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  1. - Top - End - #61
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    My favorite scene comes at the end of this very book.
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    The Aes Sedai turned that cool gaze on Mat. “And you thought it was done? You are ta'veren, Mat, a thread more crucial to the Pattern than most, and the sounder of the Horn of Valere. Nothing is done for you, yet.”

    They were all looking at him. Nynaeve sadly, Egwene as though she had never seen him before, Elayne as if she expected him to change into someone else. Rhuarc had a certain respect in his eyes, though Mat would just as soon have done without it, all things considered.

    “Well, of course,” he told them. Burn me! “I understand.” I wonder how soon Thom will be fit to travel? Time to run. Maybe Perrin will come with us. “You can count on me.”


    Not the prettiest prose in the series, or the most important moment, but it just captures the essence of the character so perfectly.
    Last edited by Anteros; 2017-12-06 at 06:42 PM.

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Anteros View Post
    My favorite scene comes at the end of this very book.
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    The Aes Sedai turned that cool gaze on Mat. “And you thought it was done? You are ta'veren, Mat, a thread more crucial to the Pattern than most, and the sounder of the Horn of Valere. Nothing is done for you, yet.”

    They were all looking at him. Nynaeve sadly, Egwene as though she had never seen him before, Elayne as if she expected him to change into someone else. Rhuarc had a certain respect in his eyes, though Mat would just as soon have done without it, all things considered.

    “Well, of course,” he told them. Burn me! “I understand.” I wonder how soon Thom will be fit to travel? Time to run. Maybe Perrin will come with us. “You can count on me.”


    It's just so very...Mat
    Then there's also suin's description of her uncle. It's very Matt. No matter what you say he'll squirm and try to duck it, but ultimately he does the right thing.
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  3. - Top - End - #63
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Sivarias View Post
    Then there's also suin's description of her uncle. It's very Matt. No matter what you say he'll squirm and try to duck it, but ultimately he does the right thing.
    Eh maybe but,
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    lets take the formation of his band of the red hand. He was NOT doing the right thing so much as trying to escape, and constantly being dragged into more fights and gathering more men under his command. Though too be fair I think it STARTED with him basically saying, "Dammit, i gotta warn these guys they are walking into an ambush, then I can leave."
    "Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
    Translation: "Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe."

    Quote Originally Posted by Nerd-o-rama View Post
    Traab is yelling everything that I'm thinking already.
    "If you don't get those cameras out of my face, I'm gonna go 8.6 on the Richter scale with gastric emissions that'll clear this room."

  4. - Top - End - #64
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Traab View Post
    Eh maybe but,
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    lets take the formation of his band of the red hand. He was NOT doing the right thing so much as trying to escape, and constantly being dragged into more fights and gathering more men under his command. Though too be fair I think it STARTED with him basically saying, "Dammit, i gotta warn these guys they are walking into an ambush, then I can leave."
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    Except every time he decides to do the wrong thing his conscience gets the better of him and drags him back in kicking and screaming to do the right thing. That's why his character is so hilarious and likable to me. Everyone thinks he's a useless scoundrel, even Mat, but when the chips are down he's the first one to put himself into danger to save someone else.

    Not even Rand and Perrin are as selfless as Mat, despite the fact that all three would consider Mat the most selfish person they know.

  5. - Top - End - #65
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    Quote Originally Posted by Anteros View Post
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    Except every time he decides to do the wrong thing his conscience gets the better of him and drags him back in kicking and screaming to do the right thing. That's why his character is so hilarious and likable to me. Everyone thinks he's a useless scoundrel, even Mat, but when the chips are down he's the first one to put himself into danger to save someone else.

