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Your search for the tag 'demandred' yielded 82 results
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1
Interview: Apr 20th, 2004
TOR Questions of the Week Part I (Verbatim)Week 4 Question
At recent book signing following the release of Crossroads of Twilight, it was reported that you confirmed that the Forsaken Demandred has never posed as the man known as Mazrim Taim, who was introduced to Rand at the beginning of Lord of Chaos. Have you confirmed that Demandred has never posed as the man known as Mazrim Taim, leader of the Black Tower?Robert Jordan
Yes. Demandred has never posed as Mazrim Taim. All right, those of who fell over from the shock of a simple, straightforward answer can get up off the floor now. Sometimes, simple and straightforward can be the most devious of all, as any student of Aes Sedai will tell you.Tags
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2
Interview: Jan 25th, 2005
TOR Questions of the Week Part II (Verbatim)Week 12 Question
In Winters Heart, you mention that back in the Age of Legends, there were several other Forsaken that the Dark One had killed because he suspected they would betray him. What's their story? Were those people ever as high ranking as the 13 survivors, or where they more like high-ranking Dreadlords then actual Forsaken?Robert Jordan
First off, Dreadlords was the name given to men and women who could channel and sided with the Shadow in the Trolloc Wars. Yes, the women were called Dreadlords, too. They might have liked to call themselves "the Chosen," like the Forsaken, but feared to. The real Forsaken might not have appreciated it when they returned, as prophecies of the Shadow foretold would happen. Some of the Dreadlords had authority and responsibility equivalent to that of the Forsaken in the War of the Shadow, however. They ran the Shadow's side of the Trolloc Wars, though without the inherent ability to command the Myrddraal that the Forsaken possess, meaning they had to negotiate with them. Overall command at the beginning was in another's hands.
Forsaken was the name given to Aes Sedai who went over to the Shadow in the War of the Shadow at the end of the Age of Legends, though of course, they called themselves the Chosen, and despite the tales of the "current" Age, there were many more than a few of them. Since they occupied all sorts of levels, you might say that many were equivalent to some of the lesser Dreadlords, but it would be incorrect to call them so. At the time, they were all Forsaken—or Chosen—from the greatest to the least.
Some of those Forsaken the Dark One killed were every bit as high-ranking as the thirteen who were remembered, and who you might say constituted a large part of the Dark One's General Staff at the time of the sealing. With the Forsaken, where treachery and backstabbing were an acceptable way of getting ahead, the turnover in the upper ranks was fairly high, though Ishamael, Demandred, Lanfear, Graendal, Semirhage, and later Sammael, were always at the top end of the pyramid. They were very skilled at personal survival, politically and physically.
In large part the thirteen were remembered because they were trapped at Shayol Ghul, and so their names became part of that story, though it turned out that details of them, stories of them, survived wide-spread knowledge of the tale of the actual sealing itself. Just that they had been sealed away. Other Forsaken were left behind, so to speak, free but in a world that was rapidly sliding down the tube. The men eventually went mad and died from the same taint that killed off the other male Aes Sedai. They had no access to the Dark One's protective filters. The women died, too, though from age or in battle or from natural disasters created by insane male Aes Sedai or from diseases that could no longer be controlled because civilization itself had been destroyed and access to those who were skilled in Healing was all but gone. And soon after their deaths, their names were forgotten, except for what might possibly be discovered in some ancient manuscript fragment that survived the Breaking. A bleak story of people who deserved no better, and not worth telling in any detail.
Footnote
The 'another' mentioned at the end of the first paragraph probably refers to Ishamael; there are hints in the BWB that he began the Trolloc Wars during one of the periods where he was free from the Bore.Tags
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3
Interview: Oct 19th, 1994
Compuserve Chat (Verbatim)Degan Outridge
We have been speculating regarding Demandred's current doings and his possible location/appearance. Care to comment?Robert Jordan
Well, no.Tags
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4
Interview: 2010
Twitter 2009-2010 (WoT) (Verbatim)Mick Wick (28 July 2010)
Is it possible for us readers to figure out Demandred's identity with the information we already have?Brandon Sanderson (28 July 2010 (Facebook))
And now, Theoryland is holding its breath. I think I might have actually answered on tour. I'm not sure what RJ said on the matter, but...BRANDON SANDERSON
I will say only this: There ARE clues. I think it could be figured out. Maybe. It's much, much harder than Asmodean's killer.BRANDON SANDERSON
Obviously, I must be tight-lipped. Can it be figured out: Yes. Will it make you smack your heads & say "I should have seen it!" Probably not.
(from the Facebook comments on Brandon's first tweet)
RICHELLE PERRAULT
Brandon, you are such a tease........ but I will "RAFO". but still it's a tease.
BRANDON SANDERSON
Sorry. Inherited that from RJ. Still, it wasn't totally a RAFO. It was a tad more than that. I do see from Tamyrlin's post that RJ confirmed that you could figure it out.
TEREZ
Sort of. There was room in RJ's comment for the interpretation that we should be able to figure out that Demandred is simply Demandred. You have made it more clear. Not that we are complaining.
BRANDON SANDERSON
Ah, I see. Well, let me add the official clarification onto what I've said: Basically, I'm not merely talking about "Alter Ego" here when I reply to the "Figure out Demandred's Identity" question. I look at that question as a larger "What he's been up to, what he's been influencing, where he's hiding" that sort of thing.
Why make this distinction? Well, it's because of things that (likely) others have figured out already. Demandred hasn't been in-guise in the books at least up to Knife of Dreams. So energies focused on "exactly who is he" would be pointless, to an extent. If he is indeed imitating someone, you haven't seen that someone through most of the series. At least not in person. You may have seen them now, but if so, they haven't been on-screen for long.
So, what I'm saying is basically this: There are clues as to what Demandred is up to. You could figure that out. I think it would be hard, but not so hard that someone won't guess it. (And, knowing WoT fandom, someone probably has.)
Footnote
Brandon later verified that Demandred does indeed have an alter ego.Tags
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5
Interview: 2010
Twitter 2009-2010 (WoT) (Verbatim)Shivam Bhatt (28 July 2010)
There's no way in hell that Demandred ISN'T Taim.Brandon Sanderson (28 July 2010)
Except, you know, RJ saying five or six times he wasn't...Tags
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6
Interview: 2010
Twitter 2009-2010 (WoT) (Verbatim)Austin Moore (30 July 2010)
Who would you say is your favorite Forsaken? And that's coming from you as a fan more than you as the writer.Brandon Sanderson (30 July 2010)
Hmm... Ishamael/Moridin.AUSTIN MOORE
Who's second strongest Forsaken after Moridin? Some say Demandred some say Aginor. Did RJ say in his notes?BRANDON SANDERSON (1 AUGUST)
It IS in the notes, very explicitly. As for your answer...I'll see if we can get that in the Encyclopedia.Footnote
The BWB says that Aginor was second-strongest of the male Forsaken. It also implies that Demandred is somewhat lower on the list than some fans expect, but since the Forsaken are all very close, it probably doesn't make as big a difference as some imagine.Tags
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7
Interview: 2010
Twitter 2009-2010 (WoT) (Verbatim)Andrew Leston (7 August 2010)
I believe I've figured out who Demandred is based solely on Lord of Chaos. Is this possible?Brandon Sanderson (7 August 2010)
It MIGHT be possible. I honestly can't remember where all of the clues are.Tags
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8
Interview: 2010
Twitter 2009-2010 (WoT) (Verbatim)Azral Hanan (11 August 2010)
Are the Chosen aware of Taim's existence? They never address him even in their thoughts.Brandon Sanderson (11 August 2010)
RAFO. (You totally knew I was going to do that.)Footnote
In Kisman's POV (WH 22) we learn that Demandred ordered the renegades to kill Rand, but not to tell anyone of the order, including Taim. And of course, we know that Aginor/Osan'gar/Dashiva was aware of Taim.Tags
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9
Interview: 2011
Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)Austin Moore (3 January 2011)
Has Demandred even been doing anything important besides building an army? (guessing it's in Murandy)Brandon Sanderson (3 January 2011)
He's been doing lots of important things.AUSTIN MOORE (4 JANUARY)
Why do you think RJ straight up said that Taim wasn't Demandred when he could've just said RAFO and kept everyone guessing?BRANDON SANDERSON
I think he was tired of people all looking in the same place.Tags
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10
Interview: 2011
Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)Omar Subedar (4 January 2011)
Who is your favorite member of the Chosen?Brandon Sanderson (4 January 2011)
Moridin. Followed by Demandred. Followed by Lanfear.OMAR SUBEDAR
As for Moridin, I never liked the fact that he thought that Dark One winning would be THE end. I mean, according to...OMAR SUBEDAR
Robert Jordan, there are no beginnings or endings to the turning of the Wheel right? Only relative beginnings and endings.BRANDON SANDERSON
