That's completely hogwash. - Edit 1
Before modification by fionwe1987 at 31/10/2009 10:24:12 PM
I though we all agree the majority of AS are "power hungry megalomaniacs if left free" from all the gleemen's stories and the general opinions of Randland folks, so what is the argument?
What Gleeman's stories?
And Randland fols vary from deep distrust to genuine respect and regard for the Aes Sedai, so I'm clueless on ow you make this generalization.
Either way, we as objective readers know that while Aes Sedai want power, they are far from megalomaniacs as a whole, do not resort to bullying (until recently, with Elaida), and deliberately fetter their power by refusing to use it in any destructive fashion. There can be no comparison between the way the Aes Sedai use the One Power and the way the Seanchan Empire does.
Given the state of affairs, you either be anger toward ALL of them, or consider it just a fact of the world. Cannoli clearly stated one is not worse than any other factions.
But they are. The Aes Sedai are mistrusted, but not tyrants who rule by fear (unlike the vaunted Seanchan Empire). Aes Sedai seek to use their power to stop wars, and never use their vast power to enforce their will on the populace.
Take, for example, Artur Hawkwing's siege of Tar Valon. Had this been Seandar, and Hawkwing a rival claimant for Tuon's throne with no damane, Tuon wouldn't hesitate in chopping up his army with her damane.
The Aes Sedai, with all thier sa'angreal and angreal, could have give the siege the short shrift, but instead waited for 20 years, and then negotiated their way out.
Then, rather than retaliating for the sake of revenge (like Tuon would have), they instead tried to keep Hawkwing's empire alive.
This situation quite clearly shows the deep hypocrisy in Seanchan policy toward the One Power. They have become the very tyrants they claim to fear.
Hypocrisy means accepting the wrong done by your own folks, and being angry at the same wrong done by foreigners.
What wrong has the Tower committed that is in the range of capturing all women who can channel and then torturing them into being obedient slaves?