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 35: Into the Woods
NOTE: The following chapter summary comes from wot.fandom.com
Point of view: Min Farshaw
Min sees the recurring image of a vast shadow swallowing many fireflies which represents Rand’s battle with the Shadow. She reflects with sadness that a viewing showed that Moiraine was critical to his winning the Last Battle, but she is dead. She has withheld his viewing from Rand. Rand has resolved to visit the rebels, taking only Min even though she recommends taking at least the Asha’man. Rand makes a Gateway and they arrive in an area of light forest.
Caraline Damodred rides in and recognizes him immediately. She complains about the bad things that happen when Rand is around but Min says there is a balance, with as much good as bad. Darlin Sisnera rides up then with several other riders. Caraline introduces Rand and Min as her distant cousin, Tomas, a minor member of House Trakand, and his wife Jaisi. Darlin wishes to marry Caraline and Min has a viewing that he will get his wish (but not until after a long chase) and become a king also.
They return to camp and find several Aes Sedai are also there. Min has another viewing and warns Caraline that Daved Hanlon is not to be trusted—he will be responsible for many rapes and murders still to come. Toram Riatin and Padan Fain, going by the name Jeraal Mordeth, are in the tent also. Rand tells Caraline that Fain has a price on his head and before he can act, Cadsuane Melaidhrin approaches, asking for an introduction to Caraline’s “cousins”. She expresses displeasure to find Rand there. Toram approaches them and claims Caraline will be his wife but she says she will never be his wife. Toram challenges Rand to duel with practice blades and, despite Min’s objections, Rand agrees.
REACTION:
I really enjoyed this chapter, even though I don’t think Rand’s current efforts are going to work out for him very well in the near future. (Fain being on sight and then scurrying away was a big tell.)
Rand is currently kind of manic with the idea that he can simply count of his ta’veren nature to make sure that everything works out as it’s supposed to work out. He essentially realized “I have plot armor, so I’m going to use it” after his meeting with the Sea Folk. What he’s not factoring in yet is that he isn’t in control of the weaving of the Pattern. It simply uses him. So that might mean (as was the case with his recent captivity) that it will use him by letting him (or those around him) be hurt. His personal well-being isn’t the most important thing to the Pattern. The most important thing is that he ultimately wins when he’s supposed to win. The Pattern can do whatever it wants to him in the interim in service to the long term goal.
There’s not a lot to say about all of this chapter because it’s more a set-up for the next chapter, most likely, (new setting, new characters, an old enemy, etc.) but there are a few thigs that are interesting. Moiraine’s cousin Caraline – who looks much like her – is among the rebels. She seems to be a good person despite her status as a rebel and works to protect Rand in the camp as much as she can. The High Lord Darlin is also portrayed as a good person. He and Caraline (according to Min) will be married AND Darlin will eventually be the king of some place. Will Tear eventually have a king? That’d be interesting. He definitely got an enemies-to-friends treatment in this chapter.
Riatin on the other hand is getting the “Darkfriend Ruined by Fain” treatment. The last time we saw Fain, he was in Caemlyn. I guess he can cross the continent relatively quickly? Oh that’s right. He freely uses The Ways. He can appear almost anywhere on very short notice even though he can’t channel.
Cadsuane and some other Aes Sedai are present. I *think* old Caddy is a good guy, but maybe one with a domineering temperament something like Moiraine’s early book one, but more potent with age. I don’t think we’re told this explicitly, but I think she must be *very* strong in the One Power. Maybe not as much so as Eggy, Elayne, and Nyn, but just below that and above everyone else we’ve met who ever lived in Tar Valon. She’s a much more formidable one-on-one opponent to Rand, from among any of the non-Forsaken women, than anyone else we’ve met. I suspect though that she’s going to prove to be the best possible ally he could have in this moment. Given that I feel like something bad is about to happen.
The chapter ends with Toram Riatin and Rand agreeing to have a practice duel. Fain meanwhile has disappeared, undoubtedly after seeing Rand. That can’t be good news for the very near term.
I should comment on the fact that this was all a Min POV chapter. You see the difference between her and ALL the other women in Rand’s life most clearly this way. She disagrees with him and wants to help him in spite of himself, but she lets him lead. Every other woman Rand knows is constantly fighting him to be his leader. Min instinctively does what Moiraine eventually learned to do – which is to surrender to him, and this in turn gives her the most influence with him. I also liked that in this chapter we get some humility from her. She’s self-conscious about the fact she’s from a small town and is beginning to realize how un-worldly she is (despite portraying herself as comparatively very worldly with Mr. Rand “Hay hair” al’Thor – which oddly is just the truth.)
She’s like a real life young woman from a town of 50,000 trying to give lessons about culture and whatnot to a guy from the sticks, who grew up on a farm outside a town of a few hundred people. Then they both find themselves in New York City or something. How much is her upbringing worth in that setting? Probably not much. Her loyalty though is why she’s the best. Anyway… I just find her pretense (and Rand’s awareness of the fact that it is a pretense) to be endearing.
Anyway. I think something bad is about to happen so we’ve got that to look forward to next.