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Don't blame the Seanchan, The Aiel made an excuse to start a war. Variant Send a noteboard - 08/01/2011 09:20:36 AM

They did **NOT** start the war. It was Seanchan's fault that did not free the captured Wise Ones. You can't expect not to release prisoners and suffer no consequences, unless you're stupid. So either the Seanchan are stupid, or they deliberately kept the prisoners to force the Aiel to attack.


What captives? You mean the Shaido wise ones? Who are probably empty husks by then? What other wise ones have the Seanchan captured? We don't know what circumstances the Aiel in Avi's vision are referring to.

The Seanchan are not the cause of the Aiel's destruction. The Aiel's inability to culturally evolve and socially adapt to a wider, more peaceful 4th Age is why they become obsolete. Remember: their banishment to the Three-Fold Land after the AoL was to prepare them for the Last Battle, nothing more. The Pattern needed an immediate, hardened army of exceptional fighters for Rand to use as his spears. Yeah, I get that people have emotional affection for the Aiel, but really, besides being able to slaughter people, what is their culture good for? ...Seriously, think about it.... Even ji'e'toh, however admirable, was a social mechanism to temper the warrior bloodlust and keep their people in check - at least to some degree. Although even Ji'e'toh has it's limits and can be interpreted differently (look at the Shaido). And in Aviendha's flash-forwards, we see an idle, bored group of frustrated people who no longer have a purpose, because besides fighting and killing, they have no purpose.


This message last edited by Variant on 08/01/2011 at 09:30:21 AM
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Avienda's viewing and the Fields of Merrilor (spoilers) saidarisnowtainted - 28/12/2010 06:21:05 PM 3636 Views
Timing moratcorlm - 28/12/2010 06:43:32 PM 2196 Views
Indeed...the bleak future makes the Last Battle almost an anti-climax... Shannow - 28/12/2010 08:20:31 PM 2337 Views
And yet, the only places of relative peace and shelter right now are Seanchan controlled lands. everynametaken - 29/12/2010 03:21:37 AM 1904 Views
+1. Lord Haart - 29/12/2010 04:04:02 AM 1665 Views
Re: +1. Lo'oris - 07/01/2011 05:25:23 PM 1531 Views
Those who would give up permanent liberty in exchange for temporary security, deserve neither.. Shannow - 29/12/2010 10:27:35 AM 1678 Views
Says the person defending monarchies and oligarchies, some of them quite brutal. moratcorlm - 29/12/2010 02:12:56 PM 1636 Views
LoL. What is this "POV trap" that people refer to so often to make a point? Shannow - 29/12/2010 10:00:11 PM 1865 Views
Re: LoL. What is this "POV trap" that people refer to so often to make a point? moratcorlm - 29/12/2010 10:44:12 PM 1729 Views
Why do you have this urge to overcomplicate something as simple as personal likes and dislikes? Shannow - 30/12/2010 10:00:43 AM 1583 Views
Re: Why do you have this urge to overcomplicate something as simple as personal likes and dislikes? Lo'oris - 07/01/2011 05:28:03 PM 1539 Views
"romantic characteristics" Variant - 07/01/2011 06:06:31 AM 1478 Views
Re: "romantic characteristics" Lo'oris - 07/01/2011 05:30:33 PM 1566 Views
Don't blame the Seanchan, The Aiel made an excuse to start a war. Variant - 08/01/2011 09:20:36 AM 2011 Views
Re: Those who would give up permanent liberty in exchange for temporary security, deserve neither.. Zeratul - 29/12/2010 03:06:16 PM 1738 Views
