Impossible to say, but I doubt he intended to keep his inner circle perpetually in the dark.
Joel Send a noteboard - 14/01/2013 11:25:47 AM
If he just wanted to ensure EVERYONE thought him dead he probably would have offed Cadsuane when he realized he (yet again) completely failed to fool her even for an instant. His PoV shows he knows his Warder Sedai are quite aware of his little Face Off maneuver. Speculating on whether any or all will trail after him and (yet again) considering the morality of continuing a relationship with more than one of them demonstrates he is not just abandoning them. Regarding Elayne specifically, you pretty much stated why it is unthinkable he meant to abandon their kids before they were even born (because "deadbeat dad" makes the most sympathetic Christ figure, right? ) Likewise, all the grief/relief of his separation and reunion with Tam makes it unlikely he would simply let his father believe him dead either.
I think the whole thing was meant to be a temporary arrangement, possibly combined with a solitary and long overdue vacation. His three lovers provoked universal surprise and some disgust with their nonchalant reaction to his death (which was kind of stupid if they want to convince peoples his death was genuine.) Multiply that by Tam, Mat, Perrin, Moiraine, Thom, Loial and all the rest of his close friends/family and he would be Randland version of Elvis. Moiraine, Thom, Tam and Elayne could fake it convincingly, and maybe Mat, too, by this point, but... Min? Nynaeve? They suffer the weakness common to painfully honest blunt people: They literally cannot dissemble to save their lives.
There is a reason the women who Bonded him immediately start plotting how to convince everyone he is really dead. An anonymous stranger having private chats with each member of his inner circle in the first days following his death could not help drawing suspicion. That would be bad enough by itself, but there is the added risk that any surviving but undetected Darkfriends/Dreadlords/Forsaken like Moghy might recognize Moridins face. That is a potential problem whatever he does and wherever he does it, but the closer he is to the various centers of power the more likely he is to encounter a Shadow mole high ranking enough to have met Moridin on multiple occasions. For that matter, it is not even certain he knows Graendal and Lanfear are dead—but he DOES know any surviving Forsaken are likely to seek vengeance against him, and seek him at the rarefied levels of power to which the Dragon Reborn and his consorts are accustomed.
On that note, there is no reason to think he means to abandon Elayne or Min forever (and his final speculations about them suggest just the opposite,) but every reason he would not want to immediately jump into the center of Andoran and/or Seanchan court life. Many people already openly discuss their apparent apathy toward his death before his body is even burned; it would be deeply suspicious if either took up with a new paramour the next day, and the eyes of ever Andoran and Seanchan noble will be on them for the rest of their lives (unless, of course, they fake their own deaths, too.) In the specific case of Tuon, integrating Rand as her Doomseers husband without her summarily executing all involved to save face would be a delicate and extended process.
My personal view is that Rand intends MOST of the world to believe him dead, but is only leaving his inner circle out in the cold long enough for a solitary stress free sabbatical. I would not be surprised if his harem ends up letting Tam, Nynaeve and the other ta'veren in on the secret pretty soon, but they probably want to give him time to exit stage left lest anyone is tempted to follow.
Anyway, Egwene is dead, so why are you complaining?
I think the whole thing was meant to be a temporary arrangement, possibly combined with a solitary and long overdue vacation. His three lovers provoked universal surprise and some disgust with their nonchalant reaction to his death (which was kind of stupid if they want to convince peoples his death was genuine.) Multiply that by Tam, Mat, Perrin, Moiraine, Thom, Loial and all the rest of his close friends/family and he would be Randland version of Elvis. Moiraine, Thom, Tam and Elayne could fake it convincingly, and maybe Mat, too, by this point, but... Min? Nynaeve? They suffer the weakness common to painfully honest blunt people: They literally cannot dissemble to save their lives.
There is a reason the women who Bonded him immediately start plotting how to convince everyone he is really dead. An anonymous stranger having private chats with each member of his inner circle in the first days following his death could not help drawing suspicion. That would be bad enough by itself, but there is the added risk that any surviving but undetected Darkfriends/Dreadlords/Forsaken like Moghy might recognize Moridins face. That is a potential problem whatever he does and wherever he does it, but the closer he is to the various centers of power the more likely he is to encounter a Shadow mole high ranking enough to have met Moridin on multiple occasions. For that matter, it is not even certain he knows Graendal and Lanfear are dead—but he DOES know any surviving Forsaken are likely to seek vengeance against him, and seek him at the rarefied levels of power to which the Dragon Reborn and his consorts are accustomed.
On that note, there is no reason to think he means to abandon Elayne or Min forever (and his final speculations about them suggest just the opposite,) but every reason he would not want to immediately jump into the center of Andoran and/or Seanchan court life. Many people already openly discuss their apparent apathy toward his death before his body is even burned; it would be deeply suspicious if either took up with a new paramour the next day, and the eyes of ever Andoran and Seanchan noble will be on them for the rest of their lives (unless, of course, they fake their own deaths, too.) In the specific case of Tuon, integrating Rand as her Doomseers husband without her summarily executing all involved to save face would be a delicate and extended process.
