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 26: Connecting Lines
NOTE: The following chapter summary comes from wot.fandom.com
Point of view: Rand al’Thor
Rand watches the Saldaean horsemen practice precision maneuvers while fretting over sensing Alanna through the bond she created. Rand and his Aiel guards return to Caemlyn. As he passes through the streets, he sees a crossbowman rise up to shoot at him. Rand blocks his bolt with a wall of air and channels a ball of flame at him. Desora knocks him off his horse and takes a crossbow bolt meant for him, shot by another ambusher. The ambushers were all Whitecloaks in dirty uniforms. Four were captured, the rest were killed by the Aiel. Rand al’Thor wants to use Balefire on the Whitecloaks, but Lews Therin Telamon keeps saying ‘no’ in Rand’s head. Rand orders one Whitecloak to return to Pedron Niall with a warning, while ordering the other Whitecloaks to be hanged. After memorizing the face of Desora and reminiscing on other maidens who have died recently (Liah, Dailin[1], Lamelle), and another woman incidentally killed, Rand races back to the Palace, leaving his Aiel guard behind.
Back at the palace, Reene Harfor brings word that a Wavemistress from the Sea Folk would like an audience, which he schedules for the afternoon. Rand has Elenia Sarand brought to his room so he can have her teach him some of Andor’s history. Rand finally gets her to answer what he really wants to know: as the son of Tigraine, how close is his relationship to Elayne? The answer is they are not closely related at all, which is a great relief to him. After Elenia leaves, he decides to head to Cairhien again, forgetting his meeting with the Sea Folk.
REACTION:
This is a good chapter. Rand survives a clever assassination attempt, loses a Maiden, thinks pretty deeply on insanity (in a way that would seem insane to anyone but himself), grills a noble regarding whether he and Elayne are closely related, and then leaves for Cairhien instead of meeting with the Sea Folk.
Last things first… do we think Jordan really knew what he was aiming at with the Sea Folk? Rand obviously isn’t going to go and live on a vessel, and learn the skills of their people (the way that he is currently doing with the Aiel.) We also have no reason to believe Rand is in any way shape or form related to their people. So we’re going on multiple books now where they want to meet with Rand and Rand avoids the meeting. Maybe it’s just Jordan avoiding the meeting?
The Whitecloak assassination attempt goes about as badly for them as it could. Rand survives. Rand is furious. There is nothing stopping Rand from opening a hole in the air, killing Niall personally (if he brought a sa’angreal he could level them entirely), and then leaving. Of course, Niall doesn’t know that.
So the current book has as its main threats: Sammael, The White Tower Embassy in Cairhien, and now the Whitecloaks.
Rand has the meeting with Elenia, asking how closely Morgase and Tigraine were in relation to each other. Ordinarily, I would not believe that Rand was unconscious of what he was asking about. The questions were too directed and too pointed. But as he’s Rand… and insane… we’ll give that bit of characterization a pass.
Rand was *relieved* to not be related to Elayne. I would like to take a moment and thank Robert Jordan for not making *incest* a central and celebrated part of his fantasy world-building.
The attempt on Rand’s life was tragic. Rand is grieving yet another couple of women. He’s even taken to memorizing their faces and names. The interesting and excellently written part of this scene though was that Rand was thinking of using balefire to bring them back. That was great because it protects the continuity of the story. Rand has inadvertently used this technique before, and it makes total sense that he’d think of doing so again. The battle he has within himself, with Lews Therin, is also really interesting in that moment, too. In a lot of ways, Lews Therin seems like a combination of Rand’s unbound emotions running wild, as well as (occasionally) his conscience. Lews tells him he can’t use balefire and reigns Rand in from doing something dangerous, when Rand is searching hard for an excuse to do so. This is also a way to address to the Readers that yes, Jordan remembers that this is possible, and yes, his characters didn’t forget this was possible. There’s a reason Rand is not doing it.
All in all, this is a great chapter as we start building toward the end of the book and whatever the big problem/threat emerges in the near future.