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Re: Egwene, a poor leader? fairfax Send a noteboard - 20/12/2010 02:02:05 AM
Fair points, I take back the "positive reinforcement" thing I said.

As I've said before, my biggest issue with Egwene is that she falls into the Pratchettian definition of evil: she treats people as things. One of the only times in the last few books that I can recall her even trying to empathise with someone was when she obtusely compared her imprisonment to Rand's. She clearly knows some details of his capture, and yet she compares a prison cell with a coffin, spanking with beating, and her fears for the tower with Rand's fears for the fate of the entire world. And to top that off, Rand was forced to watch his lover being beaten even harder than he was. Egwene just seems out of touch with people. She understands how they think and work, and she can negotiate well enough, but she doesn't actually feel for them. Nicola dies because of her bad planning, and all we get is a sentence or two of mild regret followed by justification. Siuan saves her life, but Egwene is too paranoid to trust her. Nynaeve's experiences were so far beyond any pain we've seen caused to Egwene that it's mindboggling, yet this is done for pure political expediency. Compare Egwene's thought process to any other major character; the only one who somewhat matches is Dark Rand.


I have not read Pratchett so I won't comment his type of evil. I agree with you Egwene doesn't empathize well. That doesn't make her evil. I don't know if you can blame Egwene for Nynaeve's experiences during the testing. Saerin rounded on the other testers for the scenes they created during the testing. Romanda, Lelaine, Rubinde are all responsible for the worst parts of the testing, not Egwene. All of the Aes Sedai, except Egwene and Elayne, have gone through the testing and don't seem worse for the wear. I don't recall having read anywhere in the series that Egwene should expect Nyneave's test to be so brutal. From Egwene experience Nyneave's test should have been the norm that all Aes Sedai go through.

Yes it was politcally expedient for Nyneave to go through the tests. Both Egwene and Nyneave would benefit. I just don't see how Egwene should have expected the brutal test that Romanda, Lelaine and Rubinde created.


She's had a month now - why aren't the Yellow and Green Ajahs out on the blight border holding back the tide? Because Egwene is thinking like Dark Rand; it's all about winning the LB, not about winning a future for humanity. A person can have all the traits and abilities of legendary leadership, but if they place that leadership before their own humanity then they are nothing more than an administrative machine.


I agree with on parts of this. Where are the Aes Sedai helping the borderlanders? Why is Egwene still getting information from pigeons? Why aren't sisters all over Randland getting their information first hand? Egwene should know there is a thing called traveling. Where are the teams of Aes Sedai training for battle together? If you want the different Ajahs to start working together and building teamwork you should make them work together. Have 5 or 6 sisters from different Ajah's work together as a team. Fighting together, healing together, getting intelligence together. Ask the Great Captain Gareth Bryne to work with them on being more battle worthy.

