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 33: Courage to Strengthen
NOTE: The following chapter summary comes from wot.fandom.com
Point of view: Egwene al’Vere
Egwene continues her preparations to leave for Salidar, including getting a note sent to Gawyn at the inn where they usually meet. Amys, Bair, and Sorilea enter with disapproving looks for her because of the method she plans to use to Travel. She begins to feel guilty about her lies and admits to going into Tel’aran’rhiod alone when she was not supposed to. Finally she decides to admit that she is really not an Aes Sedai, but only an Accepted, like an Wise One apprentice. She asks the Wise Ones to help her meet her toh.
Point of view: Matrim Cauthon
Mat is playing Snakes and Foxes with Olver. They are close to winning, but not close enough. They both lose on the next toss of the dice. The game appears to be impossible to win without cheating. Olver starts a new game with the traditional phrase, “Courage to strengthen, fire to blind, music to dazzle, iron to bind.” Daerid enters the tent and announces the arrival of the Dragon Reborn. Aviendha is with him and won’t leave Rand even when he wants to meet alone with Mat.
Rand instructs Mat that he is being sent to Elayne in Salidar and he is to stay with her until she is on the Lion Throne in Caemlyn. Mat promises to not let Elayne out of his sight until he plunks her down in the Royal Palace. Rand also asks him to help get Egwene out of whatever trouble she is in, which Mat also promises to do. He gives Mat Moiraine’s letter to Thom.
Point of view: Egwene al’Vere
Egwene is in a tent with the Wise Ones she lied to. They take turns using a belt to help her meet her toh. Egwene could say it is done anytime, but instead she continues to ask each woman to help her meet her toh. Finally all of the women say that Egwene has met her toh and it is over. Amys and Bair will continue to meet her in Tel’aran’rhiod periodically to let her know how things are going with Rand. Amys reminds Egwene that she still has toh to Rhuarc, but he was away from Cairhien that evening. She is concerned that the Aes Sedai have called her to Salidar because she has been calling herself Aes Sedai and wish to punish her for that offense. Nevertheless, she continues her preparations for the journey.
REACTION:
I really enjoyed Egwene choosing to prioritize meeting her toh before leaving the Aiel, even if I do not necessarily enjoy how that toh was met. That said, part of me wonders if she was not kind of planning to do this all along, if she could. Perhaps planning this all along made it easier for her to lie and break rules. I suppose she knows now how much her honor is worth. Egwene despite her other failings is honorable.
This is kind of like Egwene’s version of when Rand let a couple of the Maidens beat him up to pay back his toh to them. It’s just less sad when Egwene went through it – not because Egwene getting beaten up is a good thing, but because Rand didn’t come out in the other end of his beating with hugs, laughs, and some kind of newfound understanding of things. He just took the beating.
The section with Mat and Rand was interesting, primarily because it clues us in on how absolutely overwhelmed Rand is with running multiple nations. He desperately wants to hand Andor and Cairhien off to Elayne. It’s a little bit odd that nobody around him sees exactly how desperate he is. He must have a good poker face. But it makes sense. He literally doesn’t have time to be a ruler. He seems to want rulers following him, though. Does that make him a temporary Emperor?
::Harvey Dent voice:: When their enemies were at the gates, the Randlanders would suspend the monarchies and appoint one man to protect the continent. And it wasn’t considered an honor. It was considered a public service.
So if Rand is losing Avi, because she’s traveling with Mat, that must mean he’s about to get Min, right? That’s how having three girlfriends works. Thank the Light. I’ve been saying for a few chapters that he needs someone who wants to support him, rather than guide him. She’s just what the Creator ordered. He literally has no one in his life who fits that description. Heavy is the head, as they say.
It’s kind of funny how wrong Rand is in nearly every respect about the White Tower split. He misreads his “support” in the Tower. He misreads the Rebel numbers, their temperament, their capabilities, why they want Egwene, their eagerness to embrace him, etc. He needs better intel people. Couldn’t he use the guys Taim is training to set up a spy network?
It’s a small thing, because we hardly ever hear Mat reflecting about home, but it was good writing to have his stream of thought broken, multiple times, by incredulity over Bode becoming Aes Sedai. That’s his sister. He cares even when he pretends not to care.
I really love the “fierce grandmother” way Sorilea is written. She is tough but she also loves the most ferociously. She wants Egwene back and for her to be a Wise One. She claimed her, if Egwene ever comes back and needs to be someone’s apprentice. That’s not far off from naming her a daughter among the Aiel. She’s even picking out a husband for her. She’s basically an older wiser version of what Egwene and Nynaeve might be someday (something along the lines of a very loving bully.)
I suspect Egwene is about to rediscover Traveling for women. She’s been musing over it for a while. She might want to give herself some time for the belt lashing marks to heal up, though.
In any case, it’s starting to feel like we’re moving toward the home stretch. Still waiting to find out who the Big Bad of the book will be.
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