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Re: Aes Sedai - question for the WoT experts..... Onarishma Send a noteboard - 17/11/2009 07:50:48 AM
I'm half way through tGS and something popped into my mind.....what is the point of the Aes Sedai? Are they comic relief? Are they just filler?

Have the Aes Sedai contributed anything major to the storyline? Have they discovered any knowledge about the Last Battle to help Rand? Have they helped with any of the conflicts among nations/factions to help bring order to Randland prior to the Last Battle? Have they even captured or killed a Forsaken? They just keep fighting among themselves.....what's the point!

Thoughts?


I'm not sure what else you want them to do.

Given the choice between controlling countries and controlling Rand they choose Rand. In pursuing that goal they lost control over countries that should have been in their pocket. Of course the Tower break and the Seanchan invasion made maintaining these things harder. Without healing the Tower diplomatic power and military power can not be organized.

However the AS have tried to maintain their diplomatic status by sending emmissaries and advisors. And even with Rand looming over them the AS still have significant sway. Elaida proved that in Cairhien before Rand was kidnapped.

It is sort of unreasonable to expect the AS to just follow Rand even after he drew Callandor. So all of their actions are reasonable and their attention is justified. Behind Rand or alongside him the AS are an important political and military power and so their storyline is completely relevant.
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Aes Sedai - question for the WoT experts..... trzaska2000 - 17/11/2009 05:18:52 AM 1349 Views
They are politicians at heart... everynametaken - 17/11/2009 05:31:41 AM 917 Views
You remember Moiraine, right? And Cadsuane? *NM* fionwe1987 - 17/11/2009 05:32:50 AM 457 Views
Cadsuane hasn't done anything and Moiraine.....you mean that person from 7 books ago? trzaska2000 - 17/11/2009 05:51:16 AM 686 Views
That's individual AS, not AS as a group. *NM* ajfurst - 17/11/2009 06:23:52 AM 325 Views
What use have the Andorans been then? As a nation, not individuals. *NM* fionwe1987 - 17/11/2009 06:53:35 AM 334 Views
Not much - of all plots in WOT I wish Daughter Heir had meant Heir, not Daughter of the Heir *NM* ajfurst - 18/11/2009 08:54:18 AM 330 Views
She is the Heir, not the daughter of the heir! *NM* fionwe1987 - 18/11/2009 05:24:24 PM 343 Views
As we found out, in painfully slow manner, she was neither! *NM* BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 01:31:02 PM 327 Views
Short answer: nope. Marshall - 17/11/2009 05:51:01 AM 865 Views
Good answer.....so why are so many stories devoted to those that are only indirectly..... trzaska2000 - 17/11/2009 05:54:10 AM 674 Views
Wonderful response, and I agree. RugbyPlayingAshaman - 17/11/2009 08:18:30 PM 691 Views
rather.. urizen - 18/11/2009 08:32:10 AM 807 Views
I think those critiques are overblown and not based on a fair analaysis of WoT History RugbyPlayingAshaman - 18/11/2009 03:15:12 PM 755 Views
Hawkwing included AS until Ishmael got to him so that really not true. Onarishma - 18/11/2009 05:04:58 PM 715 Views
Re: Hawkwing included AS until Ishmael got to him so that really not true. urizen - 18/11/2009 09:16:04 PM 702 Views
Their Tower allegience was always superior to their Empire allegience but was Bonwhine Onarishma - 23/11/2009 02:29:57 AM 631 Views
But then.. urizen - 23/11/2009 08:30:37 AM 737 Views
Kind of Sort of fairfax - 17/11/2009 07:05:51 AM 683 Views
Re: Aes Sedai - question for the WoT experts..... Onarishma - 17/11/2009 07:50:48 AM 638 Views
AS exist for you to question the purpose of all self-serving organizations making grand claims redhand - 17/11/2009 09:31:24 AM 2074 Views
Re: AS exist for you to question the purpose of all self-serving organizations making grand claims Watcher - 17/11/2009 12:44:35 PM 1444 Views
Re: Aes Sedai - question for the WoT experts..... LewsTherin10 - 17/11/2009 02:36:33 PM 704 Views
Always help or contribute.....never do or lead..... trzaska2000 - 17/11/2009 04:23:04 PM 646 Views
