Theoryland of the Wheel of Time

TOR Questions of the Week Part III (Verbatim)

Did the Dark One or Ishamael, either one, have a say in the placement of any or all of the other Chosen once they were released, or did they all just carve out power bases of their own choosing?

They carved out power bases of their own choosing based on various criteria, one of which I will reveal. (Others are definitely RAFO!) For the most part, Ishamael excepted, they set out to create worldly power for themselves using the methods they favored in the Age of Legends. That is, Moghedien worked from the shadows using subversion, Sammael, Be'lal and Rahvin attempted to seize control of national governments and so on. The theory behind this was that once the Dark One broke free, those with the largest worldly power bases would be rewarded most.

age of legends, be'lal, dark one, forsaken, ishamael, moghedien, rahvin, sammael,

KOD Signing Report - Pary (Paraphrased)

Did Be'lal's name mean "Netweaver" or "Envious"?

RAFO.

forsaken, be'lal, old tongue,

Barnes and Noble Chat (Verbatim)

Did you get inspiration for Be'lal's name from Paradise Lost? (i.e., the fallen angel Belial)

Among other places, yes.

wot influences, be'lal,

DragonCon Signing Reports - Matt Hatch (Verbatim)

You have been killing my theories left and right since I got here.

Matt Hatch

Robert Jordan

Matt Hatch

Robert Jordan

Matt Hatch

Robert Jordan

Matt Hatch

dark one, shayol ghul, the bore, transmigration, forsaken, souls, rahvin, be'lal,

KOD Signing Report - Robert Mee (Paraphrased)

And (drumroll)... The question regarding the Gauntleted Fist clutching the three Lightning Bolts...

At first he thought I was talking about the chapter icon, which he said he has no control over, but referenced something about Trollocs. When I explained that I meant the sigil we'd seen in Tear and on Sammael's throne and Mazrim Taim's (Mazh-rim Ta-eem)'s throne... his response was "Oh! That...I...I'm going to have to tell you to read and find out." Bah!

sammael, taim, pronunciation, be'lal, chapter icons,

KOD Signing Report - Bluecole (Paraphrased)

How did Be'lal recognize that Moiraine is intending to use balefire against him before Moiraine released the balefire? And how did Moiraine sense the balefire Rand used?

RJ responded with the most emphatic "RAFO" of the evening. Jumped all over it, in fact. So I think that says several things, but that's another thread.

balefire, moiraine, be'lal, weaves, one power, channeling,

The Great Hunt 2011: Excerpts from Robert Jordan's notes (Verbatim)

None of the Forsaken know that Osan'gar (Corlan Dashiva) is dead, but they know he's vanished. They are pretty much sure that Sammael is dead, because he isn't the type to remain in hiding, but think Asmodean might well be hiding out until he can figure a way to return safely. They know that Rahvin and Be'lal are dead, though some at least suspect reincarnation as Aran'gar and Osan'gar. Most have worked out that Moridin is Ishamael.

Aran'gar and Osan'gar are Balthamel and Aginor transmigrated, respectively. Most of the Forsaken we've had in POV seem to have figured that out.

rj's notes, aginor, osan'gar, sammael, asmodean, rahvin, be'lal, moridin, ishamael, wotgh,

Afternoon Tea with Brandon Sanderson - Luckers (Paraphrased)

Okay, so the warding on the Great Holding in Tear... it’s just, Moiraine, Mat, Rand, the Wonder Girls, all come and go with ease, yet Mesaana speaks of there being a nasty warding that stopped her getting in, and there is no sign that Be’lal... I mean, why wouldn’t Be’lal have taken the fat man angreal?

*nodding before I finished* MAFO. That was something I was going to look into myself, because it stumped me during my last re-read. I never got round to it... you haven’t seen the size of the pile of notes, they are huge, and most of my time... I have to give over to things that are involved in what I’m working on. Sometimes though, I do just go into them purely for fan interest.

Luckers

I would love to have an afternoon alone with the notes. *another fan nods fervently*

Maria Simons

It is my understanding that Rand put that warding on when he was getting ready to leave Tear. As for Be’lal . . . well, he was one of the Chosen; what need had he of an angreal to go up against an untrained sheepherder? That’s my best guess, anyway.

be'lal, mesaana, wards, tear, moiraine, errors, rj's notes, angreal,

JordanCon 2013 - Q&A with Maria (Verbatim)

How did Moiraine identify Sammael and Be'lal? How did she know their names?

I'm assuming research; I don't know.

Terez

My theory was always eavesdropping.

Maria Simons

Oh yeah, that's another good possibility.

Terez

And that would be a reason why she tipped Sammael off to her presence.

Maria Simons

Yeah.

Terez

How did she rediscover balefire? Assuming research again?

Maria Simons

Assuming.

Marie Curie

That question always comes up, about whether you can learn a weave by reading about it.

Maria Simons

Yeah, I think it can help, and then you have to experiment and hope for the best.

Maria answered the question about Sammael again later.

moiraine, the dragon reborn, weaves, channeling, balefire, sammael, be'lal,

JordanCon 2013 - Q&A with Maria (Verbatim)

In The Dragon Reborn, Perrin sees Ishamael, Rahvin, and Be'lal in a place that looks like the Ways—and of course we see that place in The Eye of the World, in the boys' dreams too—is that a construct that Ishamael makes in Tel'aran'rhiod?

I am assuming so, but again, I don't know.

Terez

I got the impression (because of this conversation) that Brandon kinda tried to explain that one.

the dragon reborn, the eye of the world, ishamael, rahvin, be'lal, tel'aran'rhiod, dreamwalking, dreamers,