Egwene al'Vere

Ho boy, is this something I've noticed the WoT community is divided over. Going from the girl that Rand believed he was to marry to Amyrlin Seat, as well as thinking Rand is nuts for thinking he should break the seals, Egwene's character arc goes from those small village roots to the most powerful woman in the world.

Yet, why are the people divided about her?

Honestly, I think it's because she goes from being nice, helpful, and determined to help Rand survive the Aes Sedai, to becoming the living embodiment of the conservative, 3000 year-old edifice that is the White Tower.

Sure, she works to bring all the channeling women together, whether Seafolk or Aiel or Knitting Circle, and unites the Tower from the divide that many considered would be irreparable, but she becomes as deft and strong a manipulator and savant of Daes Dae'mar that Moiraine will probably flip when she meets her again.

So, in Towers of Midnight we are treated to a great scene in which Rand just waltzes up to the White Tower, and asks to see the Amyrlin. Far from being fearful because he's in the center of Aes Sedai authority, and even while shielded, Rand simply tells Egwene what he will do, and that she must plan for it, so buts. And he leaves with nobody trying to stop him. One interesting thing to note here is that, although he was shielded, some of the Aes Sedai comment that they felt that they couldn't contain him if he did want to break out, which has two possibilities.

Rand has gone to 11, and can bring out so much of the Power that not all the Aes Sedai could keep him shielded.

Or, and this is what I think is the case, he can channel the Creator's version of the True Power now, which does explain the immense strength he suddenly gains, as well as his oddball ability to suddenly see Darkfriends, a capacity only seen in Padan Fain in The Lord of Chaos, which was a gift from the Dark One.

Personally, I dislike how she just becomes another Aes Sedai, albeit a "better" one. The wench is still uncomfortable around channeling men, doesn't believe that saidin is cleansed, and doesn't listen to the messiah that surviving Tarmon Gai'don is really their job, not his. His is to seal the Dark One away before another comes later in the Pattern to the place where the Pattern is thinner, and a strange new power source exists.

I gotta admit, I'm really wondering what's going to happen with Lanfear in A Memory of Light, given Rand's strange dream where he sees her imprisoned in the necklace thing that Moridin has.

So, Egwene: pretty much 180s her trust in the man that she would have married had not the Pattern set the two on the path that they are on.

As a side note, Saldeans are crazy with how their marriages work, and I will be commenting on that for more stuff regarding what I hope to be the gender analysis paper I want to write.

Been a tough week, but updates will be coming more often.

Later!