The Wheel of Time Reread Redux: The Fires of Heaven, Part 2

The Aiel vs. the White Tower: I can see why Moiraine is concerned–aside from thinking Siuan has the Tower behind her (hah!) and is persuading the rest of the Westlands to follow Rand which would be ruined if he showed up with Aiel, there’s the whole Aiel War in her native Cairhien thing. And it is typical of the Aiel to not care what happens in the Westlands and think it has nothing to do with them because they’re obviously the only culture that matters. But then again–broken people, remnant of a remnant will be saved? Bigger more personal issues there. And even aside from what we know has happened in the Tower, Rand was absolutely right when he said the Tairens had to be forced to follow him. If she expects him to gather the lands behind him, and for them to be loyal, he needs an army that can make the reluctant/scheming/selfish people do so, and the Aiel are it at this point.

Still, overall it is quite the dilemma where you can’t quite dismiss either side. Good thing Couladin crosses over the Dragonwall and mucks everything up, so Rand and the Aiel coming after him can be seen as saviors, eh? At least by the Cairhienin for sure who, considering the last the time the Aiel did that, have a rather important weight lent to their opinion. And after that, Rand’s thesis is proven true…thanks to the Aiel, he gets the Cairhienin, which convinces the Tairens, and when you add in Mat and Bashere you get a force that can actually liberate Illian from Sammael, who are suitably and genuinely grateful too. But it all starts here.

Bair’s insightful speech about the Pattern not seeing ji’e’toh dovetails rather well with Moiraine telling Perrin in TDR that the Wheel is neither good nor evil and requires both to weave the Pattern. It just goes to show that even when it comes to important cultural concepts like ji’e’toh, the Aiel can still see more eye-to-eye with Aes Sedai than might seem apparent on the surface. It’s interesting though, talking about surrendering to fate/the Pattern rather than fighting it being the way to find happiness…since the Wheel is turning by both saidin and saidar, yet this statement suggests the only way to get through life less painfully is to act only like a saidar user, never a saidin user. Perhaps the statement should be less emphatic, that there are times when fighting is both needed and productive (like say for ta’veren or threads closest to them) because this makes them stronger and better able to face what comes, or when it will help you determine the way fated things happen rather than whether they do at all. (Or does this indicate the Creator is female? LOL!)

Leigh always wondering about whether there are Aiel women with two husbands really is a pointed observation after the bit where Egwene wonders if it’s true but can’t bring herself to ask. And you know, she can complain (and rightly so) about Jordan never answering or showing it directly, but I have to think him having the idea be brought up at all, even in the context of Egwene being uncertain and never able to ask about it, is itself proof that it does happen. Why even broach the subject if you didn’t want the reader to consider it possible? So I’m pretty confident it does happen, and that if Egwene hadn’t gotten up the nerve to ask, the Wise Ones would have answered in the positive, and as matter-of-factly (and as incredulous that she wouldn’t know or expect it) as anything else they tell her. :)

Otherwise, just a nice slice-of-life chapter that really shows Aiel culture well, I think. Even if the specifics of how ji’e’toh work can be confusing, I think overall the system is very realistic, honorable, and yes as fascinating as Leigh commented on the first time around. I also love not just Egwene’s innate understanding of it even as she thinks she doesn’t, but the genuinely loving and true friendship Amys, Bair, and Melaine have. Also, poor Aviendha, asking about wetlanders and sister-wives because she’s so desperate to be able to be true to both her friend and her feelings for Rand.

Oh and as for spying on dreams, it seems to me the Aiel, despite their code of honor, have a very strong sense of the ends justifying the means. Although the way they act about traditional spying vs. spying on dreams suggests they do see them as somehow different rather than dream-spying being something they otherwise wouldn’t do if it weren’t necessary to survive. I think the suggestion Leigh made (I think it’s later in this book) that it’s because they see dreams as an involuntary product of the subconscious–and thus something which can be freely viewed and interpreted the same waybody language, expressions, and tones can–is a good way to reconcile this.

Chapter 6: Love the symbolism of Rand fighting atop the mosaic of the Aes Sedai symbol atop the Roof of the Maidens. Also love how once he realizes the danger Darkhounds pose, he immediately runs to go defend Mat from them. And using balefire to save him: foreshadowing of the climax in Caemlyn!

The fact Moiriane, quintessential Aes Sedai, actually shows her shock at the medallion keeping the One Power from working just shows how rare such a ter’angreal actually is. I still wonder how the Finn were able to give such a thing to him, since they cannot channel themselves. Didn’t Jordan say the Eelfinn collected things from those who came into their realm, either as payment for requests or when the querents didn’t deal for a way out/got lost/came in via the Tower without the contract and so died there? In which case I assume that’s where the medallion came from…but that doesn’t explain who made it or how. Elayne had a great deal of trouble duplicating it, so either it’s a one-of-a-kind item, or the fact it blocks the One Power gives it a special difficulty in the creation process. (Makes sense to me–using magic to create something anti-magic is quite the paradox.)

