Jeffan Caliarthan
Aes Sedai
So, some interesting things are coming out of the official Tor Chat with Brandon. Here's most of what was prevalent to aMoL (paraphrased):
- The Aes Sedai continue to use the Oath Rod in the Fourth Age for the same purpose that they did in the Third Age.
- Egwene's death was the hardest for him to write, and after that, Bela's.
- RJ specified that the Tinkers have not found their song by the end of aMoL.
- When Rand was talking to Ishamael, he didn't use his third name because Rand didn't think he deserved one. Also, simply calling him Elan was an intentional insult.
- Hours passed for Rand in the Bore, and weeks to months for the groups outside.
- Some deaths in aMoL were quick simply because that's how things go in war.
- Sanderson does wish that there had been a bit more of a scene with Fain.
- Regarding the woman at the mouth of Shayol Ghul that comforts Rand, he was advised to say RAFO, which he says translates to "This is supposed to be ambiguous." Furthermore, he says that some things are supposed to be ambiguous, as RJ intended. It's also supposed to be ambiguous whether or not this was Nakomi.
- If Rand tries to teach the Tuatha'an the song he found in Rhuidean, they would not accept it as The Song. "The Song" will never be found, because it has been made into an unattainable philosophical concept by the Tuatha'an.
- Sanderson says that he likes the theory about Rand being able to manipulate The Pattern a little bit because of his time manipulating it with TDO.
- If Birgitte had died (because Elayne didn't bond her), Sanderson believes that she would still have been a Hero of the Horn and called by it when it was sounded.
- Robert Jordan didn't write the entire epilogue. Sanderson wrote the part about Perrin, and some in-between bits with Loial, as well as the scene of Rand exiting the mountain.
- Sanderson believes that the body switch is real, and Rand is existing in the real world as opposed to it all being an illusion.
- Sanderson intended to write Dobraine into aMoL, but never got around to it.
- Sanderson wrote the outline of aMoL on butcher paper.
- The Encyclopedia will have a lot of information that wasn't mentioned in aMoL or the series as a whole.
- The Asha'man do not start using the Oath Rod, and they are not male Aes Sedai, but something different, according to RJ's notes.
- Nynaeve and Moiraine only knew some parts of Rand's plan when they entered Shayol Ghul.
- RJ planned almost all of the character deaths in aMoL, but some were left to Sanderson and Harriet.
- Rand's soul is in Moridin's body.
- "The Broken Wolf" was Perrin's spirit guide.
- Sanderson doesn't know how or why the Bond between Rand and his ladies stayed through the body swap.
- Rand's third question to the Aelfinn was whether or not/how The Dark One could be killed. Also, all three of his questions are going to be in the Encyclopedia.
- Moiraine's purpose in aMoL was to make sure that Rand and Egwene went to The Last Battle together.
- Perrin was the easiest character for Sanderson to write. Mat was the most difficult, followed by Aviendha and Tuon.
- Robert Jordan was unclear as to whether or not he wanted Elayne to have control of Cairhein by the meeting at Merrilor. Sanderson, Harriet, and Team Jordan made the decision.
- RJ made clear in the notes that not everything Min saw was of significance to the series.
- Cadsuane does become the next Amyrlin. Sanderson says that after Cadsuane dies, the Reds are positioned well to have one of their own succeeding her.
- Whether or not Mat and Perrin are still ta'veren after The Last battle is a RAFO/supposed to be ambiguous.
- The prophecy regarding the sun dawning twice in one day was fulfilled by the eclipse.
- When reading RJ's notes, the most shocking thing for Sanderson to read was in regards to Verin's role in The Black Ajah.
- In regards to the "remnant of a remnant" line regarding the Aiel, it has both a literal and philosophical meaning.
- On Sanderson imagining Rand in five years: "I see him happy."
- Faile becomes the Queen of Saldaea.
- Sanderson wanted to keep Bela alive, but Harriet believed that she had been put in too dire of a situation to survive.
- Sanderson says that the conversation between Hawkwing and Tuon did occur, and that it was "interesting", and Tuon reacted "with great consternation" when talking with Hawkwing.
- The scene with Rand and Mat trying to one-up each other was one of Sanderson's favorites to write.
- The backstory that is going to appear in the Unfettered anthology is that of Bao the Wyld.
- The Shadow prophecy was completely fulfilled, but not as many have interpreted it.
- Everything in Randland repeats, but it's not always exactly the same.
- Demandred took over multiple Sharan factions, but not all of them by a long shot.
- Notes about how Callandor was created may make it into the Encyclopedia.
- As to whether or not Nakomi is one of the Jenn Aiel, Sanderson won't say.
- Sanderson's favorite scene to write in the series was the forging of Perrin's hammer, and in A Memory of Light specifically, it was Lan's battle with Demandred.
- Sanderson's biggest challenge when writing A Memory of Light was making sure that all of the characters got in there and had something relevant to do.
- Rand's body was burned in the pyre.
- Sataelle makes it through the chaos of Faile/Olver/Trollocpalooza.
- Taim was recruited after the Forsaken were loose upon the world.
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I want to know more about Tuon + Hawkwing!