if that internal silliness is not resolved the power of a united front will remain compromised. *NM* Onarishma - 17/11/2009 11:11:54 PM 378 Views
Re: Aes Sedai - question for the WoT experts..... BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 01:48:27 PM 626 Views
Re: Aes Sedai - question for the WoT experts..... LewsTherin10 - 19/11/2009 09:14:14 PM 879 Views
You're asking the wrong question HyogaRott - 17/11/2009 05:35:06 PM 695 Views
You could ask the exact same questions about the Ashaman, or the Aiel, or the SeaFolk, or any group NaClH2O - 18/11/2009 11:49:25 AM 657 Views
SeaFolk yes, Aiel or Ashamen no.....stupid reply.....try again if you would like. *NM* trzaska2000 - 18/11/2009 05:56:54 PM 398 Views
Scored using your words NaClH2O - 18/11/2009 06:33:31 PM 793 Views
Slow down Professor.....the AS have killed 1 Forsaken..... trzaska2000 - 18/11/2009 10:59:39 PM 641 Views
I think he's counting Nynaeve and Egwene *NM* Marshall - 18/11/2009 11:21:20 PM 318 Views
So who killed Lanfear? *NM* fionwe1987 - 18/11/2009 11:59:27 PM 411 Views
You mean Lanfear/Cyndane.....nobody..... trzaska2000 - 19/11/2009 12:04:10 AM 672 Views
They reduced her in power. TheCrownless - 19/11/2009 12:39:17 AM 595 Views
Perhaps 1/32th of a point.....she's still almost as powerful as any other woman..... trzaska2000 - 19/11/2009 01:00:26 AM 678 Views
So? fionwe1987 - 19/11/2009 01:33:56 AM 621 Views
So you've decided to redefine words now? NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 01:42:48 AM 571 Views
Have you read the books? NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 01:39:37 AM 613 Views
I will type more slowly.....the AS have killed 1 and only 1 Forsaken..... trzaska2000 - 19/11/2009 04:00:59 AM 620 Views
So? fionwe1987 - 19/11/2009 05:00:13 AM 656 Views
Oh dear! NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 11:51:17 AM 581 Views
Read the new book.....as Rand points out.....no balefire, no death..... trzaska2000 - 19/11/2009 03:04:44 PM 547 Views
Re: Read the new book.....as Rand points out.....no balefire, no death..... NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 03:11:36 PM 742 Views
This is silly guttering flame - 19/11/2009 07:29:33 PM 589 Views
There is no misrepresentation NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 07:45:18 PM 604 Views
The point I made is guttering flame - 19/11/2009 07:48:52 PM 588 Views
Are we speaking english? NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 08:07:45 PM 797 Views
Not really BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 08:19:49 PM 674 Views
Re: There is no misrepresentation BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 07:49:29 PM 725 Views
OK NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 08:15:08 PM 658 Views
No idea BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 08:17:09 PM 631 Views
OK fair enough, I do too, NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 08:31:11 PM 761 Views
Well what do you think of BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 08:56:38 PM 868 Views
And another point NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 03:05:45 PM 562 Views
For the sake of argument, though BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 03:49:23 PM 633 Views
OK fair enough NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 07:56:00 PM 614 Views
rAndy aL - 19/11/2009 12:06:02 AM 734 Views
There isn't much in this series I would call "filler" - seriously? trzaska2000 - 19/11/2009 12:11:14 AM 582 Views
You're bothering to discuss a series with three books of "filler"- seriously? *NM* fionwe1987 - 19/11/2009 01:34:43 AM 292 Views
Just skipped over them.....no big deal slick..... trzaska2000 - 19/11/2009 04:02:57 AM 605 Views
Yeah right... fionwe1987 - 19/11/2009 04:58:54 AM 567 Views
Yes, seriously rAndy aL - 20/11/2009 01:11:18 AM 669 Views
It's kind of amusing to see the prima donas bow and scrape before each other while the world ends. BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 01:37:42 PM 609 Views
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