Moridin believes that if the Dark One wins, there will BE no Wheel. It will be broken. So in that way, there are still...BRANDON SANDERSON
...no beginnings or endings. There is nothing. Some, including Cadsuane, believe this is a very real possibility.Tags
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11
Interview: 2011
Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)Austin Moore (6 January 2011)
Who was the Lord of Chaos that Demandred and Taim both mention? There has been tons of debate.Brandon Sanderson (6 January 2011)
Really? I thought that one was obvious. What's the debate about?Terez
It's Rand. Look in the BWB re: Feast of Fools.Austin Moore
Why was Demandred and Taim saying, "Let the Lord of Chaos rule" if it was Rand? Sorry just read through series once so far :(Terez
Here's a quote for you:
The Feast of Fools
Celebrated in Tammaz (in Arad Doman and the Borderlands) or Saven (everywhere else), the exact day varying according to locality. A day in which all order is deliberately inverted; the high perform lowly tasks (running errands, serving at table, etc.) while the low do no work and give orders to their usual superiors. In many villages and towns the most foolish person is given a title such as the Lord/Lady of Unreason/Misrule/Chaos or the King/Queen of Fools. Not an honor sought, but for that one day everyone has to obey whatever orders, however foolish, are given by the chosen one. (Called the Festival of Unreason in Saldaea; the Festival of Fools in Kandor; Foolday in Baerlon and the Two Rivers.)Matt Hatch
I've always enjoyed this theory about the Lord of Chaos. It's fun.Brandon Sanderson
That is a good theory for people to be reading.Terez
YAY. OMG, that theory has been on the rocks for years because of contradicting tour reports.Terez
Also, your tour quotes were vague enough to allow it but most people didn't see it that way.Brandon Sanderson
I didn't say the theory was true, just that you should study it. :) But I would like to see those tour reports.Terez
Footnote
Adding to Brandon's implications here is Sorilea's comment in reference to the balefiring of Natrin's Barrow, in The Gathering Storm Chapter 27: "We felt the world warping from here, but did not know what had caused it. We assumed it to be the Dark One's work." (Similar to the ripples Perrin and Faile experienced in Knife of Dreams.) This opens up the possibility that people have no idea really what they're talking about when they assume that the warping of reality is due to the Dark One's touch, just as Alviarin had no idea what she was talking about when she assumed that the rotting food was the Dark One's touch (Knife of Dreams, Prologue).Tags
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12
Interview: 2010
Twitter 2009-2010 (WoT) (Verbatim)Xarra (8 November 2010)
You said at a book tour that we'd seen Demandred lots already—is this true? Has he been 'on screen' in Towers of Midnight?Brandon Sanderson (8 November 2010)
I was being jokey on that one, meaning the times he's appeared as himself or been referenced as himself.BRANDON SANDERSON
I have not answered if we've seen him 'In disguise' yet. Or I didn't intend to. Might have sounded that way.Tags
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13
Interview: 2010
Twitter 2009-2010 (WoT) (Verbatim)Matt Hatch (8 November 2010)
Is Logain working for Demandred?Brandon Sanderson (8 November 2010)
Oh, you KNEW I was going to RAFO that one. :)MATT HATCH
How often does Demandred contemplate killing Moridin?BRANDON SANDERSON
Less than the other Chosen. He is focused on Rand. He contemplates Moridin, but mostly he wants Rand.Tags
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14
Interview: 2011
Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)Austin Moore (6 September 2011)
If Demandred knew about Moridin's link to Rand, would he try and kill Moridin if he knew it'd affect Rand?Brandon Sanderson (6 September 2011)
If Demandred thought he could get away with it, do you really think he wouldn't try to kill Moridin anyway?Tags
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15
Interview: Jun 26th, 1996
Compuserve Chat (Verbatim)Karl Schwede
Is there any particular inspiration for the Forsaken, and the other antagonists in your series, as there are for the women characters? Demandred and how he was always an inch behind Lews Therin (in the Power, in swordsmanship etc...), for example—was there a particular inspiration for that?Robert Jordan
Well, there are—and I won't go into details because I want to keep the mythological and legendary roots hidden—I don't want to have people spending more time discussing the legends than the stories! The thing is there are several legends and myths based on such jealousy, on the man who is just a half a step short of another man. The woman who would have been the greatest of her age, but there was another who was just a bit better. That sort of jealousy leads to the worst kind of hatred. When someone can easily defeat you, there's not that kind of jealousy. But when he beats you in a photo finish every single time, that is when emotions begin to curdle and rancor sets in, and you find yourself with this festering deep inside that can turn into murderous hatred.Tags
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16
Interview: Oct 20th, 1998
TPOD Signing Report - Ryan R. (Paraphrased)Ryan R.
I asked Jordan when a man with the spark would slow. He hesitated and rubbed his chin, obviously trying to make up the answer on the spot, and doing it to be consistent with the books.Robert Jordan
The answer is: Women usually slow at twenty, sometimes a little earlier, but usually around there. Men wouldn't slow until twenty-five, usually closer to thirty. He claims that they could go past thirty, but that probably depends on how early they start and how much they channel.Ryan R.
So, if Taim started at twenty or so, like Rand (actually, that's later than Rand), and channeled a reasonable amount, he would probably slow at twenty-seven or thereabouts. After all, Nynaeve started probably at sixteen or seventeen, and only channeled on the uncommon occasion that someone was dying in her presence of some disease, and slowed at twenty-three (that's the age Setalle Anan thought she was, but she's twenty-six). That's seven years or so.
Well, Taim looks thirty-five, according to Rand. He shouldn't. Even if he didn't slow until he was thirty-two, Rand still wouldn't have estimated him as being as much as fifteen years older than he was. So, my conclusion—Taim is Demandred. Only a Forsaken could look that old, given the slowing. Yes, I know it's not solid, irrefutable evidence, but it's still good evidence. That's my two cents.
Ryan R. "He Who Just Missed Coming With the Dawn"
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17
Interview: Nov 14th, 2000
SciFi.com Chat (Verbatim)Vsove
What events looked like they had Demandred's hand in them? I refer to the comment about proxies.Robert Jordan
Read and find out!Tags
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18
Interview: May, 2001
Marcon Report - Sorilea (Paraphrased)Ruhira Sedai
We know who almost all the Forsaken are, except maybe Mesaana and Demandred. Should we be able to work out who they are?Robert Jordan
Ummm...Yeah.SORILEA
Eeks...I hate those answers. Okay everyone...you heard him...time to get those books cracked open again, and let's figure out who they are!!!Tags
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19
Interview: Apr 4th, 2001
Leiden Signing Report - Aan'allein (Verbatim)Aan'allein
Do Sarene and Corele have ageless faces? He didn't seen to recall the names, so I said "at the end of Winter's Heart, the Aes Sedai with Flinn who attack Demandred..."Robert Jordan
Uh yeah, uh well, no no. Uh, some of them do, yes, some of them have ageless faces, but not all of them.Aan'allein
But do the two who were in the circle with Flinn have ageless faces?Robert Jordan
Oh, let's see.. oh, the two who were in the circle with Min?Aan'allein
Flinn.Robert Jordan
Flinn, ah... Just trying to remember which ones I had with which one...Aan'allein
Sarene and Corele.Robert Jordan
Sarene Nemdahl does have an ageless face and ehh... I think Masuri... no Masuri was not.... I'm sorry, I actually forgot who I...Aan'allein
[And then the silly man who had done the interview interrupted us and talked about the time and that it was getting late. So I thanked Jordan and circled around the line to go stand close to the table where he was signing, see if I could pick up any more interesting tidbits. Well, at least we now know for sure that one of the Aes Sedai had an ageless face, so that Demandred should have seen this if he was as close to them as those opposing Taimandred claim.]Tags
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20
Interview: Apr 8th, 2001
Elf Fantasy Fair - Gonzo (Paraphrased)Gonzo the Great
Did Demandred recognise Flinn in the last chapter of Winter's Heart?Robert Jordan
RAFO.GONZO THE GREAT
Naturally :( .GONZO THE GREAT
Would Taim have recognised Flinn, in that position?ROBERT JORDAN
Yes.GONZO THE GREAT
Not expected, but not helpful either because of [the previous answer].GONZO THE GREAT
Did you intend in Winter's Heart to make it clear that Demandred is not Taim?ROBERT JORDAN
RAFO.GONZO THE GREAT
Obvious :D .Tags
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21
Interview: Apr 5th, 2001
Amsterdam Signing Report - Aan'allein (Verbatim)Aan'allein
When Damer Flinn and Sarene and Corele attacked Demandred, how far away were they? In yards, meters, ...?Robert Jordan
Ah...no, they were eh... [long silence while he's thinking] no, no, no...Damer Flinn and Corele eh... no, no, that's meters...just some meters. Err, they couldn't have come face-to-face. That's eh... Yeah, it's not a short, not a really...not like you and me.Aan'allein
...he didn't see the ageless faces...Robert Jordan
... [nothing really, he was done signing then, but no contradiction either]Aan'allein
The general idea I now have is that it was something like 10, maybe 20 meters between them. Not the 100+ meters I'd kinda expected.
