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She's in a different environment. What serious challenge has she faced? Lord Haart Send a noteboard - 15/02/2010 06:54:53 PM
The harshness of the physical tortures were sadly undermined by the writing - I really didn't feel like she was emotionally affected by any of it, so it's hard for me to think of her as having gone through any trauma in the series.

Re: right, because she's threatened to hang people who disobey, or bodily thrown people out of her rooms. Or forced her followers to change the fundamentals of their society to suit her needs.


Yeah, 'cause the societies that Rand changed were SO moral in the first place...

Rand's flaw is his temper, but this seems to have been tied to his troubles with LTT and the link to Moridin/TP (which is now at least partway gone). Regardless, I have no sympathy for the upper class of the countries he's taken over. They were corrupt, living off the deaths and suffering of people whom they never even considered to be people.

Only in TGS was his judgement truly clouded, when he did turn on his allies for, oh, maybe 1 book? 1/12 of the series? Due to factors beyond his control at that. Collar Egwene and make her strangle Gawyn to near-death, then see how well she treats the Hall after that. The only reason she doesn't execute half of them is that they are going to follow her even more meekly than the most dedicated of Rand's servants. BA aside, none of the AS Egwene has encountered are evil, not like the nobles that Rand has seen.

Not only that, but world politics is totally different from power politics. Elayne and Moiraine both note that Rand in TSR/TFoH/LoC has found a balance between fairness and harshness which few rulers achieve. Being too "soft" is a serious flaw in his position. And he has recently learned the dangers of harshness.

Ultimately, I can't recall a single time Egwene has heard any criticism except for that given by Elaida, which is like being criticised by Stalin at this point in the series. Rand, however, actually considers much of the criticism he hears - at the very least, in his POVs, he is very aware of most of his flaws. Egwene has not ever (that I can remember) considered whether another person could do her job better (after all, there is no prophecy that binds her, whereas Rand's abdication would spell disaster), nor has she ever considered that she might owe some respect to others (eg Siuan, who likely saved her life in TGS and has been a longtime friend and mentor). Even in his darkest hours, Rand has respect for Nynaeve and tolerates the bullying of Cadsuane for a substantial length of time considering his treatment by AS and her ridiculous expectation that he let her lead him by the nose. So far, only Moiraine and Min seem to fully understand that Rand works best when treated as an equal. Egwene, however, seems far more comfortable with power, and that scares me.
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I was wrong about Egwene. - 06/02/2010 09:46:43 AM 1976 Views
BTW, I am the god of Irony. Bow to me. *NM* - 06/02/2010 09:47:20 AM 419 Views
I think that if there's a real message to take out of this - 06/02/2010 02:55:47 PM 838 Views
yes she's politically shrewd if completely amoral - 06/02/2010 05:03:19 PM 746 Views
Re: yes she's politically shrewd if completely amoral - 06/02/2010 06:08:40 PM 778 Views
In her defense, she has no way of getting in contact with him - 06/02/2010 11:28:37 PM 825 Views
Re: In her defense, she has no way of getting in contact with him - 06/02/2010 11:47:04 PM 621 Views
Re: In her defense, she has no way of getting in contact with him - 07/02/2010 02:43:13 AM 681 Views
Re: In her defense, she has no way of getting in contact with him - 07/02/2010 11:13:39 PM 801 Views
I might agree with her on your projected Verin scenario - 06/02/2010 11:35:47 PM 936 Views
It really is her most defining quality - 06/02/2010 06:27:17 PM 638 Views
That was nothing. - 06/02/2010 08:48:39 PM 618 Views
The only mitigating factor was that she had already dumped Rand at that time - 06/02/2010 11:34:45 PM 750 Views
Re: The only mitigating factor was that she had already dumped Rand at that time - 06/02/2010 11:51:48 PM 645 Views
Hah! - 07/02/2010 02:22:30 PM 610 Views
There was a nice beginning - "Cannoli: I was wrong about Egwene"... - 06/02/2010 06:42:18 PM 678 Views
I think the title summarizes years of debate *NM* - 07/02/2010 09:26:35 AM 512 Views
I like Egwene. - 08/02/2010 10:22:14 AM 647 Views
And the greater good always conveniently requires her being in charge or getting more power *NM* - 12/02/2010 12:19:05 AM 299 Views
Yes, just like for Rand. *NM* - 12/02/2010 12:24:57 AM 259 Views
And the rest of the Randland Justice League. *NM* - 12/02/2010 05:25:38 PM 263 Views
Re: Rand goes out of his way to discarge authority to others; Egwene, well hopefully in the future *NM* - 13/02/2010 04:20:31 AM 305 Views
Ummm... what? When? *NM* - 13/02/2010 04:53:50 AM 252 Views
Like his Stewards & supporting loyal rulers. *NM* - 15/02/2010 02:30:32 PM 291 Views
Darlin, Caroline, Elayne, Ituralde, Bashere, Logain, Rhuarc, etc. - 15/02/2010 05:57:05 PM 753 Views
Oh you mean all those guys he treats like his personal b*tches? *NM* - 15/02/2010 06:10:17 PM 378 Views
Re: Oh you mean all those guys he treats like his personal b*tches? - 16/02/2010 08:10:02 PM 653 Views
Agreed, that's what I've been saying. - 16/02/2010 08:23:14 PM 645 Views
Well, Egwene has lackeys too! - 15/02/2010 08:12:17 PM 561 Views
Re: Well, Egwene has lackeys too! - 15/02/2010 10:37:50 PM 539 Views
Rand can certainly be domineering, but nowhere near as much as Egwene. - 13/02/2010 06:31:15 AM 756 Views
right, because she's threatened to hang people who disobey, or bodily thrown people out of her rooms - 15/02/2010 06:11:18 PM 558 Views
She's in a different environment. What serious challenge has she faced? - 15/02/2010 06:54:53 PM 576 Views
Yup, hopefully she'll be killed, then stilled. - 13/02/2010 11:03:51 PM 538 Views

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