Siuan's failure to properly help Rand should motivate Egwene to overthrow...oh, right. Egwene.
Cannoli Send a noteboard - 19/03/2010 11:52:10 PM
Cannoli Send a noteboard - 19/03/2010 11:52:10 PM
...I also think that part of RJ's motivation in making their rise to power so "easy" has to do with their ages and lack of experience.
To take a simple example... Egwene in the Tower under Siuan. The first and most logical question is, why would she even begin to work against Siuan? As you said, it is easy for an objective reader to point out the flaws in Siuan's reign and realize that her style of doing things would not suffice in this kind of changing world.
But where would an eighteen year old village girl with no political experience even begin to find the requisite foresight and wisdom needed to make such a discovery? Even if she did, imagine how hard it would be for her to find any allies at all. Would even Nynaeve and Elayne have supported her if she decided one day to depose Siuan? Would it have seemed realistic if she succeeded?
Initially I had assumed in my hypothetical alternative scenario that Siuan's attachment to the status quo, refusal to adapt to Rand's new order and obsessive focus on her own priorities and strategems, combined issues that arise from her refusal to accept the destruction that will accompany Rand's efforts, would motivate Egwene & co to take the side or, or stir up sisters who were disenchanted with Siuan's mishandling of the situation. But, silly me. That would necessitate Egwene giving a damn about Rand when his actions clashed with the Tower's agenda. Sorry, I was so foolish. You Egwene fans know her so well, of course you would immediately see that there is no way she would ever be motivated to rise up and take down the Amyrlin Seat because it had to be done for Rand.To take a simple example... Egwene in the Tower under Siuan. The first and most logical question is, why would she even begin to work against Siuan? As you said, it is easy for an objective reader to point out the flaws in Siuan's reign and realize that her style of doing things would not suffice in this kind of changing world.
But where would an eighteen year old village girl with no political experience even begin to find the requisite foresight and wisdom needed to make such a discovery? Even if she did, imagine how hard it would be for her to find any allies at all. Would even Nynaeve and Elayne have supported her if she decided one day to depose Siuan? Would it have seemed realistic if she succeeded?
Cannoli
"Sometimes unhinged, sometimes unfair, always entertaining"
- The Crownless
“Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.” GK Chesteron
Deus Vult!
"Sometimes unhinged, sometimes unfair, always entertaining"
- The Crownless
“Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.” GK Chesteron
Deus Vult!
Did the characters come too easily to power?
- 16/03/2010 11:37:31 PM
2215 Views
Yes, and for Rand at least IMO, playing nice has cost dearly
- 17/03/2010 04:59:32 AM
1253 Views
Not necessarily
- 18/03/2010 03:17:10 PM
1195 Views
Good post.
- 27/03/2010 01:43:24 PM
1004 Views
Unfortunately, no.
- 31/03/2010 10:23:58 AM
1131 Views
Re: Unfortunately, no.
- 02/04/2010 07:54:10 AM
934 Views
All the way through, up to ripping her self-delusional assessments of her "achievements" in KoD
- 02/04/2010 09:27:54 PM
1025 Views
TLDR *NM*
- 17/03/2010 05:43:01 AM
716 Views
Cmon ppl pls reply to this, Cannoli has spent such a long time writing it.... I couldn't be bothered *NM*
- 17/03/2010 10:31:38 AM
504 Views
Rand is at the perfect position after TGS for his downfall...
- 17/03/2010 02:49:55 PM
1108 Views
Re: Rand is at the perfect position after TGS for his downfall...
- 17/03/2010 06:15:18 PM
1039 Views
I usually read Cannoli's epic-length posts...
- 17/03/2010 04:08:33 PM
1107 Views
Ha! Imagine if I didn't double-space the paragraphs. That is a fairly new practice on my part.
*NM*
- 18/03/2010 03:36:13 PM
513 Views
*NM*
- 18/03/2010 03:36:13 PM
513 Views
I'd suggest you had more paragraphs......with a lot of spacing.....
*NM*
- 19/03/2010 04:42:05 AM
552 Views
*NM*
- 19/03/2010 04:42:05 AM
552 Views
Oh I know. I've been lurking here/wotmania for a VERY long time.
- 22/03/2010 01:31:30 PM
1041 Views
Sheesh, you people are babies. I read it. Some good points.
- 17/03/2010 05:35:08 PM
1057 Views
Re: Sheesh, you people are babies. I read it. Some good points.
- 17/03/2010 10:08:34 PM
1239 Views
Oh and I forgot to add
- 18/03/2010 01:41:28 AM
1089 Views
I would say those cases are both examples of aknowledging their own limitations and priorities
- 18/03/2010 04:02:13 PM
1149 Views
Re: Did the characters come too easily to power?
- 17/03/2010 06:10:22 PM
1101 Views
I was more focussed on the cost of GETTING power, not the prices of discharging it responsibly
- 18/03/2010 04:27:18 PM
1235 Views
While most of this is true...
- 19/03/2010 06:47:19 AM
1019 Views
Siuan's failure to properly help Rand should motivate Egwene to overthrow...oh, right. Egwene.
- 19/03/2010 11:52:10 PM
1066 Views
- 19/03/2010 11:52:10 PM
1066 Views
Re: The To'Raken
- 06/04/2010 06:00:07 AM
1085 Views

*NM*