    Not even Rand and Perrin are as selfless as Mat, despite the fact that all three would consider Mat the most selfish person they know.
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    The thing about Mat is that he is one of the only characters who doesn't buy into honor validating violence. Mat generally tries to avoid fights and conflict, and instead prefers to gamble, drink, and have sex. Other characters are much more likely to see violence and conflict as unavoidable or even desirable. Lan trying to get himself killed in battle, Elayne starting a civil war in Andor to establish herself as a strong leader, channelers who use their power to bully people, Nyneava... being Nyneava. The list goes on. This lack of 'honor' makes Mat ironically one of the most reasonable and considerate characters in the book. There is a particularly great scene at the end of this book where Mat frees Egwene, Elayne, and Nyneava from their cell in the Stone of Tear only for the three of them to turn around and attack him when he points out that they should be trying to escape, not hunting down their captors for revenge. Mat is not into revenge or reputation or 'honor'. He just wants people to get along and leave him alone.


    On the subject of Sanderson's prose I'll actually come to his defense and say while he can't set a scene to save his life, his action scene have a rhythm that no other fantasy author that I have read can match. The 4 on 2 dual in Words of Radiance still gets my heart pounding whenever I read it.
    Last edited by Flying Turtle; 2017-12-06 at 08:12 PM.

  6. - Top - End - #66
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Chapter 24: Scouting and Discoveries

    We're back with Mat now. He doesn't have a plan to escape Tar Valon yet, but when has not having any plan ever been an impediment to our heroes? Despite having eaten a virtual mountain of food, Mat doesn't feel full at all, and is even still hungry enough to eat another plate piled high with food that two serving women bring in for him. I bet his poops are going to be legendary. Despite being able to eat better than he probably ever has in his life, Mat's thoughts are fixed squarely on escaping this gilded prison. To survive outside the Tower he'll need some cash, and since working for a living is antithetical to Mat's existence, that means he'll have to dice for his money. Mat puts his dice cups in his pouch and walks unimpeded out of the Tower.

    And now Mat formulates a plan of escape so cunning, so subtle, so devious that the Amyrlin could not possibly have anticipated it. Instead of asking the western guards to let him out of the city, he'll ask the eastern guards to let him out. Oh, Siuan, you had no idea what kind of chessmaster you pitted yourself against in Matric Cauthon.

    Yeah, of course that doesn't work. Every guard in the city has been drilled by the Aes Sedai to recognize Mat and not allow him to exit the city. He goes back toward the Tower and runs into Else. I'm not entirely clear on how much Mat remembers of the time Rand spent dragging his useless butt to Caemlyn, but he does seem to remember the night at the Grinwell house and calls out to her. Else does not seem pleased to see him and asks why he's up and about when he's supposed to be in bed. Despite Mat's protestations that he's not contagious, Else gets angry at him and pushes past him. Mat notes that her eyes seem more knowing than before. Now there's an interesting passage. Thus far in the book, the picture of Else we've been given is that of well, a bit of a dunce. The description of her eyes as "knowing" and "not nearly so warm" are incongruous with the boy hungry ditz we've come to know. Else should be delighted to run into yet another attractive young man in the White Tower, especially one who spent a night in her house and recognizes her by name. So why is she acting so standoffish here? Let's keep an eye on Else from here on, why don't we?

    Mat heads to the practice yard where the Warders are sparring with each other. Among them are Gawyn and Galad, fighting each other with wooden swords. After their match they notice Mat and strike up a conversation with him, talking about the value of knowing how to defend yourself with a sword, especially if you associate yourself with Nynaeve, in which case you'll need to be a master of all weapons to have a chance when she's in a mood. Gawyn mentions Rand's sword and Mat has a moment of panic at the thought that people might think he's friends with the Dragon. He changes the subjectys by challenging the both of them to a two-on-one fight, swords against quarterstaff for a wager of two silver marks for each of them. Ah, that old trick to avoid an awkward conversation. Try it out at the next family gathering you're at when the subject of politics comes up. G&G are dismissive of this bet to the point of showing borderline contempt for Mat, but the Warder overseeing their training shames them into accepting the duel(can a fight with three people be called a duel?) and as he takes his sweet time choosing a staff and trying to hide the fact that he feels barely well enough to keep from falling over, he says to himself, "Luck. Time to throw the dice."

