Why did they trust Liandrin?????? (book 2 spoilers)

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So I'm a good ways into book 2. If you read the title, you probably know where I am.

This is the only time in the series so far where I felt like the characters have done something truly stupid. Why would they blindly trust Liandrin, a red ajah, without consulting ANYONE else in the tower. They had no reason to trust her, or her claims of the black ajah running amok in the tower. Nynaeve should have easily picked up on the fact that Liandrin is the unscrupulous sort.

Blah, rant over. Poor Egwene. :(
 

Sabriane Diamodred

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My guess is because at that point they don't know that Aes Sedai (Black Ajah) can lie - they'd assume the 3 oaths held, so they'd assume, if she said something outright that it must be the truth

Plus they don't know she's black or that the black ajah even definitely exist.

As to her being red, most of the (book) tower is red so that alone wouldn't necessarily be a factor.
 

Megana Vallentin

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Wow I had no idea the Red Ajah was the largest! I had to google it.

While neither the White Tower nor any Ajah has ever made their numbers known, rough approximations of size are possible with respect to the Ajahs. With a membership encompassing nearly one in five Aes Sedai at the time of writing (an indication of the perceived, importance of their avowed primary task), the Red Ajah is certainly the largest. Close behind comes the Green, followed in order by the Gray, the Brown, the Yellow, the Blue and finally, the White Ajah.

But I don't think any of the girls would have known that at the time.

And really, they're new enough to the Tower at this point and just getting used to being bossed around and how they're not supposed to question Aes Sedai, that at least a LITTLE of their naivete can be excused. A little. :look:
 

Sailea Nerid

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Actually it was said directly the red Ajah was the largest somewhere in the late books. I remember because I was surprised when I read it :laugh:

On the topic I agree with both Megana Sedai and Sabriane Sedai and I just want to add that even they decided to tell someone that would have been the MoN and I don't think the results would have been any different :laugh:
 
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Toral Delvar

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Liandrin was Aes Sedai. They'd had obedience to Aes Sedai drummed into their heads
My guess is because at that point they don't know that Aes Sedai (Black Ajah) can lie - they'd assume the 3 oaths held, so they'd assume, if she said something outright that it must be the truth
Did she lie? I think she seemed to try hard to actually be truthful

Edit - sorry Toral, accidentally 'edited' instead of replied - darned moderatorness!
 
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Dnae Ila

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Sailea,
I just want to add that even they decided to tell someone that would have been the MoN and I don't think the results would have been any different :laugh:
I don't know if anyone else picked up on the implications of this, but is this something that should be said around someone on book 2?
 

Dnae Ila

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Double post, sorry.
Did she lie? I think she seemed to try hard to actually be truthful

I just recently reread this, and I actually looked for a lie in things she said. I think everything was technically truth. I imagine that even though Black Ajah are capable of lies, I think they would continue the typical Aes Sedai twisted truth most of the time, both out of habit and so they won't be found out.
 

Sailea Nerid

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I put spoilers but I don't think anyone that do not know what I was talking about would have understood it as one
 

Sabriane Diamodred

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Liandrin was Aes Sedai. They'd had obedience to Aes Sedai drummed into their heads
Did she lie? I think she seemed to try hard to actually be truthful

Edit - sorry Toral, accidentally 'edited' instead of replied - darned moderatorness!

I forget the exact passage but I *think* so - I recall that being an "aha!" moment but would need to go back to check
 

Rhed al'Tere

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Liandrin's Aes Sedai. Novices and Accepted obey Aes Sedai. Full stop.

I'm not there in my re-read yet, so I may have other thoughts in a few weeks. :laugh:
 
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I can see everyone's point with everyone following along with what an Aes Sedai tells them to do, but I still don't think that fits with Nynaeve's character. Nynaeve is willful, even insolent at times. It doesn't seem like her to blindly follow along with the wishes of a woman she doesn't know and doesn't like.

I really need to finish book 2.
 

Sabriane Diamodred

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I can see everyone's point with everyone following along with what an Aes Sedai tells them to do, but I still don't think that fits with Nynaeve's character. Nynaeve is willful, even insolent at times. It doesn't seem like her to blindly follow along with the wishes of a woman she doesn't know and doesn't like.

I really need to finish book 2.

True, i dont think it's what she wants to to by any means, but the whole thing in the tower is they work to beat that kind of dissention out of the novices/accepted, make them learn to toe the line
 

Sailea Nerid

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I agree with Sabriane Sedai, plus at that time we know that Nynaeve accepted she needs to obey some Tower rules in order to become Aes Sedai and have access to the knowledge she is interested in.
 

Dnae Ila

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Not only that, but at that time, Nynaeve has no reason to believe Aes Sedai can lie, and so truly believes that Rand needs their help. She would follow anyone to help an Emmond's Fielder.
 

Sabriane Diamodred

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I can see why it would seem strange that they would follow along, but I think there's enough in-world reasoning why they would go along with it for it not to seem out of place to me imo.
 

Rhed al'Tere

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I like Dnae's point. The whole reason Nynaeve left the Two Rivers in the first place was to take care of the others. Rand's in trouble? Nynaeve to the rescue!
 

Dnae Ila

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:tug :horsey
 

Megana Vallentin

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It's Nynaeve! :laugh: Tugging her braid and then running off to the rescue!
 

Rhed al'Tere

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:laugh:

I just came across a line in Eye of the World that sums it up. This happens just before they start the rescue of Perrin and Egwene (though they don't know who's there) from the Whitecloak camp.

Lan asks Nynaeve, "Are you willing to take a chance?"
Nynaeve responds, "To help an Emond's Fielder? Of course!"

She expresses no doubt, no hesitation. She agrees to help before she asks what the chance is. With that attitude and frame of mind, it makes sense that she'd go to help Rand. :horsey
 
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