All in all it was a pretty short session, but well worth it, even with all the added travel time.
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22
Interview: Apr 8th, 2001
Elf Fantasy Fair - Aan'allein (Verbatim)Robert Jordan
Hrm, but that wasn't all. I distinctly remember someone asking, "Did Demandred recognize Flinn?", getting answered RAFO, followed by a question "Would Taim recognize Flinn in a similar circumstance?", being answered that "yes, he should" if the distance wasn't too large or something.
But then I mentioned that the distance wasn't all that great, just a couple of meters, he'd said so just a few days before, and he looked at me in a way that said, "you know all you need to know about this, I'm not going to make it any more obvious."
Aan'allein
I know it isn't proof, and I hate my guts for not taping this so I'm capable of showing something tangible, but the way it was all said, the way it played out...I don't believe Taimandred anymore. Not just because of this actually. I already had the feeling last Friday, after another mention of the "seen something pretty out of the corner of their eye / for the last third they must have read someone else's books" about the FAQ. Although there was something more, something about that he doesn't work "that way." Again it wasn't anything concrete, but at that point I began to doubt all our "person x = person y" theories. Added to his look at my remark about the distance (which he told me himself just two days before; he really shouldn't have tried to evade the Taim question using that), I've stopped believing in Taimandred. I hope KuraFire has a good recollection of exactly what Jordan said here.
Oh, by the way, it is pronounced Taa-eem, not tame.
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23
Interview: Jan 7th, 2003
COT Signing Report - Ted Herman (Verbatim)Question
Is Taim Demandred?Robert Jordan
No, that is totally bogus.Tags
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24
Interview: Jan 16th, 2003
COT Signing Report - Matthew Julius (Paraphrased)Matthew Julius
It's been said that you mentioned that Mazrim Taim is not Demandred. There seems to be some confusion on whether or not you said that.Robert Jordan
Mazrim Taim is not Demandred.
MATTHEW JULIUS
So, he's being set up as a new Demandred then?
ROBERT JORDAN
RAFO.
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25
Interview: Jan 16th, 2003
COT Signing Report - Tim Kington (Paraphrased)Tim Kington
Taim is clearly not Demandred, right?Robert Jordan
(Disgusted) I've said that before, and it's not Taim, it's Ta-eeem.Tags
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26
Interview: Jan 16th, 2003
Michael Martin
Have we yet seen the alter ego Demandred presents to the Third Agers on-screen?
Robert Jordan
NO. (I asked twice to make sure.)
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27
Interview: Feb 26th, 2003
tarvalon.net Q&A (Verbatim)It has also been further confirmed that:Robert Jordan
—Taimandred is bogus.
—Rand has only one soul, but has two personalities.
—Museam Replicas will be producing the Sword and Dragon pins as well as an approved version of the Great Serpent ring (which apparently goes around the finger twice before biting its own tail).
—Someone has correctly deduced who killed Asmodean, so no one should ever ask him that question again.
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28
Interview: Sep 3rd, 2005
DragonCon Report - Isabel (Verbatim)Isabel
Was Taimandred a deliberate ruse to lead your readers astray, or were you surprised (by the all of the theories connecting Taim to Demandred)?Robert Jordan
I was surprised but I wasn't going to disabuse you of it for a while, I like to watch you squirm.Tags
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29
Interview: Oct 13th, 2005
KOD Signing Report - Allen Bryan (Paraphrased)Allen Bryan
Demandred does not use a Third Age persona. True or false?Robert Jordan
RAFO.Tags
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30
Interview: Nov 4th, 2005
KOD Signing Report - Bluecole (Paraphrased)Robert Jordan
The theory that Demandred is using balefire at the direction of the Dark One to loosen the weave of the Pattern is squashed by RJ. (confirmed)Footnote
This person is not clear whether the theory was 'squashed' or 'confirmed', but in any case, we discussed it with Brandon here, and it seems as though RJ confirmed it.Tags
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31
Interview: Nov 19th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Matrimony Cauthon (Paraphrased)Question
Someone asked for clarification about whether we had seen Mesaana and Demandred's alter-egos on screen.Brandon Sanderson
Sanderson said that we had seen Mesaana's alter-ego on screen as of Knife of Dreams, but that we had not seen Demandred's alter-ego on screen as of Knife of Dreams. Sanderson would not elaborate on whether Demandred's alter-ego had been seen in The Gathering Storm—Sanderson didn't want to narrow down the suspects for us if Demandred really had appeared in The Gathering Storm.Tags
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32
Interview: Nov 19th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Samadai (Paraphrased)Samadai
I then asked, has Demandred's alter ego been seen since Crossroads of Twilight?Brandon Sanderson
He said that is a good question, but "I'm not going to answer it."Samadai
I actually asked this next question after the signing but since it is relevant to this question I am putting it here. I asked, has Demandred's alter ego been mentioned in the books but not seen?Brandon Sanderson
He gave me a very guarded look and said, "That is a very well though out question", paused for a moment, and said "there have been too few characters introduced in the last few books for me to answer that". Speculators unite.Tags
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33
Interview: Nov 19th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Samadai (Paraphrased)TheWindRose
Are there any Forsaken around Elayne?Brandon Sanderson
Brandon paused for a moment, then said: So many people are trying to figure out where Demandred is, I am not sure I can answer that.Samadai
Forkroot and I both said no, not Demandred. We were talking Cyndane or Moghedien. Then we said, for example, some postulate that Sylvase is Cyndane.Brandon Sanderson
He said, "No, Sylvase is not a Forsaken and was never intended to be."Tags
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34
Interview: Dec 19th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - wolfbro22 (Paraphrased)Brandon Sanderson
Went to the signing in Idaho Falls today and asked BS if we had seen Demandred's alter ego on screen and he gave me a R.A.F.O. card and said that Demandred's identity is the biggest secret in the series and will pay off in the end.Tags
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35
Interview: Apr 23rd, 2010
JordanCon 2010 Q&A Report - Terez (Paraphrased)Ted Herman
How in the world did Lanfear survive that gigantic explosion that was depicted in the ter'angreal?Terez
[I don't remember what she said! WSB? I think Tam was talking to me about something, but I seem to remember that question getting fielded to the floor.]Ted Herman
Maria didn't even say RAFO. That was put out for discussion, which I am fine with. Some thought she wasn't physically there, or used the shield weave that Rand used in The Path of Daggers.Matt Hatch
Is Lanfear the only surviving person that is aware of how the Bore was created?
Maria Simons
I don't know. Mesaana or Demandred might know.Tags
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36
Interview: Nov 3rd, 2010
TOM Signing Report - Maji (Paraphrased)Question
One question I wrote down when somenoe asked was: "Will we see Demandred in the book?"Brandon Sanderson
*Big Smile* "What do you mean? You saw Demandred all the time! He shows up all the time!"Revised Question
"Will we find who Demandred's alter-ego is?"Brandon Sanderson
"I'm gonna have to RAFO that one."Tags
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37
Interview: Nov 7th, 2010
TOM Signing Report - Zaela Sedai (Paraphrased)Question
Was Demandred or his proxy in Towers of Midnight?Brandon Sanderson
No, he was not; he will be in A Memory of Light.Tags
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38
Interview: Feb 7th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - electrokinetic (Paraphrased)electrokinetic
I'd been wondering why Demandred didn't just use the True Power to dispatch the various swordsmen that challenged him, and I got to ask it last night at the Huntington Beach signing. I thought I'd post it here in case anyone else was wondering the same thing.
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon's response was that Demandred was the most wary and cautious of the Forsaken and he wasn't going to "mess with that medallion", not knowing fully what it was or what it could do, especially since he suspected that the swordsman was Lews Therin in disguise.
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39
Interview: Apr 17th, 2011
Driving Mr. Sanderson - Terez (Verbatim)Terez
How does Demandred compare in strength to Moridin and Aginor? Sammael?Brandon Sanderson
Um...I have to have the list in front of me for that one.
Terez
Ahh.
Brandon Sanderson
Sorry, Terez.
Terez
That's okay.
Brandon Sanderson
I really want to just post that for people, because so many people ask about it...
Terez
Right, they're like really obsessed with it at rafo.com....
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, they're very obsessed with it, and the thing is, a lot of them are really close, and so it's a matter of a few points on Jim's scale...
Terez
Yeah, I figured, like what you were saying earlier about how they were Chosen because their talents...
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah.
Terez
...obviously they're all within...
Brandon Sanderson
...yeah. They're all awesome. And so, you know, you couldn't be a Forsaken simply for being awesome in the Power. It's like you had to be awesome at the Power, and be awesome at other stuff.
Terez
Well, I mean...that's what they said about Balthamel, that that was the only reason he was one of them, was that he was so strong...
