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I didn't say Semirhage is definitely one of the 6, but his answer leaves it as a viable possibility. Shannow Send a noteboard - 26/01/2011 07:36:52 AM
Just a random thought on Sanderson's comment that there are only 6 women stronger than Nynaeve on RJs list ...


Well we have Lanfear, obviously. I always assumed Graendal and Semirhage were stronger than Nynaeve, and Moghedian is equal to her. Not sure about Mesaana. There's Sharina and Alivia. That leaves us with one space.

It seems most likely it's Talaan - she's young, and though she's about equal to Nynaeve at the moment, she's surely got more strength to gain.

If Talaan isn't one of the six, or I've overestimated the strength of one of the forsaken, it's possible you're right. I wish RJ had dropped us a few more hints about Norla. Cadsuane spoke of 'earning' her ornaments, which doesn't sound like it was something that happened overnight. Did Norla imprison her, somehow? Set her tasks? Why? She wouldn't necessarily have had to have been stronger than Cadsuane to do it - just look at that kinswoman who can weave the unbreakable shields.

My own little pet theory, which I admit is extremely unlikely, is that the sixth super-strong female channeler is Sera, one of Tuon's damane. She's mentioned as being 'the strongest', nothing else, and Tuon did have a whole continent of channelers to choose from. But there doesn't seem to be much point to having such a strong channeler and giving her no role.


Lanfear - the strongest woman ever
Cyndane - weaker than Lanfear but stronger than all the other female Forsaken
Alivia - considerably stronger than Nynaeve
Graendal - the 2nd strongest of the original female Forsaken. RJ said Nynaeve at full strength was of average strength for a female Forsaken, which would translate to 2 female Forsaken being stronger than her (Lanfear and Graendal) and two being weaker than her (Mesaana and Moghedien)
Sharina - has a potential higher than Nynaeve's.

That's 5 women. Now we have Semirhage, who Sanderson said was very close to Nynaeve, but he was "pretty sure" that Nynaeve was slightly the stronger of the two.

I still maintain that Sanderson's uncertainty in this regard is extremely suspicious, and speaks more towards his personal DESIRE for Nynaeve to be stronger than Semirhage than it actually being a fact. If he knew who the 6 women stronger than Nynaeve are, then he should be able to definitely state that either Semirhage is stronger or weaker than Nynaeve. He wouldn't have to say he is "pretty sure" that Semirhage is slightly weaker.

Yes or no would be the categorical answer.

Therefore, it might well be that all the speculation on the identity of the sixth woman is unnecessary, and that Semirhage is in fact this woman.



Just as Talaan is ... Sanderson would have been just as certain if Semirhage was Stronger than Nynaeve as he should have been certain she was weaker. Additionally he seemed very certain of the 6 women who do stand above Nynaeve so it seems even less likely that Semirhage would actually be stronger.


Sanderson wasn't sure of the identities of the 6 above Nynaeve at all. He wasn't sure about Semirhage, and he didn't have a clue what Cyndane's new strength level was. This indicates that while he knew the NUMBER of women above Nynaeve was 6, he didn't know their identities at the time he was sharing this info.

Hence his uncertainty regarding Semirhage being weaker or stronger than Nynaeve. He didn't actually know for sure whether she was one of the 6 or not, but his IMPRESSION was that she was not.


He said that he was pretty sure that she was weaker than Nynaeve but couldn't be certain. To say that is evidence of Semirhage being one of the six is ridiculous. He literally insinuated the opposite.


