Re: Huh - Edit 1
Before modification by Sidious at 19/09/2009 04:33:08 PM
Really? Like playing sexual games with Compelled pretty boys? Rather than accurately estimating the strengths and weakenesses of her key competitors? That proves my point that she is not the most formidable of opponents.
No, like suberting Arad Doman. Demandred didn't even think about the skills of the other Forsaken when we had his PoV. It doesn't mean that he doesn't have a rough idea. Graendal is merely toying with the idea - it's a stream of thought as to whether Demandred or Semirhage is more dangerous. What is more dangerous... cyanide or dynamite? Graendal isn't a fool because she doesn't sit around all day thinking about that sort of concept.
I guess the opposite is then true. Aginor is intimidated by Demandred but feels quite comofortable addressing Graendal in a patronizing way. Arangar thinks Demandred is too dangerous to try and manipulate, but feels quite comfortable doing so to Graendal. I guess both of them base their feelings of superiority on gender bias, while Graendal is the only one with a true grasp of the situation?
Graendal kills people - she's a mass murderer. Anyone who looks over that really is a fool. As another poster says, if Aran'gar went up to Demandred to fondle him or woo him, he's balefire or kill her immediately. Graendal is more interested in bringing Aran'gar into some elaborate plot and using her to get what she can, and then either killing her or making her a slave. Aran'gar also tried her tricks with Cyndane and she said she'd rip her head off - which is the response I'd expect from Demandred too.
Besides, you're trying to make it all black and white, and it isn't. Graendal thinks that Semirhage or Demandred are both relatively equal as opponents, which is what the majority of powerful channelers think. It's like you want her to say that she'd much rather face Semirhage than Demandred. But she wouldn't rather do that - she would find that either contest would be the duel of her life. If you want to talk negative quoting, then show me where the Forsaken think of Semirhage as anything other than the most fearsome of opponents.
Oh, and let us not forget that Mesaana considered herself and Semirhage to be dead even. Even if they are not, they are clearly not GREATLY different in terms of the One Power. And yet Graendal seems to consider the gulf between Semirhage and Mesaana to be VAST. Is this again a case of Graendal being the only one who grasps the true state of affairs?
I rely on Robert Jordan as the base of my opinion - and he showed who the deadlist six Forsaken were, who were the most adept overall. This is why Moridin wonders who would win if Sammael and Graendal dueled. This is why Rahvin is uneasy when Graendal and Lanfear want to go for one another, or why Sammael sends a warning to Demandred. They're all pretty much on a par. The fact that Graendal debates it means that she's not certain of it herself. Mesaana might well be as strong as Semirhage in the Power, but seriously, who cares. As Graendal says, she never did anything great in the War of Power.
She also could not figure out that Sammael had totally duped her in CoS. Sammael, the one without any finesse, the "bull in the china shop", manipulated Graendal completely and utterly in CoS, and got her to play along with his plans to the letter. Only Moridin's interference led to Sammael's failure, and Graendal's hasty escape from the situation.
Oh I agree that Sammael got the better of her, but only because he used the ultimate lie which no one would dare use - that he'd become Nae'blis. When Moridin heard it, he gasped and wondered if it was true, and said that 'even Graendal' would fall for that, meaning that she has the most resilient of minds.
For a great psychiatrist she didn't see through the clumsy Sammael's ruse very well. In fact, he fooled her completely.
He did fool her completely. It wasn't a clumsy ruse though, it was extremely brave on Sammael's part. If it had been discovered that he claimed to be Nae'blis and it was a lie, he would have been killed. As it is, Moridin did discover, and Sammael just happened to die soon thereafter by Rand's hand.
"Possible?" ANYTHIHNG is "POSSIBLE".
What is more PROBABLE, is that it is open knowledge, only Graendal is so wrapped up in her pleasure games that she doesn't realise it. Resultingly, she considers it a huge achievement to know about their alliance, when none of the others are surprised by it.
What is more PROBABLE, is that it is open knowledge, only Graendal is so wrapped up in her pleasure games that she doesn't realise it. Resultingly, she considers it a huge achievement to know about their alliance, when none of the others are surprised by it.
