Did Egwene have any reason to suspect that any of them knew Travelling? Even if she did, it's a big assumption to think she could kill ALL of the raken - for all she knew, by the time she entered the battle, Elaida had already been captured.
I was not endorsing her killing the sisters to prevent the Seanchan from using them, I was approving of her shooting down the enemy's power. Even if theyIn terms of the AS becoming damane - they are still held by the Oaths, plus they, well, pretty much suck at combat.
Not the novices and Accepted. And given all else that has been discovered or recovered, how far are you willing to bet the Seanchan cannot find a way aroud the Oaths, or uses for Aes Sedai that allow more combat-capable damane to go to the front. My own personal opinion is that channelers contribute better to warfare away from the front lines of battles. Granted, the way in which the Seanchan use their damane limits most of the support functions at which channelers can be so useful, but they are the most professional and creative military institution in the known world - they can definitely find uses for the restricted damane. If they heal Seanchan soldiers, I don't think that's such a big deal. And in the timeframe before T'G (I doubt it's more than a month, or two at most) there's little chance that the captive AS would be completely broken to the point they couldn't be "reclaimed" back into the WT. I'd actually go as far as saying their emprisonment could be GOOD for the light - it's not unreasonable to think that Rand and Tuon will form some kind of alliance before the LB, and when they do, they'll have a few hundred extra trained damane who have learned combat weaves and whose Oaths still allow them to kill Shadowspawn. Which, I think you'll agree, is better than them sitting in the tower studying poetry. Their capture doesn't reflect well on Egwene, but her compassion/pity in sparing their lives might make a big difference in the end.
She did not have the luxury of sparing their lives - they were aboard enemy beasts of burden. The to'raken were legitimate targets, regardless of whether or not they also bore captive initiates. Should she let them fly off with their damane burdens, drop them a a nearby staging camp to be transported overland to the Seanchan, while the to'raken return to the Tower for another damane-strafing run or to snatch more captives? Sucks to be the sisters on board, but the Seanchan and their creatures have to go. Since the to'raken are limited in number (does the Return have any breeding stock with them? Any chicks/pups/whatever being trained to replace their losses? All in all, killing the to'raken is a worthy goal in its own right. Whatever the fliers might think, the unique logistical value of the to'raken far outweighs that of the raken, and they are by far the most valuable of the Seanchan exotic creatures, second only to damane. A chance to kill both on the field of battle MUST be seized when presented. It is simply tough luck for any sisters who plunge to their deaths aboard them.
Cannoli
“Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.” GK Chesteron
Inde muagdhe Aes Sedai misain ye!
Deus Vult!
*MySmiley*
“Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.” GK Chesteron
Inde muagdhe Aes Sedai misain ye!
Deus Vult!
*MySmiley*
Did the characters come too easily to power?
16/03/2010 11:37:31 PM
- 1877 Views
Yes, and for Rand at least IMO, playing nice has cost dearly
17/03/2010 04:59:32 AM
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Not necessarily
18/03/2010 03:17:10 PM
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Good post.
27/03/2010 01:43:24 PM
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Unfortunately, no.
31/03/2010 10:23:58 AM
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Re: Unfortunately, no.
02/04/2010 07:54:10 AM
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All the way through, up to ripping her self-delusional assessments of her "achievements" in KoD
02/04/2010 09:27:54 PM
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TLDR *NM*
17/03/2010 05:43:01 AM
- 568 Views
Cmon ppl pls reply to this, Cannoli has spent such a long time writing it.... I couldn't be bothered *NM*
17/03/2010 10:31:38 AM
- 365 Views
Rand is at the perfect position after TGS for his downfall...
17/03/2010 02:49:55 PM
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Re: Rand is at the perfect position after TGS for his downfall...
17/03/2010 06:15:18 PM
- 774 Views
I usually read Cannoli's epic-length posts...
17/03/2010 04:08:33 PM
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Ha! Imagine if I didn't double-space the paragraphs. That is a fairly new practice on my part. *NM*
18/03/2010 03:36:13 PM
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I'd suggest you had more paragraphs......with a lot of spacing..... *NM*
19/03/2010 04:42:05 AM
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Sheesh, you people are babies. I read it. Some good points.
17/03/2010 05:35:08 PM
- 780 Views
Re: Sheesh, you people are babies. I read it. Some good points.
17/03/2010 10:08:34 PM
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Oh and I forgot to add
18/03/2010 01:41:28 AM
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I would say those cases are both examples of aknowledging their own limitations and priorities
18/03/2010 04:02:13 PM
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Re: Did the characters come too easily to power?
17/03/2010 06:10:22 PM
- 803 Views
I was more focussed on the cost of GETTING power, not the prices of discharging it responsibly
18/03/2010 04:27:18 PM
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While most of this is true...
19/03/2010 06:47:19 AM
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Siuan's failure to properly help Rand should motivate Egwene to overthrow...oh, right. Egwene.
19/03/2010 11:52:10 PM
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Re: The To'Raken
06/04/2010 06:00:07 AM
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Re: The To'Raken
07/04/2010 11:31:47 PM
- 976 Views