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah....
Terez
But, you know, obviously there was something else going on there...
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah. [I think he was already looking at the next (last) question at this point because we were nearing the airport terminal.]
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40
Interview: Nov 16th, 2010
Paris Signing Report - Jonathan B (Paraphrased)Jonathan B
We discussed Demandred; I don't remember how or why it came up, but I said that the most popular theory currently is that he's Roderan of Murandy. I didn't ask who Demandred is because I knew that would get a big fat RAFO.Brandon Sanderson
He said "aren't there a lot of people who think its Paitar"?
JONATHAN B
I said not that I knew as, RJ said we hadn't seen Demandred's alias on-screen prior to Knife of Dreams and we had seen Paitar before. Roderan is basically the only important king of Randland or one of them that we haven't seen on screen.
BRANDON SANDERSON
He didn't deny or confirm any of the above.
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41
Interview: 2011
Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)Steve McKracken (14 November 2011)
So Demandred will be awesome in A Memory of Light, right? :PBrandon Sanderson (14 November 2011)
Yup.Tags
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42
Interview: Nov 22nd, 2011
Alloy of Law Signing Report - Zombie Sammael (Paraphrased)Zombie Sammael
In The Gathering Storm Graendal thinks that Demandred had a shot at being the Dragon. What we were wondering was whether this refers to the soul itself or to the title Dragon, and if the title is tied to the soul.Brandon Sanderson
Brandon then said (quite excitingly IMO) that it actually went further than that, and if perhaps Rand had died whether someone else would have taken over that role.
ZOMBIE SAMMAEL
If that had happened, would that person be called Dragon?
BRANDON SANDERSON
I'll give you this: there was no chance of Demandred ever being Dragon.
ZOMBIE SAMMAEL
Ah, that's a bit similar to the answer you gave before. But if not Demandred, somebody else?
BRANDON SANDERSON
Maybe.
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43
Interview: Dec 2nd, 2010
4th Age Podcast Interview with Team Jordan (Verbatim)Virginia
Okay. Well…I guess we'll just go into the pronunciations.
SPENCER POWELL
Well, our next little bit needs a little bit of a lead-in for our listeners who don't have access to our huge list of questions like we do. As part of our interview questions, we have a list of words, and we asked, "How do you pronounce each of these words?" And there are about 43 of them. There are probably some on here that don't need to be on here, and I know that there aren't some on here that should be, but these are the 43 that we came up with.
VIRGINIA
Yeah, Spencer got mad at me because I went and annotated the list, like…I gotta be exact, and he's like "No…"
SPENCER POWELL
I didn't get mad at you! I just took 'em off; I'm like, "Oh yeah, you're right; take that one off." Anyway. And so Maria, Alan…would you please go through the list and tell us how to pronounce these names and places?
Maria Simons
Okay, here we go. And I may, you know, be wrong on some. But others, I'm pretty sure of.
VIRGINIA
And feel free to add some in if something occurs to you as you're going.
MARIA SIMONS
O-kay. We have add-uh-LAY-us. (Adeleas) el-FINN. (Aelfinn) eyes-DEYE-shar. (Aesdaishar) (RJ used EYE to rhyme with the word 'eye') ahm-uh-DEE-see-uh. (Amadicia) [glossary: ah-mah-DEE-see-ah] (ah=ahhh sound, uh=schwa) ERR-id doe-MAHN. (Arad Doman) [glossary: AH-rad do-MAHN] arr-uh-FELL. (Arafel) [glossary: AH-rah-fehl] brr-GEE-tuh. (Birgitte) (hard G) [glossary: ber-GEET-teh] Brenn. (Bryne) [glossary: BRIHN, GAH-rehth] KEYE-ree-enn. (Cairhien) [glossary: KEYE-ree-EHN] CHA fah-EEL. (Cha Faile) (mid ch) drag-car. (Draghkar) [glossary: DRAGH-kahr] EEL-finn. (Eelfinn) guh-LAHD. (Galad) [glossary: gah-LAHD] GAH-win. (Gawyn) [glossary: GAH-wihn] GALE-donn. (Ghealdan) [glossary: GHEL-dahn] I'm not sure if it's huh-REEN or huh-REEN-uh. (Harine) din toe-GAHR-uh Two Winds. ILL-ee-in. (Illian) [glossary: IHL-lee-ahn] ill-ee-AY-nuh. (? - AY is long A) CAN-door. (Kandor) (door like the word) lee-AH-nuh. (Leane) [glossary: lee-AHN-eh shah-REEF] mall-KEER. (Malkier) [glossary: mahl-KEER] my-EEN. (Mayene) [glossary: may-EHN] myur-an-DEE. (Murandy) [glossary: MEW-ran-dee] MEER-drahl. (Myrddraal) [glossary: MUHRD-draal] NEIGH-bliss. Sorry. NAY-bliss. [laughter] (Nae'blis) NEFF. (Naeff?) nee-AHM Passes (Niamh Passes) nigh-NEEV. (Nynaeve) [glossary: NIGH-neev al-MEER-ah] Plains of mah-REE-doh. (Plains of Maredo) ree-AH-nuh. (Reanne) seye-DAR. (saidar). [glossary: sah-ih-DAHR] seye-DEEN. (saidin) [glossary: sah-ih-DEEN] sall-DAY-uh. (Saldaea) [glossary: sahl-DAY-ee-ya] see-AEN. (Seaine?) Alan…
ALAN ROMANCZUK
SHE-nar.
MARIA SIMONS
SHE-nar. (Shienar) [glossary: shy-NAHR] Swan. (Siuan) [glossary: SWAHN SAHN-chay] sor-uh-LEE-uh. (Sorilea) [glossary: soh-rih-LEE-ah] terra-BONN. (Tarabon) [glossary: TAH-rah-BON] TAR-win's Gap. (Tarwin's Gap) tell-uh-RON-ree-odd. (Tel'aran'rhiod) [glossary: tel-AYE-rahn-rhee-ODD] Tower of genn-JEYE. (Ghenjei) (hard G) truh-MALL-king. (Tremalking) [glossary: treh-MAL-king] too-AH-thuh-AHN. (Tuatha'an) [glossary: too-AH-thah-AHN]
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Do you want to go over the saidar/saidin thing we talked about?
MARIA SIMONS
In the glossaries of the books, Jim has it sah-ih-DEEN and sah-ih-DAHR, but I swear, I don't think he pronounced it that way; I mean you kind of give a little hint of the i but not much: sah-ee-DEEN, sah-ee-DAHR.
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Yeah, he always seemed to be saying seye-DEEN and seye-DAHR.
SPENCER POWELL
I'm surprised at how many of those I thought I knew, but I didn't.
JENNIFER LIANG
Yeah. That's like, "Waait a second, that's not…but oh, I guess it is."
MARK
How do you pronounce the Traveling people again?
MARIA SIMONS
too-AH-thah-AHN.
VIRGINIA
There's something else with the double A there…
MARIA SIMONS
ah-tha-AHN mee-AIR. (Atha'an Miere)
VIRGINIA
Okay, great. Any others you can think of that are commonly mangled, that would have driven Jim crazy?
MARIA SIMONS
I think I've mentioned tah-EEM before, and egg-ee-AH-nin…
VIRGINIA
dee-MAN-dred? dee-MAHN-dred? DEE-man-dred?
MARIA SIMONS
Ehh...dee-MAHN-dred, I think…but I wouldn't swear dee-MAHN-dred. [glossary: DEE-man-drehd]
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Pretty straightforward.
VIRGINIA
How about all of the Forsaken? A lot of them often get mangled, or a few. GRIN-doll?
MARIA SIMONS
Grindle, is how I say it. [glossary: GREHN-dahl] And it's interesting, just looking at a thing, and I pronounce CADD-in-soar (cadin'sor) wrong. [glossary: KAH-dihn-sohr]
JENNIFER LIANG
Oh really?
MARIA SIMONS
Yeah, because it's supposed to be cah-DIN-soar. [It's not, according to the glossary.]
JENNIFER LIANG
Okay, because I say it the way you say it.
VIRGINIA
Yeah, I think… [inaudible] so that makes sense.
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Oh! ish-AH-may-el, and SAM-may-el. [glossary: ih-SHAH-may-EHL, SAHM-may-EHL] [When RJ said it, the 'may' part was more like the German 'Mai'.]
JENNIFER LIANG
Yes. Those are really common mistakes; I hear that a lot.
VIRGINIA
Ben [?] was right; we had that famous tagline from the original podcast, and we had this thing…I think, "Sammael was pretty buff!" [laughter] We used that a lot, and it sort of went away when he did, I guess.
SPENCER POWELL
Another one that I have lots of problems with—and I can't believe I didn't get it on the list—but is the GOLL-um (gholam), or the…I can't even pronounce it right now.
MARK
GO-lem?
SPENCER POWELL
Yeah, the GO-lem, that's chasing Mat.
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Yeah.
