11-09-2021, 05:36 PM
you know, the more I think about it, the better I like the mystery of who the dragon reborn is. Making it possible (at least as far as 3rd age AS think) that it might be Egwene could be an interesting angle. Each of the 3 (and now 4, with Egwene) have something unique about them. Rand's luck, Matt's speaking the old tongue outside of Shadar Logoth, Perrins talking to wolves, and Egwene's channeling. It makes the question more paramount when we see that a real false dragon is capable of. I love that we will SEE why people fear male channelers. (I hope they play up the danger of the madness for logain, even though he hadn't gone mad. Imagining what a madman with that power could do makes Rand's fear of the power and terror at being the dragon more visceral)
I am reminded of when Rand snuck up on Egwene and Moiraine's nightly discussions and Egwene was asking about the fall and trying to blame it on the men who wanted power. Moiraine corrected her, that she was thinking the female AS would be all good and pure. And that wasn't the case. Being the dragon is a terrifying thought- salvation and destruction seemed to go hand in hand, the idea that having the dragon verses the dark one was a toss up. And egwene...nah. No, that changes things too much. While it may be a mystery to the viewer, the key component of egwenes personality is that she is NEVER afraid of seeking more- responsibility, power, whatever. Whether it is being the best water hauler (EVAR!!!) or the Amyrlin, it's all the same drive. She would never fear being the dragon.
Rand was the opposite. He rejected the idea because he feared hurting people and bringing destruction (which makes sense both given how he was raised and also the emotional baggage he carried from his life as LTT.) As I said, two very differing people and paths and one cannot be swapped for the other. I would argue that is why Rand is the dragon. The person you want in charge is the person who fears being in charge (or put another way, watch out for the person campaigning for the powerful position. Or whatever the saying is.) Use of that power would be done with respect. Rand's destroying the Choedan Kal is the quintessential example. There is no universe where Egwene would have done that.
I don't like the idea that the one power be merged into one force and that it is MEN who are tainted (I will always use that word, now, simply because I think it is funny now :-P ). There's a judgement there. What makes it dangerous for males if females access the same power? Why so specific? But at the same time, it does raise a question of gender spectrums and the power. Now, to be sure, we are talking about metaphysics to make representation of a very tiny minority (non-binary folk, a subset of trans people, themselves a subset of the LGBTQ community which is a small subset of people as a whole.) I think the easiest explanation is that some gendered souls might be born into the wrong body and so the channeling will show that. But in cases where a person doesn't identify as either, they can still channel one or the other. It is a bit messy, but it doesn't require rewriting metaphysics, which touches at the core of the series.
God, I dream of seeing Fal Dara on the screen. Truly. Book 2 was when I fell hard for the series. I was out of breath when I finished reading it at 1 am in early October of 1993. Just blown away. (Then I made myself read 3 chapters of the Bible- Proverbs as it happens- before I let myself move on to book 3 that weekend ;-) I was so obsessed with it so that's how I tried to stay balanced.) Seeing Mat blow the horn and the heroes return, seeing the damane being used, the battle across the sky...that would be glorious.
Totally agree on the song. Definitely Lan singing to Nynaeve (figuratively speaking).
BTW, I am tickled that WatchMojo has a "Top 10 things you missed in the WOT trailer":
I was telling someone how cool it would be to see WOT take its place in pop culture. It has the same feel as GOT but feels more hopeful and ennobling. It walks the same line as Star Wars or the MCU (or Ted Lasso, for that matter!) And I confess, I would love to see kids dress up as Aiel for halloween- little girls as Maidens of the Spear. Kid's names Aviendha or Nynave. Stupid, in a way. But not really. These things touch and stay with us. All of us here are a perfect case in point.
I am reminded of when Rand snuck up on Egwene and Moiraine's nightly discussions and Egwene was asking about the fall and trying to blame it on the men who wanted power. Moiraine corrected her, that she was thinking the female AS would be all good and pure. And that wasn't the case. Being the dragon is a terrifying thought- salvation and destruction seemed to go hand in hand, the idea that having the dragon verses the dark one was a toss up. And egwene...nah. No, that changes things too much. While it may be a mystery to the viewer, the key component of egwenes personality is that she is NEVER afraid of seeking more- responsibility, power, whatever. Whether it is being the best water hauler (EVAR!!!) or the Amyrlin, it's all the same drive. She would never fear being the dragon.
Rand was the opposite. He rejected the idea because he feared hurting people and bringing destruction (which makes sense both given how he was raised and also the emotional baggage he carried from his life as LTT.) As I said, two very differing people and paths and one cannot be swapped for the other. I would argue that is why Rand is the dragon. The person you want in charge is the person who fears being in charge (or put another way, watch out for the person campaigning for the powerful position. Or whatever the saying is.) Use of that power would be done with respect. Rand's destroying the Choedan Kal is the quintessential example. There is no universe where Egwene would have done that.
I don't like the idea that the one power be merged into one force and that it is MEN who are tainted (I will always use that word, now, simply because I think it is funny now :-P ). There's a judgement there. What makes it dangerous for males if females access the same power? Why so specific? But at the same time, it does raise a question of gender spectrums and the power. Now, to be sure, we are talking about metaphysics to make representation of a very tiny minority (non-binary folk, a subset of trans people, themselves a subset of the LGBTQ community which is a small subset of people as a whole.) I think the easiest explanation is that some gendered souls might be born into the wrong body and so the channeling will show that. But in cases where a person doesn't identify as either, they can still channel one or the other. It is a bit messy, but it doesn't require rewriting metaphysics, which touches at the core of the series.
God, I dream of seeing Fal Dara on the screen. Truly. Book 2 was when I fell hard for the series. I was out of breath when I finished reading it at 1 am in early October of 1993. Just blown away. (Then I made myself read 3 chapters of the Bible- Proverbs as it happens- before I let myself move on to book 3 that weekend ;-) I was so obsessed with it so that's how I tried to stay balanced.) Seeing Mat blow the horn and the heroes return, seeing the damane being used, the battle across the sky...that would be glorious.
Totally agree on the song. Definitely Lan singing to Nynaeve (figuratively speaking).
BTW, I am tickled that WatchMojo has a "Top 10 things you missed in the WOT trailer":
I was telling someone how cool it would be to see WOT take its place in pop culture. It has the same feel as GOT but feels more hopeful and ennobling. It walks the same line as Star Wars or the MCU (or Ted Lasso, for that matter!) And I confess, I would love to see kids dress up as Aiel for halloween- little girls as Maidens of the Spear. Kid's names Aviendha or Nynave. Stupid, in a way. But not really. These things touch and stay with us. All of us here are a perfect case in point.