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Re: So what was the point of the White Tower struggle? Lord Haart Send a noteboard - 07/02/2010 06:14:31 PM
All in all, I have to say this is an important reason to look forward to ToM or aMoL - to see what RJ had in mind for the White Tower that is going to make this nine-book sub-saga worth the space it took within the series. Otherwise, just think! Eliminate Egwene or the Tower from the story, and you eliminate the need for the other! I find it hard to believe that this Panglossian version of WoT could truly be a viable alternative, so I must believe that, like Gollum (in oh so many ways), the Tower "has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over."


I think it's pretty much inescapable, because one of the core anchors of WoT is that saidin = insane and saidar = sane (pre-Cleansing). The White Tower must logically exist in the world, and if it exists then it is an obvious target for subterfuge and division by Moridin and the other FS. Whether it's worth saving or not is debatable, but I'd say it is. We've only really seen 6 organised groups of channelers at this time:

1) The Kin - They are weak and disorganised. They pretty much embody the negative aspects of AS from their actions in Caemlyn, where they do nothing much at all.
2) The Seafolk Windfinders - These women are organised, disciplined, and battle-ready, but unfortunately they seem to be restricted largely to oceanic or coastal areas. One of my pet theories is that this is where Demandred's power base is, because several hundred Windfinders striking the southern shores would devastate the Light. They have reason, since Rand has failed to meet his side of the Bargain (Brandon said so).
3) The Damane - Deadly and numerous, but they are slaves and the practice will need to end. The adam also makes them unable to join circles, so there is little they can offer that the Asha'man can't.
4) The Wise Ones - this is Rand's most likely alternative to the WT if he wants large numbers of female channellers for circles, but I think that in tGS he pushed them a little too far. Their numbers are not so great, either.
5) The Black Tower - Festering at it's birth, the BT cannot act as a base for channelers in Randland until new management takes over. Taim must go, and I don't really trust Logain either - perhaps Narishma might lead them one day.

And of course there's (6), the White Tower. Despite the incompetence of it's current individual members, it has a history of acting as a stabilising and uniting force in Randland, a beacon of hope against the Shadow. In these times, that is worth saving. As we've seen, Rand can send out messengers, soldiers, Aiel and Asha'man everywhere, but few places if any have given him as much respect as they would afford to an AS (note: respect, not fear). If Egwene can unite the WT, and convince it that Rand is not a tool to be handled (something that only Min & Moiraine in the series seemed to understand), then she could use the Tower to consolidate the forces of Randland behind him, and create a truce with the Seanchan (note that even they consider the WT to be a massive threat, big enough to send their entire Raken fleet). Much of this power is based upon perception, but it exists nonetheless.
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So what was the point of the White Tower struggle? - 07/02/2010 04:41:58 AM 1801 Views
I think the breaking of the tower was.... - 07/02/2010 07:55:48 AM 764 Views
Nice idea, that does seem to make sense in hindsight. - 07/02/2010 06:18:35 PM 559 Views
Yes, but that isn't the point. - 08/02/2010 04:14:32 AM 649 Views
Re: Yes, but that isn't the point. - 08/02/2010 04:40:52 AM 620 Views
YES!! The SPLIT is important. So why is ENDING the split such a necessary goal? - 08/02/2010 04:55:46 AM 549 Views
Re: YES!! The SPLIT is important. So why is ENDING the split such a necessary goal? - 08/02/2010 02:43:48 PM 655 Views
Re: YES!! The SPLIT is important. So why is ENDING the split such a necessary goal? - 10/02/2010 09:49:59 PM 617 Views
Re: the wise ones. - 13/02/2010 10:21:55 AM 461 Views
They're not the biggest clan... - 13/02/2010 02:20:38 PM 562 Views
Thank you - 15/02/2010 01:24:05 PM 666 Views
No problem. *NM* - 15/02/2010 09:05:11 PM 231 Views
Re: So what was the point of the White Tower struggle? - 07/02/2010 06:14:31 PM 659 Views
Re: The point was that Rand needed the division. - 07/02/2010 08:34:10 PM 609 Views
small disagreement - 07/02/2010 08:42:07 PM 550 Views
Re: small disagreement - 08/02/2010 04:37:03 AM 488 Views
Egwene and Siuan have noted that there are plenty of the new Novices - 15/02/2010 04:22:35 PM 557 Views
For that matter, what is the point of Andor? - 08/02/2010 06:08:32 AM 610 Views
Re: For that matter, what is the point of Andor? - 08/02/2010 03:38:54 PM 555 Views
Especially true if - 08/02/2010 07:16:04 PM 526 Views
But Tar Valon is critical too. - 08/02/2010 07:41:43 PM 570 Views
Really? - 10/02/2010 05:30:02 AM 490 Views
Three women in a boat... - 10/02/2010 09:12:41 PM 532 Views
Nothing is ever given as a location for that boat that I recall. - 11/02/2010 11:54:39 PM 477 Views
So what? This is more or less true, but it has zero relevance to the issue of the Tower. - 10/02/2010 10:13:56 PM 611 Views
Re: So what? This is more or less true, but it has zero relevance to the issue of the Tower. - 12/02/2010 12:43:19 AM 633 Views
In this, I agree with Fionwe. - 13/02/2010 10:31:07 AM 502 Views
Re: So what? This is more or less true, but it has zero relevance to the issue of the Tower. - 15/02/2010 02:23:57 PM 641 Views
Some good points, but I still disagree. - 15/02/2010 06:30:50 PM 531 Views
- 15/02/2010 10:08:48 PM 620 Views
my thoughts - 09/02/2010 12:58:30 PM 720 Views
Belief and order give strength. - 10/02/2010 11:20:01 PM 552 Views
To pad the last few books in order to make Egwene the Amyrlin. - 17/02/2010 05:25:22 PM 508 Views
I can't say I agree with the use of the term "padding". - 17/02/2010 06:07:25 PM 477 Views
Re: I can't say I agree with the use of the term "padding". - 22/02/2010 11:05:44 PM 539 Views
To unite the Tower under competent leadership, of course. - 23/02/2010 04:55:02 AM 979 Views
Does a main plotline HAVE to help defeat the DO? - 26/02/2010 04:11:30 PM 663 Views

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