MARIA SIMONS
Gollum.
SPENCER POWELL
Gollum?
VIRGINIA
Oh, it's Gollum! [crosstalk]
MARIA SIMONS
I am not absolutely sure, but that's how I say it, so…
VIRGINIA
What about some of the other Seanchan beasts that made me think of, the grolm, then there were two of the others that…
MARIA SIMONS
ROCK-in (raken), and TOE-rock-in. (to'raken)
VIRGINIA
Yeah, and then there was another one, the um…
MARIA SIMONS
Torm…the book is right in front of me…
VIRGINIA
Oh, maybe it was the name of that…oh, Suroth's pet!
MARK
S'redit?
MARIA SIMONS
Oh yes, that thing. I can't remember… [crosstalk]
VIRGINIA
Mandra…Mandragal?…Almandragal.
ALAN ROMANCZUK
The LOW-par (lopar)?
VIRGINIA
Yeah, the lopar. Almandaragal was his name, or something like that?
MARIA SIMONS
Something like that. I would have to look it up.
ALAN ROMANCZUK
It was a LOW-par (lopar), wasn't it?
VIRGINIA
Yeah, lopar. I think there was another one that I couldn't…maybe I'm just hallucinating. [laughs]
MARIA SIMONS
Let's see…
VIRGINIA
I'm sure there's a zillion others I'll think of after you're off the air here with us…
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Oh, s'RED-dit (s'redit) is another one. Remember the elephant-like creature?
MARIA SIMONS
Corlm, C-O-R-L-M (I like that word). Torm…that's all I can find.
VIRGINIA
What about Tuon's new name as Empress?
MARIA SIMONS
for-too-OH-nah?
VIRGINIA
Fortuona, okay. I'm not sure how else you could pronounce that, but I've been wrong before, so...
MARIA SIMONS
That, I'm assuming is right; I'm pretty sure I heard Jim pronounce it that way, because that was his choice of name.
VIRGINIA
There must be something else; there seems like a million things, and that I didn't add enough to the list.
MARIA SIMONS
OH-geer…
ALAN ROMANCZUK
moe-TIE? (???)
VIRGINIA
Oh! What about—speaking of historical figures—LAH-tra…poe-SAI? Or poe-SAY? deh-KYU-meh? (Latra Posae Decume)
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Oh yeah, LA-tra (LA rhymes with laugh)…
VIRGINIA
I got the Latra, but I'm not sure about the second and third names.
MARIA SIMONS
Boy.
VIRGINIA
It's P-O-S-A-E, and then D-E-C-U-M-E.
MARIA SIMONS
po-SAY-uh deh-COO-may.
VIRGINIA
deh-COO-may, okay. [crosstalk]
MARIA SIMONS
That's totally off the top of my head. I see it (?) and think it, anyway. po-SAY-uh deh-COO-may, yeah.
Tags
pronunciation, maria, alan, adeleas, aelfinn, aesdaishar, amadicia, arad doman, arafel, birgitte, bryne, cairhien, cha faile, draghkar, eelfinn, galad, gawyn, geography, ghealdan, harine, illian, kandor, leane, malkier, mayene, murandy, myrddraal, nae'blis, naeff, nynaeve, reanne, saidar, saidin, saldaea, seaine, shienar, siuan, tarabon, tarwin's gap, tel'aran'rhiod, ghenjei, tremalking, tinkers, sea folk, taim, egeanin, demandred, graendal, cadin'sor, ishamael, sammael, gholam, grolm, raken, to'raken, s'redit, lopar, tuon, ogier, latra posae, -
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Interview: Oct 25th, 1994
LOC Signing Report - Edward Liu (Paraphrased)Edward Liu
I told him about the theory, which someone posted, that Taim is Demandred who will eventually be discovered and killed with Logain replacing him.Robert Jordan
He sounded interested at first, but then he laughed (I think about the part of Logain replacing him as the teacher of the Asha'man). And of course he said, "Read and find out."Tags
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45
Interview: Nov 4th, 2005
KOD Signing Report - Saladdodger (Paraphrased)Saladdodger
First I want to applaud the OP for a well thought out theory supported by evidence. I have enjoyed the debate on this topic.
Now the bad news: I attended the Robert Jordan book signing here in Charlotte, NC tonight (11/4/05). While he was signing my books, I asked him if he could credit or discredit the theory that the Dark One charged Demandred with the task of wielding Balefire in an attempt to weaken the Pattern, so that the Dark One may be have a better chance of victory at Tarmon Gai'don.
Robert Jordan
He didn't quite understand my point and asked me to explain it again. When I did, alluding to the consequences of Balefire, and quoting the Dark One's asking Demandred about his willingness to use balefire for the Dark One, he quickly shook his head and gave an unequivocal no.
SALADDODGER
I'm afraid this theory is disproved by the word of Robert Jordan himself.
Footnote
It's clear enough from other reports and also from comments by Brandon that the theory was not precisely disproven. RJ probably meant that Demandred was not the one doing the balefiring, which fits with Brandon's comments.Tags
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46
Interview: Oct 29th, 2005
KOD Signing Report - Congo Red Jr. (Paraphrased)Congo Red Jr.
Well I asked Mr. Jordan about this theory, in brief, at a booksigning in Santa Cruz. I did this while getting my books autographed.Robert Jordan
He said the Forsaken are using balefire to help unravel the Pattern. That was all he'd say on it, told me the books provide enough evidence for it.
CONGO RED JR.
At any rate I'm not sure whether or not this helps anyone's arguments as I haven't read all of them; y'all write too much.
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47
Interview: Oct 29th, 2005
KOD Signing Report - Congo Red Jr. (Paraphrased)sporkster (comment 70)
So—one Jordan booksigning against the theory, and one for. Sounds like we can't put this theory in the "Debunked" pile yet...
CONGO RED JR. (COMMENT 71)
I suppose it's possible that Mr. Jordan may not have fully understood my question and therefore his answer isn't exactly for or against this theory. LOL The question I asked was this: Have the Forsaken, Demandred specifically, used balefire to destabilize the Pattern at all?
Robert Jordan
He said that they've used balefire and the consequences were destabilizing the Pattern and that in the books you could see evidence of that.
CONGO RED JR.
I should've been more specific in my question to him and my post here; that was first time I've ever commented on a message board, etc. I'm usually just a reader/browser to forums and such. I personally think the other fella's question was more specific therefore the answer probably more accurate as pertaining to the topic at hand. The answer he gave me upon further reflection could mean any number of things. It's hard to say. Guess we'll all find out when A Memory of Light is published.
Footnote
Actually, it appears that both answers might have been accurate in their original form, and that the Forsaken have indeed been using balefire, but that Demandred is not one of them. In any case, Brandon's comments on this theory make it almost certain that balefire is the main cause of the disintegration of the Pattern.Tags
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48
Interview: Apr, 2012
Twitter: SwanCon 2012 - PRK (Paraphrased)Brandon Sanderson
PRK (7 APRIL 2012)
Demandred will have some awesome stuff in A Memory of Light.
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49
Interview: Apr, 2012
Twitter: SwanCon 2012 - PRK (Paraphrased)Terez (7 April 2012)
Ask him if there is a Waygate anywhere near Lugard. We suspect that Ogier-built Shaemal was somewhere in Murandy.
PRK
Why does it matter where Shaemal is?
TEREZ
It only matters because of the possibility of a Waygate in Murandy, which is why I phrased the question the way I did.
TEREZ
It has to do with the theory that Roedran is Demandred. ;)
PRK
Okay, I'll ask that one next time!
Brandon Sanderson
PRK (8 APRIL)
Answer re Lugard Waygate: "*chuckles* That's clever! Anything I say will give away too much, so I'll have to RAFO that one."
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50
Interview: Apr, 2012
Gold Coast SupaNova - Eleanor Chandler-Temple (Paraphrased)Terez
Is there a Waygate near Lugard?Brandon Sanderson
As far as I recall, yes. But I'm not a hundred per cent sure.
ELEANOR
No notable expression changes. Can someone check that map on Deviant Art?
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51
Interview: Jan 12th, 2011
SLC Signing Report - Matt Hatch (Paraphrased)Austin Moore
Can we figure out who Demandred is disguised as based on evidence?Brandon Sanderson
There are clues.Tags
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52
Interview: Apr 23rd, 2010
JordanCon 2010 - Kristi Deming (Paraphrased)Kristi Deming
Brandon Sanderson
When I met Brandon on the book signing tour, they gave us a sticky to write what we wanted him to write what we wanted. I am the proud owner of the only copy that says:
"To Kristi, I promise Demandred will be in A Memory of Light!"
I asked if I was right in thinking that RJ had saved the best for last, and Brandon simply said as far as the Shadow is concerned, the main player will be Demandred.
[long spiel about how Demandred is awesome and sexy and the only Forsaken that has not been killed, captured, or punished]
I said as much to Brandon, saying I expected a RAFO to that. He said that all he could say would be that point would be addressed at a further point in the books.
