The forsaken M'hael

[Demandred the Drealord]

hey guys, i was just thinking that Taim really had no choice because of the way Rand used to treat the guy. it was hate at first sight and Rand never had a good word for Taim. even after winning Tarmon Gaidon, i dont think Rand would have rewarded him. he just had no choice!

 

[Murun]

It seems likely that Taim made his choice for the Dark side quite early, long before he met or even knew about Rand. Hate at first sight? If I remember correctly, it was primarily Lews Therin's voice that reacted so strongly to Taim from the first, whereas Rand's behavior was more or less sober and businesslike. After Dumais Wells, he congratulated Taim (although being shocked by what the Ashaman did). And if you follow Taim's career, even in the early days he had a rather unpleasant attitude - quite different from Logain - which would attract and select just the kind of men he finally ended up with.

 

[Megana Vallentin]

Moving to the Book 14 forum...

 

[Toral Delvar]

Demandred says he recruited Taim, but that could still be after he starting teaching the Asha'man

 

[Gedhan Audax]

Even so Toral, I don't recall anything about Taim being all sweetness and light. I'd got him pegged for the dark one's forces if he managed to survive long enough for the last battle. To be honest up until the event, I'd thought that Logain would cleanse the Black Tower and kill him and then take the united black Tower to fight alongside the White Tower over Taim's well blasted corpse.

 

[Toral Delvar]

It seemed he was being set up as Rand' equivalent of Demandred - given a position of power and influence, but still resentful but it is not clear when he turned. He seems to have at least started his False Dragon career as not a Darkfriend

 

[Almira ni'Caldazare]

Logain tried to warn Rand that Taim was up to some serious trouble way back in book 11 but Rand shook it off and decided that there were more important things to worry about.

 

[Gedhan Audax]

Yes Almira, I don't understand why Rand didn't take on Logain's warnings even as late as that, madness perhaps. I thought the events around the blasting of the sun Palace and the posting of deserters was clear enough. Granted what Toral is saying though, I don't think that Taim began as a Darkfriend, far too close to the shadow maybe, but not under it.