Exactly. *NM* everynametaken - 30/12/2010 02:50:07 AM 1097 Views
They are pretty close to evil. Slavery being the big thing, but the crushing social scale is far darius_sedai - 31/12/2010 06:45:59 PM 1474 Views
The Aiel sold slaves to Shara, does that make them evil? No society in Randland is without flaws. Variant - 07/01/2011 05:10:32 AM 1853 Views
you are missing my point darius_sedai - 07/01/2011 11:31:11 PM 1627 Views
We haven't had a POV from a NON-high-ranking Seanchan moratcorlm - 08/01/2011 03:13:26 AM 25138 Views
As to Bethamin ... darius_sedai - 20/01/2011 04:46:36 PM 1633 Views
No, you're missing the point. Benevolence is irrelevant. Variant - 08/01/2011 09:48:51 AM 1512 Views
Re: No, you're missing the point. Benevolence is irrelevant. Lo'oris - 08/01/2011 10:04:18 AM 1560 Views
Well the Westlands aren't exactly modern Europe or USA either Lohikaarme - 08/01/2011 11:00:31 AM 1596 Views
Re: Well the Westlands aren't exactly modern Europe or USA either Lo'oris - 09/01/2011 02:08:17 AM 1507 Views
That's funny, I'd choose modern day China in a second. Variant - 09/01/2011 06:37:24 AM 1496 Views
Hong Kong is not an accurate representation of the rest of Modern China darius_sedai - 20/01/2011 04:50:20 PM 1476 Views
~sigh~ Cosmopolitan China is different than Rural China Variant - 21/01/2011 01:00:17 AM 1448 Views
well there is also the fact that Hong Kong has different "rules" than even other major darius_sedai - 21/01/2011 05:38:46 PM 1565 Views
I'm not just talking about Hong Kong though... Variant - 22/01/2011 09:36:20 AM 1561 Views
I've traveled extensively darius_sedai - 22/01/2011 06:02:47 PM 1478 Views
You've traveled to China extensively? Variant - 22/01/2011 07:41:30 PM 1684 Views
the quesetion you responded too is "would you rather live in Medieval Europe of Modern China darius_sedai - 22/01/2011 09:47:24 PM 1789 Views
I responded, "I"d choose modern day china in a second" Variant - 22/01/2011 10:29:46 PM 1626 Views
Actually, China is changing. Variant - 09/01/2011 06:32:58 AM 1586 Views
true to a point, yet China has been under one form or another of totalitarian rule for darius_sedai - 20/01/2011 04:57:37 PM 1547 Views
So? Variant - 21/01/2011 01:20:18 AM 1614 Views
Double post *NM* Variant - 21/01/2011 01:21:10 AM 838 Views
It's the comparative to the Seanchan empire I'm really getting at here, not saying China isn't darius_sedai - 21/01/2011 05:43:56 PM 1628 Views
I don't even know why China was brought up in the first place ~shrugs~ Variant - 22/01/2011 10:04:59 AM 1495 Views
I totally agree with your last point, which is why I think RJ set them up to be the "Evil Empire" darius_sedai - 22/01/2011 06:12:46 PM 1544 Views
They're not entirely evil though, and RJ has written them that way Variant - 22/01/2011 08:02:22 PM 1517 Views
not so much darius_sedai - 22/01/2011 09:54:38 PM 1518 Views
Your example is absurd. Variant - 22/01/2011 10:53:06 PM 1408 Views
Ah yes, the "Jews can kill you with their minds" argument. *NM* moratcorlm - 23/01/2011 05:32:23 PM 827 Views
Please. Like anyone else in Randland is really free? everynametaken - 30/12/2010 02:47:27 AM 1570 Views
Andor is rather progressive... Allowing the common people to speak their minds darius_sedai - 31/12/2010 06:35:29 PM 1473 Views
Andor is lionized as a huge exception to the general rule moratcorlm - 31/12/2010 11:57:30 PM 1570 Views
Re: Andor is rather progressive... Allowing the common people to speak their minds Zeratul - 01/01/2011 12:18:46 AM 1565 Views