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53
Interview: Sep 22nd, 2012
Orem Signing Report - Zas (Verbatim)Loialson
Does Demandred even have an alter ego?Brandon Sanderson
Yes, he does.
Loialson
Okay, cause we've been trying to figure out who the heck is it, and we can't figure it out. We're thinking Roedran, but it's like, too obvious.
Brandon Sanderson
Here's the thing: Robert Jordan said that Demandred did not appear until Knife of Dreams, and so I have been very hesitant about saying whether or not he'd appeared—I think I've said whether or not he'd appeared on screen in my books—but the reason is, if I give you a yes or no—if he's appeared, yes or no—then that narrows it down to like just a few characters, that are introduced in mine, so I've been very hesitant about answering that. Demandred does have an alter ego. He has been up to some very cool things. There are people online who have guessed correctly. And so, I will say that much.Loialson
Is he in Randland?
Brandon Sanderson
I won't say whether or not he's in Randland.
Fan
He's not in Shara! He can't be in Shara!
Footnote
As to whether or not Demandred's alter ego has been seen on screen, Brandon himself extended RJ's comment through Knife of Dreams, and he later said that Demandred wasn't seen in Towers of Midnight at all. That, combined with this comment here where he lumps his books together makes it clear that Demandred's alter ego has never been seen on screen. (A list of characters introduced in The Gathering Storm, some of whom are disqualified by appearing in Towers of Midnight, helps to make that point.) Other comments by RJ make it clear that we should be able to figure out who it is by Winter's Heart at the latest, and Brandon has also said several times that it can be figured out from the books.Tags
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54
Interview: Sep 22nd, 2012
Orem Signing Report - Zas (Verbatim)Loialson
Was the original intention of the Eye of the World to be a second option to reseal the Bore?Brandon Sanderson
As far as I know, no. Now, that's the sort of thing that could be buried in the notes, but you know, I've read a lot of them, and as far as I know, no, that's not the purpose.
Loialson
Did the makers originally have a specific intention? Because I don't think Rand used it in the way they intended.
Brandon Sanderson
I believe that they did have a specific intention.
Loialson
Did Rand use it alright, to their intentions?
Brandon Sanderson
Um, Rand...um...
Loialson
That felt like a big waste to me.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah. I was...I will RAFO that. But I will say that they did have a specific intention. How about, here's something I can give you...it's actually backing up a few questions. I've mentioned online that we're probably going to—for a certain anthology, the Unfettered anthology—we are going to be putting deleted scenes from A Memory of Light and some of these deleted scenes will answer some of your questions.
Loialson
That's exciting. Thank you.
Brandon Sanderson
I don't think there's an official announcement; I don't think Harriet has decided 100% to make the announcement, but I've mentioned online before in things that we were considering it, and so, some deleted scenes having to do with some of your questions are actually going to be in this Unfettered anthology, and they may be from the viewpoint of a certain Forsaken that everyone's very curious about.
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55
Interview: Feb 6th, 2012
The China Post: American fantasy author talks about Chinese influence in his best-sellers (Verbatim)The China Post
On every visit abroad, Sanderson said, he takes notes and tries to write down a story that inspired him, to be used as a "seed" for later stories.
Brandon Sanderson
For example, an exhibit of necklaces and armors made out of coins that he saw nine years ago in the Middle East inspired him to create "coin armors" for the characters in his new book A Memory of Light, which is scheduled to be launched in fall this year.
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56
Interview: Jan 7th, 2013
kcf
You have a tendency to break the fourth wall at times in your WOT writing. How did you come to this choice as it's not a technique that Robert Jordan used? How have Team Jordan and fans of the series reacted to this?Brandon Sanderson
My answer is that I disagree with you. I don't think any of those things break the fourth wall. Robert Jordan put fan names in the books; he named things in the books after streets in his hometown; he named characters after people he knew. That's how he wrote these books, and it's how I've written all of my books. It's just how you get inspired as a writer. With Roedran, I honestly think that's what Rand would think and say; it's what he would come up with. It's one of the big theories I felt was really what Rand would consider in-world. So I just have to disagree with you; I don't think that any of this is breaking the fourth wall.Tags
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57
Interview: 2013
Twitter 2013 (WoT) (Verbatim)Kristi Deming (12 January 2013)
Any chance of finding out what "Bao" or "The Wyld" mean since we have no glossary?Brandon Sanderson (12 January 2013)
Both are a reference to Beowulf, and I meant the Wyld to mean "predator" or, in more common tongue, he who will kill the dragon.Footnote
The name "Bao" also came from Bao Pham, a fan who has worked (along with Jimmy Liang, blademaster "Jaim" of The Yearly Brawl) teaching sword forms for JordanCon and the WoT track at DragonCon.Tags
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58
Interview: Jan 7th, 2013
AMOL Midnight Release Q&A (Verbatim)Adam Simmons
My name is Adam Simmons, and I'm from Atlanta, Georgia. [hoots] I really hope that I'm not misremembering something. I was trying to look it up on my Kindle, and I couldn't find it, so please God, let me not be wrong. [laughter]
In one of the Forsaken viewpoints in—I think it was Knife of Dreams or something?—one of the Forsaken was thinking about how, had circumstances been different, Demandred could have been named the Dragon. And what I'm wondering is, is "the Dragon" an actual title, or was Lews Therin born to be the Dragon, or was that a mantle he picked up along the way?
Brandon Sanderson
(looks at Maria and Harriet) [laughter]
Maria Simons
Not me!
Brandon Sanderson
I can say some things on this, but it's going to be more...it may not be the exact answers you want. I can say things that have been said. For instance, you can look at things like Logain, and how false Dragons were being brought up out of the Pattern, until Rand, and at that moment, everything collapsed. Until...and it was really when Rand channeled for the first time—am I correct?—that everything sort of collapsed. (to Maria) There's some parallels in there. When he what? No, it was when he took Callandor. Yeah, you're right.
Maria Simons
It was the visions in the sky!
Brandon Sanderson
In the sky? Okay. Until Rand took up the mantle—yeah, that's it—and so it's when Rand...and so, you could look at that and make the argument, "Wait a minute; until that moment, until Rand stepped up and was willing to be the Dragon, the Pattern was searching for one." And you can interpret that a lot of different ways, and you could probably make an argument—Theoryland could make an argument for both sides on that. [laughter] And if Rand had not stepped up, was that just the end of the world? Would the world have then been doomed, if Rand as a baby had been killed? That's something that you can theorize on, and you can look at the clues in the books, and Jim did not leave us an answer, so far as I know.
Adam Simmons
Okay, thank you.
Footnote
The quote in question was in Graendal's POV in the prologue of The Gathering Storm, which was presumably written by Brandon himself. In any case, "Dragon" was a name given to Lews Therin by his peers in the Age of Legends much like the names given to the Forsaken, so while it's possible Demandred could have been given that name as a title, it's not possible that he could have been the Champion of the Light. This is addressed by Matt Hatch at the end of the Q&A.Tags
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59
Interview: 2013
Twitter 2013 (WoT) (Verbatim)Radbeard (23 January 2013)
Don't you feel some of the character endings were too rushed (Fain, everyone Demandred killed)?Brandon Sanderson (23 January 2013)
Finishing everything that RJ left to be finished in the amount of space required results in some dynamic pacing.
Brandon Sanderson
I don't feel rushed is the right term. But I can see how people might feel that way. I could have gone three more books.
Brandon Sanderson
It was not right to do so. This was what he wanted, and I did my best to fit everything in. I'm pleased with the result.
Brandon Sanderson
In regards to your specific questions, the Demandred kills were supposed to be abrupt to convey emotion of sudden loss.
Brandon Sanderson
That's how things are in war. As for Fain, a piece of me does wish there had been time for more with him.
Brett
Do you plan on expanding on the Wheel of Time series more or is it done? Why did you have so many abrupt deaths?
Brandon Sanderson
No, no more. RJ wouldn't want it. Abrupt deaths happen in war; it is the way this sort of thing plays out, I'm afraid.
Daniel Egonsson
Was there anything in A Memory of Light you wished you could have changed?
Brandon Sanderson
I might have done more with Fain if I'd had the time and the pages.
Brandon Sanderson
The biggest challenge for the book was fitting everyone in, and making sure they had relevant things to do.
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60
Interview: 2013
Twitter 2013 (WoT) (Verbatim)Werthead (23 January 2013)
Did Demandred take over just a single faction of Sharans, or all of them?Brandon Sanderson (23 January 2013)
Multiple factions, but not all by a long shot.
Matt Walsh
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't RJ say in a interview that Shara wouldn't be involved in any of the WoT books?
Brandon Sanderson
The quotes I've seen say that nothing significant would happen there on screen.
