I have been re-reading NS, and it just occurred to me that while I've been eagerly awaiting the woman's return, I've not thought of how bittersweet her rescue will be.
She's one of two people who have known about the Dragon's Rebirth since it actually happened, she's fought alone for twenty years to find and help him, actually did find and help him, confronted numerous Forsaken, saving his life nearly every time, and as a reward gets tossed into Finn Land with no way out.
So yeah, that can't be fun, but at least my boy Mat is presumably gonna help her get out. But here's the thing: she's going to get rescued, only to find that the Last Battle STILL hasn't come about yet. So, IMO, it's like "Hey, you're free of those freaks, and don't have to live with creatures who make your skin crawl just by looking at them. Welcome back to the real world! Oh, those menacing black and silver clouds? That's the Dark One, again. Ah yes, and the Seanchan are still running amok, having taken most of the western part of the continent, Rand's many male channelers are slowly equaling Aes Sedai numbers and are made up of about 90% Darkfriends, Elaida is still in office, the One Power is almost certainly failing, and the world in general is about to unravel... Welcome back!". Wow. How... wonderful? I'd probably haul my arse right back into the Tower of Ghenjei and say "Come get me when it's over!".
Now, I know - Gandalf did it, and didn't whine. But dude was a Maia/Istari! He's practically immortal, ancient, and has hung out with the gods themselves! Moiraine is awesome, but at the end of the day she's just a human being. Maybe she saw all this in the Rhuidean rings, but I think that knowledge only extends so far. She knew she'd be rescued, but I doubt she knew what state the world would be in when she did get out. Next to Rand, of course, I think she gets my vote for living The Toughest Life of just about any of the main peeps. "A hard patch to hoe" isn't even in it!
Did I just freaking quote Lini? Excuse me while I set a penance on myself.
She's one of two people who have known about the Dragon's Rebirth since it actually happened, she's fought alone for twenty years to find and help him, actually did find and help him, confronted numerous Forsaken, saving his life nearly every time, and as a reward gets tossed into Finn Land with no way out.
So yeah, that can't be fun, but at least my boy Mat is presumably gonna help her get out. But here's the thing: she's going to get rescued, only to find that the Last Battle STILL hasn't come about yet. So, IMO, it's like "Hey, you're free of those freaks, and don't have to live with creatures who make your skin crawl just by looking at them. Welcome back to the real world! Oh, those menacing black and silver clouds? That's the Dark One, again. Ah yes, and the Seanchan are still running amok, having taken most of the western part of the continent, Rand's many male channelers are slowly equaling Aes Sedai numbers and are made up of about 90% Darkfriends, Elaida is still in office, the One Power is almost certainly failing, and the world in general is about to unravel... Welcome back!". Wow. How... wonderful? I'd probably haul my arse right back into the Tower of Ghenjei and say "Come get me when it's over!".
Now, I know - Gandalf did it, and didn't whine. But dude was a Maia/Istari! He's practically immortal, ancient, and has hung out with the gods themselves! Moiraine is awesome, but at the end of the day she's just a human being. Maybe she saw all this in the Rhuidean rings, but I think that knowledge only extends so far. She knew she'd be rescued, but I doubt she knew what state the world would be in when she did get out. Next to Rand, of course, I think she gets my vote for living The Toughest Life of just about any of the main peeps. "A hard patch to hoe" isn't even in it!
Did I just freaking quote Lini? Excuse me while I set a penance on myself.
“Sometimes I get hungry,” 
Poor Moiraine...
- 16/10/2009 10:37:18 PM
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