at will free Faile
by Murrin: 2003-10-30 | Not yet rated
This idea suddenly occurred to me just now, and although it doesn't seem likely, I think it's possible.
First of all, most of us are pretty sure Mat and Perrins storylines will meet in the next book, but we're not all sure how this will work out. The evidence for this is simple:
1 - Perrin is currently camped somewhere in the middle of Altara, between the Eldar and the Lugard Road. Mat is travelling up the Lugard Road near to where Perrin is, so it seems likely they will meet.
2 - There are various small things linking the two situations - Mat hasn't collected his wager from Basel Gill (tDR), Perrin says 'maybe some fool gleeman will find it' concerning his axe (CoT), the Whitecloaks are close to Perrin and Mat has fought Galad before, and of course it seems likely that there will be a large battle, and Mat is a brilliant general.
Now, I not only believe that the two storylines will meet, I think it will be Mat who frees Faile, *before* he meets Perrin.
In an earlier book (probably tSR) a dream (probably Egwene's) shows Mat naked, bound with his ashanderei behind his elbows, and snarling. This seems remarkably similar to how the Shaido bound Faile and the others when they were taken as Gai'shain - so what if this dream is an image of Mat after being captured by the Shaido (who are probably closer to the Lugard Road than Perrin is).
If this happens, Mat will end up in the Shaido camp. Now we know that Mat has briefly met Faile in the Stone, and he met Morgase once and will recognise her immediately - which has to happen sooner or later. After realising they are there and revealing who 'Maighdin' really is to Faile and Alliandre, he'd obviously include them in his escape plans - and we know he is an excellent planner when it comes to things like this, and he brings luck, which they'll need for the plan to work.
The way I see it, Mat has an escape planned with Faile's group (and whoever got caught with Mat - i'll come to that later), when Perrin attacks the Shaido with his 15000 Seanchan. In the confusion of the battle, Mat will have the perfect opportunity to get the others out, and once he reaches Perrin he can help win the battle.
Okay, one problem with this idea is Mat's travelling companions. I cannot see Tuon being made Gai'shain, nor Selucia or Setalle Anan. For some reason I don't think Thom or Noal will be either. However, I can easily imagine Juilin and Thera being taken.
The only way I can think of this working out is if Furyk Karede and his men catch up to Mat beforehand. They manage to take Tuon away - with Selucia and Setalle Anan going with them, and possibly the Aes Sedai and Sul'dam. Thom, Noal, Mat, Juilin, Thera, Olver, and the remaining Redarms get away, but are attacked by the Shaido later, after they have left the Lugard Road to head further into the countryside. Thom escapes, and takes Olver with him (Olver cannot be made gai'shain, and he hates Aiel esp. Shaido so that'll be a good bit when Olver wants to go after them and kill the nasty Aiel), and they somehow find Perrin and tell him. Perrin organises the people he's gathered and they attack.
Afterwards, Tuon surprises everyone by catching up to them later with Karede and all the rest - she insisted on going after him, and by the time they reach him he's escaped. People want to know why she was so insistant on going after him - "He is my husband..."
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1
Tamyrlin: 2003-11-04
Well done. But I disagree with your section on Tuon. In my opinion, it would be a master stroke of genius by Jordan to have Mat and company taken by the Shaido. They will learn who Tuon is and try to use her to bargain their way out of trouble. In the meanwhile, she will want Mat brought to her and put under her watch. Mat will use that momentary freedom, after he sees Faile and Morgase, to create a plan, as you suggest, to free them all; he has to keep his promises to Tuon. The question remains, how does Perrin fit into everything that will happen? Will he attack, will he know that Mat has been captured? Will Thom escape and find Perrin, or Perrin finds him? Okay, so none of this has happened, but it would be a nice twist, since Perrin has been so slow in deciding on a course of action...
2
Aragorn: 2003-11-04
I like it, I really like it. Maybe somehow Mat, Tuon and maybe a couple more from thier party get separted and get take by the Shaido. Someone else from their party who knows Perrin, maybe Thom join up with Perrin, who is currently in talks with Seachan. Maybe these Senchan include Karede and when he hears Tuon is being held, joins Perrin in destroying the Shaido. With the Brotherless joining them. Nice Theory
3
Rhodric: 2003-11-04
yeah i like this a lot, it fits in my head... maybe all in Mat's band who aren't taken gai'shain will be protected by Tuon's warrant and hence will be taken by the DW gards along with Tuon. but it's good. i especially like the foreshadowing of Perrin's axe - gleeman - Thom... nice.
