Active Users:1100 Time:22/11/2024 10:19:14 PM
Re: That doesn't make sense contextually though. Onarishma Send a noteboard - 08/11/2009 07:17:27 AM
I've always held to the position that balefire did not permanently destroy a thread, it just killed them in the past. Because if it were the former, then humanity would be in perpetual decrease - if there are no new souls to be introduced into the system, but souls can be taken out, then there is an inevitable and continuous loss. And since time is circular, meaning an infinite amount of time elapsed since the beginning, then there has been an infinite loss of souls, for no gain of souls and a finite number of souls. It's simply impossible.

However, the wording employed in that chapter definitely indicates that this is the case. Aside from the redundant 'dead forever' employed, Nynaeve says "Rand, you used balefire! They were burned out of existence!" The fact that she emphasises the use of balefire means that it is different, with this tone, worse, then simply being dead.

Hence the impossibility, and the problem. Which is why I created this thread in the first place.


i think maybe you are taking two things out of context. Min is responsible for the dead forever comment. She is not a channeler and she may simply not fully understand the concept. Though her actual definition fits what we know. As for Nynaeve's "burned out of existence" comment it is a little harder to explain but they just felt existence wobble it's quite possible that the reason balefire was outlawed is the reason Nynaeve made such an irrational statement. By burning people with balefire he threatens existence and so that is somewhat a true statement. The means of their deaths threaten existence and therefore their return to existence. Of course the simpler explaination is that existence simply means life and that Nynaeve's anger over the massacre and the method were separate if concurrent. When i read it I never questioned the facts as issued by RJ . So the last possibility is that Sanderson misspoke. Personally i'm going to go with the Nynaeve comment of existence having more to do with the massacre and the balefire only a more practical horror. I think you're just being word sensitive.
Reply to message
Chapter 37 - 08/11/2009 03:15:34 AM 941 Views
Yes, but limits--can still be re-spun and some balefire may not work - 08/11/2009 03:41:52 AM 566 Views
It's the 're-spun' part that bothers me. - 08/11/2009 04:37:08 AM 549 Views
Can't know, except logic - 08/11/2009 05:03:17 AM 579 Views
That doesn't make sense contextually though. - 08/11/2009 05:36:02 AM 570 Views
Re: That doesn't make sense contextually though. - 08/11/2009 07:17:27 AM 499 Views
Re: That doesn't make sense contextually though. - 08/11/2009 01:25:06 PM 595 Views
Re: That doesn't make sense contextually though. - 09/11/2009 01:42:09 PM 399 Views
balefire doesn't keep you from being respun. - 13/11/2009 09:16:27 AM 543 Views
Re: That doesn't make sense contextually though. - 08/11/2009 08:18:44 PM 501 Views
I maintain that my first impression and my rereading it did not cause me to question how it works - 13/11/2009 09:41:20 AM 457 Views
Hmm - 18/11/2009 11:56:09 PM 406 Views
no he said the person dies "before" the DO's know's they are gone. - 23/11/2009 02:15:11 AM 422 Views
Forever in context means not resurrected not not reincarnated *NM* - 08/11/2009 06:37:50 AM 181 Views
Re: It's the 're-spun' part that bothers me. - 08/11/2009 07:43:03 AM 505 Views
But she has been studying about the workings of the Wheel. - 08/11/2009 08:13:26 PM 448 Views
Re: But she has been studying about the workings of the Wheel. - 08/11/2009 09:08:11 PM 626 Views
Yes, that's always been my opinion as well. - 08/11/2009 10:23:16 PM 470 Views
That's why Balefire is important - 10/11/2009 04:02:32 PM 434 Views

Reply to Message