My personal view is that Rand intends MOST of the world to believe him dead, but is only leaving his inner circle out in the cold long enough for a solitary stress free sabbatical. I would not be surprised if his harem ends up letting Tam, Nynaeve and the other ta'veren in on the secret pretty soon, but they probably want to give him time to exit stage left lest anyone is tempted to follow.
Anyway, Egwene is dead, so why are you complaining?
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
This message last edited by Joel on 14/01/2013 at 11:27:41 AM
So, is anyone else thinking that ending was a bit of a dick move....
10/01/2013 04:40:55 AM
- 3173 Views
Because, to quote the series...
10/01/2013 05:01:51 AM
- 1581 Views
It's not so much about him not telling as cutting loved ones out of his life altogether *NM*
10/01/2013 05:47:14 AM
- 665 Views
I could be wrong, but...
10/01/2013 06:16:02 AM
- 1291 Views
Except...
10/01/2013 06:54:04 AM
- 1285 Views
Re: Except...
10/01/2013 06:56:43 AM
- 1040 Views
That was my interpretation as well. I think it was an attempt at showing Rand's humility. *NM*
10/01/2013 08:17:52 AM
- 639 Views
If the World finds out he's still alive
10/01/2013 08:05:18 AM
- 1211 Views
I can agree with keeping it secret from just about everyone, BUT his father and closest friends.
10/01/2013 10:56:58 AM
- 1196 Views
Re: I can agree with keeping it secret from just about everyone, BUT his father and closest friends.
10/01/2013 04:00:57 PM
- 1174 Views
Re: I can agree with keeping it secret from just about everyone, BUT his father and closest friends.
11/01/2013 02:34:16 AM
- 1044 Views
Re: I can agree with keeping it secret from just about everyone, BUT his father and closest friends.
13/01/2013 09:01:38 PM
- 997 Views
I got the impression Egwene knew releasing the Source would instantly kill her.
14/01/2013 11:42:03 AM
- 1138 Views
Re: I got the impression Egwene knew she was dead the moment she released the Source.
14/01/2013 05:59:21 PM
- 981 Views
Even if she would just have been burned out there was no reason to think it permanent.
14/01/2013 06:49:00 PM
- 943 Views
Where do people get that only Rand was right on the Seals?
14/01/2013 10:03:19 PM
- 1122 Views
One point- the DO didn't break free, Rand dragged him out into the Pattern, specifically to kill him
15/01/2013 03:03:43 AM
- 822 Views
Nope..
15/01/2013 03:19:02 AM
- 911 Views
If that were the case Taim certainly would have smashed the seals right away
15/01/2013 08:54:14 AM
- 1037 Views
Re: So, is anyone else thinking that ending was a bit of a dick move....
10/01/2013 07:13:52 PM
- 1341 Views
You don't think Nakomi did it?
10/01/2013 07:54:20 PM
- 1619 Views
Maybe
10/01/2013 09:46:39 PM
- 1285 Views
Re: Maybe
10/01/2013 11:08:32 PM
- 1124 Views
I thought it was largely believed that Nakomi is an avatar of the Creator. *NM*
10/01/2013 11:19:43 PM
- 618 Views
It's one of the dominant theories, not sure it's the one favoured by the majority, but maybe *NM*
10/01/2013 11:55:46 PM
- 562 Views
IDK, I thought the body switch was a side-effect of the link between them
11/01/2013 02:38:33 AM
- 1081 Views
*NM* *NM*
11/01/2013 06:51:10 PM
- 495 Views
Re: IDK, I thought the body switch was a side-effect of the link between them
11/01/2013 06:52:29 PM
- 1371 Views
Re: So, is anyone else thinking that ending was a bit of a dick move....
11/01/2013 12:01:09 AM
- 862 Views
Re: So, is anyone else thinking that ending was a bit of a dick move....
11/01/2013 07:45:26 AM
- 894 Views
He realised that both he and LTT were not peace rulers several books ago
11/01/2013 12:25:37 PM
- 888 Views
Re: He realised that both he and LTT were not peace rulers several books ago
11/01/2013 10:39:33 PM
- 923 Views
I've a suspiscion that the Rand scene of Epilogue was probably drafted already
12/01/2013 12:11:13 AM
- 1105 Views
Re: I've a suspiscion that the Rand scene of Epilogue was probably drafted already
12/01/2013 12:58:01 PM
- 962 Views
I think you need to re-read that last section
15/01/2013 09:19:41 AM
- 1030 Views
I agree. Rand carries a man out of SG who he didn't bring there- logic dictates he is Forsaken *NM*
15/01/2013 12:44:18 PM
- 514 Views
That makes a great deal of sense.
15/01/2013 07:45:55 AM
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Re: That makes a great deal of sense.
15/01/2013 09:37:47 AM
- 896 Views
It is something we just had to expect when Sanderson came in to finish the series.
15/01/2013 11:24:06 AM
- 863 Views
Impossible to say, but I doubt he intended to keep his inner circle perpetually in the dark.
14/01/2013 11:25:47 AM
- 1086 Views
Re: So, is anyone else thinking that ending was a bit of a dick move....
25/01/2013 03:53:05 PM
- 821 Views