Theoryland of the Wheel of Time

WinespringBrother · #1 05-03-2012, 09:27 AM

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/05/mic...light-revealed

It really is the beginning of the end!

Crispin's Crispian · #2 05-03-2012, 09:29 AM

Looks like an eclipse after all?

And...are they in the Waste?

Anyway, I like it.

WinespringBrother · #3 05-03-2012, 09:32 AM

I'm gonna assume that is Moiraine and Nynaeve, so someone did well with their choice of faction!

NaeffOfDreams · #4 05-03-2012, 09:34 AM

Moiraine and Nynaeve? It looks like the woman in the yellow has shorter hair, but she is wearing yellow for her Ajah.

Quote:

Two Aes Sedai follow the Dragon Reborn into the mouth of darkness, two women who have been with Rand since the very beginning.

EDIT: Looks like someone beat me to it while I was pulling the quote.

Aulis Vaara · #5 05-03-2012, 09:48 AM

I'm going to cry, or at least choke up, in every chapter when reading this book.

I totally thought Alivia was going to be there, but apparently not. Holy spoiler!

Has someone made a countdown timer for the release yet?

Tomp · #6 05-03-2012, 09:49 AM

The left arm is behind the rest of his body, just to tease with us, I think.

DahLliA · #7 05-03-2012, 09:52 AM

never figured that Moiraine would actually be one of the ones using Callandor.

guess the difference in OP-strength isn't that important when using it?

EDIT: oh, and yeah. loved the cover.

probably just because I'm looking so much forward to the book

Tomp · #8 05-03-2012, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DahLliA

never figured that Moiraine would actually be one of the ones using Callandor.

guess the difference in OP-strength isn't that important when using it?

EDIT: oh, and yeah. loved the cover.

probably just because I'm looking so much forward to the book

Unless Nynaeve does a miracle healing and restores Moiraine's full power

GonzoTheGreat · #9 05-03-2012, 10:01 AM

Note to Rand: if you hold up your sword in a guard position, hold it in such a way that it actually protects you. The way you're holding it now an attacker could take a sizeable chunk out of your arm without even touching your blade.

Question for Rand: if you only have one hand, what do you need three* swords for?

* Or two swords and a knife. I'm not entirely sure whether the third is a shortsword.

padfoot89 · #10 05-03-2012, 10:14 AM

Awesome cover. It looks like Rand is marching off to the Pit of Doom while Moraine and Nynaeve are chasing ?

Matoyak · #11 05-13-2012, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GonzoTheGreat

Note to Rand: if you hold up your sword in a guard position, hold it in such a way that it actually protects you. The way you're holding it now an attacker could take a sizeable chunk out of your arm without even touching your blade.

It's very likely someone already said this (or that I'm flat-out wrong), but I suspect one wouldn't be actually defending oneself with a pure crystal sword, one would probably use one's power-wrought normal steel sword. Or you'd just use the OP. Y'know, sa'angreal and all.

Also, an actually really good looking WoT cover? I'll be damned. Been a long while since one of those existed.

Sorry is this has already been laid to rest, but...people were debating whether that was Nynaeve earlier in the thread? She's got a [red, no less] Ki'Sain on her forehead clear as day...is there anyone it could be aside from Nyn?

EDIT: and the debate about whether it's Moiraine...isn't that blue stone kinda important to her character? The one she has on in the cover? True, it's been a good long while since I did a re-read, and I've been out of things for a good while now, but that stone and the other woman's Ki'Sain are kinda telling to me as to who they are...am I wrong on this? Again, apologies for not reading the whole thread, but it's 7 pages long at this point.

jana · #12 05-13-2012, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matoyak

Sorry is this has already been laid to rest, but...people were debating whether that was Nynaeve earlier in the thread? She's got a [red, no less] Ki'Sain on her forehead clear as day...is there anyone it could be aside from Nyn?

EDIT: and the debate about whether it's Moiraine...isn't that blue stone kinda important to her character? The one she has on in the cover?

Apology accepted, because you're looking at a wallpaper version of the cover. When this thread was started and for the next few days, we only had a very small version of the cover to look at. It was hard to see the dot or the kesiera.

Matoyak · #13 05-13-2012, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jana

Apology accepted, because you're looking at a wallpaper version of the cover. When this thread was started and for the next few days, we only had a very small version of the cover to look at. It was hard to see the dot or the kesiera.

