Welcome back to my re-read, recap, and reaction to Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. This post will only have spoilers through the current chapter.
You can find my previous chapter recaps HERE.
Chapter 44: The Lesser Sadness
NOTE: The following chapter summary comes rom wot.fandom.com
Point of view: Rand al’Thor
Rand is weary from channeling on top of the tower to aid his forces in the battle with the Shaido. Egwene and Aviendha are there also but take turns channeling so one can rest. A sortie from the city failed and the Aiel are on the verge of getting through the gates when Rand channels lighting into the Shaido. Some of the defenders are killed also, but it allows enough time for the gates to be closed. Suddenly, a bolt of lighting crashes into the Maidens below, then more bolts which Rand can feel are being channeled by a man. One finally hits the base of the tower which begins to tip over. He grabs Egwene and Aviendha and an upright and rides the tower down. The fall knocks him unconscious and opens up the half-healed wound in his side. When he wakes Aviendha is there. Around him are many dead and injured Maidens so his plan to keep the Maidens safe away from the battle failed and he blames himself.
He realizes it was not Asmodean but Sammael that launched the attack on him. Aviendha and Egwene restrain him and convince him not to seek revenge right then. Rand decides to ride around the battlefield to help if he can and tries to keep most of the Maidens away from battle. Rand seizes saidin and prepares to get involved in the fighting again.
Point of view: Matrim Cauthon
Mat is still with the Tairen and Cairhienin forces and is not sure how he got caught up in the fighting or why he hasn’t managed to get away. Estean, Talmanes, Daerid, and Nalesean join him scouting out the area. They expect Mat to find them another fight which they can win. Nalesean tells Mat that another force of Aiel is heading toward them and will be there in thirty minutes or so. Daerid’s scouts believe Couladin is leading this group of Shaido. Mat sets out his plans with the pikes to hold position while the cavalry come in from behind. He tells the men to shout that they are protecting the Lord Dragon―this will draw Couladin in. The dice are still spinning in Mat’s head.
Point of view: Rand al’Thor
It is night time and Rand is exhausted, not thinking clearly. Sammael has been involved in the battle at times but nothing was resolved between them. He wonders where Egwene and Aviendha went to. Sulin informs him they went to the Wise Ones and Moiraine at dusk. The Maidens finally lead his horse back toward camp. Asmodean comes over with a water bag just as Rand starts rambling about Sammael and battles that occurred during the Age of Legends. Lan comes over to let Rand know the battle is over, the remnants of the Shaido are fleeing. Rand finally releases saidin and collapses from the pain and exhaustion he was not feeling. Asmodean gives Rand a small amount of Healing.
REACTION:
Is the use of lightning in battle “The Fires of Heaven”? Is the title a metaphor? Is it both? I feel like we’ve seen lightning used in battle already, by the Seanchan. I guess this is the first time we’ve seen it from the good guys.
If we take the long-range view of what happened here, Sammael essentially forfeited winning the actual battle for the Shaido, in the hope that Rand might be kill-able if he wears himself out. It almost works. Rand’s armies – because of his channeling and Mat’s generalship – dominate the battlefield. Sammael takes his shot at the very end. He narrowly fails to kill Rand. Sammy had to be assuming that it was too risky to get close enough to verify/guarantee Rand’s death because he cannot know for certain whether Rand has a sa’angreal on him. Rand + a sa’angreal = too dangerous.
In theory, if the Forsaken had been willing or able to work together, they could have come at Rand all at once. However, their distrust of each other and their fear of Rand overpowering them with a sa’angreal must have held them back. Lanfear knows he got a ter’angreal, that lets him use the most powerful sa’angreal ever made, while Rand was in Rhuidean. She may have hinted to the others that this happened, as a way to protect Rand. She loves him… in her own rabid way.
I have a big gripe with this chapter. We get a time-jump of a few hours and Rand finds out at the end that it’s all over. Does that mean we essentially miss Mat’s battle against Couladin? It seems that way. Jordan set up the confrontation but then didn’t let us read it. I would have loved to have read that. I better get some ample flashbacks soon.
My favorite moment of the chapter was Rand relaying to Asmodean that he remembers how Sammael got his nickname. When he says that, it completely freaks Asmodean out. I think that gives some indication of Lews’ reputation among the Forsaken during the Age of Legends. Maybe Lews, if he takes over Rand’s mind, would go ahead and get rid of his Forsaken teacher. The Dragon 1.0 would definitely remember Asmodean’s horrific crimes much better than Rand. Even if not… I think it has to be terrifying to have your fate tied to someone who is obviously going insane. That’s the reality for most of those who aren’t Darkfriends, but there’s a Dark One’s retribution angle for Asmodean in play that the good guys aren’t dealing with.
So we’ve got about 10 chapters to go, and the primary-focus antagonist for this book is dead. What are we going to do for the next ten chapters? Will Perrin finally end his honeymoon and make an appearance? Not likely. I assume the Forsaken will be the focus. Asmodean is a major character by now. Rahvin had a POV section early in the book and we also spent time showcasing Morgase’s escape. We still have Lanfear lurking out there somewhere, bound to find out at some point that Rand slept with Aviendha. Lately, the book has been trying hard to make us care about Sammael – but the problem is we haven’t really met him yet. I think it’s safe to assume that the book’s other main plot will see Nynaeve squaring up one more time with Moggy.
Balthamel = dead in The Eye of the World
Aginor = dead in The Eye of the World.
Be’lal = dead in The Dragon Reborn.
Ishamael = dead in The Dragon Reborn.
Asmodean = alive, currently Rand’s tutor.
Lanfear = alive and a major current threat
Rahvin = alive, part of Lanfear’s conspiracy, and a major current threat
Sammael = alive, part of Lanfear’s conspiracy, and a major current threat
Moghedien = alive and a major current threat to Nynaeve
Graendal = alive, part of Lanfer’s conspiracy, but mostly on the sidelines
Demandred = alive, whereabouts unknown
Semirhage = alive, whereabouts unknown
Mesaana = alive, whereabouts unknown
Given their prominence in the current book, I’d guess that Asmodean, Lanfear, Rahvin, Moghedien, and Sammael are the most likely to die sometime soon. Sammy seems to safest to me because we haven’t spent time in his POV yet getting to know him.
Every book in the series so far has delivered a great ending. I look forward to seeing what Jordan gives us to close this one.
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