Seanchan is much closer to the Chinese culture. Which has never established democracy darius_sedai - 01/01/2011 06:12:10 AM 1957 Views
Prussia (and with it Germany) would never have changed to democracy if not forced to Voscaia Sedai - 01/01/2011 12:23:34 PM 1464 Views
too easy: they did not have to fight the Shadow, they don't even know shadowspawn really exist as of *NM* Lo'oris - 29/12/2010 02:44:18 PM 892 Views
It goes beyond the channelers. The Seanchan control the population darius_sedai - 31/12/2010 06:00:57 PM 1439 Views
Re: It goes beyond the channelers. The Seanchan control the population moratcorlm - 01/01/2011 10:58:22 PM 1555 Views
Word, even the Tinkers are gathering and migrating to Seanchan held lands in the south. *NM* Variant - 07/01/2011 05:21:09 AM 812 Views
Maybe they're a remnant of humanity Sidious - 29/12/2010 04:41:40 AM 1683 Views
Re: Maybe they're a remnant of humanity moratcorlm - 29/12/2010 02:17:33 PM 1628 Views
Couple of flaws here darius_sedai - 31/12/2010 06:54:13 PM 1542 Views
You are right, here is a better analogy dadof5 - 03/01/2011 06:23:16 PM 1496 Views
Even Hitler didn't think Jews could kill people with their minds moratcorlm - 03/01/2011 07:22:09 PM 1585 Views
It depends on Rand's sperm I guess Skeeve the Great - 28/12/2010 08:27:59 PM 1580 Views
No, the Seanchan started it, by wanting to conquer the rest of the world... Shannow - 28/12/2010 08:31:27 PM 1706 Views
Re: No, the Seanchan started it, by wanting to conquer the rest of the world... Skeeve the Great - 28/12/2010 08:50:28 PM 1574 Views
Re: No, the Seanchan started it, by wanting to conquer the rest of the world... saidarisnowtainted - 30/12/2010 03:56:55 PM 1642 Views
Because the Aiel are savages who have no place in a modern world moratcorlm - 28/12/2010 11:15:23 PM 1658 Views
Re: No, the Seanchan started it, by wanting to conquer the rest of the world... saidarisnowtainted - 30/12/2010 04:01:00 PM 1624 Views
Re: It depends on Rand's sperm I guess Ashaman_Luc - 28/12/2010 11:02:34 PM 1541 Views
VoG = Veins of Gold. The chapter at the end of TGS where Rand becomes balanced. *NM* Lord Haart - 29/12/2010 06:56:38 AM 2297 Views
Re: It depends on Rand's sperm I guess Sidious - 29/12/2010 04:37:04 AM 1510 Views
Re: It depends on Rand's sperm I guess Skeeve the Great - 29/12/2010 02:37:12 PM 1554 Views
Re: It depends on Rand's sperm I guess saidarisnowtainted - 30/12/2010 04:02:31 PM 1960 Views
timeline in the books Ava - 29/12/2010 03:34:45 PM 1605 Views
Re: timeline in the books moratcorlm - 29/12/2010 05:29:11 PM 1645 Views
Re: timeline in the books Ava - 31/12/2010 01:18:32 PM 1535 Views
yes thousands and thousands AFTER hundreds of years. these kids were probably slowing since birth. Onarishma - 03/01/2011 08:19:22 PM 1582 Views
Re: yes thousands and thousands AFTER hundreds of years. Ava - 04/01/2011 12:21:59 PM 1422 Views
your premise is that first generation applies to anyone but them. Onarishma - 10/01/2011 09:25:02 PM 1474 Views
Aviendha + Mat (and Seta and Bethamin) are the best hopes. The Angry Druid - 09/01/2011 01:45:00 AM 1578 Views
From a plot standpoint I very much dislike Avienda's visions as well The Count - 20/01/2011 01:39:37 AM 1998 Views
Problem is, the fate of post-TG Randland depends on the viewing being heeded before TG. *NM* Lord Haart - 20/01/2011 10:07:15 AM 770 Views
The Light's victory in the Last Battle was already a foregone conclusion ranagrande - 21/01/2011 03:48:54 PM 1426 Views
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