Ah, well that explains that then.

maleshub · #14 05-14-2012, 12:37 AM

On the ground a bit under Moiraine's feet there is a circular impression or object on the rocks. Is that a signature? Or is it part of the drawing?

I also noticed that Moiraine's right hand and arm are hidden. But could it be that it is missing? Looking at her other hand, the cloak and dress are tied at the wrist. The cloth cannot cover the hand; unless the angle allows the hand not to show.

jana · #15 05-14-2012, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maleshub

On the ground a bit under Moiraine's feet there is a circular impression or object on the rocks. Is that a signature? Or is it part of the drawing?

I also noticed that Moiraine's right hand and arm are hidden. But could it be that it is missing? Looking at her other hand, the cloak and dress are tied at the wrist. The cloth cannot cover the hand; unless the angle allows the hand not to show.

It's a signature.

Her right hand is showing in a couple of the sketches so I think it's just supposed to be the angle.

GonzoTheGreat · #16 05-14-2012, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matoyak

It's very likely someone already said this (or that I'm flat-out wrong), but I suspect one wouldn't be actually defending oneself with a pure crystal sword, one would probably use one's power-wrought normal steel sword. Or you'd just use the OP. Y'know, sa'angreal and all.

It could be that there's an invisible edge of Air sticking out of Callandor for a couple of inches. That would make the sword able to do damage earlier than an opponent expects, which would be really sneaky.
I'm not sure it would be effective against the DO, but what are the odds on encountering someone like that, really?

Tomp · #17 05-14-2012, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matoyak

It's very likely someone already said this (or that I'm flat-out wrong), but I suspect one wouldn't be actually defending oneself with a pure crystal sword, one would probably use one's power-wrought normal steel sword. Or you'd just use the OP. Y'know, sa'angreal and all.

I think it said the following in the interview (in the article on TOR).
Callandor acts in this scene as a source of light.
He's shielding his eyes with his arm to not get blinded by the glow.

I may have some of the words wrong but I think the pose is explained by this comment from the artist (or his assistant).

codetoast · #18 05-14-2012, 02:49 PM

I think the woman on the left is Bela, shapeshifted into a human.

On a serious note, I think Rand would instinctually use callendor as a sword. He tends to like chopping things like the trollocs in shadar logoth during CoS. Or the way he fights ishameal in Dragon Reborn with Callendor. I think in using the power Rand has used it to summon a sword more than any other use in the books (exagerration). I never understood why?

If you can shoot bullets out of your finger tips with magic. Why would you want to summon a gun?

Zombie Sammael · #19 05-14-2012, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codetoast

I think the woman on the left is Bela, shapeshifted into a human.

On a serious note, I think Rand would instinctually use callendor as a sword. He tends to like chopping things like the trollocs in shadar logoth during CoS. Or the way he fights ishameal in Dragon Reborn with Callendor. I think in using the power Rand has used it to summon a sword more than any other use in the books (exagerration). I never understood why?

If you can shoot bullets out of your finger tips with magic. Why would you want to summon a gun?

Because it's what he's used to. For Rand, the sword is the image and form of a weapon, and summoning it - when intending practically any offensive weave - is natural. If he'd been raised an Aiel, it would be a spear; if he'd been raised by Abel Cauthon or Birgitte, it might be a quarterstaff or a bow. You're also right in saying that with that in mind, it would be natural for him to handle the Sword That Is Not A Sword as if it were a sword, even when using it as a sa'angreal.

Matoyak · #20 05-14-2012, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomp

I think it said the following in the interview (in the article on TOR).
Callandor acts in this scene as a source of light.
He's shielding his eyes with his arm to not get blinded by the glow.

Yeah, I'm aware. I was just responding to Gonzo's snark.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zombie Sammael

Because it's what he's used to. For Rand, the sword is the image and form of a weapon, and summoning it - when intending practically any offensive weave - is natural. If he'd been raised an Aiel, it would be a spear; if he'd been raised by Abel Cauthon or Birgitte, it might be a quarterstaff or a bow. You're also right in saying that with that in mind, it would be natural for him to handle the Sword That Is Not A Sword as if it were a sword, even when using it as a sa'angreal.

You are (as is codetoast), of course, correct about Rand instinctively using it as a sword if need be. I was just saying that if he had the ability to choose, I suspect he wouldn't choose to defend himself with Callandor from another sword, he'd probably use his actual sword.