Before I go any further, I will declare that I dislike Egwene as a character. Having said that, after reading TOM, I have a strange feeling about Egwene's future.

It seems to me, that she is a very odd leader, a leader without a power base. When I look at other leaders for the Light, they all have a power base, a group of people who shares something essential with them, a reason to follow them.

Mat has his Band. They follow him to survive till the Last Battle.

Perrin has the Two River folks, and the refuges with him will probably settle into the Two River area. They follow him to have safety and future prosperity in the Two River area.

Rand has the Aiel, who follow him to have a future with honor. Those who don't believe so had already joined the Shaido. Despite the lack of evidence so far, most of the Aiel still believe Rand will bring them great honor, based on faith in dreams, fortellings, and the WO's work behind the scenes. But they do support Rand out of a genuie belief, and they will continue to support Rand as long as they continue to believe in him.

Elayne has the Houses of Andor. They all want safety and prosperity. And when they saw her having the same desire as them, and having the capability of a good Queen, those Houses became her power base.

But who can Egwene rely on? Who form the power base of Egwene? As far as I can tell, Egwene just pit one group of AS against another group of AS, and hang on to the position without any group to call her own. Even the Green did not support her any stronger than any other Ajah, as can be seen from the secret Hall meeting. I think her lack of a power base is due to her lacking an identity of her own.

As I think harder on this, I believe based on Egwene's character growth so far, she is not fit for a leader. Let us Look back into her history. In EoTW, she want to be the best water carrier. When She met the Aiel Wise Ones, she want to be the best Aiel. When she joins the rebels, she want to be the best AS. She would take up the traits of whoever she come in contact with, and grow into that role very quickly.

That, to me, is the trait of a Great Follower. She would be a Great Administrator, after someone else had set up all the rules. In fact, Rand saw through this, and ask her to gather the world's army for him. That is percisely the job of an administrator.

An administrator does not need a power base, it only needs to evenly apply the rules given. A leader on the other hand, needs to have a vision, an idea that her followers can aspire to, and a way to realize that vision.


She can follow the rules very well, and take advantage of the rules very well. Her time with the Rebel AS had proven so. But so far, I don't see her coming up with any good rules, a vision of her own. Her flip-flop on the Three Oaths. Her insistence on the Tests. Her denial of her Dream about alliance with the Seanchan. She is not a good leader. John McCain was captured and tortured in Vietnam. And I am not sure if Egwene can claim her experience with the Seanchan is worse than John McCain's. John McCain can go to Vietnam without his personal grudges. Can Egwene do the same? If she want to be a good political leader, she must be able to do that, and put aside her personal feelings.