Towers of Midnight - Chapters 44-46

In this section, characters reunite!

With the Last Battle impending, and no other identity to resume, Morgase finally allows herself to love Tallanvor and gets married. Didn’t take much.

Mat has a badger for Perrin. There is no build-up toward this reunion, as is appropriate for Mat where everything must be unanticipated. The author cleverly uses the word children just before revealing Mat’s presence, which is as good as saying someone immature is behind the acorn tossing.

Elayne discusses the politics of Cairhien with Dyelin, fresh back from a scouting expedition. It’s confusing that on the one hand I don’t want to go through yet another political plotline with gaggles of nobles angling for the throne, yet I also find it disconcerting how Elayne dictates the simplicity with which she’ll take the throne, moving Mat’s band where it needs to go, and using her new cannons.

Galad enters and reveals Morgase. Mother and daughter happily reunite. Any awkwardness in the dialogue is excused by drawing attention to it through Birgitte’s comment: “It’s good to see you two acting like mother and child, or at least woman and woman, rather than staring at each other like two posts.” Attention is drawn to the next conflict, resolving Perrin’s rebellion in the Two Rivers.

Aviendha contemplates Rhuidean, the future of the Aiel, and both her and her people’s relationship with Rand. The offhand way in which she reflects on Nakomi’s words before reaching the exact same conclusions on her own reinforces that Nakomi was no one special, just a scene added to make Aviendha’s reflections on these matters seem more believable to readers.

Since the end of Knife of Dreams, there has been no sight of Mazrim Taim or the Black Tower. Even Logain made only a short appearance. The point of view showing readers the current state of affairs belongs to Androl, the weakest of the Dedicated, remarkable only for his talent with Gateways. Immediately, it is assumed Androl will play the role of kingmaker, predictably demonstrating that men can make a difference in many ways, even when they appear weak. Despite being a regular and standard plot device to evoke sympathy, it rarely fails, because the character is usually wise on some way. Androl is perceptive, and recognizes the value of waiting for the right time before taking action. Cementing sympathy is often done by showing the character being bullied, which in this case also illustrates that the head bully is so highly ranked, all the bullying is delegated to his acolytes. Any one who joins Taim’s faction gets promoted above those he left, while those who won’t join, languish.

None of Taim’s acolytes have Aes Sedai bonded, which is unsurprising when you consider that men and women working with the One Power together is even more fulfilling than using either half on its own. Bonding is deep and profound sharing, and has been suggested as a key element of how Rand can defeat the Dark One, while strife between the sexes has always been a goal of the Dark One.

Androl’s visions of shadows creeping toward him remind readers that the male channelers who began their training before the cleansing of saidin are still afflicted with madness. This is representative of all who have trained at the Black Tower under Taim, and lingering madness and distrust can still undermine the fragile alliances being built. Building an alliance with Taim’s men looks next to impossible, even if Taim were to be removed.

Writing Lessons:

Draw attention to a weakness in the story to make it appear intentional.

The Gathering Storm - Chapters 2-5

In this section, the heroes slowly begin to think of the future beyond the Last Battle.

Egwene, forced to live as a Novice, must serve dinner to her antagonist, Elaida. Often, downcast roles of scullery maid or other menial roles showcase the hero’s ethics, hard-working, and struggling against odds, increasing the reader’s respect, which is probably why rising from a lowly birth station is an element in many traditional fantasy stories. Egwene’s struggle in the Tower is just such a plot, showing Egwene’s mounting ability to overcome physical abuse. Facing Elaida directly and being subjected to a more subtle and insidious mental abuse offers a different opportunity to do the same thing.

 Offering an example of what Elaida’s direct attention can do, we are shown Meidani, caught in a trap from which she cannot escape. Since Beonin betrayed Meidani’s identity, Elaida wasted no time in bringing her into proximity, so she can fully humiliate the woman, forcing her to research the very punishments she’ll have to endure once her true allegiance is revealed. Egwene realizes that direct confrontation with Elaida will end her crusade, but as soon as she decides to take a meek stance, Meidani is there to show the results. Elaida torments Meidani, a supposed confidante, relishing her power over the other woman. When Egwene arranges a distraction so she can also confide in Meidani, her gentle strength is in stark contrast to Elaida’s. Repeatedly, examples contrast Egwene’s behaviour with Elaida’s, almost always ending with someone considering what they have seen, comparing the two women. Egwene is being measured against Elaida, but no one has completely committed to her except for those with no choice in the matter.

Egwene understands by the end that physical pain is of no concern when compared to the pain of the spirit that comes from seeing what you love being rent by careless or bullying hands. This in turn stands in contrast to Rand’s plot, where he has been subjected to great physical pain, and is about to be put through an emotional wringer.

Similarly, Aviendha is being put to shaming work, as though she had no honour at all. She struggles to understand what the Wise Ones want of her, but is too proud to ask, and it is against her cultural upbringing in any case. Aviendha must figure it out on her own, as Egwene already have.

Gawyn has a short chapter, in which he questions whether he is on the right side. His reluctance to admit he chose wrongly when the Tower split has delayed this introspection. The realization that he faces his old mentor is presented as the instigating reason why he has reached a moral impasse, and must choose sides for once and for all. Earlier encounters with Egwene, and Min and Siuan forced him to make allowances for his behaviour, but pride as strong as Aviendha’s has kept him from switching allegiance completely. Gawyn serves as a proxy for Rand, whose pride is greater than anyone’s. The moral quagmire in which each of them finds himself makes them feel lost. The contrast between Rand and Gawyn and the choices and consequences they face will be more evident as the story progresses.

In Arad Doman, Rand is angry that despite all his efforts, no one easily believes that he has accomplished one of the greatest wonders ever. This angry and petulant attitude rings truer than introspective moments shared with Asha’man. But in those moments Rand begins to see beyond the immediate needs of the Last Battle, to the future and the legacy he will leave. I’ve contrasted this series, an American fantasy, to American History, beginning with the War for Independence, through the uncertainty of Vietnam, and the difficult choices of the 21^st Century. This is the first we’ve seen of anyone thinking to the future, beyond the modern era. Rand has begun to realize, as have Aviendha and Egwene, that the Last Battle is not the end of everything, their hope is that it is the beginning of something, and they must begun to prepare for it.

Elsewhere, Cadsuane realizes that breaking Semirhage is nearly impossible, and is forced into introspection about how she could be broken, hoping to use the answer against Semirhage. She feels the pressure of time, worrying privately that she won’t be able to prepare Rand for the Last Battle. She contrasts Rand with Semirhage, admitting to herself that her progress with him is not much better than her progress with the Forsaken.

Writing Lessons:

It’s not always bad to follow a well-established writing convention, there is usually a good reason it is used so frequently.