Date: 2013-02-06
Type: Paraphrased
Location: San Diego, CA
Reporter: Simka
I was also at the San Diego signing, in line right behind Insectoid and Babokathy. Insectoid did a splendid job of describing the evening. I have never seen Brandon or Harriet in person, so I was surprised at how tall Brandon is. Harriet was just adorable during the Q&A.
I asked Brandon why Alanna hung onto Rand’s bond right up until the moment of her death, especially when it caused her so much grief. I haven’t seen any discussion on this issue, and I don’t know whether anyone else besides me was curious about it, but there it is.
Brandon paused for a long time, and I actually thought he was going to RAFO me, but I guess he was just considering his answer. Unless I write things down as they happen, I have no short term memory for people’s exact words, so I can only paraphrase him. He said that Aes Sedai have trouble letting go of anything [as we are all well aware]; they feel that you never know when something will come in handy. So until Alanna became aware that her death while holding Rand’s bond would adversely affect the outcome of his battle with the Dark One, she wouldn’t release it. Almost as an afterthought he added that just having a way to locate Rand had had some value [for the Lightside, I gathered].
When I moved on to Harriet I could only thank her profusely for allowing the series to be finished, and I got a little misty. I’ve been a WOT fan for a long long time, but I didn’t realize I felt so emotional about it.
ValMar@44—Your remark reminded me that Brandon did specifically say in his answer to me that Alanna was definitely not Black Ajah.
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