Also, how about Mat not being a perfect general after all? Demandred basically defeated him, despite all of Mat's gambles. It was down to a suicidal charge. And then Lan kills Demandred, the Sharans panic, and Mat can finally turn things around. Yes, it was his plan all along to appear weaker than he was, but it didn't really work - Demandred was still beating him until a Mat got a lucky break.
Two armies met, one army was left standing at the end. Mat's forces were vastly outnumbered, so he knew that his only avenue for success was staying in the battle long enough and hopping for a lucky break where he would be able to take advantage of it. This was part of a recurring theme, namely that as long as you keep fighting there is always a chance you can win.
In earlier books Mat always had the right tactical gambit up his sleeve to pull out a victory, and there was never any doubt in the reader's mind that he'd win. This time all he could do was watch his forces diminish and cross his fingers. Obviously we, the readers, knew he would win in the end, but for the entire battle he was losing to a superior general.
I just liked that a main character was, for once, inferior, if only barely. It's the same as Gawyn, Galad, and Logain all facing Demandred and losing. That would never have happened in the earlier part of the series, where we had half-trained Accepted like Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne somehow defeat and capture a Forsaken.
I just think it made the story better. RJ/BS really pushed the characters to the very edge before allowing their victory.
Anyone who was disappointed is insane. That was a fantastic conclusion.
- 16/01/2013 05:12:58 PM
2214 Views
About Mat
- 16/01/2013 07:01:44 PM
1065 Views
But compared to early books in the series...
- 17/01/2013 03:53:14 AM
924 Views
You're wrong Mat was never losing. From the moment he took over he was just setting up his win.
- 17/01/2013 06:25:41 PM
926 Views
Except I believe even Mat admits he didn't know if it would be enough.
- 17/01/2013 09:41:03 PM
783 Views
To be fair to Mat.
- 18/01/2013 06:25:23 AM
715 Views
*NM*