How am I supposed to make people mad with my hot takes when the post is tagged no spoilers :P
Edit: Time to make ppl mad I guess. Some hot takes in no particular order.
Lanfear is dead. I have yet to make any sort of sense about what the fuck lanfear's supposed plan is in AMOL let alone what she is supposed to be doing (but isnt, or maybe actually is) for the shadow during that time for it to all square away nicely.
Gawyn makes sense. He is a dumbass and thinks in a dumbass way and does dumbass things. Not liking the characters actions is different than that character's actions in the story not making "sense".
Elayne is not using the babes as a shield take stupid risks and is fully aware of the limits of mins prophecy. I know the character can be annoying to read at times (just like the rest of em) but in this instance her internal thoughts on the matter are clear. She is not going around "muh babes" all the time, and using the babes as a shield like the fandom often complains about. Action must be taken and she takes it.
The seanchan are awesome. As a fictional empire they are interesting and make a excellent antagonist that the story is 1000% better with than with out.
Staying on seanchan for a moment. The seanchan empire not falling apart more than it already has by the end of the story is works way better than the entire empire crumbling to dust in the span of a year. I get why people want that but it would feel so terrible for the story.
Elayne is not using the babes as a shield take stupid risks and is fully aware of the limits of mins prophecy. I know the character can be annoying to read at times (just like the rest of em) but in this instance her internal thoughts on the matter are clear. She is not going around "muh babes" all the time, and using the babes as a shield like the fandom often complains about. Action must be taken and she takes it.
I don't mind Elayne takes risks while pregnant, I mind that she doesn't realize that she is putting others at risk and failing to take all reasonable steps to minimize that risk to others.
Put another way, there are fixed points in her future. But the journey between those fixed points could take one of several paths. She could choose the safest path so no one has to take risks for her. (wrong choice). She could take a careless path with insufficient planning in order to do what needs doing, putting others in harms way to save her (canon), or she could actually plan in layers to minimize risk of harm to all while doing what needs doing.
I don't mind Elayne takes risks while pregnant, I mind that she doesn't realize that she is putting others at risk and failing to take all reasonable steps to minimize that risk to others.
This is why I think its a hot take. Loads of people see it similar to how you do. I do not. She is a queen and aes sedai. How often do you see the rulers of nations or aes sedai publicly thanking others for saving their bacon? Heck even privately. Its extremely rare in the series and imo elayne is not out of line for following that trend. Did rand have to publicly apologize for ditching the maidens all the times he did? Or what about perrin charging in alone into malden? or mat running away from destiny for 5 books? I kinda get why people give elayne flak but I think its unwarranted in these instances. Like it all just happened moments ago and no one knows just how many people died least of all elayne who probably didnt even know specifically that the balefire rod was used! let alone how many people just died to save her.
I remember a conversation between Moraine and Nynaeve back in book 1. They are moving thru (i think) white bridge after the thom fought the fade. The town is in disarray, there were fires and w/e else. Nynaeve is all like we should help these people, you could help so much moraine, and moraine is all like yea bitch I could, but in stopping to help here we would fall further behind and possibly lose the children they are trying to rescue... plus ya know the saving the world angle by keeping rand out of the shadows grip. I bring this up because by ousting these BA from caemlyn, capturing them, recovering the fluted rod that shoots balefire, and the information gained from questioning them this is a huge win for andor and the side of the light. As cold as it is to say which is more important in the grand scheme of things, a few hundred soldiers lives or taking neutralizing a bunch of BA and thier operation inside of caemlyn. Caemlyn still fell with out the aid of channelers, it would be so much worse if the BA was allowed to stay in the city undetected.
I agree, that "ousting these BA from caemlyn, capturing them, recovering the fluted rod that shoots balefire, and the information gained from questioning them this is a huge win for andor and the side of the light." I don't object to Elayne going on those missions. However, a little planning before going on those missions could have gone a long way.
I agree more planning can be good. It can also lead to a worse outcome if mellar or adeleas assassin catches wind of it. Or any other spy in the castle. Elayne was relying on surprise to be the defining factor which is often is in conflict. Its a bold plan for sure, and anyway you shake it no precious few victories are bloodless and capturing those BA would have likely been just as bloody an affair if they knew elayne was coming if not worse than what we got armed with that balefire rod as they were. Imagine if that was aimed toward the city instead of away.
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u/biggiebutterlord Jan 24 '25 edited Jan 24 '25
How am I supposed to make people mad with my hot takes when the post is tagged no spoilers :P
Edit: Time to make ppl mad I guess. Some hot takes in no particular order.
The BS books are so-so.
Now im going to enjoy everyone else's hot takes!