Footnote
Brandon is correct; RJ never said that Shara would play no role at all, just that the story would travel to Shara itself for more than a brief visit comparable to Rand's and Aviendha's trip to Seanchan.Tags
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Interview: 2013
Twitter 2013 (WoT) (Verbatim)kcf (23 January 2013)
Who's the POV for "River of Souls" in Unfettered?Brandon Sanderson (23 January 2013)
Bao.Tags
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Interview: 2013
Twitter 2013 (WoT) (Verbatim)Fyodor (23 January 2013)
When did Taim become a Darkfriend? Was he a Darkfriend as false Dragon? Why did he use Age of Legends era phrasing (so-called Aiel)?Brandon Sanderson (23 January 2013)
Taim was recruited by one of the Forsaken, so it happened after they were free.Tags
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63
Interview: Nov 4th, 2012
Rebecca Lovatt
In Lord of Chaos, there’s a point when Rand is in Shadar Logoth, and Lews Therin whispers to him "I must kill Demandred." Is there some sort of connection between Demandred and Shadar Logoth?Brandon Sanderson
There may well be... I'm not sure if I can answer that question, so... RAFO.Tags
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64
Interview: Feb 7th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - Robert Moreau (Paraphrased)Robert Moreau
The person before me asked why Demandred did not use the True Power during the Last Battle.Brandon Sanderson
Sanderson said he was wary of the True Power and everything that came with it. "He may have been the smartest of all the Forsaken for not wanting to use the True Power."Tags
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Interview: Feb 6th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - Freelancer (Verbatim)Question
Can you talk a little bit about the "River of Souls" sequence?Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, I can totally talk about this. So, "River of Souls" is about a specific character, and in the drafting process this is not something I actually pitched to Harriet early on, but in the later meetings I got together with them and pitched something which was a deviation from things Robert Jordan had said. Harriet told me from the get-go, Look you've got the notes, you've got the outline, you've got to be a writer, not a transcriber. Robert Jordan would not have kept this the way it is, that's not how we work, and in a lot of places he said I'm thinking of doing this, OR this, and you'll have to decide which of those to do, or to do a third.
And so I pitched one of these kind of audacious sequences to her; sometimes these work, sometimes they don't. It's the sort of thing you need to do to create fiction, that I feel is daring, and you need to take these chances. But a lot of times you don't know if it's going to work until the book is done, and you can look at it together. And this was taking place in a region of the Wheel of Time world that Robert Jordan said I really don't think we're ever going to visit. Which is the part that was deviated, by doing this sequence. And it's not that long, only about 7,000 words, so it's like a novelette. I sent it to Harriet, and she said "I really like this, but we're going to cut it". The reason being, that it broke up the flow of the novel, and it was introducing too many new elements at the beginning of the volume that was supposed to be wrapping up elements. And those who do storytelling know that can be a really dangerous thing to do.
Harriet McDougal
That was the reason. It was a big additional segment, and this is not what you call a slim volume anyway. So as a reader, it was not fun. Not that there was anything wrong with the sequence, but it was not what my antennae said we needed. We needed to get on with it.
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, instead of going sideways, when we needed to go forward.
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Interview: Feb 12th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - Wetlander (Paraphrased)Wetlander
Was Bao the Wyld part of Sharan prophecy? If so, was Demandred co-opting their Dragon prophecies?
Brandon Sanderson
"The Wyld" was part of Sharan prophecy; Demandred thinks he co-opted the Sharan version of the "dragon prophecies" but it was actually about him all along.
Wetlander
(I was surprised to get an answer to this; I expect some of it will show up in "River of Souls" anyway. An interesting follow-on question might be whether this means the Sharans were destined by the Pattern to fight for Team Dark.)
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Interview: Feb 6th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - Freelancer (Verbatim)Freelancer
A question was asked about the "River of Souls" "deleted scenes" business, and the non-spoiler portion of that is included in the Dragonmount report.Harriet McDougal (paraphrased)
Along with that, Harriet spoke briefly about how impressed she was with Bao the Wyld, aka Demandred, that he was this stunning juggernaut of hatred and destruction, but also that he spent the time creating a life and position for himself among the Sharans. It seems that he went there almost immediately after "waking" from the Bore, and that much of the activities he went through are in parallel with Rand's actions on the main segment of the continent, and that journey of Demandred's is what will be published in the Unfettered volume.
Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)
Brandon specified that although it is Wheel of Time material, it cannot be considered 100% canon, because it was cut early enough that it did not get subjected to Maria's detailed continuity validation.
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Interview: Feb 15th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - GardenGnome (Paraphrased)GardenGnome
(Concerning the crystals collapsing into the hill after the battle) Have you heard of a myth about Merlin in a crystal cave and the Holy Grail? We all know what its other name is.
Brandon Sanderson
Yes but there are many layers there. The sa'angreal was shaped like a cup (-which I did notice earlier-). And Bao the Wyld, think about the name, it sounds like Beowulf (-looks like I should read that for more theorizing-).
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Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - Terez (Verbatim)Terez
You said that the balescreams in Knife of Dreams were because Demandred was balefiring whole cities...
Brandon Sanderson
I did not say that.
Terez
You did not say that.
Brandon Sanderson
No!
Terez
That was reported! (on a private Facebook group)
Brandon Sanderson
That was reported; that's not what I said.
Terez
What did you say then?
Brandon Sanderson
I told them...they said, "What caused these?" And I said, "Ah, that's very interesting. By the way, Demandred was balefiring whole cities.
Terez
But you didn't say that's what caused them. Okay.
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Terez
Good answer, because that gets rid of my next question. Okay.
Brandon Sanderson
Mmhmm. They asked about balefire and things like that, and it was...
Terez
...and they connected it...
Brandon Sanderson
...and I thought they might, but I specifically said, "BY THE WAY..." This is not....
Terez
(laughs) ...Well, we're recording now.
Brandon Sanderson
So there you go.
Terez
Okay, good.
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Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - Terez (Verbatim)Terez
Now, are Graendal's actions in Shara mentioned at all in "River of Souls"?
Brandon Sanderson
I don't think we talk about them.
Terez
I was just curious as to how that interacted... (crosstalk)
Brandon Sanderson
I mean, I considered...Yeah, it certainly helped with what he was doing.
Terez
Right, right.
Brandon Sanderson
But I mean...yeah. It's...
Terez
Because she totally didn't know he was there, so....
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah. It certainly helped, and if I had been able to go back, and do—which I wouldn't have done—but if, you can imagine, there's a very cool interaction there, where he's there, and she's doing stuff, and he's taking advantage of it, but she's not seeing him and things like that. Like, the whole Demandred In Shara thing is awesome, because there's like twelve books worth of coolness of him being the hero...
Terez
Because all this stuff is in the notes, right?
Brandon Sanderson
What's that? Oh, some of it is, not all of it.
Terez
Oh, well yeah, because I know you said you had to kind of....you know, extrapolate a little bit...
Brandon Sanderson
I had to extrapolate a lot of the Sharan culture and things, which is where "River of Souls" came from. At the end of the day, because I was extrapolating these things, that's what made them distracting from the main plotline, if that makes sense.
Terez
Mmm, yeah.
Brandon Sanderson
And so, a lot of what I was doing was like, it you know...all of Demandred's flunkies. Jim didn't name those; they're not in the notes...but I put them in because, you know, we have to evoke this entire two years of awesomeness....
Terez
Yeah, it can't just come out of nowhere, and be nothing.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, so there's that. But yeah, it was too much me, also.
Terez
Yeah...gotcha.
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Interview: Feb 20th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - JaimieKrycho (Paraphrased)Question
When Gawyn and Galad were defeated so handily by Demandred, I was thinking it was a throwaway of two characters. Then Lan rolls in and it put everything in perspective to show how good he was. Was that the purpose?
Brandon Sanderson
That was part of the purpose. It was a war, and someone needed to take out Demandred. Gawyn's arc is tragic, and the end of the arc is what we all know he shouldn't do, by going out by himself.
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72
Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - J. Dauro (Verbatim)Question
Demandred, when he does the coming out scene with the big reveal. Was that you or Robert Jordan?
Brandon Sanderson
That was me.
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73
Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - J. Dauro (Verbatim)Question
Sam Mickel seems to think that Demandred becomes so obsessed with Rand during the book, and that this appears to have increased from previous books. Would you say that, and if so, why?
Brandon Sanderson
I would say no, though the immediacy of what is happening makes it manifest, makes it look that way. He has always been ... I mean, the single defining attribute of Demandred is his obsession with Rand, and it is his tragic flaw also.