    Except he says that in the Old Tongue and in earshot of everyone around him, which naturally draws unwanted attention. Looks like something supernatural is about to happen. Sure enough the fight begins and Mat wipes the floor with the two princelings, first whacking Galad on the side of the head and then with the last of his strength beats Galad back with a flurry of blows and takes out his knee and then sends him to the ground with a series of body shots, stopping himself just short of delivering an instinctive killing blow to the throat.

    Mat's worried he may have hurt the boys a bit too bad, but Gawyn is already getting up and the nearby Green Ajah are practically fighting each other to be the first to get to puts their Healing hands on Galad's body. I'm sure he'll be fine. The Warder asks him where he's from and Mat accidentally says Manetheren before correcting himself to say the Two Rivers. Gosh darn it Mat, keep this up and people will start thinking you're a main character, and then they'll never let you live in peace.

  7. - Top - End - #67
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by An Enemy Spy View Post
    Sure enough the fight begins and Mat wipes the floor with the two princelings, first whacking Galad on the side of the head and then with the last of his strength beats Galad back with a flurry of blows and takes out his knee and then sends him to the ground with a series of body shots, stopping himself just short of delivering an instinctive killing blow to the throat.
    The last bit here is the really interesting point. Matrim knowing how to fight with a staff is perfectly reasonable - it is mentioned that staff-fighting competitions are a common thing at Two Rivers festivals, along with archery tournaments. Him doing well enough to defeat two trained swordsmen while still recovering from a near-mortal illness is farfetched, but fits within the realm of plausibility. Him having the instinct to deliver a killing blow - that didn't come from a village sparring match.

  8. - Top - End - #68
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    This scene is why quarterstaffs are my favorite weapons in fantasy settings.

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Gnoman View Post
    The last bit here is the really interesting point. Matrim knowing how to fight with a staff is perfectly reasonable - it is mentioned that staff-fighting competitions are a common thing at Two Rivers festivals, along with archery tournaments. Him doing well enough to defeat two trained swordsmen while still recovering from a near-mortal illness is farfetched, but fits within the realm of plausibility. Him having the instinct to deliver a killing blow - that didn't come from a village sparring match.
    Maybe their village sparring matches are just exceptionally brutal? After all, they come from a place where Nynaeve and Egwene are the healers.

  10. - Top - End - #70
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Anteros View Post
    Maybe their village sparring matches are just exceptionally brutal? After all, they come from a place where Nynaeve and Egwene are the healers.
    My grandfather used to dig bee stings out with the point of a bowie knife... I wonder what Nynaeve and Eggy would use?

    Also great to have you back AES, been missing these recaps!


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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Gnoman View Post
    The last bit here is the really interesting point. Matrim knowing how to fight with a staff is perfectly reasonable - it is mentioned that staff-fighting competitions are a common thing at Two Rivers festivals, along with archery tournaments. Him doing well enough to defeat two trained swordsmen while still recovering from a near-mortal illness is farfetched, but fits within the realm of plausibility. Him having the instinct to deliver a killing blow - that didn't come from a village sparring match.
    When his dad tauhgt him the staff forms he taught him *all* the forms. As you would.

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Gnoman View Post
    The last bit here is the really interesting point. Matrim knowing how to fight with a staff is perfectly reasonable - it is mentioned that staff-fighting competitions are a common thing at Two Rivers festivals, along with archery tournaments. Him doing well enough to defeat two trained swordsmen while still recovering from a near-mortal illness is farfetched, but fits within the realm of plausibility. Him having the instinct to deliver a killing blow - that didn't come from a village sparring match.
    Well it IS interesting, but its hardly the ONLY interesting thing. Him speaking in the old tongue without intending to, as if its only natural for him to talk that way, is also a serious eyebrow raiser. And agreed Enemy, Matt is TERRIBLE at not letting people see he is a main character.
    "Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
    Translation: "Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe."

