Re: Aviendha reprogrammed the ter'angreal - Edit 2
Before modification by DomA at 27/05/2012 06:58:57 PM
Nakomi could certainly have been the work of the Shadow, but we witnessed Aviendha change the polarity of the ter'angreal first hand in the story line. While it is certainly possible that Cyndane or one of the others may know what the ter'angreal was meant for, I doubt they would have tried to mess with it. That would be like trying to fly an airplane because you know what it is and have driven a car.
Something happened when Aviendha touched the ter'angreal. We have no idea if it's something she did, or if she merely triggered something that has be done to the ter'angreal.
I'm not convinced Nakomi came from the Shadow, no more than I'm convinced Aviendha didn't trigger something from the original programming.
I'm just saying it's impossible to rule out the Shadow is involved. It wouldn't make sense from Nakomi to have been from the Shadow, what she said only makes sense as a possible manipulation if they also did something in Rhuidean. Whenever something happens that can be described as "a betrayal of hope", I think we have to remain very suspicious. Especially when such a betrayal of hope concern the future of a whole people, who've been following Rand out of belief he would save a remnant of a remnant of them...
The visions of Aviendha are perfectly coherent if the ter'angreal read her future and twisted it according to parameters. I think it's quite possible the ter'angreal can be controlled from the outside by an operator who shape the visions, that it's all a virtual future. Aviendha's thread contributed her descendants and other factors which were quite real, the operator outside introduced variants derived from the "if worlds" technology. The visions would be perfectly coherent if the operator forced the ter'angreal to include Rand's Peace, etc. The real future is in motion as it depends on many choices, as we know from all the variations seen in the Arches. Aviendha's visions had no variants, choices had been made. What blocked some choices?
Don't forget the Shadow had spies in Rand's group, was probably aware of Rand's intent for the truce with the Seanchan, and aware of the Aiel's reaction to seeing the Seanchan flaunt Shaido captives. We can't exclude the possibility the Shadow was forewarned that Aviendha had been sent to Rhuidean. Lanfear has been in that plaza, knows how Rand convinced the Aiel to follow him and talked of what went on in that ter'angreal.
That would be like trying to fly an airplane because you know what it is and have driven a car.
Lanfear knows a lot about other realities, reflections, reading the Pattern, Portal Stones and whatnot. Many suspect that ter'angreal has very direct relations to some of those domains. She was a scientist at the CD, and that was part of her field of knowledge (many even suspect there are relations between TAR etc. and the drilling of the Bore). Why assume she can't program or use that ter'angreal but that post-Breaking AS could? Chances are she'd know exactly what it is. Why assume "Nakomi" couldn't have done something to the ter'angreal when Aviendha was inside, which Aviendha triggered after? Why assume Nakomi didn't return and wasn't operating the ter'angreal when Aviendha entered it a second time?
Don't forget one thing: Nakomis is a moon-goddess, known as the Daughter of the Moon. Just like Selene. Not to mention how remiscent the way Nakomi dealt with Aviendha was of the mysterious apparition that appeared in TAR to "guide" Egwene: Silvie.