Ta'veren is not a power, it is an accomodation with what the Pattern demands of certain people
Cannoli Send a noteboard - 12/04/2010 02:56:57 PM
Except that half of Hawkwing's greatness had to do with his supernatural power that bent reality to his will. Even if this is excusable, after his first wife died he became a tyrant and it was only through the intervention of his second wife that the world survived his wrath. Secondly, he became a puppet for one of the Forsaken, and died a madman.
His tyranny is only called such because it was out of character for HIM. By anyone else's standards it was business as usual, and the only evidence that he is the puppet of a Forsaken is the vainglorious boasting of nihilistic villain afflicted with three thousand years of exposure to the True Power, drawn from the same evil as the taint that drives saidin weilders mad. Ba'alzamon's bragging is not a remotely credible source. All things being equal, it is just as likely that HE was the one being bent to the other's will.
As for the issue of ta'veren, it is no different than the special protections other kings get with the divine right and so on. Given that all known ta'veren have been extraordinarily talented individuals it is as likely that his personal qualities resulted in his being picked out for greatness as the candidate who could best serve whatever purpose the Pattern had in mind (IMO, uniting humanity to forestall the Trolloc Wars 2), as that his achievements are based solely on some superpowered boost.
Actually, the ta'veren factor works even more to his credit, because the expansionist conqueror seldom makes for a good ruler. As we know from the books however, a ta'veren is driven along his course and must achieve what the Pattern wants him to or die. Hawkwing, according to his biography, was a good ruler who was content to stay at home and tend his nation, but was driven to conquest by necessity, implicitly by the mandate of the Pattern, and explicitly by the hostility of the White Tower.
Cannoli
"Sometimes unhinged, sometimes unfair, always entertaining"
- The Crownless
“Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.” GK Chesteron
Deus Vult!
"Sometimes unhinged, sometimes unfair, always entertaining"
- The Crownless
“Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.” GK Chesteron
Deus Vult!
The greatest King in Fantasy
- 09/04/2010 05:18:42 AM
2345 Views
King Arthur. Hands down.
- 09/04/2010 06:40:15 AM
1713 Views
I would argue with you.
- 09/04/2010 06:54:53 AM
1671 Views
That's the point, though. Arthur's humanity is what makes him so admirable.
- 09/04/2010 06:59:07 AM
1716 Views
I have to agree with Dannymac
- 09/04/2010 02:04:44 PM
1684 Views
But he's not in a modern fantasy novel.
- 09/04/2010 07:37:14 PM
1762 Views
- 09/04/2010 07:37:14 PM
1762 Views
when I read the actual book...
- 10/04/2010 12:08:21 AM
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"The actual character"? Which of the countless different ones? *NM*
- 10/04/2010 12:21:00 AM
810 Views
i mean the actual character of Arthur in the actual book.
- 10/04/2010 12:51:44 AM
1811 Views
There isn't an "actual book." Le Morte d'Arthur is a relatively early compilation of legends. *NM*
- 10/04/2010 03:09:40 AM
844 Views
I'm going with the most likely historical version of King Arthur
- 09/04/2010 06:45:26 PM
1803 Views
My money is still on Aragorn
- 09/04/2010 12:47:43 PM
1806 Views
Aragorn is so awesome...
- 09/04/2010 02:05:42 PM
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Arwen's character is just never fleshed out, though.
- 09/04/2010 02:18:30 PM
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Re: Arwen's character is just never fleshed out, though.
- 09/04/2010 02:49:45 PM
1701 Views
Mostly, yes, but there are a few exceptions - Galadriel, Eowyn, and above all Luthien.
- 09/04/2010 03:32:00 PM
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Re: Mostly, yes, but there are a few exceptions - Galadriel, Eowyn, and above all Luthien.
- 09/04/2010 03:45:37 PM
1930 Views
I can't agree about the goddesses.
- 09/04/2010 04:34:15 PM
1751 Views
Re: I can't agree about the goddesses.
- 09/04/2010 04:55:34 PM
1651 Views
If Tacitus and Graves were accurate
- 09/04/2010 05:09:20 PM
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Re: If Tacitus and Graves were accurate
- 09/04/2010 05:26:43 PM
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I rather liked her depiction in Rome.
- 09/04/2010 05:34:37 PM
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Re: I can't agree about the goddesses.
- 09/04/2010 05:02:50 PM
1745 Views
Nienna, the Valier of Mercy, was single and a wanderer. She's not the most powerful, but...
- 09/04/2010 06:55:23 PM
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Re: Nienna, the Valier of Mercy, was single and a wanderer. She's not the most powerful, but...
- 09/04/2010 07:04:37 PM
1730 Views
thought of a better example: Arien the Maia of the Sun was single and far more powerful than Tilion
- 09/04/2010 09:17:34 PM
1985 Views
Re: I can't agree about the goddesses.
- 09/04/2010 05:06:49 PM
1833 Views
That was my first assumption too, but evidently not. *NM*
- 09/04/2010 05:22:39 PM
776 Views
I changed it to Livia Augusta
Sheesh, you people-- a guy mistypes one time!! *NM*
- 09/04/2010 05:29:03 PM
854 Views
Sheesh, you people-- a guy mistypes one time!! *NM*
- 09/04/2010 05:29:03 PM
854 Views
I call bullshit
- 09/04/2010 08:09:49 PM
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Re: I call bullshit
- 09/04/2010 08:31:16 PM
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Re: I call bullshit
- 10/04/2010 08:04:15 AM
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I didn't realize it was fashionable to call Tolkien sexist.
- 10/04/2010 05:12:07 PM
1719 Views
He's good, but then he just doesn't have to face so many things.
- 09/04/2010 02:22:04 PM
1956 Views
Doesn't have to face many things?
- 09/04/2010 07:59:27 PM
1693 Views
As in, there are many important aspects of being king he doesn't have to face.
- 09/04/2010 08:07:16 PM
1699 Views
well technically speaking he WAS the king when he did all those things.
- 10/04/2010 12:15:26 AM
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Re: Doesn't have to face many things?
- 09/04/2010 08:38:51 PM
1538 Views
Re: Doesn't have to face many things?
- 10/04/2010 08:24:33 AM
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I'm sure there are many, but one coming to mind is Prince Josua from Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
- 09/04/2010 02:23:57 PM
1649 Views
I'm going to go with a tie...
- 09/04/2010 04:22:42 PM
1651 Views
Rohan was a whiny hypocritical bitch who failed at the only real test of rulership he ever faced.
- 10/04/2010 02:51:34 AM
1762 Views
Artur Hawkwing
- 10/04/2010 03:34:02 AM
1876 Views
Alexander the Great?
*NM*
- 10/04/2010 05:08:25 AM
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*NM*
- 10/04/2010 05:08:25 AM
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AH conquered more, did better, & was not a huge d-bag. Alex would have commissioned that big statue *NM*
- 12/04/2010 03:00:39 PM
814 Views
And both managed to have their so-called "empires" crumble within a year of their death. *NM*
- 12/04/2010 06:12:20 PM
816 Views
Which just reinforces how awesome AH was - no one else could do what he did
- 13/04/2010 11:50:54 AM
1749 Views
???
- 10/04/2010 10:30:13 AM
2288 Views
Ta'veren is not a power, it is an accomodation with what the Pattern demands of certain people
- 12/04/2010 02:56:57 PM
1711 Views
What's the name of the Lemur-thing that's the King in "the penguins of madagascar"? He gets my vote! *NM*
- 14/04/2010 04:46:42 AM
867 Views