All I'm saying is that Sanderson hasn't 100% ruled out the possibility that Semirhage is one of the 6. So there is still a chance that she is one of the 6. I am not about to assign a probability to that chance, but it is still possible nonetheless.
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Could Norla be the other woman stronger than Nynaeve? - 22/01/2011 06:54:36 PM 2048 Views
It's a nice idea, really - 22/01/2011 07:04:03 PM 1103 Views
we don't know the strength difference between Cadsuane and Nynaeve - 22/01/2011 08:55:48 PM 1037 Views
Nynaeve is of course roughly twice as strong as Cadsuane... - 24/01/2011 10:26:49 PM 1137 Views
Still sticking to the nonsense I see... - 25/01/2011 12:14:12 AM 945 Views
you and your assumptions crack me up ... there is zero evidence that Nyn is 2x Cadsuane - 26/01/2011 04:41:33 PM 965 Views
Waits for the candle flame vs. bonfire quote to appear... - 26/01/2011 05:01:28 PM 998 Views
*blows out the friggin candle* ... why does anyone take EoTW Moiraine quotes seriously? - 26/01/2011 09:41:53 PM 971 Views
tGH, but I agree... - 27/01/2011 04:58:08 AM 1044 Views
Re: tGH, but I agree... - 27/01/2011 07:29:15 AM 899 Views
I think it's a matter of perspective too - 27/01/2011 05:12:29 PM 851 Views
Nynaeve temporarily holds Logain shielded on her own, while 5 average strength Aes Sedai cannot... - 27/01/2011 05:35:26 PM 759 Views
Another inconsistency ... since 4 women held a shield on Rand who is Stronger than Logain EDIT - 27/01/2011 07:47:31 PM 849 Views
Not an inconsistency and if you analyse it... - 27/01/2011 08:21:39 PM 1081 Views
Wait... what? - 27/01/2011 11:16:32 PM 817 Views
Re: Wait... what? - 28/01/2011 12:26:22 AM 767 Views
Nope... - 28/01/2011 01:24:18 AM 853 Views
Yeah, but... - 28/01/2011 12:53:26 PM 910 Views
Therer is a direct quote in New Spring - 28/01/2011 02:20:40 PM 882 Views
Yup... *NM* - 28/01/2011 02:42:15 PM 470 Views
Thanks - 28/01/2011 04:05:47 PM 931 Views
Not really the case though - 28/01/2011 04:54:28 PM 726 Views
That's your evidence? You mean like Caddy defers to Nynaeve? - 28/01/2011 02:29:46 PM 819 Views
So Elayne is Cadsunae in you stupid play? - 28/01/2011 02:44:07 PM 789 Views
Getting hot under the collar and irrational again, I see... - 28/01/2011 03:01:14 PM 740 Views
right tGH but still! *NM* - 27/01/2011 04:02:57 PM 414 Views
It will be someone who was alive at some point during the series... - 22/01/2011 07:11:57 PM 1047 Views
it's obviously a stretch, just a random thought - 22/01/2011 08:26:49 PM 1052 Views
Possibly? But unlikely. - 23/01/2011 11:12:01 PM 824 Views
The 6 are... - 24/01/2011 10:09:33 PM 1144 Views
I disagree. If anything Semirhage is at the same strength level - 24/01/2011 11:10:30 PM 913 Views
Agree and disagree... - 25/01/2011 10:44:26 AM 870 Views
Re: Agree and disagree... - 25/01/2011 11:04:11 PM 803 Views
I didn't say Semirhage is definitely one of the 6, but his answer leaves it as a viable possibility. - 26/01/2011 07:36:52 AM 924 Views
Not really - 26/01/2011 05:15:59 PM 802 Views
Lanfear and Cyndane are the same person *NM* - 25/01/2011 10:24:15 AM 405 Views
Re: The 6 are... - 25/01/2011 10:51:40 PM 928 Views
I agree. - 24/01/2011 03:56:00 PM 814 Views
Possible... - 25/01/2011 12:17:42 AM 787 Views
none whatsoever ... purely speculating here *NM* - 26/01/2011 04:44:15 PM 357 Views
Not necessarily - 25/01/2011 08:07:02 PM 736 Views
nah - 25/01/2011 10:55:10 PM 1060 Views
it's obvious that Norla made her "earn" the ornaments - 26/01/2011 04:47:32 PM 956 Views
Re: it's obvious that Norla made her "earn" the ornaments - 26/01/2011 05:17:16 PM 841 Views
I can see that as a possibility too - 26/01/2011 10:22:02 PM 843 Views
Re: I can see that as a possibility too - 27/01/2011 07:38:31 AM 937 Views
we'll always disagree I suppose - 27/01/2011 04:47:42 PM 892 Views
Strongest since the breaking? I disagree - 19/08/2011 01:09:37 PM 1062 Views
I doubt it. - 26/01/2011 03:53:33 AM 860 Views
Could Norla be the other woman stronger than Nynaeve? - 26/01/2011 09:31:36 AM 953 Views

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