4
WinespringBrother: 2003-11-04
Very interesting. Especially with Mat's previous encounters with most of the major characters involved (except for Alliendre). Morgase probably won't remember him either, since she was under Rahvin's spell at the time. Sevanna will definitely remember him though, and will likely make his life miserable if she captures him.
5
Deadsy: 2003-11-04
Cool idea. I agree that they'll be together soon. The characters NEED to get together so RJ can pack more stuff into each book and not have to do so many POVs of the separate plots. I just hope Mat is the first person to see and recognize Morgase. It will be fun to read about her surprise that Perrin doesn't kill her when he finds out.
6
Zaela Sedai: 2003-11-15
I think this is a definate possibility, I can't find anything that could dispute it. Anyone have any ideas as to why this wouldn't/couldn't happen?
7
Anaiyella: 2003-11-20
I'm all for the thought that Mat will rescue Faile, mainly because I've started re-reading the series again, and in EOTW Min tells Rand that she see's a red eagle around Mat. I was confused about this because we know now that Perrin becomes the leader of the newly raised Mantheran(sp), and that Mat is or at least was the leader of the Band of the Red Hand. So why would Min see a red eagle around Mat? I think that Mat will save Faile (Faile will most likely give him little credit and say that she was just about to get free with out him, and he could have messed the whole thing up.), meet up with Perrin, and become the new general for the army of Manteran, or at least help out a lot.
8
Stanzi: 2003-11-20
Oh! I like the thought of Tuon saying the husband thing mirroring Mat's claims of her being his wife. That's lovely. And I think Tuon will end up doing something selfless and daring like that for Mat...she HAS to prove it to him, so he'll stop griping about having to deal with her for the rest of his life.
9
Illuminati: 2004-02-10
A good one. This will also bring Mat and Perrin into contact (or atleast Thom and Perrin) så Thom can figure out the Moiraine puzzle and they can go save her afterwards. :)
10
Ashaman Thunder Leader: 2004-07-16
I've also been thinking that Mat will meet Perrin and that Mat would be important in resuing the women,but I thought he would plan a battle not get captured. However your theory makes just as much senseif not more. By the way, I think that Mat will be caught with Tuon, Selucia, and Setalle Anan. Mat and Tuon take alot of walks at night and Selucia and Setalle usually follow them. If they got caught by the Shaido I think it would be more likely for Mat to be snarling because they have Tuon then because they have him. He strikes me as a guy who would take it like Faile did, calmly and planning the whole time.
11
damane: 2004-12-31
I don't know.
The problem with this theory, is it does nothing to further along anything, except bring Faile back to Perrin and recognize Morgase, which is nothing compared to what should happen.
My theory is that Mat and Tuon are both going to reveal the sul'dam secret, and there is going to be a revolution who want to see Tuon overthrown. Mat is going to escape, gather his Band, while Tuon stays behind. (I also think that he'll arrive to help Tuon after three weeks, because Aemon (who was said to be the general of the Band of the Red Hand) was betrayed after three weeks, so I think this is like a redemption-type thing. But that's not relevant...)
Anyway. The thing is, if this happens, Mat's just going to be helping other people again (like Jordan always makes him do inevitably). This plot won't help him in the slightest, but if Perrin made a bargain with the Shaido (which I believe he will) then that WILL make a major advancement in the story, something is accomplished, Perrin's done something huge... If Mat arrives, and Perrin gets the help of the Seanchan, there will BE no need for a bargain. And Mat just has too much to do (inventing cannons is the least of it) to go haring off and save a stuck-up woman (again) who will in turn give him a backhanded thanks (again).
For that matter, I don't think Rand, Mat, and Perrin are going to meet up until they each have ALOT accomplished. What has Mat accomplished since Perrin last saw him? Nothing, because Perrin knows he's the general of the Band. Everything else hasn't been done yet, and he's only HALF-married to the Empress.
I also think that Mat is deliberately being pushed away from Randland. Think about it. None of the people he's travelling with are heavy-duty Dragonsworn. Nobody knows where he is or what he's up to. Mat's never felt much loyalty towards Rand and Perrin. He's going to marry the Empress. He now knows much of Seanchan customs.
The only way I see this working is if Mat & Thom take a trip to free Moiraine, and Thom flees with Moiraine while Mat stays behind for his long-awaited revenge (therefor Thom is able to recognize Morgase, and they work things out (but remain friends, of course.)) So if anything, I think it's more likely that THOM will be the one to return, while Mat goes his own way to free Tuon. Not only that, but Thom can be the one to tell everybody that Mat's alive and well.
All that will probably, in itself, take up the whole book (we still have Rand, Egwene, and Elayne to finish off.) And what's been done? Faile's returned. Yaaaaay. Perrin can die alongside her in Tarmon Gai'don.
