The others have obviously more advantages and it's - in the logic of the series - more realistic that they have become crucial players:
I actually think Egwene has had far more advantages than the others! She's by far the most well rounded of the main characters... she has experienced life in all of the major WoT cultures... damane, WO and AS as well as lived the life of a common Inn Keepers daughter... that gives her a lot more first hand experience to draw from than any of the others.
Nynaeve is a super strong channeler, was a Wisdom for some years and is married to the potential King of Malkier.
Nynaeve is also so full of her own pride that she's not taken advantage of the AS around her! A touch of humility and Nynaeve would not only be a super strong channeler, she would be a super skilled one... Her experience as Wisdom taught her how to be a bully IMO. Don't get me wrong I adore Nynaeve, but she suffers by refusing to submit to a little ego bruising from time to time.
Elayne is a strong channeler, a most important nobel, had a life time training as heir of the throne and is married to the DR.
Not to downplay her training, but Elayne, as good a Queen as she'll likely be, also was raised as a Noble in the Westlands, this gives her some rather glaring blind spots that we have seen in many other nobles throughout the series. She obviously isn't as ridiculous as nearly every other noble we've met, and she's learned to suppress it throughout the series, but since birth it's been ingrained in her that she has a divine right to be a ruler. She has no concept of what a common persons life is truly like (look at how hard it is for Morgase to emulate being a maid!).
Aviendha is a strong channeler, had a life time training as Aiel and is married to the DR.
Aviendha has a year or so of WO training under her belt, all her other Aiel training was as a Maiden ... and no one is saying Egwene could beat her up
Egwene is a Dreamer, a strong channeler with not as much training as the other girls (a mix of novices/Accepted, damane, Aiel and Siuan's training) and has a relationship to the First Prince of Andor.
You are downplaying the most important things
Her damane training forced her to learn more about her abilities than any of the others, she spent nearly as much time as an Apprentice to the WO as Aviendha has, followed by Siuan, the former Amyrlin, being at her side for months whispering advice, and she spent sometime in the TR learning about being the Wisdom from Nynaeve.
Considering all this, it's clearly the most unrealistic that Egwene could manage to become one of the most powerful women in the world.
Egwene has had far more training that the others in many ways! And let's not lose track of the fact that Egwene was also set up by women who thought she would be a puppet, it's not like one day they all just bowed down and decided that a country girl Accepted would make the greatest Amyrlin Seat of all time ... she had to grow into the job for many months before she even started to gain their respect.
If you really think about it the other women are something akin to specialists where Egwene has a much broader knowledge base.
Domani Drag Queen in the White Tower ... Aran'gar watch out!
Semirhage and Egwene
- 04/12/2009 02:31:45 PM
1676 Views
I agree with all of that.
- 04/12/2009 02:58:48 PM
913 Views
Re: I agree with all of that. *NM*
- 04/12/2009 03:22:49 PM
439 Views
Re: I agree with all of that.
- 04/12/2009 03:29:46 PM
863 Views
The entire cast is full of Perfect Sues and Stuarts (I may have just made latter up)
- 04/12/2009 03:14:27 PM
916 Views
If you plan to write that review before the last two books are out, you better get re-reading now. *NM*
- 04/12/2009 03:20:31 PM
387 Views
about Semirhage
- 04/12/2009 03:21:32 PM
1228 Views
but
- 04/12/2009 03:26:29 PM
817 Views
She was never THAT person.
- 06/12/2009 01:22:39 AM
786 Views
Alas, Semirhage was actually an idiot
- 04/12/2009 05:03:48 PM
947 Views
Re: Alas, Semirhage was actually an idiot
- 04/12/2009 06:42:41 PM
807 Views
If one compares the characters...
- 05/12/2009 11:24:16 AM
738 Views
Did I miss Rand's marriage ceremonies? I always thought the three girls only bonded him *NM*
- 05/12/2009 11:27:36 AM
384 Views
I disagree
- 05/12/2009 05:11:28 PM
769 Views
Egwene had the best mix of teachers and a desire to learn. Most believable, IMO. *NM*
- 04/12/2009 10:17:56 PM
407 Views
That's really nonsense
- 05/12/2009 11:13:20 AM
746 Views
And yet Egwene is still a fool regarding Gawyn.
- 04/12/2009 05:44:49 PM
877 Views
Egwene has a long way to go ...
- 05/12/2009 06:16:31 PM
793 Views
Hardly a blunder
- 06/12/2009 01:43:54 AM
750 Views
Re: Hardly a blunder? Send Egwene back to Silviana.
- 07/12/2009 04:03:08 PM
776 Views
Or she her rescue forced her hand. She lost her advantage
- 07/12/2009 04:47:56 PM
675 Views
She lost her advantage?!? Siuan probably saved her life
- 09/12/2009 11:57:26 AM
772 Views
- 09/12/2009 03:24:34 PM
795 Views
- 09/12/2009 03:24:34 PM
795 Views
She should have attacked when they first arrived
- 07/12/2009 09:35:33 PM
701 Views
Don't damn me, damn Graendal
- 09/12/2009 12:51:18 PM
737 Views
Yes, the Aes Sedai need to rediscover the meaning of "servants of all" *NM*
- 06/12/2009 05:03:19 AM
730 Views
I'm re-reading the series now for the first time in years. Egwene has always been a weak character.
- 07/12/2009 01:12:15 AM
768 Views
I think you'll find few people who agree with you on both of those counts...
- 07/12/2009 01:53:58 PM
720 Views
- 07/12/2009 01:53:58 PM
720 Views
Irritating teen spirits ...
- 07/12/2009 04:32:51 PM
799 Views
You must not have been reading the same series I have.
- 07/12/2009 10:33:23 PM
834 Views
- 07/12/2009 10:33:23 PM
834 Views