Beyond the events that obviously won't take place before AMoL, such as the confrontation(s) at the Pit of Doom, which plot threads or major prophecies do you think won't come to fruition by the end of ToM? Will Rand bind the Nine Moons to serve him in ToM, or will that only happen in AMoL? In which book will we see Demandred revealed?
In his review, while it was up, Jason mentioned longing for more of Moiraine, or something to that effect, which raised the possibility in my mind that we may not even see the whole of her rescue in ToM. I can't see how a cliffhanger along these lines would do the story any good or how it would even work. Anyone disagree?
It's become extremely difficult to guess at such things right now.
My only guesses would be that it's quite possible the Seanchan-Light conflict does not progress much at all in TOM. There won't be time for this... all of it would have to happen after the TGS timeline, and the post-TGS timeline is more likely going to be used to bridge to the reunion of the main cast which we know is in the book's climax (Brandon tends to exclude Tuon from it when he says "main cast" ). Unless there's gaps in the timeline and the climax of TOM is set long after Rand going to DM (I expect it will be set days, or weeks at most, for myself), then it would mean the Seanchan would have to be damn fast to learn Travelling and get ready to become involved with Rand/Egwene again.
So it looks like Rand and Egwene will have to deal with the Seanchan as the LB rages, just as Rand feared, just as it's been foreshadowed for books now (it also seems doubtful to me Jordan would solve all the conflicts within the Light before the last act. That'd be like the early collapse of all the Shadow's efforts to sow disorder and enmities before the LB even starts. What would be left for AMOL? Pages and pages of fighting Shadowspawn?)
Other than that, I think the Callandor/new sword/three plot point won't advance one bit in TOM.
Brandon has given hints that perhaps the BT story line won't be fully resolved in TOM, at least he implied he could stuff only some of Pevara's story in TOM and some will be in AMOL.
The Borderlanders? I'm undecided. This could be a plot twist involving Nynaeve, or Perrin/Faile, or they could also well be left to stew in Far Madding until Rand has time to deal with them again in AMOL. We'll see.
Not enough Moiraine? Well, I'm still pretty sure that's because Verin's 30 days kind of implies the expedition to rescue her will happen fairly late in the book, and IMO, Mat is at Ghenjei pretty much when Egwene has won the Tower and Rand is on DM... meaning... Moiraine appears pretty much only at the climax, doesn't have a earth-shattering role in it, and Jason longed for more scenes with her. I can't really see how Brandon could make a cliffhanger out of that: how could Mat be caught up at Ghenjei and involved in the climactic reunion all at the same time? I rather have the distinct impression he'll bring Moiraine to it....
Will Demandred be revealed? *shrugs*. It depends what he is up to, and if he gets involved in the "event that starts TG". If he is, it seems likely we'll know at last what he's up to. If he isn't.. well, I guess it might rather be Mesaana's turn in TOM, and Demandred will have to wait for the LB proper.
I'm actually more curious to see if Graendal will have time to resurface in TOM (there's not a whole lot of time between her escape and Rand going to DM), or if she too will reappear only in AMOL.
Not sure you said it here, but I saw someone else think they believe the Moiraine rescue plot will remain unresolved by the end of TOM. I agree that the most logical reasoning of events would be the rescue happens, subsequently followed by Mat bringing Moiraine to the Reunion.
So you think we won't see much of the Seanchan this book? I'm not sure I agree with this. We know many things, very negative things, need to happen to the Seanchan for them to even consider all the things that need to be considered before they'll ever agree to an alliance with Randland proper - issue of damane, trust of Rand, Aes Sedai, Asha'man etc. The alliance foreshadowed in Egwene's dream of a Seanchan woman saving her will probably occur in AMOL, but I'm pretty confident some events are giong to occur to the Seanchan in this book.
How long do you suppose it will take to break Elaida into spilling Traveling, a week maybe 2 at most? If it's a week then almost by the time she gets back to Ebou Dar, if the plot requires it, Tuon can presonally completely break Elaida easily to learn Traveling within 10-15 days of the raid on the White Tower. This leaves the possibility of a major offensive on Caemlyn at the climax of the book. I assume most everybody agrees the climax of the book will involve all the major light side players back to Caemlyn for a huge battle.
But with who I wonder? Shadowspawn with Dreadlords led by Demandrad possibly? Or Shadowspawn at the least. But what about the Seanchan? If they learn traveling in time they could potentially be there as well. I don't know how the BT would be involved seems all indications point towards that plotline being left for the last book. So if the book climaxes with an attack on Caemlyn the prime suspects are trollocs and Seanchan. But what if trollocs siege caemlyn while Fortuona strikes out at the black tower? Shrug, I don't know. I guess I'm just trying to say that if the BT's going to remain unresolved then it seems something with the Seanchan would be resolved. If not an alliance proper, but the next step needed in order to come to this alliance will coalesce.
I tend to agree. I'm not sure how much time would be left for parlaying over terms once TG has begun in earnest and Rand has to make his appointment at the Pit of Doom. Unless ToM progresses Rand and Egwene's plotlines less than expected, I personally tend to think that we will see Rand, Egwene, and Fortuona come to some sort of mutual understanding, however tenuous, by book's end. Jason's review states that Rand and Egwene both have important roles to play in the book, as seems predictable enough. Her biggest external challenge that we know of is smoking out Mesaana, who I think will be the one to send Egwene to the literal or figurative headsman, at which point she and Tuon would presumably find common cause prior to the confrontation/reunion with Rand.
Which plotlines will remain unresolved at the end of ToM?
- 25/09/2010 10:42:32 PM
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Re: Which plotlines will remain unresolved at the end of ToM?
- 26/09/2010 12:06:59 AM
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Re: Which plotlines will remain unresolved at the end of ToM?
- 27/09/2010 09:51:35 PM
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Rand, Egwene, and Fortuona
- 27/09/2010 10:25:53 PM
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Re: Rand, Egwene, and Fortuona
- 28/09/2010 01:08:42 AM
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Re: Rand, Egwene, and Fortuona
- 28/09/2010 01:32:05 AM
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Yeah, I thought the AMOL was going to be the shorter of the 3. I could be wrong though *NM*
- 28/09/2010 08:11:49 AM
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Re: Rand, Egwene, and Fortuona
- 28/09/2010 03:28:43 AM
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They might need traveling just to keep from going under to Trollocs coming out of the Shadow Coast
- 28/09/2010 08:10:50 AM
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A 3 way battle would be a good way to bring the Seanchan to the right side
- 28/09/2010 01:05:31 PM
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Re: They might need traveling just to keep from going under to Trollocs coming out of the Coast
- 28/09/2010 08:10:00 PM
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I think the rescue will be finished, but Mat/Mo/Thom won't arrive back
- 28/09/2010 04:09:51 AM
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