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Interview: Apr 15th, 2013
Reddit AMA 2013 (Verbatim)stagfury ()
I'm also wondering about the several duel with Demandred. Isn't Gawyn a bit too weak in this book? From the previous books, Gawyn was said to be able to easily take down other Warders and even win in a practice against two Warders together. Then with a single Bloodknife ring, the wearer is supposed to have superhuman strength/speed that can't really be matched, and he was using not one but three rings. While Galad has been established throughout the series to be better than Gawyn, I find it strange that Galad was able to hurt Demandred with nothing but a imperfect foxhead medallion copy, while Gawyn with three Bloodknives rings and Warder bond didn't remotely stand a chance against Demandred?Brandon Sanderson
Gawyn is good, but not really, really good. In addition, he has an inflated sense of HOW good he is. He doesn't have the inner control and understanding to be a fully capable swordsman. Beyond that, he mistakes power for ability, and lets himself grow too reckless. Finally, having enhanced abilities, such as the rings grant him, doesn't immediately give you the skill to make full use of those abilities. Gawyn tried, and deserves credit for that, but in the end he had not spent years preparing himself properly to win that particular contest.Tags
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Interview: Apr, 2013
Waygate Foundation Q&A (Verbatim)Question
In Lord of Chaos, ch 21, "To Shadar Logoth", Lews Therin whispers to Rand: "There is darkness here. Blackness blacker than black. If the Dark One chose to live among men, he would choose here" and then "I must kill Demandred" to which Rand responds "Does Demandred have some connection to Shadar Logoth?" And Lews Therin says nothing. So...does he? Or is it alluding to the possibility that Barid Bel went seeking a way to defeat the Shadow which ended up in corrupting him in the same way Mordeth was corrupted?Maria Simons
I can find nothing relating Demandred to Shadar Logoth; note that after the Demandred bit, Lews Therin starts talking about Ishamael and Lanfear, and doesn't appear to be answering Rand's questions at all. I think that it's safe to assume that Lews Therin is just rambling insanely.Tags
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Interview: Apr 20th, 2013
JordanCon 2013 - Q&A with Maria (Verbatim)Terez
Why was Demandred's face familiar to Gawyn?Maria Simons
It seems like there was a reason, but I can't remember.Tags
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Interview: Apr 20th, 2013
JordanCon 2013 - Q&A with Maria (Verbatim)Terez
In Winter's Heart, Aran'gar says that Demandred was meant to be watching Rand, along with Aginor/Osan'gar, and how was he doing this if he was in Shara? I figured he was just doing the normal spying thing, but it seems like it was supposed to be a clue about where he was, which is why we always focused on it, but it wasn't.Maria Simons
Yeah, he was using other people.Tags
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Interview: Apr 20th, 2013
JordanCon 2013 - Q&A with Maria (Verbatim)Terez
I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this one, but in the Age of Legends, was the middle or the third name the honorific? Like, Lews Therin was his first and last name, and Telamon is the third name that he got when...Maria Simons
Yeah. Like Berid Bel, and then Medar.Tags
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Interview: Jun 25th, 2013
Brandon Sanderson's Blog: UNFETTERED (with A MEMORY OF LIGHT deleted sequence) now out + Updates (Verbatim)Brandon Sanderson
If you haven't heard about Unfettered before, here's a bit of an introduction. When I was on tour probably for The Alloy of Law, Shawn Speakman (webmaster for Terry Brooks and Naomi Novik, and who also runs the booksigning service The Signed Page), approached me about an anthology he was putting together (at the suggestion of Terry Brooks) to help defray Shawn's medical bills stemming from his 2011 diagnosis with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Shawn has been a friend and supporter to the careers of a lot of writers, so I was interested in helping out. The question was what to contribute to the anthology. The title Shawn gave it was Unfettered, because he didn't want to put any restrictions on whatever the authors wanted to contribute.
When I was writing A Memory of Light, there was a sequence of viewpoints I was working on that were somewhat more daring than some other viewpoints I had done. The character I'm talking about is known as Bao in the book, and if you've read it you'll know who that is. I wanted to try to give some deeper backstory to Bao, but after I showed the scenes to Harriet, though we all liked them, we decided they they didn't fit in the book. Harriet felt that these scenes were distracting and derailing the narrative too close to what was to be the climax of the entire series, because of the new elements I was adding and fleshing out. So after some discussion, we decided that they should be cut.
Though I saw the need for this, the fact that this was necessary left me feeling kind of sad. I felt the scenes were strong and added a lot to the character, giving a lot of extra motivation and poignancy to some of the things going on in A Memory of Light. So when the opportunity for Shawn's anthology came along, I began to think this would be the place for them. I approached Harriet, and she said that was a good idea.
The result is "River of Souls", labeled as a Wheel of Time tale by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. Since it's actually a sequence of deleted scenes, it's meant to be read as a companion to your read of A Memory of Light. It's not going to make a whole lot of sense if you haven't read at least the rest of the Wheel of Time, but it's a complete arc and I find it very exciting. I think you'll really like it, and I think this anthology is a good place for these scenes because they won't be distracting from the rest of the story.
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Interview: 2013
poesian (March 2013)
I'll bite:
We had some discussion about whether or not the scene in AMOL in which Rand thinks Roedran is Demandred was intended as a bit of a dig at all the fan theories assuming that to be true. Or was Rand really just supposed to be convinced of that same theory? (And how did Shara never occur to anyone in the books?)
Balefire question: If balefire isn't tearing someone's soul out of the pattern, why is it so destructive? Why, in AMOL is it literally tearing the world apart when Darkfriends are using it?
Thanks! I will try and remember to ask more questions on 15 April!
Brandon Sanderson
1. The item you discuss was not intended as a dig against fans. You could read it, potentially, as an acknowledgement of fans—though really, all it comes from is the fact that you have a fan writing these books. I'm aware of many of the theories, and even spent years thinking about them and talking of them. In constructing this scene, it was my impression that if we'd spent all of this time working on these theories, how much more effort would those in world have expended?
And so, my impression was that this would be genuinely what the character thought. I thought it would be very strange if he HADN'T considered it. Therefore, I put a note of it in the text—to indicate that the characters had been working through these same issues, and come to some of the same conclusions. It wasn't meant to break the fourth wall, though I can see how it stands out to some readers.
2. I was under the impression that to be killed by balefire meant dying forever. However, Maria and the notes showed me I was wrong about this fact. Balefire does weaken the Pattern, but it can't destroy souls, which are (you might say) the substance of the Pattern. Just like you can take a hammer to a cup and shatter it, but the pieces of glass will still be there. The Pattern can (theoretically) be unraveled, the world end, but the souls still exist.
It should be note that Moridin believed strongly that the soul CAN be ended by other means, and the implication of wolves (at least) being killed with no rebirth means it can happen.
So, in final answer to your question, it is so destructive because it leaves the Pattern in a mess, strained, and more easily subjected to the Dark One's will. His goal is to shatter the cup, so to speak, and then rebuilt it into a cup more to his liking.
poesian
Oh man, I am so happy (a) that you answered my questions and (b) that you answered them well. Thank you for all you've done with the series, Brandon!
(I pointed out the Demandred scene because it is fun on all of those levels. I've thought about the "fourth wall" comment and it doesn't make sense; there's no moment where Rand looks at us. Just at Roedran, in a way that actually is entirely sensical.)
TheBB
And so, my impression was that this would be genuinely what the character thought.
This was a bit jarring for me, because most of the reasons for the Demandred=Roedran theory came from hints given by Robert Jordan, that Rand wouldn't have access to.
Brandon Sanderson
Ah, but Rand would have a whole LOT of information in-world that we don't have. Spy reports, rumors, his knowledge of how the Forsaken like to work. If you remove the places where one of the Forsaken had already set up shop, remove the monarchs that Rand has already met and interacted with, and look for a place that has been suspiciously quiet, you end up with very few options.
poesian
One of which just happens to be as we now know Shara.
NruJaC
It's funny, it was an RJ quote that pushed people away from that particular theory. It turned out to be an extremely Aes Sedai answer.
poesian
I would love to read that quote.
And of course RJ would give Aes Sedai answers. That makes a lot of sense.
NruJaC
I'll try to find it, but he basically said that we'd never see Shara "on-screen".
poesian
Oh right! Yeah. That's a very Aes Sedai answer. Heh. 'You'll never see their country, but they'll see ours!'
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Interview: Sep 4th, 2014
Salt Lake City Comic-Con 2014 (Verbatim)Question
I do have one question, A Memory of Light couldn't be better, except for the Padan Fain thing.Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, the Padan Fain thing is that I have a little bit of regret on that one. That's the one thing-- You see he didn't leave anything about Fain at all. Just completely blank. That was worrisome to me. The only thing he said was "Padan Fain cannot be Gollum" actually, he wrote that in the notes. So I was left with trying to figure out what to do and in the end I feel it just ended up feeling tacked on because there were so many other things I was interested in doing and Padan Fain I had never really enjoyed as a character that much. You are seeing my biases come through on that. Looking back at it I'm like "I really should have done something more with him". That's the big one that I feel I would change, if I could change something.
Question
Cause it's kind of a threat that goes away...
Brandon Sanderson
The other one is I would've liked for the viewpoint chapters from Demandred to be in the book instead of separated out and put in that charity anthology, but I didn't have any say in that one.
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