I like this idea a lot, though I would like to see it work out in a specific way were this to happen. Basically, I'd like to see the only Aes Sedai who take part in Tarmon Gai'don are those who are known to support Rand (and yes, that includes Cadsuane and her posse) and those who are collared and "used" by the Seanchan. Egwene's role in TG, in this situation, should be relegated to keeping the novices and Accepted safe. That said, I have a completely different theory about her "surprising" decision...
Sadly (for you, I think), she's one of the few genuine supporters of Rand in the Tower, so will likely be in the forefront, along with Nynaeve, Elayne and Cadsuane, in supporting Rand's efforts in TG.
Personally I think her decision will involve teaming up with the Seanchan to capture, and ultimately collar, Rand. In fact, I can see her making a deal with Tuon to help capture Rand. Rand doesn't trust her completely, but he trusts her enough, and she is sneaky enough, to get close enough to him to get the collar on him. If she thought it would save her "daughters", she would collar him without the slightest hesitation and agree to hand him over to Tuon with two demands of her own: first, no more Aes Sedai get collared and second, she gets to be one of the ones to "train" him (i.e., wear one of the sad bracelets).
I have to ask... did you read the part in tDR where Egwene gave up her position as Amyrlin and was ready to use Balefire on Sisters and Warders to save Rand from stilling? And this was in a world where she wasn't even sure Rand was the Dragon Reborn! Did you read the part where she tells Moiraine that she's glad the Tower split because this means less opposition for Rand from the Aes Sedai? Did you read the part where she told Siuan that any lie of hers is justified if it keeps the Rebellion alive since that's all she beleives keeps Elaida from harming Rand or the BT?
Having your own perspective is one thing, but you're being wilfully blind here. Even if we were to agree with you that Egwene thinks that she's the only person who can guide Rand, she at least thinks to herself that his own welfare is important. And she's the last person, even behind Nynaeve, in thinking that the Seanchan way of collaring a person is the solution to any problem, let alone Rand! If there's one thing about Egwene you can be certain of, its that working with the Seanchan, against anyone but the Shadow, is going to be impossible for Egwene.
Of course, she will rationalize the decision by thinking how dangerous he is, how he has (in her mind) used Compulsion to force sisters to swear fealty to him, how it's "for his own good", and how once he is collared it will be easier to get control of the Asha'man before they do something terrible.
Okay, as of KoD, Egwene believes that it was Rand's ta'veren effect that made sisters swear to him. She still thinks its wrong, but shows no sign of blaming Rand for it.
And Egwene, no one else but her, wondered why the Tower had to gentle men. Once she knows about the Cleansing, she'll probably be the first to ask to Hall to allow men to become Aes Sedai, equal in all ways to thw women.
More importantly, Egwene, despite the threat of being removed from the Amyrlin Seat, stated categorically that she would never ever support the use of compulsion on the Asha'man (men whom she believes will go mad). This view of hers does not change even when Lelaine points out that the Rebels think Rand compelled sisters. You'd have to do some amazing juggling to convince anyone that a woman who wouldn't even consider retaliatory compulsion on men destined to go mad would countenance collaring the Dragon Reborn to keep these men safe when she knows they aren't fated to go mad. Egwene's dead set against compulsion and even more violently against collaring. She isn't capable of collaring Elaida, let alone Rand!
Plus, it will save the Aes Sedai from enslavement and keep them in power to some extent, which is more important than anything else from her POV.
Okay, give me one quote of Egwene's which says this. If Aes Sedai power is most important, why the hell was she gald for Rand's sake that the Tower split?
Agreeing to collar him under such a deal would manage to solve two of her problems at once: Rand being seen as someone who is leading her Aes Sedai and the Seanchan attempting to collar Aes Sedai. I could even see her agreeing to work with (not serve) the Seanchan Empire to bring "peace" back to the Westlands again once TG is over. But that's farther down the road...
Oh really? The megalomaniac Egwene will share power with the empire that tormented her and is the cause of her most acute psychological issues? I'm sorry, but this kind of crazy reasoning is why I find our posts the most ludicrously imbalanced in this board. Cannoli is way saner than you, and he's pretty far gone by normal standards.
Speculation on Egwene's surprising decision
30/08/2009 01:44:03 PM
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Re: Speculation on Egwene's surprising decision
30/08/2009 02:49:56 PM
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I'm convinced that she needs to give up many of the Tower Aes Sedai to the Seanchan
02/09/2009 06:23:22 PM
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I actually like this...
03/09/2009 02:31:15 AM
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Ok this is too much to pass up...
03/09/2009 05:37:21 AM
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I just want to say one thing
03/09/2009 04:40:32 PM
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