Louise Belcher, True Crime

Mostly Wheel of Time blog. Cauthor team. Anti Min. Sanderson critic. Perrin & Nynaeve are my "they never did anything wrong in their lives". EET.

[aurgenius]

Dashiva smiled, a twisted self-satisfied smile. “I cannot believe you didn’t notice before.” There was very close to a sneer in his voice. “You’ve been holding saidin practically day and night since we began this mad expedition. This is a simple ward, but it did not want to form, then it snapped together like pulling out of my hands.”

I can't believe that a scientist like you didn't notice Rand's physical and mental state.

Rand fell from his horse because of fatigue. He threw up after channeling. He gripped the Seanchan spear so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the pressure. He didn't even notice the blood in his hair from the wounds caused by the swords of the Crown.

He was constantly talking to himself.

He didn't have a single bright thought in his mind. He didn't make jokes or say anything hopeful. He didn't even dream about home or his lovers or some future.

Rand is full of irritation, pain, and madness.

[aurgenius]

He had been raised to the Blood after riding fifty miles in a single night with three arrows in him to bring word of a rebel army marching on Seandar itself, and his back still pained him.

Do your job exceptionally — be raised to Blood. Bring more lands to the Empire — be adopted into the Imperial family. Fail — be sold to a farmer to help till his fields.

[aurgenius]

The Odyssey (2026)

Perfection. Not a single minute wasted.

I started the movie thinking, "Matt Damon? Meh… okay." By the end, though, I was like, "Matt Damon is my hero."

The same happened with Tom Holland. I don't really like him. But Nolan's magic somehow makes him likable, even if his character is a pretty mediocre person at best.

Agamemnon is the best character. Making him like this was a brilliant creative decision.

My only complaint: it's really loud at times.

Christopher Nolan to all his critics:

[aurgenius]

Why doesn't Rand feel the ta'veren pull from Mat when he's so close to Ebou Dar? Is it because he's so ill from the taint on saidin?

Even the whole Band of the Red Hand feels Mat needs them.

[aurgenius]

“Do you think to abandon your men?” Jadranka snarled. “We rally them and attack, you—!” He cut off, gurgling, as Karede’s swordpoint went neatly into his throat. There were times fools could be tolerated, and times not. As the man toppled from his saddle, Karede deftly wiped his blade on the gelding’s white mane before the animal bolted. There were times for a little show, too.

At least Rand still cared about people, even fools, even his enemies (like when he ordered free captives).

[aurgenius]

Rand sighed. Not a pet dog. No! That name did not belong on the list! But he could hear the litany of names reciting itself in his head, and “Gille the damane” was there. Lews Therin moaned for his Ilyena. Her name also was on the list. Rand thought it had a right.

Rand may be a madman, but he is a reasonable madman.

[aurgenius]

“We’ll do better next time,” Bashere murmured. He ran his gaze around the valley, then shook his head. “The worst mistake is to make the same one twice, and we won’t.” Weiramon heard him and repeated the same thing, but using twenty times the words, and flowery enough for a garden in spring. Without admitting that there had been any mistakes, certainly not on his part. He avoided Rand’s mistakes with equal adroitness.

Weiramon has class. His clothes are still shining after a battle in the mud. He has no fear (or at least shows none), is capable of using flowery language on a field full of dead bodies, and never hesitates or feels ashamed to glorify himself or Lord Dragon.

[aurgenius]

Birgitte, Nynaeve, Aviendha, Elayne, Egwene.

[aurgenius]

Perrin in The Great Hunt.

Perrin found it painful to watch Mat eat. Mat’s appetite was as healthy as ever, despite the feverish flush to his face, and the way he shoveled food into his mouth made it look like his last meal before dying. Perrin kept his eyes on his plate as much as possible, and wished they had never left Emond’s Field.

Perrin in The Path of Daggers.

“Hang them,” Perrin said. Again, he heard that thunder. Having given the order, he made himself watch. Despite the murmurs, there was no lack of ready hands. Some of the prisoners began to weep as their lead ropes were thrown over tree limbs. [..] Only the smooth-voiced man did not kick or fight, even when the noose drew tight on his neck. To the end he glared defiance.

[aurgenius]

A short man with a great hooked beak of a nose, he seemed larger than he was. Not because he strutted, but because he assumed that he was as tall as any man present, and other men took him so. 

Marshal-General of Saldaea:

[aurgenius]

“Get yourself into a proper coat before you join the others,” he said. “And Narishma . . . ” Rand straightened, fixing the other man with a steady gaze. “You tell anyone about this, and I will kill you.”

Rand's justice is only one thing: death. He doesn't consider any other punishments.

[aurgenius]

And Weiramon was a fool. [..] Too stupid to leave behind, too powerful to shove aside, so he rode with Rand and thought himself honored. It was almost a pity he was not stupid enough to do something that would get him executed.

The constant voice in Rand's head screaming "Kill them all!" eventually pushes him to desire the death of others for the smallest reasons. He wants to kill Weiramon simply for his stupidity, and Gedwyn for seizing saidin right in front of Rand's presence. These dark thoughts have become completely normal to him, existing in his mind without a single trace of shame, regret, or worry.

[aurgenius]

Even half-hidden by the rain, there was a pride about them, an arrogance in the way they sat their saddles. A defiance. They gloried in what they were.

While Aes Sedai practice cool serenity, Asha'man embody defiance.

[chaseadrian]

Let's make a deal, alright? Alright. If it turns out it's one of us, that you or me can channel, we won't let each other become like that. Wheel of Time, 1.05: "Blood Calls Blood"

[aurgenius]

[aurgenius]

“It’s different for you. I tended her as a child, changed her swaddling, smacked her bottom. And now I have to leap when she snaps her fingers. It’s hard.” Elayne could not help herself. She snapped her fingers. Nynaeve spun so fast that she blurred, her face pop-eyed with horror. [.. ] When she realized Egwene was not there, had not been listening, she almost fainted with relief. [..] Aviendha certainly thought it a good joke, and Birgitte laughed as well. Nynaeve had her revenge, though. The next morning, she woke Elayne with an icicle. Elayne’s shrieks woke everybody else in the whole village.

[aurgenius]

Nynaeve had writhed and stammered with embarrassment, protested and all but pouted, then apologized so profusely that Elayne hardly believed it was the same woman she knew.

Egwene broke Nynaeve with a single nightmare.

And I'm always flabbergasted when people claim that Nynaeve's arc is so good because she learned humility. To me, it's painful to watch another person break her spirit and completely overpower her. I don't see that as growth.

[aurgenius]

Elayne knew it was necessary and right—a Queen’s closest friend among her subjects knew she was the Queen as well as a friend, had to know—but she had not enjoyed her friend telling them in a heated voice that they had behaved like witless loobies who might have brought ruin down on all their heads. Especially when she herself agreed.

Are Elayne and Egwene still friends?