    Quote Originally Posted by Nerd-o-rama View Post
    Traab is yelling everything that I'm thinking already.
    "If you don't get those cameras out of my face, I'm gonna go 8.6 on the Richter scale with gastric emissions that'll clear this room."

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Nice that you`re back, I already thought this had died....

    And yep, one of my favourite Chapters. Shows how bad mat is at not being...well Main charactery, even if he tries. ^^
    A neutron walks into a bar and says, “How much for a beer?” The bartender says, “For you? No charge.”

    01010100011011110010000001100010011001010010000001 10111101110010001000000110111001101111011101000010 00000111010001101111001000000110001001100101001011 100010111000101110

    Later: An atom walks into a bar an asks the bartender “Have you seen an electron? I left it in here last night.” The bartender says, “Are you sure?” The atom says, “I’m positive.”

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by GrayDeath View Post
    Nice that you`re back, I already thought this had died....

    And yep, one of my favourite Chapters. Shows how bad mat is at not being...well Main charactery, even if he tries. ^^
    I wouldn't hesitate to say it's his constant trying not to be that makes him so.

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    It like, you fulfill one ancient prophecy, and suddenly that's all anyone wants to talk to you about.

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by An Enemy Spy View Post
    It like, you fulfill one ancient prophecy, and suddenly that's all anyone wants to talk to you about.
    With Matt its more like pistachios. You cant stop with just one.
    "Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
    Translation: "Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe."

    Quote Originally Posted by Nerd-o-rama View Post
    Traab is yelling everything that I'm thinking already.
    "If you don't get those cameras out of my face, I'm gonna go 8.6 on the Richter scale with gastric emissions that'll clear this room."

  17. - Top - End - #77
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by snowblizz View Post
    When his dad tauhgt him the staff forms he taught him *all* the forms. As you would.
    Sure, he'd have learned how to finish the job. Drilling it into himself to the point that he almost does it on pure reflex, that he has to actively prevent himself from killing in a sparring match? That's something else.

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Gnoman View Post
    Sure, he'd have learned how to finish the job. Drilling it into himself to the point that he almost does it on pure reflex, that he has to actively prevent himself from killing in a sparring match? That's something else.
    Well, he has been fighting for his life and training with a Warder for something like a year now as well.

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Anteros View Post
    Well, he has been fighting for his life and training with a Warder for something like a year now as well.
    You might be thinking of Rand. Mat has been bedridden and sullen for much of this, and Lan wasn't all about Staff forms, but Sword.
    Last edited by georgie_leech; 2018-01-28 at 12:21 PM.
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Yeah, Mat's sudden skill at fighting has nothing to do with his own prowess and everything to do with his invoking Luck to help him out. As befits a magical gambler. That and the fact that he's the reincarnation of a powerful warrior king.
    Last edited by An Enemy Spy; 2018-01-28 at 12:32 PM.

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

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    A warrior king, he says.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant View Post
    We should try to make that a thing; I think it might help civility. Hey, GitP, let's try to make this a thing: when you're arguing optimization strategies, RAW-logic, and similar such things that you'd never actually use in a game, tag your post [THEORETICAL] and/or use green text

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by georgie_leech View Post
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    A warrior king, he says.
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    At this point, yes, just one. He doesn't get the other memories until he goes through the doorway in Rhuidean.

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by InvisibleBison View Post
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    At this point, yes, just one. He doesn't get the other memories until he goes through the doorway in Rhuidean.
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    He doesnt really have the memories NOW. Just the instincts. Also, an argument could be made for Enemy being right. Iirc, its the same soul thats been reincarnated over and over again, so its basically "A" kings soul, bringing the memories of his past lives with it.
    "Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
    Translation: "Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe."

    Quote Originally Posted by Nerd-o-rama View Post
    Traab is yelling everything that I'm thinking already.
    "If you don't get those cameras out of my face, I'm gonna go 8.6 on the Richter scale with gastric emissions that'll clear this room."

