Since I am convinced he modeled Perrin and Faile on himself and Harriet, perhaps he paid penance enough. The entire basis of their attraction is rather dubious (or just hackneyed.) I can see how discovering his careful, compassionate and committed nature could create an attraction in HER, but about all she brings to the table is viciousness, deceitfulness, manipulativeness and bureaucratic skill. Perrin has a need for the last after she browbeats him into accepting nobility, but Perrin finds all her other most prominent qualities especially repulsive in everyone else. When we get right down to it, what is the difference between Faile and Berelain? The latter is more attractive and does not repeatedly try to murder perceived rivals?


On the contrary, I feel Rands relationship with Min added the least depth to both characters. She gave him a confidante—but so did Elayne and Aviendha; the difference is they ALSO gave him a powerful ally who taught him a great deal about the diplomacy and statecraft of their respective cultures. All Min did was OCCASIONALLY, stumblingly, give him the insights into ancient texts that Moiraine once had. The difference there is that instead of taking bullets for him like she did, Min insisted on staying under foot so HE took bullets for HER when he should have been busy fighting the Shadow or Fain. Her talent was useful from time to time, but I am not sure that is worth losing a hand vital to his Blademaster skills or getting stabbed with a Shadar Logoth dagger.

I personally like the dynamic between Tuon and Mat; he does a great deal to humanize her, she keeps his mind on his business, and they provide each other much needed humility. Lanfear and Berelain I do not count (especially since it is doubtful any real love ever existed between either party in the first case, even when LTT lived; Rand even says as much.) Tylin was important to give Mat perspective on what it feels like to be chased as a sextoy rather than wooed as a partner. His attitude toward casual relationships changes noticeably after that; he does not instantly become a "marrying man," but he is far less indifferent about lecherously "loving" (i.e. "dallying with") and leaving women once the shoe has been on the other foot.

Faile, however, adds nothing but idiocy to Perrin; only in the final pages of AMoL does it finally penetrate his thick skull that sacrificing the Last Battle for her would be pointless even if right, since losing the Last Battle means losing her, too. She does not develop him, she UNdevelops a character whose defining characteristic is quiet careful deliberation. She does not even teach him the final valuable lesson of knowing when to let his instincts rule him: Master Luhan does. She does for him what Min does for Rand, except by the end of the series Min has learned the error of her ways; all Faile has learned is that she does not have to kill every attractive woman she sees to prevent Perrin cheating on her.

She is also more responsible than any other one thing for how the pacing completely DIES in books 8-11. We spent a third of the freaking series listening to Perrin channel an angst-ridden teen while she played at being a captive Machiavelli. I am sure it was all very touching for Harriet (who does not love knowing they are the model for the most universally despised character in their spouses two decade epic? ) Yet those 2000 pages of unceasing drudgery did more to turn off a once large and rabid fanbase than all the baths and embroidery in the Westlands.