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On Reluctant Authority

2015-04-12

Ok, so since Tweets aren't large enough for me, I decided to write things down here. I wish I wasn't spending my time trying to chop sentences down to 140 chars up to now and started a blog earlier, but this will have to do.

[Spoilers from The Wheel Of Time -up to Lord of Chaos- follow. Read at your own risk.]

I'm about forty percent through sixth book, Lord Of Chaos, and our main pals have got to possess a certain amount of badassness. All three ta'verens are some sort of lords. Perrin literally rules Two Rivers, Matrim has an army in his hand, which also sounds like a bit... uh... fanatic let's say, and obviously Rand; he's an entirely different character now than he used to be in first two books, running of all by himself to Tear was the beginning of madness for him.

But what Nynaeve just did in Salidar was the sort of things I always wanted to do if I were a protagonist of a story who is surrounded by reluctant authority.

When I was playing through Mass Effect triology, I always went nuts over folks' petty bickering especially that Council, woolheaded idiots- because they were usually fed up with too much of their pride and wouldn't listen to Shepard's warnings. - "Hey, Reapers are gonna wipe out all civilization as we know. We must work together." + "Of course, but we won't team up X race. We don't like them. Only if you do this mission for us." Countless times I was at the brink of wreaking havoc on my keyboard, shouting like "THE. WHOLE. FREAKING. CIVILIZATION." Despite being a Spectre, a superior among governments who were hip-deep in bureaucratic crap and wouldn't take shit from them, she (mine was a she) only said "Ok, what do you want me to do?" And that only got me just madder.

I don't like Nynaeve. She's smart, but does foolish things from time to time, and pretty closed-minded towards men, like "Men think with hair on their chests. We have brains for that." (maybe she telling the truth is the reason why) I always have been with Elayne on the matter of her temper. Because, she's not Shepard. You don't mess with Aes Sedai if you're a mere Accepted. You simply don't. You would count yourself lucky if you can get away with scrubbing pots. When she was doing that in Salidar, I always have said, "Well, you had it coming." -it would have turned out to be a disaster, when talking with the Prophet, a book ago. But that glare she did just after Tarna has left Salidar, was my feelings in the form of words. Rising up to their rule, and snapping their lack of action back at them with the hot sauce of truth trying to be hidden but found... How does THAT feel Sheriam, huh? Is our little Sister feeling a bit surpassed, because the hard truth is slapped back at her face, by a petty Accepted? Do you now punish people because they tell you things you want to be kept secret don't want to hear? Which are, in fact, your weaknesses?

You have my full support, girl. I would have done the same thing even if would cost me scrubbing cauldrons without my hands. Don't ever regret doing that. If it's the whole world is at stake, don't hesitate to drill the ice-cold logic and trust into people's minds.

With that courage you possess, I honestly pity the Dark One. And.. Lan, for that matter.


Speaking of pride... Elayne, if you have any difficulties bonding Rand, give your thanks to Alanna.