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Traab View Post
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    He doesnt really have the memories NOW. Just the instincts. Also, an argument could be made for Enemy being right. Iirc, its the same soul thats been reincarnated over and over again, so its basically "A" kings soul, bringing the memories of his past lives with it.
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    Oh for sure. I just love how so many of guesses are right, but in a way that doesn't quite capture what's coming
    Quote Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant View Post
    We should try to make that a thing; I think it might help civility. Hey, GitP, let's try to make this a thing: when you're arguing optimization strategies, RAW-logic, and similar such things that you'd never actually use in a game, tag your post [THEORETICAL] and/or use green text

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Traab View Post
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    He doesnt really have the memories NOW. Just the instincts. Also, an argument could be made for Enemy being right. Iirc, its the same soul thats been reincarnated over and over again, so its basically "A" kings soul, bringing the memories of his past lives with it.
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    Robert Jordan stated in answer to a fan's question at some point that the Rhuidean memories are not, in fact, from Mat's previous lives. Mat asked for the holes in his memories to be filled. He did not specify with what, and in particular did not specify that they be restored to what was originally there, so the 'Finns gave him a bunch of memories that they happened to have on hand. These memories came from various people who had each visited the 'Finns at some point, and people who do that tend to be people who have interesting lives, so Mat got a bunch of memories from brave, adventurous, and often important people.

    This is supported in the books themselves by the fact that it's mentioned that Mat has memories from two people on opposite sides of the same battle. That couldn't possibly happen with past life memories without either time travel or Mat somehow being two people at once.
    Last edited by Douglas; 2018-01-28 at 02:54 PM.
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by georgie_leech View Post
    You might be thinking of Rand. Mat has been bedridden and sullen for much of this, and Lan wasn't all about Staff forms, but Sword.
    No, Lan has explicitly been training all three of the boys. He just spends the most time with Rand by far. Mat was only bedridden very recently.

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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Douglas View Post
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    Robert Jordan stated in answer to a fan's question at some point that the Rhuidean memories are not, in fact, from Mat's previous lives. Mat asked for the holes in his memories to be filled. He did not specify with what, and in particular did not specify that they be restored to what was originally there, so the 'Finns gave him a bunch of memories that they happened to have on hand. These memories came from various people who had each visited the 'Finns at some point, and people who do that tend to be people who have interesting lives, so Mat got a bunch of memories from brave, adventurous, and often important people.

    This is supported in the books themselves by the fact that it's mentioned that Mat has memories from two people on opposite sides of the same battle. That couldn't possibly happen with past life memories without either time travel or Mat somehow being two people at once.
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    Yeah, but, Traab and AES are right that what Mat has right now is the instincts (and maybe ability scores? It seems that the idea with the Wheel is that you are the same person) of his past lives. The memories he ends up with later may not come from those lives, but that's kind of beside the point for the current chapter.
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  28. - Top - End - #88
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Douglas View Post
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    Robert Jordan stated in answer to a fan's question at some point that the Rhuidean memories are not, in fact, from Mat's previous lives. Mat asked for the holes in his memories to be filled. He did not specify with what, and in particular did not specify that they be restored to what was originally there, so the 'Finns gave him a bunch of memories that they happened to have on hand. These memories came from various people who had each visited the 'Finns at some point, and people who do that tend to be people who have interesting lives, so Mat got a bunch of memories from brave, adventurous, and often important people.

    This is supported in the books themselves by the fact that it's mentioned that Mat has memories from two people on opposite sides of the same battle. That couldn't possibly happen with past life memories without either time travel or Mat somehow being two people at once.
    Ok thats awesome and I didnt know that. Too be fair I stopped reading the books like 3 installments before jordan died so I stopped paying close attention.
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    Translation: "Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe."

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    Traab is yelling everything that I'm thinking already.
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  29. - Top - End - #89
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

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    I don't think it's ever actually confirmed that Mat is Aemon reborn. Although it is certainly a wildly popular fan theory.

    Personally, I think Jordan originally intended Mat and Perrin to be reborn heroes but changed his mind about it as he went on. That's why we have the scene with Perrin in the Wolf Dream where he remembers his countless past lives and how he's always used the axe.