I just don't think Egwene is thinking like Dark Rand. I think she has so much to do somethings slip through the cracks.
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Egwene, a poor leader? - 16/12/2010 05:59:15 PM 2056 Views
Egwene isn't supposed to be a leader. She's a dictator and a politician. - 16/12/2010 08:21:13 PM 1213 Views
Well! No love lost there - 17/12/2010 01:52:59 PM 698 Views
Re: Egwene, a poor leader? - 16/12/2010 09:35:44 PM 997 Views
Re: Egwene, a poor leader? - 16/12/2010 10:53:20 PM 918 Views
Re: Egwene, a poor leader? - 17/12/2010 03:07:40 AM 1018 Views
Exactly how loyal do you think Nynaeve and Elayne are? - 17/12/2010 04:52:34 AM 790 Views
Re: Exactly how loyal do you think Nynaeve and Elayne are? - 17/12/2010 05:44:30 AM 898 Views
That was the case a few books back - 17/12/2010 07:44:32 AM 891 Views
Re: That was the case a few books back - 17/12/2010 10:14:36 AM 858 Views
Re: Egwene, a poor leader? - 17/12/2010 02:30:48 PM 935 Views
Re: Egwene, a poor leader? - 17/12/2010 08:25:39 PM 727 Views
Re: Egwene, a poor leader? - 18/12/2010 05:06:21 AM 892 Views
Re: Egwene, a poor leader? - 19/12/2010 08:41:31 PM 775 Views
Torturing Nynaeve for exclusively her own political ends. *NM* - 20/12/2010 12:14:55 AM 498 Views
Re: Torturing Nynaeve for exclusively her own political ends. - 20/12/2010 01:24:12 AM 826 Views
And the most painful torments were caused by Egwene - 20/12/2010 09:31:44 AM 954 Views
That's not quite true. - 20/12/2010 06:47:33 PM 755 Views
That's not quite accurate. - 21/12/2010 01:22:26 AM 1041 Views
Re: Egwene, a poor leader? - 20/12/2010 12:57:42 AM 765 Views
Re: Egwene, a poor leader? - 20/12/2010 02:02:05 AM 844 Views
Re: Egwene, a poor leader? - 22/12/2010 07:08:37 AM 783 Views
She has the same power base as any Amyrlin - the Aes Sedai, the artisans, Guards & citizens of TV - 17/12/2010 05:51:20 PM 882 Views
Ta'veren vs. Mary Sue - 17/12/2010 07:33:28 PM 1195 Views
I see them as being the same thing. - 17/12/2010 08:11:30 PM 869 Views
I don't think the case can be made for Rand having it easy - 17/12/2010 11:04:58 PM 789 Views
Funniest statement I've ever seen on here. - 18/12/2010 05:22:28 AM 889 Views
Agree with your comments. - 20/12/2010 03:12:32 PM 1081 Views
You need to post more about Egwene - 17/12/2010 08:16:19 PM 840 Views
Nah. Just a hyopcrite. *NM* - 17/12/2010 09:28:28 PM 443 Views
Yes, but for completely different reasons... - 18/12/2010 12:35:23 AM 905 Views
Yes, communication is key. - 18/12/2010 05:32:01 AM 790 Views
You think Egwene has more power than Tuon? - 18/12/2010 12:27:01 PM 750 Views
Re: You think Egwene has more power than Tuon? - 18/12/2010 02:41:25 PM 686 Views
Definitely... - 18/12/2010 03:24:12 PM 767 Views
Where does the 200000 number come from? *NM* - 18/12/2010 03:36:22 PM 407 Views
That's not right... - 19/12/2010 12:56:25 AM 737 Views
Re: That's not right... - 19/12/2010 11:38:54 PM 822 Views
What's said above. Plus - 19/12/2010 11:00:42 AM 715 Views
More explanations... - 20/12/2010 02:51:25 AM 729 Views
Re: More explanations... - 20/12/2010 09:40:46 AM 808 Views
Aiel, Cairhien and Andor are NOT under Egwenes power. - 20/12/2010 02:46:44 PM 803 Views
Re: More explanations... - 20/12/2010 03:58:58 PM 925 Views
An Amyrlin doesn't really have a power base. - 18/12/2010 05:43:12 AM 853 Views
I think comparing Egwene to McCain is asking for trouble on several fronts. - 20/12/2010 12:33:04 AM 733 Views
She has a pretty powerful weapon... - 20/12/2010 02:41:32 AM 773 Views
RJ is more powerful. - 20/12/2010 03:25:49 AM 873 Views
I'd advise a re-read. Of ToM, and maybe the whole series... - 20/12/2010 03:58:03 AM 815 Views
Re: I'd advise a re-read. Of ToM, and maybe the whole series... - 21/12/2010 09:08:20 PM 794 Views
Re: She has a pretty powerful weapon... - 20/12/2010 09:46:22 AM 857 Views
Re: She has a pretty powerful weapon... - 20/12/2010 09:55:03 AM 729 Views
Re: She has a pretty powerful weapon... - 20/12/2010 10:27:59 AM 783 Views
One example of this... - 20/12/2010 11:15:03 AM 851 Views
Re: One example of this... - 20/12/2010 11:22:10 AM 709 Views
Re: She has a pretty powerful weapon... - 20/12/2010 11:08:35 AM 786 Views
That's not quite true. - 20/12/2010 10:35:45 PM 783 Views

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