver is a younger Mat and Birgitte. Gaidal Cain, as far as we've seen or heard, is more the Lan or Perrin type.
So...what was this "heartbreaking scene" with Olver in ToM?
- 01/12/2010 04:12:34 AM
2242 Views
His POV almost angered me
- 01/12/2010 04:48:14 AM
1276 Views
olver is upset you feel that way. olver just wants to be able to kill the shaido that took his dad
- 01/12/2010 07:33:43 AM
1185 Views
Just then Shaidar Haran came and cut off Olvers head. 
- 01/12/2010 11:53:59 AM
1072 Views
- 01/12/2010 11:53:59 AM
1072 Views
There's really absolutely no point to his character if he isn't Gaidal Cain.
- 01/12/2010 02:16:26 PM
873 Views
He's EveryCairhienin; prob'ly RJ didn't call him that 'cos it hurts the eye and mouth too much. 
- 01/12/2010 02:50:30 PM
1357 Views
- 01/12/2010 02:50:30 PM
1357 Views
That reply made me wish we had a vomiting smiley. Melodramatic much? *NM*
- 02/12/2010 12:49:03 AM
7693 Views
can do double duty, but they call it "Epic Fantasy" for a reason. 
- 02/12/2010 01:04:42 AM
1069 Views
can do double duty, but they call it "Epic Fantasy" for a reason.
- 02/12/2010 01:04:42 AM
1069 Views
That theory never even made sense.
- 01/12/2010 07:45:49 PM
974 Views
What are you talking about?
- 02/12/2010 12:50:00 AM
865 Views
He's too old
- 02/12/2010 01:47:03 AM
991 Views
No he isn't.
- 02/12/2010 04:57:46 AM
1156 Views
Yes, yes he is.
- 02/12/2010 06:27:25 AM
880 Views
Re: Yes, yes he is.
- 03/12/2010 01:59:00 PM
1394 Views
I can deal with the "spoiled" part (more or less) but it sure doesn't make him sympathetic. *NM*
- 01/12/2010 02:15:04 PM
374 Views
I believe someone posted before, and I do forget who, but I shall paraphrase.
- 01/12/2010 05:44:58 AM
1173 Views
Hehe
- 01/12/2010 01:57:16 PM
1127 Views
I really don't remember that
- 01/12/2010 02:17:52 PM
956 Views
Re: I really don't remember that
- 01/12/2010 02:19:58 PM
1166 Views
Hah, I remember that. He was all "Everyone killed themselves! It's SAD!"
- 01/12/2010 03:08:24 PM
1118 Views
And here it registered so little with me I don't even remember it happening.
- 02/12/2010 12:54:40 AM
923 Views
The "GASP Moment" that produced so much speculation leading up to KoD
- 01/12/2010 03:13:56 PM
2626 Views
I think it was supposed to be heartbreaking that a child was spending his days
- 01/12/2010 05:42:40 PM
1229 Views
no...no I don't forget. I have a good emotional memory and it wasn't THAT long ago...
- 01/12/2010 08:16:17 PM
876 Views
I generally liked ToM, but the Olver PoV did make me cringe a bit. *NM*
- 02/12/2010 02:12:54 PM
474 Views