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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 1334 Views
They are politicians at heart... everynametaken - 17/11/2009 05:31:41 AM 900 Views
You remember Moiraine, right? And Cadsuane? *NM* fionwe1987 - 17/11/2009 05:32:50 AM 450 Views
Cadsuane hasn't done anything and Moiraine.....you mean that person from 7 books ago? trzaska2000 - 17/11/2009 05:51:16 AM 670 Views
That's individual AS, not AS as a group. *NM* ajfurst - 17/11/2009 06:23:52 AM 317 Views
What use have the Andorans been then? As a nation, not individuals. *NM* fionwe1987 - 17/11/2009 06:53:35 AM 324 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 319 Views
She is the Heir, not the daughter of the heir! *NM* fionwe1987 - 18/11/2009 05:24:24 PM 334 Views
As we found out, in painfully slow manner, she was neither! *NM* BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 01:31:02 PM 319 Views
Short answer: nope. Marshall - 17/11/2009 05:51:01 AM 844 Views
Good answer.....so why are so many stories devoted to those that are only indirectly..... trzaska2000 - 17/11/2009 05:54:10 AM 655 Views
Wonderful response, and I agree. RugbyPlayingAshaman - 17/11/2009 08:18:30 PM 667 Views
rather.. urizen - 18/11/2009 08:32:10 AM 787 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 733 Views
Hawkwing included AS until Ishmael got to him so that really not true. Onarishma - 18/11/2009 05:04:58 PM 696 Views
Re: Hawkwing included AS until Ishmael got to him so that really not true. urizen - 18/11/2009 09:16:04 PM 682 Views
Their Tower allegience was always superior to their Empire allegience but was Bonwhine Onarishma - 23/11/2009 02:29:57 AM 605 Views
But then.. urizen - 23/11/2009 08:30:37 AM 720 Views
Kind of Sort of fairfax - 17/11/2009 07:05:51 AM 657 Views
Re: Aes Sedai - question for the WoT experts..... Onarishma - 17/11/2009 07:50:48 AM 619 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 2056 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 1424 Views
Re: Aes Sedai - question for the WoT experts..... LewsTherin10 - 17/11/2009 02:36:33 PM 685 Views
Always help or contribute.....never do or lead..... trzaska2000 - 17/11/2009 04:23:04 PM 626 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 369 Views
Re: Aes Sedai - question for the WoT experts..... BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 01:48:27 PM 606 Views
Re: Aes Sedai - question for the WoT experts..... LewsTherin10 - 19/11/2009 09:14:14 PM 841 Views
You're asking the wrong question HyogaRott - 17/11/2009 05:35:06 PM 674 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 635 Views
SeaFolk yes, Aiel or Ashamen no.....stupid reply.....try again if you would like. *NM* trzaska2000 - 18/11/2009 05:56:54 PM 391 Views
Scored using your words NaClH2O - 18/11/2009 06:33:31 PM 769 Views
Slow down Professor.....the AS have killed 1 Forsaken..... trzaska2000 - 18/11/2009 10:59:39 PM 618 Views
I think he's counting Nynaeve and Egwene *NM* Marshall - 18/11/2009 11:21:20 PM 310 Views
So who killed Lanfear? *NM* fionwe1987 - 18/11/2009 11:59:27 PM 378 Views
You mean Lanfear/Cyndane.....nobody..... trzaska2000 - 19/11/2009 12:04:10 AM 654 Views
They reduced her in power. TheCrownless - 19/11/2009 12:39:17 AM 577 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 658 Views
So? fionwe1987 - 19/11/2009 01:33:56 AM 603 Views
So you've decided to redefine words now? NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 01:42:48 AM 550 Views
Have you read the books? NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 01:39:37 AM 597 Views
I will type more slowly.....the AS have killed 1 and only 1 Forsaken..... trzaska2000 - 19/11/2009 04:00:59 AM 598 Views
So? fionwe1987 - 19/11/2009 05:00:13 AM 634 Views
Oh dear! NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 11:51:17 AM 565 Views
Read the new book.....as Rand points out.....no balefire, no death..... trzaska2000 - 19/11/2009 03:04:44 PM 527 Views
Re: Read the new book.....as Rand points out.....no balefire, no death..... NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 03:11:36 PM 723 Views
This is silly guttering flame - 19/11/2009 07:29:33 PM 569 Views
There is no misrepresentation NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 07:45:18 PM 582 Views
The point I made is guttering flame - 19/11/2009 07:48:52 PM 566 Views
Are we speaking english? NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 08:07:45 PM 774 Views
Not really BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 08:19:49 PM 655 Views
Re: There is no misrepresentation BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 07:49:29 PM 704 Views
OK NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 08:15:08 PM 639 Views
No idea BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 08:17:09 PM 613 Views
OK fair enough, I do too, NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 08:31:11 PM 739 Views
Well what do you think of BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 08:56:38 PM 848 Views
And another point NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 03:05:45 PM 543 Views
For the sake of argument, though BlackAdder - 19/11/2009 03:49:23 PM 609 Views
OK fair enough NaClH2O - 19/11/2009 07:56:00 PM 594 Views
rAndy aL - 19/11/2009 12:06:02 AM 715 Views
There isn't much in this series I would call "filler" - seriously? trzaska2000 - 19/11/2009 12:11:14 AM 566 Views
You're bothering to discuss a series with three books of "filler"- seriously? *NM* fionwe1987 - 19/11/2009 01:34:43 AM 285 Views
Just skipped over them.....no big deal slick..... trzaska2000 - 19/11/2009 04:02:57 AM 585 Views
Yeah right... fionwe1987 - 19/11/2009 04:58:54 AM 543 Views
Yes, seriously rAndy aL - 20/11/2009 01:11:18 AM 650 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 591 Views
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