It's open knowledge, but Graendal thinks it's a secret. How very plausible for someone of her stature. It must really make sense that RJ actually intended for Graendal of all people to turn out to be an imbecile.
Or EVERYONE, myself included, has been overestimating her intelligence since FoH. It is pretty clear that Moridin sees Demandred as the real threat amongst the remaining Chosen, and is using the carrot of a secondary position of authority to get Graendal to play along with him. He has Cyndane and Moghedien on a leash, Shaidar Haran has brought down Mesaana, and now Semirhage has been captured. Now all he needs to do is bring the Graendal/Arangar alliance under his command and his greatest competitor - Demandred - is completely isolated.
That is your interpretation of the situation, which is completely NOT hinted at by Moridin at any stage. Moridin's greatest competitor is not Demandred, it's Rand. All of the Forsaken are plotting to become Nae'blis at some stage, but only a few have the capabilities.
He is clearly playing Graendal, just like Sammael played her, and once again she is going along meekly. Only this time, the end result will most likely be fatal to her.
Moridin doesn't want the loss of more Chosen, which makes him unique. He actually wants them to work together to win the War against Rand. What should Graendal do... refuse to obey the Nae'blis? Planning to kill Rand is actually the point of being a Forsaken, you know.
Really now, for every vague reference you have there, I have a much more direct reference of a Forsaken quote showing significant acknowledgment of Demandred's stature. You know this, of course, but have no choice but to refer to these rather dubious examples.
Graendal calls him a fool to his face while wearing an angreal, Sammael blustered and threatened him in the same way he promised to kill Lanfear when he saw her again. In Demandred's absence.
And lastly, Lanfear was hardly mocking him when she truthfully made the statement that Demandred considers himself better than the other Forsaken. Once again, in his absence.
Graendal calls him a fool to his face while wearing an angreal, Sammael blustered and threatened him in the same way he promised to kill Lanfear when he saw her again. In Demandred's absence.
And lastly, Lanfear was hardly mocking him when she truthfully made the statement that Demandred considers himself better than the other Forsaken. Once again, in his absence.
No one denies that Demandred is one of the most powerful of the Forsaken, but the other Chosen do not revere or respect him. They all want to kill him, but recognize that he is dangerous. Demandred's complacency is not a testament to his greatness, it's a testament to his flaws. Even Rand holds on to saidin around his enemies - Sammael, Rahvin, Lanfear, all of them ready against one another and filled with the Power. This is why Demandred almost gets flattened by people like Flinn and co - because he can't believe that anyone would ever challenge him openly. You cannot therefore use 'I would hunt Semirhage and kill her' as evidence of his power. Do you think Semirhage is thinking 'I hope Demandred never comes for me' or 'I'll kill Demandred if he comes for me'. The latter, of course. All the greater Forsaken think that they are supremely competent. Demandred has been planning to kill Lews Therin for 3,000 years, but he didn't risk it like Ishamael did, and so the threat hangs there and looms impotently.
It is pretty clear that most of the Forsaken have still not accepted that Rand has the full ability of an Age of Legends trained channeler. And I can refer to numerous quotes in that regard, throughout the series, but you know all of them, of course.
That is not the issue I raised. Lews Therin thinks that Semirhage is a channeler of surpassing power, but that she has a reputation as a torturer which overshadows that. Therefore Lews Therin and Graendal hold similar opinions on Semirhage.
Even so, Mesaana said that Demandred wouldn't go after Rand without a sa'angreal. With several Forsaken dead at Rand's feet, Demandred knows how dangerous al'Thor is.
He thought that to himself. His public statements have been much more reserved. He is not the Sammael type who makes blustery public statements.
Sammael was more aggressive than him as a general. Sammael said he'd kill Lanfear next time he saw her. He never saw her again. Do you doubt that he would have tried?
Yes. I think a picture is emerging of Graendal as being less of an evil genius and more of a self absorbed pleasure seeker with fading psychological skills.
I find this unlikely. Moridin sent her off to destroy Rand emotionally. This is not some red herring. He's going to weep when she's finished with him.
Ah, but the longer it is delayed, the better the climax.
I don't think so, but I hope he is for you - you've been waiting for years for him to show himself.