So Semirhage could stand being humiliated naked, upside down, endure psychological torture for days, and the second Cadsuane spanks her, she breaks down? Are you kidding me?
It was more than that. The spanking was symbolic of the fact that Caddy no longer viewed Semi as some form of monster, to be in awe of. This is the only way Semi has been seen by others for....well, thousands of years really. Hell, us wotmaniacs have for years positioned Semi as the singularly greatest example of sadistic-evil that exists in the series. We've been in complete awe of her, and we are looking in from the outside. The WoT people don't have the insight we have.
From her history during the AoL, straight through to the present, she alone has been the "monster", the sadist...she's pretty much the real-world equivalent of Satan.
Imagine Satan turning up tomorrow, to only have the world laugh at him and scold him like a child.....he'd be pretty put-off by that I would think.
Semi endured the previous punishments due to her knowledge that those punishing her were afraid of her, and therefore inferior to her. This fueled her ability to remain stoic and "take-it" as it were.
Her psyche was built up as impenetrable. I was under the impression that this woman could outdo Cadsuane. The comparison was made very obvious by BS, and Cadsuane kept thinking that the solution to cracking Semirhage's would be similar to her own breaking her own mind. So, in this scene, Cadsuane basically admitted that all it takes to reduce her to a pathetic sobbing baby who eats beans off the floor is a simple spanking in front of an audience.
Hardly...you've simplified the nature of Semi, the nature of Caddy, the history involved...into a spanking. I think if you can get yourself to look past the spanking as the "holy grail" of breaking Semi, and realize that the spanking was symbolic of what was the true reason, your hatred (that's pretty strong word btw) for this scene would lessen. The reality is that Semi is just a human, with human flaws and emotions. Her wall of sadist/torturer/monster was what gave her strength....tear this wall down, and she's no different than anybody else.
The final comment I'll make is that in reality it was Sorilea who figured this out, and clued Caddy in. Sorilea ignited the idea of treating Semi as nothing more than another human, flawed like everyone else. Caddy gets the accolades, but it should be Sorilea getting the reward.
I would slave, to pave the way, to sink your ship of fools.
"Questions Of Control", pages 278-280 
- 27/10/2009 05:26:53 PM
1133 Views
- 27/10/2009 05:26:53 PM
1133 Views
I was conflicted by it
- 27/10/2009 06:48:09 PM
787 Views
Remind me what the paragraph was about? The spanking? *NM*
- 27/10/2009 07:08:26 PM
306 Views
That be it. *NM*
- 27/10/2009 07:09:39 PM
286 Views
I didn't find it funny...
- 27/10/2009 07:28:16 PM
684 Views
it was rushed, but i did laugh. my first thought was oooh, leigh on tor is going to be pissed! *NM*
- 28/10/2009 05:10:40 PM
279 Views
It wasn't all that funny. I thought it rather obvious. *NM*
- 28/10/2009 01:25:13 AM
287 Views
Totally agreed. The most disappointing scene I've read so far. *NM*
- 28/10/2009 05:22:35 PM
268 Views
I actually hated this scene, I thought it was utterly unrealistic
- 28/10/2009 05:20:29 PM
681 Views
Re: I actually hated this scene, I thought it was utterly unrealistic
- 28/10/2009 07:35:48 PM
725 Views
IMO, you've simplified it a bit too much
- 28/10/2009 08:24:33 PM
658 Views
I understand the reasons why Semi broke down
- 28/10/2009 09:35:16 PM
603 Views
It was a little fast, yes, but I think the basic psychological idea of it was sound.
- 31/10/2009 06:52:28 PM
595 Views
So humans don't respond to the other "punishments"? They only respond to spankings from gram-gram?
- 18/11/2009 09:25:13 PM
566 Views