  30. - Top - End - #90
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    Default Re: An Enemy Spy Reads The Wheel of Time III: Something's Fishy in the White Tower

    Chapter 25: Questions

    Team Magikarp are hanging out in their room reading and rereading the list of names that Verin gave them. Egwene reflects on some bad prophetic dreams she's had. In one, the Seanchan bring their damanes to the White Tower and blasted it with lightning, and in another the Whitecloaks are putting her father in chains. There were dreams about Rand as well, him searching for a crystal sword as he unwittingly is trapped by a net, him kneeling in a chamber while wind blows and tiny dragons land on his skin, one where he walks into a tunnel under a fiery mountain, and one where he's fighting the Seanchan.

    For Perrin she sees a falcon on one of his shoulders and a hawk on the other. Both birds are female and the hawk is holding a leash in its talons and is trying to fit it around his neck. Then she sees him with a beard leading a pack of wolves so large that it stretches farther than the eye can see. For Mat she sees him weighing one of his eyes on a scale and hanging himself from a tree.

    For those of you unfamiliar with Norse mythology, this is imagery lifted straight out the Poetic Edda, in which Odin travels to Yggdrasil the World Tree in search of wisdom and must pay the price of an eye to drink from the mystic well beneath the tree's roots and then hang himself for nine days.

    I know that I hung on a windy tree
    nine long nights,
    wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin,
    myself to myself,
    on that tree of which no man knows
    from where its roots run.
    No bread did they give me nor a drink from a horn,
    downwards I peered;
    I took up the runes, screaming I took them,
    then I fell back from there.

    I really hope Mat gets a spear at some point in this series, because that would really complete the picture of Odin.

    She also sees a very vaguely described dream of Mat and the Seanchan, and from the way it disturbs her and makes her think of how he railed against the Aes Sedai on the Healing table and how he clearly saw himself being evil in the scene where everybody saw all their horrible alternate futures, I am positive that Egwene saw him on the side of the Seanchan. I told you that Mat was no good! Oh, she also dreamed of him speaking the Old Tongue, seemingly forgetting that she and him both did that all the way back in Book 1.

    They talk about the names on the list and the items stolen and the narration gives special significance to a hedgehog statuette than can make you fall asleep and since Egwene has dream powers expect that one to be important by the end of this book. Egwene also points out a set of dice that alters probability and apparently will always land the way you want them to. Expect Mat to get his hands on those in the future. Or here's a thought, maybe he already has them and doesn't know it. He had the dice in his pocket when he called on luck to help him win the sparring match, and Selene was in his room earlier. Who's to say she didn't swap out his dice for the magical ones? Ooh, I love it when I stumble on a theory in the middle of doing a recap!

    On top of everyone else, they suspect Verin now, which is finally a suspect that makes sense. Way more than Alanna. I guess when you put everyone you know on the list of suspects, eventually you'll land one that merits suspicion, just like how if Magikarp uses Splash enough times it will eventually start doing damage with Struggle. One person not even they thought to suspect is Else Grinwell, who she notices standing there. In the open doorway. As they discuss their super secret plans. The doorway IS OPEN. Else has been standing in the OPEN DOORWAY listening to their plans and not one of the THREE girls in the room noticed her until right now.



    Else has a message from the Amyrlin telling them what storeroom the items left behind by Liandrin are in. So now that idiot Else is in on the plan, Nynaeve complains. She'll blab our secrets to everyone, she says, presumably shouting loudly enough for everyone on the floor to hear through the open doorway. They run after Else but the girl is gone without a trace. Where did she go, they ask to a beautiful woman with white skin dressed in silk who is absolutely not Selene who had absolutely not just pretended to be Else a moment ago. Selene hasn't seen Else anywhere, she says, probably struggling not to laugh. She tells them to turn around and go back with some magical suggestion and when Egwene has the wherewithal to look back, the woman has vanished.

    Our heroes, Ladies and Gents.

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