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Re: But she has been studying about the workings of the Wheel. Sidious Send a noteboard - 08/11/2009 09:08:11 PM
Besides, it's not just Min, Nynaeve also indicates that she believes killing those people with balefire is worse than killing them otherwise. This, in response to Rand claiming to have done them a 'favor' and that he wishes the same could be done to him. And, as we know from his storyline spoilers (I've finished the book by now ) Rand clearly sees his cycle of rebirth as a source of torture, and wishes to be rid of it.

Of course, you could be right in that this is just the characters' misguided interpretation, and I'll choose to take it this way, because to do otherwise would be to accept a logical impossibility and would defy Word of God itself (if balefire completely destroys the soul, it doesn't matter how much balefire was used for the purposes of Shai'tan's reincarnation, and we know he can reincarnate if a small amount was used, which is the source of the Be'lal reincarnated theories) but the passage is still disconcerting and gives off the wrong impression.


Well I think the nature of balefire is best known by Rand. He balefires Liah because he says that mashadar would have consumed her soul. Therefore, in Rand's mind, balefire is the lesser of two evils. He used the time element to kill her before the mashadar got her, so paradox was on his side. However, he would not have balefired her if the balefire also destroyed the soul.

He also says that Semirhage is better off for being balefired, which makes me think that he spared her eternal torment by the Dark One. It would seem a bit strange if she was better off and he'd destroyed her soul forever. At least now she is free of the Dark One and can perhaps be reborn at a later stage and have a new beginning.

From what I've read of balefire, it seems that it corrupts time, and that's what makes it so deadly. It burns back the threads. I don't think it destroys souls - several things in the series do, but not that.
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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 568 Views
It's the 're-spun' part that bothers me. - 08/11/2009 04:37:08 AM 550 Views
Can't know, except logic - 08/11/2009 05:03:17 AM 580 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 401 Views
balefire doesn't keep you from being respun. - 13/11/2009 09:16:27 AM 545 Views
Re: That doesn't make sense contextually though. - 08/11/2009 08:18:44 PM 502 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 459 Views
Hmm - 18/11/2009 11:56:09 PM 407 Views
no he said the person dies "before" the DO's know's they are gone. - 23/11/2009 02:15:11 AM 423 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 506 Views
But she has been studying about the workings of the Wheel. - 08/11/2009 08:13:26 PM 449 Views
Re: But she has been studying about the workings of the Wheel. - 08/11/2009 09:08:11 PM 628 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

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