And I must refuse, because I believe she may be the finest example in the series, the central character who drives the lesson home as minor ones could not.


Yes, she certainly OUGHT to know better; Elaida, Niall and Siuan ought to have known better also, but arrogance, obstinance, paternalism and suspicion blinded them to it. Siuans recognition of it remains an unsteady thing; at times she seems to get it, and at others seems to think her only error was thinking herself qualified for the unilateral role rightly Egwenes.

Egwene also thinks of the Lights need for the Dragon to operate as a free agent rather than captive to the Tower (or anyones) will—yet she is assembling an army consisting of the entire Westlands to confront the DRAGON, rather than the DO. Rand, incidentally, plays a dangerous game manipulating her into doing so simply to deliver that army against its proper target at the proper time, but he probably DOES have "protagnoist insurance" against disaster. The point is that Egwene has ample cause not to extort Rands accession to her will (and abandonment of the task for which he was not only born, but Reborn.) She is proceeding with attempts to do so anyway, almost as if Fain stoked her mistrust of him as ceaselessly as he did Elaida and Nialls.


I never said the Dragon was always right, and he has been demonstrably wrong on many occasions; that said, it ought to go without saying that the foremost authority on the Seals is their MAKER. As importantly, each of the people who opposed him in the cases you mentioned had more cause than simply "yes, but the Seals? That's foolhardy. Surely Rand can face the Dark One, and defeat him, and seal him away without taking that risk."

Why is that so "sure"? It was not "sure" for LTT in the AoL, nor is it now, but his intent must be opposed because the teenage village girl turned Amyrlin says there is "surely" an alternative (even though she cannot even speculate on what it might be)? Those who opposed Rand on other issues offered valid logical rationales; in this case, HE offers that rationale (the same one Nynaeve presented Egwene, producing no more reaction than her reiteration of her absolute opposition) and SHE provides none. He has reasons, research, study, calculation, analysis and experience to back his slowly and carefully determined choice; she has nothing to counter than except "because I said so!"

Again, I can think of at least seven reasons Rand is more qualified than Egwene is to determine the proper handling of the Seals. Even when (unwittingly) presented his rationale, Egwene dismisses it on the grounds the Pattern is bending Nynaeve to his will because they spent too much time together. Sure, Egwene recognizes that can happen—and sees it as an obstacle to what SHE has decided is best, rather than a warning sign she should give way. That is more characteristic of Elaida and her fate than Moiraines; perhaps Egwene should revisit her Novice exercises and rediscover the value of surrender over domination.


Because she had never sworn the Three Oaths, which she has done now. Also, it came up later in the same testing, albeit in connection with Rand rather than Egwene directly; it is odd that you overlook that, given you earlier cited it as foreshadowing of Egwene killing Rand (something that strikes me as far less likely than her falling and/or being turned, though the way she is acting now I would not put it past her to try; armies are not mustered to play Scrabble.)


Why not? Just because her character development is complete does not make it flawless or even generally positive. Elaidas character development is complete, too, and Moridins, and the latter could be quite "bad ass" at the Last Battle (though I suspect he will be occupied at the Bore.) There is as much foreshadowing of Egwene being turned as there is of her killing Rand, yet you apparently regard the one as unthinkable and the other as quite likely. Why? That "bias" you alleged in me (even though I have spent nearly a decade defending Egwene and barely a year criticizing her)?

If Jordan has been setting her up for a fall then it is perfectly logical that "her character development is complete." I expect her to fall precisely BECAUSE I think she has progressed as far as she ever will; expecting her to have some grand epiphany that convinces her to give way to Rand on the Seals is expecting more of the character development Sanderson explicitly denied.


Again I say, you and I do not interpret the same words the same way. Time will tell which of us is correct on this subject.