And speaking of Moiraine, we have both the proof of why Rand needs her in her discussion about Darkhounds and balefire (which wouldn’t be an issue if she hadn’t worked so hard to manipulate and control him that he rightly doesn’t trust her), and her realization (prompted by knowing her departure and most likely death is coming) what she did wrong and how she has to fix it if she’s to have any chance of helping him in time. Doesn’t make what she does any less shocking (as evidenced by boulder Lan showing his emotions on the subject), but I remember upon first reading being so relieved. Not just because now they could work together and help each other, but it seemed to me that Moiraine realizing this was a major character growth for her. Not because she needed to be humbled per se, but because learning humility is something that makes her more effective as well as kinder, gentler, and more sympathetic to others I think. Basically, allowing the good heart and intentions we’ve known she has to get past the arrogance and pride of both Cairhienin noble and Aes Sedai.

I also can’t help thinking that doing this and thereby earning Rand’s trust is a big part of how and why Moiraine came to trust Rand did know what he was doing and could later tell him he had done/would do well–because once she was able to learn his plans and thought processes, she understood he was intelligent, insightful, and good-hearted and not acting out of madness or ignorance or being a typical male. So instead of fighting him and dismissing everything he planned to do, she was able to modify and shift his plans where needed, adding her own experience and knowledge to account for things he didn’t know or show him how he could accomplish what he wanted without screwing things up too much. A give and take that resulted in better outcomes for both of them. And that’s wonderful.

Quick side note: when Rand is thinking about not wanting to let the Maidens fight and die, he notes that he believes “it was a man’s place to die if necessary before a woman had to.” Note that last phrase. His belief is still stupid and taking the choice away from the women, but he is acknowledging that sometimes yes, women do have to die for others. He just wants to put it off as long as possible, or thinks men doing so is more necessary. It’s not much, but at least he does admit women dying can be a thing that has to happen.

As for balefire, not much to say there that hasn’t been said before. Still a very cool but scary scifi concept, still something that is indeed needed sometimes, but must be used very carefully and judiciously. I am glad it was able to save Mat, Aviendha, and Asmodean, as well as kill Aran’gar, Be’lal, Rahvin, and Semirhage, but it was also very important to the Pattern that Egwene found the anti-weave to it. I also always loved the creepy weird way Jordan described what it did to TAR in particular.

Moiriane’s reaction to seeing a Skimming gate: nice sensawunda there. I kind of wish we’d gotten more of these from various Aes Sedai in the series, but getting it from Moiraine herself is pretty awesome. I do wonder how in the world Jordan justified the backwards way Skimming and Traveling work though. You can say “it’s magic and it doesn’t make sense”, but we’re talking about a guy who knew physics inside and out and made a well-structured, cohesive, logical, Magic A is Magic A system. But for the life of me I never could figure out his rationale here. Is there something in quantum physics that could explain this, even tangentially?

Lanfear: I have to say, as much as I think Lews Therin is right and she always loved power and ambition more than anything else, I can’t help wondering if maybe, at some point, she did love him. Regardless, either way hearing him speak such things must indeed have been very shocking for her, since I don’t think she knew it was possible for past-life memories to bleed through that way. Semirhage claimed Graendal said it was, and Graendal implied as much in the prologue, but Lanfear didn’t believe her, and it obviously must be a thankfully rare thing, so…yeah, pretty overwhelming all around. Also, I always thought Leigh’s theory about the Lews Therin voice was the right one, and the evidence supported it, but I have to admire that Jordan (and even Sanderson right up to the end on Dragonmount) used language which could mean either theory was right. And in the end it doesn’t really matter after the integration, so I’m fine with letting people believe what they want. (I’m usually fine with that anyway, so long as what they believe isn’t hurting anyone, but I’m particularly fine when there is no right or clear answer and the resolution really is a case of personal taste.)

I do wonder if she was telling the truth about Rahvin. Lanfear’s explanation is very roundabout, but then Rahvin was supposed to be good at manipulation and political diplomacy. The only other who could have sent them (since Demandred is elsewhere and Graendal won’t act so aggressively unless forced to) is Sammael and he would seem to have even less reason to go after Rand at this point. Then again, he sent Darkhounds after Perrin while Rahvin sent only Darkfriends–while the Forsaken probably all can access various Shadow creatures and agents at a given moment, this seems to suggest Darkhounds being Sammael’s minions of choice, the same way Gray Men were for Ishamael–and if they are trying to bait Rand into attacking Rahvin, having Sammael send them but Lanfear tell him it was Rahvin would do that. Except…later on when Nynaeve listens in the plan is described as luring Rand into attacking Sammael. Maybe they thought Rand would distrust Lanfear’s word (as well he should!) and thus automatically conclude the opposite, that it was Sammael? So does that mean Rahvin did send them, for the same misdirecting reason as above? Or did Sammael send them after all in a double subversion? Gah! The Forsaken “twisty-snake-square” icon really does fit them so well. I’ve gone cross-eyed.

Anyway, speaking of slant-wise thinking, Rand was very clever in how he made Lanfear think he didn’t care about Morgase, and also how he explains his dream-warding and gets her not to go after the Wise Ones by questioning her giving open aid. And hah, Lanfear noticing Egwene’s interest in Gawyn! You’d think she’d remember that later at the docks, but not only was she completely nuts at that point, she may have figured hurting Egwene would still upset Rand because she was his companion and from his village, even if he had no romantic designs on her anymore.