Man, I love the prologue of The Eye of the World . Some of my favorite writing in the entire series. Great insight into Ishamael’s personality pre-madness.
People like to talk of Rand’s character development. Elan -> Ishamael -> Moridin is almost as interesting to me. His outlook has evolved so much.
Has it really evolved? he’s still the megalomanical favorite/topdog he’s always seen himself to be.
No, he’s really changed a lot. He’s a fatalist now, as I mentioned to @dragonmount. He knows far more.
How would you compare Ishamael’s motivations from when he was Elan vs when he was Moridin?
Elan is actually more selfish. He still thinks he will rule, that the Dark One will take over the world and create a new one.
Moridin has been through madness and touched the mind of the Dark One. He is far more fatalistic, and actually less selfish.
And therefore…less predictable? :)
I was wondering if anyone would pick up on that quote in relation to my tweet.
In TGS 39 , Verin tells Egwene that the Dark One looks for selfishness more than any other trait in his leaders—namely, the Chosen—because it makes them predictable.
Is it wrong for me to have been under the impression that Moridin isn’t “mad?” I’ve thought he was less mad than he was…
…as Ishamael. Mad being crazy not mad being evil because obviously he’s evil.
Moridin is less insane than Ishamael was. Much as Rand is less insane than Lews Therin was.
You say Moridin is less selfish. Is he now a Dark Buddha wanting to end the suffering of existence in the nirvana of oblivion?
It’s not that he’s unselfish. But compare his lines in The Eye of the World and Knife of Dreams and Towers of Midnight to see the difference.
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